Their Myth Reasoning (not me talking/writing) – The majority of preppers don’t own a separate piece of property that they consider their BOL. The truth is, you don’t need one. Sure, it might be ideal, but it isn’t needed. Below is a way to develop multiple locations. That way you have four routes out of your area.

First, if you have a relative or friend outside of your general area, consider asking them if you could head there. If you don’t have another location to go, I recommend finding a town that’s big enough to have a hotel but small enough to be inconspicuous, which is thirty to sixty miles away.

I say “large enough to have a hotel” because that is the landmark. If they have a room available, stay if you like. If you want to continue on, do so. Do this going north, south, east and west.

Now develop a couple different routes to each location and label the routes “1” and “2”. We purchased plastic foldable maps and have one in our BOBs and one in the vehicle. I think each car should have a map and the directions to each location. If you’re at work and your spouse is at home when you need to bug out, you can send a text or email that says “North, route 2”. Now you know where they are going and the route they’re taking to get there.

My Opinion –  This one is a complete mess to the point I have to disagree with the writer based on just flat-out poor advice alone.

First, the writer talks about having “four routes out of your area.” Really? Where did that magic number come from? However, he does share his wisdom by identifying the four main points on the compass; North, South, East & West. Wow, amazing planning advice!

Let’s take my situation where I live. Going west leads you into very inhospitable desert conditions. Going south leads you into just as inhospitable desert conditions plus it leads you towards the Mexican border and a very large cartel controlled city on the way there. Heading east runs you into extremely rugged granite mountains that also happen to border a highly controlled military base; and the mountains are the beginning of active bombing ranges. So would that be a good idea to plan to head those directions? Nah, not so much. So that leaves north as the primary and almost sole direction to head. But there are only two real roads that head that direction; state highway and Interstate. So what do I do?

Second, the writer makes a recommendation of the size town to head to for safety. Reality strikes! There is no town within 30 – 60 miles for me to head to. Now what? Well, the writer makes a recommendation on how to decide that the town is right for you and your family. His criteria? “…finding a town that’s big enough to have a hotel but small enough to be inconspicuous, which is thirty to sixty miles away.”

You have got to be kidding me! His decision criteria is a motel that is “big enough” but also “inconspicuous”? Sorry, my decision criteria would be more along the lines of:

• Sufficient number of folks to adequately defend the location from a reasonable level of violence.
• Medical facilities and at least some well-qualified medical personnel.
• Enough self-sustaining independent water supply.
• Capacity to grow sufficient food to be as self-sustaining as possible.
• Non-violent to outsiders.
• Knowing the people there well enough (or having enough skills/gear/equipment) to be welcomed.

There are additional criteria that I could identify but that list is a good start.

Then there is the audacious advice that families members should bug-out to far off locations independent of each other! This is a virtual death sentence. I can’t for the life of me imagine telling my wife to hit the road on her own during a time of crisis when the #1 threat would be violence. And violence is always the #1 threat to deal with. Now, the writer would have you believe that the same advice would be true for your kids as well? Absolutely absurd!

Bugging out is not a decision to be made lightly and certainly not without considerable coordination and planning. The logistics alone is daunting. And he can do as he wishes, but I will gather my family first. Because my first responsibility is to protect my family and I can’t do that if they are on the road by themselves.

This single “myth” and the idiocy of the writer’s advice is sufficient motivation for me to write a series of articles on bugging out; that is bugging out without getting you and your family killed.