prepared vs ready

[wareagle69]

i was watching the castle again today i was struck by a conversation between robert redford and mark garafalo- when robert says about the colonel" he is prepared but he is not ready" man that realy got me thinking, as everyone knows i always am prepared and i prepare all ways, but truely i do not think i am ready. For what you may ask? for it i reply, for the big one the big natural disaster or crisis of a large event bird flue or glabal depression or what have you, i think i need about 3 or 4 more years to say i am ready
what is you level of rediness vs preparedness?

[Stony]

nobody is ever 'ready' and only few are somewhat prepared.
it is a big difference being ready for a power outage or a un-plowed road lasting up to one day then being prepared ofr a long recession that cost you your house/land/equipment (and reduces you and your family to beggars).
mooching of others works only so long.
judging from many posters on this forum, (almost) everyone is bugging out/heading for the hills/bush and ready to 'live of the land'.
good luck, I say!
the old (and outdated) asg mentality is still rearing its ugly head.

as for us (the girls and I): we know how to take care of ourselfs.

[Riverrat]

I am as ready as I can be at this time, if something happens, then I will deal with it as best as I can. I would love to have a couple more years to be better prepared, have a more food stored up, little more ammo, and few other things, but I think as long as we are getting ready, starting to be prepared for whatever, then we will be better off then most. I also think that we will always wish for more time, that one more thing that would make living so much easier....but if need be, my family could make a pretty good stab at survival.

[Sourdough]

This might sound odd, whereas my greatest concern has been other people. I have only today realized that I am better prepared for a winter event, than a summer event. In the winter the city people would stay, or migrate to America. In the summer they would take there motor home/travel trailer and head to where the fish are running.

It is odd to me that the same people who would "not" take the time to give me directions in the city; Are just fine with knocking on the door at 2:AM with, "We slid in the ditch, do you have a 4X4 to pull us out, or we ran out of gas, do you have a can of gas? Or my favorite, we got a moose down, and don't know what to do next........:rolleyes:

My all time #1 is, when I was homesteading up off the Denali Haul Road, I was driving a small dozer building a road for a Canadian Mining Co. and I would rough the road in across the creeks and rivers, then come back later with culverts for the creeks. So this guy drove 13 miles back a new one lane mining trail just to see where it goes, his truck got washed down Windy Creek, in the truck was his 9 month pregnant wife, a two and four year old. They were OK when he left them four hours ago to walk out. He shows up 10:30 PM. with were stuck back Windy Creek, could you come tow us out, He say, he does not think it is too bad stuck.

[Arsey]

If being a member of forums such as this one has done anything at all for the likes of me, and probably you all too, then you are far better prepared mentally and physically than you were before.
Our ability to think on our feet and view any given situation with a 'survival' eye is a huge asset.
It's all well and good to be prepared as much as you can in your safe place but what happens if the very thing you worry about happens when you are hundreds or thousands of miles away from the safety, foodstocks, weapons etc.
You'll have to think on your feet. And you'll probably do far better than the average person at that.

[Le Loup]

We lived for about 20 years without power, so we know it can be done. Now we live in a solar power home with compost toilets and own grey water system. Water is supplied through rain water stored in two 5000 gallon cement water tanks.
We have gardens and two houses in a forest. From a civilian threat point of view we feel we are able to protect ourselves.
I belong to an 18th century living history group. The New England Colonial Living History Group. Our main activity is 18th century historical trekking. Through 18th century historical trekking our members learn a wide variety of primitive wilderness survival skills. On our treks, we practice these skills, everything from fire-bow & flint & steel fire lighting, to trapping, hunting, and shelter construction.
Because I am a historical trekker, i have my gear already packed, so at any time, I can pick up my pack and walk out the door, knowing that I can survive, Long-Term, in the wilderness.
Anyone else here interested in 18th century historical trekking? Regards, Le Loup.

[Sarge47]

Ready for what? How does one plan for any & every contingency? Wareagle, I also own a copy of that movie, one of Redford's best, I believe. I think what Redford's character really means is that you can't be ready if you don't know what's going to happen in advance. How do you prepare against an unknown action that's going to take place? So Redford misleads his enemy into being ready for the wrong plan; the flag being flown upside down, when really all Redford wants is for his enemy to shoot him causing his own downfall. Brilliant!
To answer your question, to prepare is to help make yourself ready for most potential threats, but no one can be ready against an unknown threat. Just my buck-two-fifty!:cool:

[Freki]

that is an awesome film. I like the comment he makes to the colonel about collecting war artefacts. most entertaining!

I tend to agree with what Sarge is saying, but, like being cold and hungry you cant prepare for that, but you can get to know what it's like so you know what to expect and I think that is the key. It would be impossible to plan for everything.

If you have strong enough skills to survive then start running your own drills to try and experience different situations, for example full planned bug out, having to leave strait after work with maybe only your bob or not even that, maybe not using your car one time etc. At least you'll get an insight into how the different situations could play out and you'll expand your reasoning to be able to adapt a plan very quickly. So your not preparing for any specific threat, your just experiencing different scenarios in a controlled manner whilst you still have time to learn.

good thread, it certainly got me thinking!

oh and le Loup, I wouldn't be so interested in the trekking side of things, as unless its an e&e type of situation then my only concern is making camp. I do hill work with a bergen but that's for fitness not pleasure, but the living I wouldn't mind giving a go. Unless I've mis-understood what you've said?

mark