Missouri « Robin Writes

I read an article over the weekend that talked about arriving at your bug-out location/retreat/wherever you plan to go when SHTF. This one in particular referenced a cabin in the woods, so naturally I paid attention.

First, a two- or three-hour drive like ours could easily turn into twice that, or more. While we’re used to stopping for a bathroom break or to grab a Pepsi, that could be dangerous or impossible when SHTF. A few hours would be no big deal, but twice that? You need a plan.

Of course, you should already have a few additional routes to your BOL, and you should be familiar with them. I’d also suggest a system of combining a couple routes, just in case you’re halfway there and that second-choice road becomes unavailable for some reason.

See, you aren’t going to be the only vehicle on the road. Or the path. It’s not a matter of going with the flow of traffic or switching to the outer road of the highway to avoid an accident—it’s a matter of a whole lot of panicky people trying to leave in a hurry. A big hurry. Most with no plan or prepping at all.

So let’s say you head out of town around noon, expecting to arrive around 3:00; but you have to take side roads, back roads, gravel. Or worse. You actually get to your BOL after dark.

If you’re off the beaten path, you should be okay; if you’re not, you might find nothing or you might find squatters.

This is why you don’t talk about your preps, and especially your location. Sometimes, even if you don’t, someone may have gotten there before you.

Be cautious. This isn’t a weekend trip.

Hopefully you’re carrying and all your weapons and ammo aren’t stored or cached at your BOL. They could be missing, but certainly would be hard to find in the dark. Same thing with your supplies.

And let’s not forget the comforts of home.

You hear a lot about bug-out bags, and most of these are planned to be carried. By you. Of course, you also know about emergency kits for your vehicle.

But what about a more specific bug-out kit designed for your vehicle?

In a car emergency kit, you’d have flares, a blanket, water, snacks. At minimum. You might also conceal-carry or have a weapon in the glove box. And of course, you have a bug-out bag standing ready by the door.

With a delay or poor visibility conditions upon arrival at your BOL, you might be looking for a bit more:

Extra water or beverages

Extra snacks—or MREs on arrival

Weapon/ammo

Knife

Card or board game

Extra blankets and travel pillows

Toilet paper

Coffee

I keep a tote with the larger items, ready to go if needed, as well as a survival bag with the smaller items already in my truck. Don’t discount those “comforts” like toilet paper and coffee and a simple hot meal.

If I got delayed or stuck, I’d be pretty much set.

And yeah, a good map with ALL the roads is a necessity. Take it out of your vehicle for plotting routes, and put it BACK IN, IMMEDIATELY.

Don’t rely just on your memory—you’ll be at some level of panic too, regardless of your prepping.

Good grief. Are women so damn delicate that they are in need of “women’s healthcare” on a constant basis? For myself, I go once a year for the top and once a year for the bottom, to put it in simple terms.

Back in the days of children, of course I’d go for prenatal care, and yes, I’ve had a scare or three when I needed biopsies and a couple additional visits.

Fortunately, nothing came of those biopsies and yes, I always had a car to go where I needed—which was usually no further than 45 minutes away.

But.

Supporters of Planned Parenthood seem to imply that, if there were no PP clinics, ALL WOMEN must walk for days to find a doctor or clinic, and even then they couldn’t afford a visit, and they MUST DO THIS EVERY SINGLE MONTH.

I will not believe that a woman cannot find one single person who could take her to a doctor in her own town or within an hour’s drive.

I certainly will not believe that, in these days of mandated health insurance, that a woman can’t afford to see a doctor—particularly when there is no charge for a Pap smear and annual checkup, including a mammogram. Even so, I’ve been there—with no insurance; you make payments, you get a cash discount, you do what you have to in order to take care of yourself.

Birth control costs money, yes. But in spite of popular belief, having sex isn’t a human right. It’s like going out to a club: if you can afford to, great, have fun. If you can’t, you stay home.

On the other hand, most insurance now covers birth control.

So what’s the argument? Why do we “need” Planned Parenthood?

We do not.

We especially do not need something that was begun with the idea of limiting the births of black babies; we do not need something that takes federal funding to operate, yet goes against the faith and morals of at least half the population.

We do not need to harvest “parts” of humans.

I can imagine the outcry if, let’s say, we had an entity called Planned Puppyhood. They would offer services like distemper and rabies shots at reduced cost, but they’d also euthanize puppies by pulling them apart and selling those parts.

The VERY SAME folks who deem Planned Parenthood a godsend would rise up and burn down those Puppyhood clinics, immediately after rescuing all the puppies.

They’d say the government shouldn’t finance the killing of puppies.

But right now they say, oh, humans. Meh.

You know why, right? Because they don’t believe a fetus is a baby. They consider them unwanted clumps of cells. Inconveniences.

Such utter bullshit.

Besides, they contend that those who oppose abortion only want to preserve the lives of the unborn and don’t care about children in need.

Of course we care about those children after birth—but we also believe that their parents should bear the burden of their needs as well. Not “only,” but “also.” There are umpteen social programs for folks who need help—but they weren’t intended to be a lifestyle, just assistance.

I’ve used that assistance, a couple of times, for six months or so at a stretch. It was assistance, not continuous, not forever, not generational.

Oh, I know some of you will disagree with me. That’s okay. I probably can’t change your mind, but I sure wish I could convince you to think about that Planned Puppyhood and how you’d feel about it.