# Bug Home Route tested and evaluated



## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

Yesterday I tested my bug home pack and myself. The results were less than spectacular. Here are the conditions. At the most I am only 16 miles from home or work on most occasions. The test was to see if I was up to the challenge. I made it but it was extremely obvious that I am not the man I used to be. They will be coming soon to take my “man” card away.

My pack (internal frame) was packed for three days. I still had my summer sleeping bag and did not have my winter clothes or thermals in the pack.. My total load out was 31 pounds. My medical and food load out is based on having family with me. By the end of my journey the pack weighed about 1,742 pounds (maybe a few ounces more or less). I learned a great deal about how fit I am and what needs to be changed in the Bug Home Bag.

I was using my summer boots and light weight shells and did not have any cold weather gear with me. The conditions were ideal. Temperature in the high 40’s to low 50’s. The sun was shining and there was a 5-10 mph breeze. The trees had not shed all of the leaves yet so the saga was visually enjoyable. Now on to the discovery phase.

My bag was packed “top heavy”. This was remedied at my first rest stop. Speaking of rest stops…..there are none when cutting through subdivisions…..note to self. One person that I stopped and talked to let me in to use the facilities. Hiking through the woods is no problem but on main roads and residential areas this could be problematic.

I started with two liters of water. My hydration needs were far greater than I expected. The water sources on my planned route were not as expected. I really tested out my water purifier. (First Need purifier) It worked well. I have not had any problems yet. I think I will buy a hydration bladder as soon as I can find some spare money. Looking at the topographic map showed many more water sources but I wasn’t thirsty enough to even attempt them.

My alcohol stove worked out very well. The only short coming to it is the time required to boil two cups of water. The dehydrated meals that I had packed were not enough to feed the beast. My fuel for the stove was 190 proof grain alcohol. I choose this in the event that the container leaked onto my food. If it were not dinking alcohol my food stuffs could be contaminated. The other plus is it works as “liquid ground softener”. I will be changing the container for my fuel. I used a half-pint whiskey bottle to hold the fuel. I will be switching it out to a plastic squeeze bottle and save a few ounces of pain and misery.

My pack was intended for trail hiking and not cutting through the bush. My trek was 2 ½ miles of subdivision, 8 miles of rural roads and 5 ½ miles of woods. I will be switching to an external frame pack very soon. Each time I stopped to take a rest my current pack became harder and harder to put back on. I was tempted at several points to cache some of my goods and retrieve them at a later date. Common sense crept in and I realized that this nullify the experiment.
My saga took longer than I had planned. I was able to keep in touch with my bride by cell phone. Each time she called I realized that her assessment of my sanity, or lack thereof, was probably correct. My sixty-ish bones started to display their dislike of this experiment. Rest stops became more frequent and of less duration as I got closer to home. I was getting so tired that I would just rest the pack on a limb and just take the weight off of my shoulders and waist.

I routinely go to the gym and work out. I “THOUGHT” I was in better condition. How wrong I was. I did make it home, experiment completed, body exhausted and sore as the dickens. When I was on the treadmill I used to wear sneakers. No longer. I was so sore last night I think the fillings in my teeth ached. My hair hurt.

Alterations to the next pack:
Hydration bladder. Never thought they were needed.
External Frame Pack. I will get a military MOLLE. I can still load this out with more “crap” but only take what is needed for the occasion. These packs have extra pouches that can be added or subtracted as needed.
Lighter components for the pack.
Add a water proof cover to the bag.

Alterations to self:
Wear my hiking boots when on the tread mill.
Test out alternate routes.
Lose 15 pounds
“HITCH HIKE HOME”

Alterations to route:
Try not to go through subdivisions.
Check out all water sources.
Plan routes with rest stops planned in.
Do not rely on topo maps.
Walk small sections of the route and commit to memory.
Figure out how I can get it to be downhill all the way. This won’t happen but we can dream; right?

I have found that I can best the challenge and think that this would be just fine in bad weather only if I admit to myself that I am getting older and I need to allow more time to accomplish my mission. I failed at my initial expectations but I learned a great deal about the route that I had planned. This was a learning experience. Driving past my route at 50 mph is a lot different than pounding the ground. There were so many things that I have never noticed. This was a worthwhile experiment. I will try it again with a couple of feet of snow on the ground and if I live through it I will let you know the findings at that point. I need to stop typing now…….my fingernails hurt, my hair hurts….time for my “ground softener”.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Thanks for sharing your saga, have you considered the same route with a bicycle? Keep us posted on your recovery and future plans.


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## Domeguy (Sep 9, 2011)

How long did your trek take?


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## BlueShoe (Aug 7, 2010)

Thanks for the write up. You're more ambitious than I am. I'm still a dreamer.


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

The first two hours were great. The next five became more and more painful as time ran on. When I die I will go to heaven.....I just spent my time in Hell. I do not routinely have a bicycle in my truck so I attempeted this by foot. 

A cycle is a great idea. Even if I just pushed it it would take the load of my weary bones. 

The reason it took so long was due to exploration and talking with people along the way. Several people thought I was preparring for a hunting trip. I did not have the courage to tell them that I was so tired I would not have the energy to lift a rifle.

We have snow on the ground for 3 months of the year so I never considered a bike. I love this forum; someone always has a better way to "skin a cat".


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## snowbound (Oct 6, 2011)

That was a great experiment. We can all learn from this. Being 59 and (thinking) I am in good shape I'm sure that a hike of this magnitude would probably kill me for sure.


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## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

Oh lordy I know where you come from. 16 miles is a stretch if it's been a while since you walked a long ways at one time. Try some shorter trips and build up. That's what I'm trying to do now.

My bag is a 24# shoulder type bag. For whatever reason, it carries better, plus I can get to things without stopping. I can also un-a$$ it very quickly. Going on a little training trip this weekend with a couple of other like minded guys. 

A bag needs to cover at least the 5-Cs of Dave Canterbury...

Cutting – A solid dependable knife.

Combustion – A way to quickly and reliably start a fire in all conditions.

Cover/Clothing- A way to get out of the elements of nature and be protected. Also how to dress appropriately for where you are.

Container - A way to carry, store and boil water for purification. Also for carrying food, cooking, etc.

Cordage - A way to tie and lash together available resources for shelter, carrying, traps, etc. 

I include food for one(me) for 72-96 hours. About 7800 cal that only weights about 2.9 lbs.

That you are even trying, is a statement of your man card....:beercheer:

Have fun!

Jimmy


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

LOL, more the reason we will BO here if auto won't start.We are older and hubby is disabled and can't walk long treks. But I do have BOB for van .
We have pedal forward bikes but up hill is a challenge .Thanks for the story .


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## lefty (Sep 29, 2011)

Thanks for sharing, THere is a lot for all of us to think about, like how good a shape are we really in.


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## Padre (Oct 7, 2011)

16 miles is doable in one day but I would think planning on walking 10 miles a day might be safer. 

In fair weather even 20 miles is doable but in a SHTF situation security is a concern and a priority. Granted on day one post collapse the security situation shouldn't be that bad but you know what they say about assumptions... If you walked all 16 in one day and then found a situation at home you might be SOL. I suppose you have got to ask whats more important getting home on day 1 and being able to defend yourself effectively when you do.

I hope to be able to bug in, I tend never to be much more that 7 miles from home as I work close, BUT if it gets bad enough or looks like it might I have 160 odd miles to my bug out location. PLEASE GOD, I am able to drive all or part of that distance, but I figure I could walk it in 16 days to a month planning on 10 miles a day. I can do more, I have even cleared 20miles in a day, but as I am sure you found out, unless you do it often, walking 20 miles puts you out of commission. Ten miles with a pack is 3-4 hours for me, walking slow and keeping aware of my surroundings, I could walk further but the down time will allow me to recoup each day. This will be essential for me if I want to be able to clear 10 mile the next day.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

This was a fantastic endeavor, tugboats, and I really appreciate that you shared it with us! Great write-up! Can't wait to hear the snow-covered-ground version later! 

At least once a year my husband and I walk the 14-mile round trip to our rural post office, just to make sure we still can, since we're getting older. We bicycle it several times a year, even on snow. If you're careful it's do-able. Even just pushing the load on a bicycle is easier than carrying it all, and the large tires roll better than a cart over long distances.

:congrat: to you, tugboats!


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

A 31 pound pack to go 16 miles is an awful lot of weight, try getting it down to 15-20 pounds plus water, do you really need all of that stuff? focus in on what you need to get the job done. How about energy bars instead of freeze dried meals, or trail mix? When your load lightens your travel time will be less.

I don't think you should get an external frame pack. they get hung up on brush. An internal frame pack will be close to your body and not tend to get caught on thorns and brush. Since it hugs your body it will also help keep your body warm in cold weather. 

A longer route through neighborhoods might be faster than having to bush wack through a forest. Also do you change your pack for the season you are in? This could reduce weight. 

Great job, keep practicing & refining. My apartment is only 8 blocks from where I work but they are all houses full of zombies between work & home. I will definately be armed. Sail


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Thats a great experiment, thanks for sharing.
I will need to do this. Winter is coming up, so the need to carry more gear will be greater. I used to ski, so I have lots of ultra light heavy duty cold weather clothing, they make real good thermal gear nowadays.
Did you plan on carrying weapons of any kind, and account for that extra weight?

Keep it up! Please let us know how the trek goes in 3' of snow, and be careful!


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## PamsPride (Dec 21, 2010)

What about getting water from an outside faucet from a home in the subdivision so you are not carrying so much water? It should also save on purifying. 

Great job on testing your body and preps!


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

In a SHTF situation you would be running on adrenlin. Even though I am only 7 miles (by state hwy) from home, I am 66 yrs old. My GHB is a backpack but has a handle and wheels. I am hoping this will help. However 90% of my planned route is really 10 miles on the back roads that are gravel, not sure how well the wheels will hold up.


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## TheAnt (Jun 7, 2011)

Jimmy24 said:


> That you are even trying, is a statement of your man card....:beercheer:
> 
> Jimmy


My thoughts exactly Jimmy... Im certainly not going to question someones manlyness for attempting that ... especially near 60yo! Now he is thinking of doing it in the snow! Awesome!


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

I don't know how to quote each of you. Please bear with my shortcomings with the technology.

TIREDIRON: The suggestion of a bicyle is a great one. Will be buying one now that they are on clearance. This could easily take the load off of my back.

DOMEGUY: Between seven and eight hours.....just a tad shy of an eternity.

SNOWBOUND: I am dead, just too stupid to acknowledge it.

MEERKAT: Pedal forward? Is this a recumbant bike? Please learn me up real smartly gooderer.

PADRE: The purpose of this experiment was to see if I could make it it home. I have several people that are dependent on me for thier care. My only goal was to see if I could do it. I will not venture this far from home without someone at home that can assume the duties. The reason I choose that day was I had 3 people there to help out if I did not make it home.

GYPSYSUE: I am leery of riding a bike on snow but if you say it can be done I will give it a whirl......just don't laugh. Do you use studded tires or is just one stud on the bike good enough?

PAMSPRIDE: Getting water from the subdivision would have been much faster but the purpose of this experiment was to test my mettle, equipment and tactics. The scenario I created was a true SHTF. No power=no water in my part of the world.

TO ALL: Where I started out was 16 miles from home as the car flies. The route I walked home was 1.6 miles shorter. My son and I went over the maps after dinner tonight and I need to confess my omission to all that have read the saga. It was not my intent to mislead anyone. I beg your forgiveness.

The things that I have learned:
My backpack interferes with my concealled weapon. I carry a 1911 in a waistband holster. This will change in a true bug home situation.

I will switch out my back pack for a MOLLE system with bags you can add or take off.

I carried food for four people. My initial plan was to have my bride and two of the kids with me in a rescue scenario.

I had extra medicines and gear that I would not need to carry if I was alone.

I am going to add a web belt for my canteen and sidearm.

I will pack a larger food ration in my kits for me.

I will add tea bags to my food stuffs.

I will add a water bladder system to my pack.

I am in the process of eliminating useless weight from my pack.

I will buy a lighter hatchet. I went the cheap route and this hatchet is way too heavy to lug around.

When I walk on the treadmill I will wear my hiking boots. They are much heavier than sneakers. This will get me more adapted to the the next trek.

ALL: Thankyou for all of your input. With your suggestions and information I will be better preparred for the next fiasco.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

I would consider re-working your pack to be a better GHB. What you need to do is figure out what your trek would be, put together enough food / water / clothing / shelter together for one person for that trek. It sounds like you set up a BOB for a family. Each person in your family should have their own GHB, don't try to carry for everyone unless the family consists of those under the age of 7 and then you would only pack for those members under the age of 7. For 16 miles (8hr walk) I would probably throw together a solar blanket, a plastic poncho, gloves (winter-style work gloves), a set of shoe insoles, a bottle (or two) of Gatoraid, four high-energy protien bars (like a Clif bar), four regular granola bars (chocolate or other similar sugar-coated) and maybe some hard candies. A GHB is only to get you home, not something to live in for days on end unless you live a significant distance (hour or more drive by car at highway speeds) from work.

As far as cycling in the winter goes, have a mountain-bike with good tire-tread (my mtn bike runs on Panaracer Smoke tires as shown below) which do very well in most winter conditions - other than sheet-ice and even then they are decent.


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## PamsPride (Dec 21, 2010)

I have given this some more thought and I am thinking about making a trip to my mom's house. It is just over 7 miles. If the SHTF I would want to go to my mom's to check on her. Also my church is just a little ways down from my mom's and we would check in there...mostly so that they know that we are accounted for and that we are all right. So I thought about trying it out and seeing how long it would take us (probably me and my oldest) to make it there and back. We would take our bikes though. We would also put water in our kid carrier that we can pull behind a bike. 
My concern is that it is a main road from my house to my mom's and I would not want to walk that far with all of the traffic that we get now. 
If we made the trek on bike I think we could physically make it there and back in a day but walking would take us a while. I just need to pick a time when the roads are not as busy.


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

NaeKid said:


> I would consider re-working your pack to be a better GHB. What you need to do is figure out what your trek would be, put together enough food / water / clothing / shelter together for one person for that trek. It sounds like you set up a BOB for a family. Each person in your family should have their own GHB, don't try to carry for everyone unless the family consists of those under the age of 7 and then you would only pack for those members under the age of 7. For 16 miles (8hr walk) I would probably throw together a solar blanket, a plastic poncho, gloves (winter-style work gloves), a set of shoe insoles, a bottle (or two) of Gatoraid, four high-energy protien bars (like a Clif bar), four regular granola bars (chocolate or other similar sugar-coated) and maybe some hard candies. A GHB is only to get you home, not something to live in for days on end unless you live a significant distance (hour or more drive by car at highway speeds) from work.
> 
> As far as cycling in the winter goes, have a mountain-bike with good tire-tread (my mtn bike runs on Panaracer Smoke tires as shown below) which do very well in most winter conditions - other than sheet-ice and even then they are decent.


I totally agree. My bag was set up for any eventuality. Road trip, vacation, day at the beach (life is a beach) or whatever. This is why I will switch over to a MOLLE system. I can have all I need for all circumstances in one place and just unsnap what will not be needed for the situation at hand. This is more important now after my experiment.

I am most concerned about the health, safety and survivability of my wife and kids. I do not want to just pack for me, they are more important than my own comfort. Each one of my family has a bag but they do not always have them with them, they are in the "War Departments" vehicle, my daughter is at a swimming meet and we will pick her up later tonight. She does not have her bag with her. I picked up my son from school to help out tonight and guess where his bag is.

This is why I carry soooooooo much crap. I think the adaptability of the different pack will give me the versatility I seek and still provide my entire load out. Testing out the gear and myself was a rewarding experiment and the results, although somewhat dissapointing, gave me the information to adapt my limitations to the task at hand.

THANK YOU to all that have offered suggestions and advice. My next test (if they allow me out of the loony bin) will be in the winter and I am already working on changes that incorporate several of the suggestions offered here.


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## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

Tugboats. that is so funny! Man, I can relate more than I can say. 

This morning I spent 40 minutes on aerobics. Twenty minutes on abs. tomorrow I'll do upper-body. I feel great when I leave the gym. But, throw on a pack, or get on the bike to peddle 10-15 miles and I am DEAD TIRED! 

Work in the garden, trim trees, pick up leaves, and I need a NAP!

Still, your experiment is commendable. Thanks for the info.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

tugboats said:


> I totally agree. My bag was set up for any eventuality. Road trip, vacation, day at the beach (life is a beach) or whatever. This is why I will switch over to a MOLLE system. I can have all I need for all circumstances in one place and just unsnap what will not be needed for the situation at hand. This is more important now after my experiment.
> 
> I am most concerned about the health, safety and survivability of my wife and kids. I do not want to just pack for me, they are more important than my own comfort. Each one of my family has a bag but they do not always have them with them, they are in the "War Departments" vehicle, my daughter is at a swimming meet and we will pick her up later tonight. She does not have her bag with her. I picked up my son from school to help out tonight and guess where his bag is.
> 
> ...


I understand what you are getting at. Maybe make the GHB for each kid something that is simple enough that they will carry it with them. Maybe a pencil-case at the bottom of their school-bag would be sufficient for stashing some coin / bills, some snacks, etc. As most kids don't go far from home without their backpack or hand-bag, their GHB may not need to be as extensive as yours and yours as a GHB shouldn't really be combined with a BOB.

Leave the BOB (extensive gear) at home, ready to go, keep the GHB on you or in your truck / car / motorbike / etc that will allow you to get home easily with little stress.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

Argh! Fine, you've guilted me into going for a little 1 - 3 mile walk. No bag or bike this time, just a walk. I need it, though, it has been a week or two since I've gone. And you're right, we learn so much by actually "practicing it". Last Jan. I dropped off my two teens one mile from the house. They just had to walk home with their packs. In that one mile, we learned that even in Florida, they need gloves and a scarf. Thanks for lighting the fire under me again. It's so easy to prep by purchasing stuff, growing a garden, etc... it's a whole different story when you have to put muscle behind it.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

Possumfam said:


> Argh! Fine, you've guilted me into going for a little 1 - 3 mile walk. No bag or bike this time, just a walk. I need it, though, it has been a week or two since I've gone. And you're right, we learn so much by actually "practicing it". Last Jan. I dropped off my two teens one mile from the house. They just had to walk home with their packs. In that one mile, we learned that even in Florida, they need gloves and a scarf. Thanks for lighting the fire under me again. It's so easy to prep by purchasing stuff, growing a garden, etc... it's a whole different story when you have to put muscle behind it.


:bump:

I'm bumping this thread to the head of the line because I think it's one of the best ones on the forum. It would be neat to see more discussion on testing out our bugging out or bugging home plans. I've been in awe of tugboats ever since he had his amazing bug-home adventure!

Spring is coming (well, not for a while up here...  ) and maybe we can get more of this stuff tested and talk to each other about it!


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

I hiked up Sugarloaf Mt (and I use the term 'mountain' very loosely) on Saturday, I was only carrying a day pack. But got a decent workout!

Inspiration!


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## Claymore5150 (Nov 17, 2011)

Maybe treadmill it with the boots AND the pack? 
Start a lot less than your normal routine and build on it.
I applaud you 100% for putting boots on the ground and seeing what it would be like. 
Stopping and talking to folks along the route is an EXCELLENT thing to do. Think about it...if you get out and do it in sections once in a while, you could get to know some folks by name. If anything DOES happen, chances are good they'll see you chugging along your route and do anything they can to help you get where you are headed to.

Wonder how nasty a trek it would be with snowshoes? Or would CC skis be better for your area? 

Bike is great idea...maybe keep a fold up paratrooper bike behind the seat of the truck or in a toolbox in the back? Pannier saddle bags would help shoulder some weight, as well.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

Immolatus - Was there any snow? Or was the ground dry? Sounds like it was a good workout!

Claymore - what exellent observations. Especially the part about doing sections of the route once in a while and becoming familiar with and to the people! It could be a life saver in a real situation.


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## Rain23 (Jul 18, 2011)

Just saw this. Gratz on your determination! That's really walking the talk  Really like Claymore5150's point about meeting folks along the route. Even just having waved at you a few times or said hello in passing makes you "that distance walker who comes through here" instead of "stranger danger." Just being able to sit on someone's porch out of sight for a few minutes in a relatively safe rest point would help tremendously.


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## Claymore5150 (Nov 17, 2011)

Had another thought last night that should go for any who "practice/train" their routes....

A little can of pepper spray goes a long way with an unfriendly fido.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Claymore5150 said:


> Wonder how nasty a trek it would be with snowshoes? Or would CC skis be better for your area?


I am a regular CrossCountry skier (black-diamond rated and extreme back-country / bushwacking) and I also snow-shoe (blue-rated, not beginner, but, not as advanced as I am with X-country ski). Depending on the trip I am doing, I might have a day-trip fanny-pack which has enough gear for a quick 8hr ski (about 35 to 40km). I also have an "overnighter" backpack that carries enough stuff for a two-night trip. The fanny-pack is normally loaded with coffee, water, Gatoraid, granola-bars, toastable sandwichs (wrapped in tin-foil), X-Country cookies (recipe on this board), fruits (oranges, apples), small first-aid kit, length-of-rope, extra mitts, ski-wax, candles, fire-starters. Depending on the time of year, might even have a take-down saw to remove fallen trees. I rarely go out alone, just about always with my dad, lots of times with my brother and if anyone else wants to join (like my MSO, my brother's wife, other friends and family members), they are welcome.

Personally, I have found that either of the packs work very well with my X-country skis and neither of the packs work well with my snow-shoes. I feel like I can carry significantly more weight (gear) safely and comfortably when wearing my skis, the motion of the snowshoes seem to throw the pack around significantly more and no matter how I tighten or loosen the straps, I just can't find a comfort-zone. The motion of the skis is so smooth that any pack doesn't seem to hamper my travels.

My little brother is rated the same as I am with X-country skis and is rated significantly better than I am with snow-shoes. He also prefers X-country skis.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

gypsysue said:


> Immolatus - Was there any snow? Or was the ground dry? Sounds like it was a good workout!


Lol, no, it was about 50°. Theres no snow to be seen anywhere near me. It was in the 60's today.
But yeah, good workout, and nice views too!


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

*Bug Home route revisited and re-evaluated*

Bug home route revisited.

We have had an almost snow less winter here in Southeast Michigan. My revisit to the route was done on the snowiest day of the year. We had a whopping 5 to 6 inches of snow on the ground. This was enough for me to reconsider the pre-planned route home. I was very disappointed with my choice of route.

Evaluation of my winter gear proved very informative. My enhanced work out schedule has had a pronounced effect on my physical conditioning. The War Department (wife) is still concerned about my lack of sanity (her opinion only) but my confidence level in my abilities has increased. The changes that were made to the bug home pack worked out quite well.

Modifications to the pack were:

Reduced the unnecessary equipment. In the last attempt I had food and medications for the family. I had the pack set up for an all inclusive bag that had unneeded equipment for a short term return home. I have switched out the type of pack that I use now. I had an internal frame pack that was designed for trail hiking and not woodland hiking. I have switched to an ALICE pack with MOLLE straps and attachment points. This has proven to be far more comfortable and adaptable for my needs.

I have reduced the amount of tools that I carry. The Ka-bar knife is now in the GOOD bag and was replaced with a Mora. My neck knife is now a Mora #2. My Harbor Freight hatchet was replaced with a Husqvarna hatchet. The bow saw was removed and only the blade was carried (I can make a bow saw frame if needed). My First Need XL water purifier was replaced with an Aquamira Frontier Pro (Straw). I had concerns that the First need canister would freeze in the winter once it was used. My EDC items stayed the same.

Fuel for the penny stove is now carried in two three ounce plastic squeeze bottles instead of an old whiskey bottle. I have added a can of Sterno and a wire screen base to my kit. Fire tinder and fat-wood sticks are now in my kit. I have reduced the quantity of food that I carry and I now create my own meals and then vacuum seal them. I have found this to be better tasting, more nutritious and a ton cheaper.

Cooking equipment was swapped out from the last trek. I now only have my canteen cup and I swapped out the plastic canteen for a Stainless steel unit. My water storage bottle has now become a wide mouth thermos. This has been the best alteration I have made to date. I can add my dehydrated food to the thermos, add boiling water, head on down the trail and dine at my next rest stop. When I start out I add some tang and hot water and this is very refreshing to sip on at the first stop. Do yourselves a favor and try the thermos cooking method out. The thermos is worth the added weight. I also will not worry about my water freezing.

I heeded the suggestions of many from the thread posted early in November. I now have a bicycle in the bed of my truck. This is the greatest asset to my return home. I wondered if I needed studded tires on the bike to ride it in snowy conditions but I determined that just one "stud" on the bike was sufficient (the bride has another opinion). I traveled the road and subdivision route on the bike the night before and had a couple of scary points but as my confidence level increased the scary situations decreased.

I have traveled the woods route several time since November. I met a prepper on the other side of the woods that also makes beer. He heads over to my house weekly to see if mine is safe to drink, and as a good Samaritan, I go to his house to test his beer. Public safety is foremost in our hearts. The woods is a great walk but I will not use it after the SHTF. I will go into this a little later.

RE-DISCOVERY:

I will only use the woods route home immediately (and I mean immediately) after a crisis. In November the leaves were still at 75-80 percent on the trees and I missed far too much of my surroundings. About 400 yards from my trail was a huge path that you could run snowmobiles down. When I walked the trail in the snow there were footprints almost every where in the woods. There are too many choke points along all of the paths that personal safety will be an issue. Since November my walks through the woods to sample beer has displayed some alarming details. There is drug paraphernalia scattered around the first half mile of path from each side.

Safety concerns, being what they are, will dictate that I take a much farther route home on bicycle rather than chance an unwelcome encounter. At least on the roads or subdivisions I have a much clearer view of hazards and have more time to react. The low impact of the bike is better for my knees anyhow. I now carry my 1911 in a cross draw belly holster for use with my back pack. I reduced my ammo load out to three spare magazines (two on my belt one in the backpack). In a real scenario I will carry a good deal more. I only had two speed strips for my snub nosed .38. I did not have any extra rounds in my pack.

I have a Pendleton wool hunting outfit that worked out very well when walking. The 20 mph breeze was barely slowed down by the wool. When stopped I put on my upper and lower shells. I would over heat if I left them on when walking. I got a set of Muck Artic boots for Christmas and those worked very well once I removed the second pair of wool socks. They breathe better than I thought they would. These boots were overkill for the conditions but I am glad I tried them out on a long walk. I will get a pair of light wool gloves for my front paws just for the times that I rest.

I took several more rest breaks than needed. I use these occasions to scout the area and test equipment. I was amazed at how much traffic there was. I never saw anyone in the woods after the first quarter mile but the footprints don't lie (just a little maybe). All of my equipment worked well. I was most impressed with the wide mouth thermos. I will have this as a permanent addition to my pack. I tried the penny stove, Sterno canister and a modified canteen stove and all worked well. Getting a fire started with damp wood was a challenge. I now collect my dry tinder as I walk. Live and learn.

I wish too thank all of you that had comments on the last outing. Many of your ideas were put to use and worked out to be wonderful.

This was the winter that wasn't here in S.E. Michigan so the deep snow portion of this saga was conducted in the U.P. I tried to get around on X-country skis and spent more time (down time) picking myself up than I did moving forward. My pack had me so unbalanced and kept shifting. That's my story (and I'm sticking to it). This is no way for me to bug anywhere on skis. I was fortunate to not break a bone or my neck. I was able to make progress with snow shoes but it was very slow going. I am being quite generous in rating my progress but I did not have any "down time". Two miles on snowshoes and then you need a nap. Heck, I need a nap after putting on all the gear. I also attempted a deer drag sled on the second day. It was much easier, but, putting the pack and a grandchild in the sled slowed me down. From a snails pace to a velocity that could be measured in nanometers per hour. The Muck boots were ideal up there.

I have not been able to get my "man card" back yet but after a few more attempts at my bug home route I hope to re-apply. I now walk on the treadmill with my boots on, walk the woods once a week (Public safety concerns about beer) and have lightened up my pack considerably.

My pack is still on the heavy side but I carry extra thermals, shells, socks, mittens, real space blanket, emergency space blanket and a cold weather sleeping bag. I am old and refuse to push beyond my abilities so I just might have to stop for several hours and rest. I have my pack down to about 23 pounds. I know I might get by with less but....but.....but....

Again, thank you to all that offered suggestions. Time to have a drink&#8230;..then a nap. Typing tired me out.


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## ContinualHarvest (Feb 19, 2012)

Thank you for sharing these tips and your experience.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Thanks so much for the update on your progress with your GHB and the practice routes. Its good that you found another prepper that you can test your systems with!


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## TimB (Nov 11, 2008)

You might consider alerting local LEOs as to the drug paraphernalia, especially if it's close to your house or others. My first thought when I read about the footprints on the trail was maybe hunters or hikers but the drug crap nixed that. 

Tim


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

Tugboats, I really appreciate that you took the time to share all of this with us. Many of us have bug-out routes that are only "Theory". In my opinion, everything is only theory until you've done it yourself. :congrat: to you for testing your route, and testing it again. 

Look how much you learned, and the changes you discovered you needed to make! Plus you discovered your niche as a public-safety tester-of-homemade-beer! 

Thanks!


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