The one in Ann Arbor gives renters 24 hour access by a card key, but I take your point.

Even when the power is out?

Some have backup generators. The local one does not. Eventually this falls into the: convenient, reliable, cheap; pick any two; realm.

That was the point of my original post, any location that requires electricity is a bad place to rely on if emergency access is needed. If I were running a retail cigar business and was faced with say an eminent hurricane, letting my customers have access to their humidors wouldn't be at the top of my list of priorities.

I'd be very surprised to learn that many local self storage centers would be accessible after a power outage, not to mention getting to it could be problematic. If the folks running them happen to post here, they'll all be at home taking care of their own families with gear that they stored in an accessible place.

Yes to the "pick two of" statement above.

The only self storage units I have seen that are not card controlled and fenced have been very rural. Some of the ones in really isolated and small towns don't even bother with perimeter fencing.

They would hardly qualify as convenient for most people though just because they are so remote.

It does make me wonder about the possibility of parking a small van body truck or trailer somewhere that would be more accessible
to you. Possibly in a garage space or parkade. Maybe in a friends yard or driveway.

Huh, it didn't occur to me at the time but I have used a car as a storage unit. It was in a University parking lot so there was security (let's invoke the 'keep it legal' mantra) but it worked for a few duffle bags of gear. Just had to move the car every once in awhile.

I think Dagny's setup of having her stocked teardrop "nearby" is excellent; it's just hard to ensure that the supplies will be there when you need them.

The other day I was out in the country (about 2 hours south of St. Paul) and there was a self storage site that had no fence or exernal security. The Self Storage site was just the storage buildings in a field. Perhaps if you chose your escape route and stick to it there may be a storage site like what I saw. This way you could rent out and stock up a self storage place that has no fence nor is it in a facility that you would have to break into.

With this plan you could easly take your planed escape route drive to the country and go to your stash then be on your way with your stored supplies.

Granted this is not a "cheap" way to cash your gear, but it would be secured bigger than a PVC tube.

you could even push this to the extreem and keep dirt bikes, four wheeleres, but now I am waxing over zelious.

Also if you can afford it you could pay for a year in advance and only have to worry about the storeage place once a year.

why would anyone want to escape from St Paul??

Canoedogs:

Honestly I don't know,, rather like it.. but I am always looking, planning and plotting of ways to get out. though I have to say it is a very nice place to live

How 'bout one where they pay me ? At work I've got a goods locker on the truck bay floor as well as a personal locker in well the locker room....

My personal locker is big enought for spare uniforms,dress blues,shave kit etc. Plus two full size Rubbermaid totes .