Destinations, Paths and Places to Avoid In Big Bad Scenarios (U.S.)

a reply to: Expat888

Do electric guitars count?

a reply to: TNMockingbird
No one has mentioned following the power lines out of population areas. I mention these because several years ago
I noticed deer coming into town using these as pathways. If there is a reason not to use them, please someone tell me
I am old and not as sharp as I used to be.

a reply to: justdust

I think that may be a good idea. We have three (I think) TVA lines running into our county.
Recently, during a horrendous ice storm, we were without power in some locations for over a week.
This was due to the remote locations of those lines and difficulty getting to them for repairs.

A person would just need to locate the map. Travel it before needed.

originally posted by: justdust
a reply to: TNMockingbird
No one has mentioned following the power lines out of population areas. I mention these because several years ago
I noticed deer coming into town using these as pathways. If there is a reason not to use them, please someone tell me
I am old and not as sharp as I used to be.

One good reason:

You don't need the power lines for anything, and lots of other people are following the power lines. I'd imagine you'd want to avoid most people at all costs, as one random encounter could be your last. Those still alive might have lived through such encounters, and don't have patience for them anymore.

a reply to: TonyS

"LaMOE" Last Man on Earth

Personally I think it is all about trust. Some of us simply don't trust anyone, especially where our family's well being is concerned. I think a community is great, long term. For shorter term survival, less than 1 year, for example, lone wolf is the best way to go for anyone who knows what they're doing.

originally posted by: Expat888
avoid any areas where you hear banjo music playing ...

those places are probably safer than let's say Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, NY, NJ, MO and a few others.

a reply to: gottaknow
One thing a lot of people forget is situation fluidity. Bug-in, Bug-out, city,rural,prep or not.. It's all completely dependent on whats going on around you and what can change without notice. that being said..

A. Somewhere out of the way that people are not likely to go wandering and in a location that ONLY you and your group will know about and exclude any that might be the bragging, tell the world kind because well,the harsh reality is that no matter how good of friends you are, you just cant trust them and you can't take in people with nothing to contribute. parasites will kill you.

B. The blue spots are an "at risk" area but not off the menu for scavenging, just use your best judgement. Personally i would avoid them unless i absolutely had to go to one.

C. I would avoid traveling on the highway most times but not totally out rule them, they could have a use and i would travel the wooded areas near them only keeping the road in sight. other than that, you might see me hiking harsher terrain to get where im going.

NOTE FOR ALL YOU SURVIVORS: If you hear a whoop in the woods or an S.O.S. tapped on your door, dont shoot me. I just want to barter for something i need and its probably important since i have a severe aversion to people.

Woke up with lots of great posts to respond to! Thanks to everyone for the input!!

Just a few quick notes before I address everyone individually.
So far, the consensus seems to be along the lines of "Group? Screw a group! Time to hide with your family!"
And yes, for the most part, I completely agree. We are our worst enemy and especially in a situation like this.
And we should certainly do whatever necessary in little groups or solo travel for the majority of the trip.

BUT, what I'm hoping to achieve, is a pre-planned destination for us to use on this site. A place we can all convene should the worst happen. After all, strength in numbers, right? There's like 300k members on this site - many not really active. Say, 10-20% survive whatever happens and manage to scrape through any initial struggles of survival.
Wouldn't it be smart to have a collaboration on where to go to meet up post-situation?

I think it's wise to keep to ourselves and fend for our families in the outskirts for a while, certainly, but then you're just waiting for that inevitable raid that you cannot defend. This is an attempt to give everyone a spot to aim for, in the hopes of building a community post-SHTF. At any rate, I appreciate all the replies and have learned so much already!


@KawRider9: Your place sounds great. I'd be a little terrified of drifters from Chicago coming through. Still, sounds like you're remote enough and clever enough to thwart 'em.

@MichiganSwampBuck: I, too, am from Michigan. It would be smart to get a head start on a destination beforehand. I've thought about buying an acre or so of land down South and setting it up before, but money/time have been the issue. Good information on the places to avoid. People will flock to those areas living or undead (and just havin' some fun with the Zpoc there) As much as I am set on going South, I know the greatest threat to any survival situation is infection and that just skyrockets the more warmer the climate is. I'm going to have to research some more remote food centers and other stops, as they're almost guaranteed to have something left over.
Excellent response, btw.

@DAVID64: You're 200 acre farm destination sounds like a survivor's paradise. Looking to make it a community? Or hoping to just thwart the passersby?

@Ex_MislTech: Yeah, Yellowstone is almost worse than nukes in some ways if it went down that way. I don't know why, but that one scares me more than anything.
I agree with your meeting area suggestion. Got anything more concrete like a town in mind?
I love your ideas about the restart kit and the road monitoring. I hadn't considered a restart kit, but now that's an invaluable must for all the reasons you state. And yeeess...a banjo for a people scarecrow...

@TonyS: The option of tribing up is what I'm hopin' to achieve at least somewhat with this thread. I think it's great that people have survival plans for their families and know enough to stay away from most people, but sooner or later, you'll want to band together. If we can get some co-operative groups formed on sites like this, the better off we'd be in the long run!

@TNMockingbird: Chattanooga and Knoxville added to the places to avoid list then. I agree that Knoxville is just too populated. Also, that was an excellent point about the canoe. One shotgun shell away from losing it all if stuck in the water like that. Yeah, Florida, which should practically be a survivor's paradise(gators excluded) is somehow the exact opposite of that. Georgia is out of the question for me as well, since Floridians will just be pouring out of the top of their state to escape whatever bad is there.

@r0xor: I completely agree with you on all statements you made about people. Heck, I do everything I can to avoid them in this "civilized" world we have. In an anarchy-based situation, the bad eggs will emerge and there will be LOTS of them. This is why I think it's best if we make at least some ideas of where we(members of this site) think we could band together now. It would be incredibly difficult for me to join with another group for the most part.

@cavtrooper7: I'm afraid not. Electric guitars would, for the most part, attract both good and bad people in droves.

@justdust: I loved the idea of following the power lines until I read the following posts. While I think power lines are a great thing to keep in sight, r0xor's point is vital.

@burdman30ott6: Yeah, it's not going to be easy to trust ANYone you meet if it goes down. That's what I'm kinda hoping to sorta achieve here. A community in mind at least half-planned from people on this site.

@ChesterJohn: Being anywhere NEAR those heavy metropolitan areas would be asking for trouble and a nightmare from my point of view as well. I think if things seemed too bleak to go on, I'd just say "Well, time to go to Detroit. At least it will be quick."

@EyesOpenMouthShut: I appreciate your tips! Situation Fluidity IS vital. Just since I posted this last night, I've realized how important it is to have back up plans for your back up plan! And it's a pity you'd be remote as well, because you seem like a great addition to have in any group!

I see.....

Well, I would wonder if the ATS community would WANT to get together with one another.
There are a couple of members that I am personally acquainted with that would not be horrible except they live FAR away from me and it would be nearly impossible for us to get together during or after a SHTF time.

I'm afraid it would turn into a "Terminus" situation...LOL

a reply to: TNMockingbird

Hahah! I concur that, there's a few types of members I'd want to keep a distance from as well. That occurred to me while writing this, but honestly we all have an interest in staying alive and this particular website community has a lot of knowledge within it. I've seen a lot of good people with good ideas and I can only imagine the potential of a group such as ours rather than the majority of humans whose postings more similarly resemble a YouTube comment section.

a reply to: gottaknow

Ahhh...
Agreed!

Lately though I've been feeling like one of those "youtubers".
Can't seem to get my brain to work quite right!

In that case...A cave with two entrances! Somewhere close to me, I hope! LOL

The map should indicate where one does not want to be living RIGHT NOW if one wants to survive the many different "hit the fan" scenarios that can occur.

Traveling any distance without being accosted by other individuals, gangs, groups or authorities is a fantasy that has very high risk of death. Everybody who did not prepare will want your stuff and be willing to use whatever means needed to take it.

Believing any "hit the fan" scenarios may have higher than even odds of occurring should be imputus enough to start process of moving oneself and family to a suitable BOL , starting TODAY.

I reside in Southeastern US and would pretty much add most small and medium sized cities to the map as well because they all act as magnets for seedier types - it's not just the big cities that can become hell holes.

My advice, make whatever lifestyle changes are needed so that you are at BOL fulltime.

There are many small private airports and there exist on many of them hanger houses. Being an airport (some are just grass strips) the field of fire is usually excellent and many of the guys I know who have chosen that life style say they will shelter in place. If it gets really bad they just open their hanger door and do an emergency take-off to another location. Might be a consideration to check your local area for such places and if you yourself can not fly suck up to a pilot family. SHTF scenario hopefully the bad guys (whoever) will not be using surface to air missiles on civil aircraft.

One friend could sit on his deck and kill deer or rabbits just about every night with his night scope and silenced rifle if he needed to. Since he rents out hanger space in his large hanger house (the house part is very nice) he usually has at least 5 aircraft in his hanger all topped off with aviation fuel. Those plus a hand crack pump for siphoning fuel from any storage area should keep him and his buds in fuel for quite sometime.

Those along the coast and who own boats would do pretty well in the short term if they could make it to their boats.. I ain't talking canoe either. We used to live on our boat for weeks at a time,comfortably... It is a world away from a world gone mad..

Lone wolf types IMO do not stand nearly as good of a chance for survival as small groups. Even a lone wolf has to sleep and eat... Anyone who wants to go humping through a forest or open plain while the world has gone mad and people are shooting at each other might want to seriously consider what an undertaking that would become.

If you are living in a cave and someone wants your stuff a fire at the entrance with added green saplings is usually enough to flush most people out of hiding into the waiting arms of the bad guys.

Anyone can survive a short time in the sticks with very little common sense or survival skills.. However if you are talking months then it really does become very problematic. Especially if people are killing each other for their stuff..

The elements (weather) for the area one chooses is a killer..whether cold or hot both will kill at different times of the year. Without the proper attire (more stuff to carry) if the bad guys don't get you then the bugs and weather stand a good chance of making your final days miserable.

We had an airforce dude punch out of his crippled fighter during a training exercise over Alaska. S.A.R. could not get to him due to fog and mountains for about 24 hours.. You would think that would be no problem for a young man in the prime of his life who was uninjured ... He was found dead ... The mosquitoes had found him and they were so bad he evidently cover himself in mud or entered a lake (I think it was both; lake first to cold, then mud ?) and froze to death.. He could not get a fire going for nothing would ignite for him.

For all the bug and animal lovers if you see a mosquito don't even think about it but terminate its' existence on the spot.. sorry just my opinion..

I personally would hate to be walking around in a real SHTF scenario without night vision for I would try to hunker down during the day and move by night. Sleeping high in trees actually works most of the time for people tend to not look up.. hahhaha... however if they do detect you consider yourself screwed if they want your stuff and you did not shoot first. Anyone carrying a Banjo would probably be real high on my hit list as per Expat 888's suggestion !

Bob had worked in Healthcare for 40 years. Finally sick of the stress, he quit his job
and buys 50 acres of land in Alaska as far from humanity as possible.

He sees the postman once a week and gets his groceries once a month, otherwise
it's total peace and quiet.

After six months or so of almost total isolation, someone knocks on his door.

He opens it and a huge, bearded man is standing there.

'Name's Ron, your neighbor from forty miles up the road. Having a Christmas party
Friday night, thought you might like to come at about 5:00.'

'Great', says Bob, 'after six months out here I'm ready to meet
some of the local folks, thank you.'

As Ron is leaving, he stops. 'Gotta warn you, be some drinking.'

'Not a problem,' says bob. 'After 40 years in the business, I can drink
with the best of 'em.'

Again, the big man starts to leave and stops. 'More 'n' likely
gonna be some fightin' too.'

'Well, I get along with people, I'll be all right! I'll be there. Thanks again.'

'More'n likely be some wild sex, too,'

"Now that's really not a problem," says Bob, I've been all alone for six months!
I'll definitely be there. By the way, what should I wear?

'Don't much matter. Just gonna be the two of us.'

a reply to: gottaknow

@DAVID64: You're 200 acre farm destination sounds like a survivor's paradise. Looking to make it a community? Or hoping to just thwart the passersby?

A community might be possible. The #1, non negotiable rule for anyone approaching the house : You drop everything - backpack, weapons, clothes- at 500 yards and walk in naked as the day you were born. Or I drop you. No exceptions for age or sex.
Yes, even in winter.

a reply to: 727Sky

Check on NV for whole crew, wandering my woods at night is not good idea.

Seems interesting on the fly out option and assuming these are light A/C for small field operation and fairly easy upkeep I'm wondering about fuel/pass/gear weight limits putting someone into scavenger mode upon successfully finding a safe alternate field.

I've got to imagine doing recon flybys of an airfield to verify ground conditions would be obvious and possibly bring unwanted attention as well.

originally posted by: 727Sky
Lone wolf types IMO do not stand nearly as good of a chance for survival as small groups. Even a lone wolf has to sleep and eat... Anyone who wants to go humping through a forest or open plain while the world has gone mad and people are shooting at each other might want to seriously consider what an undertaking that would become.

I fully understand the risk of lone wolfing, i've been at it for a number of years now. used to be an infantry soldier, humping in harsh terrain and being shot at isnt too bad for me. also, i dont sleep much but yeah, it's not for the novice

a reply to: EyesOpenMouthShut
Nah .. wouldnt shoot you .. things are different over here than they are over there ..
Youd have to make very long swim .. then hike through alot of jungle.. take a boatride .. hike through more jungle avoiding wild animals .. unexploded 40+ year old ordinance .. get past the local villagers .. climb up some mountains to get to my door .. make it past all that will give you a beer ..

Yep got severe aversion to people here too .. Is why for most part stay far away from so-called "civilization" ..

a reply to: 727Sky

Might appear to be lone wolf type out here in the border regions .. but if needed easily got a battalion of yards at hand that are very experienced ... we manage quite nicely without outside interference ..

a reply to: Expat888

Wouldn't that be a strange set of evens that led me to your doorstep....
But that sounds like a location of my fantasies

a reply to: justdust

following the power lines out of population areas

That is a good way out, gives you a good line of sight to see potential problems but that works two ways it's easier for you to be seen as well.