I think I’ll throw my 2¢ in on the shelter in place vs. bug out debate here. (My apologies, Susan, if this wasn’t really the response you were waiting for.) More like 1½¢ since it should be short:

The way I feel is this… the more prepared you are, the less chance there is that bugging out is your best option. To the normal masses, getting away is what you do when you run out of options. To the prepared individuals, their preparations are their options. Even if something huge took place, such as a nuclear blast or series of them, a majority of the prepared will have a large portion of the supplies necessary to shelter in place for that event. The best of us have the plastic sheeting, duct tape, etc. to make our home ready (a couple of us even have the bomb shelter under the garage ).The people who haven’t taken any steps to prepare… they run.

Now, if your house is burning down or the circumstances make it impossible or dangerous to remain in your home, you bug out (of course). But even those of us that are prepared will have some supplies that are ready to go along with a plan to take the stuff that is important and irreplaceable with us. Those who have no plan are simply running away from the fire.

The fact of the matter is this: if you are going to bug out permanently to “live off the land”, you better have a damned well-prepared place to go. You might want to watch Les Stroud’s special “Off the Grid” because that is the kind of place you will need in order to “live off the land”. In fact, you may have to go further than that to make it a successful venture. There is just an inordinate amount of stuff that we take for granted that will suddenly have to be supplied all on your own (unless you are part of a “live off the land” coop community or something) such as food, water, fuel, and all of the creature comforts that we also take for granted (such as electricity).

I guess I am trying to point out that there is a difference between running, bugging out, and living off the land. Running is a reaction that has no plan as a backup. Bugging out is a temporary retreat that is accompanied by a plan and some supplies, with the intention to return when things are calmed and/or safe. Living off the land is an almost impossible goal that even the groups of pioneers, even with a whole plentiful expanse of nature at their disposal, had trouble conquering (and that was with the help of their neighbors and family, not by themselves).

Okay, so this turned out more like a nickel’s worth. So shoot me.

P.S.: I think your situation has made many of us jealous, Susan. Sounds like a paradise. And your point is well delivered.