Time is on my side

Late again. I'm extraordinarily busy these days, and I'm getting tardy updating this. I have good intentions to post every Sunday, but we know what's paved with those...

Anyway, since we're talking about time. let's talk about time. In most survival blogs, you'll see people talk about loading up and bugging out. Rarely do you see them talk about how long it it will take them to get on the road. Heck, I can't even get out the door in a timely manner for a hike, never mind fleeing a major catastrophe.

Travel times to retreats are generally estimates made by driving the route in clear weather and light traffic, perhaps with a minor fudge factor thrown in for 'realism'. Katrina should have taught us that bug out times can be measured in days, not hours, if you're unfortunate.

That lack of realistic timing can extend to other things. It's all well and good to intend on cutting a half dozen cords of wood to heat your retreat through the winter, but have you ever done it? Do you have a realistic idea of how many person-hours it will take to find, bring home, chop and stack that much firewood?

Or how about those retreat defenses you'll build once you get there? Any idea how much effort and time it takes to create a bunker, or even a trench for a firing position? And while you're doing that, other tasks are piling up. Is it even possible for you and your group to prepare in time?

The answer to that is to use your time effectively now. Chop and stack that wood, or dig your fighting holes, or try to get a few other of the thousand and one things done now that will demand your attention afterwards. At the least, get a realistic idea of how long it will take do those jobs before you need to do them by doing trial runs. It might not be good policy to leave a finished bunker in place, but take a weekend and build it and then disassemble it. At the very least, you'll do it faster when you need to having done it already.

Learn how long it takes to do everything at your retreat, preferably by doing them repeatedly. Remember, unlike the Stones song, time is NOT on your side.

Originally posted September 5, 2011 @ Canadian Preppers Network