vancamping, vandwelling, comfortcamping, vacationcamping, but all of it...

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may end up SURVIVALcamping. With the Colonial Pipeline issue among others, a van or camper as means to escape or wait out any political or God forbid economic tsunami seems to make sense. I'd much rather live among the known entity of hungry bears and coyotes than unknown hungry city "animals". Better the evil ya know than the one ya don't. It's possible the recent NYC events are false flags and perhaps a harbinger of worse to come. I'd  rather be battle hardened via vandwelling than soft and cozy in a fixed locale sitting duck home. Preferably a dependable, stocked, self-sustained, self-powered, maybe even perfectly comfy sprinter van. I have to be able to stand up to think. Can't imagine carcamping. 

I've lived on the road 26 years now. Seen alot, been thru a few storms. I'm always amazed at how quickly things go bad and how completely ill-prepared are those involved. Hurricanes, flood, blizzards...whatever. I was shocked to sit and watch when the NY-Toronto-Toledo electric grid went out. 2002 I think it was. I stopped early at a Detroit (of all places) MI. truckstop and hunkered down. The cell towers went out, water didn't work, toilets didn't flush, because the traffic lights didn't work traffic backed up and was at standstill. People needing medical help were outta luck. Police? Fire? They couldn't get to you even if you could have made the call. Elderly walking into the bush's to squat. Later discovered no ATM's, Banks couldn't even open their electronic controlled door locks. All I could think...I'm dam glad I'm in this truck with my bucket potty, full fuel, lots of water, canned tuna, a/c, protection, and folgers singles to get me thru. 

I hauled fuel in D/FW for few years. The Exxon pipeline went out. Exxon supplies the majority of RBOB raw gas for D/FW. I was again shocked at how fast the market ran out of product. We were running all over the South to find gasoline. Prices jumped overnight. People were boycotting Exxon stations due to price?? Almost all the gas wether from walmart, qtrips, grocery stores, doesn't matter, it's all Exxon gas with a different blend or brand.  We're on a JIT system nowadays. Just in time supply. It's no different with milk, bread, or cash. It's limited. Look at the Venezuelans standing in line for food or cash. It's gone. There is limited supply of most everything. Food, fuel, etc...Shelves can go empty quickly. I'm afraid most are not prepared due to unwarranted trust in da govt. 

Survivalblog.com has good info for either camping or surviving comfortably. Others too but that one is good info. 

Just a thought. But I suggest we be prepared. I'm voting Bob as leader of the last of the free world. 
With that, I'm running out for more coffee packets. 

Blessings.
 
NY-Toronto-Toledo electric grid failure was 2003. I remember because I had just started a new job in Toledo Ohio.

If you have a house in addition to your bugout vehicle, have you consider stocking up on fuel? There's ways to rotate your fuel supply so you can keep a fair number of gallons stored up.

I used to be an avid listener of The Survival Podcast, it's got a lot of great info, but eventually he veered off into topics that weren't terribly relevant to me (like hugelkulture) and I stopped listening.
 
This pipeline event is a hard and fast lesson on the limitations and dangers of our beloved "Just In Time" delivery model for all merchandise, products, fuel, food, etc.
Any old farmer knew to always put supplies back for the lean times.
 
I had to come to Detroit during that power outage to pick up mom dad kids at airport that was spooky!
 
There have been at least a few discussion threads here on the forum about how various people prep while mobile. You might want to do a forum search for some keywords. I think Bob has a blog post a ways back on exactly what freeze dried stuff he keeps on hand, etc.

Even in s&b, folks need to have a good supply on hand without a trip to a store. Just like the pipeline leak caused mass panic to go get gas... gas would not be so hard to find in those states if those who did not need to fill up just stayed home until next week.

Being self contained and able to live off grid is a benefit for any sort of emergency where getting out for at least a while is recommended (impending flooding, wildfires, etc.)
 
Yogidog said:
I had to come to Detroit during that power outage to pick up mom dad kids at airport that was spooky!

The power outage, or being in Detroit?
I grew up in Warren, (one mile North of Detroit).
 
DannyB1954 said:
The power outage, or being in Detroit?
I grew up in Warren, (one mile North of Detroit).

Hehe the power outage, the OP was talking about no lights anywhere, that was spooky. My daughter called, come get us! I like detriot:)
 
The power outage extended all the way from the eastern seaboard to west of Lansing in mid Michigan; We never lost power here in Grand Rapids, but ten miles east of us they did; we just lucked out!
 

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