Where to go??

[Cowboyup65]

Ok so it all hits the fan someday and we wake to to communist America, or some night mare close to it.
So I pack the truck with what is necasary and hit the road.
Do I go to the Mountains (bout 20 minutes away) or head some where out of US control, like Mexico and get across the border (probly not the legal way).

So what are your suggestions??

[Brosia]

well, I wouldn't go to mexico, they seem worse off than we are.

[oly]

Mexico is very unstable at this time and nearing a Gov. collapse due to the drug cartels, kinda like another Columbia

[oly]

http://xcolony.com/x/showthread.php?t=1598

And theres more on the Mexican military helping drugs crossing our boarders

[Visinedrops]

Very good question, and the answer lies in your own mind. Obviously Mexico would NOT be a place to go, 'nuff said.

The mountains would be a very good idea, however, once you reach the end of the road in your BOV, get out of it, unload what you can carry, and continue on - VERY FAR into the forest. The closer you are to "normal" civilization, the more people you will run into while you're trying to get away.

Alaska has a lot of open space, but is very difficult to live in. My personal opinion would be to stay within the confines of north America, excluding Mexico. Google Earth is a great tool to find out where there are very few roads, or other means of access. You can find a BOL this way, mainly because towns are mapped out.

[Niki09]

I agree, while I don't watch the news (stupid I know) and am not sure of what's going on in Mexico, thats the last place I'd go regardless , don't they hate us anyway?

Head for the mountains :)

[Cowboyup65]

well like I was just talking with my son who is in the Army reserves, so if everything hit the fan, do you think soldiers would turn there guns on the people of the US to make us obey the "new" goverment?

I have lived in the foothills of the mountains for a while, hunted in them, owned a piece of one, and done alot of hiking in them, and I have to tell you, they are not easy to hide in since you can see ridge to ridge, and those in the valleys can see you as well as you see them.
Lack of water unless you lucky enough to find a pond or stream or spring will keep you on the move, plus trying to keep 5 kids 12 and under working with you and my two older ones helping, it would be a serious adventure just to keep us all fed.

just trying to see what options a guy with a family like mine has.

[Niki09]

well like I was just talking with my son who is in the Army reserves, so if everything hit the fan, do you think soldiers would turn there guns on the people of the US to make us obey the "new" goverment?

this is a touchy subject for me but i'll make it short and sweet:
no I do not think if tshtf that many military will enforce.. after all the government underpays them, treats them like a$$, AND uses them as expendable in a pointless war ...... I have always and will always believe those guys are on our side!
I could be wrong, but I think they may tell the govt to take a flying leap or pay them better (and that wont happen)

[Visinedrops]

this is a touchy subject for me but i'll make it short and sweet:
no I do not think if tshtf that many military will enforce.. after all the government underpays them, treats them like a$$, AND uses them as expendable in a pointless war ...... I have always and will always believe those guys are on our side!
I could be wrong, but I think they may tell the govt to take a flying leap or pay them better (and that wont happen)

The government will pay these people whatever they have to...they're the government...they created the money, they control the money, they give the money to the people who they deem worthy.

However, money isn't going to be much good during a post-martial-law scenario.

[iceman]

head to the hills

head to the hills and dig in...

just my .02

[beebopcop]

Everyone talks about bugging out and they do so as if this is the first action they should take. This a very personal choice and will depend on your area, your circumstances, and what kind of emergency that has brought you to the decision to leave.
The government is going to anticipate a lot of people bugging out and they are going to have contingency plans against it. It might be wiser, again depending on the circumstances, to stay in place and possibly let things calm down. This time could be used to figure out the weaknesses of the forces in your area. What are their habits? What do they need? What could they be bribed with? Etc, etc. The longer a force is in an Area of Operation (AO) usually the more relaxed they get. The more they start to interact with the locals and the more the locals become people instead of just objects of opposition. I'm not saying this would be the best course of action, but certainly should be in your bag of possibilities.
BBC

[rachael4444]

I agree that running in a time of emergency, (short of fire or tsunami), would be less desirable than hunkering down in a defendable, sustainable location. My question goes to the original point. Where?

[Cowboyup65]

I am pretty sure given enough time I could build something underground as I would love an underground shooting range.

http://www.disastershelters.net/office_faq.php

This site has a good idea with 8'-10' drainage tunnels, but at 35k on up, it is way out of my price range.

Being in Construction, I could dig the hole, put in my footers, and lay my own block for the underground area, limited by the cost of the blocks mainly and backfill, since it would have to be gravel and sand.

I even thought of using round concrete culverts about 8-10' in size like the drainage tunnels, thinking the might be cheaper.

Not sure what the cost of concrete verses treated is, but I know you could build underground structures of wood also since they have done basements that way for many years, and they have gotten better because of the newer materials.

I know it has give me an awful lot to think about since it wont be simple any way I go as I have to plan for all 9 of us in any direction we decide to take.

Right now, prayer is the best defense against a catastrophy coming against my family, and my common sense and quick thinking to keep us alive and going, and being being a good shot should feed us as well as protect us if need be.

[Victor Lazlo]

My family and I will stay put as long as possible. Life may not be easy when the poo hits the fan, but I know these surroundings and most of the people. Why run into a situation that you don't have control over. Where would be a safe place to go...wait I'm sure FEMA will help relocate us. I have dealt with many American's that have moved to Honduras, but the problem with that they still have to come back to the states for certain supplies.

[monet861]

I would stay at my house if at all possible.

As for the military firing on US citizens. Correct me if I am wrong older members for I am just under 40, but didn't the military fire on veterans after one of the World Wars.

The story as I recollect give or take a few facts:
After the war, the veterans were promised some kind of bonus. When things got bad (recession or depression) when a huge amount of these veterans had lost jobs, they went to Washington to collect. Washington basically told them to screw off. They set up shanty towns all over DC. The president or congress brought in either the Army or reserves and had them fire these shanty towns and if I remember correctly a number of these squatters were shot and killed by the troops. Like I said, don't quite remember the whole story and when, but this seems about right.

As a Vet, I like to think that it would not happen, but if the orders are given and they have you believing that group you are ordered to attack, are against what you believe is right or whatever it could happen. Especially if the gov is controlling the media, who knows what the members of the military know. When I was 20 years old in the USMC, I didn't watch the news or read the papers. I did my job and had my fun. I just wanted to be the best Marine and party when I could. Especially in combat zones. In Somalia, Yugoslavia, Iraq, and the Bahamas (Haiti issues) I didn't decide who were the bad guys. I was told who were the bad guys and I didn't really know any better. Now it would be a quandry if it had ever come down to a child, but I never had to deal with that.