Epiphany leading to a radical rethink!

[Scythe13]

That's a hell of a time you had there mate. Wish I was at the DR with you. Sounds awesome...even though I don't drink.

Similar on Dartmoor (colder on Dartmoor, but probably nowhere near as windy...I even managed an hour or 2's sleep) has made me rethink and reinforce much of my gear. It's getting out in the harshest of elements that shows what you have got right and what you need to sort out. I feel bad for those who have not tested their gear properly.

I might have been reading too much into this, and jumped to the conclusion that you are never going to Bug Out. If I have jumped to that conclusion, then I'm sorry. I've misread the situation. But if I'm right in my conclusion, before you totally cut out the idea of bugging out, may I make a few suggestions and note some thoughts that came into my head after my 'alternative weather' experience?

Have you thought about a different bug out route? One that has much more shelter and cover? What about new BOL's (Bug Out Locations), such as quarries or heavily wooded areas (with strong set trees of course)? Hedges are amazing at cutting down the wind strength. It's even possible to make up a small fence to reduce your wind exposure. There is even the option to start digging a pit for shelter, the upturned soil can be used as extra walls around the pit. Also if the pockets have enough depth, arctic or expedition level tents? They'll cost more, but will also stand up to much more. Maybe even an upgrade of the parts that you foresee failing, like how I'm going to experiment with Easton poles? I remember watching a video of some people in the US caught in a tornado. They took shelter in the upper sections of an underpass. That kept them safe from a tornado! Granted you might not want to be that close to a road, but there are always options if you need them.

If conditions are that bad, it might even be worth getting some small climbing harnesses (probably overkill, but you know me) or similar and tethering yourself to the littlest ones, to keep them with you and secure. On an up note, if conditions really are that bad, the odds of 'undesirables' being out and about is greatly reduced. So at least that's one positive.

Imagine your retreat/home is on fire, are you honestly not going to bug out? Even though you may not be planning to bug out, you might not necessarily have much of an option. If staying put was a guaranteed save choice, I think we'd all go with that. But most people have planned to Bug Out, incase there are not other options.

---

Oh, there's always the option of just travelling to an alternative location, that's within a relatively short distance. Say, an abandoned house down the road, a warehouse, or something like that. Instead of making a huge 100 mile trek, you could make many 10 miles treks, from safe house to safe house.