Deal on My Books at Costco

My publisher recently received a large order for all three of my survival-related books from Costco Stores.  Since these big chains are able to buy in volume, they negotiate for big discounts which they are able to pass along to the customer.  Generally, Amazon has the best prices on most books, as they too buy and sell in volume, often making very small profits per copy.  But if you live in an area where there are Costco locations and prefer to shop in person rather than online, you may get an even better deal.

I don't have access to a Costco store here, as there are none in Mississippi, but a friend sent me this photo taken with his phone last week from one of the stores in the Los Angeles area.  They had plenty of copies of Bug Out, Bug Out Vehicles and Shelters, and Getting Out Alive, all priced at just $8.99 per copy, which is a significant discount off the cover prices of $14.95 and $15.95:

I don't know if every Costco store has these in stock, but I'm pleased to see them offered by the chain, as they have a limited selection of books to begin with.  The fact that they chose to carry all three of these titles is evidence of the growing popularity of preparedness topics in general.  I'd love to hear from you if you see these in stock in a Costco store near you.

Oregon Trip and Interview

The Oregon trip went well and I got to do about everything I'd hoped to during the brief time I was there, including driving more than 500 miles all over the northwestern section of the state and hiking in various locations from Silver Falls State Park to the Mt. Hood area and a rugged section of the coast at Ecola State Park.  Here are a few photos I took, but I still have hundreds to go through and edit, as well as some video footage that will take even more time.

Silver Falls State Park:

 

Mt. Hood:

Ecola State Park:

Those of you who are familiar with Oregon know that this state has no lack of natural beauty and magnificent scenery to enjoy the outdoors in.  But one thing is for sure: despite the rugged topography of this northwestern part of the state, the human population here is dense compared to the areas east of the Cascades and to other western states like Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.  As I mentioned in my book, Bug Out, Oregon has comparatively few large roadless areas for a western state, but some of those remaining areas that do exist are quite inaccessible and could work as bug-out locations for those prepared to deal with the steep terrain and wet conditions.  Another thing about these dense coniferous forests that was evident even on the relatively short hikes I had time to do, is that game is abundant, evidenced by numerous trails and fresh elk tracks and droppings.  Lots of edible plants abound as well, as these forests are incredible green and lush from all the rainfall they receive.

My interview on AM Northwest, a regional morning show on Portland's ABC station: KATU Channel 2, involved a brief discussion of some of the topics of my book, Getting Out Alive: 13 Deadly Scenarios and How Others Survived.  There's never enough time in an interview to go into depth about the subject matter of a book - much less in an interview of just over 5 minutes in length.  But the two hosts asked some good questions, particularly the very first question, with regard to the Canadian woman who recently survived 7 weeks stranded in a van in a remote Nevada wilderness.  Again, there wasn't enough time to respond with everything I would have liked to talk about, but the point is that most of the scenarios in my book involve people going out for a day or weekend outing and getting into a situation that could become a matter of life or death because they simply did not take into account the possibility that something could happen to delay their return.  This happens with automobiles, boats, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles and any other kind of vehicle that can transport a person rapidly into a remote area, much farther than they would normally be able to travel under human power alone.  The technology then fails them in one way or another - either mechanically or by getting stuck somehow, and then people who only planned to be out for a short time are faced with what could be an ordeal of much longer duration - such as this woman's 7-week stranding that few would have survived. 

The lesson here is prepardness.  If you are always in a state of prepardness wherever you go and whatever you do, you are much less likely to find yourself in one of these situations.  This means having adequate shelter, clothing, food and water to last much longer than your planned adventure.  This is why when I ride my dual sport motorcycle into the woods, paddle a kayak off the coast, or sail away from land on a larger boat, I always have extra supplies for those unexpected delays.  I learned this the hard way many years ago when I first started sea kayaking and paddled 12 miles to a barrier island for an overnight trip.  A strong weather system moved into the area, whipping up seas that made my return impossible, and keeping me stormbound on the island for 4 more days.  I had only taken food for one night, but it was a good island for foraging, so I made out okay until the weather broke and I was able to leave - but it was a lesson I never forgot. 

Here is the interview for those who are interested:

Looking Forward to the Oregon Outdoors

Working on the current book project has kept me busy and kept me indoors too much.  Tomorrow, my publisher is sending me to Portland, Oregon for a television interview to talk about the most recent book: Getting Out Alive: 13 Deadly Scenarios and How Others Survived.  The interview won't take long, then I'll be free to explore for a couple of days.  I definitely want to do some hiking in coastal areas that look like this:

 

Leon Pantenburg, of Survival Common Sense, who lives in Bend, Oregon, also recommended that I check out Silver Falls State Park, which he wrote about here.   It's not far south of Portland and certainly looks worth the trip:  

It would be nice to have a couple of weeks in Oregon to really get out into the backcountry, but this trip will be a short one.  As I wrote in Bug Out: The Complete Plan for Escaping a Catastrophic Disaster Before It's Too Late [Paperback], Oregon has some truly spectacular big wilderness areas, particularly in parts of the Cascade Range and for example, the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area.  But any short hike I can do near the coast or in the old-growth forests will be a welcome break from working behind a keyboard; and from the heat and humidity that has already arrived to mark the beginning of another sweltering Mississippi summer.  

I'll have more about the interview and some photographs from the trip after I return.

Top 10 Bug Out Tips

Although most long-time readers of Bug Out Survival know the basics of bug-out preparations and why they may be necessary, I thought it might be useful to post this basic top ten tips list from the final chapter in Getting Out Alive: 13 Deadly Scenarios and How Others Survived.  As many of you who have read my newest book know, Getting Out Alive is not targeted at the hard-core prepper/survivalist reader, but Chapter 13, Urban Breakdown, paints a description of a situation in a city where leaving may be the only safe option.  The top ten tips for preparing to bug out and actually going through with it are a good introduction to the subject that you may want to share with friends or family, and can also be good reminders even to those who are prepared.  As this photo of a hurricane evacuation shows, chaos can reign supreme when things go wrong in a big city.  A real SHTF scenario would make this look like Friday rush hour traffic.  Those who live in cities by choice or necessity should always keep this in mind and not get complacent about the possibility of having to bug out.

TOP TEN TIPS FOR BUGGING OUT IN AN URBAN BREAKDOWN:

1. Understand the Risks.  Stay tuned in to current events, weather and science so you will be aware of any potential threats to normal life in your area.  Be aware of specific natural disasters, terror threats or political situations that can pose a risk where you live or work.  The more urban the environment, the more likely you will have to bug out if something serious happens as areas with large populations will be full of desperate people. 

2. Prepare a Bug Out Bag.  Once you accept the possibility that you may have to bug out someday, prepare your bug out bag in advance.  Gather the necessary gear and supplies and learn to use any items that you may not be familiar with.  Make sure all the stuff you need fits in the bag, and that you can carry it on your back while traveling on foot if you have to. 

3. Have a Pre-Planned Bug Out Location.  Being prepared to leave will do you little good if you don’t know where to go.  Scout the potential bug out locations in your region through the study of maps, research online and in books, and by on the ground reconnaissance.  Evaluate a bug out location based on remoteness and inaccessibility to the masses, natural hazards such as wildlife and climate, available resources such as water, plant foods and game and reasonable proximity to your starting point. 

4. Know the Best Escape Routes.  Know in advance the route you will take to your chosen bug out location using your available transportation options and back-ups.  Chose routes that are not likely to be the scene of mass evacuations and traffic jams, and practice traveling them so you will know the way no matter what the circumstance.  Consider unconventional routes that will allow you to avoid as many people as possible.

5. Keep your Vehicle Ready.  If a motor vehicle is part of your bug out plan, make sure it is well-maintained and that the fuel tank is kept topped off as much as possible.  Have the necessary emergency equipment to deal with different weather conditions and have spare parts that commonly need replacing and the tools to install them.  Include towing gear, a winch and bolt cutters to open padlocked gates. 

6. Consider Alternate Transportation.  In many areas motor vehicles may not be the best option.  Bicycles can get you out of a grid-locked city faster than sitting in an traffic jam with thousands of stalled cars.  If there is navigable water such as a stream, river, lakeshore or coast a boat may be the best option as there will be far fewer people trying to bug out by boat and it will get you to areas those without boats cannot reach.

7.  Be Prepared to Walk.  Always be prepared to bug out on foot if all else fails, including your vehicle.  In some cases walking may be the best option even if you have other choices.  Unconventional routes you can take on foot include railroads, storm drains and many other cross-country options.  With careful planning you can find a way out while those confined to vehicles remain trapped. 

8. Be Inconspicuous and Blend In.  Remain as unobtrusive as possible by not dressing in a way that says you are a prepared survivalist or openly carrying a weapon such as an assault rifle.  If you do, you may be detained by the police or other authorities, or have your weapon and other gear confiscated.  You could also be targeted by others who see that you are prepared and want your stuff. 

9.  Avoid Confrontations.  Although being armed is a good idea and suitable firearms for both hunting and self-defense should be part of your bug out bag, you should seek to avoid confrontations at all costs.  Chances are you will be out-numbered or out-gunned anyway.  Staying hidden, moving at night and choosing routes away from mass evacuations are among the best tactics for avoiding confrontations. 

10. Resist the Urge to Go Back Too Soon.   If all has gone well and you’ve reached your bug out location safely, stay there and try to remain out of sight until you are sure that order has been restored and that it is safe to return to the city.  It may be lonely out in a wilderness of forest, desert or mountains, but you will be safer there than among a lawless population without adequate resources.

Getting Out Alive Excerpt: Where to Look for Water in a Desert

Getting Out Alive: 13 Deadly Scenarios and How Others Survived is now in stock on Amazon and has probably made it's way into a bookstore near you, or will soon.  As I mentioned before, I planned to post a few excerpts of material from the book here from time to time - especially sections that are relevant to the focus of this blog.

In looking at potential bug out locations across the Lower 48, as I did in my other book, Bug Out: The Complete Plan for Escaping a Catastrophic Disaster Before It's Too Late, it becomes obvious that some of the most remote and largest areas of trackless wilderness are still to be found in the arid West.  The deserts and semi-desert environment of these arid regions are a tough place to survive and an easy place to die if you are not knowledgeable or prepared.  In Getting Out Alive, I use as an example the case of an entire family of tourists from Germany who wandered off the beaten track in Death Valley in a rented van.  They disappeared without a trace, and their skeletons were just found in November, 2009, 13 years after their fatal blunder that came about as a result of their inexperience and underestimation of the harshness of that environment.

On the other hand, those who have the skills and knowledge to travel and prevail in that environment have  always had an advantage over those who cannot.  Throughout the history of the settlement of the West, outlaws and native masters of the environment such as the Apaches gave their pursuers fits with their ability to live in places that seem impossible to human life.  But most deserts are not quite the wasteland that they appear to be to the outsider, and those who have spent time there know they are teeming with life.  The key to that life is of course, water, and the key to surviving in the desert is knowing how to find it.  Here are a few suggestions taken from Broke Down in the Desert, which is the title of Chapter Eight in Getting Out Alive:

Where to Look for Water in a Desert

The desert environment is defined by the scarcity of water, but despite this almost all desert areas are inhabited by plants and animals that require at least some water. Many different forms of life are certain indicators of water in the vicinity. By knowing a bit about the nature of desert plants, insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals, you can often find their hidden sources of life-giving water. It also helps to remember that water flows downhill and naturally seeks the lowest level. In the desert, this may be at the base of hills or underground, especially where there is a large amount of vegetation. Even an apparently dry stream may yield water if you dig in the right place.

Anywhere you find damp soil or sand is a good place to dig. In dry streambeds, this will mostly be in the outside of bends under the concave bank of the outer curve, the same part of the stream that would be deepest if it were flowing with surface water. Even if you find only wet mud and no liquid water, the mud can be pressed in a piece of cloth such as your T-shirt to squeeze out precious moisture. Indicators of subsurface water in a dry wash include an abundance of green plants, especially those species that require lots of water such as cattails, cottonwood, or willow trees. Dense clouds of flies swarming over a particular spot usually indicate that water can be found by digging there; this is what enables the nomadic Bedouins of the Sahara to find water in the driest wastelands.

The presence of bees is also a certain indicator of water in the vicinity. Bees are rarely found more than three or four miles from fresh water. If you can see which direction they are flying to and from, you can often track them back to the hive and their water supply. Ants are likewise indicators of a water source. The ants and bees may be observed going in and out of a hole in the crotch of a tree—if so, there is probably a hidden reservoir of trapped rainwater there. You can find out by dipping a long piece of grass or a stick in it. Such natural tree reservoirs are common in dry areas, replenished by rain and by dew that condenses on the branches and trickles down. It can be mopped out with bits of cloth tied to a stick or sucked out directly with a hollow straw or reed.

Some species of birds, like doves, blackbirds, and other grain and seed eaters, are a reliable indictor of water. They spend the day feeding but at dusk make for a water hole to drink before going to roost. If you see them flying low and swift late in the day, they are flying to water. Carnivorous birds, on the other hand—such as hawks, eagles and owls—get most of the moisture they need from their prey, and are not reliable water indicators.

While desert reptiles such as snakes and lizards are largely independent of water other than dew and what they get from their prey, if you see frogs or salamanders there is almost always water nearby. Mammals also need water at regular intervals, though many that are found in the desert can travel long distances between drinks. Animal trails do not always lead to water, but fresh tracks of grazing animals such as deer that lead downhill late in the day will sometimes lead you to water.

Some of these water sources used by birds and other animals will be natural rock basins and pockets that trap rainwater and snow melt, sometimes holding it for months afterward. Native Americans such as the Apaches who thrived in some of the driest Southwestern deserts and mountains relied on these natural water basins when hunting and traveling far from streams. They are often located on sandstone ridges, in side canyons, and in narrow clefts in the rock. By carefully studying the terrain for areas of sandstone cut by water runoff you can usually find such hidden water basins.

Water can be obtained from certain plants, including dew that can be mopped up from grasses and other low-growing plants in treeless areas. The easiest way it to collect it is to use rags or articles of clothing to sponge it up in the early morning before the sun evaporates it and squeeze it into a container. Other plants contain water in their roots, stems, or leaves. Tree roots near the surface in gullies and other low areas can be pulled up and cut into short lengths to drain out the moisture.

Some desert plants such as the barrel cactus contain large amounts of water, but that water is very difficult to get without a good knife and lots of hard work—you need to cut the cactus into sections and mash the pulp to squeeze out the water. Water can also be evaporated from plants by placing leaves and stems in clear plastic “transpiration” bags and putting them in the sun. The water drawn out of the plant material will condense on the inside surface of the plastic and run down to the bottom, where it can be collected. Any type of clear plastic bag can work; the key is sealing it tightly to prevent water loss through evaporation. You can make a solar still from a sheet of clear plastic stretched over a hole about three feet wide by 18 inches deep. Use green plants to line the hole under the plastic to increase the amount of water condensed by the still.

Interview Tonight on Survival Common Sense Radio

Tonight I will be talking with Leon Pantenburg on his Survival Common Sense Radio show between 8:00 and 9:00 PM Central Time.  Leon is the author of the popular blog, Survival Common Sense,  which is an excellent resource on wilderness survival topics from an outdoorsman with extensive real-life experience.  Leon and I have exchanged many emails about survival topics since I began this blog.  Tonight we will be talking about my new book, Getting Out Alive: 13 Deadly Scenarios and How Others Survived. as well as related topics.

Here is a link to more detail about the show and tonight's program:

http://www.bepreparedradio.com/2011/02/17/survival-common-sense-radio-02-18-2011/

The 13 Scenarios in Getting Out Alive

My new book, Getting Out Alive: 13 Deadly Scenarios and How Others Survived, is quite different in content from Bug Out, my first survival-related book that led to the creation of this site to expand on the topics I covered there. Getting Out Alive is not so much a survival manual as it is a look at some specific survival situations that a person could find themselves in, and a look at how other people in those situations in real life managed to get out of them.  A few cases mentioned in the book also describe the plights of those who did not survive, either through bad luck, lack of knowledge or skill or a some combination of factors beyond their control. Here's a view of the back cover:

For as long as I can remember, I've been interested in reading such true-life survival stories, especially if they were related to adventures I could picture myself undertaking.  As a kid growing up hunting, I eagerly read every account I could get my hands on of hunters getting lost in the woods, attacked by bears or caught out in a blizzard.  I read about the adventures of big game hunters in Africa and other exotic places and how they dealt with their dangerous quarry and the many hazards of their environment, like deadly snakes.  I was fortunate enough later as an adult to pursue some of the adventures I dreamed about as a kid, and as a result I've ventured into tropical jungles, sailed the ocean on small boats, retraced the routes of mountain men and voyageurs and wandered remote desert canyons. 

Anyone who deliberately seeks adventure is bound to put themselves in situations that can test their survival skills, and I've been in a few tight spots from time to time.  But even those who mostly stay at home can also find themselves in danger when it comes to threats from things like hurricanes, winter storms or even deranged individuals with guns who decide to go on a rampage.

The purpose of a book like Getting Out Alive is to show how easy it can be to end up in a life-or-death struggle and provide food for thought about how the reader might learn from the mistakes of others and avoid the same situation.  In some cases, the real-life examples given illustrate the absolute best course of action the person or persons involved could have taken, and would be hard to improve upon.  In other cases, we can all learn from their errors in judgment and avoid the same end they came to. 

It's hard to chose when thinking about such scenarios, as there are so many possibilities, but for this book I decided to pick 13 situations, some of which could happen to most anyone, and others that would be more likely to happen to the adventurous traveler.  Some of these are scenarios that I could have found myself in, since I have a love for deserts, the sea, jungles, mountains and wild places inhabited by dangerous animals.  But I think that even if you don't seek out experiences in such places, reading about survival scenarios in different environments can add to your general survival knowledge, as well as make for entertaining reading.

So with this explanation, here are the scenarios discussed in this book:

Chapter One:  Cutting Your Losses - looks at situations in which lone travelers in remote locations have been trapped by a fallen tree or shifting boulder and have had to chose between death and cutting off one of their own limbs to escape.

Chapter Two:  Abandoned in the Amazon Basin - looks at jungle survival from the perspective of an ecotourist or other traveler in the tropics who ends up alone in a trackless expanse of rainforest and has to get out without outside help, as searchers are unlikely to find anyone in such an environment.

Chapter Three:  Category 4 - looks at the plight of those caught in the path of a major hurricane who did not evacuate in time, either due to choice or poor planning, and the dangers they will face from the storm surge and wind.

Chapter Four:  In the Line of Fire - looks at the frightening scenario of being caught in a shopping mall when a deranged shooter opens fire on the crowd, and how others have survived or even stopped the killer before the police arrived.

Chapter Five:  Modern-Day Castaway - looks at survival techniques for an uninhabited island and how even today there are many such islands where it is possible to get stranded for a long period of time.

Chapter Six:  Fire on the Mountain - looks at the frightening scenario of getting caught in the path of a raging forest fire in the mountains, and how you could survive if you cannot outrun the flames.

Chapter Seven:  Snowbound - looks at how easy it is for winter travelers in vehicles to get themselves in a life or death situation by getting caught in blizzard conditions. 

Chapter Eight:  Broke Down in the Desert - looks at the scenario of a traveler getting stranded far from a road while exploring the desert on an off-road vehicle or motorcycle, and how easy it is to disappear without a trace in such places. 

Chapter Nine:  Adrift on the High Seas - looks at the all too common scenario of the unprepared setting out to go fishing with blind faith in the reliability of an outboard engine that fails and leads to an ordeal of sea survival after winds and currents carry them into the open ocean.

Chapter Ten:  Trapped on the 13th Floor - looks at the urban survival situation of being trapped in a burning hi-rise and how you might increase your chances of escape from such a scenario.

Chapter Eleven:  Mauled by a Bear - looks at the increasing number of bear attacks in North America and why they happen and how they can be avoided, as well as the best strategies for surviving one.

Chapter Twelve:  Bracing for Impact - looks at survivable plane crashes (which far exceed the unsurvivable ones) and how you might end up in such a situation and what to do if it happens.

Chapter Thirteen:  Urban Breakdown - this last chapter looks at urban riots and other scenarios that might require one to bug out of a city in chaos.


In each of these chapters, there is a fictional narrative written from the second person point of view that puts you in the scenario, interwoven with sidebars that include the real-life survivor's stories and instructional sidebars that provide the information you need to survive the situation.  At the end of each chapter is a top ten tips synopsis of techniques to deal with the scenario.

So this should give you an idea of what this book is all about.  The release date for the print version has been changed by my publisher to March 1, so that should allow plenty of time for copies to make it through the distribution channels to both the online and brick and mortar bookstores. As I mention in my last post, the  Kindle version is available right now if you don't want to wait.  Now that this project is finished I am well into my next book, which as I've mentioned before is a follow up to Bug Out that I think any reader of that book will be interested in.  I'll be posting details about the content as soon as the cover design for it is finalized.  I received the initial design from the publisher a few days ago and it looks great, with the exception of a minor detail that needs changing.

Getting Out Alive Update

Here's a quick update on the status of my newest book for those of you who might have been looking for it on the scheduled publication date of February 1.  The book has been printed, and last week I received a single advance copy from the publisher (photo below).  The only delay now is the time it takes for the printed copies to make it through the distribution network - first to online retailers like Amazon and then to the bookstores. 

I'm happy with the way it came out and hope readers of my other books will find something useful here as well.  In the next couple of days I will be posting more about the contents of the book, including some excerpts that you can't find in the free samples online.  The printed version of the book will likely be available on Amazon before it shows up anywhere else.  It could be any day now, so keep an eye on the book's page here.

Meanwhile, if you prefer to do your reading on the Amazon Kindle, the electronic version of the book is available here now and has been since last week:  Here's the free Kindle sample that includes the introduction and part of Chapter One. To make it easier to read click on the "full screen" icon at the top of the embedded window below:

Title Change for Could You Survive?

There's been a last-minute title change to my soon-to-be-released book that was to be called: Could You Survive? 13 Deadly Scenarios and How Others Got Out Alive.  Changes like this are somewhat common in the publishing world and as an author I've learned not to get too attached to a particular title or things like a cover design.  The content of the book remains unchanged, and that's the part that's important to me.  Those in the business of marketing and selling books know more about choosing titles than me anyway, but this change comes at the request of one of the larger bookstore chains.  These retain chains carry a lot of weight in this business as their initial orders have a lot to do with a book's success or failure and I've been pleased to see that Bug Out has been doing quite well in the bookstores as well as on Amazon.

At any rate, the new title is similar:  Getting Out Alive: 13 Deadly Scenarios and How Others Survived.  Here's the new front cover image, and also the back cover image, which I saw for the first time today.  The changes should be updated on Amazon in a few days, and the finalized version of the book has been sent off to the printer and should be available next month as planned, though I don't know exactly what day.

Front Cover:

 
Back Cover:

For those readers here who also have your own related blogs or websites and may be interested in seeing this book early, my publisher will soon have advance e-galley copies available for your review.  Contact me with a link to your site to be put on the list.