Friday, October 30, 2015

Apocalybsessed: The Expansion



So Monday's Listy Blog was just my list... but here are my specifics and why...

I am only now realizing it's just me. Well, a few of you had thoughts. But I think we are the exception.

When people announce some new skill on Facebook or post pictures of the cool stuff they canned... I claim them for my apocalypse team. Nobody outside of the writer-verse seems to be thinking about it. So I wondered... are other people secretly amassing supplies but keeping it to themselves so when it happens nobody shows up at their house? Or am I ridiculous because of the entertainment I love?

Because I have plans.

MOST Important (aside from collecting my various loved ones):

GET WEST. The population is WAY too dense here. Supplies of available stuff will go fast and if it's the zombies, there are way too many people to be turned into them, and if it's the flu disease will spread so much faster with this many people. And if it is nuclear war—HELLO, nobody wants to be sitting between Chicago and Detroit.

Something like this oughta do it
HOW will I go west? Well going through Chicago just seems stupid. That twisty gnarl of tollways is going to get clogged in about two minutes flat, and a person has to go clear down to 70 to go SOUTH of Chicago... So North? Well I don't fancy having to count on the Mackinaw Bridge staying open—that bridge is five miles long and if all of Michigan is trying to cross it, I see a problem. Nope, I plan on hitting someplace like Traverse City and taking a BOAT to the Upper Peninsula. I will make my way to Highway 2 to cross the country.

I told you I'd been thinking about this.

Next Step:

WHAT WEAPONS? I've probably been watching Walking Dead too much of late, but I am convinced the sword is for me. Or possibly a hatchet—not a full-sized ax. I don't own any guns anyway, but I've been thinking guns run out of ammo. If it's zombies that is definitely the way to go. People acting all Neanderthal because apocalypses bring out the worst in some people is another matter. Though I happen to think I am better at strategy and stealth than I would be in actual combat. I was the kid that they quit the hide and seek game for because nobody could find me, so I am counting on that. A lot.

And FOOD! Stuff that is light enough to carry but you can make more substantial, like dried beans are PERFECT if you are somewhere you can take two hours to prep, so I'd take them. But you also need portables... Peanut butter... regular nuts. In fact trail mix generally is really darned efficient (thus the name TRAIL mix, duh). Canned stuff SOUNDS nice, and if I was in one place to store it, okay, but it is HEAVY and some portion of that heaviness is just water weight. In fact some freeze dried rations from a camping store would be good. My dad used to have that stuff, though the only stuff I'd touch was the freeze dried ice cream.

Driving across Highway 2 I figure the biggest cities are Duluth Minnesota and Minot North Dakoka, so those aren't a problem. In North Dakota I figure I should dissemble a wind mill to take with us—that way wherever we go will have power... Because I am on my way to my parents' house—my stepdad is VERY handy—an electrician among other things, but he is also sort of like MacGuyver. I figure our team needs him. Plus my kids will need their nana.

So who's with me?

In other news, final edits for story go in today and I will submit for the Insecure Anthology. Shorts are hard, but it is good for me and I am relatively happy with the result.

8 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I'm thinking seed packets! I have a feeling our family would go through our food pretty fast. :)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I'm still thinking horses because gas might be hard to get when the electric grid goes down.
For food, it might help to migrate during the warm and cold months.

M.J. Fifield said...

I have a closet full of swords. I didn't buy them in preparation for an apocalypse, but they'd come in handy during one.

ViolaNut said...

I can make clothing. And cook. Am I in? ;-)

Arlee Bird said...

Wow, you've really given this some thought and you've come up with good ideas. Maybe we'll pass each other as I flee from the West. Actually, in a holocaust situation I don't know if there is any one good place to go. Hopefully if it all happens it will be right after one of our runs to Costco. That's about the only time we're really stocked up on items and even then it's only good for a month at the most.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out

Andrew Leon said...

I live west; I don't think it's the direction to go.
With climate change, north is the better option. Less population, too.

Terra said...

I like your apocalypse plan and your boat idea. I live on the western edge of the USA, you can not go any more west than here. One thing I would like is a water purifier that is simple and doesn't need electricity. Hope we don't need to use these plans.

Jan Morrison said...

I for sure don't need to go anywhere to run out of people. I'm there already. Ron's parents grew up in North West River with no electricity, no nothing really. The village (population now at about 400) was then just a few families and they were there because it was nice to have a neighbor or two. They trapped and fished and cut wood. Suppose we could do the same. And believe it or not - you need flour. You don't think you do but it provides a huge amount of nutrients that you will need. It was what got folks here meeting the boat here (that came after spring breakup - like June) - cup in hand - to dip into the bags before they were even unloaded. Who knew? If it's zombies I'll just join in - can't be bothered trying to outfox those things - if it is the flu I'm probably in a good place once the airplanes stop. If it's war - same thing.
Hmm? You all should come up. Winter is cold though but you are used to that. We have snow already. dang.