Hiding In Plain Sight - Options For Building A Community

Blacksmith's Shop, L'Anse Aux Meadows, Nfld

Longhouse and other Buildings

Hiding In Plain Sight.

So, how do you hide a village? Why in plain sight of course. You just need to design your village to look like the surrounding area. Here are a few buildings, reconstructions of what things may have looked like around 1000 AD when the Vikings first arrived on Newfoundland. From the sea, this building style would have been very difficult to see, unless you know what to look for. With the rocks and small islands offshore most vessels would have keep at least a half kilometre from shore. From more than two kilometres without the aid of optical devices these buildings would be all but invisible to the naked eye.

How are they built? These are sod and timber framed structures. The walls are constructed from 2 foot wide strips of sod. The strips are laid with a 2 foot layer on the inside, with a 2 foot channel filled with gravel (for moisture management) and a final 2 foot strip on the outside. This makes a 6 foot thick wall. The walls are 4 to 5 feet tall and every three or so layers of sod, a 6 foot strip of sod is placed to tie the inner and outer layers together. The size of the building would dictate how many of these strips would be required for a given wall. The roof would be framed with available logs or timbers harvested and modified for the building being built. The roof would be "shingled" with sod to create a living roof. These building blend in with their environment because they are built from their environment. Sod is an excellent building material in locations where there is nothing.

Metalshop and Church, Norstead Village, Nfld

Having had a visit to these structures in both cold and warm weather I can speak to the thermal qualities. On a hot day the doors and roof vents are opened and the air flow helps to keep the buildings cool. Conversely, on wet, cool days with the doors closed and the vents almost closed and small fires lit, the building "feel" comfortably warm. Now, I was not there to visit in winter, but I will assume these building can maintain there thermal properties in winter as well.

Longhouse, Norstead Village, Nfld

Fort Beausejour/Fort Cumberland, NB

Example of a Good Defendable Location

Defendable Location, Opposite Side

The roof vents show once again the ingenuity of those who lived in the past. With a light wood frame, the intestine of a Walrus or similar sized animal was then stretched over the frame. Once dry the result was a waterproof, translucent skylight. So, not only could the Viking vent and adjust the temperature in their Longhouse they also had light. Natural light. These skylights saved a lot of resources such as whale oil, wood, coal or candles - by not having to have fires lit for light during the day. Resource management. Don't waste what you got, if you can devise another method to achieve the same results with less resources.  

Once you have mastered building a community with the resources available from the local environment consideration must be given to defence. An environmently friendly community is nice, but if you cannot protect it or defend it, you will lose it. The layout of your village is important. The location of your village is important. There are some "must have's" and some "nice to have's" that you will want inside the village. Water. You must have a source of water inside your village. It does not matter if it is a well, cistern, creek, spring or lake. You must have water. Food. You must have a supply of food. Food storage is good. Gardens are very good. Grain fields are nice, but unlikely to fit. Chickens for eggs and meat. Rabbits for meat. Goats or cows for milk, cheese, butter and meat. Sheep for wool and meat. These animals can live in a village with you. A source of heat for warmth or cooking. Firewood, coal, natural gas or even solar. Having a complete, stand-alone village is the goal. Self-sufficient and self-supporting. Working together for the common survival of all villagers.

However, once you have what other want you end up with problems arriving at your doorstep. So, you must be able to defend what you have. Of course, charity to those in need is necessary from time-to-time. And a supply of charitable goods should be on hand, but other are more ruthless. They do not want your kindness. They want to take everything away. They cannot be bought, unless the chains of your bondage to their slavery counts. To be defendable, you must locate your village so it can be defended. The last two pictures illustrate a possible defendable location. The large rock outcrop could be fortified with walls and shelters and one or two gates. The village itself could be located on the back side of the rock outcrop. A road to the water's edge would make sense, along with a wharf/dock, and a small port fortress. In an uncertain future that may have to re-learn the ways of olde. Villages will have to take care of themselves. Marauders will descend upon undefended villages and rape, pillage and plunder. The wolves will be out for blood, your blood. So, if you were to locate your village near this rock outcrop you will also want to have a flank security in the form of some sort of observation/listening posts that have communications with your village. AND an overwatch position on the hill behind your village.  This leaves the most likely approach by water. If your attackers do not have artillery or mortars you should have an above average likelihood of surviving hostile acts against your village.

Of course, for defence and resource procurement you will want to have patrols out at all times. Both on the water and in the hills.

If you do not have the skills to plan, build or design a village; now is the best time to gather some of the basic skills. Tomorrow may be too late.

Keep your head when others are losing theirs!

Mountainman.

Can Quads be BOV's

Polaris RzR

Can quads, specifically, side-by-side ATV's be a Bugout Vehicle (BOV)?

I found this picture on the internet a few years back and I like what I see. Low centre of gravity. Robust suspension. And a reasonable sized engine. I believe this older RzR has a 600 or 650cc engine. 

In my opinion, you need to think in layers when it comes to Bugouts and Bugout Vehicles. If you have a F-350 Super-duty pulling a toyhauler trailer with a Polaris RzR inside and maybe a couple mountain bikes, too. Why would you want to leave your ATV at home?? You wouldn't. Take everything you can when you have to evacuate, as long as you can be on the road in minutes. Time matters. Pre-pack. Pre-load. Pre-position.

Of course, camo graphics or paint job go a long way to helping your quad blend in.

I will try to get more posts up in the next few days.

Mountainman.

What I Have Seen On My Summer Roadtrip

Wow, what a roadtrip. All the way to Newfoundland!!

The first picture is a Mitsubushi Fuso?? 4x4 Camper RV unit I saw in the parking lot at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland. I thought it was a Unimog conversion at first. Notice the normal "C" Class motorhome parked next to it. Half the ground clearance and at least a foot taller.

The second picture is a cabin tent we saw tonight at a campground near Drummondville, QC. The tents are built by "Les Toiles Cabanon" from France.

I believe these two items would be good items to research for a personal BOV and first shelter at a BOL.

Well time is short and sleep is needed.

Keep your gear dry and ready,

Mountainman.

Book Review of The G.O.O.D. Plan (Get Out Of Dodge)

Well, posting the excerpts of The G.O.O.D. Plan (Get Out Of Dodge) has resulted in a sale. AND a review of my book. I have posted the review here, with Susannah's permission. 

Have a great summer,

Mountainman.

• 
  

Book Review "The G.O.O.D Plan"

by susannah755 » 18 Jun 2012 21:25

I recently purchased this book mainly because I'm an info junkie and the extracts that I saw on this forum whetted my appetite for more...so I made my move and purchased my copy. Best thing I ever did! I decided to write a review - I wasn't asked to write a review, I volunteered to do so only because when I read this book yesterday it just inspired me so much - it explained a lot than I simply did not know how to tackle, I had no plan for bugging out in an emergency as I was relying on a "by the seat of my pants" reaction...not any more, I've started my plan already, I have "direction" and it's giving me peace of mind. So...here's my review:

I really like the way this book was written, it was engaging and thought provoking throughout. (I honestly couldn’t put it down – I read the whole thing in one sitting). It is written using “lay-person” language so it is very easy to read and the advice given is simple and concise so, regardless of your level of knowledge in planning to bug out in an emergency, you will have a plan forming as you read this book.

The information contained in this work is enlightening – every base is covered and the author goes to great lengths to explain every aspect of how to begin to assimilate the idea’s contained within this tome into a workable plan for you and your family’s survival. There is a wealth of information on things that you would assume would be covered plus a whole lot more. I especially liked the drills/practice for bugging out, the use of family codes was awesome (something that I hadn’t even thought of), the lists that are included are fantastic, SOP’s are explained and the SERE tips are excellent. All of the information can be adapted to suit any climate in any country – bonus!! The additional resources are just “mind blowing”. This is a book that you will read again and again – a worthy addition to your survival bookshelf.

I would recommend that everyone read this book.
Thank you Mountainman - awesome effort.

So.....when is the next book coming out?

The G.O.O.D. Plan (Get Out Of Dodge) Part 5

Morning,

Looks like my hissy-fit yesterday was for not. The problem with the highlighted text seems to be isolated to my PC. And I think my anit-virus program finally contained the problem, I hope. Nope, still infected. I hope it is just my machine. Enhanced text piss off. I know that probably did not work.

On to bigger and better things. I will make this post for The G.O.O.D. Plan (Get Out Of Dodge), and that may be it for the summer. I will, maybe, post more clips in the Autumn. I am still awaiting contact by possible publishers who may be interested in providing this book to the world. Please e-mail me at thegoodplan@hotmail.ca

I hope you enjoy this next segment.

Mountainman.

59.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's):

SOP's are just that, standard procedure for any given task. This is the way you and your family will always contact each other during an emergency, how you will pack up your vehicle and this is your procedure when you stop to refuel.

The military uses standardized procedures. This allows for a systematic conformity. In this case, conformity is a good thing. Because when the shit hits the fan and the bullets start flying, you don't want to waste a lot of time looking for someones first aid kit or spare ammo.

I would suggest your family establish SOP's for the following:

• Contact/No Contact/LOST – Family Members
• Family Codes – Password / Safeword
• Start the G.O.O.D. Plan – codeword / codephrase
• RV Location
• Packing / Loading your G.O.O.D. Vehicle
• Time – Always work backwards with the available time until you must Get Out Of Dodge!

Once you have your rough draft completed of your own G.O.O.D. Plan you may decide to add other SOP's.

For SOP's to work you must write them down ( in your G.O.O.D Plan .) You must practice them until they are second nature. And you must drill them from time-to-time to ensure you will remember them when the chips are down. If ,after all that, you notice you have SOP's for things that do not seem that important, you may want to edit and thin your SOP's to just the most critical procedures. The ones that get you out of your home and in your vehicle, so you can Get Out Of Dodge!

Now let's have a look at what your SOP's could look like. I will try to write up some SOP's that you can modify to fit your family's needs. Your list may include SOP's that I have not written samples for, do your best.

60.

Contact / No Contact / Lost Contact SOP:

1. It is an emergency. You need to contact your family.
2. If together, proceed to step 6.
3. if apart. Call each person's cell phone first. Tell them where and when to meet up. Give your family codeword for starting the G.O.O.D. Plan.
4. If unable to contact. Leave a message, use your codeword for starting the G.O.O.D. Plan. And instruct to call the contact person.
5. Call your contact person. Leave the meeting location and time for other family members. Give today's password and the family safeword to your contact.
6. Begin Packing the G.O.O.D. Vehicle, as per the G.O.O.D. Plan.
7. Once packed or out of time, head for the meeting place. Try to be a couple minutes early if possible.
8. Pickup all members of family, proceed to Safe Zone.
9. IF, a family member does not make it to meeting place. Call your family contact. Get update. IF, they have not heard from overdue member, give alternate meeting place and time.
10. Proceed to next meeting pace, enroute to Safe Zone. Call contact again. If, still no contact. Overdue member will have to use their own S.E.R.E. Plan to get to the Safe Zone on their own.

• If you are the overdue member and you receive the message with the codeword to start G.O.O.D. You will:

1. Immediately, call your family contact person
2. Listen for the Family safeword and give the password of the day.
3. You will ask for the meeting place and time. If you can not make it in time. Tell contact you are enroute. If possible to make it to the alternate meeting point in time say you link up there. If not possible, state I will be starting my S.E.R.E. Plan. See everyone at the Safe Zone. ETA – Unknown.

61.

• If You loose contact with a family member after they know that the G.O.O.D. Plan is active, you will:

1. Call your contact person. Update them. See if they have had any contact. If possible, arrange an alternate pickup point and time.
2. Wait at the scheduled meeting point, for 10 minutes. If, still not contact – you MUST proceed without them. The members in your vehicle must get to the Safe Zone. You can decide to conduct a rescue mission after you arrive at the Safe Zone.
3. Continue to check in with your contact person enroute to get updates.
4. IF, your overdue member is close behind, you may make the decision to wait for link up.

• If you loose contact with your family, after the G.O.O.D. Plan is active, you will:

1. Establish communications with your family contact ASAP.
2. You will update them on your situation.
3. If link up is not possible in the time available, notify the contact you will be starting your S.E.R.E. Plan immediately.
4. Meet at the Safe Zone when you can get there.

• If you do not make contact with a family member. They may or may not know that the family G.O.O.D. Plan is in effect.

1. You have already made it to the Safe Zone.
2. You have not heard from you family member.
3. Defence construction at the Safe Zone is under way.
4. If the nature of the situation allows, you could try to drive a rescue mission to try to find your overdue family member. Or leave a message at a meeting location.
5. Your Triage SOP should kick in. You should wait for your missing member to arrive following their S.E.R.E. Plan.

62.

Family Codes:

Passwords:

Passwords are a two part system. Part one the challenge word. Part two the password. Do's and Don't's:

• Don't use colours
• Don't use common pairs – romeo / juliette
• Do use words your family will know
• Do change your password often
• Do change your password after it has been used
• Do use your password before an emergency
• Don't give the password if someone repeats the challenge word
• Don't be afraid to keep a visitor separate until their identity can be verified

Sample:

• 05 may 2011 Password of the Day = Tree/Leaf
• Challenge is “TREE”
• Response is “LEAF”
• Any other response = open fire.

Safewords:

A safeword is a code word only someone who has been in contact with the family will know. This code is used to verify that the person is allowed to interact with the family. Such as:

• Pick up child at school/camp/practice
• Prove to the child that the person has had recent contact with the parent
• give the child a ride

Although, child focused, this technique is equally applicable to adults or teenagers. This is a safety mechanism to verify authority when there is a time shortage.

63.

Safeword Do's & Don't's:

• Do not give the safeword to non-family members just because.
• Do ensure each member of the family knows the current safeword
• Do remember a few old safewords – at least one
• Do give the safeword to another when you need them to pickup your child
• Do train your child to ask for the safeword before leaving an activity
• do keep the family safeword safe
• don't tell friends – At school, sports practice, or church ( not to anyone outside your family)

Safeword SOP:

1. Each Family member knows current safeword
2. You can not make it in time to pickup a family member
3. You ask a friend to pickup family member. You give them the current safeword
4. When the friend arrives at school/practice, the family member asks them for the safeword
5. If correct, the family member knows it is okay to leave with them
6. if, not correct or an old safeword, the family member will tell their teacher to call 9-1-1 and get the police. The family member will not leave with them.
7. Better safe than sorry
8. change safeword after it has been used
9. Remember giving an old safeword is a message of distress.

Keep safewords posted in your home on a chaulkboard or whiteboard, that is out of sight of casual visitors. Update the board each time the safeword changes. Use safewords your family will know, understand and remember.

Keep Safe Out There!

67.

S.O.P.'s Parting Points

You will need to develop S.O.P.'s for all activities:

• Activate G.O.O.D. Plan
• Time – Evac Checklist
• Packing/Loading G.O.O.D. Vehicle
• Driving G.O.O.D. Route / Convoying
• Refuel Point
• Breakdown
• Ambush
• Road Blocks / Check points
• Occupying Safe Zone
• Defence Construction at Safe Zone
• Contact Drills at Safe Zone
• Recce Patrols
• Going Home

This is a starting point. Your S.O.P's may be larger or smaller as you see fit. The more that is worked out before hand, the less stress when the bullets are flying and tasks need to be completed. Everyone needs a job. Everyone needs to know what their jobs is, and just do it.

Working with time:

Time is your greatest challenge during an emergency. So, it is important to have your evacuation checklist written in reverse order. That is, have the MOST important items listed first. IF, time permits then ....

If, you have 3 or more hours to evacuate, you can do quite a lot before you have to hit the road.

On the other hand

If, you only have 20 minutes to pack and get, a whole lot of your valuable gear and supplies will be left behind. This is a worthy point to ponder now as you build your G.O.O.D. Plan.

Escape & Evasion Notes

Possible SERE Pack - Custom Military Patrol Pack 1996

Welcome. No, I have not figured out the why's of it, but I still do not have control where the text starts. Sorry. 

I was looking for the plans I drew of the Chuck Boxes. Still looking. LOL. 

However, I found an old design book from the late 1990's of some of the projects I was working on. In the back I found some notes of the gear I thought would be useful in an E&E pack, you know, escape & evasion. That was a named used instead of bugout bag. I thought you may get a chuckle out of it. It doesn't look too bad. A good start. 

The picture is a pack I made in about 1996 for one of my co-workers. The kit list for an E&E pack were loosely based on filling a pack similar to the one pictured. I am not sure how long the pack lasted, as I have lost touch with "the Boys" over the years. Listen to me, I sound like an old man. 

In the context of The G.O.O.D. Plan (Get Out Of Dodge) I used the term SERE instead of E&E, SERE stood for Survive Evacuate Resist Evade. The military uses SERE training to assist military personnel get in the mind set of overcoming obstacles that stand between them and safety. Such as when your plane falls from the sky into enemy territory or for ground pounders when the front lines move and you find yourself behind the line on the enemy's side. Both cases, you want to remain calm, keep your wits and quietly get back to the good guy side of the front. 

In a non-military scenario, using SERE skills during an evacuation is possibly when all other means of transport have failed and you find yourself on foot and you are not yet at your Safe Zone/Bug Out Location/Shelter. Or you missed your "ride" to the Safe Zone, you will get there you will just be late. Traveling alone during a crisis is dangerous, move cautiously, quietly, and stay out of sight. This means stay off man-made roads, travel at twilight or in the dark if you can. Go cross-country, stay in the trees/bush. Use ridgelines to your advantage, remember not to skyline yourself when you encounter treeless ridges .

Those are just some my thoughts today. Safe travels out there. Hopefully, we will never need any of this information on Bug Out Bags, Bug Out Locations, E&E, SERE, Safe Zones, Evacuation Plans, on any other skills currently being kept alive by those preppers out there. 

Until next, keep your axe sharp and pack ready!!

Mountainman. 

Note: I just had a look at this post and someone has hacked some of the text. WTF, is text enhance and who attached that to my blog. I do not recommend anyone click on those highlighted words. I am not sure how to get rid of it either.Someone is really starting to piss me off. Stop screwing with my blog. Now I am not sure if it is my computer only or actually happening on the blog page. I upgraded my virus software but that did not change things. Hmmmm.

Building Your Own Backpack

Modified Alpine Rucksack (Front)

 Alright, to break-up the excerpts from the book. Let's look at building your own backpack. 

I have built a number of packs since the mid-90's. Not very many lately, by my choice. 

What do you need?? Time, space, a sewing machine, scissors, thread, buckles, fabric and probably a pattern. I say this, because later you may be able to design and make your own pack from your design not from the pattern of others.

I have used two main patterns to build the packs shown, except the Hybrid's - those I designed and built myself. The patterns I used are:

The Rain Shed #150 Alpine Rucksack  &

Storm Mountain Design #301 Mountain Pack

Google these to find a retailer near you. As the pictures show modifying these packs works well. Whether you are adding zip-off pockets

Modified Alpine Rucksack (Rear)

or buckle off pockets, both increase the carrying capacity of the pack. Extra pockets can be used for tents, fuel bottles, crampons, first aid kits, water bladders and the list can go on & on. You build them to fit the gear you have, that you want to take hiking or backpacking.

The most modified pack I have made is the LRRP, Long Range Recreation Pack. This pack can be converted (variable geometry) to many roles. With everything attached, it is a pack mule to get your gear to base-camp. Then the components can be removed and re-configured to fit your day tripping from base.

Finally, the Hybrid Pack. Part gear vest and part daypack. This pack is fast and easy to build, because you build the harness first & then add the pockets that fit your gear. 

I hope this gives you a starting point and some gear making ideas.

Mountainman.

Link to the Long Range Recreation Pack (LRRP) System: https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2021/02/lrrp-pack-system-long-range-recreation.html 

SAR Hybrid Pack

UPDATE (11 March 2023): New post focusing on the SAR Hybrid Pack - https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-hybrid-pack-system-revisiting-sar.html 

Long Range Recreation Pack (Variable Geometry)

Link: https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2021/02/lrrp-pack-system-long-range-recreation.html 

Modified & Basic Mountain Pack

Hybrid Pack

Modified Mountain Pack

Modified Alpine Rucksack