New "Preppers"

The last few months has seen renewed interest in "prepping". Some of it comes with the realization that Mother Nature can be a fickle bitch. Some of the interest comes from the Left as they realize that the Government cannot solve every problem.

People who are new to this path are vulnerable to certain misconceptions. I want to share my perceptions about the high-runners.

Misconception #1: "Preparedness is a hobby I can turn on-and-off'

The rapid change in speed or direction of events cannot be anticipated. Chaos can be unleashed in the blink-of-an-eye. Sometimes God gives us hints. Sometimes He does not.

The seasoned prepper realizes that catastrophe is a come-as-you are dance. Consequently, most of us ALWAYS wear practical walking shoes/boots when we are outside of our house and we load our pockets with items we might find useful. Futhermore, if we are outside, we are wearing clothing that will protect us from the climate. My target is to be able to walk a minimum of three miles or to spend an hour outside regardless of the weather. Your goals will depend on your location*.

Misconception #2: "I have a backpack..."

This is what the shooters call The Magic Talisman fallacy. "I have a gun and that makes me invincible".

OK, you have a backpack. Have you used every item in it several times? Have you used those items in inclement weather? Can you start a fire in the snow with that little stick-thingy? Are your emergency foods something you can actually stomach? Will your water purification system actually handle water from a mud-puddle?

Referring back to Misconception #1, what are the odds that you will be able to get to your backpack when the balloon goes up? Is it in the trunk of your vehicle or in a closet at home?

Have you considered that wearing a backpack will make you a prime target in many places?

Misconception #3: "I will rise to the occasion..."

Col Jeff Cooper once wrote "In times of crisis we do not rise to the occasion. Rather, we regress to the highest level of skill that we have mastered."

Hunting guides "out west" hate clients who show up with shiny new guns without a single scratch on them. They cringe when that gun is an enormous Boomen-Cannon magnum that was recently written up in the latest gun magazine. Those clients flinch and miss and wound and make excuses and write bad reviews.

Hunting guides "out west" are delighted when the client opens up his gun case and pulls out a rifle that has clearly seen much, loving use at the range and in the field. It is far more likely that that tool will be a natural extension of the hunter's body and can be rapidly and accurately deployed than the shiny Boomen-Cannon.

Summary

Be prepared for the SHTF at all times. Have the physical capability and the "gear" to walk three miles (or some reasonable distance) every time you walk out the door even if all you plan to do is to clip the dog to his run.

Footwear are your first point of failure. Maybe you can walk three miles in flip-flops or Crocs. I can't, at least not in my environment. Ergo, I don't wear either of them outside.

Wear clothing with lots of pockets. Carry a pocket knife, a BIC lighter, a wallet with a few bandages and $40 in mixed bills. Other possible must-carry items: Your smartphone, a light and a means-of-defense.

If you start collecting gear, USE IT! Ideally, you need to use it shortly after you acquire it so you don't end up in the "stack it high" fortress filled with stuff you cannot use. 

Using your gear will also disabuse you of certain fantasies. For example, you might think that you will be able to survive in the woods for three weeks and cut a 30 mile path to Maryland through the brush with a machete. An overnight in your back-yard and clearing a 10' long row of thorny-scrub with a machete might make you adjust your plans.

---To be continued---

*Southern Belle spent a semester in Europe. It was the summer angry Greeks were rioting and burning down banks. To humor me, she charted out several walking routes that bypassed the center of the city and started carrying a few items in her student backpack should she need to leave the bus and hoof-it.