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View Full Version : Dairyn of a "Bug Out"-Day 2/3/4/5


hunter63
04-01-2008, 01:13 PM
Day2
Woke up to 8" snow, windy from northeast, drifting.
Snow on porch, didn't have the snow shovel ready (down in shed), used old antique coal shovel, wall decoration, to shovel.

Used tractor to plow driveway and parking area, need practice on plowing.
Does well in 4-wheel drive in 6 in snow, no chains, up hill.

Burning dead elms rounds (approx 8") each burns about 2 hrs in stove, been keeping cabin comfy.
Brought up more wood from remote pile locations.

Took walk, (patrolled AO), noted several types of tracks.
Could have shot deer and rabbits if necessary.(out of season)
Still snowing.

DW baked bread in propane oven, supplies from preps.
Note; Need grain mill
Checked with neighbors, local news, paid guy for plowing during winter, checked plans for spring crops.

Day 3
Still snowing lightly, plowed again, better this time. (still need more practice)
Shut down Gen set, back on grid, fired up water heater, base board heaters.

Changed oil in Gen set, refueled, used approx 6 gal 2-1/2 days.

Day 4 Easter Sunday
DW prepared canned ham / sweet potatoes dinner.

So far no trips to town, but after 3 days, fresh milk, bread, eggs, greens, candles, and of all things T.P. short supply.
Did find some rose hips for tea, for vitamin "C"

So lessons learned are:

3 days is a easily prepared for time, starts getting short on some supplies as noted.
Will adjust preps, adding more powdered eggs/milk, flour(grain), yeast, baking powder, salt, sugar, dried veggies etc.
Add more sweets, (had craving for sweets?)

Wood pile holding up well, but if stove in continuous use, would need to triple (maybe more) cut wood supply, for all winter use.

More candles for candle lanterns, oil and propane lantern still plenty fuel.

As noted more fuel and oil for gen-set if running longer than three days.

Need grain mill, used almost all flour for bread and pie crusts, but no bugs.
Had bugs in stored dog food, still sealed in bag from last fall?

Look in to sprouting, dried veggies.

DW and I do get along pretty well with out outside influences, but need more books to read.

Beer is good, but whiskey is easier to carry.

Contact with neighbors was welcomed as news/entertainment is in short supply.

Day 5
To town resupply laundry and lunch.

Returned home after 11 days with the one resupply.

idealist
04-01-2008, 01:36 PM
Aside from books you might want to consider adding one of the hand-crank shortwave radios to your bug-out supply, if you don't already have one. They work great for all purposes including getting the skinny on weather.

hunter63
04-01-2008, 05:02 PM
I do have several, battery, hand crank, 12 volt.
Used my "job site" 18 volt radio, so brief news, but mostly oldie country music.
Found I really missed reading the paper every morning.
Propane lanterns make to best reading light.

theresehirko
04-02-2008, 08:02 AM
After Katrina, we literally couldn't get out of our driveway and no one could drive out to the highway because of all of the trees that were down. We all had gas chainsaws and got a start, but then the gas ran out and there was no gasoline to be had for two weeks. Bob and I survived quite easily at home with canned and freezedried foods, MREs, and the water we had built up in storage. It was total anarchy over here with looting, shootings, etc. We shared with our neighbors, who are elderly and infirmed because they had not prepared at all. We had practiced at home "quarantine" to see what we needed to have and this really helped out with Katrina.

army6972
04-03-2008, 01:59 AM
Really a good post and a lesson learned. The small things you have said tells me of things I need to relook at. thanks