Getting There

Transportation is the center of the world! It is the glue of our daily lives. When it goes well, we don't see it. When it goes wrong, it negatively colors our day, makes us feel angry and impotent, curtails our possibilities. Robin Chase

Mobility is a basic requirement of disaster preparedness. While in most cases sheltering in place or bugging in (staying home) is the best option, at some point you will need to travel for supplies, assistance, or bugging out (relocation). There are three basic modes of transportation and you should prepare for all three modes.

First is transportation via a motorized means such as a car or truck. You should have a reliable vehicle and conduct regularly scheduled maintenance and inspections. It is far better to have a mechanic find a loose fan belt or hose about to fail while in for regular scheduled maintenance than on the road during a disaster. Another excellent practice is to fill the gas tank whenever the gauge displays half full. This practice will ensure you always have at least a half a tank of gas.

Key attributes of a good disaster vehicle is four-wheel drive, room to stretch out across the back seat, and a cargo space to sleep. Having a towing package would be essential if you need to pull a trailer. A motor home would resolve the need for both transportation and shelter. In some special cases, having access to a motorcycle or boat could be advantageous.

The second mode is a human-powered vehicle such as bicycle, garden cart, wheel barrow or deer hauler. All of these methods would led to you carefully selecting cargo items to haul and packing them in a secure and compressed manner. You should test whatever configuration you choose by actually using it in a test run.

Third mode is walking, “your feet as your wheels,” aka good old hiking.! Here the most vital element is owning a good pair of hiking shoes. I find the soft work boots from Merrell, REI, and Vasque are best. The bottom line is to have comfortable and sturdy walking shoes or boots that don’t cause blisters. Wear absorbent natural fiber socks such as merino wool (Smart Socks are one reliable brand). Hiking sandals such as the brands Keen and Teva give you the ability to wear cooler shoes. Wear them when you are stopped to give your feet a rest or even on the trail to change the pressure points on your feet.

Do not overload your body. An excellent rule is to not carry more than ten percent of your body weight and certainly not more than twenty percent. I have seen a number of bug-out bags that were loaded with everything including the kitchen sink. A heavy pack would be difficult to carry more than a mile or two. When I hiked the El Camino a 500 mile pilgrimage in Spain at the age of 59, my hiking buddy and I usually could only walk 8-12 miles a day. The 20-something hikers could hike at least 10-15 miles a day. One German 20 year old told us he was routinely hiking 30 miles a day but he was built like a military special forces operative. Of course, we only saw him once.

Physical conditioning is vital. During the El Camino, a number of fellow hikers had to fall out due to ankle, knee, and hip problems. I found that the first five days was pain and you simply had to take a full daily recommended dose of ibuprofen. After the first 5 days, you feel and become stronger. After about 16 days, I felt like a 35 year old. My hiking buddy of age 69 said it took him a little longer, but eventually he felt like he was in his late 40s. The total pilgrimage of 500 miles took us both 39 days.

Having a good backpack is also crucial. Any first class outdoor store such as Cabela's, Dick’s Sporting Goods, or REI will have excellent packs. If you can find a salesperson who is an experienced hiker that can provide knowledgeable input to your selection, that will be especially helpful in obtaining the right backpack. Check out several stores prior to purchasing. I personally like military packs such as a Condor pack and for a warhorse of a pack the ALICE pack of the Vietnam war. How you pack your pack is also key. Many stores will have a handout on what to take and where to put it in the pack or refer to a Boy Scout Handbook (suggested list) or check out the "Gear" links for AmericanHikingSociety.

Obtain maps of your area and any travel routes prior to the disaster. When I drove cross-country to Alaska (which I don’t recommend), I ended up buying four new tires and saving the best of the old four tires as a second spare tire. Prepare by having two spare tires and one-, two-, or five-gallon cans of gas.