Survival in a T2K World

[mikeo80]

I had a very interesting morning that led me to these thoughts. I went for a long walk in a local (NC) State Park. Well marked trails, plenty of up and down some soft hills, lots of trees, birds, squirels, and other little critters.

As I walked several thoughts occured to me. (Scary, I know!! )

1) I am in worse shape than I thought. I walked about 2.5 miles or approx 4 KM. At the end I was TIRED. But what if I HAD to walk out of a SHTF scenario? I did not have any backpack or any other weight. Conclusion: I need to walk A LOT more!!!! Then add a backpack with equipment in it!!

2) Walking in a park is much easier than if I had to walk through a forrest.

3) If I had to walk out of Fayetteville, NC due to a SHTF problem, I would have to walk a LONG way to get out of Fayetteville. It would be at least 10 miles or 16 KM before I was clear of the city. Fayetteville is not a big city. (Approx 75-100 thousand) but the way it is laid out (or sprawled out) there is a LOT of distance to cover if I wanted to get from here at home to somewhere away from here.

4) This is not T2K related. In the park I walked in, there is an outlook over the Cape Fear River. While I was at the outlook I noticed that I saw nothing but trees and river for as far as I could see. I marveled at the view. Then a thought struck me. (Oh no, another thought!!) I started to imagine the Native Americans or the early European settlers seeing this. I tried to imagine the awe and wonderment of realizing that this type of environment went on and on and on.... Then, traversing this domain. With a knife, bow, arrows, and a spear (Native Americans) or, at best, a match lock or flint lock musket. (European) How would I have matched up to their abilities? (Not well at all) Could I survive here? (Not with out a LOT of modern tech to assist me.) All in all, this was a very humbling realization on my part.

Sorry if I rambled, but I think these thoughts are valid discussion points here on the board.

My $0.02

Mike

[Cdnwolf]

Good points. The problem with most big cities are their sprawling nature. I am lucky and live near the edge of my city but am still closed enough to the fall out zones from any nukes hitting Port Huron or Detroit.

[Targan]

In the vast majority of Australia, if you leave civilisation and walk out into the wilderness without being very fit and knowledgable in bushcraft you will probably die within a week or even a couple of days. Finding water is the biggest problem as most of Australia is arid or desert. Even in the part of Australia where I live, potable water wouldn't be easy to find once the pumps stopped working and the desalination plants shut down.

Then there's being able to find food that won't kill you, and avoiding the various creatures large and small which can kill you (many of them without even really setting out to do so). And then out in the desert there's the terrible heat in the days and aching cold at night. Really, most of the Australian continent seems like a gigantic kill zone specifically designed to make it hard for humans to survive.

[mikeo80]

Originally Posted by Targan

Really, most of the Australian continent seems like a gigantic kill zone specifically designed to make it hard for humans to survive.

I notice you do not mention the most deadly creature in Australia. The Aussies themselves!!!! (Gently poking Targan in the side)

My $0.02

Mike

[Targan]

Originally Posted by mikeo80

I notice you do not mention the most deadly creature in Australia. The Aussies themselves!!!! (Gently poking Targan in the side)

I'm not very dangerous any more, except perhaps to my co-workers if I haven't had my morning Red Bull

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by Targan

In the vast majority of Australia, if you leave civilisation and walk out into the wilderness without being very fit and knowledgable in bushcraft you will probably die within a week or even a couple of days. Finding water is the biggest problem as most of Australia is arid or desert. Even in the part of Australia where I live, potable water wouldn't be easy to find once the pumps stopped working and the desalination plants shut down.

Then there's being able to find food that won't kill you, and avoiding the various creatures large and small which can kill you (many of them without even really setting out to do so). And then out in the desert there's the terrible heat in the days and aching cold at night.

Sounds a lot like southern Arizona (where I live) for a good part of the year. On Friday, at the local wilderness-style disc golf course on the edge of the Tucson suburbs where I play, not only did the mercury stop close to 100F, we heard tell of a territorial diamondback rattlesnake, a roving mountain lion, and a heard of Javelina (an aggressive peccary)- I didn't see any of them myself, but I've run into a large bobcat there twice. I live about 15 miles outside of town, about a mile from an old Titan missile silo. In the nine years I've lived out here in the sticks, we've killed countless scorpions, centipedes, and black widow spiders inside the house, and six rattlers in the yard. Although I like a lot about rural living, the wife and I have been pining for some of the conveniences of the 'burbs and are looking to move back there this summer. Bottom line is, I'm not cut out to be a survivalist.

[Rainbow Six]

On the subject of Australia, the BBC are currently showing a travelogue style programme on Sunday nights where the presenter is travelling around Australia. For those of you who can access the BBC I Player, last night's episde (part 2 of 3) included a ten minute or so segment on the Australian Army presence in the Northern Territory, so may be of some interest. He spent some time interviewing the CO of the Australian Armoured Regiment (including several shots of the M1A1 tanks, both on the range and parked up) then went out into the bush on patrol with Norforce.

Well worth a look...

[Tegyrius]

Originally Posted by Raellus

Sounds a lot like southern Arizona (where I live) for a good part of the year. On Friday, at the local wilderness-style disc golf course on the edge of the Tucson suburbs where I play, not only did the mercury stop close to 100F, we heard tell of a territorial diamondback rattlesnake, a roving mountain lion, and a heard of Javelina (an aggressive peccary)- I didn't see any of them myself, but I've run into a large bobcat there twice. I live about 15 miles outside of town, about a mile from an old Titan missile silo. In the nine years I've lived out here in the sticks, we've killed countless scorpions, centipedes, and black widow spiders inside the house, and six rattlers in the yard. Although I like a lot about rural living, the wife and I have been pining for some of the conveniences of the 'burbs and are looking to move back there this summer. Bottom line is, I'm not cut out to be a survivalist.

Speaking of hazards in southern Arizona, Rae, what's your take on the cartel situation down there?

- C.

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by Tegyrius

Speaking of hazards in southern Arizona, Rae, what's your take on the cartel situation down there?

We don't really hear much about cartel activities here in SAZ. There's not much cartel-related violence on this side of the border or, if there is, it's not being reported by the media. Until recently, my rec-league soccer team was about 60% FBI, and I never heard any of them mention anything about MDCs (to be fair, they were pretty good about not discussing work-related stuff with the non-agents on the team). Border Patrol and ICE busts traffickers trying to smuggle pot and/or people across the wilderness areas between the various ports of entry. From time to time, they'll bust a rig or other vehicle trying to sneak drugs directly through the border crossings. Highway Patrol or local law enforcement will, from time to time, snag an SUV laden with drugs on its way up the I-10 to Phoenix. There're also a couple of freelance militia groups that operate in the border area that "help out" the feds with border security, and a pretty sweet Native American tracking unit that works the corridors that pass through the reservations that border Mexico. Still, the drugs keep on coming. The people that get busted are usually just pawns, paid peanuts to smuggle product over the border. All in all, my impression is that the cartels aren't active on this side of the border or, if they are, they're keeping a very low profile.