The following are my observations based upon my experience with the care and processing of small livestock, living in a hot and humid climate on the Gulf of Mexico

Poultry:

Chicks of all species need warmth for their first few weeks, but on the Gulf Coast, and anywhere else with a hot climate, it's easy to overheat them. If you're keeping the birds outside, and it's anything over 80F or so, they probably do not need additional heat from a heat lamp or other source. Generally, I would take away a heat lamp and use a regular incandescent bulb if the temperatures were regularly over 65ish. If it is cool enough to still require external heating, keep the lamp off to one side of the enclosure. Be very careful to "round out" any corners the enclosure may have, particularly when the chicks are very young. Chicks pile up on top of each other and suffocation is a common cause of death in the early days. Ensuring there is enough room for all of the chicks also helps decrease the chance of suffocation.

[JWR Adds: In our experience, an oval galvanized steel livestock water tank works quite well for raising chicks. Add a screen of chicken wire across the top to keep out curious cats and to restrain hopping chicks. By placing a 200 watt heat lamp at one end of the tank, allowing the chicks to choose a place with a comfortable temperature.]

The food and water should not be under the lamp, to help minimize fouling or tipping of either. It also encourages chicks to move out from the heat. If the chicks are very young, and aren't a waterfowl species, marbles can be placed in the waterer (or bowl) so the chicks do not trip and drown. On account of their absolutely tiny size, quail chicks are particularly susceptible to falling into water sources, even despite marbles, if there is anything much more than a finger's gap between the marbles, as are guinea fowl chicks. Keep quail chicks in wire cloth enclosures for a very long time – some of the species are so small at adulthood, they can still easily slip out of standard chicken wire.

Some sources recommend treating the water with tetracycline and electrolyte additives – I personally had mixed success with that course of action. Some breeds and species seem to fail to thrive without it, and some fail to thrive with it. My best advice is to – if you choose to purchase and use the powdered additives – do so sparingly and not for long periods of time. And if you turn the water a bright yellow from how much you added – dilute it!

Chick starter, which is a higher-protein chicken feed with very small granules, can be used for most chicks with a fairly high rate of success. Some of the smaller quail species are actually too small for even that – cornmeal can be used for these, if you discover they are having issues, or grind some of the chick starter more finely.

While I have, at times, raised regular poultry and waterfowl chicks together, ducklings and goslings are very, very messy, and will make all the other chicks rather dirty, smelly, and sickly on account of how wet they'll get. The best course of action is to generally keep them separated, particularly since ducklings and goslings are happiest when they have a tiny "pond" to swim in from the get go. While very young, a pie pan will suffice for a pond (glass is better, as it is usually too heavy to tip over). The only real concern is "can they climb into it and climb out of it." If you do not keep a small swimming area for them in their enclosure, a kiddie pond is plenty acceptable, provided they have supervision (aka, "rescuers" for when they've tired themselves out). Stopped up bathtubs or sinks work, too, but as waterfowl defecate while swimming, you may want to pass on that option.

Should non-waterfowl chicks get wet, getting them warm and dry again is a priority if at all possible, as even in warm temperatures, they will catch cold and basically freeze to death. If you have a lot of chicks to dry, a heat lamp and a hair dryer (on low, held at a distance) works, but a dry towel and rubbing is better for the chicks (just be gentle!).

I have generally had poor success when grouping chicks of too disparate ages together – two weeks makes a huge difference in size for most birds. The older chicks will suffocate the younger ones, simply by being large enough the younger chicks can get underneath them and then get trapped.

Most chicks will begin to get their first real feathers (along their wings) within a week – unless it is unseasonably cold, or these are winter chicks – it is generally safe to remove a heat lamp (and sometimes even a regular lamp) once the chicks are about half feathered over their bodies. Naturally, common sense should be employed when deciding whether chicks still need their heat source or not.

Depending on the purpose and breed/species of the chicks, the methods of feeding and care after this point vary in detail, but not in the basics. All birds should have enough feed to "free feed" (unless range – these may or may not need supplementation, depending on your situation) and access to plenty of clean water. For chickens and turkeys, meat breeds can be grown at a quick rate by regulating their daily light exposure and feeding a high protein selection with added corn gluten (for that bright yellow color). Long periods of light and artificially cold temperatures are how the best "market" birds are produced. If you don't particularly care that it'll take twelve weeks instead of eight weeks for a similar size, I suggest skipping building an insulated and air conditioned enclosure. The birds turn out healthier, anyhow.

For waterfowl, if you don't provide them with a place to go for a swim, they will find one – usually another pen's waterer, based on my experience. Their food and drinking water should be kept fairly close together, as they generally need to water to help them eat standard crumble-based feed.

Once the birds are older than a month to six weeks, the care is basically the same. Adult birds should have access to grit – which is also a calcium supplementation for the laying hens. If you have guinea fowl (be careful about purchasing/acquiring these, as because of their volume and constant racket, they are generally banned in urban areas, even the urban farming friendly ones), be sure to keep them penned until they're about six months old, so they know where "home" is. The moment you let them range, if you intend to, they will spend time flying about and generally being a nuisance. On the other hand, they do tend to keep the hawks from dining on too many of your birds, as well as alert you that running outside with a weapon to scare off whichever predator was a-hunting maybe a good idea at that point.

If laying hens are your intent, be sure to build a coop with easy access for egg collecting. Our first coop had two wire doors that allowed for human entry (basically crawling into the coop) near both ends, on the same long side, the better to catch birds with. It later was modified, when we built a chicken wire enclosure with a wire roof (because of hawks), to include a chicken-sized exit in the middle of the long side without human-sized openings. The laying boxes were built into the ends of the coop, so that it was easy to reach in to collect the eggs. The coop had a solid floor, as did the nest boxes, and was raised a couple of feet off the ground to help discourage the rats. (This did not always work.) The coop was effective, but had its limitations. If you are unfortunate enough to have a cock that grows up to be violent and frequently attacks, having to crawl face-first into a coop is rather daunting. (As an aside, if any of your birds become human-aggressive, regardless of their age and quality, I strongly suggest culling the bird. An old rooster, even if past the point of being edible for your pot, makes good dog and/or pig food.)

Nest boxes should be large enough that the largest of your hens can sit comfortably in them with a couple of inches to spare. Because of this, if you intend to keep turkey hens for layers, I suggest the smaller breeds such as the Cannonball, although the Bronzes will also work.

Raising chicks from eggs laid by your own birds can be rewarding – and heartbreaking. It is a combination of equipment, practice, and luck. Research the topic thoroughly before attempting – and you may just want to let a broody hen (who will valiantly guard a nest of eggs from being taken) go through the trouble.

Chicken manure will burn plants if added straight to a garden. Let it "age" before considering adding it to a garden. I recommend adding it to the compost pile, first, so it cools down enough to not burn the plants.

A note on pigeons and squab: while squab is a fairly tasty meat, attempting to raise the chicks yourself is not something that should be undertaken. Purchase adult birds, and let them hatch and raise chicks. Squab should be "harvested" before the chick can fly, and the size will depend on the breed. The nest boxes should be placed a few feet above ground, and can probably be a little bit smaller than a chicken hen's nest box. If penned, they will need standard poultry fare. If allowed to range after they've learned where "home" is, they will pretty much take care of themselves.

Rabbits:

Rabbits are small, relatively easy to keep livestock. The meat is lean, if that is a concern for your family, and the hides can be tanned for either fur or just skin. There are many breeds of rabbits. I do not suggest the long haired breeds for at least the Gulf Coast unless you intend to keep the animal as a pet or in an air conditioned facility. Californians (white rabbits with dark colored ears, nose, and feet) and New Zealands (mostly found in solid white, but sometimes red or black as well) are the two most popular "commercial" breeds. They mature fast and are fairly prolific. The does I kept often had litters of eight kits or more. I also raised Satins, which are so named for the satin sheen to their fur – very beautiful creatures, and lovely soft furs. We tried Palominos (colored much like palomino horses), which are supposed to have excellent growth rates for their fryers (butcher sized rabbits) but had issues with their feet being torn up in cages that the New Zealands had no issues with. However, don't overlook a doe and/or buck of totally unknown pedigree. Our first doe, Attack Rabbit, and the one who produced the largest kits, although often not the largest litters, was bought at a feed store who had gotten her from someone-or-another. She was a great producer for early Spring cash – she mostly threw spotted babies, regardless of the buck, and spotted baby bunnies sell very well as Easter bunnies and pets in general.

Rabbits are best kept in multi-cage hutches, with one adult rabbit per cage (except for breeding, which is not a long-term activity for a rabbit). Commercial rabbit food is certainly sufficient – it is a mostly alfalfa pellet with some additives. Roughage, such as grass, corn stalks, lettuce, alfalfa cubes, hay, or the like, should also be provided. Chewable items, like blocks of wood, should be readily available, as rabbits have to chew on things to keep their teeth from growing too long. Salt licks (small round discs of salt) should also be made readily available. There are plain salt licks (usually just white), and mineral salt licks (usually brown in color). My rabbits always seemed to prefer the mineral blocks to the plain. Rabbit feeders can be metal containers that fit into and through the side of the cage or crocks (heavy based bowls) sitting on the floor of the cage.

Like any other living creature, water should be readily and easily available. Rabbit waterers are bottle-fed gravity metal tubes with a ball-bearing that prevents too much water from coming out until the rabbit licks it to get water. These are generally attached to the outside of the cage. There are similar "nipples" for water lines, for larger rabbitries. Some breeders prefer to offer both food and water in crocks – I personally had issues with the water crocks being knocked over more times than not, particularly once a litter of bunnies was bouncing around in the cage along with the doe.

Despite the ease of growing and raising them, rabbits have a few "issues." Rabbit urine is highly acidic and corrosive. It will, eventually, damage cages to the point of requiring repair. Rabbit feces are rather "hot," and cannot be placed directly on a garden – the exception here being blueberry bushes, which love them. Worms, however, are often grown immediately under a rabbit hutch, as they break down the waste rapidly, and thrive on it. Allow rabbit waste to "sit" under the worms' tender care for a bit before attempting to add it to a compost pile or garden directly. Adding it to compost to finish cooling down is a better option than adding it straight to the garden.

Domesticated rabbits are descendants of the European cottontails, and thus, are not terribly heat tolerant, and, in the Gulf Coast's climate, are prone to heat exhaustion and heat stroke during summer. They are also not very productive during the summer months, because of this heat intolerance.

Despite their heat intolerance, rabbits can be successfully kept in the high temperature and high humidity climate of the Gulf Coast, with a few caveats. When selecting an area for the hutches, pick an area with decent air flow and shade to help keep them cool. The hutches should not be 100% solid sided, but be at least half hardware cloth, as well as having wire bottoms. Do NOT use chicken wire as the primary material – some rabbits like chewing on it. It can be used to wrap around any wooden posts (double wrap it and secure with U-nails; it's a pain to do, but works better). A piece of wood or sheetrock should be provided as a place to sit that isn't the wire bottom. Failure to do so can cause sores on the rabbits' feet. The nest boxes should also be constructed with wire bottoms, with an ability to mostly enclose them for winter litters. The hutches should also be located in a relatively quiet area – constant loud noises will stress the rabbits and increase the chances that the does will reabsorb their litters before birth, or even eat the kits after birth.

If you build the hutch, each enclosure within the hutch should be at least two feet square plus a reasonable height – it may look like a lot of space, but a nest box should be at least 12" wide by 18" long and 12" tall. Also make sure to construct the openings large enough to easily get the nest box into the pen.

After selecting a shady area with good airflow, the next caveat is this: if you intend to breed rabbits during the summer, for late summer or early fall litters, the buck will need, at minimum, a large bottle of ice to rest beside to maintain his fertility. Bucks lose their fertility when the temperatures get into the upper 90s F. I recommend two liter bottles mostly filled with water and then frozen solid for the purpose. You should probably have at least two bottles per buck – the first bottle will probably have thawed completely out by the end of the day, and he'll need cooling even overnight often. A fan in addition to the bottle of ice certainly would not hurt the buck, nor any doe in the area. One of the more serious show rabbitries I interacted with had an entire barn for their rabbits, somewhat insulated and could be enclosed during the worst of the summer heat for air conditioning, and in all but the coldest of winter, large livestock style fans ran from every roof-corner in the barn. The reason for this was that it ensured the rabbits' fur was not thinned out in reaction to the temperatures. As I was not involved in showing rabbits, and the furs and hides were kept for home use only, we usually made due with ice bottles and fans for our bucks – or forwent litters from June to September.

Breeding is done by placing a doe in with a buck for a short period of time. We generally kept ours separated unless breeding, because neither of our bucks were very bright (we only kept two bucks at a time). I had to occasionally move the buck to the correct end of the doe. Unless it is midsummer, if a doe does not produce kits after a couple of breedings (approximately 3 months), it is probably time to cull her from the colony.

The gestation period of a rabbit is approximately 30 days, with the resulting litters being 4 to 12 kits. Place a clean nest box in her cage a couple of weeks after breeding. The doe will start nesting a few days to a week before the kits are due, and she'll do this by pulling tufts of fur from her belly to make a nest with. Fill the nest box with a mid-quality hay (not too scratchy) for her, and she'll take care of the rest. Try to ensure her toenails have been trimmed, so she doesn't hurt the babies when they're born. When the kits are born, the doe will eat the afterbirth.  Occasionally, a doe may accidentally "eat" part of one of her babies – remove the corpse as soon as possible. An over-stressed doe may eat, or partially eat, an entire litter. Some … very few … seem to acquire a taste for doing so. If two litters are destroyed in such a fashion, cull the doe immediately. I have only had two does, in all the rabbits I've raised, acquire this "habit" – they both were violent rabbits to begin with. One was named Rabies, the other Rabies II. Rabies II left claw marks on my arm that took the better part of five years to fade. Does are likely to attack as they get close to birthing up until the kits have been weaned (4-6 weeks). In my experience, the ones to keep an eye on are the ones who attack without kits in the cage.

The kits are born furless and blind, but start putting on fur nigh immediately. Their eyes open between 8-12 days, and they start getting into trouble shortly thereafter. They can be safely removed from their mother's cage by eight weeks of age, and butchered from eight weeks to four months without any influence on the flavor – size and how long you want to feed them are the real factors here.

If you are attempting to grow your colony, select the best doe and/or buck from the litter. "Best" can be the largest, the most docile, the most wildly spotted, the most interestingly colored one, or what have you. If none of them meet your fancy, cull the whole litter. Sexing rabbits is an acquired skill, and not easily described with words alone. The pictures here are pretty good. Does are more useful than bucks, but raising an extra buck isn't always a bad thing. My personal preference, however, is to usually bring in a buck from another breeder, to keep from causing problems for the later generations. If you do keep any of the babies for breeding stock, make sure to keep a breeding book to track them, so you don't breed a doe to her grandfather-and-daddy – that's pushing it. Skip a generation at that point. Two unrelated bucks would be a minimum for raising breeding stock does. (If you want to get really complicated, you can also tattoo the ears of rabbits, to better track them. This is particularly useful for single-breed rabbitries which may not be able to distinguish animals by sight alone.)

Does can be bred at 6 months of age, and bucks at 7 months of age, but all the experienced breeders and books I read on the subject strongly suggested waiting until a doe was a minimum of 10 months old prior to breeding her. While a doe can theoretically be bred back to a buck the day her litter is removed from her pen, it is generally suggested to give her a short break between litters, for her own health.

Processing:

I was introduced to the "art" of butchering chickens at the age for 12 or 13, when I raised my first set of market chickens for 4-H. It was messy, I cried, and hated it. I wasn't a stranger to death (one of the dogs had slaughtered, rather methodically, all but the birds that had been penned up as "the best" for show, two days before), I just wasn't comfortable with me being involved in it. Not to mention, there's something terribly savage and horrifying about seeing something's head cut off with an axe blade in real life, regardless of how many horror movies you've seen growing up as a kid.

By the time I was fourteen, and for the next twelve years, I performed almost all of the butchering. My father assisted with the larger animals (goats and pigs). He slaughtered and butchered one cow, while I assisted – I was too short to do that one primarily. When I visit now, I still lend a hand with the task if needed.

My father quickly established that I severely lacked the hand-eye coordination to use the axe to butcher chickens, and that I also lacked the upper body strength (and distance) to use the "standard" pull the neck method of breaking a chicken's neck. We cast about for a better option for a short girl in the 6th grade. We settled on tree branch clippers, the sort with handles about 2 feet long, and a short, curved blade, with a scissors like motion. It was my idea – the leverage gave me enough mechanical strength to make a clean kill, and the blades were long enough to pin a bird (and later rabbits) for the duration. My experience has been that clippers can be used successfully on birds below the size of geese and turkeys, and on rabbits as well. If the blade is sharp, the animal may be almost entirely decapitated, which allows for it to bleed immediately. I do suggest that, for rabbits, it be a two person job, to hold the rabbit's ears out of the way – their ears are extremely sensitive, and the commotion is enough to scare them a bit anyhow, no need to taint the meat. For geese and turkeys, I strongly suggest that the bird's wings be restrained (we did so by cutting a turkey-head sized hole into the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, and having the body of the bird be inside the bucket) and a .22 bullet be used. It's fast, it's still cheap, and by pinning the bird's wings, the post-death twitching/flapping/etc. cannot break the wings.

When selecting a site for processing, I recommend access to clean water, buckets for offal, and fresh air. A flat surface is necessary for poultry; a place to hang the carcass is necessary (or at least vastly more convenient) for most mammals. A sharp knife or two is important; my preferred for butchering is a skinning blade with a gut hook.
           

Poultry:
             
From this point, there are three methods for finishing poultry: dry plucking, wet plucking, and skinning. Frankly, in my opinion, none of them are particularly easy to do, but wet plucking takes my number one most-hated spot.

Dry plucking involves pretty much exactly like it sounds. I strongly recommend this method for quail, squab, and young broilers. Remove the head and neck of the bird, as well as the lower scaly part of the leg. Generally I remove the first wing joint, as well, because it is far more hassle than it is worth to do otherwise. You may need a pair of pliers to remove the primary feathers on older chickens, turkeys of any age, ducks, and geese. Grab a handful of feathers (starting on the breast of the bird is easiest), pull against the "grain" of the feathers. On smaller or younger birds, such as quail or broilers, the skin is very tender and can be torn very easily, even when plucking. Start off with a lighter hand than you might think you need, and work up in force from there. Continue to do this until the carcass is as completely de-feathered as you can get it. You may prefer to leave the tail feathers on, and remove the tail during the next step.

Wet plucking involves a large pot of very hot water. If you are going to wet pluck waterfowl, a few drops of dish soap is recommended, to break the oil barrier on the feathers, so it is possible to do so. Prior to removing the head/neck, lower legs, and wing tips, dip the carcass into the pot of very hot water for 15-30 seconds, using the lower legs as "handles." Bring the bird out of the water, and give an experimental tug on the feathers. If they pull out fairly easily, continue plucking the bird. You may have to re-dip it if it is a large bird, or it cools off too much. Be careful to not over dip the bird, as when this occurs, the skin scalds and starts peeling. You will notice that wet feathers are very clingy, and like to stick to everything – you, the table, the bird, the pot, the post one landed on when you tried to get some off your hands. Wet feathers also don't smell particularly wonderful, which is why I rather intensely dislike this method. Once again, remove all the feathers. After this, remove the head/wing tips/lower legs.

Skinning is pretty much like how it sounds. It is trickier on poultry than it is on a mammal, however, as the skin attaches in odd seeming places. On chickens, it attaches rather firmly around the leg-thigh joint, the chest bone, along the back, and very firmly attaches at the base of the tail. The skin also tears easily, so instead of larger chunks, you generally end up having nearly strips. It can be a bit frustrating, and does remove some cooking options later. Remove the head/wing tips/lower legs before commencing; it makes the task easier.

Once the bird is plucked or skinned, very carefully cut across the abdominal cavity, effectively thigh to thigh, and then approximately down the middle (there is often a sort of ''seam" here, it may just tear a bit under tension). Only use enough pressure with the blade to cut the skin, not any more than you have to use. Scoop the offal out, being careful to not touch more of the exterior of the bird than necessary. At this point, you can try to either remove the tail entirely, so as not to risk fecal contamination, or, once you have some practice, you can detach the anus from the tail with minimal problems. Rinse the bird out and off with fresh water (as well as yourself), and get the bird into refrigerated conditions as soon as possible, preferably before you start on the next bird.

Rabbits:

Mammals are more or less the same process, regardless of size. The tools necessary may differ – I don't have the strength to crack the hip bones on a cow or pig, or most goats, and need at least a hacksaw to do that job, but I can do so with a rabbit or other small mammal with my bare hands. Rabbits make for good practice animals for larger animals later, and the process is effectively the same for anything smaller.

Hang the rabbit from your chosen point. I either used bailing wire wraps around the hock of the back legs, or twine from hay bales tied into slip knots, tightened around the hock. Either way, the hock is a good place for an anchor point.  The rabbit's head should now be pointing at the ground, and all directions from this point are referencing the current up-down direction.

Run your knife in a circle just below the anchor point, all the way around the leg. Pull the skin taut with one hand, and gently run the blade down the middle inside of the thigh to the pelvic area. Repeat on the other leg. Very carefully cut across below the vent area, making the two cuts meet. Peel the skin down the legs, and work a finger under the skin, just below the tail, until you can get the knife through to cut the skin. Leave the tail on the carcass; it'll be a useful handle later. At this point, you should be able to peel the skin down the body slowly. Don't peel it down completely yet.

Finish removing the head from the carcass; there is usually a good bit of blood at this point. In a method similar to the hock area, cut the skin at the forefoot area, and then break the bone at that point. Use the knife to cut through the ligaments, and discard the forefoot into the offal bucket. Repeat with the other front foot. It's now possible to continue peeling the hide off of the rabbit without impediments. If it sticks at any point, very carefully cut through the offending tissue, as you don't want to pull the hide out of shape (if you intend on keeping it). If you don't care, just remove it as necessary. If this were a larger animal, you would have sliced the hide all the way down the belly of it, and pulled the hide off that way. You can do that with a rabbit, but it's just as easy to split the hide after it's off as when it is on. If you intend to keep the hide for other uses, feel free to take a moment to lay it out on a wooden board, flesh side up, and sprinkle it with salt to start the initial curing process.

To break the hips easily, grasp one thigh in each hand, and bend them backwards. You will hear a crack, and possibly even see the pelvic bone fracture through the muscle, which is very thin. This should be more or less directly below the vent. At this point, very, very carefully cut around the vent area to open it, and down across the fracture. Using the gut hook, if you have it, or a very delicate touch with a straight blade if you must, cut the abdominal muscles all the way down to the ribcage. Cut through the tail bone, and use it as a handle to pull the intestinal tract down/away from the body of the rabbit, to prevent contamination. Then carefully remove the lower organs. You can remove the heart and lungs without cutting through the ribcage, but as rabbit is generally cut up instead of served whole, there is rarely reason to avoid doing so. Cut through the ribs and scoop out what remains. Rinse the rabbit, your hands, and knife (or knives) thoroughly. Then, gripping the thigh and foot of one leg, break the leg as close to the anchor point as you can. Repeat with the other leg. Hold on to the carcass, and cut through the remaining tendons and ligaments on one leg and then the other to bring it down from hanging.

Place the carcass into a refrigerated area as soon as possible. The meat can be aged for a day or so, if you prefer, frozen immediately, or even made that night.

Again, this is roughly the same procedure for almost any mammal. I've even used it on raccoons that managed to get caught in the traps set up to stop chickens from being stolen. (On a side note, to get rid of the really gamey taste, cook raccoon with onion, sliced apples and potatoes. The apples and potatoes won't be human edible afterwards, but the raccoon will turn out tasting rather like beef. Just be sure to cook it very well done.)

I’ve been seriously prepping for a decade and consider myself a prepared and competent guy.   Y2K got me started, but the events of the past few years have kicked my preps into higher gear.   I’m confidant with my guns and food storage.  I have alternate power and heat sources established at both our home and retreat location.  I have a co-worker who includes me in his prepper group’s  meetings.  My family (immediate and some extended) is on board with our plans for TEOTWAWKI.   Although I’m not where I want to be, I’m know I’m better off than 98% of the sheeple out there.
After my travel experience today, I’m not so sure I’m as “practically” prepared as I should be.
 
Today was a beautiful day.  52 degrees in Nebraska…..in January!?!?    What a great day for a road trip.  My daily driver is a late 1990s Subaru.  It still gets great mileage and is all wheel drive which is nice in this climate.  My wife drives a newer minivan and we have a low mileage 2001 Dodge Durango for our spare/bug out vehicle.   My car’s odometer read 168,508 when I filled the tank this morning.  It was getting close to ½ empty so of course, as a prepared guy, it was time to fill up. 
 
I finished a sales call just after noon in a small town about 30 miles North of the City where we live. I decided to take the scenic route on the way back to the office.     I chose to travel a paved road that ran west from the main highway.  From this road I took a number of  gravel roads headed mostly southbound .   Besides the fact that I enjoy the windshield time, I’d like to buy a piece of rural property and these road trips are an easy way to look for them.  It was on one of these roads that my car’s timing belt failed.  In a disabled car on a quiet country road is not a place you want to be on most January days in the Midwest.  I was very thankful for the mild weather today.   I had no clue how much I would learn from this slight diversion from the highway.  
 
My first thought was…”Where am I?” Situational Awareness is something I’ve read about on Survival Blog dozens of times.  But, I didn’t have a clue what road I was on.  What was the intersecting road had I crossed a mile or so back? How far off the highway was I?  I could see a small town about 2 miles to my south west.  What town is that?  It was too far to read the writing on the water tower.                     

Lesson #1:  Pay attention!  Know where I am all the time. 

Lesson #1.5: Get a GPS for this car.
 
There were two houses in view, one was about a mile behind me and one was about three quarters of mile ahead.   It was time for a hike.  Note:  Rockport semi-casual dress shoes are fine for sales calls. They are not however, intended for walking on gravel.  Same goes for dress socks or dress pants.  Good news:  I keep wool socks and my Vibram boots in my “Get Home” bag.   I love those boots!  I picked them up at a local Army Surplus store for about $25.   Too bad that my “Get Home” bag wasn’t in the trunk.   I took it in the house to update it last night!  I did not put it back in the car this morning.                                       

Lesson #2: It’s called a “Get Home” bag…not a “leave it at home” bag for a reason.
 
Not knowing If I’d be coming back to the car or not, I grabbed my laptop in its backpack, my cell phone and my keys (I double checked that I had the keys) and locked the car.  As I walked down the road I was pleased to see I had great cell reception.   I called my wife to tell her what was going on.   She offered to come get me, but she is directionally challenged and doesn’t  trust the GPS . Besides, I couldn’t tell her where I was anyway.   I was in the process of telling her that I would figure out where I was and then call her back when my cell phone battery died.  This just gets better all the time. 

My plan was to walk down the road to the next house or intersection to determine where I was.  I could see the cross road about two miles ahead was a paved road with quite a bit of traffic.  I guessed at what highway it was, but still couldn’t think of the name of that little town.   The farmhouse ahead was set back from the road with a long driveway. I did not want to approach the house.  It seemed a little to ‘cliché: traveling salesman with a broke down car down the road….  No, there had to be another way to figure out where I was.   Their mailbox was on a post along the road but there were no numbers on it. The mailbox door was ajar and I could see that there was mail inside.   I hope I didn’t break and postal laws, but I pulled out a piece of mail and wrote down the address then returned the mail to the box.  At least I had pen and paper with me. 
 
As I walked back to my car, I plugged my Goal Zero Guide 10 into my cell phone. This is a great little AA (4) battery charger/power supply. It has three different power input ports, a USB output port and a built in LED light.  I keep this and necessary cords in my computer backpack.   I plug it once a week to insure it is charged.  I have set up a reminder on my outlook calendar to remind me to do this.  See, I wasn’t as unprepared as I had thought.    After my phone re-booted, which seemed to take forever, I called my anxious wife and told her not to worry and that I’d just call AAA roadside assistance.   The walk back to the car was colder due to the wind in my face.  52 with wind chill is still nippy.  I had no gloves, no hat, and was only wearing a light jacket.  My “Get Home Bag” has gloves and stocking cap…. oh yeah, I left it at home.                                                                                                                                                             

Lesson #3: It’s fine to wear the light jacket on a nice day, but bring the warmer one, too.  This is Nebraska in January for crying out loud.
 
Once I reached the car again I called AAA.   This AAA membership is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.   I understand that my auto insurance company offers roadside assistance at no cost too, but I’ve neglected to sign up for it.  I’ll do that tomorrow….really, I will.   The agent on the phone was very nice but had a hard time finding the address I’d pulled from the nearby mailbox.  It took about 10 minutes to get the tow order set up.  She said the tow truck driver would arrive in about 30 minutes and that He would call in route.  The agent also said they would call again to check on me.
I powered up my laptop (plugged onto the car 12 v), I plugged the cell phone into the laptop USB and used my Air card to get on the Internet. I pulled up MapQuest and determined exactly where I was, the name of the nearby town and settled in for the wait. The net is great but, what if I had not been able to get on it?                                                                                                                                                           

Lesson #4:  I own a good State Road/ Topographical map.  Put it in the car.  
 
AAA called back and told me that the tow truck driver was going to be more like an hour away.  Good grief!  I gave them a much better description of my location and told her I was content to wait.  The driver called me about 15 minutes later and I also gave him better directions as he had not received the updated information. 
I’d only seen one car go by on the road and that had been right after the mine had died.  That driver didn’t even slow down.  Two utility trucks drove by without stopping before a farmer finally stopped.  I told him I was fine and waiting for a tow.  The next vehicle made me very nervous.  This beater pickup approached from the highway,  slowed as he went by then turned around and came back. There were two guys in this truck and they pulled over dangerously close to my window. The “less than professional looking” passenger leaned out and asked if I needed help. I replied that I was fine and waiting on a tow.  He asked how long I’d been waiting.  I (lied and) answered that the tow truck would be there in just a few minutes.  He asked what I thought was wrong and if I was a salesman.  I remained friendly and answered.    He said “Well I didn’t think you were a farmer, you got them ‘out of county” plates.”  I thanked them for stopping then thanked the Lord when they drove away.     I’m happy to say that I have a concealed carry permit.  I even had it with me… the permit that is.  I did not have my handgun.   I did not have my knife.  I did not have my “truck tire thumper.”  I had nothing for personal protection – on me or in the car. I’ve not felt that vulnerable (or stupid) in a really long time.                                     

Lesson #5: A Concealed Carry Permit does you no good if you don’t carry. 
 
I now know that I was 24 miles from home.  If I had walked, I estimate the walk on this nice day would have taken me close to six hours (at four miles per hour).  That pace would have gotten me home about 9 p.m. when the temperature would have been in the low 30s and it would have been dark for four hours.  The only thing of any use in the car was a wool blanket which I probably would have improvised into a poncho for the walk.  Obviously, I had communication capability so I would not have walked the entire distance.  But, that was this time.  What if this had been an EMP?  What if the weather today had not been so nice?
 
The tow truck arrived when expected. Technically, I got myself home ‘all by myself’ and it all turned out fine, except for the upcoming car repair bill.     My “Get Home” bag is restocked, updated and at the front door ready to put in the Durango in the morning.    Lessons learned!

Good Morning Mr. Rawles!
 I had to share this link with you: Maryland Hiker Uses iPhone App For New Year’s Eve Rescue. In brief: a man out hiking on New Year's Eve Day got lost in the wilderness.  He used his cell phone to call rescuers, and then used his "flashlight" app on the cell phone to shine a light so that the rescuers could be lowered down to him on the trail and lead him out.
 
My sons, who are both experienced scouters and back country hikers who teach wilderness survival watched this news story in disbelief  last night.  (They were honestly chastising the television so much, I had to turn it off.  They were upset beyond words by the man's thoughtlessness that could have endangered people out searching for him.)
 
"He didn't have food and water with him?"
"No jacket?"
"NO MAP!!!!???"
"No flashlight?"
"He didn't tell anyone where he was going?"
 
He was fortunate to be rescued quickly and not to have suffered any permanent damage. 
 
But, the article is a reminder that we should ALWAYS be prepared: with a map, a flashlight, extra food and water, and a jacket....
.... just in case.....
 
Happy New Year to you and your family! - B.L.W.

Foreword: 
I design and operate databases for a living.  The newest of these are assembled on analytic platforms structured to “draw conclusions” for clients in a wide (and formerly random) variety of scenarios.  One of my developers is an analytic tools assembly expert who also works for some “security, emergency, and enforcement” government agencies in Washington, DC – all formerly separate agencies, and because of advancements in the technologies -- now “interoperating”.  I am also a prepper with a Bug Out locale that fulfills my “survival vision” and inherently has most of the natural survival essentials on site, but one which needs some structural work that would be visible to aerial mapping when implemented.  Another prepper colleague of mine who is part of our group has skills that I will generally classify as “ravine and bluff engineering”.  Together we have tried to develop plans to address the visibility problem, and in doing so have hit a “snag” and have come to a conclusion that might be useful to many readers.  So, it is with some expertise and some insight that I pose some thoughts for you today, with the hope that, if you are already knowledgeable on this subject, you might use these to simply update your information, or if you are not, that I might help to guide some of your decision making as I understand that your survival is at stake.

Two ideas:  Presume for the moment that databases have already classified you as a threat or even a likely insurgent. Presume that your resources and assets are already known and well-catalogued, and that access, use, seizure, and in a worst case scenario, potential counter-insurgency plans are in the “system” that can be implemented against you -- precisely directed at what you have been “certain” all along are the excellent and generally secret attributes of your plans in rural and remote areas. 

Most readers might agree somewhat with the first proposition, as previous military experience, FOID cards, post office signatures for receipt of gun parts and ammo, on-line purchases of water treatment, first aid gear, food storage etc. might be among a thousand other data points on-file somewhere with some kind of classification about you suitable to draw this conclusion.   Fair enough.  However, most preppers I have talked to argue that the second of these presumptions defies logic because they are so invested in how they see their retreat and in their belief that their “survival vision” is correct – a vision which can be generalized to be dependent on remote, defensible, small, self-sufficient, off the grid, and stealthy living.   On the surface such strategic plans seem great.  These might be the product of years of thinking, investing, and hard labor.  The location is likely to be vast and rugged or heavily forested.  It’s far from town.  Nobody’s around.  The prepper just wants to be left alone, poses no outward threat, and although he or she can and will defend themselves, they mean no harm to anyone.  These plans are defensive and to be successful, they rely on distance, infrequent communications, and private activities.  “Hard to find and not worth the effort” to take your stuff when TSHTF is the basic assumption.  This is the snag we have run into.   This may be a very false conclusion as I will detail below.

The facts are that local, county, regional, state, and federal database engineers, their supervising bureaucrats, and the analytic tools that they use every day have things sorted out quite differently.  On the basis of regulations and new standards for inter-operability, the whole system may operate on the basis that your “resources” are “not yours” and, when associated with other large scale “emergency planning” scenarios, that your resources may be classified as public resources that can be and are likely to be acquired and controlled. 

At the local level, this assumption is embodied in a concept now well developed into legal reality that the bureaucrats call “custodial responsibility” of your land.  Because in times of crisis some natural resources may become scarce and thus more valuable (you did choose your retreat well), and because they have granted you a “permit” to occupy and use the land, and because you do, then you are more vulnerable to an “intervention” than you may have thought.  And, worse, because this land information data is “integrated” and now “shared” and, in some instances, already merged with other personal data (perhaps your “threat” status?), when TSHTF, emergency management measures may go into effect that allow, and may even direct, emergency access to and use of your land.  Like opening river floodgates with the knowledge that whole communities will be inundated and destroyed, geographic information system (GIS) data often drives decision making and therefore, regardless of property rights, the gates will open and the torrent will roll out across the countryside.  The analogy is apt.  Rural and remote geographies may deliberately be used in emergency management situations to absorb some of the impact of civil disaster, to provide material resources, to disperse the energy of the unrest, and to reduce as much stress as quickly as possible on more densely inhabited areas and infrastructure.

This is a tough scenario for preppers, as it runs counter to much of our planning, and therefore this idea of public access and use may be dismissed by those who are betting that they are safely out of the way and that the riots and mayhem will be contained in urban areas.  But it is one which can be more easily understood and perhaps accepted after a cordial and scheduled visit by you to your county zoning office (or web site).  More on this in a moment.  First, some additional and quite prepper-sympathetic context.

Many of us have our remote retreats ready or almost ready.  Most of the money has been spent.  We have completed our “lists of lists” with some degree of satisfaction (there’s always more to do).  And now we are increasingly confident that we were “right” and that our efforts make sense.  Economic, political, and violent events are reaching crisis status worldwide and many of these now occur much closer to home.  We find ourselves in a departure mode, just trying (before we leave) to encourage previously skeptical relatives and friends to understand the inevitable outcome of these events; to join us, and to answer the call to perpetuate and perhaps defend our God-given freedoms.  We have come to a “final” acceptance that the world is going to cataclysmically change and that TEOTWAWKI is upon us. 

However, we may be quite mistaken about this.  TEOTWAWKI has already occurred!  And not in a way that we might have expected with the lights going out and cities on fire.   It happened in a small office in a rural or remote American county when the final little corner of a gridded digital foundation layer within an ArcGIS® and ArcView® database was scanned in and added after 30 years of data development – one that finally incorporates (perhaps) your own remote parcel of land.

Unaware (perhaps “untroubled” says it better) of the long-term “land planning” effort to complete of ubiquitous federal, regional, state, or county “mapping initiatives”, preppers have worked to gather their resources.  We may have even used GIS tools in order to acquire our land, set up our survival plan, and implement our survival vision.  And now, because all the indicators of genuine conflict are imminent, preppers feel that it is finally time to finally occupy and use their land – to retreat from people and events – to fortify and guard those second homes, retreats, and redoubts.  Thus, operational or tactical (rather than strategic) conversations about high ground, fields of fire, virtual and physical moats, sensors, buried propane tanks, sentry duty, and keeping marauders at bay more frequently occur. 

Our final preparation discussions may go further (now that most resources are in place) about how to care for other family members and trusted friends who may be ill or disabled, and how to provide assistance to elderly parents.  Yet, because some tiny bit of data was added to a database (even as far back as 1980 in some counties), the implementation of some of our own acquisition, defensive, and operational plans may be too late, and even unnecessary for reasons outlined below.  Building and burying concrete bunkers may not actually be a good idea… and setting up “tank traps” and defensive barriers may be a waste of time and resources and best put aside while we turn to more collaborative strategies and address more immediate needs such as tending woodlots, raising chickens, planting square foot gardens, networking with like-minded neighbors, and perhaps learning to do dentistry in case there are no dentists (Yikes!  Unlikely, but you gotta have some sense of humor in all this.)

The facts are that there are present in county offices in many small towns “experts with plans” that may surprise and even shock many preppers.   When you meet them on a friendly and professional basis, you will conclude that they are generally well-meaning and think their work for various government agencies is vitally important for the common good (think of rapid responses to 911 calls or management of hazardous waste disasters).  But, after all the good will, legal argument, and fuzzy feelings are expressed, they will tell you and may even show you what they have been doing and what they can actually do under the common rules for zoning: referred to in some states as Land Information Planning (LIP). 

LIP can be summarized as integrating and sharing data in “layers” of GIS data about the precisely-located Bug Out Place you think is your own – all of which is designed to fulfill and support the afore-mentioned custodial responsibilities by authorities.  The GIS digital system works by assembling “foundational” and common data elements, by establishing inter-agency government agency training, communications, and education programs, and by facilitating “technical assistance” for all kinds of authorities at the local, state, and federal level.

The simple truth is that they know where you are.  They know who you are.  They know what you have.  They may already know what you are doing or may be capable of doing (think of all the county departments that have your records digitized -- Deeds, Tax Rolls, Land Records, Surveyor, Planning, Zoning, Sheriff, Emergency Management, Agriculture, Forestry, and IT just to name a few).

Among the GIS layers (some scanned-in and digitized decades ago) are “new” and very sophisticated GPS-controlled geographic reference frameworks developed for parcel mapping, parcel administration, public access (including back roads and even footpaths if well used via Regional Road Directory (RRD), soils mapping, wetlands mapping, land use mapping. (Got a garden?  Hobby farm?  Spring?  Pond?  Shoreline? Serious acreage?, then “natural resources”, infrastructure and facilities mapping may already have you mapped. (Think in terms of electric grid, phone and computer services, gas and oil pipelines, water, septic, sewage, pumping stations, dams, bridges, etc.) There is also something called Forestry Reconnaissance, and “institutional arrangements and integration” (think police and emergency access).  Much of this foundational data across the USA has been completely compiled -- and nearly all of it is now updated by aerial observation on a semi-annual or more frequent basis.  You can’t hide what you are doing.  And, if you can’t easily do it now, you may not be able to do what you want to do later when TSHTF without a lot of help, time, and energy.

Want a visit from an “inspector”?  Then dig a hole.  Clear a field.  Add a roof.  Cut a fence line. Plant. Irrigate.  Mound dirt from an underground excavation.  Drive across dusty open land.  These visual and sometimes thermal “changes” on base layer information clearly appear on the GIS updates.  They are computer-compared and professionally observed.  They are automatically evaluated then flagged.  The flagging may prompt “interventions” at any time (think EPA) and may prompt other more unexpected activities once TSHTF (and possibly much more importantly and nasty) once these GIS databases are hacked and the core information is distributed to “unfriendlies” who are smart enough to want it and get it.    

This observation on our technological vulnerability suggests that building our “castles and moats” and spending our energy and money in hopes to hide out, get off the grid, and live peacefully in small tribes is not nearly as rational as we might wish, and that a secondary strategy should be adopted which recognizes that they can easily “see us”, that well-established, redundant, and hardened technology is our enemy, that TEOTWAWKI has already occurred, and that for some very good reasons we better rethink about what our “survival vision” really should be. 

Since our assets are easily observed and already ranked and prioritized by “value”, our survival preparation may more effectively depend on revealing and then linking these resources among ourselves, and by establishing new networks and creating closer relationships with others in our geographies with whom we can communicate, get to quickly, and achieve the advantage of mass in either defensive or offensive actions.  An understanding (maybe acquisition and use?) of GIS technologies and mapping can enable preppers to make more flexible plans and be much more “mobile” and responsive to threats.  With LIP as a controlling factor, using the information and technology may be more valuable than barbed wire and bullets to stem the tide.  More like-minded people must easily be gathered when authorities may be overwhelmed or when those authorities bring their own action against us as we are flagged as perceived or real threats. 

Summary and Conclusions:  We may reluctantly concede that as individuals we may already be digitally classified as threats and therefore potential insurgents.  The bigger issue is that we may also have to agree that our hide-out survival vision may be incorrect and need substantial modification.  It is a fundamental mistake to think we are not “visible” in our retreats in the mountains or the woods.  Knowing that even small local governments have generally completed LIP initiatives, that the data is transferable and shared with  other databases, that authorities have assumed or have been legally granted “custodial responsibilities” for our property and our resources, we must contemplate modifying our vision from one where success is no longer entirely based on distance, infrequent communications, and on trying to create and carry out “invisible” private activities to one where closer proximity, more frequent communications, common use of data tools and technology, and more open and direct action can hold back the tide when TSHTF.

A personal note and an excellent example:  Throughout history there are countless examples of successful survival strategies and tactics, but one family story comes to mind that is worth telling as it relates to the use of geography and local resources, and to the development of a perception and a reality for an enemy that a fight they wanted was not worth making – where the battlefield was well understood by the defenders, where communications and mobility were key factors, and where the outcome was a great conflict successfully avoided and everyone survived. 

The setting was Cincinnati in 1862.  Confederate General Kirby Smith had arrived on the scene with a formidable, well trained and well equipped army, capturing Lexington Kentucky.  Smith ordered his junior officer, General Henry Heth to cross the Ohio River and capture Cincinnati.  With a real battle looming, Ohio was in an uproar.  Defensive resources were slim.  The Governor and Union Officers called for volunteers.  Riders went out to the surrounding counties and armed men responded to their call.  Nearly 16,000 civilians would come into town carrying “antiquated” weapons, and this body was properly and proudly referred to as the Squirrel Hunters.  These men had no military training, but “they could shoot the eye out of a squirrel at 100 yards”.  My own great-grandfather was among them.  The name and size of the group said it all, and within a few days, the Confederate forces withdrew and left the area.  Crossing the river under the fire of back country sharpshooters was not an option.  Well-understood geography, quick communications, and responsive people saved the day.

Citations, Locales, and Sourcing: [Deleted by the Editor, for OPSEC.]

Sir: 
Thank you for your blog, your service to our country, and the info you provide. I recently moved away from the Denver metro area to a more “rural” area in northern Colorado.  There are still lots of people, but we are not surrounded.  I have done my share of preparing and believe my “tribe” could survive for possibly a year or more during a breakdown in society.  After a year I would have to change direction in my quest to remain above ground.   A nuclear attack would be a different story for us. 

We travel a good deal between Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska with an occasional trip to Idaho.  This said, the reason I am writing is to challenge your readers to always find alternate routes to “home”, “bug out destination”, “safe spots”, etc.  I carry my day pack and BOB everywhere I go.  On any given day I am from 7 to 125 miles from home.  Rarely do I use the same route to get to my destination or return trip.  There is an abundance of paved roads in this area and well maintained gravel roads.  I know my local grid well.  Even at a distance of 125-250 miles away I am able to use several different routes to get to my destination and most are not highways.  The highways I try to use are two-lane and minimal travel (too slow for most people).  Luckily, I have lived in this three state area since the early 1960’s.   I kinda know my way around these parts!!!  I have been blessed (or cursed) with a somewhat photographic memory.  This blessing has diminished somewhat as I have aged but my recall is still very sharp and I practice my recall to keep it as useful as possible.

As I drive alternate routes I watch for landmarks for navigation and other “specific things” of interest.  Any landmark will be useful for travel especially at night.  I watch for towers, bluffs, silos, water tanks, tree rows, electrical substations, unique structures (including farm houses)—anything that can be spotted at a distance.  Looking for and finding sources of water along your “routes” is a must!  Creeks, ponds, stock tanks, windmills, drainage ditches, oil wells (watershed), abandoned farms--all are potential sources for water.  On the plains many houses and buildings had tanks and troughs under the roof line to collect water from rains and snow melt off.  Almost all these farmsteads had cisterns.  In your search for water you will likely come across wild game as they are driven to water also.  Truly abandoned farms can provide water, shelter, and food if the need arises.  I keep track of the miles between water sources just in case I may have to walk to the next source.  Remember, your next source may be frozen in winter so you have to be able to thaw it.  I am assuming you have ways to start a fire in your day pack or BOB.  Sorry...  I always carry food and water for four people to hopefully survive for 72 hours.  If we are not at our destination in 72 hours my plan B is to hunker down where we are and revise our direction of attack.  The plan may require finding food or water, finding fuel, and finding a different direction home.  I have two GPS systems, but I prefer to use a compass.  As long as I can spot one of my landmarks I can figure out which direction I need to go to reach my destination.  This may require waiting until daylight or waiting out a storm to find my bearings.  Thank the LORD I have never been lost on the plains or in the mountains.  I have been lost in a mall and a skyscraper, so I avoid them as much as possible.

A side note:  As I travel I find routes to avoid “major” intersections—especially on highways.  Even on paved roads and gravel or dirt roads I look for other ways to go around these major intersections, “T’s” in the road and dead ends.  In times of collapse these would be places of roadblocks and getting ambushed. So, being able to avoid them (especially at night) will greatly enhance your chances of getting home.  HOME: no matter what it may look like, or be, is where you want to be when things turn ugly.

Keep your vehicle stocked, your mind sharp, your thoughts positive, and your Bible handy.  Your destination can only be reached through the journey! Peace, - S.F.H.

I live about 30 miles north of Denver, Colorado – where there's a metropolitan population approaching three million.  I own a 4x4 vehicle, but rarely go to the mountains and decided it was time to find a bug out location without having to go there.  Perhaps I should mention that I’m a 60 year old female, and my husband thinks the whole concept of survival is complete rubbish!  And while I own a GPS, I’m going to show you how to do this for free so you can prepare for a TEOTWAWKI situation.

The USGS has maps that are scaled at 1:50,000.  The “New Generation” maps are not good at all.  These maps will have “information” and “ads” over part of the map.  That’s where you want to target….places where most people won’t be able to see on the maps they buy in the local stores.
 
I recommend you start with something that you know.  I’m going to start with my childhood home.  Once you can find something familiar to you, then we will advance to looking for a BOL that is unknown to you.
 
But first, here are the basic steps we are going to use, the examples will be below this.  Click on this link
 
Pick your state, then under “scale”, click on  24000 and search.   Note that there is a column for the date the area was surveyed.  The older the better as you want to be looking for mines, caves and springs.  Some of these survey maps go back to the 1800s!
 
Where it says “map name”, type in a city close to where you want to go.
 
Click on the far right hand column and the map will download.  Be patient, it takes time.  I have found that the circa 1980 survey maps are probably the best.   Note:  if the city you are looking for is not on the map, scroll to the outside perimeters of the map and look for other map names along the borders or in the corners, then download that map name.
 
You will want to download the USGS topographic map symbols and make note of the symbols for mine entrances and caves which looks like the letter “y” laying on it’s right side.  Don’t confuse mine shafts with mines and quarries. Next, find the symbol for spring or seep.  A spring is a blue dot and a seep is a short blue squiggly line.  Maps older than 1980 will probably not use these same symbols.
 
An older map, such as an 1893 map, will show you where towns were that are now ghost towns.  A great place to look for earth covered log cabins or ground cellars.  These maps will also show you roads and railroad beds that are no longer maintained. 
 
Once you have found the spot on a topographical map, you can then find the coordinates, plug them into google earth and zoom in to see exactly what’s there today.
 
 
Example # 1, my childhood home.  

(Click the links to follow along)
 
I grew up just northeast of Noblesville, Indiana, so I picked “Omega” as my town name.  As you can see, there are maps dated 1962, 1977 and 1994.  I picked the 1977 map to download.  Remember, it takes time to download these, so just be patient.
 
These maps are in PDF format, so you will need to download Acrobat’s PDF reader if you don’t already have it on your computer.
 
Next, I zoomed in to 200% and found my childhood home at the corner of East 266th Street and Cornell Road.  Funny, when I was a kid there were no such street names.  I lived on the Arcadia pike at the “6 mile jog”.    You can even see the little black square where our home was, right at the jog in 266th street where Cornell goes to the south.
 
My childhood home.
 
From here, we want to obtain the GPS coordinates.  To do that, simply scroll all the way to the left or right, to the end of the map and pick up the number which in this case is about 10’. But it’s a little north of the 10’ lines, so I’m going to estimate it at 10’ 5”  Scroll to the top to pick up the degrees which is 40.  So my latitude is about 40°10'5"N
 
Go back to the home location and this time scroll straight to the top or bottom of the map. This finds me between 54 and 55’.  Scroll to the left where it shows the degrees at 85.  So I will estimate my longitude is about 85°54'5"W
 
Next, you will need to download and install Google Earth.  In the box where it says “fly to” enter:  40°10'5"N,  85°54'5"W
 
I came up about ¾ mile south of where I grew up, but close enough on Google Earth that I can track back and find the actual spot!
 
Once you have the spot on Google Earth, you can scroll around, look at terrain, find old mine entrances, look for old roads, paths, trails…just have fun exploring the area by air.
 
If you look on the Google Earth map of my childhood home, there is a woods just south of the place.  You can see the creek going up to the right hand side.  There’s a pond located at 40°09'50/-6"N,  85°53'57.54"W.  In the photo, I’ve put white arrows to the pond.  But look to the west with the small lines – there’s an old wagon trail going east off Cornell Rd.  In the winter when the trees are bare, you can actually see the path, but with the leaves on, you can still see an indentation where the old path is.  You can actually follow it on the left side of the creek north to where the George and Lucy King homestead was where it crossed the creek, then follow it on the east side up to E 266th Street.  It’s these old abandoned trails that you want to be looking for.  Places that are no longer traveled, that are not on any current maps.  I do have this “road” on an old 1835 map of this area.  But the path is still there today.  (Please note that this is all private property that is no longer owned by my family, so don’t trespass, just enjoy from Google Earth!)
 
You may want to download all the different maps for your area as I found that none of them show 2 cisterns (overflowing wells) that were in this area.  One was just ½ mile south of where I grew up, on the west side of Cornell Rd.  There’s a house there, but nothing marking the well.  Interesting.
 
Now try to do these same steps for a place that you know.  It’s a great way to learn how to do longitudes and latitudes and how to find your way around Topo Maps and Google Earth.
 
Next, we’re ready to find a but-out location without ever going there….in a place that you don’t “know.”
 
 
Example # 2:
 
Here’s an example you can easily follow to get you started.  I wanted to find a place I went camping nearly 35 years ago.  So I clicked on “Colorado”, set the scale to 24000, and the map name of “Garfield”.  I then downloaded the pdf for 1982 and I zoomed in to about 200% to get a better detail.
 
The latitudes are on the far left and right side of the map.  Scroll down to 38° 32’30”68 N. (Because I’ve already completed the steps, I can give you exact locations to make this easier.) Longitudes are across the top and bottom (you may need to zoom out to find the spot) and go to 106° 17”30”.  You should have the town of Garfield in view.  Zoom in to 200%.  You will see a 4x4 trail going north up “Taylor Gulch”.  Be aware that many 4x4 roads on the map are literally ATV trails, but can be maneuvered in a narrow 4x4. 
 
As you follow this trail north, you should see the Garfield Mine.  Notice that this is the “Y” on the side, so it is a mine or tunnel opening.  Just north of that are 3 more mines, then the “Lilly Mine” with an opening, another mine above that….several mines with tunnel openings in this area.  That Lilly Mine is where I used to camp.
 
Pay attention to the elevation.  Garfield is at 9509 feet and the Lily Mine is at 11,300 feet – way too high for a BOL.  You should see a creek coming down Taylor Gulch.  This is a dash/dotted line, so it is a seasonal creek from snow runoff.   But if you look just to the north and east of Garfield, you will see “Hermit Springs.”  Water!
 
So now, let’s look at this on Google Earth. In the upper left hand corner, under “search” click on the “fly to” tab and enter
 
Latitude: 38°33'5.36"N
Longitude: 106°17'28.94"W
 
Enter it as simply:        38°33'5.36"N  106°17'28.94"W (You can simply cut and paste.)
 
This will take you to Garfield at the opening on Hwy 50 for Taylor Gulch.  Pretty close to the above coordinates from the topographical map.  Now, zoom in until the road numbers show up. (be sure to click “roads” on “layers” on the left side in Google Earth.)
 
You should now see that the road is numbered Co Rd 228 and you can travel north on that road and you will see that each of those old mines are now being re-mined.  Not a good BOL.
 
But while we’re here, let’s find Hermit Springs.
 
Enter:    38°33'20.40"N   106°16'25.21"W
 
Today, the springs is in a nice tree covered area and there’s an old mining road going up the ravine to and past the springs.
 
Being 60 years old I’m certainly not going to bug-out to this altitude.  But there are thousands of mines in the Colorado mountains and many are at much lower altitudes.  I simply wanted to show you how you can find mines and springs without spending money on a GPS. 
 
The last thing you should consider in preparing your bug out location are road closure gates.  We have many on Colorado highways that simply say “test location.”  My personal opinion is that they are there specifically for a TEOTWAWKI event.  Know where they are between your home and your BOL  If they are in your “path” – find an alternate route.  When I tried this out, I found out that I literally cannot get out of Denver without bypassing numerous gates!  I simply need to be out of town before the TEOTWAWKI event, or plan to break through the gates.  And I thought about that, but what if there are guards at each gate?  Great way to keep everyone in town.  But with my BOB packed and ready to go, I’m willing to take a risk and G.O.O.D. before the gates go down!

PS.  I tested this last week – took a drive and went to the actual place that I had picked out.  Drove right to it.  I found a nice seeping spring with water.  My surprise was a cistern just down the road that was not on the map.  The location has an abandoned mine that BLM has not closed off at this point.  It is also about one mile from a good running creek.  Great location!  I hope you can find one with this method, too!

JWR,

I'd like to add just a couple points to the excellent "Lessons from the Road" article by R.W..

One key item that I feel is important is to involve everyone in the planning of your escape route. If you are the primary driver, and end up incapacitated, it is essential one of your other fellow travelers be able to take up the mantle and get the BOV to the BOL. In families, route planning can be a great way to get everyone involved and on-board with the preparations process. It also allows everyone to contribute and point out things a single planner may miss.

Next, I firmly believe for long-distance bugouts, a family or prepper should have a primary route and four secondaries, each ranging out from the primary while taking natural and man-made barriers into account, so as to give enough pre-planned options that the performance of the bug-out does not suffer during the stress of driving the actual event. This is one reason why a good deal of over-the-road trucking and aviation involve a lot of time spent prepping the vehicle and planning the route, so that surprises are minimized and all available resources (such as fuel sources, secure overnight/rest locations, etc) are utilized efficiently.

This is one of the first steps I took at the beginning the preparedness journey, and it was instructive. I was surprised at the difficulty of creating a route that took me away from large and medium-sized cities while not increasing the distance traveled by half. It was easy to create a short and fast route through the cities, or a slow and long one through the country, but finding an intermediate one was more difficult.

Finally, I would second  RW's opinion that slower is safer and more efficient. My relatively new pickup with a few hundred pounds of cargo in the back will get 24mpg on state highways at 60mph, whereas on the interstate at 70mph that fuel economy decreases to 20 m.p.g. or less. That's a big hit in economy for a small gain in speed. Towing a trailer at 65 earns a paltry 14 m.p.g. By taking advantage of an early bug-out and not having to race to your retreat, you can reduce the number of fuel stops and also reduce the total fuel required to reach your destination.

I'll end with a Bible verse: "Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath." - Matthew 24:20

Regards, - G.R. in Texas

I believe that the ultimate survival strategy for the ultimate collapse of civilization goes far beyond simply fortifying and stocking a retreat and locking yourself into a potential box canyon, I believe that the last resort for survivors is to develop the skills and knowledge to exist for years, or even for the rest of your life, in the most extreme and remote areas as a hunter-gatherer with nothing in terms of equipment except what you can carry on your back.

So, here I will present part one of my must-haves for total self-sufficiency: self-contained electronic tools that can be run indefinitely on inexpensive photovoltaic panel roll-ups and [hard] panels that can be folded into pocket-sized packets.

All of my power and interface connector cords are broken down into two pieces, with red and black Anderson Power Pole connectors.  That way, I can mate any [matching voltage] device-specific plug to any energy charging plug.  So, for instance, I don't need separate miniUSB to USB, miniUSB to cigarette lighter,  miniUSB to AC-to-DC power cube, and miniUSB to gel cell battery cords.  All I really need is a  particular jack on one end of a cord, and Power Poles on the other. I have a variety of cords for specific devices and for specific power sources, like USB, cigarette lighter, gel-cells, and so on, each ending in the Power Poles.  I simply mate any device-specific power cord to any power supplier cord.  Keep two of each and you have the optimal capability with minimum weight and size.

[JWR Adds: I'm also a committed user and evangelist for Anderson Power Poleconnectors. Keep in mind that the specification for USB is 4.4 to 5.25 Volts, DC. The unit load was specified at 100 mA in USB 2.0, but increased to 150 mA in USB 3.0. To avoid any confusion, I recommend using different color Power Pole connectors for different voltage ranges. For example, you can use an odd color combination for the 15 Amp connectors for the 4.4–5.25 VDC USB voltages and red and black 30 Amp connectors for 11 to 16 VDC (car battery) voltage. Oh, and remember, in-line fuses are inexpensive insurance for your valuable electronic gear.]

Any items in my kit that run off of internal, external, or rechargeable AA or AAA NiMH batteriescan be charged with light, small, relatively inexpensive roll-up or foldable PV panels.  At the very least, the USB Charging 4 Watt Solar Pane should be included (available for about $100 from Ready Made Resources.)  Since it has a USB port, it can be used directly with any device that can charge through USB, and my Power Pole arrangement allows me to mate any of my [4.4–5.25 VDC USB voltage range] devices to the solar panel's USB port. It weighs just over 6 ounces and folds up small enough to put in a pocket.  It puts out a voltage just slightly less than a powered USB port and can charge anything from cell phones to [a pair of] NiMH AA or AAA batteries.  It is also rainproof.  In peak sun, it produces not only enough power to charge batteries, but, simultaneously generate enough power to act as an active power supply directly connected to most devices. This model has been in use for a decade and has proven its reliability.  I carry two of them and, whenever possible, a larger and more powerful roll-up. (I own several variations.)

So, given my simple, but lightweight and efficient power sources, what battery-operated devices do I include as must-haves?

First and foremost, a Kindle ebook reader with wi-fi for my unit, depending on whether you care or not about the screen savers and a homepage banner showing ads, or prefer the artwork screen savers.  Note that the less expensive ad-based Kindle is the same as the other, and that none of the ads show when you are actually reading a book.  My Kindle weighs only 8.5 ounces, can store up to 3,500 books. With the wi-fi turned off, it will run for a month on a charge if you read an hour each day (Two months if you only use it a half-hour a day).  It has a 6" (diagonal) screen and displays pages that are virtually identical to printed material (they refer to this as E Ink). It is only a third of an inch thick and height and width are 4.8" x 7.5". I can easily carry it in a back pocket of my jeans and still have room for my passport and a notebook.    It can let you carry around a massive library of books covering every facet of survival as well as a lifetime worth of books for enjoyment while adding negligible weight and taking up practically no space.

Second, I include my Samsung Charge 4G Android phone (I'm due for an upgrade to one of the anticipated second-gen 4Gs in the fall).  I leave the battery out when not actively using it to be absolutely, positively, belt-and-suspenders sure that I can't be tracked through it.  It can provide a wide number of functions besides phoning (which will be impossible anyway if the power to cell towers go off).   However, it has full GPS capabilities, including maps equivalent to my car-mounted Garmins. BTW, I recommend using GPS in very small doses, whenever necessary, and only while you are on the move.  The GPS satellites will probably be functioning long after the grid goes down, because they are self-powered and probably will not be destroyed by an EMP attack. 

The second major function I use the phone for is that it will accept microSD cards.  I have a number of 32 MB microSD cards that I use to store additional books, as well as music, audio books, and other audio and video entertainment.  The third advantage is that it is capable of acting as a wi-fi hot spot, so I can use it to transfer books from my microSD cards to the Kindle via wi-fi.  This is a 'force multiplier' in that it gives me the ability to carry a very large library of reference and resource books.  The entire package is lighter and smaller than a single paperback book.  If you don' have a GPS-enabled cell phone, then at least get the Garmin eTrex handheld for less than $75. It doesn't let you be traced, since there is no identifying information included in the transmission.  This is a powerful waterproof unit with WAAS (which gives you accuracy to less than 10 feet), but it doesn't have maps - just compass and GPS readings, though it is easily programmed for destinations and waypoints, and leads you to them via the compass and distance-to-travel indicator.  If you want a map, the Garmin Legend H has all-terrain four-color grayscale maps in storage for only $50 more.  Color maps are available in higher-priced models, but IMHO are not worth the extra bucks except when driving on the highway.  Both models are just over 5 ounces with two of my NiMH AA batteries, and are waterproof. I carry a Legend H as a backup to my cell phone GPS.

Next comes my communications gear.   I carry a portable Yaesu FT-817 QRP (low power) transceiver that can handle USB, LSB, AM, CW, VHF, UHF, PSK31 and a number of other operating modes.  It covers every ham band from 160m to 10m in the HF region excepting the newer 30 and 60 meter bands, which are really not necessary (a newer model includes at least the 60m band, and possibly the 30m band if you absolutely, positively  have to have them), as well as covering 6m, 2m, and 70 cm on VHF and UHF FM bands.  It runs on an internal NiMH battery which I upgraded to an after-market NiMH battery with a higher mAh rating and can also be powered by external AA batteries and an available Ni-Cd pack as well as from one of my solar packs.  I also installed a 500 Hz bandwidth Collins filter for CW operation.  It also has an internal keyer that can handle CW speeds from 4 WPM to 60 WPM. (I usually copy about 30 WPM - 35 WPM if I'm working CW regularly).  I carry around two keys. One old navy-style Bencher hand key, and a Kent single-lever paddle key (having first learned Morse in the mid 1960's using hand keys and 'bugs,'  I have never felt comfortable with dual paddle iambic keys, but YMMV).  In extremis, the up and down buttons on the mike can be used to transmit Morse code. The FT-817 has a maximum output of 5 watts, but can also dial that back dramatically.  The ham rule has always been to use enough power to make the QSO - but no more.   Given the right antenna, I've had CW QSOs with hams all over the world - including in Antarctica, as well as several shuttle crews and the International space station using only 500mW output.   You don't need 1,500 W PEP to work the world. Though the lower the power, the more you have to rely on skill, experience, knowledge of propagation characteristics of each band at any given time of day or stage in the sun spot cycle, and antenna-craft.

Today, you can get any grade of ham license with either no Morse requirement or the old novice requirement of 5 WPM (which anybody with an IQ above room temperature should be able to master inside of three weeks if they use the Farnsworth learning technique).  Still, given that Morse is the most efficient means of post-SHTF communications, allowing communication at greater distances, with lower power, and much narrower bandwidth usage that any other mode that will still be operating, it would be of advantage to at least develop 13 to 15 WPM abilities. PSK31 and other digital modes are even better in all respects and are primarily why the ARRL has stopped requiring a trained emergency backup collection of hams with CW skills up to 20 WPM, however, digital modes require a computer and an interface box, and are only usable if you and the people you are trying to contact have similar gear.  Even the smallest laptop is too heavy to cart around in a backpack solely to run a PSK31 program.  Morse will be the best bang for the buck and has the advantage of requiring that anybody monitoring your radio transmissions must be at least as skilled and as fast as you - unlike voice communications that anybody can understand.  For use with other survivalists you are associated with, you might want to decide on an encryption scheme and then encrypt your messages before sending them.  Try to reach the Amateur Extra grade as soon as you can, since only the top grade of license gives you legal rights to operate on any legal ham frequency.  Lower grades have significant restrictions.

Another critical feature of the FT-817 is that it has an expanded frequency receiver that covers both of the major VHF and UHF public safety bands used by police, fire departments, EMTs, etc. as well as AM coverage of the entire civilian and military air bands, and even the commercial FM radio band.

I also have two HTs (handy-talkies or handheld radios) for myself and two matching ones for my wife.  One can fit into a shirt pocket and covers 6m, 2m, and 70cm - along with a wide-frequency receiver capability.  The other is a bit larger and only covers 2m and 70cm, but it does have APRS capabilities.  Both can run on a variety of power sources.  I have a mobile 50w dual-band unit in each car covering the same two bands with dual-frequency mag-mount antennas as close to the ground plane center as I can get them.   All of my handheld and mobile radios are capable of functioning as cross-band repeaters, and, in fact, one of my mobiles was parked at the Red Cross tent at Ground Zero, cross-banding both the police and fire bands so they could communicate despite their very different frequency ranges, for the first month after the attack.   Also, all of my emergency ham transceivers are 'freebanded' to provide two-way coverage of the VHF and UHF public safety bands.  Note that, in order to do this legally, you must have a very good justification.  I have worked as a volunteer communications first responder for 30 years with ARES, RACES, the state Office of Emergency Services (OEM) [in my state] run by the State Police and the American Red Cross, so I can freeband legally as long as I only transmit on public service frequencies in a dire emergency.

I carry two kinds of antennas for the FT-817.  The first is a batch of extremely light-weight homemade dipoles.  I carry two for each band I expect to be using, with one tuned for resonance in the CW portion of a band, and the other tuned for the SSB portion (except for VHF and UHF, which are FM voice - where my dipoles and small vertically polarized 'sticks' are tuned to the middle of the band.) I also have what IMHO is an ingenious modular kit for creating a long-wire antenna on any frequency the 817 supports.  It consists of a number of different length antenna wires, each terminated with a different color of Power Pole connector. I believe they come in 11 or 12 colors, so they can be color-coded.  The shortest one is resonant at 70 cm and all of them plugged together make an antenna resonant on 160m.  Various single wires and combinations of wires cover all of the other bands.  I use the colors to match the configurations to a laminated pocket chart that I created years ago.  It is easy to put them up in the trees if you use a string tied to a rock you can throw, and even easier if you have a slingshot.

When I want a radio scanner with wide reception coverage, I use a Yupiteru MVT-9000.  The Yupi is sometimes referred to as a "DC-to-Daylight" receiver since it receives on a continuous range from 0.1 MHz to 2,000 MHz with no gaps.  This means that, while the radio is legal to buy in every other country of the world, it is illegal in the United States because it does not block the cell phone frequencies. I bought mine when working on a consulting job in Europe and 'forgot' to leave it behind when I returned. Oops! The customs officer was clueless about its capabilities and passed it right through. (BTW, it is a good idea to select an FM radio frequency on each receiver or transceiver before going through US customs or TSA checks.  They will often ask you to turn on the device, and there is nothing more harmless and non-threatening than discovering that it is just a fancy FM radio. 

The Yupi has an external BNC connector and there are literally a thousand different antennas you can use with it, including single and multi-band.  It has everything one can want in a hand-held scanner, except for several recent capabilities: it has no PL/CTCSS and it has no trunk-tracking.  It does support decoding voice inversion, but doesn't have support for Motorola APCO digital trunked systems or any of the analog trunking systems (Motorola type 1, type 2 and type 1/2 hybrid as well as EDACS and LTR).  If continuous unblocked coverage is not important to you, but trunking, CTCSS, and/or digital capabilities are, then I suggest something like the Uniden Bearcat BCD396XT, which covers all analog trunking systems, both 3600 and 9600 baud digital trunk tracking, CTCSS and DCS decode. I use both in different contexts.  Note that the 800 MHz systems were 'rebanded' in 2008, so it is far better to buy this or similar radios produced after the rebanding, so you don't have to modify and reprogram the unit. If there is radio transmission going on anywhere after TSHTF, I truly believe that it is of inestimable value to be able to monitor it.

Proviso: Anybody putting a radio or scanner capable of receiving the VHF and/or UHF public service frequencies in a vehicle should check with the laws in their state (as well as any other state they will be driving through).  Some states have varied restrictions, and at least one (Minnesota) bans them outright.  This is another reason to get a ham license, as hams are licensed by the FCC and are exempt from [some] state regulations.  Keep a copy of your operator's license in your wallet and be prepared for a trip to the police station when you encounter local yokels who are clueless about the Federal communications laws. You might want to keep a copy of the pertinent FCC regulations in your glove compartment as well.

In March I was traveling on business when the earthquake/tsunami struck Japan.  My brother was in Japan at the time on business travel.  My brother finally made it home five days after the earthquake struck.  Meanwhile I was in Israel when the rockets from Gaza started up again, and a bombing occurred at the Jerusalem bus stop.  We both travel considerably throughout the world, and have often discussed preparations during travel for emergencies.  My brother is less concerned about preparations at home, but our experiences have convinced him over time on the need for backup options when away from home.  We have learned several lessons over the years that might be worth considering if work or pleasure takes you far from home base.

I like to travel light, so the amount of gear I carry is carefully evaluate and screened.  The other factor is that I often travel to foreign countries which scrutinize or control what articles I can or choose to carry.  Many times I’m in environments where theft is a major concern, so I’ve also learned to minimize the temptation, and have chosen gear that is inexpensive but reliable.  Over the years I’ve found several items and ideas that have worked well for me in surviving tsunami threats, earthquakes, and civil unrest. 

I keep several small sources of light – all of them LED-based, with spare batteries.  I prefer pen-lights with single LEDs which run on the very small coin batteries, and a larger, aluminum “fist-pack” lamp that runs on a few AAA batteries.  Smaller batteries provide long lifetime while minimizing weight.  I also buy (and confirm) that the lights I carry are waterproof.  Power outages are common around the world, even when no natural disaster has occurred.  Stumbling about in the dark in a strange room or building will slow you down and invite injury.

Security is the main concern in my travel, so self-defense options are given attention in my travel preparations.  Most countries do not allow non-residents (or even their residents, for that matter) to carry firearms, and I don’t trust prying eyes in my bags to keep my weapons secure, so traveling with a firearm is not an option.  Instead, I keep two simple knifes with me – one utilitarian for everyday carry and use, the other more defensive in purpose.  Both are small, discrete, and functional.  A small knife sharpener is also valuable and easy to include.  The utility knife is used daily and fortunately the defensive weapon has never been deployed.

I used to carry a small, two ounce canister of pepper spray for security as well but have not bothered with it in the last few years.  Some countries have restrictions on sprays such as this so spend time investigating local laws before you enter.  Instead, I often will move furniture around and position a chair at the door to help in an unwanted room entry. 

A small bottle of water purification tablets is also standard carry for me, while my brother carries a small filter “straw” device for purifying water.  These are very important and priceless when natural disaster strike, even in a well developed country like Japan where citizens are often less prepared for the unexpected.  I believe a traveler is most vulnerable to water availability and should keep this item in the forefront of their consciousness, even in modern countries.  Bottled water was the first item to disappear from stores in Japan within minutes of the March earthquake.

The only other “must have” emergency gear I carry includes: plenty of reading materials, my camera, ear plugs, packages of Tic-Tacs or gum, extra toilet paper, and a small compass.  A couple of cheap, disposable, paperback books that are interesting and easy to read are invaluable after the initial emergency when circumstances keep you in a “hurry and wait” holding pattern.  I also keep a small copy of the New Testament (and Old Testament when in Israel).  I keep at least one Louis L ‘Amour novel because they are small and easy to read, and because when I’m done they have wide appeal to someone else waiting with me, even in other countries.  The tic-tacs and gum keep my mouth occupied and refreshed after stale, purified water and also are a valuable pacifier for children in a traumatized crowd.  The tic-tacs are small and numerous, so many children can be quieted for little expense or hassle.  A small gift in my opinion always works better than scolding looks from others to quiet a youngster, and always brings a very heartfelt smile from a distraught mother or grandparent.  Orange tic-tacs are the best option as they resemble candy more than medication. 

The compass is another no-brainer for me when trying to sort out location or travel.  It is very helpful in keeping a bearing when in a strange city, and doesn’t require batteries.  GPS receivers are useful, but too needy for me in an emergency.  My brother travels with his, but in Japan he couldn’t work it reliably for him to navigate with and so it became dead weight.  He also discovered that in some countries, the GPS automatically reverted to local language options, and since he can’t read Japanese or Czech, it took some time to fiddle with to revert back to English.  If you do carry GPS, get to know it well – especially it’s most basic and most exotic features. 

I love maps, and have the curious habit of gathering them up as I travel – to help me move about and to help me remember the trip.  Most hotels have basic, complementary maps available.  If your hotel doesn’t, one of the other hotels in the area will, and they are often eager to give them out to future customers.  I’ve never found good maps in English at local bookstores in the area I’m staying.  If you want a detailed map of the area, I suggest buying one in the United States before you travel.  At the end of a trip, I’ll file my best maps away for future travel, and also make notes about favorite things or places I went, as well as a list of places to visit if/when I return to that area.

I always carry a camera with extra memory and battery for obvious travel use, and to help me improve my memory in the field.  A snapshot of a street sign, posted map, or storefront is a big help getting directions from a 50 year old Chinese man who speaks little English.  The extra memory also is important for saving business data.  Most of my international travel is for business, and in an emergency I am not willing to carry my laptop around unless it is easy to do so.  I keep important data backed up on a small flash-drive, and in a real pinch, can quickly remove the hard drive from the system if I do have to get out lightly so I don’t loose the important information.  Remember to keep the camera discretely tucked away when not in use to avoid drawing the label as tourist.  I’ve never had problems with taxi drivers when I first snap a picture of their cab’s license plate before getting in.

Finally, I keep several quart and gallon size Ziploc bags with me at all times.  The bags protect my camera and batteries, and also work well to protect my wallet, maps, and other fragile items in normal, daily outings.  Their value in an emergency should also be obvious for carrying/treating water, food, and other necessities.

I travel with a shoulder-bag that doubles as my BOB on daily excursions.  Unless I’m to be in-country for an extended period of time, I do not carry a cell phone.  In an emergency they usually don’t work reliably, and if I do need to make a call, I have easily found help from someone nearby who has always lent me their phone.  This probably doesn’t make sense to everyone, but it is my personal preference.  It has also forced me to become better adept at using local phone services, phone cards, and communications options.  I believe a little extra effort and experience are much more valuable than convenience.  Maybe I just had too much trouble figuring out the foreign cell phone operations.

Besides these emergency items, I also make it a point to carry plenty of prescription medication and pain relief medicines – at least twice as much as my trip would call for.  For years I carried a small tube of oral numbing gel, and when I finally needed it I was happy to have it.  Ear plugs are another valuable item I keep, to help sleep and just keep out noise in general (the tic-tacs don’t last forever!).  Finding a pharmacy is very difficult when afflicted in a foreign land.

I also carry plenty of cash, and keep half in US Dollars and half in local currency.  As bad as the US Dollar is getting lately in world economics, it is still the currency of choice in 99% of the world’s local markets and has more power in negotiations than most local currencies.    One last suggestion is to keep a small phrase book of the local language handy.  It is good practice to pickup conversational skills with the locals and is very rewarding.  The phrase book will make it easy and quickly expand your ability to enjoy where you are at.  Find one you can use and operate well.  Most books I’ve seen are not well designed for constant, daily use.

Other honorable mentions for gear are 10’ of paracord, a few feet of rescue tape, and a small inflatable pillow (the type that fits around your neck).  None of the showers I used at any of the 8 hotels I stayed at on my last trip to Israel worked properly.  All of the rooms had the “wand” showerheads in them which all seemed to work, so for the entire trip I used the paracord to tie the wand up to the main showerhead.  The rescue tape worked even better to hold the wand in place.  A nice shower is critical to enjoy extended travel.

While gear is important, plans, behavior, awareness, and trust in the Lord are vital. 

Once I’ve arrived in country I take several steps to prepare before beginning my work.  I secure several liters of bottled water in my room.  Most hotels are willing to provide free water, and at the end of my stay I return the extra bottles not consumed.  Many local markets will also sell bottled water, but be aware sometimes they are not bottled sanitarily or reliability.  Getting extra water on hand – at least twice what I’d normally use in a day is a big, first priority.  Another suggestion is to get a bottle or two of soda.  I prefer Sprite, which gives a little more than just hydration, and works well to sooth an upset stomach.   Also, I ask for an extra blanket from the hotel to keep in my room, wither I need it or not.  I also gather some extra calories to keep on-hand.  I have a big family, and when I travel it is now customary for Dad to bring home candy from the country I visit.  It is a simple treat for the kids.  At my first option during my trip, I go out and buy this load of candy and keep it on-hand.  I expect I could easily get buy on the candy for several days in a real pinch.

This candy/calorie loading was an important step for my brother in Japan.  On his arrival, he took this water and food step immediately and had a good cache on-hand when the earthquake hit the next day.  After the hotel stopped swaying and he finished his prayers, he headed down to the street to look around and get more food.  The convenience stores all around Tokyo were swamped, and shelves empty within an hour.  Fortunately the Japanese are known for their patience and calm personalities, so there was little panic other than the frantic search for food.  That night, his hotel was full of stranded business people sleeping on the floor in the lobby, restaurants, and hallways.  His meager room felt like a palace.

My first trip in Israel, arriving at the airport on a Saturday I’d underestimated my ability to get a meal in the less populated area I planned to stay that first night.  I had arrived at the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath which is observed throughout the country and by many of the hotels, too.   The candy bars I had on-hand was good enough for the day and the lesson learned has lasted much longer.  The trains had also stopped running, so my backup travel option was needed.

As I mentioned before, personal security during travel deserves highest consideration.  In general, keep aware of your surroundings, keep a low profile (even as a tourist), ensure your own security in your room and hotel, and mind your back.  One idea is to keep a couple of the small, adhesive alarms on your windows and door.  They are easy and disposable if you want to do more than keep chairs in the hall between you and the door.  Hotel security and location should be considered thoroughly.

Whenever staying at a hotel or when I find a good restaurant, I always collect a business card from the front desk.  I keep these cards on-hand as I travel because they are very valuable to communicate with a taxi driver.  The cards typically have the business’s name, location, and information in the local language, and so in a new taxi I simply pull out the appropriate card to indicate where I’d like to go.

My most important resource in traveling (besides contact with the Almighty) is to have several “quality” contacts locally.  Usually my travel is sponsored – with locals expecting and needing me to be there.  Upon arrival, I work hard to create and maintain a good relationship with various people, not just those I work with.  This takes some tact and discretion, because often some locals are looking for an easy mark.  I try to take co-workers and others I’m fostering contact with out to dinner – they often know the best local places to eat any way which works great for me, and the extra expense is a pittance.  When we are comfortable working together I ask about using them as an emergency contact, and keeping daily or regular contact with them during my stay.  Usually they are very flattered and agreeable with this.  I cannot stress enough how valuable even a single local person can be to keep on top of local factors, and as an immediate source of help in an emergency.  People are people everywhere, and quality people throughout the world are eager and willing to help others in a crisis.  Find some common interests, beliefs, or experiences.  Many of my foreign contacts have also traveled previously to these United States, so my efforts screening and fostering mutual trust can begin here on native soil.

Working with Chinese and other Asian cultures, guan zhou (sp?), “giving face” is very important in relationships.  This consists of giving honor, notability, and recognition even in small ways to a friend or host.  Working through friends is very important.  Look for ways to let your local contact help you, and then thank them in front of their peers and supervisors, but also let them see you mention their help in front of your peers and supervisors.  In a small village of 8 million people an hour’s distance from Shanghai, I planned to buy pearls locally for my wife and daughters on a trip.  I asked my local contact to find a source for me, which of course he had already.  Not only did I get high quality merchandise brought at my convenience, but with my poor Chinese language skills coupled with my contact being involved in the transactions (he was on my mobile phone, while I negotiated with his friend who spoke no English) I received very good “friend” prices on the goods.  The best part was that both the seller and my local contact were very pleased with their side of the transactions.  I took my co-worker out to dinner with his family and supervisor at a fantastic restaurant they knew of, and the extra cost to me came to $7 USD.  I also made sure to recommend both men to other co-workers interested in similar deals.  Win-win and they were very happy.  This is just a simple example but went a long way to my safety and the quality of my stay that trip.

Middle Eastern cultures are more subtle to understand, but everyone loves food and asking locals to take me to their favorite falafel or local cuisine has worked well to help me build working relations of trust.  Most folks I’ve worked with have friends or family that drive taxi, so as I need a car I work with those I know.  This can be very tricky, though, so make sure you have enough confidence in your local friend before ever opening that door.  Many family members drive taxi, but many are also unreliable, undirectionable, and more expensive than they are worth.  My recommendation is to stick with food as a means of establishing a relationship that you can rely on when an emergency strikes.

I do not drink alcohol but travel with colleagues which do, and I have always been grateful for the trouble and risks I’ve avoided by abstaining.  Alcohol is a high-risk factor in life, and even more so during travel.

One other thought is to pick up a sack of small candy bars at Wal-Mart before your travel, and when you find local co-workers have children (or if invited to meet their families), you have a small, simple present for the kids.  This really endures parents to you.  Make sure only to have just the right amount with you, though, because the children will not let you leave with leftovers! 

One trip in Mexico we took small bottles of bubbles and candy bars for the kids, and made the mistake of opening them up in a semi-public area.  The six children and their parents (family of the local friend we were staying with) rushed us, to get handfuls of each.  Some neighborhood women must have sensed the presents, and soon we were literally surrounded – we counted at least 25 people!  Of course soon the goods were all gone, and some kids didn’t get any.  Mothers and fathers got testy, and wanted something – the situation started to turn ugly.  Our host was very distraught by his neighbor’s behavior, but couldn’t do much.  The adults wanted paper, pens, even our dirty laundry in a bag – something for their child!  Fortunately we didn’t have our belongings or equipment with us (keeping a low profile) and finally the group left, disgusted.  Instead of being a gesture of friendship the situation backfired and while our friendship remains, I don’t rely on that contact for an emergency need.

Two notes of caution here – I never establish these contacts with females (being a man, myself), and I rarely will rely on local help for medical issues.  The female part goes without saying – I’m happily married and any questionable contacts add to personal risk.  Medical advice, even from ‘professionals’ in many countries can be very risky, too.  So many local remedies or “Aunt Bibi’s herbal poultice” can add up to real hurt in a hurry.  For example, I had an upset stomach in the Philippines - nothing extremely serious, though very uncomfortable.  My sprite at dinner had come with a lot of ice that I didn’t take notice of (it was the first night in country).  Ice is made with local water, and local water is a no-no.  Working with my local co-worker, he put me in touch with their family’s “doctor”.  This doctor informed me that my troubles were not caused by the ice/water (which she said was very safe), but was caused by my eating both oily food with sweet food.  She was horrified that I had eaten both oily food (fried chicken) with sugary sprite, and had used salt in the same meal! That made me smile.  After all, I’m an American – most of our meals are based on these key ingredients.  Thanking the doctor for her sage wisdom, I found a pharmacy with Imodium AD and any international crisis was averted.

Much more could be said about emergency needs and tips during travel; these are a few ideas that have worked (and are currently working in the field) with me.  In closing I will disclose the greatest piece of gear I carry and that is of faith.  No hardware (gear) or software (knowledge) are as valuable as the Lord.  Trusting in His arm is the surest chance of safety and peace in this life and the next.

When not traveling overseas it is easy to keep my travel bag in my daily commuter vehicle to have on-hand while in-country.  It makes for good practice in using and relying on these items, and keeps my perishable stocks up-to-date.  Hopefully these ideas and experiences have given you food for thought.  My travels have been very rewarding, enriching, and gratefully very positive.

Mr. Rawles,
Thanks for the extraordinary services you provide and for being so generous with your time.

The subject of this letter has to do with a recent article on survivalblog in which the author explained the benefits of searching for homesteads using free, online resources such as Google Earth.

I recently bought and moved to a rural property. This was the culmination of over two years' hunting for good homesteads at a fair price. So when I came across this place, I knew it was a bargain.

In my searches, I found other rich sources of information: especially interactive maps provided by county governments, with detailed info on specific properties. Such as the name of the owner(s) of record.

Real estate sites such as Zillow.com provided lots of information about specific properties, especially the locations and photos of homes and lots for sale. In my searches, I viewed many pics of people's living rooms, bedrooms, rec rooms, offices, bathrooms, driveways, basements, back yards, decks, garages, and so on. Descriptions written by sellers and their agents provided additional info such as "seller is motivated" and "house cannot be seen from the road."

So I agree with the author that free, online resources are a great resource for us preppers.

But there is a dark side of this technology. The resources I used to find my homestead are available to anyone else, right now. Think about that. I don't even want to state the implications of that, outright.

How can one "disappear" a property from the ever-growing online database of aerial photos and data? - Dubya in Tennessee