What I'm not prepared for - at all -

[mabear]

is to BO. With 9 kids, 15 yo down to 3 yo twins, the thought of attempting to hit the road (with or without a car) freaks me out. I just can't imagine doing it, or even worse, being able to survive like that......but...I've been thinking about it more and more, like if we really HAD to (if it was life or death) obviously we would. But, I have a serious mental block on beginning preps for this area. What would you recommend for the car? We have a 15 passenger van, with some cargo space, but not much for the amount of gear needed for all of us (this is where I start to freeze up. I start with prepping the car first because it is easier for me to think about that than it is to leave on foot, but then I get to the part about what I think we need and the space I have to work with, and I just go back to staying home, but I know that may not be possible.) Any thoughts, suggestions, or a boot in the rear to get me moving??

[Skyowl]

Start with the answer to one simple question. Where would you BO to? Go from there.

[Oscar Wilde]

Start with the answer to one simple question. Where would you BO to? Go from there.

+1

Opportunist will attempt to exploit the weak, the helpless. Make yourself an undersirable target. Do you live where you can make your home safe and secure .... make it so. Unless you're now part of a group who has established and prepped a BOL your attempt to BO will turn in to a refugee shuffle .... makes for a miserable existance and often a slow, agonizing death.
It sounds like you're not planning on leaving .... so where do you live? House .... appartment? There will be lots of advice .... easier said than done .... but something must be done....

O.W.

[mabear]

Start with the answer to one simple question. Where would you BO to? Go from there.

I guess I should have mentioned that - if we HAD to leave, it would be to the woods. I'm still stuck though.

[Oscar Wilde]

.... if we HAD to leave, it would be to the woods.

Whose woods? Do you have a shovel? An axe? Machete? Rope? Twine? Matches in a waterproof container? The list will be seemingly endless ....

O.W.

[mabear]

+1

Opportunist will attempt to exploit the weak, the helpless. Make yourself an undersirable target. Do you live where you can make your home safe and secure .... make it so. Unless you're now part of a group who has established and prepped a BOL your attempt to BO will turn in to a refugee shuffle .... makes for a miserable existance and often a slow, agonizing death.
It sounds like you're not planning on leaving .... so where do you live? House .... appartment? There will be lots of advice .... easier said than done .... but something must be done....

O.W.

That's my fear - it would be a death sentence.

We have a large house on 2 acres - one hour from either major city near us, 5 miles from the freeway where there are gas stations, but 15-20 miles from the closest town. But our house is close to the road (gravel and only traveled by people for two other houses up here and the mailman) and on a hill - exposed and in open view. I'm sure that we have at a min. 3 months worth of food, more if we stretched it, a well, we heat with wood, and I have chickens (would like to add a pig and/or cow). I prep to stay here, and maybe that's where I should keep my focus, but like most preppers - I try to think of all possible scenarios and I fear burying my head in the sand and being forced to leave totally unprepared.

[mabear]

Whose woods? Do you have a shovel? An axe? Machete? Rope? Twine? Matches in a waterproof container? The list will be seemingly endless ....

O.W.

lol....I'm a newbie, but not THAT new:) Yes, we have all of those things. My two oldest sons asked for ALICE packs for Christmas, and my oldest just sold his paintball gun and xbox 360 to but a real gun - we're serious and working towards our goals:) Whose woods though? - I have no idea, that's why I'm asking here, to figure it out.

[Oscar Wilde]

By some folks standards .... mine included .... your in heaven. So we can write off the silly notion of travel .... right? So what's next? Water .... where does your water come from? Can you store it? Can you live without electricity? Make this a goal .... daily existence without electricity. Oh .... are your children engaged in your efforts? I heard some folks discuss making a game of it .... I don't have children and games aren't to be taken seriously so my approach to this would not be so subtle.
Forget scenarios .... you'll drive yourself batty. Do you have a means of defense?

O.W.

[Oscar Wilde]

.... Whose woods though? - I have no idea, that's why I'm asking here, to figure it out.

Are you familiar with those woods? Can you and your eldest venture into the woods and locate animal trails, source of water, fallback / safety position?

I just want to add .... I don't recall you mentioning a significant other of the male persuasion .... you have my respect and admiration ....


O.W.

[mabear]

whew - so I can stop the BO obsessions? I'm so happy:)

We have city water and a well - the well is not hooked up to the house, it runs to the shop and the spigot for the hose.....that's all I know about it. I'm storing water in one gallon containers, but that's a lot of containers. We're working on the electricity, I've got oil lamps and have started using those at night, and I've parred down to one tv, no game systems...basically tried to unwind the clock with the kids who were so power dependant....they've taken it well now that we're over the initial hump. My man is supposed to hook the wood heater up to the hot water heater for hot water. I've switched to cooking with cast iron so that we have it and I know how to cook with it (was scared to death I'd burn everything.) Yes, the kids are engaged (two oldest read Patriots, we watch a lot of documentaries for info., we talk about "what ifs" and of course keeping your mouth shut about all of it.) I home school, and this year I chucked the reading textbooks and put skill building books in their place. We still do math and history type stuff with text books, but everything else is about learning useful skills for off-grid, homesteading type stuff. Defense is a weak point, my man is not skilled in this area and is busy trying to keep a roof over our heads - he's on board, but not actively doing anything. I got a Winchester 12 gauge and a 22 rifle, and some ammo, but I don't know how to use them at all.

[mabear]

Are you familiar with those woods? Can you and your eldest venture into the woods and locate animal trails, source of water, fallback / safety position?

I just want to add .... I don't recall you mentioning a significant other of the male persuasion .... you have my respect and admiration ....


O.W.

I can't take all the credit - he's around, but works all the time. He supports me, but isn't active.....though when he finds something odd, like an antique small game trap, or an old steel long handled over sized spoon thingy for melting metal - he brings it to me, to hang on a wall someplace as "decoration";)

[Oscar Wilde]

whew - so I can stop the BO obsessions? I'm so happy:)

Based on what you've shared I'm voting stand your ground .... if this is all an exercise in futility I prefere to take my last breathe in the comfort of my home, not trapped in a gridlocked bumper to bumper interstate turned parking lot. Mabear, while you may not have on hand a lifetime supply of all your daily wants and needs your heads above many.
Walmart : brick of 500 .22 bullets around $15.00 .... 15 count box of 12 gage 2 3/4 00 buckshot, $9.00 .... 15 count box of 12gage 2 3/4 rifled slugs, $9.00.

While I'm not an advocate of credit .... if you have any now is the time to use it.


O.W.

[mabear]

Based on what you've shared I'm voting stand your ground .... if this is all an exercise in futility I prefere to take my last breathe in the comfort of my home, not trapped in a gridlocked bumper to bumper interstate turned parking lot. Mabear, while you may not have on hand a lifetime supply of all your daily wants and needs your heads above many.
Walmart : brick of 500 .22 bullets around $15.00 .... 15 count box of 12 gage 2 3/4 00 buckshot, $9.00 .... 15 count box of 12gage 2 3/4 rifled slugs, $9.00.

While I'm not an advocate of credit .... if you have any now is the time to use it.


O.W.

Thank you O.W., honestly, I will sleep better tonight. I read, and I read, and everyone talks about back-up plans, and BO....and like I said - I have nothing going on there, and so I've been thinking I'm shirking that reality because of my fear, and in the end we will all pay for it (everything that goes wrong is always mom's fault, right?...lol.) I'll focus on more ammo, and learning to use it. Thank you for all of your thoughts and time:)

[Oscar Wilde]

.... I read, and I read, and everyone talks about back-up plans, and BO....

When the time comes a lot of folks are going to pick up their play books and realize there is something not covered .... oops. Improvise .... adapt .... overcome..... and pray, all will be well. Sleep tight ....

O.W.

[monet861]

I have to agree with the stay in place thoughts. I am in a less than ideal location 20-30 miles from Chicago, but my plan would be to stay at home and fortify. I have a good deal more in the way of protection and military experience to back it up. I would say become much more proficient in the use of your firearms and maybe pick up a longer range hunting rifle in maybe .308. Of course these are just my opinions.