Mobile bug out shelters.

[montanabill]

Many folks are looking around for some place to head out to if things really get bad. Or to have a place out in the country for weekends and such.
I think the time is now to have some sort of plan and a place to shelter in. So here are some Ideas and costs for acquiring a shelter that is movable and doesn't stand out too much right now.
If you already have a cool cabin in the woods or a $500K pusher motorhome with solar and wood gas generator that's great. There are a lot of folks that don't have much money but still feel the need to have someplace besides where they are now.
Starting with a free camper on a beater pickup that only cost $1500. Pretty basic but shelter and a propane cook stove and screens on the windows for those hot evenings. Pretty agile getting in places as long as there is overhead clearance.

Next up the scale is a beater class A motor home. Plus something to drive when you get set up. This big box on wheels has a dodge truck chassis underneath and even tho a bit worn around the edges it was owned by a couple who aged out and weren't using it anymore. Add a high mileage toyota pickup and for around $3500 you can be ready to poke around in the hinterlands.

For those with more to spend there are some real deals around on older well kept motorhomes like this 24 year old mini winnie class C. Gas hog but who cares if you need shelter someplace other than where you are now. Way cheaper than a nice tiny home and it has built in propane, generator and water storage. Add a used SUV and you can spend $30K .

And also there is what I call the park model....as in park it where you want to leave it. Some of these have major mechanical issues or messed up titles. Drive or drag it to a location and don't plan on moving it unless you absolutely have to. A couple of old cars make good landscaping also. This one actually has a lot of room and someone upgraded to a nice ammana three way fridge. Large built in propane tank that will run the stove for over a year. These can be found for free as in haul it away. Some states allow you to get a temp license for 40 days.
I realize there are a lot of places where it rains so much older rigs like these will be a mass of mold but if you look around there are some gems out there, especially in the dryer states.

 

[Aerindel]

I agree.

Something I would like to have. My problem is making a space to park one at home, is about half the work of just making another room for my house, which all things considered, I would rather have instead of an old RV parked and waiting for just in case. This is the downside of ten acres of hillside, plenty of space but 'flat' space only happens if I spend time and money to construct it.

What I have instead, is a very large canvas tent, and accessories that I can haul out to anywhere I need to go.

 

[Hardcalibres]

I have been setting up a BO/INCH mobility system for a while.

Recently I got to test it out on a very, very remote piece of beach.

It is very offroad capable, 100% offgrid for electricity and can carry a lot (6 tons) of food, water, propane (enough for months) and a small boat.

 

[Frodo]

I learned a few things during Katrina, Terrible storm FANTASTIC learning experience

Roads are impassable during a crises. your RV will get stuck in a huge parking lot . you will run out of gas and when/if you leave your vehicle all of your stuff will be gone.
This is a fact, I have witnessed it.

What you need is a piece of land that you can put your rv on now with all your preps in place
Forget a car, Think motorcycle, bicycle, Feet inside boots
Be prepared to abandon your vehicle grab your bug out bag and walk to you safe place. be armed and alert. The less ''Stuff" you carry the safer you will be
If you do not have anything to steal then you are not a theft victim

just my thoughts.

 

[Haertig]

I think 50 years ago, bugging out would have been a reasonable plan. But these days, with so many people around and trying to bug out themselves, I am no longer totally convinced about that. Geez, we have reservations and "timed entry" into national parks now. People don't think twice about stealing your stuff these days, and that's during normal times, things would only get worse in a bug out situation.

I'm not saying don't bug out. Only that I don't plan to myself. I will most likely spend my last days inside my comfortable house rather than in a dilapidated RV stuck on the roadside, in traffic, out of gas, fighting off those who want what little I have left. Bugging out is for the younger generation, and even then, it would often times be a questionable tactic IMHO.

If I were to bug out, I agree with Frodo that something like a motorcycle (off road bike) might be the better transportation option. I would want that. And a secure destination to head to that was already stocked and secured. Otherwise, where would you go? And firearms. Yes, firearms would definitely be necessary. I don't see how the anti-gunners would have much of a place in a large scale bug out, or even a bug in. Except maybe as a food source.

 

[backlash]

I'm too old to bug out. I'm staying right where I am.
My thoughts on an RV is it would make you a target for desperate people.
Anything that looks like it might have food or water will get hit hard.
If you're not a gray man you're a target.

 

[montanabill]

I agree.

Something I would like to have. My problem is making a space to park one at home, is about half the work of just making another room for my house, which all things considered, I would rather have instead of an old RV parked and waiting for just in case. This is the downside of ten acres of hillside, plenty of space but 'flat' space only happens if I spend time and money to construct it.

What I have instead, is a very large canvas tent, and accessories that I can haul out to anywhere I need to go.

I agree steep hilly country is hard to do anything on. Long ago we bought for a pittance 20 acres that had no level land on it. Luckily here in montana people have equipment and that they run for a reasonable price or if you are known it is possible to borrow. An afternoon with me on a large backhoe netted my enough flat space to park a 23 ft trailer.
We also have a 18 foot TiPi for the real outback get away from it all.
Right now one of our campers is functioning as a place for the teenager we are raising. Gives him a place of his own and we don't have to nag about moldy dishes.

 

[montanabill]

I learned a few things during Katrina, Terrible storm FANTASTIC learning experience

Roads are impassable during a crises. your RV will get stuck in a huge parking lot . you will run out of gas and when/if you leave your vehicle all of your stuff will be gone.
This is a fact, I have witnessed it.

What you need is a piece of land that you can put your rv on now with all your preps in place
Forget a car, Think motorcycle, bicycle, Feet inside boots
Be prepared to abandon your vehicle grab your bug out bag and walk to you safe place. be armed and alert. The less ''Stuff" you carry the safer you will be
If you do not have anything to steal then you are not a theft victim

just my thoughts.

I should have prefaced my OP that I live in montana and consider living in a major city self assisted suicide.
Lots of "friends" have places to pre position a stocked RV around here. It takes a small group to secure a location so a lone wolf hiding in the bush is not something I would consider.
We have some great ballistic protection rocks and caves.

 

[montanabill]

I think 50 years ago, bugging out would have been a reasonable plan. But these days, with so many people around and trying to bug out themselves, I am no longer totally convinced about that. Geez, we have reservations and "timed entry" into national parks now. People don't think twice about stealing your stuff these days, and that's during normal times, things would only get worse in a bug out situation.

I'm not saying don't bug out. Only that I don't plan to myself. I will most likely spend my last days inside my comfortable house rather than in a dilapidated RV stuck on the roadside, in traffic, out of gas, fighting off those who want what little I have left. Bugging out is for the younger generation, and even then, it would often times be a questionable tactic IMHO.

If I were to bug out, I agree with Frodo that something like a motorcycle (off road bike) might be the better transportation option. I would want that. And a secure destination to head to that was already stocked and secured. Otherwise, where would you go? And firearms. Yes, firearms would definitely be necessary. I don't see how the anti-gunners would have much of a place in a large scale bug out, or even a bug in. Except maybe as a food source.

Invest now in your favorite sipping hooch and some fine cigars.
I also do motorcycles and bicycles and own four season tents altho lighting up that propane cook stove in a snug camper when the wind is blowing and the snow is falling has a certain appeal.
Since many younger people are not buying homes a camper of some sort will make them much more welcome at a homestead or site where they can help out with work and defense.
My judgement and opinions are somewhat skewed by living in montana where concealed carry is a right and many people shoot long guns that truly can reach out and touch someone. Yes there are crowds at major national parks but that is a place I will not be close to except for a couple weekends per year.

 

[montanabill]

I'm too old to bug out. I'm staying right where I am.
My thoughts on an RV is it would make you a target for desperate people.
Anything that looks like it might have food or water will get hit hard.
If you're not a gray man you're a target.

A RV parked in a field or on a deserted beach will certainly draw unwanted attention. My plan is to have a couple of RV's circled up in a out of the way spot with controlled access or lagered up on a ranch.
I am also planning for younger people who will want to survive for a while till things settle down a bit.

 

[Haertig]

I agree.

It's good to see you post every now and then. We know you're still doing OK! There's not really much call for us to worry though, you are one of the folks here who I'd vote "Most likely to do OK out of the whole bunch of us."

 

[Haertig]

https://www.homesteadingforum.org/attachments/dsc03984-jpg.89536/
You have got one heckuva great fort there! I am so jealous.

 

[Aerindel]

I should have prefaced my OP that I live in montana and consider living in a major city self assisted suicide.

Same, on both counts, although it looks like you live in a different part of this huge state than I do.

Bugging out is just a tool in the toolbox. Lots of situations where it would be a terrible idea, some where it would be the only logical thing to do.

Steep hillside is sorta the same, advantages and disadvantages. What makes it hard for me to use, makes it hard for other people to use, same with my dense trees, etc.

Which isn't really telling anyone anything they don't know. But to a certain extent, we all have what we have and its good not to spend too much time planning on what you want to have at the expensive of working with what you do have.

 

[Hardcalibres]

Same, on both counts, although it looks like you live in a different part of this huge state than I do.

Bugging out is just a tool in the toolbox. Lots of situations where it would be a terrible idea, some where it would be the only logical thing to do.

Steep hillside is sorta the same, advantages and disadvantages. What makes it hard for me to use, makes it hard for other people to use, same with my dense trees, etc.

Which isn't really telling anyone anything they don't know. But to a certain extent, we all have what we have and its good not to spend too much time planning on what you want to have at the expensive of working with what you do have.

Yep agreed.

It is worth noting that in threads like this, there are always going to be posts from people who live somewhere remote, for whom other people bugging out (to their area or somewhere like it) may increase risk (and somewhat defeat the whole point of their chosen remote location).

For those people, it may be their only hope, to try to convince the whole world to not bug out because "it is a terrible idea"........when in fact that assessment is borne of self interest.
I don't blame them for trying.....but it is important to identify what that is about.

INCH (I'm Never Coming Home) is a very advanced survival concept/capability. Most preppers cannot even contemplate such a thing let alone resource it as a viable option. Again, many will feel more comfortable to dismiss that such a need could ever exist than accept that for some types of very severe crises, INCH is the only survivable course of action.

Ideally the vehicle for such a journey should be capable of getting where almost all others cannot (the filters you have posted about before). The more filters you can pass, the less people you have to tolerate.


Agreed too on the steep land - much of my land is hilly to steep. That made it cheaper to buy and more private. For outsiders up to no good, it is just a bunch of extra effort.

It makes it harder to work, but everything is a compromise.

 

[Morgan101]

Very few things would make me bug out: wildfire, flood, maybe invading forces. Even if we survived a tornado or earthquake, I would remain camped out on my property. That will always be where my supplies are, and I will protect what is left from any looters.

That said, my bucket list Bug Out Vehicle would be a conversion van. I have driven large RV's and just don't feel comfortable doing so. They can be fun, but the cost of fuel is enormous, and if SHTF availability may be spotty. A conversion van may not be as comfortable, but it is easier to drive, more maneuverable, and more fuel efficient.

 

[Haertig]

Over the years I have dreamed about high end bug-out situations. My brain has imagined large high bay type garage loading docks attached to the house with preloaded bug-out trailers inside. Armed motorcycles also stored inside those trailers for quick deployment as a fighter group to protect the bombers, or as scouts.

But alas, I finally decided that the millions of dollars it would take to make that happen would be realistically and better spent elsewhere.

So I will just bug-in and stay at home and do my best from here! If the house burns down due to my cooking negligence or something, I'll just have to deal with it at the time. I can't some up with any logic to buy additional property, transport vehicles, etc. to enable a home away from home. If one already has the property, or the life goal of moving out into the wild, prepping for a "leave this place forever" bug-out becomes more practical and financially justifiable. Still a stretch IMHO, but one that could be justifiable in some circumstances.

 

[zoomzoom]

I "had" a bunker for my BOL. After having it for around 15 years and never needing it (I used it for play and storage), I decided to sell it. Taxes, utilities & maintenance were running around $10,000 per year so that's detrimental.
If you're considering a BOV or BOL, consider what it's going to take to keep it maintained. After awhile, you may get sick of shelling out the $$$ to keep it in reserve.

 

[Hardcalibres]

I try to never buy anything substantial for just one reason.

My most "substantial" preps/capabilities are part prep, but also part hobby, farm machinery, investment, etc, etc

The visit to the very remote beach was a great test for the gear/system. But it was also a "fishing vacation".

The Unimog in the images was purchased about four years ago for $11,000 (through a milsurp online auction). It has been useful around the farm (handles the hills really well and the winch provides a lot of utility).

It is great for camp outs (hobby).

Because the supply of those has dried up and people with non-mil background have now realised how good a vehicle they are, they are now going for about four times that price (investment). I sort of guessed that would happen when I bought mine so I bought two.......

Both are also part of an INCH system.

Getting back to the OP, I would recommend that people considering an RV as some sort of backup accommodation/bug out vehicle, buy a functional vehicle and actually use it for some leisure/hobby and/or for homestead/farm work. While vehicles like that are not great for daily use, they should be used enough to keep them from falling into disrepair (which happens if they don't get used).