How many nomads are preppers?

[Dan 1]

For a very short term disaster probably, but anything serious going on for longer than a few days or "maybe" a few weeks, I feel it's not a good way. Once it stretches into months, you're going to have a real problem keeping marauding hordes at bay (who will be beyond desperate for "your stuff"), fuel will be an issue fast if you need to stay on the move. An RV will be easy to spot and a major target when SHTF...

"[font=Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Sans-Serif]An RV will be easy to spot and a major target when[/font]..." This is where the safety in "prepared" numbers  (as Caravan Tribe) comes in. The more RV's seen the safer the Nomads. But, I suppose that huge marauding groups, like outlaw biker gangs, would be a very dangerous threat. In that case, all We can do is do the best We can at self-defense. 

 

[Dan 1]

if big trouble comes down gas will be your worst nightmare.
mobility only happens in vehicles if the vehicle can get gas and if the roads are clear.  big disasters the roads are dead ends with millions of vehicles....so....hunkering down is actually the best way to survive something huge happening.
Great if ya have wings tho   Then ya gotta hope a water supply  is not effected etc.  Big troubles means everyone is mostly screwed!

"mobility only happens in vehicles if the vehicle can get gas "  Might consider electric vehicles.

 

[Rabbit]

I prepare and stock necessities for disasters of about six weeks duration, and keep enough fuel on hand most of the time-- would be all the time, if it were more practical-- to travel about 200 miles to safety. Beyond six weeks I'm convinced that, unless you're either a well-prepared billionaire or among the leadership of a major nation, it's all going to be a matter of luck with the odds stacked very heavily against any given individual. Frankly, I don't plan to make it in that event and doubt many "long-term" preppers will do any better.

To be honest, I consider six weeks to be hugely optimistic for anyone not way out in the boonies (and I am not). I think peak mortality via violence, etc will hit in more like three or four.

 

[CityWoman]

In Bert and Holly Davis's old Dwelling Portably newsletters (of which I have volumes 1980-1989, although they're now available through 2015), there were a number of posts from contributors about putting supplies inside large plastic drums (they were testing which drums worked best) and burying them in secluded locations, to return to them at a later time. Another contributor wrote in about using caves and abandoned mines for storage, or even excavating one's own small cave and hiding it under brush. I always thought those posts coincided with a prepper mindset. However, with so many more people taking to a nomad way of life these days, I wonder how feasible it still is to have a secret hidey-hole that cannot be discovered.

 

[Qxxx]

Life on the ground is more enjoyable if you're "not" constantly obsessing over the end of the world. Some of us grew up during the cold war, duck and cover, end of humanity on earth, so most of today's issues seem pretty mild in comparison.

 

[Dan 1]

"City Woman" shared: "[font=Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Sans-Serif]However, with so many more people taking to a nomad way of life these days, I wonder how feasible it still is to have a secret hidey-hole that cannot be discovered.[/font]"   Are you wondering this, because of the increased possibility of cache discovery, due to more People moving around in remote places? I think the risk of discovery is greater, but if one can afford it, one might take the chance.
Thank you for the information about Bert and Holly Davis's "Dwelling Portability Newsletters". Are they still publishing these?

 

[Cammalu]

Dan, HDR has secret places so it’s doable. You just gotta find them

 

[highdesertranger]

shhhhh. be quite. I have no idea what you are talking about. LOL

hint:
don't try to hide anything in an area where gold is found or as someone mentioned in an old mine shaft or cave. it WILL be found.

highdesertranger

 

[Cammalu]

shhhhh. be quite. I have no idea what you are talking about
highdesertranger

You nose is growing

 

[Dan 1]

Good Morning, "Qxxx". Yes. I very much agree with your Thoughts about "obsessing over the end of the world". Obsession is fear based and can lead to psychological imbalances. I decided there wasn't much I could do about the threats of nuclear war...and some of the other threats of Our Modern World. I decided to vote against laws and political "leaders" (if given the chance to do so) that represent, or promote these dark things. I tried to buy and take Home, the school desk that they had me hide under, for practice at nuclear war survival. But they said it should stay there for the next idiot that believed that it would help. So, I just quelled my fears and got busy appreciating the "Great Outdoors". I later realized what a Good Choice this was, when I realized the "Great Outdoors" extended outward into Eternal Infinity. All this reinforced my precious moments when I was down right Happy with what was right beside me and near me...believing what I did about the Eternal Immensity that awaited the Nomad Souls like Us.

 

[Dan 1]

"Big Nose" = A very useful tool for the curious minded.

 

[Qxxx]

I prepare and stock necessities for disasters of about six weeks duration, and keep enough fuel on hand most of the time--

This makes the most sense. Prepare to survive over the "short" term for the "most likely" disaster that might occur in the area you live in: earthquake, tornado, hurricane, long winter storm, moose attack, whatever.

 

[Qxxx]

Dan, HDR has secret places so it’s doable.  You just gotta find them

HDR doesn't know it, but on the night of heavy rain at RTR, I snuck into his camp and put a secret tracker in a secret place on his rig. It's still working and sending data. As an expert engineer, I know how to design these things to run for several years. The secret is, when the tracker wakes up it only transmit for 1/10 second a day, so very difficult to find by any means other than tearing the rig completely apart. Bonne chance. :heart:

 

[Dan 1]

Yes, Cammalu. I believe this activity is doable and even desirable...if...one enjoys the idea of having a chance to survive "collapse times", just for the fun of it. Who knows what would follow? What would We bear witness to? What would We Hope For? I would Hope for a lot. Could We find "untouched" pockets? Or even some Good People to start over with? Yes! I think these things are possible.

 

[HalfShadows]

I believe it would be like an Austin Powers movie, complete with musical score.  Good triumphs over evil in the end! I hope it happens soon, getting older and want to enjoy my participation in survival. Cheerio!

 

[INTJohn]

In terms of a national disaster or global catastrophic event few people will survive for any length of time in the United States and those relying on some kind of a vehicle for a sustained survival length of time will be at a serious disadvantage as fuel availability will be curtailed almost instantly as well as any life sustaining basics, i.e, food, water that rely on a transportation based distribution.

Persons living in large metropolitan areas thus will suffer almost immediately but so to will those persons who reside in areas like dry & desert places that are not near a sustained water source that has a non-irrigation agricultural ability.

Starvation will ensue After 30 days or so Nationwide. The 'roaming hordes' won't be able to roam far without fuel, food & water and those persons in the SW US will suffer almost immediately.

Agriculture and residing in a moderate climate with a watersource & rainfall as well as enough wood for fires will be the savior of those who 'make it thru'. Growing & eating veggies will be the necessary staple to survive long term.

There are approximately 100 million cattle, cows, calves in the USA.
" 70 million hogs/pigs.......
....... 6 million sheep/goats......
........ 65 million/90day supply turkeys......
....... 6 million horses.........
....... 40 million Deer/elk, etc.........

Assuming an even distribution with equal access to the above for meat food, how long will that feed a population of 330,000,000 people? Maybe 2 or 3 months............

Of course with most of that human population packed into small metropolitian geographic locals and it being impossible in such a catastrophe to distribute that food human misery & chaos will ensue rapidly.

So those living in low population areas of a moderate climate near fresh water sources and have the ability to GROW FOOD will most likely have the best lifestyle in such a national catastrophic event.

This means that practically every one of you on this site wouldn't last thru the first 2 months, especially those of you in the SW parts of the US, any large populated metropolitan area & Most of the US Eastern areas; but generally any dry climate where one also can't grow food.

So while all of you are stock piling your guns & ammo you might want to figure out what climate you'll be stuck in and what kinds of seeds you need to stockpile for your 'gardening'.

Oh & some hand powered farm implements, too. INTJohnny Luzsha; alway have, alway will.

 

[Qxxx]

... I later realized what a Good Choice this was, ....

A judicious man would try to prioritize things by probability of occurrence, and allocate time and resources accordingly. I would say the issues in the 1970s beat out most anything today. We had: (1) mutually assured nuclear destruction, (2) the oil embargo, (3) massive inflation, (4) price and wage controls, and (5) the prospect of starting WW3 over mideast "oil". (2) leads to (5) which leads back to (1). 

In my own family, we went through a phase back in the mid-70s of having a large stockpile of food in the cellar.

FWIW, my second favorite movie of all time is "The Road Warrior" and also I like the recent "I am Legend" quite a lot. Although not in my top-10 list, "3 Days of the Condor" from 1975 was totally brilliant.

 

[Dan 1]

He who hides Good Things in a secret place doth enhance the value of that place. Thanks for the wise hints "highdesertranger". I hid one under the basement at an Army Base. All I have to wait until they are deployed to access it.

 

[Dan 1]

A judicious man would try to prioritize things by probability of occurrence, and allocate time and resources accordingly. 

Well said and shared, "Qxxx". It is interesting that you included "wage and price controls".

 

[Dan 1]

Hi "HalfShadows". Well met. "Participation In Survival" might be a real education. I am fool enough to want "the Good Stuff Of Life" without going through a survival time, but I will do my best to see how far I can make it. The best thing I can envision is the "bad" eating itself up...leaving a healable world upon which the "Good" would continue on the "Great Evolutionary Journey".