Movement

[afff_667]

I hope this isn't a waste of time, but here goes...Are there any available resources that discuss movement, i.e. getting from Point A to Point B under unfriendly conditions/circumstances? For example, it's 22 miles from my place of employment to my wife's and then another 7 to the house; the entire distance is suburban North Texas - several highways and main arteries to cross, lots of houses, some business and light industrial areas, etc but also with some large areas of relatively undeveloped land. I'm prepared clothing and equipment wise to get to her, and she's prepared to get from her workplace to the house along with having some supplemental items cached that I might need once I get to her to complete the walk home. I've got maps, worked out multiple routes, and identified several known choke points and other areas to avoid, but I've started to consider additional details and factors that may have some bearing on this situation or other similar ones.

I know that I'm going to have to make the decision based on existing circumstances at the time, but assuming that SHTF, roads are blocked/locked down, vehicles are inoperable, marshal law has been declared, etc, are there any general guidelines on how to proceed once the decision has been made to move? The first answers are probably, "it depends, and very carefully," but I've been thinking about this for a while in an effort to have some strategies already identified.

I'm looking for general info, suggestions, ideas, etc that would help me make an initial decision as well as help me to update my plan while on the move based on changing conditions. Do I walk at night? Stick to the alleys or less traveled streets? Do I route myself through the light industrial areas to avoid contact? Do I try to link together a route moving through undeveloped areas as much as possible? When is one approach better than another?

[Moose-Knuckle]

Good topic. Every time I have dwelt on the matter I always go back to night time movement. Provided of course one has the luxury of time.

As for day time movement, smoke devices are still available mainly from paint ball sites. If one had to, smoke can afford one some invaluable concealment.

[soulezoo]

Well I can almost guarantee you aren't going to get home in one day on foot. I don't know of a resource as you ask, but you want to be as unnoticed as possible.

There's a two way problem concerning movement... if you are out in the open, sure you can see others, but they can see you. Going through a maze of buildings, you are liable to stumble on someone before you see them.

Night movement isn't always practical. Not to mention hazardous.

You will have to make careful analysis of your surroundings in order to formulate that best path.

[docsherm]

Great topic. I will post more on it when I get to my computer.

[HansTheHobbit]

Is this 29 miles as the crow flies, or actual distance via shortest route by car? If you're in good shape, and I mean good shape, then you can make 30 miles in ten hours, but you'll be hurting. If you're in fair condition, then you can make it in a single push with small breaks every few hours, so maybe 15 hours or so. If you're in average shape, then you'll probably need two days, maybe more. And all of this is assuming that it's flat out, you're walking on roads and sidewalks, there are no detours, and you're carrying very little weight. I would suggest trying to walk 30 miles to see if you can even do it.

Assuming you're reasonably sure you can make the distance, you'll need enough food and water for however long it takes you. If you can make it in less than 24 hours, then you will need a minimum of a gallon of water, more in the summer, and probably around five thousand calories of easily digestible food. And you couldn't count on being able to buy food or water on the way, as anything bad enough to force you to walk would be bad enough to shut down stores.

The only realistic scenario I can think of that would force you to walk is civil unrest or natural disaster. In civil unrest, you wouldn't want to be out in the open, so that leaves natural disaster. I'm assuming you live in the DFW metro from your description, and I don't believe there are any fault lines in that area. That leaves tornadoes and floods. I don't see either one of those things being bad enough to cause someone to "bug out."

If you did ever attempt anything like that, be sure to get some good outdoor gear. Wool socks and Gore-Tex footwear is mandatory. You'll also want appropriate clothing for the weather, which means rain gear all year long, and good insulation in the winter, especially if you plan on stopping to rest. Like I said, I would suggest seeing if you can do 30 miles, and in various weather conditions, before considering trying this in real life.

[bad aim]

Good topic, OP. Hoping to hear more insight from more knowledgable folks. One thing that gives me pause about night movement is the fact of seeing where you're going, assuming you don't have the benefit of NODs and navigate via ambient lighting.

In a city, ambient lighting shouldn't be a big problem assuming the electrical grid is still up, but during the night is also when the not-so-savory folks are usually most active.

On a side note, I was reading this journal paper that theorizes why humans sleep for so long. Besides the few restorative benefits, one reason the authors assert is that it's an evolutionary benefit. Making us sleep prevents us from roaming around at night, blind to what's out there, and accidentally falling off a cliff.

[E_Johnson]

Considering your environment, a key condition for you to monitor is the human terrain. Are people panicking? Might be best to wait for nighttime to travel, as mentioned above. Are they simply confused or in a state of shock? Might be a good idea to cover as much ground as possible in daylight before the situation deteriorates further. Good topic!

[HansTheHobbit]

Good topic, OP. Hoping to hear more insight from more knowledgable folks. One thing that gives me pause about night movement is the fact of seeing where you're going, assuming you don't have the benefit of NODs and navigate via ambient lighting.

In a city, ambient lighting shouldn't be a big problem assuming the electrical grid is still up, but during the night is also when the not-so-savory folks are usually most active.

On a side note, I was reading this journal paper that theorizes why humans sleep for so long. Besides the few restorative benefits, one reason the authors assert is that it's an evolutionary benefit. Making us sleep prevents us from roaming around at night, blind to what's out there, and accidentally falling off a cliff.

It's interesting you mention that. I saw a documentary on daily life in medieval Europe, and apparently people actually wake up in the middle of the night when their circadian rhythm is functioning. Something about electric lights puts us into an unnatural cycle. People would go to sleep at sunset, wake up around two AM, then get up and do stuff for a few hours, then sleep till morning. I think they're probably right because I can attest to the fact that a few days in the backcountry will cause you to go into that cycle. Funny thing is, they said in the documentary that people would go walking in the middle of the night and fall off cliffs and stuff.

OP, forgot to mention, the most important thing you can put in your bugout bag for that little hike you're planning is athletic tape. When you start to get a blister, and you will at that distance, just tape it up. Don't bother with bandaids, they won't stay in place. And wrap red cling wrap around your headlamp to travel at night. People won't notice it nearly as much, and they'll think it's taillights from a car if they do, not to mention it will preserve your night vision if you have to go incognito.

Also, use Google Earth to plan your route. I used to take epic long walks to help stay in shape for climbing trips, and there are lots of footways and shortcuts in urban areas that people never notice. If you have a route planned out, then it's possible to move through a busy city without hardly being seen. Storm drains, railroad tracks, neighborhood parks, greenbelts with dry runoff beds, alleys, cemeteries, golf courses, industrial parks, etc. are all places that provide very low profile travel through busy cities, as well as short cuts. For example, some golf courses can save you several miles by cutting diagonally through them. Also be aware that downtown areas usually have sky bridges and tunnels connecting buildings that are open to public foot traffic. Large apartment complexes and college campuses also make great shortcuts that get you off the busy streets.

[Moose-Knuckle]

As with any topic concerning this particular sub-forum there are innumerable scenarios that can/will play out. In my OP I mentioned night time movement due to the concealment that low light / no light conditions afford. But as we are all aware there is no free lunch. With moving in the dark the threat of mechanical injuries rise exponentially. Lack of visibility will affect everything from landmark identification to keeping in contact with other members of your group. Which brings up things like NODs, cat eyes, etc.

In his blog (SHTF School) about his story of urban survival during the Bosnian War, Selco explains that they NEVER were out and about during the day time. This was due to the amount of sniper kills. They only moved around after dark.

I also seem to recall Eric Haney stating that is was night time land nav that separated the men from the boys at 1st-SFOD-D Selection. The stars are your friends!

[HansTheHobbit]

As with any topic concerning this particular sub-forum there are innumerable scenarios that can/will play out. In my OP I mentioned night time movement due to the concealment that low light / no light conditions afford. But as we are all aware there is no free lunch. With moving in the dark the threat of mechanical injuries rise exponentially. Lack of visibility will affect everything from landmark identification to keeping in contact with other members of your group. Which brings up things like NODs, cat eyes, etc.

In his blog (SHTF School) about his story of urban survival during the Bosnian War, Selco explains that they NEVER were out and about during the day time. This was due to the amount of sniper kills. They only moved around after dark.

The challenge presented by navigation is certainly a valid point, especially if the lights were out. I would highly recommend buying a cheap GPS, it can even be used. All it really needs is the capability to program waypoints using lat/long coordinates. That way you can plan your route using free mapping software and program it as a saved route on the GPS. You can't trust the GPS on your smartphone for this because it's based 100% on cell towers. If the power goes out, or the cell grid is overloaded, then none of the mapping features will work. A real GPS is totally reliable as long as the batteries are fresh and the government has not activated selective availability. Selective availability is a real concern for sure, but you have to consider the consequences. If they activate it, then all civilian GPS systems will be turned off, as they do not have the crypto software to use the scrambled signals. That includes all commercial aircraft, and I believe it would also include law enforcement and emergency services.

I also believe you're correct in planning to travel at night. Two things to consider, though. First, you will have to wait until dusk to set out, which means you could spend as much as eight hours at work waiting for the sun to go down, your wife all that time wondering where you are, as she would have to stay in place at least all night, which might not be an option for her. If you set out at dusk, then you might make it to her by sunrise if you move at a steady pace and don't take too many breaks. This is being extremely optimistic, as it assumes you're in good shape. If going undetected is a necessity, that will delay you further, as you will be taking detours to avoid open spaces and moving slowly, not to mention stopping frequently to observe your surroundings or wait for people to pass.

The second concern is that if you don't make the entire distance by sunup, then you will be forced to find a place to sleep until the sun goes back down again. I think this is what you should really plan for, as I think it's extremely unlikely that you're going to make all 22 miles in a single night. So either find safe places to hold up during the daylight or plan your route so that you're going through the most exposed legs at night.

In any case, communication between you and your wife will be essential to pulling it off. You might look into getting some ham radios so you guys can communicate if the cell phones aren't working.