Night bug out debrief

[Plymtom]

Bugging out is hard. It naturally makes sense to prepare for a bug-in, but after this experience I've learned that it is essential to be prepared, to get home, to bug-in. Every day I am miles from home at any given point and all the work I put into having stocks in the house would be useless if say for an example an EMP event wiped out my car.

That is actually the unlikely scenario I dread, but being an occasional victim of the law of sod if it does happen you can bet it would happen when we have gone on a 100 mile each way journey with so much stuff we could not leave behind, imagine that, the only saving grace is that we would not do it between October and April, yes the weather is a factor but the amount of daylight is the clincher, always coming home in the dark makes for a good long day out. Already loaded down I would be looking at some sort of hand cart to load up, plus the gear to do several overnight stops, it's daunting.

[sethorly]

Been thinking about this.

Perhaps if I was in this position (walking home 1 - 3 days) I'd consider walking all night, and perhaps napping during the warmer day (I can operate clumsily but functionally without sleep for 2 nights). Taking a saw and building a bed etc would take away valuable time that might be better spent on travelling - not getting much sleep and not eating much wouldn't be sustainable for long but won't be too arduous considering we live relatively fat easy everyday lives and should be in good condition before the Get-Home walk.

Could use the road signs to navigate. If the roads were compromised (they'd at least be jammed otherwise we could use our cars) I'd possibly need wire cutters to avoid needing to double back on myself to get over a hedge/fence - else I'd accept ripped clothing. I wouldn't need food or proper clothes if we're only talking about 1 - 3 days out. Probably a survival straw would be the most suitable water system as the aim would be to not stop for making fire, but not ideal as I'd probably be walking through agricultural land so even with the filter I'd still get loads of pesticide shite inside me, so I'd be looking for sucking up any off-ground water possible. In winter of course I'd be in trouble, in which case I'd at least "acquire" something like a blanket before the trip back home.

So that's a GHB of warm clothes, boots, survival straw as a minimum. Quick brew kit, poncho, wire cutters, survival blanket and snacks optional. Map if you're unfamiliar with the area. Is my thinking sound?

[pseudonym]

Been thinking about this.

I'd consider walking all night, and perhaps napping during the warmer day.

So that's a GHB of warm clothes, boots, survival straw as a minimum. Quick brew kit, poncho, wire cutters, survival blanket and snacks optional. Map if you're unfamiliar with the area.

Remember moving at night will be slower. Got a torch? Using it will give away your position.

Is my thinking sound?

Very.

[sethorly]

Thanks - yeh I don't think a torch would be necessary, perhaps a tiny LED for map reading. I've walked at night throughout my life and can't remember needing a torch even under a deciduous canopy with not much moon. I'm sure dense coniferous would be different. Probably more useful than a torch would be a good pair of binoculars, but they would be heavy. Binos are great for seeing at night as they collect an awful lot more light than eyeballs.

[Deeps]

Thanks - yeh I don't think a torch would be necessary, perhaps a tiny LED for map reading. I've walked at night throughout my life and can't remember needing a torch even under a deciduous canopy with not much moon. I'm sure dense coniferous would be different. Probably more useful than a torch would be a good pair of binoculars, but they would be heavy. Binos are great for seeing at night as they collect an awful lot more light than eyeballs.

A cheap rifle scope might give you the same but less bulky and weighty mate. Your earlier post has prompted me to have a look at what passes as my GHB. I'm loath to call it that because only 'weirdos' have a GHB. Pass the tin foil I guess. I'll break it down later on and post what assorted crap I have. Football on at the moment.

[Deeps]

Having a delve into my bag (a fairly old camelbak, about 20L) I've got a bivi bag with a winscreen reflector thing to keep the heat in (untested), a soft shell jacket (I've not bothered with the breeks) and a couple cans of food (ravioli and an all day breakfast), 5 sticks of pepperami and 3x.5L bottles of water. A spare lightweight fleece, woolly hat and fleece gloves. A cree torch, 2 spare AA and 2 spare AAA batteries, a cheap pair of reading glasses and an asthma inhaler for my exercised induced asthma (basically very mild), A 20,000MaH (allegedly) power bank, camping tooth brush and small tube of paste,a microfibre towel, roll of insulating tape, spare boot laces and a spare lighter, festival poncho and bandana, small charger for the mobile phone (does kindles etc too), emergency blanket, sawyer straw, large rubbish bag, collapsible cup and 2 sporks, 20 puritabs (1L size), a reasonably beefy small FAK (including another emergency blanket, small torch, small lighter, spare batteries for the torch and a field dressing among all the usual stuff. An overflow tub of pills with some small super glues (hopefully not for people but in the hard plastic case for protection) and um, a small pot of vaseline. Well you never know.

I usually have other things in my pockets like a lighter and SAK and of course another torch (spare 14500 battery and all the other crud) but this was what was in the bag. I've stayed clear of carrying anything contentious and there's room in it to add if required, its not wedged to the gunnels and most the stuff is in dry bags within the main compartment. Not perfect and if I thought it was any doubt it could be beefed up.

Edit, a quick skeg round the internet and the bag is 24L

[sethorly]

Probably a good idea to have a compass too, for cloudy night times when the north star can't be seen and we're cutting cross-country. Vaseline is good - in case you need to set fire to anything or the big burly Russian paratroopers catch you...

[diamond lil]

Think of the tramps that used to be all over the place 50 years ago. They didnt sleep rough if there was a barn or ruined farm building nearby. They would camp in ruined cottages and build a fire, and hide behind the stone walls for shelter. We had many of them years ago, I don't see many now. But they lived permanently outdoors and they didnt have camping gear and tents..

[BlinkingCory]

Think of the tramps that used to be all over the place 50 years ago. They didnt sleep rough if there was a barn or ruined farm building nearby. They would camp in ruined cottages and build a fire, and hide behind the stone walls for shelter. We had many of them years ago, I don't see many now. But they lived permanently outdoors and they didnt have camping gear and tents..

When I was a kid we had a local tramp called Gerald.
He used to sleep sometimes in our coalhouse. He'd never take a drink or food if offered but they'd disappear if left nearby.
I discovered when I was a teen that he was a ww2 veteran.
In hindsight, many tramps from that age were probably ww2 vets, suffering ptsd.

[Deeps]

Probably a good idea to have a compass too, for cloudy night times when the north star can't be seen and we're cutting cross-country. Vaseline is good - in case you need to set fire to anything or the big burly Russian paratroopers catch you...

I have a button compass in my wallet (its a bit like Mary Poppins handbag) and another one in a wee poke that's either gets put in the bag or a pocket if I'm not able to take the bag with me for whatever reason. There's no 'proper compass' though, although I only intend it to use it for potentially at most a couple of days walk and that's on areas that I'm at least passingly familiar with, at most from my folks house 50 or so miles on road so a couple of days sticking to the roads more or less and in and out of populated areas for extra nosebag if required. I keep meaning to swap in a 1L water bottle for a couple of the 2 wee ones which would potentially save mucking around with puritabs. It's very much put together as a real 'what if' bag, if I let my mind wander I'd probably need a bigger bag.

Thanks for getting back though mate andy yup, I'd be grateful of the vaseline in either scenario above.

I've just remembered, I'm sure I used to keep a wee container of 'survival matches' and cotton wool in there too, hmm, I'll replenish me thinks.