My worst case scenario

[UncleJak]

Any of you ever consider either living closer to work, or else working closer to home?

I worked five minutes from home for several years. It was great. But I followed the money. No one in my small town can come close to touching the pay and benefits. I know it's not always about the money, but I am working to support my family the best I can.

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[morrisster]

Anyone consider stashing a pit-bike at work or near work? The little 110/125 cc Chinese motorcycles are the ones I'm talking about. Buy one for a couple hundred bucks and keep it stashed somewhere.
They can carry 200-250 lbs or beef it up with stronger springs if needed.
It isn't gonna win any races but faster than a bicycle and better than a car.
A traffic jam is no problem when you're on a bike... Stick to the shoulder or median. Or the woods.
I mean I have a collection of 50cc mopeds that with their 1 and 2 speed automatic transmissions will get me moving 30mph. I figure a 125cc pit bike will at least match that performance in a more compact package.

Just thinking of options. Even if all it can do is get you a little closer home,
It's worth it. I saw the electric scooter option up in the thread but after EmP, that is useless unless you shield the electronics. Also from a cost perspective, you could buy a fleet of pit bikes for everyone in your group for a minimal investment.

[tnguy]

That's EXACTLY what I've been wanting. Not for the back of the truck, but to stage near the city to get home 50 miles away in case the roads get clogged. One problem may be if all aircraft are grounded (remember 9/11?). But I think one may be able to get by anyway by riding the treetops and staying between the hills.

Anyone know what kind of radar signature these things have?

EDIT: Alternatively, I'd like to get a couple of these. They fold up to almost nothing.

http://www.strida.com/en/main/

 

Small wheels are an issue. I have a folding bike and even its 20" wheels are less stable than a full sized bicycle. They also absorb bumps and dips less well.

 

Edited November 17, 2013 by tnguy

[tnguy]

You have more than one door in your vehicle. A 16" upper would easily fit inside most doors.

 

An off-site cache might also be an option. Then all you need is a small shovel.

[tnguy]

I worked five minutes from home for several years. It was great. But I followed the money. No one in my small town can come close to touching the pay and benefits. I know it's not always about the money, but I am working to support my family the best I can.

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

 

Yep. Can't get my kind of work in this area but if I moved closer to work, I'd be working to pay for the higher priced house so I could be close to work. Something screwy about that to my mind.

[tnguy]

Anyone consider stashing a pit-bike at work or near work? The little 110/125 cc Chinese motorcycles are the ones I'm talking about. Buy one for a couple hundred bucks and keep it stashed somewhere.
They can carry 200-250 lbs or beef it up with stronger springs if needed.
It isn't gonna win any races but faster than a bicycle and better than a car.
A traffic jam is no problem when you're on a bike... Stick to the shoulder or median. Or the woods.
I mean I have a collection of 50cc mopeds that with their 1 and 2 speed automatic transmissions will get me moving 30mph. I figure a 125cc pit bike will at least match that performance in a more compact package.

Just thinking of options. Even if all it can do is get you a little closer home,
It's worth it. I saw the electric scooter option up in the thread but after EmP, that is useless unless you shield the electronics. Also from a cost perspective, you could buy a fleet of pit bikes for everyone in your group for a minimal investment.

 

 

I'm not sure what electronics are in that scooter but some types of electronics will not be affected by EMP. I would say that anything that can't be manually powered is possibly not a good idea though. Also, as a trike, it would be a lot less maneuverable.

[Guest dmarcin]

Has anyone every taken a look at the Mississippi River. It makes the Cumberland or Tennessee look like a creek. Not many could float across it or swim it for that matter. Boat or bridge would be the only way for me and most others. Your thoughts on bridges ( And there aren't many crossing the Mississippi) and getting a boat ( boat docks and marinas). I know " don't go where you will have to cross it but be realistic everyone does at some time. So the question is how do you safely get through the pinch points (bridges)?

[UncleJak]

Has anyone every taken a look at the Mississippi River. It makes the Cumberland or Tennessee look like a creek. Not many could float across it or swim it for that matter. Boat or bridge would be the only way for me and most others. Your thoughts on bridges ( And there aren't many crossing the Mississippi) and getting a boat ( boat docks and marinas). I know " don't go where you will have to cross it but be realistic everyone does at some time. So the question is how do you safely get through the pinch points (bridges)?

I'm hoping to be across any bridges before if it gets real bad. However, if they aren't clear, I'll ford the river and take my chances. I'm a fair swimmer and have a can do attitude. I recently learned of two lesser known bridges across the cumberland and may try those routes if in a pinch.

Sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[tnguy]

It would depend on the circumstance. If bridges are passable, use them. Railway bridges may be empty (but that's risky). You might be able to pay someone with a boat. In the worst case, you do what needs to be done.

 

I don't know enough about the Mississippi or other rivers to know if they would be swimmable but I'd be very wary about any kind of swiftly moving water. Especially if there's any kind of hazard downstream.

[whitewolf001]

Who needs bridges when you have one of these? ;)

[McGarrett]

I am fortunate enough to work 6 miles away from my house with no water to cross. I occasionally go into Knoxville and if caught out over there would have to cross the water to get back.

 

I have a new found respect for cold water, i recently had to get in the pool to remove the steps to complete the winterization and put the cover on. It was late in Oct but the water temp was 45 and the outside temp was 40. Trust me it is a shock to your system to say the least.

 

A few years I had to walk home during an ice storm, approx 2 miles in very hilly terrain carrying by BOB and walking in the woods and the ditches, could not stand up on the road, at about 2am in freezing temps with rain/ snow mix coming down. took about 2.5 hours to walk it. Definitely some good experience to aid in my planning for these scenarios.

 

+1 on the contractor bags, multitude of uses and they pack well and are fairly light.