Bug out places

[Johnny C]

Has anyone looked into heading to one of the underground mines here in So. Indiana for a bug out spot?

Seems like in a long term ARMAGEDDON setting, a mine could be easy to defend (if it had 1 entry)

I am not talking about a shaft mine, but 1 of the hillside, limestone mines with a straight in entrance.

1: You could survive the winter with just a coat, if you had to, due to the earths ambient temp underground.

2:The cool environment would be good for long term storage of perishables, though you would have to overcome the humidity.

3: You cant get more impregnable than a 1 entrance, limestone cave in a hillside that has a steel door.

4: Most folks wont think of going there, so raiders shouldnt be an issue till everything else has already been pillaged.

5: These limestone mines have entrances that you can drive vehicles into, and store there if you ever needed to evacuate.

6: These mines (I have been told) have generators in them for lighting and such.

7: If you were lucky, there might be water available inside the mine also.

For the hard core preppers; There are probally some abandoned mines around Bedford that are on land that could be purchased. This would be less expensive than trying to buy and rework 1 of the missile sites that folks are getting fond of these days.

Johnny C

 

[jeremy]

Has anyone looked into heading to one of the underground mines here in So. Indiana for a bug out spot?

Seems like in a long term ARMAGEDDON setting, a mine could be easy to defend (if it had 1 entry)

Johnny C

Johnny,

Murphy is a real bad MF'r...
1 way in means that there is also only one way to get out...

Other than that way to think outside of the box...

 

[melensdad]

If we are facing a situation like they faced during the collapse of Argentina's economy, then my personal choice would be to simply bug-in to a semi-rural home. One on at least a few acres, one that could be defended, one that is on a limited access road (perhaps just one road into the area), one with a few neighbors who could look out for each other, one that had the ability to grow a large garden, perhaps with some woods for harvesting the occasional deer, rabbits, etc.

To my mind the ideal place would be just past the suburban sprawl, outside of any city limits, but not totally isolated. If your home is alone in the middle of 100 to 500 acres then you only have you & yours. If bad guys come there is nobody else. But if you are in a small neighborhood, say 20 to 30 houses scattered on a dead end street and each of you has 2 to 10 acres, then you form a cooperative of sorts. If the road is not county owned you could even gate the road for limited access. If all society breaks down then I think a small group might be more valuable to have around you than to just be alone.

Look around the world. There are places where society is in pretty near chaos. In the cities/suburbs of those nations people live and survive, many are in homes that are walled off and fortified. I think most Indiana suburbs and cities won't allow for stone/concrete walls & fences all around homes. But out in the semi-rural areas you can do that, and if you coordinate with your neighbors, into a glorified "neighborhood watch" program you'd probably be reasonably secure. It would be in your best interest to protect your neighbors, and for them to protect you, in a setting like that because if one falls then the others will likely fall in subsequent attacks/break-ins. It would be good to have 'enough' land to grow food, but no so much that you can't defend it. But I think limited road access is a major advantage to this type of scenario. A home on a rural county roadway with easy access is probably a lot harder to defend, even with a few neighbors, than a home on a dead end road with a few neighbors.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Most of the underground room and pillar mines in S. Indiana are really poor places to bug out to. There just aren't that many of them. Your great idea breaks down when every local who knows the mine is there also gets the same great idea. Same with caves. I flat guarantee you that the "secret" cave you know is known to hundreds of people.

Now, purchasing one and outfitting it beforehand is a whole different matter.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Most of the underground room and pillar mines in S. Indiana are really poor places to bug out to. There just aren't that many of them. Your great idea breaks down when every local who knows the mine is there also gets the same great idea. Same with caves. I flat guarantee you that the "secret" cave you know is known to hundreds of people.

Now, purchasing one and outfitting it beforehand is a whole different matter.

So, you're saying that the cave that's just west off of 37 on Old 158 probably isn't the best place to go, huh?

Bummer.

 

[shibumiseeker]

So, you're saying that the cave that's just west off of 37 on Old 158 probably isn't the best place to go, huh?

Bummer.

Nope, especially since it's a pretty good flood potential... Two entrances though...

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Eh, flooding just makes the cave bigger!

 

[E5RANGER375]

discussin exact bug out locations is never a good idea, but i deffinately wont be bugging out to a place with one entrance/exit, never. id rather hump it in the cold weather and build a snow hide every 2 days and stay moving till i got to georgia. once im back with my Ranger brothers the clouds will part and the angels will sound their horns.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Eh, flooding just makes the cave bigger!

Yep, and if you're in it when it happens then all of your problems are solved!

 

[cosermann]

If we are facing a situation like they faced during the collapse of Argentina's economy, then my personal choice would be to simply bug-in to a semi-rural home.

Frankly, with our current administration, the proposed policies, the way things are going with spending, the expiration of the Bush tax cuts at the end of the year, etc., this is a scenario that can't be ruled out.

I just would not go too rural (intentionally). FerFal relates how some in Argentina, who were too isolated (i.e. country/rural), were ripe targets for criminals.

SURVIVING IN ARGENTINA

 

[IndyBeerman]

discussin exact bug out locations is never a good idea, but i deffinately wont be bugging out to a place with one entrance/exit, never. id rather hump it in the cold weather and build a snow hide every 2 days and stay moving till i got to georgia. once im back with my Ranger brothers the clouds will part and the angels will sound their horns.

A one entrance/exit is a great idea to an extent, that is if it is highly concealed and I mean this in a way that a person could walk by there a thousand times and never know it is there. That means there can be nothing that even gives the slightest indication of a human being there.

People don't realize it, but even grass that has been walked on can show proof of a human presence.

Plus one entrance/exit may be highly defend-able, it can also be your biggest liability because you can not seen. Ideally a 10 to 15 wide entrance with you being back inside a bit will only let you see maybe a 70 degree width and no chance of anything from the side. This is exactly where a person of evil will use that entrance against you and make it your own personal grave.

So if you plan on doing something like this, make sure for goodness sake that you tunnel a one person at a time emergency exit. Something with 1 foot of soil over it so ground cover will grow over and you can easily push out of the way.

You have several doors in your home for escape, and hopefully a plan that will let you exit if those doors can't be reached. The same should be for something like that.

 

[Woodsman]

once im back with my Ranger brothers the clouds will part and the angels will sound their horns.

I'd say that's about as safe a place as anyone could hope for.

Is that true about the clouds parting, etc? That's a heck of a homecoming!

Ditto on the note about security too. Loose lips sink ships was the saying...

 

[melensdad]

Frankly, with our current administration, the proposed policies, the way things are going with spending, the expiration of the Bush tax cuts at the end of the year, etc., this is a scenario that can't be ruled out.

I just would not go too rural (intentionally). FerFal relates how some in Argentina, who were too isolated (i.e. country/rural), were ripe targets for criminals.

SURVIVING IN ARGENTINA

Exactly, which is why I suggested a Semi-Rural location not too far beyond the suburbs but outside of any city limits in an area with other houses on 2 to 10 acre properties on a dead end road that can potentially be gated for security.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

My secondary bug out location is in the great white north. I'll let you Rangers fight the natives. Can you say Katrina.

I'm headed where there are no people to fight with. Won't be hiding in a cave with only one way in either. Too risky. You'll get popped without even knowing the BG is there.

discussin exact bug out locations is never a good idea, but i deffinately wont be bugging out to a place with one entrance/exit, never. id rather hump it in the cold weather and build a snow hide every 2 days and stay moving till i got to georgia. once im back with my Ranger brothers the clouds will part and the angels will sound their horns.

 

[Eddie]

Exactly, which is why I suggested a Semi-Rural location not too far beyond the suburbs but outside of any city limits in an area with other houses on 2 to 10 acre properties on a dead end road that can potentially be gated for security.

This was my thought in moving out of the city. One of the advantages to rural/semi-rural areas is that everybody knows everybody and almost every household has at least a shotgun and a garden plot. It is my belief that the social structure will hold on longer/better in the countryside with less folks turning to crime and more cooperation between households. If nothing else there won't be the population pressure out here during a SHTF event that there will be in the urban areas. The entire population of this county is only 16,000.

 

[melensdad]

...It is my belief that the social structure will hold on longer/better in the countryside ...

I would agree, but I also think that rural areas may be areas where opportunities exist due to ease of escape and semi-isolation. Houses located on property that is near a rural intersection I think may be greater targets than others because people can leave the area in up to 4 directions. People on long isolated roads may face similar risks. It strikes me that in a rural/semi-rural area the best location is on a dead end road or a private road with a few neighbors. Even then, I'd want neighbors who are reasonably self-sufficient or capable of such, which is why I think 2+ acres would be good, but probably no more than 10 acres because it can become difficult to secure larger properties. Natural barriers are good too, so if your road, and property is backed up to HEAVY woods, or better yet a good size creek/river then you have some protection from that side. The ability to close the road with a gate would be ideal, but that requires a private roadway and that is not too common but on dead end roads is not too unusual either.

 

[E5RANGER375]

I'll let you Rangers fight the natives. Can you say Katrina.
I'm headed where there are no people to fight with. Won't be hiding in a cave with only one way in either. Too risky. You'll get popped without even knowing the BG is there.

yeah the natives will die of thirst in about 3 days, so they wont be any problem. then i will have all the tactical cadilacs i want!!

 

[bigiron]

typically, even in the SHTF situations we have encountered, going all the way back to the LA riots in the early 90's, metro/urban areas are the first to fall apart and the epicenter radiates from there. so the farther out you can get the better obviously. i like the mine/cave idea for sanctity buy everyone is right, lots of folks will the thinking the same thing. i agree, rural area, 2-7 acres, a few neighbors who you know and trust and a well thought out and stocked home will keep you alive through the worst part. just remember though, trust no outisders!

 

[Indiana_Dave]

An isolated rural area with a few homes and acreage within eyesight of each other is the best. With acreage, food can be grown. With caring neighbors, defense can be collective. This was the successful model for early settlements in America.

 

[WeAreNotAlone]

To add to the above, from what I've read if you were to spend every dollar you could spare on supplies and the like you have to fear not only the bad guys, but also the Government....
(I think I read somewhere they can take your stuff in times of emergencies. )