Practice is part of Prepping

Iowa winters are interesting. We can get 18 inches of snow dumped on us in 24 hours. Or we can have 60 degree temperatures in late November. The lesson here is to be prepared for a variety of scenarios. Layering seems to be the ticket in our neck of the woods. The three “P”s of prepping are Patients, preparation, and practice. We are all good at the prepping part. One thing I hear over and over from the experts is that knowledge is not enough. Practice is the key ingredient to assure success. With that in mind I just went on a practice run of sorts. Having a three year old brings a variety of concerns to the forefront. When putting together my BOB I am always concerned with weight. I need to remember that if I have to set out on foot, there is a good chance I will be carrying her too. I got her and I all dressed up with winter gear on and headed out into the wilds. Besides having a fun day I also had the opportunity to practice. I got a feel for my new boots. Made some discoveries of a couple more things I need. I also was able to tell how effective pulling her on a sled would be. Not to mention giving her a little lesson on staying on the sled. I pulled her the entire way around the park. I scouted out the available timber and practiced looking at tracks in the snow. While this was our first time out, I was convinced that this would be a great exercise in preparedness.

Hopefully I will have a full retreat before SHTF, but if not I have an emergency BOL. I plan to load up the preps (which I keep here in case bugging out is not an option and we have to shelter in) in my BOV. Ideally if I need to get to the safe place my vehicle will work and the little one and all of our gear will be driven the four miles with no problems. However if this is not an option and sheltering in would be too dangerous we would be forced to bug out on foot. It makes sense to get a feel for how much I can carry (with or without a sled) and how long it may take us to get there. After having such a fun time on our first practice run I have decided this would be an excellent drill to do weekly. Next time I plan to go out with full pack and gear to test it out. If I practice once a week I will build up my stamina, get some good exercise, and teach the little one skills she will need to help us make it to safety. I got this idea after reading a story on Survival Blog about a man in Minnesota. He commented that despite people being native to the area they were totally unprepared for going outdoors in the winter. I decided that both I and my little girl need to get used to being outside in inclement weather and traveling by sled. Not only is it a great fun day of bonding it is also skill building. I have a list of things to add to my gear and a lot of ideas how to incorporate patience, preparation, and practice into a fun day in the woods.
Blessings…….stay warm and stay safe Iowans…..
By FreedomFox

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