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Thread: Long Term Survival with Family

  1. #21
    Senior Member Celticwarrior's Avatar
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    I agree with those above on your children. A 7 year old might be ok for short durations, say on a piece of the AT or another well-hiked and maintained trail with plenty of secure rest stops, but in no way, shape or form would I ever condone taking a 2 year old on such a hike for an unlimited duration, much less trying to attempt a hike across country, with minimal provisions and supplies, and attempting to hide from people at large while doing so.

    Those kids are far too young to be trying to learn SERE tactics and survive in the wilds in all sorts of weather and environmental conditions. Kids that young are prone to all sorts of illness and injury as well. If you are living like fugitives on the run, with obviously little in the way of monetary security, how will you deal with it if one gets burned in the campfire, cut with a knife, bitten by a possibly rabid animal, or develops some infection or illness that can't be readily treated in the field with bandaids and herbal teas? If you and your wife, as adults, want to attempt a flight into the wild with no security and not much in the way of supplies, that is your business. Taking kids that young out into situations where you have no backup, no endgame plan, and no safety net if things go horribly wrong is unconscionable. There must be relatives that you can leave them with until you can get settled somewhere, provided it isn't putting them in more danger to follow you into your new life.

    Having lived in Michigan for a good portion of my life, I can tell you that as bad as it gets here, you haven't seen anything until you have pulled a few nights in winter in places like North Dakota, where you can get temps (without wind chill) down into the 60 below zero range, or Buffalo where you can get dumped on with lake effect snows and wake up buried under 5 FEET of fresh wet snowfall, where it is impossible to walk out to a road without snowshoes. Travelling overland in the plains states, you will find very little woodland areas suitable for hiding in and making camp without detection, or providing enough game or fish to keep you fed. Once you get into the western states, you will find that fresh clean water (even considering using a purifier) is almost impossible to find in many places. Where you do find it, you will find all sorts of civilization and the people you want to avoid. Anywhere that you would be looking to camp and hunt is likely either privately owned (and you risk getting yourself or your kids shot as trespassers) or government owned, where you will likely find rangers, game wardens and other LEOs.

    If you were in the Marine Corps, you know what kind of fresh hell boot camp is for guys and women in their late teens/early twenties. Would you REALLY, as a loving father, want to put your TWO YEAR OLD through something just as tough as that, if not tougher, with NO way of getting help if he/she CAN'T make it? A recruit can always drop out or be recycled if they are unfit for the rigors of training. You aren't giving your kids that option. It is either do or die.

    I don't know your situation, and I can't imagine why you think this is a good idea, but I am BEGGING you to reconsider taking your kids out on a dangerous and perhaps deadly exodus into the wild. Visiting and camping in the woods is great, but trying to hike cross country and avoid detection with two little kids is going to be nightmarish for you as parents, and tortuous to them. Their bodies aren't ready for unrelenting hiking in blistering heat, frigid cold, rain and snow, and all the other things you will experience out there. It will tax even you, with your physical conditioning and training, to be out there day after day like that. Think about what that will do to a little child! I don't know what training or experience your wife has, but unless she was in the Corps with you and had similar training, I guarantee she won't be thrilled about being out on the road exposed to the elements and living like Jeremiah Johnson for very long, especially if she is the one having to primarily care for the kids during this trek.

    Also, and this is an unpleasant fact of being in the situation you are describing, what would happen to your wife and kids (or JUST your kids!) if something happened to you (or you and your wife!) out there? There are plenty of ways to die in the woods, or have an accident that leaves you crippled or trapped. What would they do if you got pinned by a falling tree, or mauled by a cougar, or cut an artery and bled out while cutting firewood? Do you really think your 7 and 2 year old would be ok if mommy and daddy got sick from bad food or bad water and DIED out there, in the middle of nowhere and with no one they know to call and get help?

    Please reconsider. Whatever the reasons are that you have for wanting to make this journey with your young family, it can't possibly end well. Find another way, or for pity's sake, at least make arrangements for the kids to stay somewhere safe. As a responsible parent, sometimes you have to make the tough choices. Making your kids suffer for your mistakes isn't right, no matter what the reasons are that you might have for doing so.
    "A free citizenry should never abide a government that seeks control over it's people rather than service to them"


  2. #22
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    We had a family here the winter before last that road a custom made quint bike from Kentucky to here, the interior of Alaska. 2 parents and 3 little girls. But they were well publicized as they were living off of donations and friends. Their trip was fascinating.
    http://www.pedouins.org/family.html
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  3. #23
    Senior Member Celticwarrior's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seniorman View Post
    Even the Rocky Mountain fur trappers of the early to mid-1840s did not try to live out of a backpack. They had mules and horses to pack their goods. Also, they had the annual rendezvous to which they brought their "products" (furs) to trade to the merchants from St. Louis for all the supplies they'd need for the coming fur season. Their furs were "money."

    The early western pioneers used oxen, mules, and horses for their wagons and carts to "head west," and although many of them walked, their young children rode in those wagons and carts. They also carried multiple supplies in those vehicles and sometimes, even with those, they nearly starved to death.

    A woman, two young children, two backpacks and no real plans other than to "walk across the country," seems to me you'll not just be asking for trouble, you're gonna be sitting up and begging for it.

    Best of luck if you really try this.

    S.M.
    Many didn't even live in the wild during the wintertime. They would take their fur money and go into town and set up housekeeping in a boardinghouse until spring, or they would take a Native wife so they could get in with the tribe during the wintertime. Unless you built a winter cabin, you didn't stay out during the winter season. Living out of lean-tos and canvas tents on the trap line was great during the rest of the year, but when the snows started, you didn't want to be without four walls and a good fireplace or stove.
    "A free citizenry should never abide a government that seeks control over it's people rather than service to them"

  4. #24
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crabapple Plum View Post
    ...................
    I'm interested in seeing the list The Mom has for stuff needed for her and the kids for this grand adventure.
    Plus one on this, and I have to ask, have you spent an over nite with kids?
    Good luck with this.
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  5. #25

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    I clearly made a hasty decision in consider doing this. I suppose I am not nearly as familiar with the dangers of living outside as I thought. I will have to figure out a safer way to take care of anything that may come in the future. Thanks all for your advice and counsel.

  6. #26
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Well I guess, that our comments aren't what you wanted to hear?
    Anyway..... Good luck with that.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  7. #27
    Senior Member cowgirlup's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by holyflame View Post
    I clearly made a hasty decision in consider doing this. I suppose I am not nearly as familiar with the dangers of living outside as I thought. I will have to figure out a safer way to take care of anything that may come in the future. Thanks all for your advice and counsel.
    I'm glad you are rethinking your idea. I'm sure there are a lot of alternatives you haven't considered and it's always good to have a plan and a few back up plans.
    "I enjoy surviving." Yes, well I certainly hope so as the other side of that is "DEATH!"
    Sarge47

  8. #28

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    My grand daughter was born in 4 months premature. She lives a pretty regular life. But, she is sick right now and she occasionally needs a treatment like an asthmatic. If you have ever had metal scrape your bone. You know what hearing her not breathe right feels like to me. I imagine not being able to breathe and as a child. That just sucks! My son had real bad asthma growing up!


    How would you deal with this in the wilderness?

  9. #29
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Anyone ever hear of the Donner Party? How about the Mountain Meadows Massacre? How about the Oatman Massacre and captivity?

    There was a time when people walked across the country as part of a great migration. We still have access to the lists of goods and supplies they needed for this trip.

    The ones that survived took about 1800 pounds of supplies per person. Now just how much can you stuff in that backpack of yours?

    The Mormons tried to cut that down to 250 pounds per person and use handcarts but that did not work out well. Lots of deaths due to starvation and exposure.

    A wrong turn, bad weather, running into the wrong crowd along the road and you are done for.

    In a post apocoliptic world? Impossible, you don't have the Bible memorized and you name ain't Eli.

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