People, time is running out to "relocate". Some are in process, but by now everybody should have a fair idea where they'll be: city, suburb, small town rural, farm rural, wilderness, South Sea Island, North Pole.

Anybody care to lay their (re)location cards on the table ? I think it would be helpful. I'll start -

I'm in a prosperous suburb of a Pacific NW coastal city. People in this suburb are nice, but care mainly about their lawns, riding mowers, and power boats. Nevertheless, the recently rural roots of the area are semi-intact around us. Growing season is long and rich. Streams, ponds, and lakes everywhere (though NOT on my property :( ). I have about 1/4 acre under intensive organic garden cultivation, numerous productive fruit trees on the property and in neighborhood (imagine thousands of apples rotting on the ground, all over the neighborhood from Sept to Nov). Not much (current, evident) social tension in area. Too crowded, the newer people are too dependent, lifestyles too soft and phony. Nevertheless, I've decided to "harden" my current place (wood burning stove, etc.), prep with massive supplies, be friendly with all neighbors, hint about y2k with them when I can without seeming nuts, and ride it out. I'm heavily armed (high power semi-auto scoped riles - 4, shotguns - 2, .45 ACP handguns - 4) and skilled with guns, but hard to see how that would play into this suburban scenario. I'm in a psychological sine wave on y2k, oscillating from 2 to 10, with a period of about 2 weeks.

Anybody else now holding the hand they'll play ?

-RC

-- Runway Cat (runway_cat@hotmail.com), December 03, 1998

Answers

I live in Brooklyn NY, in a "cool" section across a main street from miles and miles of "urban blight." My sister lives in a different "cool" section on the other other side of that blight. Neither one of us plans to stay in Brooklyn when it burns.

Our parents live about an hour outside of the city in a small well-off suburban town that sounds very similar to yours, RC. We are making plans to be able to relocate there, if need be. None of us wants to do this, you can't go home again, etc, our parents have grown very used to not having others around for the last 15 years. However, it is a nice little town (now), none of us has any debt, and relocating elsewhere is not a financial option for any of us.

We are stocking up, starting to guage how aware others in the neighborhood/town are, discussing long range possibilities, etc. My father thinks it will be a few days, my sister thinks it will be a few weeks, my mother thinks a few months and I think it will be for a few years.

My first response, when I got it, was to go to a small island in the caribbean or someplace as isolated. But my parents weren't gonna take the chance, and I can't leave them to fend for themselves. I'm not thrilled about the possiblity of what may happen in the suburbs, but I think with some solid organization we can get through the worst.

One thing that I think about is the idea that all of the people on their block have fences and shrubs in their back yards, separating themselves from each other. If TS does truly HTF, there are acres of good land there. I've got years worth of non-hybrid seeds, and if the division of labor does break down, I'm going to try to get those folks to tear down their fences.

So while I might not freeze on an island, I would be an interloper. Also, the hurricanes this year made me think twice. The weather here is resonable, we're used to it, and we've got a fireplace and lots of wood.

My mother tells about how her kin pulled together during the depression, and that's the nodel we're usng...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), December 03, 1998.

...it's also the model we're using...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), December 03, 1998.

We live in a midwest town of 8K 90 miles from a city. Our home in town is for sale. In a few days we should be closing on an 11 acre farmstead 5 miles out of town and should be moving in in Janurary.

The farmstead has 4-5 acres of good pasture and 6-7 acres of timber. There are many pecan trees, two ponds with catfish, a barn, a livestock shead and lots of chicken cages. The property was previously a cock fighting arena.

We have purchased a 3 month supply of freeze dried and are in the process of buying 12 months of canned and packaged foods from Aldi's. We hope to plant as many as 50 fruit trees this spring as well as a large garden with non hybred seeds. Heat will come from a 500 gallon propane tank and a non electric propane heater in the mobile home. We may add another 500 gallon propane tank which would give 3 years of heat. There are plans to add an outside wood heater and duct the heat into the mobile home. Absolutely not; Jane Fonda Turner is not invited.

Ed S.

-- Ed S. (ed@terraworld.net), December 03, 1998.

We live in a small town of about 5000. Few people seem to know or care about Y2K. Several of the mothers at the school discuss it and are preparing.

We live on a 50 acre farm, raising cattle. We plant a garden every year and slaughter a cow. We have a large lake for water if we need it.

There are 9 of us on the property. 4 separate families, all related. All preparing together. With have guns and ammo.

We sound extreme but this is the way we live and right now I feel very fortunate. I have a terrible fear of what will happen/does happen in the cities.

We still have far to go before getting to the "Comfortable zone" but are working towards that goal daily.

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), December 03, 1998.

We live in a large metropolitan city, but are transplanted farm kids. Our house is sold. We hope to close this week. Then where? We have spent over a year traveling and camping and looking for property.

The paradox is that a Y2K compliant property is no place to raise your kids unless you get a bunch of friends with kids to come along (too remote and isolated), a non-compliant property won't be safe if TSHTF. I gut tells me to prepare for a 10 when my head says it may only be 4.

Mostly I just don't sleep to well.....

-- anonymous - thanks (privacy@please.com), December 03, 1998.

Right now, I live in the outer burbs of a two million population city, but I have a small home on a lake (lotsa fish) about four hours from here. When TSHTF, I plan to high-tail it up to the north woods with my non-hybrid seeds and a years suppy of food and all the stuff I've collected for the past year and ride it out. I'm one of the lucky ones.

hull

-- Hull Stetson (stetson.hull@usa.net), December 03, 1998.

I'm in an inner suburb of Sydney, which at last count has 4.5 million people. If it wasn't for the presence of Sydney Harbour, we'd be "inner-city", but because the Harbour separates us from the CBD..

God knows where I'll be next year (somewhere in the US, I know that much), but my friends and family are all here and have no plans of relocating. The nasty thing about Mosman is that land prices (a week or so ago) hit an average of $1mil, making it the most expensive area in town. Meaning that when society breaks down and all the vermin come out, you can take a wild guess at where they'll head for loot..

Showed a friend the Infomagic report, #104 I think it was. The most recent one. He's now taking y2k a lot more seriously, since it's been proven mathematically.

--Leo

-- Leo (leo_champion@hotmail.com), December 03, 1998.

runway cat, Moving on to 30 macres in the sierras next week have a river, 6 months food, family getting prepared, lots of 12 gauge, 44 mag, short wave radio, planning on raising rabbits, chickens, planting lots of fruit trees. planning for the worst hoping for the best. Semper femus.

-- papa bear (it.guy@usa.net), December 03, 1998.

We have 16 hilltop acres overlooking a small town of about 500. (Where I grew up) Nearest large city is 60 miles. We have a small pond, and about 7 or 8 acres is woods. The house is not visible from the road. East and West hills are cliffs. We have electric gates at the entrance. We are preparing with our son and daughter-in-law. Including my parents there will be 7 of us. The house is large, so we can accomodate them. We have a wood cook stove, and kerosene heaters. Several guns. They will finish drilling the well tomorrow. We have a generator that is converted to propane. We already have a 500 gallon propane tank (we heat with it) and will be adding a 1000 gallon. We will be filling a 500 gallon tank with Kerosene. WE are going to be planting fruit trees and growing a LARGE garden this summer. We already have the canning jars. We are still buying the food. We have about a 3 or 4 month supply, but we want a year's worth. We recently decided it would be a good idea to dig a root cellar. There is always "just one more thing" to do. It will probably be that way till 12/31/99.

-- No Name (Outthere@somewhere.com), December 03, 1998.

I will be where I am now, prepared, and I am happy that I "got and found it." I'm sad for those who have procrastinated.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), December 03, 1998.

We moved out of Houston a year ago in August, before we even knew about y2k. We just couldn't take living in the big city anymore. (Husband was raised on a farm.) The small town we are outside of has a population of about 5,000. We have a mobile home on an acre and a half, our own well & septic & my husband who is slow in "getting it" is thinking about a wind generator. We also plan on planting some fruit trees & will plant a garden in the spring. Suprisingly, there are quite a few people that I know of around here that are GI's & are preparing. Four right here in our small "sub-division." Great thread!! Good luck to all. Donna

-- Donna in Texas (Dd0143@aol.com), December 04, 1998.

I'll be moved from Fl. to 13 acres on a river in the Midwest,6 miles from a town of 10,000 and 100 miles from a megapolis.Most of it is woods and it is surrounded by 200 acres of woods and farmland.Has wells,abundant wood supply, are putting in tanks now for other fuel supplies. 4 are there,3 of us coming and probably 3 non-believers we'll be taking in. Land is sloping so will be putting campers and small mobiles in,either digging them in or camoing them in woods so group is not noticeable. Now armed and working on food supply. big garden every year and plan to add on hydroponics,greenhouses, chickens,this year(99).Room for a few more(hear that, Leo?) Non- priority area that won't have electric and if there is a fuel shortage won't get plowed out so don't expect to see anybody til the spring thaw. If by some miracle it doesn't go down, please send us the news by carrier pigeon. Thanks.

-- y2klady2 (y2klady2@aol.com), December 04, 1998.

Moved out of Boston last December to a small town of 400. I have 8+ Acres (mostly wooded) with a cabin, fruit trees and a well. I planted my first Non-Hybrid garden last spring and had a pretty good harvest. I have a wood stove for heat and a Wood Cookstove (which I have been practising on)for cooking. I have been stock piling food and water and will be purchasing a generator shortly. Chickens and (maybe) goats are in my plan. I have a pretty extensive self-reliance library and hopefully I will be able to deal with whatever comes. I have been gently talking (Sorry Paul) with the town council to get them started preparing and I have already been featured in the next larger town's paper (front page) about my efforts to educate the town.

Ex-Cop

-- Ex-cop (excop@police.com), December 04, 1998.

Staying put. Lancaster County PA, about 15 minutes from a city of 55,000. Surrounded by farm lands and amish. Suplies are in, working on fuels, well armed, have some friends on board and working on more. Like to attract other Y2K'ers to the area.

Biggest worry? (this I would like to see mentioned more) is a semi nasty finacial scenario where we are broke and jobless, but the bank can still grab the home. We have backups in place, camper purchased and a place to go, but this is home and we would rather stay.

-- Art Welling (artw@lancnews.infi.net), December 04, 1998.

Initially, we thought we would stay put in a suburb of Atlanta. We had lived in this neighborhood for 12 years and felt comfortable that we would be able to survive where we were. We had good neighbors, an established garden, productive blueberry and rasberry bushes and could provide for ourselves if neccessary. Then two things changed our minds:

1) Four of our neighbors moved. The relationships that we had developed over the years were gone and timing just didn't seem right to start new ones.

2) We realized that our families absolutely refused to get it (ARTGI) no matter how much information we provided to them. In August we decided that we needed to move to a place that we could provide for them if we had to.

So, after alot of searching for the right place (our real estate agent thought we were nuts) we found 5 acres on a river about 40 miles outside of Atlanta. We close on both houses next week and will be moved by Christmas. We have supplies for about 6 months, plans for a large garden this spring, and a lot of work ahead of us. The chickens will arrive from the hatchery in March. (Robert, P.E. - Tell Jean that she can come visit the chickens if she would like.)

We plan to increase our supplies to compensate for those in our family who won't be prepared. We just hope we have time...

jo

-- jo (gotheblues@freewwweb.com), December 04, 1998.

I moved my family out of a major metropolitan area earlier this year. We got a solid home on 5+ acres, with barn and sheds, about 30 miles from a relatively small city. We're doing the whole schmeer: chickens, goats, geese, rabbits, non-hybrid garden, alternative power (I'm probably going to ditch my diesel generator and put in a windmill to supplement the solar panels instead), wood stove for both cooking and heat, alternative water source, food storage. Not all of that is done, but I have reached a certain "critical mass" in these preparations that helps me breath a little easier. We have two small children who are loving the country life very much; this is the best thing we ever did, even if Y2K is a fizzle (alas, it won't be; I'm at 8+). Now I need to work seriously on clueing in my neighbors (most of whom are really wonderful, but elderly).

I would point out, though, that anybody who is still fence-sitting about relocating and actually still has that option had better get off the fence pronto. This move has required a massive amount of work. I have had months to get the homestead in shape and there is still a ton of stuff to do. I go short on sleep constantly and my wife and I struggle to keep our relationship in the proper balance with so much preparation going on. So get cracking if you still have that option.

Godspeed.

-- Franklin Journier (ready4y2k@yahoo.com), December 04, 1998.

Although I grew up in Dallas, and my wife in Corpus Christi, serendipity brought us to East Texas where my folks had built a house years ago... also after leaving Dallas. We're 25 miles from the nearest city of any size, and we're less than a half-mile from a large lake. We have enough food laid in to feed a family of four for more than two years (some DGI family members will doubtless show up in about a year), and we're on a deep well and septic system. Power will come from a propane-powered generator fueled by a 1,000-gallon tank and a pair of 250-gallon tanks. We have two grist mills--one electric and one powered by a gasoline tractor engine. I recently replaced our fireplace with a wood-burning stove. Next door neighbors are self-sufficient with a veritable menagerie (most of it of the edible variety), and we have plenty of guns, ammunition and reloading equipment. They may come in handy if the bank decides to take the house which isn't paid for. There's one very important area that I don't see much written about, and that's medical supplies and equipment. We're in the process of securing a good basic supply, and I suggest attention to that very important aspect of preparation. Good luck and Godspeed.

-- Vic Parker (rdrunner@internetwork.net), December 04, 1998.

For the time being, I stay in Silicon Valley, CA. Also have a 77- year-old mother who refuses to budge. Shell need help. Were in a cute, quite large, hillside nestled town, near a big reservoir, with a strong sense of community, decent weather, with lots of ground for growing home gardens, surrounded by very intelligent neighborhood watch oriented people. The larger Silicon Valley corporations and people are very computer and internet savvy and they are quite motivated to see that the local electricity stays on. When this Valley gets Y2K galvanized to prepare, watch out, global internet and newsmedia fur will fly!

I do have several back-up become mobile strategies and friendly, remote places to go to. Anyone carrying survival how to knowledge, camping equipment, non-hybridized seeds, and healing skills has potential welcome mats where ever the synchronicities may lead them. (No guns, though, against my personal principles).

Just recently moved off a pine-forested mountain, 6,000 feet up within a small 2,000 person community. Why? Several reasons, but two prominent ones are it was just a 2 hour drive from Los Angeles and forests burn, fast.

Im voting for a 5 or less, and working on the national awareness to create that possibility. Group fishing seems the better long-term survival strategy to me.

Blessings, Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 04, 1998.

You all are so prepared. Not us. I wish we were. But we don't have the money to buy a house (we rent). We live in NE and don't have any source of heat except a kerosene cookstove (one little burner).

We do have about 4 month supply of food and drink (with plans to buy more). We have medical supplies and are stocking our "how-to" library. We have plans for sanitation (sp?) and warm clothes. I'm throwing absolutely nothing away anymore--you never know what you'll need. I want to get a rifle.

The town we live in is pretty populated and we don't really know any of our neighbors outside of the apartment complex. We did have to evacuate last year (flood reasons) and everyone went *nutz* around here. These are not people you want to be around in a crisis.

We plan on bugging out of the apartment to our shop and -- no kidding -- squirreling away. We will board up all the windows and not go anywhere if TSHTF. (which it will) Thank God the windows are already barred up and we only have 1 that might cause a problem.

I know you all think good gawd, they're doomed.... And sometimes I agree with you. But I have been on my own since I was 14 and I know how to take care of myself. I have 2 bug out bags and I will get up and leave at a moments notice.

There is nothing else I can do except make where I am as secure as possible. In my worst scenario, I don't plan on seeing sunlight for months--or other people, for that matter. I know my present skills afford me work if it all goes to hell, but that's assuming that we live through it.

I wish I could be better prepared, but we don't have the money to buy a house and land...perhaps we'll be some of the lucky ones. If P Milne is right, we won't be. As the time gets closer, the tighter the knot in my stomach gets...

-- Okum (ws000@aol.com), December 04, 1998.

Okum,

I usually just lurk around here but I had to respond to your post...

Please do not despair. If you are preparing at all you are ahead of the game.

There was a post here a month or so ago called "Tom's Take" that you should read. (Maybe someone knows where it is?) In it he explains how he thinks things will play out and if he is right, you should only have to "squirrel away" until the initial waves of rioting burn themselves out. If we are lucky, the really bad guys will gang up on each other and leave the rest of us alone.

I believe that the future of this country (World) depends on the survival of resourceful people like you. So please, take care of yourself and your family; we're counting on you.

-- mary (kitty @cat.com), December 04, 1998.

In a black helicopter looking for hoarders.

Muuuaaaahahahahahaha

-- Colonel (blackchopper@secret.us), December 04, 1998.

OKUM;

"I know you all think good gawd, they're doomed.... And sometimes I agree with you. But I have been on my own since I was 14 and I know how to take care of myself. I have 2 bug out bags and I will get up and leave at a moments notice.

There is nothing else I can do except make where I am as secure as possible. In my worst scenario, I don't plan on seeing sunlight for months--or other people, for that matter. I know my present skills afford me work if it all goes to hell, but that's assuming that we live through it."

Sounds to me that you have what it takes to get through just about anything that the world shovels your way. You seem to have the "common sense" that is so rare to most of the people in this country. And you obviously have street smarts since you have been on your own since you were 14.

I'd have to bet with you on this one. You will do a whole lot better than most folks will, I think.

Hang in there Dude. You should come out in fair shape.

And, we will need folks like you on the other side of this thing.

S.O.B.

-- sweetolebob (buffgun@hotmail.com), December 04, 1998.

Hi Mary,

I read "Tom's Take" (thanks for recommending) and that's where I got the whole idea of squirreling (sp?) away. I'm glad I read it even though it was through watery eyes. I can only hope that "laying low" for the winter months will do the trick. Hamanski is the one who convinced me to have "bug out bags" and Infomagic II has me scared out of my wits (rock and hard place comes to mind). Like you said, I'm glad we at least know about it and can prepare somewhat. Thanks for the kind words...they mean more than you could know.

-- Okum (ws000@aol.com), December 04, 1998.

Location: rural/small town Nebraska. Own, except for annual property tax, house and a couple acres. No one that I know of in the area is even a least bit concerned, including my wife who thinks I'm a nut. I am getting prepared every day. Food for at least one year, several types of fuel, oil lamps, generator, rifles, shotguns,handguns, a lot of ammo, battery powered tools, flashlights, rootceller, ect... The thing about small town Neberaska is that even though no one is concerned now, when push comes to shove 60 to 80% of the townspeople/neighbors are reliable, dependable, levelheaded, and very industrious folks. Most of them would give you the shirt of there back. I mean that. These kinds of people will pull togather and work togather and get by. Lots of rivers, lakes, windmill pumps, grain bins full of wheat, corn, popcorn, potatoes,soybeans, dry beans, wildlife, hogs, cattle, buffalo, chickens, turkeys, many fruit trees, gardens, ect... One of the most important things is a faith in God that is common to most of us and with this comes a deep concern for our fellow man and a willingness to pull togather for the common good.A COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE !

-- Patrick James (trickjames@hotmail.com), December 07, 1998.

Out of the city after dark and during weekends on one-way road 40 miles from the city. Prepared for 10 at night, during weekends and vacations. Prepared for 3 during the first week, 5 during the second week and 6 at the end of January through to July 2000.

Planning to be involved in contingency plans for city work place until no longer tenable. Mk1 crystal ball does not allow seeing any further forward. Would like to trade on mk3 model but can find no suppliers.

-- Bob Barbour (r.barbour@waikato.ac.nz), December 07, 1998.

Have a slow burning fireplace insert in my main residence with enough wood for 2 winters so far. About 2-3 months food supply stockpiled so far. Main residence is in the burbs of a 4 million pop city, about 20 miles away. Way too close. Neighbors are friendly and educated, but if anything worse than a 2-3 happen, it'll be a nightmare. Have just purchased a smaller home in mountain park area, 2 miles from small town of 50k, in Canada. Large clean lake, plenty of ground source water nearby, fish and game aplenty, farming lands in valleys, friendly people. Have efficient fireplace and good insulation, 3 winters worth of wood, 3-4 months' food supply so far in this place. We plan on preparing both residences equally, as we don't know if we'll make it on time to the mountain retreat because of having to cross borders, but also makes sense so that one place or the other can be used for family members on either side who aren't preparing now. I'm from the country originally and was raised frugaly, so I have a few tricks up my sleeves to get by. Don't really plan on getting guns, but if I can get a hunting riffle easily and learn how to use it soon I will.

To Art Welling: If I already lived in Lancaster county, near the amish, I'd stay put too! :) Lucky you.

-- A nurse (somewhere@PA.burbs), December 07, 1998.

I've already described my PUD community a bit in my first post at What if Y2K problems evolve into a Milne scale 10. What will you do then? There is considerable animosity between several of our neighbors relating to the stereotypical petty bureaucratic problems in such communities. My family has been at the epicenter of almost a year of a legalistic paperwork soap opera over the occasional operation of our air conditioner, which the original owners installed, and which we require for our health (bad allergies 1-2 days! per year).

Although we're only in our mid-forties, most of our neighbors are retired. We chose this home six years ago, because we were very attracted to the idea that we would have a nice yard and neighborhood, without being responsible for its upkeep. We're not really physically up to a lot of hard manual labor. As a consequence, we've landed where we don't have access to any land that we can control.

Never the less, I've very much wanted to purchase some land with accessible water, where gardening could happen. Lacking the ability to do much physical labor myself (I have arthritis symptoms of lupus), I've felt that it will be necessary to supply as many of the other pieces of the puzzle as possible. I've found a couple Y2K properties within a couple weeks walking distance, but couldn't motivate my husband to get out and see them before they're snapped up. He's obsessing on the fear that he's not sure how many more years he will be able to work (newly diagnosed Type II diabetic), and that we don't really have enough money to retire.

I'm far from being in a position to talk to the neighbors about this, least of all the nearest ones who are very vocal in the community and are complaining about our air conditioner. My husband very much opposes the idea of breathing a word to any neighbors. What are the chances my eight-year-old son will keep quiet? There's no way to hide stuff from him. He doesn't miss a trick. Although I get along quite well with my extended family and in-laws, I don't pull a lot of weight in the opinion leadership department, having a long history of being associated with quirky groups (e.g. unschooling, anti-vaccination, alternative medicine, freethinking, midwifery, and now since last week... flipping chemtrails). They basically just chuckle when they see me coming.

My husband has put dibs on a big chunk of our savings with plans to invest it in a business that I don't see making a go of it if things get even a little bad. I'm out of Y2K breathing room, now, since I can't store more than can be kept hidden (from my own family more than from strangers, at this point!) I don't really know how much money I have left to play with, but I do have some. There will be various construction workers coming through to rip out our carpet (and maybe install tile, if I can convince my husband), and to fix our factory recalled interior sprinkler system for free (as if those are going to work anyway). I can't allow such strangers to see my preps. I'm just realizing, all the cr*p (i.e. tuna) I stored behind the upper lips of my kitchen cabinets is going to have to come down when the sprinkler people are here. @#$%^&* I'm so tired!

I've already informed the in-laws (when I first "got it" last January) that we won't be spending "Christmas" with them doing our traditional ten day ski holiday at Lake Tahoe (the rest of them ski). I'M not going in any case, though they may go without me. I think I can convince my son to stay home with me instead of going with his dad, though it will be a shame to have to worry his immature little head enough to choose against the ski trip which has always been the highlight of his year (including his birthday). I just can't see trying to get through the Donner Pass twice in late December. Granted, there may be people there who are intentionally GAFIA "getting away from it all," but that location has not historically been the smartest place to get caught without adequate preparation. (Paging Donner, party of three...)

Anyway... back to the subject WHERE will YOU be ? Very frustrated. It just makes me cry to write this. I'm CAOMBNK (crying all over my brand new keyboard). I would dearly love to find a Y2K community (survival group or family) within a couple weeks walking distance of Monterey, California for me to fund lightly or accept some of my Y2K preps and skilz before TSHTF. I haven't had much luck looking in the Y2K "personals." They aren't exactly advertising at +Y2K +"survival group" Got seeds?

-- Dancr (minddancr@aol.com), June 25, 1999.

Dancr, seems many folks are starting to root around for communities. Maybe you should start a new thread, Looking To Join A Y2K Farming Community. We're getting ourselves mobile in case we do find such a thing. Cascadia is perfect -- and we know other Cascadians who would move in a jiffy if they felt safe with the other members.

Cascadia is that gorgeous fertile swath of land from Cape Mendocino in Northern California up thru Oregon & Washington & British Columbia. Fringed on West by Pacific Ocean and on East by magnificent Cascade Mountains (volcanoes!). Very wet in NW Oregon, SW Washington, and very green and lush. Independent pioneering spirit. Land of hills + dales + glens + bales, forests + fen, farms + ferns. Wet. Beautiful.

It would be great if a GI Yourdynamite had a spiffy empty 100-unit apartment complex out in the boonies surrounded by land plottable and would rent to those of us wishing to help each other survive in a GI community.

But at least we have the Forum, the archives, all the great tips and prep info, and our own brains, skills, & motivation. Us GIs are way far ahead of the general zzzzzzzz slopuless. Courage!

xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), June 25, 1999.

There's an idea, right there. I need to start always signing off with...

Dancr near Monterey, California

-- Dancr (minddancr@aol.com), July 01, 1999.

I'm afraid I have only two 'relocation' plans: 1) to a shelter if we absolutely, positively, are forced from our home, and 2) straight to heaven if the BGs find us hunkered down and overrun us.

Let me make it plain that I plan to stay in my house, with my immediate and extended family, and camp in place until it is absolutely impossible. Why? Because we live in a city of 90K and have NO WHERE TO GO. I am trying to make the best of what is potentially a life-threatening situation (IMHO). The best I can do is provide the basics (you know the drill: shelter, heat, water and food.)

For my own sanity, I have had to resign myself to having to stay here. I remind myself often that God is able to take care of us. I've done my part, can't do anymore, so am leaving the rest to God. If that makes me sound like a flake, so be it.

I'm glad for the rest of you that you're able to relocate, but I'm certain that there are many more in my position than there are those who have relocated.

Linda

-- newbiebutnodummy (Linda@home.com), July 01, 1999.

8-10 miles outside of Kalamazoo, MI.

On 3 acres. Half fenced in with a solar powered electric fence. About 2 acres wooded.

Currently about at 6 months dry rations (wheat, rice, beans, peas, lentils). Hope to go to 18 months, then start canning meats, etc.

Getting rabbits within a few weeks. Would like goats and little "pot bellied" pigs. Chickens would be nice but not critical.

Fruit trees going in this late summer and fall. Garden is not even started (we just closed on the house on May 28th), but will be plowed for a fall garden and prepped for a BIG garden next spring.

I'll have about 5 cords of wood (the house has a nice fireplace insert) and a secondary wood stove for heating. I'm working now on water supply (hand pump and alternate energy combo, probably).

I wish I had some neighbors I was sure of, but I'll do the best I can.

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), July 01, 1999.

Just like Donna and others, I live in southeast Texas, and have discovered there would probably be no better place. I live in a rural area, have septic system and a well, propane for cooking and heating, a goodly supply of provisions, plenty of wood available, being an avid outdoorsman, camping gear, guns and lotsa ammo, and most importantly, neighbors that have lived near us for over 15 years, and are as independent as we. Let come what may, I could prepare no better.

-- D.R. Green (greenshouse@hotmail.com), September 14, 1999.

That's right son, you got to lead em just like a fast moving wood duck and try to hit em where the big blade attaches.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), September 14, 1999.

I actually have a question instead of an answer. I was burning leaves in my yard and my rasberry bushes caught on fire!! What I'm wondering is will they survive this or will they die?

-- Dawne Loper (dawnemnl@yahoo.com), March 24, 2004.