Here are a few of things to think honestly about when bugging out away from home. Prepping is all about planning for the good and bad so stretch your imagination and think outside the box!
Avoid Conflict Whenever Possible
Ideally, your aim should be to avoid all contact with people outside of your group while bugging out, but this may not be possible.
With that in mind, your goal must be to avoid any sort of conflict during your long-distance bug out. This could mean backing off from a fight or even (politely) refusing any offers of friendship along the way.
Any interactions you have with people should be short but not curt. You’ll want to be civil with everyone you meet up until the point where you are required to defend yourself.
You Need to Have a Plan B
Even the best-laid plans can go awry, and that’s under normal circumstances.
In a SHTF scenario, you’re almost guaranteed to need a Plan B all the way to a Plan Z.
If your bug out plans involves traveling many miles, you’ll need to plot out multiple routes that will get you to your destination. It may even be a good idea to include a few backup destinations in your plans as well.
All calculations for time, distance, etc. should all be rounded up significantly to account for the fact that you won’t be traveling under ideal conditions.
More to the point, your planning must evolve over time. Thinking about a nightmare situation that requires you to flee your home isn’t pleasant, but your plans must change to match reality.
Take These with You on the Road
Your bug out vehicle itself is another consideration to keep in mind while planning a long-distance bug out. Even if your vehicle is in good shape, you should still load up on spare parts in case anything fails while you’re on the road.
Taking a trip to the junkyard can help you find spare parts to keep stashed away for an emergency. Shopping for brand new parts might put a limit on how much you can buy, and you may be surprised by the hidden treasures you can find at a vehicle graveyard.
Another tool you must keep in your vehicle is a gas can or two. The merest whiff of a crisis can send gas prices soaring and lead to shortages, so it’s deadly important that you have the means to carry more than just your car’s tank with you.
Should the worst happen and you run out of fuel on the road, having a few gas cans will also let you travel to the nearest pump and bring some fuel back.
These, of course, are not the only things to consider and you can read more over on Survival Frog, including the addition of food, tools and even a nifty set of night vision “monoculars”. The point is, don’t expect everything to go smoothly. You will need to adjust as you go along and prepare yourself for those alterations.
Some things will be big and others small. Stay healthy in mind and body.
Keep a positive attitude even when the world around you is falling apart. Yet, while being positive also be wary. You and your family will be grateful for these considerations when the time comes and you finally reach your bug-out shelter, potentially the last home you will ever know!