Decided to test my "bug out" gear. The plan was basically seasonal. If it's summer, I had a big lake in mind inacessible to cars but accessible by my motorcycle. I figured I could fish it. Winter was a different plan. I figured I'd have to hit the desert and try living off jacks and cottontails. But I'd never actually tried the latter. So this last week I gave it a try with a dry run to see if it would work. And I will say right off that if you haven't tried a dry run, you should. Because things can go wrong like they did for me.
First, I had to find an area nearby up to its eyeballs in rabbits. That turned out to be about 200 miles away the next state over. Then I had to check for gas stations along the way (You get out in a desert and gas stations are few and far between.). Sure enough! I couldn't get there without running out of gas (Which probably explains why they have so many rabbits.). But, along the route I found another place inundated with rabbits and it looked like I could make it. I had never been to this area before but saw a photo of the area and it showed a flat, low desert of sage and I'm familiar with that type of desert.
My first mistake was that I was working off a Google road map with gas stations shown. Again, if you're going to the desert, you gotta do this. I had two clues I should have looked further. First, the desert I had selected was on the south side of a highway. But on the north side of that same highway were a bunch of forestry roads which, of course, suggests a forest. It was curious but I just dismissed it thinking that, if you rode on those roads long enough, you'd eventually get into the trees. My second clue was when I noticed the highway on the map had a funny "kink" in it. The road suddenly reversed direction, parralled itself back the way it came for a mile (The two roads are so close together they actually touch each other on the map.), and then turned on course again. This only showed on the map once and I wondered what that was. My mistake was I didn't find out. This was all on the "gas" map.
Next, I got the weather report for where I was headed. Of course, where I was headed was the middle of nowhere. It had no name. So I Googled the temperature of a town on the map about 30 miles away. I had just made my second mistake and it's directly related to the first. The predicted temperature was 65 degrees at the high (day) and 26 degrees at the low (night). Checked my temperature rating on my sleeping bag and added a liner. Just to be safe, I added "long john's". Checked the other state's laws on transporting my 22 on my motorcycle and it was legal. Went through my pack checklist and checked the gas mileage on my bike (75 mpg in town which equates to about 55 mpg highway. Yeah! I know. The numbers should be reversed but their not.). Pack up the bike and off I go.
First town I come to in the next state I buy gas. Hmm! Seemed to take more gas than I thought. According to my math, I'm only geting 40 mpg. It must be a mistake in my math. I'd check it again at the next town. So I do and I now discover my third mistake. I am getting 40 mpg. I had calculated my ability to get to each gas station based on 55 mpg. I was now at risk of running out of gas between stations. I decide to keep going (my fourth mistake). I ride slower to try and save gas but it saves none. It just makes the ridle longer. I find I ride over two mountains that I did not know were on the map and I'm actually riding in snow at 4,000 feet. But I make it (At one station I arrived with .1 gallons left in my tank.). I'm now at the town that I took the weather report from. I'm 30 miles away (or so I thought) from rabbit heaven. It's almost sunset. I try and make the last 30 miles before it gets dark. The road suddenly starts to climb. I'm on my third frigging mountain! I had never looked at a topography map of the area and am about to pay the price. There are no more gas stations ahead and I'm watching my odometer to make sure I don't go past the halfway range of my bike's gas. It's getting freaking cold and no wonder. I'm at 5,150 feet. In the dark and with freezing temperatures I can't read the odometer. I've got to stop. I pull over and make camp. I have no light because I assumed in a "bug out" situation batteries would be a problem and that I'd just go to bed when it got dark and get up when it got light. But I'm setting up in the dark. Minutes later I'm inside my lined sleepingbag with my long johns, two pairs of socks, pants, lined jacket, padded flannel shirt, and two 16 oz leather guantlet gloves on (I'm even wearing my helmet!). 26 degrees my ass! The town I took the weather report from is 2000 feet lower in elevation. I am in the worst of all places to camp. It is so cold I spend 13 hours in my sleeping bag before it's even remotely warm enough to come out. Everything is covered in frost. My sleeping bag looks like it got snowed on from my own breath freezing in the air and settling back on me. My canteen is frozen solid and so are my eggs. I cook up bacon on my alcohol stove. It's so cold I can take the sizzeling bacon right off the frying pan and eat it directly because, in the time time it takes to go from the sizzling pan to my mouth, it's no longer sizzling.
The bike's odometer says I have 10 more miles to go before I must turn back. I ride the 10 miles but don't reach rabbit heaven. What looks to be 30 miles on the map is obviously longer due to all the winding mountain turns. I turn around, go back to town, gas up, buy an extra gallon gas can, and try again. I still can't make it. I end up stopping about 10 miles short of rabbit land and I have gone past the point of no return on the gas tank. Ahead of me is a sage brush desert to the south just like was shown in the picture. But to the north is trees and forestry roads and the trees hit fast. I'm there all right but that picture is really misleading.
To get back, I cut across the forest roads and ride the tree line. Some of the roads are marked but half aren't. When the roads split I either stay on the road heading north or pick the one most traveled. It works. I get back to gas.
At this point I don't care if I ever see a rabbit. I just don't want to be up there when it gets dark and cold again (My canteen didn't thaw out until 1:00 PM). I camp at 3300 feet and that works.
My first dumass stupid mistake was not to look at a topographical map before leaving. That gas map and measuring out the miles between stations had me too occupied. I saw the clues (forestry roads and the switchback) but they really didn't register. The second mistake was not measuring my bike's gas mileage under load. I had no clue it would drop that much by adding a pack, sleeping bag, and bedroll.
But I guess this is why we have "dry runs" - In order to discover our problems before the real situation comes along.
Everyone should do what you did - trial runs winter and summer. I do 4-5 a year and vary the situation. I do one where I assume one hour prep time. one with 15 minutes and one where I leave from somewhere not home. I do keep my truck ready at all times ( I have posted what I have before). I find that summer is tricky here in Michigan because of the mosquitoes and black flies and that you had better be prepared or any time out in the boonies will be a battle. Live and learn but better to learn before the real thing happens.
Sam Ruger, thanks for the valuable lesson in preping from all angles not just the gear side of it. if we can use our vehicles in a shtf situation it is good to get a general idea of gas mileage under load and not under load...
with me i know how much i get in my van w/ 2 adults 2 kids 60 and 100lbs respectively and a baby plus small tool kit, wheeled jack, star lug wrench and some odds and ends... about twenty mpg i have a 20 gal. tank there fore about a 400 mile one way or 200 mile and back on straight mild hill freeways... add in any mountains and high elevation and it all goes to pot...
good report though i liked it!!
__________________ 12-21-2012: Party like theres no tomorrow!!!
SR - excellent write-up on the BO testrun! I have done this too, using my Kawasaki KLR650. No mountains here in sunny Florida, but the winters can get into the teens and twenties in the northern part of the state.
My bike gets 250 miles per tank on the road (even loaded for camping), and 230 in town. I do an average 50MPG, which drops to 45MPG if I do all off-road. I have a larger tail rack I made myself, and two steel Fat Fifty ammocans for side boxes. Tank panniers carry two GI canteens and various 'survival items'. I have a basic GPS and compass. I always carry maps of the area I am in - I like the Delorme state atlas maps.
I also began by using Googlemaps to plot likely BO routes, then with some buddies along on an 'adventure ride', also on dual sport bikes, we rode the various farm roads and forest roads leading up into Georgia, doing several different 'loop rides'. Great fun to them, they didn't realise I am checking routes and taking notes. Found one usually nice rural dirt road that becomes a mudbog in the bottom of a dip when it rains hard (like during a hurricane!) - crossed that one off my BO route. Would hate to try taking a hevily loaded bike through that! Even with fresh knobby tires and a light load, we barely made it through without taking a mudbath!
I noted that some routes took us through some 'questionable' neighborhoods in the rural south - could get dangerous if after TSHTF day! Noted where the dogs were that chased our bikes - another danger for a loaded bike!
For a minor SHTF situation where I just need to 'fade' for a few days or a week - the National Forest is my back yard! I have done some "BO Drills" where I declare - "BUG OUT!" Then grab the gear, strap it on the bike and motor into the woods for an over-nighter. Good way to learn to keep the gear together, and learn what NOT to bring.
On roadtrips to MC meets, I always tentcamp and test my gear. I found early on I would carry way too much 'stuff'. I have pared it down to the basics.
__________________ If you actually passed third grade English, let it show!
Adult Literacy is your friend.
Thanks for sharing, sounds like you collected some valuable information. Maybe a larger gas tank for your bike? Gas will be gone in hours after an Event. Now you know why chickens sit on those eggs, and a bottle of water in the sleeping bag. I have added a 6x6 camo tarp to wrap around my sleeping bag.
This something everybody needs to do, to find out what gear to bring , what not to bring, and how to organize it. You reminded me to get a good topographical map of my area.
Question ? Sam what if the gas stations are close down ? If a SHTF does happen ?
Is there not some where closer to home you can bug out at ?...A.H
No. I'm four hours from anything. I have to be able to buy gas. I'm not in a tornado or flood area so "bug out" plans are not related to a natural disaster or to a nuclear attack (four hours would be meaningless). My "bug out" plans are focused on a communicable disease outbreak. In that event, I expect the gas to keep flowing while the sheeple wait for a vacine. I'll wait for the vacine too but from a safe distance. I selected the bike because it's the only way to get into a lake that I can fish four months out of the year and gather firewood and be left alone.
Eventually, I realized a year is 12 months long and not four. So I needed an alternative for the other eight months. I had been planning on going rabbit hunting anyway and so planned an October trip as being not real cold (just in case what happened, happened) yet but not summer either.
Since my gear was based around using the bike, I decided to take it (reducing the entire cost of the trip to about $ 30). That's why I was checking the map for gas stations.
Next time, if I try again, I'll either take a car or my bigger bike (bigger tank and better gas mileage but not all storage I put on the other.).
I can pack one extra gallon of gas but don't like to do that. If the gas stations close when the SHTF, I'm SOL.
Sam...I would make a cache at the lake I intended to bug out to. A couple of sealed plastic drums with supplies would be handy.
Ya might consider a couple of gas caches on the route to your BOL...I'm not sure the best way to do that, but I'm sure you could figure it out.
__________________ ''Somebodies got to let ya down sooner or later.'' -JOE
SR - excellent write-up on the BO testrun! I have done this too, using my Kawasaki KLR650. No mountains here in sunny Florida, but the winters can get into the teens and twenties in the northern part of the state.
My bike gets 250 miles per tank on the road (even loaded for camping), and 230 in town.
NOT 250 mpg, he said 250 miles per tank (6 gallon)
If you really want mileage from a bike the way to go is one of the diesel engined models. More & more on the market now with some like the Indian Enfield giving about 200 mpg!!
Or one of these when it's released for the civilian market:
Hayes Diversified Technologies (HDT) Kawasaki
- a Kawasaki KLR650-based machine which is remanufactured with a diesel engine for military purposes in response to the new NATO requirements of "One battlefield fuel" with that one fuel being diesel. An initial order for 522 diesel motorcycles has already been placed by the US Marines and keen interest is being shown by the US Army, the UK Ministry of Defence and other NATO forces.
The engine configuration is a liquid cooled, normally aspirated, 584cc (36 cu in) double overhead cam single with four valves per cylinder. Diesel fuel supply is through a special Fuel Injection unit and single injector developed specifically for the task and the Kawasaki-based combat bike produces a respectable 28 bhp at 5500 rpm with meaty flat power delivery from 1500 and 7000 rpm.
The bike recently set the world’s first land speed record for a diesel fuelled motorcycle.
This diesel motorcycle can do 110 miles per gallon.
__________________
How can I 'Soar with the Eagles' when I'm working with such 'Turkeys'!
Don't hold your breath waiting on that KLR Diesel! We on the KLR forums have been lusting after it for years - but the problem is, the last price estimation, IF it ever comes to production, will be anywhere from $12,000 to $18,000! The gas KLR is about $5700 out the door. The savings can buy a whole lot of gas!
I am betting that BMW will eventually bring a practical diesel bike to market - and folks are already used to paying big bucks for a Beemer.
Some rugged individuals are trying to stuff Chinese small diesels into DualSport frames - but the power is low for the weight involved.
One thing to look into also is a small single-wheel trailer to attach to the bike - it will increase cargo carrying while remaining able to travel dirt roads and trails. A riding buddy down in Ocala has one, that he has used with his KLR650 fro over 80,000 miles! Many trips across the nation as well as down into Old Mexico. Carrying extra gas in it can double your range!
__________________ If you actually passed third grade English, let it show!
Adult Literacy is your friend.
Tried out my Gear 
That gas map and measuring out the miles between stations had me too occupied. I saw the clues (forestry roads and the switchback) but they really didn't register. The second mistake was not measuring my bike's gas mileage under load. I had no clue it would drop that much by adding a pack, sleeping bag, and bedroll.
