My "Bug out bag" solution

So it's kind of clear to anybody who reads this that I'm not a fan of "bugging out", right?.   Wrong. Its not that i don't believe in it.  I just don't think it should be the first solution.   I mean,  "Oh God, there is a black out, What should i do, oh let me grab a backpack full of stuff and run out into the woods"... Thats just dumb.   Especially for "city folk" who have no clue what they will encounter and no training.  I personally think its foolish and irresponsible to encourage the idea.  Thats, not preparedness, its sending lambs to the slaughter.  But, since an evacuation plan is a necessary evil, I wanted a bug out solution that was practical for my family and situation.

My biggest hurdle is how the heck am i suppose to get all the stuff i need to survive for EVEN a few days in a backpack when my wife needs a bigger bag then that to go to the mall?  And are my cars and trucks magically suppose to stop running so i have to carry everything myself like a beast of burden? OK, all jokes aside, i'm a "bug in" guy, i don't want to leave, and even though i'm training to be able to survive in the wilderness, thats not my first choice.  But admittedly there are situations (mostly environmental) that could bring about the need, so to ignore the possibility would also be foolish.  

With that in mind I evaluated what I needed, then prioritized my list and went about creating a solution.  I showed my "storage kits" earlier and how I planned them out to fit in my truck and go, but they still don't hold everything I would need, plus in an extended evacuation there are other things you will need like shelter.  Well, my solution was to created a giant rolling kit so to speak. I literally store all my camping gear, tents, and equipment permanently in a small equipment trailer so I can hook up and go.  Its got to be stored somewhere, and in keeping with my philosophy of "time shifting", why not store my gear organized and in a fashion that would be conducive to an emergency evacuation, as appose to having it randomly spurn around the house in closets and cabinets with no rhyme or reason.

My next step was to make a "Wish list" of what I would want to have for a 30 day survival camping trip.   I let my mind go free and imagine the best "camp life" situation, and began to pull together the items and develop solutions to make that possible.  I took away things and added others, i've pitched my tents and completely set up camp time and time again in my yard just to see what I might have missed. I test, test, and re-test.  Any given weekend it's not unusual for my next door neighbor to look out their window and see my son and I making camp in the back yard.



I have cooked whole meals on my camp stove to see how long my propane tanks will last in real use.  I have added tools like bolt cutters, axes, mini shovels, and other gear that you wouldn't need in a regular camp site, but could be invaluable in a survival situation.  I developed perimeter security systems, water resupply strategies, sustainable power and heat generation.  Now all of this is WAY too much for a bag, but if i'm going to evacuate, then i'm guessing its going to be bad enough to stay gone a good while so plan to make it the best, safest, and most comfortable base camp I can.

Ok, so here is everything nice and neatly packed it its trailer / mobile storage container, ready for a weekend campout, or if that darn Emergency Broadcast System ever starts buzzing for real.   And it sits in the corner of my garage ready to go.