A couple more comments:

Robbie:

1) Bicycles and trailers are really best when used as secondary vehicles. You resort to them after something has disabled your primary (motorized) vehicle.

2) You will find most of us here will tell you that you will do very well to be able to carry the amount of food, water, and weapons needed to make it to a bug out location. That location must have a sizable amount of all types of supplies there in order for you to make it through a growing and harvesting season.


MDinana: The problem with the sport wheelchairs that I have been around:

1) They lack pushing handles on the top rear of the seat. One normally hangs their Ruck from those handles. This capability would prove to be of a critical necessity in the event that the chair had to be used as part of a secondary BoV.

2) They normally don't have arm rests and this would prove to be of a critical safety importance in the event the chair had to be utilized as part of a secondary BoV.

That's the last of my 4 cents worth!

Where are you? Why would you need to bug out quickly? Bugging out is only preferable to digging in when staying means you will probably die.

You are NOT bugging out by foot, pure and simple. You have no non-vehicle mobility to speak of, you are better off figuring out WHY you might need to bug, and know how to tell when it will be needed. Then and only then, bug early. This is totes of stuff tossed in the trunk. Skip the tent- the wheelchair means you are needing to have a destination picked out, not found. You will want a family member or friend who you can stay with, or a public shelter.

You have a bad set of conditions. But the other choice it leave people behind.

I have written and posted at one time two articles that deal with the basic premise behind this post.

Carrying a bigger BOB. That deals with designing carts and options for carrying more equipment or persons that have limited mobility. I.e. young children or elderly.

Alternate Bug out Vehicles. This includes other forms of transportation. Such as boats, standard bike options as well as rail bikes and converting a standard motor vehicle for use on railroad systems.

Finally I have the basic design of a rickshaw like cart.

Anyone that would like copies can send me an E-mail address via the PM system. I can then send them to you as a set of attached word documents.

Thank you all for your widsom and advice. Locations for other supplies is not viable. A wagon for children and supplies is a possibility. I will need to check on the bicycles. That sounds like something we could do.

If I may inquire further, how do I balance the needs for water, food, and shelter?

Thanks,

Robbie

Instead of a kid's radio flyer wagon, take a look at nursey wagons, the kind of wagon that you use to cart around plants, bags of mulch etc. Bigger, much more stable, more durable wheels, better capacity. Inflated, ball bearing wheels, decent steering. I think bugging out with one of these would be a last resort, but could haul someone a good distance with mobility issues and maybe a kid or two. I've seen decent models at Home Depot for $100-150, and models in catalogs with mountable side rails. Our neighbor has one and I've pre-requisitioned it to move immediate casualties after a quake.

Take a kids wagon to bug-out?

Seriously, how far is a person going to bug-out with 2 adults having to carry food & supplies, push a wheel chair and have 2-kids ride in a wagon? And the kids will want to ride in the wagon, (having been a parent, I can guarantee this) so you need 2 wagons, backpacks for food and supplies.

If you go with bicycles with a trailer on each one, who’s going to push the wheel chair? A battery powered one will run out of power in a short time, you need a manual one if you plan on walking out of any given situation and it’s any distance to your target area.


The adults will have to pull 2-wagons, have heavy backpacks on and push a wheelchair. After 15-min of this it’s going to cause you to want to go home and wait and hope for the Calvary to come rescue you.

You can’t put all you need for 5-people in 2 backpacks and a wagon. It’s not realistic to think this would work.



Again bugging out in this situation is going to involve an auto, and hopefully one with a roof rack. Even folded up a wheel chair can fill up the trunk of a car, that’s why you need a roof rack. And extra gas cans full of gasoline.

Might I suggest a bugout BOAT instead? A flat bottom boat with a 9.9 hp motor will get you many miles on a tank of gas, and a trolling motor can add a few more to that. From there you can still pole or paddle it.

I’m confused, a boat?

You're right, bugging out with a disabled person without a vehicle is a last resort. We're all wrong though, to assume that the person's electric wheel chair is a viable bug out vehicle to move them. You can't rely on the electric charge, and when it dies you are pushing a 250 lb item up and down hills, over alot of ruck, through snow, among traffic etc. Non-electric wheelchairs are lighter but better to leave the wheelchairs behind, and move the person on some other conveyance. Pictures of refugees show alot of innovation in how they will move, even pushing sedans filled with family and stuff along the road once they've run out of gas. Frankly that wouldn't get you anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, not with our predominant hills and our wet. So you need to think light, and that's why I suggested a nursery wagon, which has a capacity of at least 400-500 lbs and can accomodate at least 1 disabled person with additional gear and infants. It also has a steering bar that could be modified to be towed by a bike (maybe), or broadened to be pushed by two adults (easier). And you might strap a walker on, they're pretty light and compact, ensuring the person some mobility at destination.

But all in all, the best plan for success goes to Mr Wildman: plan ahead for a bug out destination, ensure ou have access to a vehicle for you and your charges, and leave early as a precaution (cost = some gas, maybe a couple nights in a motel or imposing on friends or family, some time off work, peace of mind and a successful evac = priceless).

Are you thinking something like this or this?