Help for urban wilderness

darkhawk424 said:
But wound the superglue be poisionous to the us esp. when it is use to close wounds where it might enter our bloodstream?? :confused:
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No, the super glue dries on contact with the skin.
 
A Honda 50 in my bug out bag?

Hmmmmmmmm.
I have a 1971. Still starts on the first kick. It's a hardtail, so carrying capacity should be great. Light enought to portage a short distance if necessary. Knobby tires. Sips gas. Im 6'3" tall and it is reasonbly comfortable. Fits in the trunk of my car with the handlebars folded down. Tops out at about 30mph, I think. Has a healight and taillight and can be licensed for the street.

Good idea!
:D
Jim
 
xbxb said:
Ok folks I need some help. I dont live in the wilderness, mountains trees bears etc. I live in that 60 mile stretch of land that goes from Miami to Palm Beach. 6 million of us live in that area and it is approximately 15 miles wide (depending where you are)before you hit the everglades. So---- 60 miles long 15 miles wide with 2 major highways going north and south. Six mm folks runnning around like chickens with their heads cut off. We have 3 major ports in the area with all kinds of security problems and about a zillion miles of beach front to try and keep safe. If for some nasty reason something really bad happens I may have to walk from Miami to West Palm Beach to get home, and that goes for all the other people on the road. Thats 60 miles ---which I can walk. I need to know what gear might be essential to have. Now remember it will be crazy out there. Cars can't run. People are not so friendly. Right now I have about 2 gallons of water in the car. Walking shoes, a hat, 3 cans of spam, some of those nutrition bars (cant remember the kind), a firearm, a knife, a leatherman tool some first aid stuff --bandages etc. and a pack. It is about 95 degrees with about the same humidty. I can only carry so much without someone trying to steal everything from me and I'm not a water buffalo. Once I get home, no problems I can live for about 6 months. So help me out-- what do I really need to make it 60 miles in unfriendly territory. I only want the essentials. I just want to get home. Can you guys help me out.
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Hi XBXB:

I am familier with your area. There were two attempts to mug me in Ft. Lauderdale in 2004. I had no choice but to let my P226 be seen on those two occasions and they went off to look for easier prey.

I feel that in the face of a disaster in your area you might have to be prepared to fight your way back to your house and long term supplies.

That area is no longer a part of the USA.

My .02.
 
One of the "reasons" that I asked how quickly you wanted to cover that 60 miles or so is the roadways will be packed with desperate people, who may just see you on your journey as a easy target.

But if you try and go through the "back roads" you may run into drunken mobs of looters. There will be little to no effective police presence and it will take a couple of days for the National Guard to arrive and even then order may not be restored for quite some time.

So to me, it will be either move fast before people get desperate, or be at home when the storm hits, or move at night when most people are sleeping.

It seems to me your gear is not as important as the decisions that you will make beforehand.
 
fixer27 said:
One of the "reasons" that I asked how quickly you wanted to cover that 60 miles or so is the roadways will be packed with desperate people, who may just see you on your journey as a easy target.

But if you try and go through the "back roads" you may run into drunken mobs of looters. There will be little to no effective police presence and it will take a couple of days for the National Guard to arrive and even then order may not be restored for quite some time.

So to me, it will be either move fast before people get deserate, or be at home when the storm hits, or move at night when most people are sleeping.

It seems to me your gear is not as important as the decisions that you will make beforehand.
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I think the desperation factor is important. There are not many back roads--you have to understand the lay of the land here--it's compact--you live next door to the muggers drug dealers etc. its not like you have urban and rural in the midwest. I think I have got to get as many miles under my belt as fast as I can before everyone starts stealing and grabbing for the essentials. I think it ends up being priortized somethng like this

Self defense
Water
Shoes
Heat protection
Food
Go Hard Go Fast but not so fast you burn out
If you think this is wrong everyone let me know Im getting some good ideas from the answers. I like the folding bike idea. I just dont know if you end up being a target or not with it. Thanks everyone
 
In my experience in major urban slums/ghettos etc. if you look weak or easliy victemized you will be. I spent some time bumming around the third world and in the seedier parts of Chicago, LA etc. never had much problem.
It also helps to dress like the locals, if you draw attention it may be the wrong type. Be aware of the local gangs and their colors and avoid any display of colors that may trigger the turf protection instincts in the areas you are traversing (wraping acolored bandanna around your head as a sweat band would be a bad idea).
A change of cloths in the car (from business atire to working man's, think construction worker, clothes) a little dirt (will accumulate quickly in your scenerio) and a crow bar in hand should project a safe image.
Your bag ahould not look worth stealing or like it contains anything worth much. You should be trying for an image that says" I'm passing through, I can take care of myself, what I have got is not worth your trouble."
Initially the looters will be concentrating on stores, given your high incentive to get holed up, it shouldn't take much longer than 2-3 days maximum to walk the distance.
Just some thoughts...
Enjoy!
 
Before I responded to your thread, I checked the map of your area. It's packed like sardines, without enough roads for everyone to escape unless there is some form of an evacuation plan, and a week or two over which to spread the evacuation out.

That's why I suggested the inflatable dinghy, inflator, and battery-operated motor.

If something big happens, fast, without the time necessary for a large-scale evacuation, all of the roads between Miami and Palm Beach are going to be like a giant parking lot. What's morning and evening rush hour already like, without an emergency occurring...?

If you had an inflatable dinghy and a battery-powered motor in the trunk of your car, I think that your chances of escaping Miami and making it to Palm Beach would be greatly enhanced. Just as the map showing Miami and Palm Beach revealed too few roads for the area's inhabitants, it also showed a helluva lot of open ocean, directly to the East.

If it were me, deciding on driving between a half-mile and ten-miles to the beach, in order to set up my escape boat, or, attempting to drive 60 miles in an unplanned, chaotic, and wide-spread evacuation, I'd choose going to the beach. You'll only have to drive East, without going North or West, where everyone else is going, then, set-up your inflatable dinghy, and head North in the Atlantic.

Of course, if the emergency that you're trying to get away from is a hurricane, then the Atlantic might be too choppy to use an inflatable dinghy...I guess that I need more clarification of what you perceive that you'll have to be escaping from. If Cuba, say, has nuclear weapons, and one of them detonates accidentally, then the Atlantic might be perfectly calm, about thirty-feet offshore...but, the roads out of Miami will be a logjam.

Bottom line, I think that learning Spanish might be the best survival tool that you could have, in your area. Also, if you decide to try driving out, I'd suggest having a pretty full tank of gasoline, and, maybe a 5-gallon gas can in your trunk.

(Edited to add: the gas can in the trunk is maybe too risky to think of. The temperature in Florida would heat the gasoline up pretty damn good...I wouldn't want to open that gas can around anyone smoking or, near a fire....)

Those chaotic evacuations have a thousand ways to kill someone, over and above the actual disaster that everyone is trying to escape....

Do you have a car that could drive on sand...? That may be another way to avoid the roads, and crowds....

GeoThorn
 
I like the dinghy idea, although an inflatable kayak is very stable and easy to move by human power. Check out the Fat Cat Pack Raft from Jack's Plastic Welding. I think it's jpwinc.com.

Jim
 
Dogsmeadow said:
I like the dinghy idea, although an inflatable kayak is very stable and easy to move by human power.
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I didn't know that they made inflatable kayaks! Cool! It'd probably take less time to inflate, less power to move through the water, and would certainly take-up less trunk space!

GeoThorn
 
Open ocean & inflatable boat with little or no boating experience is a rescue situation waiting to happen.
JMHO :D
 
You are absolutely right. I have been a paddler on the Great Lakes for years. I guess in an escape situation, I wouldn't see a need to leave sight of land. Of course, every eejit boater in Miami would probably have the same idea as you. Watch out for the Fountains!
 
Wow I was impressed with Geothorn he actually looked at the map and saw the problem. Yea 6 million people with two roads going north. You might as well forget it. This is a tough spot to get out of. Actually I was not thinking of a hurricane--we know when those things are coming our way. 3 of them have passed right over my house in the past 2 seasons. Actually I was thinking of a terrorist act at one of the ports either in Miami or Ft Lauderdale which is about 35 mi north of Miami. It would be very hard to get out of here. People handle hurricanes exceptionally well here in Florida with everyone working together well to help each other, but I think things could get pretty nasty if we had some kind of a bomb go off at one of the ports. Since Im out in the traffic everyday Im just trying to get prepared. I looked at the folding bikes and they look pretty good but you might have quite a bit of exposure to the population as you peddled home. The only thing is traveling at about 10 mph on one of those cuts my time from 2-2 1/2 days to about 6 hours which might beat the desperation grab all you can get factor and get me back to the safety of my home. These are all good ideas but Geothorn Im having a hard time with the kayak dingy thing. Ive spent some time in the ocean and I'm not too sure about one of those I'll have to ponder that one. These are great ideas Thanks guys
 
Yeah, as Ebbtide pointed out, kayaking at least would involve a training commitment. And I'd think other boaters would be a GREAT hazard.
If you haven't seen them, Bike Friday makes some incredible folders.
Jim
 
If you can't do the bicycle routine, use the kayak. Carries everything you need and you could do 60 miles in 1 day.

I assume you have a firearm. If anyone tries to stop or rob you during a crisis situation, shoot them. No big deal.

You will need more lots more drinking water than food. Especially in high humidity situations. A gallon or so a day for drinking, easily. You can live a day or 2 without eating but water is another story.

If you have to walk do so at night. Less heat, more concealment.

Don't forget the bug juice and TP.
 
2006gaastraswiftaction.jpg

Hey, it might be fun too!!

Seriously, get a vehicle that's big enough to carry a real bike. Bump yourself up to 15mph and get home in ~4 hrs.

Or, find a parking garage near a storage unit in a location that would be easier to get to than your home. Store any valuables you can't take in the storage unit. Change into the dress-down clothing that is stored in the unit and leave your suit in the unit. Take the bicycle that was also stored in the unit and put that in your car. Go to the parking garage -- park. The car should be fairly empty. Get on the bike and ride home.

Windsurfing seems like more fun.
 
Depends on the neighborhoods I suppose. 10-12 mph is probably more realistic. Still beats walking.
 
At 10 mph you could be home in 6 hrs which might beat the desperation and looting factors in the neighborhood. It might be worth it and I would have to carry less water. I could also peddle faster to get away if someone was trying to grab me. I also may become a bigger target. Hummm. these are great ideas
 
If a small boat is an option, like the inflatables mentioned, why not consider a boat in a bag? Folboats and Kleppers are two well known brands of kayak that are very exellent quality, and fold down into a duffle bag in the trunk of a car.

I don't think boaters is a problem if your only a couple hundred yards off shore. Close enough to stay out of the way of the big boats, far out enough to be out of reach of low lifes with handguns on the beach. A Folboat Aluet model is very stable and can be used in open water. Same for the Klepper. With the inlatable sponsons built in to the hull, they are niegh on unsinkable, and you have to try to flip one in open water.

You could use the intercoastal waterway, and travel up the coast that way. If the kayak does not appeal for some reason, take a coast guard boating course, and be familiar with watercraft. You could always borrow a small boat from a marina. No matter where you are in your area, you are not far from boats of some sort. I just don't think walking through a disaster area is the way to go. Roving bands of low life will turn on anyone not of thier pack, and sometimes that won't even matter.

But nobody has mentioned the best one-take flying leasons. I did this many years ago as a just in case thing, and it is surprising how easy a basic Cessna 150 is to fly. If you can drive a car in traffic, you can fly a small plane! And there is little or no security at most small airparks. Even with the small 150's you have a fuel range of 300 or so miles depending on wind and load conditions.
 
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