zoobiette and I know we don't want to be here in madison wisconsin during the rollover.Madison is so full of soft,liberal public service bureaucrats.There's so much trust in government services that the locals will not prepair.The people will scream for der Fuhrer/governor Tommy Tompson to bring in the troops and save the sheep.Our preps will become part of the welfare relief greater good,so we're outta here.Problem is,we've nowhere to go.That leaves bugging out as our only option.any advice?

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 08, 1999

Answers

There is strength in numbers...Do you have any relatives that might be happy to have you for a few days in order to throw a huge "millenium party?"

I plan on gathering the extended family together when the time draws nigh... a) if things go horribly wrong we will have the people required to enact contingencies, and b) if we all go up in a blaze of glory, we will have spent our last hours together!!

-- Copycat (dobbie@coastalnet.com), August 08, 1999.

Hi Zoobie and Zoobiette, My advice is to get a place to go now rather than waiting in case bugging out is needed. Personally, I don't expect it to get that bad, but I see it as possible and I'm sure you aren't looking for a debate.

A place to go need not require purchasing land, which is a major step and might crimp your ability to afford other preparations. Look into alternative communities, they aren't ALL for lefties - though most lean that way. Also, think about who you know that lives rurally. If you have any contacts, whether friends or relatives, think about offering to be each other's insurance. If they choose not to prepare seriously but have a good location and you are seriously prepared but don't have a good location then all you need is a informal agreement or invitation to show up if necessary. If they dismiss the possibility of Y2K being serious, then say Well, if youre sure it cant happen then you wont mind if I show up if it does, right?

If things get that bad I say attrition will be highest among those that "bug-out". As unlikely as that event seems to me, the stakes are too high to accept. Do whatever you have to do now to avoid the possibility of needing to do that in the future.

I was going to post my thoughts on bugging out, then decided it wasn't worth a new thread. But it's on-topic with your post.

Re-think your bug-out plans.

Being prepared to bug-out might make sense to some people in some situations. All my preparations are based on the fact that I'm not bugging out. We don't get natural disasters here; too high for floods, no earthquakes/volcanoes/typhoons/etc, enough clear area around the house to avoid fire (and it's fieldstone so we'd only have to guard the roof from wind-blown stuff), etc. Drought would be the most likely, and we'll have enough stored food to manage one year of bad drought. If Y2K is really bad and we have 2 years bad drought then we'll be hurting, but I'm comfortable with that risk.

Nuclear war or comet hitting the earth or whatever = we die.

Threats from humans, uniformed or not, and we resist as well as possible. Population density here, (less than 10 people currently living on our "block" of 1 mile per side, nearest 7/11 over 20 miles away) makes rioting/looting mobs unlikely and official nonsense equally unlikely. What few neighbors we have all have plenty of dogs and guns and most have attitudes, so attrition will be high for any group in the habit of bothering people in their homes.

The top three preparations for a bad Y2K scenario are the same as for any retail business: location, location, location. If you got the right location you can get by even with a few oversights and weaknesses. If you have a poor location you are likely screwed regardless of how hard you work.

It might be hard for you to find a good location / situation at this late date, but it isn't impossible if you prioritize it. Advertise on the forum or at: http://www.y2kclassifieds.com/index.htm List what skills you have and outline what youre looking for. Best to give a brief description of your politics/personalities too. There likely are many concerned people living in good locations but without all the skills and/or resources that they might need.

Bugging out implies looking for a better place, and if/when TSHTF it will not be a time to be wandering around looking for one.

-- Gus (y2kk@usa.net), August 08, 1999.

zoobie, I'm glad you are questioning this. What if you can't find any rattlers to eat? I live in NYC and was going to stay here, but now I'm going to a small town in Florida. In some ways living in a city apartment is attractive for rollover. This is actually quite safe-- maybe safer than a house. The locks/doors are great here and I'm on the 10th floor. Evaluate your safety where you are and prepare there if you think you will be okay locked in and can prepare for a few months. I think wandering around in the world is NOT a good idea. Staying with relatives could make you crazy, too. Very best.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), August 08, 1999.

Hi,Zoobie

Its been suggested before and I think its an option worth considering.Buy a camper(RV in the States)+ enough fuel to get you way out.That way you have some flexibility as well as basic amentities.Check out if you can in advance some different areas & routes.Buy large scale detailed maps of these areas.Maybe reckon to go on a camping holiday for Christmas to avoid the rush/panic.

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), August 08, 1999.

mara,have you considered the fire liabilities implied in apartment living if there are water problems?

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 08, 1999.

You know, neighbor, there are houses on sale here "up north" for less than $30,00 that are quite liveable. You COULD put the minimum down, make preparations here, and then resell if nothing happens. I suppose you could stand to loose a thousand or 2, or maybe you'ld make a little on the speculation. In small town of "Stanley", east of Eau Claire, where I attended a wedding, counted 7 houses for sale as I drove (without looking around).

Or a cabin further north. It really depends on how bad you want to get out. Or other states, of course.

Just another possibility if you have the money, but time is even shorter.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), August 08, 1999.

Zoobie:

You live in the bannana belt. Stay in Madison. You don't want to move where it is cold [ND or MT]. You are much better off in a place you know. Best to zoobiette.

Best Wishes,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), August 08, 1999.

Sell everything and buy an older motor home for a few thousand dollars and drive on down to Quartzite, Arizona. You can just drive anywhere in the desert and park anytime for free. You can get a job in town and live on very little money and survive and live in freedom!

-- smitty (smitty@sandiego.com), August 08, 1999.

If it's just you and Mrs., a truck with camper may be better. The camper can be placed on blocks or stand and you still have the truck to get around in. Better mileage and you're not breaking camp to roam and return. Alot of '5 and 10 acre w/house and barn' adds down here in Kansas (mild winters, excellent soil). We bought a 3 bedroom, two story with 4 outbuildings and a great barn and creek, on ten acres for $42,000. Some people payed that much for their last car!

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), August 08, 1999.

You might look into lease/rent a house/cabin for this purpose. You could put alternate preps there now. Just another alternative to consider. ;->

-- Sammie Davis (sammie0X@hotmail.com), August 08, 1999.

Have you totally given up your plans to bug-out to the desert, then?

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July 27, 1999 by zoobiette

Zoobie and I are moving to the desert for Y2k. We're camping out in a national forest. We have in our entourage a large, longhaired, declawed and neutered cat. I have wrestled with leaving him behind versus taking him with us. I just cannot leave him in ...

-- scooby (scooby@zooby.doo), August 09, 1999.

we're still looking into options.Flexibility is a big part of maintaining a positive mental attitude.(adapt and overcome!)

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 09, 1999.

There are lots of summer camps up on the lake(s) in your area. A lot of them have log cabins. The camps are closed but maybe you could rent one for a month or so if they had to provide you with no amenities. If cabin has wood stove and wood is available, you could be warm and toasty. You will have ice or snow for water or cut hole and use lake water. You can ice fish for fresh fish and take the rest of the stuff with you. Including the cat. Just a thought! Or you can come down and camp next to a lake in our area of North Central Florida.

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie@aol.com), August 09, 1999.

mara--not to scare you because i know how worrisome this is but there was an interesting article months back (i think on y2k newswire) about what happened in the city of aukland, au when a major power cable was cut. the city was virtually uninhabitable for over six months. one of the biggest issues was the tall buildings and the fact that they became toxic very quickly, from trash, no air, and NO SEWER.

-- tt (cuddluppy@yahoo.com), August 10, 1999.