Posted: 11/18/2009 1:46:48 PM EDT
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At sometime in December, I plan on heading to my property in Eastern WA. While not really necessary, I plan on making this a small "test" of my planning and preparation.
Last weekend I went up and discovered that I had forgotten a bunch of things. Of course, I didn't treat it as if I wouldn't be able to go to the local (40 minutes away) WallyWorld and get what I forgot/needed. This time, I want to see if I can manage to bring everything I need/want without having to resort to a trip into town. So, I am starting by putting together a few plastic totes that have basic stuff in them - camp stove, matches, pot, pan, utensils, etc... The sleeping bag is always in my truck, so I won't forget that - but I need to make sure I have a few other basic food staples in the totes. I'll have an AAR when I return. Can anyone else thing of anything that I might be wanting to put in the totes? These are the boxes that I can simply grab and go with in 2 minutes should it become absolutely needed to get outta dodge. Of course, I'd love to bring everything I could, but I have to limit it to what I can grab and throw in the truck in a short time. |
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basic first aid kit
firemaking and backup firemaking and backup for the backup firemaking. 
water purification food extra changes of clothes (esp. socks) walkie talkies/HAM radio toilet paper something to occupy your time oh, and leave a note in your house in case someone wonders where you are and if you're ok. 
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basic first aid kit firemaking and backup firemaking and backup for the backup firemaking.
water purification food extra changes of clothes (esp. socks) walkie talkies/HAM radio toilet paper something to occupy your time oh, and leave a note in your house in case someone wonders where you are and if you're ok. First Aid kit is always in the truck (good thing, too, because in October, I needed it) Well, got firemaking, and backup firmaking, but no backup to the back up -
No water purification other than boiling. And this time of year, if I can even make it up to the land, there will be plenty of non-yellow snow 
food - yeah, that's the one problem. I usually wait until I'm heading up to get some, so I need to make a "stash" and use it to BO with Clothes - check - they are still in the truck from the last trip (only spend a night and a day, so didn't use 'em) Ham radio is permanently mounted in the truck - altho, I do need an antenna for HF TP - yup, plenty of that (and a bucket-loo) books, lots of books - Louis L'amour, camping books, and of course, a Bible. As for other time occupiers - chain saw - gonna make some fire wood to bring home. (that reminds me, I need to get that manual log splitter from Harbor Freight) Anything else I'm forgetting? Not sure I want to take a tent - sleeping in the truck is 'ok', but not much fun either. ETA - here's where I'll be (Pic from Nov 12th) 
I love that place. |
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GORGEOUS!!!!!
if you WERE in a tent, I'd add air mattress to keep you off the ground, which helps retain body heat... I do have another thing to add, though, since it's so beautiful... don't forget your camera. 
and eye protection for the cutting of the firewood. especially when you're alone, you just can't be too careful with your eyes... |
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A bugout test isn't really a true test if you're planning everything leading up to the actual bugout. In my mind, the best test is to go with a sudden and random timeframe, load up and leave with what you currently have within that timeframe, and find out what you're missing at the end. Reality will most likely mimic this in that you won't have the time and luxury of figuring out what you might need, get it, then bugout.
Run the test as realisticly and harshly as you can to determine what weaknesses you have. |
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A bugout test isn't really a true test if you're planning everything leading up to the actual bugout. In my mind, the best test is to go with a sudden and random timeframe, load up and leave with what you currently have within that timeframe, and find out what you're missing at the end. Reality will most likely mimic this in that you won't have the time and luxury of figuring out what you might need, get it, then bugout. Run the test as realisticly and harshly as you can to determine what weaknesses you have. I disagree. Planning ahead - BEFORE you actually NEED to bug out - is akin to a fire drill. getting your lists refined so that your permanent "go boxes" can be set exactly the way you want them for a quick BO of the time comes... we practice, we refine, and we practice again. |
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A bugout test isn't really a true test if you're planning everything leading up to the actual bugout. In my mind, the best test is to go with a sudden and random timeframe, load up and leave with what you currently have within that timeframe, and find out what you're missing at the end. Reality will most likely mimic this in that you won't have the time and luxury of figuring out what you might need, get it, then bugout. Run the test as realisticly and harshly as you can to determine what weaknesses you have. I disagree. Planning ahead - BEFORE you actually NEED to bug out - is akin to a fire drill. getting your lists refined so that your permanent "go boxes" can be set exactly the way you want them for a quick BO of the time comes... we practice, we refine, and we practice again. From my perspective, we're on the same page. My point is to practice as realisticly as possible, and by "practice" I phrased "test", same thing, the most likely scenario you may find yourself in. Obviously, if you have a bugout plan, and that is your set plan, test it. But you can only test your plan based upon what you have at any given moment. You can't think to yourself "I'm planning a bugout, what will I need to do so". You have to run with what you have, and shore up the weaknesses based upon the experience. Until the reality of circumstances are upon us, all we can do is "role play" or test preconceived notions of what may be presented us. I agree; practice, refine, practice again. But you have to do it realistically with what you have |
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A bugout test isn't really a true test if you're planning everything leading up to the actual bugout. In my mind, the best test is to go with a sudden and random timeframe, load up and leave with what you currently have within that timeframe, and find out what you're missing at the end. Reality will most likely mimic this in that you won't have the time and luxury of figuring out what you might need, get it, then bugout. Run the test as realisticly and harshly as you can to determine what weaknesses you have. I disagree. Planning ahead - BEFORE you actually NEED to bug out - is akin to a fire drill. getting your lists refined so that your permanent "go boxes" can be set exactly the way you want them for a quick BO of the time comes... we practice, we refine, and we practice again. From my perspective, we're on the same page. My point is to practice as realisticly as possible, and by "practice" I phrased "test", same thing, the most likely scenario you may find yourself in. Obviously, if you have a bugout plan, and that is your set plan, test it. But you can only test your plan based upon what you have at any given moment. You can't think to yourself "I'm planning a bugout, what will I need to do so". You have to run with what you have, and shore up the weaknesses based upon the experience. Until the reality of circumstances are upon us, all we can do is "role play" or test preconceived notions of what may be presented us. I agree; practice, refine, practice again. But you have to do it realistically with what you have Yup, did that last month - and forgot some very basic items. Which is why I stopped on the way. This time, I want to pretty much not have to stop. Taking the list from last month of what I needed and didn't have that I didn't buy on the way up, is where I'm starting at here. What I was hoping to get from this thread was perhaps a list of things that I wasn't even thinking about, so that when the next "test" occurred, I might have added a few of those items (should I deem them needed) to the "go box" so they were already in place. I'd hate to have a real SHTF between now and the "test" and not have thought of something - or had something suggested. So, granted that this will be an iterative process, my philosophy is to have as few iterations as possible before I get it "right" (realizing, of course, that there will always be something once in awhile that "needs" to ba added). To cut down on the number of iterations, I asked here what others may have thought of that I may have forgotten. Learn from others, and don't make the same mistakes sort of thing... From the sound of it, I got most of it right - but forgot a few creature comforts, like a coffee pot (i had coffee, but no pot), so I bought a dedicated pot for the "box"
Donne - it is beautiful up there - I have a shot of that first picture from the exact same spot with the fall colors from October (one month prior to the winter shot above) 
Amazing what 1 month can do, huh? |
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A bugout test isn't really a true test if you're planning everything leading up to the actual bugout. In my mind, the best test is to go with a sudden and random timeframe, load up and leave with what you currently have within that timeframe, and find out what you're missing at the end. Reality will most likely mimic this in that you won't have the time and luxury of figuring out what you might need, get it, then bugout. Run the test as realisticly and harshly as you can to determine what weaknesses you have. Crawl, walk, run my friend. What is the point of starting off running? You just trip. Crawl and walk first, so when you have to run, you know how. |
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Yup, did that last month - and forgot some very basic items. Which is why I stopped on the way. This time, I want to pretty much not have to stop. Taking the list from last month of what I needed and didn't have that I didn't buy on the way up, is where I'm starting at here. What I was hoping to get from this thread was perhaps a list of things that I wasn't even thinking about, so that when the next "test" occurred, I might have added a few of those items (should I deem them needed) to the "go box" so they were already in place. I'd hate to have a real SHTF between now and the "test" and not have thought of something - or had something suggested. So, granted that this will be an iterative process, my philosophy is to have as few iterations as possible before I get it "right" (realizing, of course, that there will always be something once in awhile that "needs" to ba added). To cut down on the number of iterations, I asked here what others may have thought of that I may have forgotten. Learn from others, and don't make the same mistakes sort of thing... From the sound of it, I got most of it right - but forgot a few creature comforts, like a coffee pot (i had coffee, but no pot), so I bought a dedicated pot for the "box"
Donne - it is beautiful up there - I have a shot of that first picture from the exact same spot with the fall colors from October (one month prior to the winter shot above) http://rockofagesranch.com/images/OC190292.jpg Amazing what 1 month can do, huh? my, but that's a beautiful spot... you wouldn't happen to need a bug-out-buddy, would you? safety in numbers and all that? 
wait. I think sfax39 might have a slight problem with that. never mind. 
it's GORGEOUS - enjoy that beauty you have up there... you know, we have 4 seasons here in Texas, too, though - Drought, Flood, Blizzard and Twister.  
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Yup, did that last month - and forgot some very basic items. Which is why I stopped on the way. This time, I want to pretty much not have to stop. Taking the list from last month of what I needed and didn't have that I didn't buy on the way up, is where I'm starting at here. What I was hoping to get from this thread was perhaps a list of things that I wasn't even thinking about, so that when the next "test" occurred, I might have added a few of those items (should I deem them needed) to the "go box" so they were already in place. I'd hate to have a real SHTF between now and the "test" and not have thought of something - or had something suggested. So, granted that this will be an iterative process, my philosophy is to have as few iterations as possible before I get it "right" (realizing, of course, that there will always be something once in awhile that "needs" to ba added). To cut down on the number of iterations, I asked here what others may have thought of that I may have forgotten. Learn from others, and don't make the same mistakes sort of thing... From the sound of it, I got most of it right - but forgot a few creature comforts, like a coffee pot (i had coffee, but no pot), so I bought a dedicated pot for the "box"
Donne - it is beautiful up there - I have a shot of that first picture from the exact same spot with the fall colors from October (one month prior to the winter shot above) http://rockofagesranch.com/images/OC190292.jpg Amazing what 1 month can do, huh? my, but that's a beautiful spot... you wouldn't happen to need a bug-out-buddy, would you? safety in numbers and all that?
wait. I think sfax39 might have a slight problem with that. never mind.
it's GORGEOUS - enjoy that beauty you have up there... you know, we have 4 seasons here in Texas, too, though - Drought, Flood, Blizzard and Twister. Can it still be 4 seasons if they all happen in the same day though? I've gone through all four of those in El Paso and San Antonio
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Can it still be 4 seasons if they all happen in the same day though? I've gone through all four of those in El Paso and San Antonio LOL... yep. it's Texas. we do things big, even if that means fitting all 4 seasons into the same day.
I used to hear we had "almost summer, summer, still summer, and cold rain."
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Yup, did that last month - and forgot some very basic items. Which is why I stopped on the way. This time, I want to pretty much not have to stop. Taking the list from last month of what I needed and didn't have that I didn't buy on the way up, is where I'm starting at here. What I was hoping to get from this thread was perhaps a list of things that I wasn't even thinking about, so that when the next "test" occurred, I might have added a few of those items (should I deem them needed) to the "go box" so they were already in place. I'd hate to have a real SHTF between now and the "test" and not have thought of something - or had something suggested. So, granted that this will be an iterative process, my philosophy is to have as few iterations as possible before I get it "right" (realizing, of course, that there will always be something once in awhile that "needs" to ba added). To cut down on the number of iterations, I asked here what others may have thought of that I may have forgotten. Learn from others, and don't make the same mistakes sort of thing... From the sound of it, I got most of it right - but forgot a few creature comforts, like a coffee pot (i had coffee, but no pot), so I bought a dedicated pot for the "box"
Donne - it is beautiful up there - I have a shot of that first picture from the exact same spot with the fall colors from October (one month prior to the winter shot above) http://rockofagesranch.com/images/OC190292.jpg Amazing what 1 month can do, huh? my, but that's a beautiful spot... you wouldn't happen to need a bug-out-buddy, would you? safety in numbers and all that?
wait. I think sfax39 might have a slight problem with that. never mind.
it's GORGEOUS - enjoy that beauty you have up there... you know, we have 4 seasons here in Texas, too, though - Drought, Flood, Blizzard and Twister. Yeah, Beautiful, my recent bride might take exception to that, too
As for the 4 seasons in TX, I grew up in Northern IL, where we had 2 of those 4 seasons ... at least. But ours didn't happen in one day 
Of course here on the wet side of WA we get 2 seasons, rain ... and rainy-er. Summer lasts about 1 day |
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Yeah, Beautiful, my recent bride might take exception to that, too
As for the 4 seasons in TX, I grew up in Northern IL, where we had 2 of those 4 seasons ... at least. But ours didn't happen in one day
Of course here on the wet side of WA we get 2 seasons, rain ... and rainy-er. Summer lasts about 1 day ah! congrats! well, that actually makes it better... she and I can tend the home front while you and sfax go hunt for dinner. see? it all works out. 
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