Colorado Burning - Finishing BOB

Yes Flumom ..I told the wife about you yesterday and was wondering how close you are to the fires?? Stay safe and my prayers to you and Colorado!

FluMom ..
Thoughts and prayers are with you..Praying for rain for all the dry areas ..here in eastern Kansas is terrible dry too.....hubby manages a turf farm....running out of water fast...(ponds) watering gardens every other day....grass is going dormant since we have had no snow this past winter and the driest spring since 1911...crazy weather..

Please be safe and take care..

I had a friend tell me today that the FBI is investigating the fires because, Arab Terrorists have threatened to start fires in dry area near cities in America.

This is a scary thought!

I have everything for my BOBs but fixed blade knives, first aide kits, boots, butane lighters and water in a pouches. I am almost there!

For me, bugging out would be very last resort, I'm not too worried about where I could go to because I have family/close friends up and down California, so unless I wanted to walk the 400 miles from my university town to my hometown (southern CA-northern CA), I could go about 50 and run right into some family or very close friends. Aside from that, next year it'll be me and my dog, so we'd most likely stay in, unless it floods,a major earthquake or a fire happens .

Thanks to the Lord and the Firefighters Colorado is no longer burning. However, I am almost finished with our BOB's. I am surprised at how much room items take. I have put a tent and a large 0 degree sleeping bag in since winters can be very cold. You can always sleep on top of a too warm sleeping bag but can't get warmth from a too cold bag.

So this is what I am trying to fit into our two backpacks...except the boots. I have 85% in them but not sure if the rest will fit...LOL not sure what I will get rid of.

If some of you would weigh in and tell me what I could eliminate I would love to hear it.

- pepper spray                                             -
- a fixed blade knife with sharpening stone.                                        
- Compass                                   
- vinyl gloves
- a map                          
- goggles;
- a poncho                                   
- a metal spoon or spork;                    
- a filter water bottle                              
- waterproof matches
- water purification tablets;                         
- fire steel and tinder
- a quart sized ziploc bag;                         
- a radio with cell phone charger
- a bandana;                                   
- tent;
- 10 coffee maker filters and rubber bands               
- a sleeping bag;
- 6 energy or candy bars;                         
- sleeping pad
- food for 6 days & water               
- saw;
- solid fuel cookset                               
- a survival fishing kit;
- solid fuel (tablets for 12 meals)                         
- 2.5 gallon water jug
- a packet of tissues, or toilet paper;                    
- a cup and bowl
- $cash;                                   
- paper and pencil              
- gloves and a hat;                              
- first aid kit                                   
- bug wipes
- jacket/windbreaker;                              
- trash bags                         
- sun block
- ID & essential papers;                              
- sun glasses
- nail clipper                                   
- 2-3 butane lighters;
- bar soap and wipes-
3 changes of underwear & Socks
- Boots
- N95 masks;
Para cord 50 feet

This is what mine has so far ( I add on to it each quarter):
Hand Sanitizer,
pain/ fever reducing medicine,
antibiotics,
toothpaste/toothbrush/floss,
mouthwash,
deodorant,
antiseptic wash,
eyedrops,
clorox wipes,
emergency blanket,
poncho,
razors,
Sharpie for marking,
utility lighter,
70 item first aid kit,
insect repellent,
50ft rope,
Toilet Paper,
Soap,
tissue,
duct tape,
umbrella,
cough drops,
cotton balls,
mini radio( has weather band, am/fm, flashlight,solar/crank powered and usb charger for cell phones),
Road Map,
Hand/Foot Warmers,
Pepper spray (it took a while to pack that as I have a fear of pepper spray due to a childhood traumatic memory)
Waterproof matches, and
a knife.

I don't have room for a sleeping bag although I do have one. I have a cart I used for shopping, it could go in that but it'd drastically slow me down.

I agree with you there! My BOB is way lighter than my school backpack and oddly has way more stuff in it that my school backpack. heh
I think I will highlight possible routes on my road map, I had to buy an road atlas because CA is so big, Northern and Southern CA have their own separate maps usually, lol.

Yeah! Hand warmers are awesomes! I always find them in the 1$ section at target and must buy them, California winters are strange and cold weather strikes anywhere, with or without snow. My hometown is known for ground fog, where it starts from the ground and goes up about like 5 or 6 feet and you can't see a thing because its very thick. (so scary driving through that or even walking to school), we are also known for frost, I've slipped so much just walking out the front door in the frost.

I'm hoping to get a car soon, that'd be very useful. I mainly need to find one that can get over the grapevine mountains elevation without breaking down lol.

Penham the fishing kit is in a very small tube 3" by 1/2". Weighs maybe 1 oz. I have it for other BOB situations. It is totally just in case we have no food and we are in the mountains and can maybe catch a fish. It is so small makes no difference. Good suggestion though since you did not know how really small it is.

The cook set is an Esbit which weighs only 20 oz. Look these up on the net they are really cool. They use a solid fuel that is light weight and compact. I have 18 meals worth of fuel in a side zipper pouch with lots of other items in this pouch. If my son has to walk home he will need food for 6 days. A breakfast before he leaves and a dinner at night. Only energy/cereal bars for inbetween. I have mountain house freeze dry food and the Esbit to heat water to rehydrate. Here in the mountain/cold area you need calories to keep going. LOL, my son's first question was, "If I have to walk home what will I eat! If he has his car, no problem his backpack will be in the back seat and he will be home in a few hours. This BOB is for really bad times where his car is not usable.

I agree with you about double items however, I figure if we are in separate places and I have to meet him somewhere in the middle I will need the duplicates. If we are together I will dump out what is duplicated. Not hard for me to do since I built these packs.

Your suggestions are great and I really apprecate your thoughts. They were really good!