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I made it through 2 pages...
The scenario described was honestly the one I was most afraid would happen while I was a tow monkey - because I found myself all over Oregon and Washington on a regular basis. I kept my GHB (get home bag, not the date rape drug!) handy in the truck and expected a loooong walk if a disaster struck.
Now, my fear isn't so much being stuck in say, Eugene, but it's getting stuck in Portland, either east of the river, or in the west hills when The Big One strikes. Portland is going to die in such a big quake - the bridges will fall, the tunnel will get closed off, the soil is going to liquify and most of the west hills - all those expeensive homes - are going to slide down hill. It is going to be one nasty walk home after such a quake. I have general routes planned depending on exactly where I am, and what the terrain looks like.
I'll drive as far as I can go, then it's walking, plain and simple. Plan is to avoid congested areas, cut through quieter neighborhoods if I"m in residential areas, avoid tall buildings if I'm urban, and generally try not to get shot, stabbed, robbed, crushed, or electrocuted while trying to get home. The hard part is likely going to be finding a safe place to hunker down for a few hours of sleep, if home is more than a day's walk away. I'm not in the best shape, but I can hike and move, and figure I'm good for at least ten miles in 12-15 hours a day of being on the move.
Finding safe shelter in such a situation has many factors - 1.) how stable is this building in an aftershock - is it going to come down around me, or did it hold up well to the big one? Is it going to burn down because of broken gas lines, arcing electrical lines, etc?? 2.) how likely is it that someone else is going to find it and have the same thought I did - probably pretty damn likely 3.) Is there a safe room that can be secured - can I barricade myself in, are the windows high enough off the ground that someone isn't going to smash it and crawl in with me, can I put something between me and the window in case it shatters in another big aftershock? I don't want to be cut to pieces by shattering glass, or have someone else break in and rape/rob/murder me while I'm trying to rest. 4.) can I stay dry and warm here? THis is last on this simple list because between the blanket and clothing I have on me, and in the bag, staying warm and dry shouldn't be a big issue.
I do not, and would not carry a tent in my GHB. Tents provide false security, and they make a big, easily seen target. They take too long to setup and take apart, and take up too much weight.
I do not carry a sleeping bag in the GHB - sleeping bags would be warm - and very comfy for sleeping, but if you're zipped up in a bag, you're behind the curve if someone wants to go at you. And they're too bulky. A good low profile bivy tent/bag wouldn't be terrible though, if you can afford the bulk and weight. They can be camouflaged, and concealed rather easily compared to a normal tent. They will keep you fairly dry and warm if made right. But you're still taking a security risk using one when trying to get home in this SHTF situation.
Sleeping outside is not optimal because you're exposed - to animals, elements, and bandits. Finding a vacant building isn't terribly likely in most places - most neighborhoods are fully occupied, and you're likely to get shot if you try forcing entry into what you think is an abandoned home, and even if you find one - you're likely to have company because face it - if you had the idea, dozens of others will too.
Personally, I think one of the best shelters in such situation, for getting a bit of sleep, is probably going to be a brick toilet building in a park. Many of those are built sturdy, they have heavy metal doors, some of which lock from the inside. Small windows high off the ground, if they have windows at all. They may not be the cleanest, nicest smelling places, but chances are they'll allow you to stay dry and safe for a while.
I think a closed office building may be the next best bet - but this is risky. Hard to secure - if you can get in, so can others. But they may have closets you can hide in and lock yourself in to stay warm and dry at the least. You do risk being shot by the rightful occupants though, if they are there and you're trying to get in, or they show up to find you there.
You could seek shelter from strangers - but it's highly unlikely they'll be willing to take in a stranger, and you're placing yourself in big danger either way. They may decide to roll you for your gear, they may decide to cut your throat while you sleep. Maybe they just "probe" you because you have a purty mouth. Or they see you, the random stranger begging for a place to sleep - as highly dangerous, and you get a chest full of buckshot for the trouble, because they figure YOU are a bandit up to no good, giving some BS story about hiking 30 miles home just needing a warm safe place to sleep.
If you're stuck sleeping outside during the trek home - finding a concealed spot in thick brush is probably going to be the safest bet. You'll be exposed to animals, bugs, and the weather for sure, but you may be able to stay out of visual range of potential bandits.
My personal sleep system in the GHB is a twin size fleece blanket, and if necessary a big thick trash bag to crawl into and use to stay semi-dry. If a pillow is necessary, I have the backpack.
I don't think most people really put a lot of thought into the idea of how they will get rest if they have to hoof it home, or if they are bugging out. It's not going to be like camping out in the woods if SHTF happens. Such events tend to bring out and amplify the worst in people as much as they bring out the best in others - but there's no way to know just by looking, who is on what side.
The scenario described was honestly the one I was most afraid would happen while I was a tow monkey - because I found myself all over Oregon and Washington on a regular basis. I kept my GHB (get home bag, not the date rape drug!) handy in the truck and expected a loooong walk if a disaster struck.
Now, my fear isn't so much being stuck in say, Eugene, but it's getting stuck in Portland, either east of the river, or in the west hills when The Big One strikes. Portland is going to die in such a big quake - the bridges will fall, the tunnel will get closed off, the soil is going to liquify and most of the west hills - all those expeensive homes - are going to slide down hill. It is going to be one nasty walk home after such a quake. I have general routes planned depending on exactly where I am, and what the terrain looks like.
I'll drive as far as I can go, then it's walking, plain and simple. Plan is to avoid congested areas, cut through quieter neighborhoods if I"m in residential areas, avoid tall buildings if I'm urban, and generally try not to get shot, stabbed, robbed, crushed, or electrocuted while trying to get home. The hard part is likely going to be finding a safe place to hunker down for a few hours of sleep, if home is more than a day's walk away. I'm not in the best shape, but I can hike and move, and figure I'm good for at least ten miles in 12-15 hours a day of being on the move.
Finding safe shelter in such a situation has many factors - 1.) how stable is this building in an aftershock - is it going to come down around me, or did it hold up well to the big one? Is it going to burn down because of broken gas lines, arcing electrical lines, etc?? 2.) how likely is it that someone else is going to find it and have the same thought I did - probably pretty damn likely 3.) Is there a safe room that can be secured - can I barricade myself in, are the windows high enough off the ground that someone isn't going to smash it and crawl in with me, can I put something between me and the window in case it shatters in another big aftershock? I don't want to be cut to pieces by shattering glass, or have someone else break in and rape/rob/murder me while I'm trying to rest. 4.) can I stay dry and warm here? THis is last on this simple list because between the blanket and clothing I have on me, and in the bag, staying warm and dry shouldn't be a big issue.
I do not, and would not carry a tent in my GHB. Tents provide false security, and they make a big, easily seen target. They take too long to setup and take apart, and take up too much weight.
I do not carry a sleeping bag in the GHB - sleeping bags would be warm - and very comfy for sleeping, but if you're zipped up in a bag, you're behind the curve if someone wants to go at you. And they're too bulky. A good low profile bivy tent/bag wouldn't be terrible though, if you can afford the bulk and weight. They can be camouflaged, and concealed rather easily compared to a normal tent. They will keep you fairly dry and warm if made right. But you're still taking a security risk using one when trying to get home in this SHTF situation.
Sleeping outside is not optimal because you're exposed - to animals, elements, and bandits. Finding a vacant building isn't terribly likely in most places - most neighborhoods are fully occupied, and you're likely to get shot if you try forcing entry into what you think is an abandoned home, and even if you find one - you're likely to have company because face it - if you had the idea, dozens of others will too.
Personally, I think one of the best shelters in such situation, for getting a bit of sleep, is probably going to be a brick toilet building in a park. Many of those are built sturdy, they have heavy metal doors, some of which lock from the inside. Small windows high off the ground, if they have windows at all. They may not be the cleanest, nicest smelling places, but chances are they'll allow you to stay dry and safe for a while.
I think a closed office building may be the next best bet - but this is risky. Hard to secure - if you can get in, so can others. But they may have closets you can hide in and lock yourself in to stay warm and dry at the least. You do risk being shot by the rightful occupants though, if they are there and you're trying to get in, or they show up to find you there.
You could seek shelter from strangers - but it's highly unlikely they'll be willing to take in a stranger, and you're placing yourself in big danger either way. They may decide to roll you for your gear, they may decide to cut your throat while you sleep. Maybe they just "probe" you because you have a purty mouth. Or they see you, the random stranger begging for a place to sleep - as highly dangerous, and you get a chest full of buckshot for the trouble, because they figure YOU are a bandit up to no good, giving some BS story about hiking 30 miles home just needing a warm safe place to sleep.
If you're stuck sleeping outside during the trek home - finding a concealed spot in thick brush is probably going to be the safest bet. You'll be exposed to animals, bugs, and the weather for sure, but you may be able to stay out of visual range of potential bandits.
My personal sleep system in the GHB is a twin size fleece blanket, and if necessary a big thick trash bag to crawl into and use to stay semi-dry. If a pillow is necessary, I have the backpack.
I don't think most people really put a lot of thought into the idea of how they will get rest if they have to hoof it home, or if they are bugging out. It's not going to be like camping out in the woods if SHTF happens. Such events tend to bring out and amplify the worst in people as much as they bring out the best in others - but there's no way to know just by looking, who is on what side.
