Too far?

[Icarry2]

Has my prepping and training gone too far?

Back ground:

Planning a 9 day vacation, driving, out of state, unfamiliar route, place, etc. As part of the planning is to refit both the BOB and EDC bags to go in the trunk along for the vacation just in case....

Issues:

The thought of walking home over 1,300 miles is crazy.. Walking 4 miles an hour 12-18 hours a day is still 20+ days worth of walking..

Covering the truly possible events that could happen.. Security is at the top, not getting car jacked, mugged, shot during a stick up at a gas station, etc. Getting there and home safe is all that matters really..

Packing for the terrain, weather, distance, etc.. If we were to hump our way home..

I am coming to the realization that my partner, who is not as enthusiastic about being prepared as I am and still can’t understand why I want 90 rolls of toilet paper in the house thinks I am crazy.. She pokes fun at me all the time but I still love her and that's why I do what I do..

Just thought I would share some of this.

Oh and I already printed out each states reciprocity, alcohol – carry laws (yes it is a vacation) and all the information I could get about any local or state specific limitations. AND, I am driving around states that don’t honor Indiana licenses..

Worked out coordinates, routes and put together info for navigation home if on foot..

And worked out "cache" points of weapons, ammo, supplies, possible safe houses, etc...

So I ask the question:

AM I NUTZ? lol Isn't this vacation just like any other "mission" and should be planned, prepared for, executed and reviewed as with any?

 

[eldirector]

I can't comment on your sanity!

That said, I do some of the same. Printed copies of maps/routes (with alternates). Printed state reciprocity sheets. Re-packed GHB. Extra cash stashed away, just in case the plastic stops working. We normally drive on vacation, so the truck is over-packed a tad.

My wife is a "planner" by nature, so half of all this is her doing.

 

[Keith_Indy]

Yeah, we always over pack for vacations, especially if we're driving. Our recent trip to Cabo was a prime example of this.

Working around the restrictions of air travel, I was still able to pack enough stuff that I was confident we could bug in for a short period at the hotel or in an airport (in the case of long flight delays.)

 

[DanO]

"Your life should be a palace, not a fortress" or words to that effect, were spoken by a Sensei I trained under. He was referring to the tendency toward a seige mentality when we try to prepare for every tiny detail. You can't do it, and you miss the point of being prepared.

Life is a messy, uncertain, wonderful business and our training and preps should FREE us to enjoy life even more. When they begin to paralyze us from travelling, enjoying, exploring, you need to reevaluate. Only you can decide what is right for you, but a fellow prepper with commmon sense you trust would be a good sounding board for this and other efforts.

Don't let this prepping thing take over your life, let it enrich your life.

 

[goinggreyfast]

Just kinda sad that one has to spend so much time planning so they can protect themselves and not break the law against some idiot who clearly is.

 

[snorko]

Sounds like you are off to a good start!

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

The thought of walking home over 1,300 miles is crazy.. Walking 4 miles an hour 12-18 hours a day is still 20+ days worth of walking..

Have you actually "trained" for this ? I mean 4 mph is a pretty good pace with "gear" on .

I remember back when I was in , humpin a 90+ lb ruck at 4 mph was a real "gut check" and I could only do it for a few hours , then I got slooow .

 

[Icarry2]

2ADMNLOVER, training referring to many things, and yes physical condition is part of it, I am familiar with those sorts of gut checks, I don't carry a 90# GHB..

I work out nearly every day and know my phsyical limits. It was more of a joke that I would walk all the way home.. I would aquire transportation...

I just ment that spending a few extra hours being preparred for our trip made me think and wonder if I was off my rocker, I guess it depends on the viewpoint.

I started the thread as a sounding board, I don't have any close personal friends I trust who are preppers.. Most are Sheeple..

 

[Blackhawk2001]

OP, I'll counter your question with another question: Do YOU think it's "nutz" to have a solution for every foreseeable issue that could affect your vacation? Personally, I think you've brought up some good points to consider when _I_ go on my next vacation. I've seen people blithely board commercial airliners in shorts and flip-flops and I always wonder: 'what will you do if it's snowing at your destination - or if the aircraft crashes and burns?' We can't be prepared for _every_ emergency that can happen in our lives, but we can sure plan for the ones we can foresee.

 

[Icarry2]

BlackHawk, no i don't consider myself nutz, I was just curious what others did, if I was way beyond what others do, just trying to gauge things. I won't change what I do per se but I will adapt..

 

[DanO]

OP - No, you are not nuts. As a result of home training, military training and training as an LEO, I tend to plan everything I can. Most people who travel with me are amazed at how comfortable and seamlessly we depart/arrive at our destinations. Of course, if you ask my wife she will tell you I have a "right way to rake leaves".

As long as you go out and do what you want to do, and don't let a fear of "what if" keep you from living life, you are fine.

 

[Icarry2]

Well all in all the preperations and extra gear I took along wasn't needed and we had a great time.

Actually we did take a sleep roll out of the GHB and take it to the beach one evening, it was a bit chilly..

 

[jsx1043]

Glad to hear the trip went well and you guys had a great time. What happened under that bed roll on the beach, anyway?

I'm a little late to the party, but I'd say no, you're not nuts. Maintaining a good situational awareness and having that much preparation puts you leaps and bounds above the regular person. Of course, when my family and I go up too NWI to visit the out-laws, I always plan as if there's going to be some cosmic disruption to life that either strands us up on 65 or at their house for a week or two. I figure that way I'm ahead of the game if something minor does happen, and better than the rest of the sheeple if TEOTHAWKI hits...a compromise of sorts. Not to mention that our packing for said trip similar to a bug out in our preps.


Like DanO said, as long as you're not so carried away that it takes up every free second of your day and you're living in a tinfoil tent, you're GTG. I started to get that way a while back, where I was so preoccupied with prepping that I was getting gloom and doom, and I realized that whatever happens, I can only deal with whatever is in my scope of control. Prepping is supposed to give you peace of mind, not frustration and worry. If one starts to get that way, it's time to dial it back.