Gaye Levy
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There comes a time when every prepper takes a look at what they have done, what they are currently doing, and what they plan to do in the future. Sometimes, they retrench and rethink past preps and improve on what they have done and especially what they have learned skill-wise. Sometimes they take a break because let’s face it, we all need balance in our lives. And then there is the most difficult part which is planning for future preps, if any.
I am very good about asking questions about prepping goals and readers excel at answering. Today I want to turn the tables and share a major preparedness goal that looms on my personal horizon. This is not so much that I expect you to follow suit, but more that it is such a huge goal that you may find the inspiration to set long term goals yourself.
Fair warning. This is not a typical blog post for this site, but one that needs to be written and shared with my readers.
Getting Out of Dodge
There is an old song made popular by Kenny Rogers titled The Gambler. There is a passage in the song that says “the secret to survivin’ is knowin’ what to throw away and knowin’ what to keep”. Those are important words and although taken out of context, something I have considered when taking a look at my own preps.
The world has changed tremendously since I started prepping in 2010 and it has become time to re-evaluate one of my primary pillars of survival, shelter. Is my home safe? Is it protected? If there is a major disruptive event, will I be able to carry on while making good use of my preps?
Sadly, my answer has become no. There are many reasons because at first blush, this island location is off shore, difficult to get to, and abundant in natural resources, most notably in the form of water and trees for wood and biomass. On the other hand, the cost of living is high, and during the summer months, the population doubles with the influx of tourists.
Tourists are not prepared. Should a disruptive event (earthquake, cyber attack, EMP, you name it) occur during summer, this island in the middle of nowhere will be as chaotic as the urban core in a large city. Folks will be stranded and because we are off-shore, will not even be able to walk out.
Looming large is also the strategic location near the international border and close to the entrance to Puget Sound. With certain types of events, what is to prevent our government from stepping in and taking over our island for strategic military reasons? It could happen.
I am planning to get out of dodge.
The Survival Retreat: Is It Time?
This leads me to the goal: finding a survival retreat that offers as least some of the sustainability and security that I seek.
Here is my bucket list.
Minimum of 1/3 acre and preferably more.
Sunny space for a garden. Existing fruit trees a bonus.
Trees in the general vicinity to provide wood and biomass for heating and cooking.
Local source of water such as streams, ponds, or lakes. Bonus if a well can be dug.
Abundant wildlife for hunting as a food source.
Favorable tax environment.
Sufficient storage space for a two year food supply.
Gun-friendly.
Zoning that allows for water catchment systems and auxiliary fuel/propane tanks.
History that shows area is relatively free from wild fires and floods.
Moderate climate 20F low to 90F high.
Proximity to health care within a 20 mile radius.
Very good to excellent cell phone service.
Availability of high speed internet (for as long as it lasts).
Peace, quiet, and no tourist activity.
This list has been in the making for a couple of months and is still a work in progress. Selling my home comes first.
The Challenges
This sort of move does not come without challenges. Selling a home stuffed with ten years of accumulation is a lot of work and, in an area such as ours, can take some time.
Moving is also hard work and we are not as young as we used to be. And then there are the preps. Food, gear, and water storage will be moved right along side our household goods. The logistics promise to be a nightmare but how could I not (move them, that is)?
This will all be happening while I continue to blog and continue to keep up on my skills. Will I even have time to sleep?
The Final Word
Is this type of move to a survival retreat for everyone? Of course not. There are family, job, health, and financial considerations that may need to be met. I am fortunate to be debt free with a home that, when sold, will allow me to find a mountain retreat with plenty of water, trees, and the space and sunshine to grow a bountiful garden. Will I find everything I want? Probably not, but I am going to give it my best shot.
Let me close for now with some additional lyrics from “The Gambler”.
“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em. Know when to fold ’em.
Know when to walk away and know when to run.”
At the end of the day, we all do the best we can. Although we make mistakes along the way, being a resilient species allows us to recover and move on. Wish me luck as I embark upon this new adventure. And thank you for listening.
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
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Have you ever wondered what preps I value the most? There are way too many to list so those I have listed below are a sampling of items I use all of the time and not simply tucked away for emergencies.
Note: As I was going around the house looking for things to add to this list, I had to stop. There are simply too many items so I will reserve the rest for another time.
UltraFire Mini Cree LED Flashlight: I personally keep flashlights in every single room of my house and you should too. At the time of this writing, these flashlights are with free shipping. These favorites are super mini sized, bright and waterproof. Plus, they use a single, standard AA sized battery.
Berkey Water Filter System: For in home use, nothing beats the Berkey. My own Royal Berkey represents a key component of my water preps. The Berkey system removes pathogenic bacteria, cysts and parasites entirely and extracts harmful chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, organic solvents, radon 222 and trihalomethanes. It also reduces nitrates, nitrites and unhealthy minerals such as lead and mercury. This system is so powerful it can remove red food coloring from water without removing the beneficial minerals your body needs. Virtually no other system can duplicate this performance.
NALGENE BPA-Free Water Bottle: These water bottles have served me well. I fill them up with water from my Royal Berkey and keep one bedside, one at my desk and another in the bathroom. Keep in mind that price-wise, some colors will be more expensive so if color does not matter, go with the cheapest (currently the green version).
RAVPower 15W Solar Charger with Dual USB Ports: This compact, three panel, solar charger will charge two devices at once, including tablets, smartphones, Kindles, and even AA/AAA battery chargers. For more information, read: Gear Review: RAVPower 15W Solar Charger with Dual USB Ports.
First Aid Ammo Kit: Okay, this is an article and not one single item but I use my first aid kit at least once a week.
Panasonic eneloop AA New 2100 Cycle Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries: These days, I try to use eneloops as much as possible. They hold a charge forever – or so it seems – and work well in flashlights and small electronics.
Grabber Outdoors Original Space Brand All Weather Blanket: I was interested in a re-usable emergency blanket so I purchased one of these based upon the excellent reviews. This space blanket is definitely “heavy duty” compared to the cheapies (not that they don’t have their place because they do).
Maximal Power FC999 Universal Battery Charger: This nicely built charger will charge charge AA, AAA, C, D, N, 9V, Ni-MH, Ni-CD, and Alkaline batteries. It has an LED display so that when you first put a battery in the charging bay, you know whether it is viable for charging or simply bad and ready to go back to the recycle box.
Amprobe BAT-250 Battery Tester: I do not know anyone that is sorry they purchased or gifted an inexpensive battery tester. Mine sits in my desk drawer and is used 3 or 4 times a week. This newer version is an upgrade from the BAT-200 and well worth the additional dollar in cost. I especially like the redesigned side cradle that holds batteries securely in place during testing – no more erratic battery readings from movement off contacts.
Morakniv Craftline Q Allround Fixed Blade Utility Knife: ANOTHER FAVORITE! Also known as the Mora 511, this is now my favorite knife. It is made of Swedish steel and is super sharp. Many Backdoor Survival have emailed me indicating this is now their favorite knife too.
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54 Responses to “Getting Out of Dodge: The Survival Retreat”
WHY DON’T YOU STOP DOING THIS SHIT? yOU GIVE PEOPLE FALSE HOPE. i HAVE BEEN STUDDING THIS STUFF FOR YEARS AN i FIND THAT WHERE EVER YOU GO, PEOPLE WILL FIND YOU.
There’s no need to shout which is precisely what one is doing when one uses all caps. You’re correct Michael, people will find you wherever you go. Unless one lives under a rock. I think the intent (if I may, Gaye) of this article and discussion in the comments is to maybe help someone ‘find’ a place with the criterior (specific to Their needs, of course) to homestead, live each day to the best of their ability ON that homestead, and to learn as much as they can and implement what they’ve learned on that homestead. I personally love my home, and my home state, BUT I am smack dab in the middle of a small town with nosey neighbors who know every little move I make, the lot floods after each hard rain (it didn’t when I was growing up), if a really bad situation arose I and those who depend on me wouldn’t feel safe, and the list can go on. The point I’m making is To Each His Own, Michael Ponzani. Each of us would like (AND possibly find a place that suits Each. Of. Us. For some it’s just a dream, Michael. For others the dream is becoming a reality. Whatever that place may be if I found it I’d move in a heartbeat regardless of whether I’d ‘be found’. Anyone want to buy a home as is right in the heart of a small town in the south? I’m ready to move!
Michael, if you find this topic offensive to you, WHY DO YOU BOTHER TO READ IT AND RESPOND WITH PROFANITY?!?!?
Dude. Seriously. Just move on without the rancor, Umkay?
Otherwise, I disagree with your assertion that you can always be found. While you might be correct, chances are if an individual searches enough and is willing to truly get off the grid, it CAN be done.
You may have been “STUDDING”(sic) this stuff for “years” but folks like myself have been “Studying” this stuff for DECADES, and KNOW better.
So for those who are searching for that perfect spot that meets your needs, don’t give up.
EVERYTHING in life is a series of tradeoffs, but given the drive and resources, it CAN be achieved!
Good Luck.
just about Anywhere in the rural or semi rural south east would meet your requirements
the area where GA, SC, NC and TN all meet would be a great place to start looking.
In fact I have a place for sale in Hiwassee GA that may meet most or all of your requirements, not a lot of trees, but plenty of sun
earning a living is the hard part in a rural area.
for the person wanting to shelter in pllace for 3 months, sometimes thats the best thing, but you gotta have a real strong bunker that you cant be flooded or smoked out, and some way to pursuade the bad guys to go elsewhere, like hidden flamethrowers or alot of buried automotive airbag landmines
One of Mel Tappen’s better ideas was that of living in a place that’s about a gas tank away from a major metro area. Find such an area and become known to and valuable to the locals.
//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Tappan
I agree and would suggest one additional idea along those lines.
Learn the times/seasons for the various crops for the area and make it a point to visit and be ready to volunteer some time and labor to help in the harvest of whatever has come ripe to get in good terms with your neighbors. It may take several attempts and actual hands-on events to prove your “valuable neighbor” status but could pay back HUGE dividends should the SHTF.
Not only for helping a needy neighbor, receiving help in return, but also learning what crops are being grown, the ways to grow it/them, AND maybe gets some fresh fruits and veggies etc., all of which could become invaluable come hard times.
Just some additional food for thought. 😉
It sounds (judging by your property criteria) like you are looking for heaven on earth. I have mulled over and over thoughts of where the perfect place might be. (with a list very similar to yours) I come up with none. And I have an honest question: even if you do find your ‘perfect’ place, how would you secure it? If (or when) the SHTF happens, my thought is that people will be stealing and killing and whatever else they have to do to survive. How is it possible to protect your animals and garden and fire wood 24/7/365??
My family is currently planning a different approach. Our goal is to safely remain in place for 3 months or so. After that, if things unfold the way most predict, we may have our choice of many properties to which we can relocate for the long term.
Buffy, really like your comment. I’m inspired by all that you have learned and done to have a life in which you feel safe and self sufficient. Thanks be to God for your husband’s recovery.
I would love to hear more about what makes Missouri a safe zone. Although I spend countless hours checking various criteria, I can’t seem to find a place that meets my objectives.
If you would be interested in discussing location factors by email,
[email protected]
Thanks, Karen
I would also like to hear about ‘safe zones’. I’m just starting to learn about all of this. It seems like every time I think I know where a safe zone might be, something drastic happens there…
We moved from California to Washington state Puget sound then on to Missouri. After the ice storm of 2007 with 12 days without electricity the light bulb went off. I had been gardening and had frozen everything and did not know how to can or preserve food, what a rude awakening.
I’ve learned a lot since then. Installed wood stove, rain barrels, solar system learned how to can, dehydrate and preserve food. We have our own chickens and 90 % of what we eat we grow, barter. We’ve learned about natural medicine and after my husband had multiple cancer surgeries all with in 6 months, it was God and natural medicine that saved his life.
I scour the Internet for more knowledge and information that can enhance what I already know or educate me more. That’s how I stumbled into you. I have sent people to your site countless times. One of the skills I wanted was natural medicine, so I am a certified herbalist consultant and a natural medicine practitioner, make my own line of successful products and teach an herbal class once a month to share the wealth.
I have found Missouri to be a wonderful place to live and if you are so led, you will find what you are looking for here as well. It also happens to fall into one of the safe zones in the USA.
God bless you search, may your house sell quickly and may you be led to the right place. Thank you for all you do.
I am very intuitive when it comes to essential oils but herbs? Not so much. Although I have read and studied, I hesitate to rely on herbal remedies but know that I need to do better. Perhaps you can share some of your knowledge with us?
Having read this article and all the comments, I am envious of many of the responses and writers.
I am, by choice and upbringing, a Desert Rat and truly prefer the WIDE open spaces living in the area of SW AZ, but understand the trials and tribulations my existence entails.
That said, I would HONESTLY LOVE to have the means to relocate to one of the areas as described by some of the contributors. I am single(divorced) and on my own with a dog and a long-term Fiancée who is NOT in any way shape or form involved on the prepper mindset, nor does she want to be, sadly. She leaves me with all the details and cannot be bothered, I’m sad to say.
My kids don’t have anything to do with me (the ex poisoned them to me AFTER the divorce) so nothing is holding me back except for finances (ruined due to medical and job issues in recent years) thus my options are limited BIG TIME!
That said, I’m in an area not too close to town on two acres with potential but the heat, lack of my own well and soil issues make gardening a challenge at best. However, my neighbors are all independent minded, friendly and our properties adjoin and are defensible should the SHTF. This is a big plus for all of us IMO.
Unless I were to come into a large financial windfall (COME ON, LOTTO!!) I’ll have to stick it out here for the foreseeable future.
As I mentioned, I have no kids to hold back a !ove were it possible, my folks have passed and the only family of any worth is just beginning to open his eyes to what is going on around the country but, with a new family, he’d be hard pressed to pack it in and relocate unless something REALLY dire were to happen, but by then his options would be sorely limited.
He does have the financial means to prep and prep well, so I’m providing him the info and hoping he will accelerate his prepping plans and, at least, get out of town from the close quarters subdivision he lives in now.
Considering I’ve been a prepper/survivalist for the better part of five decades, one would think I’d have it all figured out and I’d be “set,” but life/family choices and career considerations are all compromises we all make and have to learn to deal with in their own time.
If only I had known then, as the saying goes.
God Bless and good luck to us all!
(PS, sorry if there are any misspellings or punctuation errors. I’m typing this on a tablet which doesn’t lend itself to easiy manipulation.)
I am fairly new to prepping and currently living apartment life in a small town in South Dakota. Unfortunately I can’t seem to find anyone around here who has the same prepping/survival interests. My dream is to someday live the cabin life in a mountain area and be able to survive without modern conveniences that I have come to rely on for so long. Currently I am doing more stocking up on learning skills than much else and will be attempting canning within the next few weeks. I am also attempting gardening for the first time in my life,(in large pots on my front porch).Since I am in my 50’s my friends here think I am nuts but I believe with all my heart that we all need to get prepared for the worst. I just wish I had started much sooner.Any information anyone has to share is greatly appreciated.
The mountains of South Carolina have all your criteria. That is where my bug out house is located. Rich soil for gardens, fruit trees thrive, water and abundant wildlife. Mountain residents have always been preppers as a way of life.