First of all I need to establish a few things about myself before I can explain my plan.

1. I'm married with two children that are 8 and 1 month.

2. I live in the Charleston metro area in South Carolina

3. I dont like living in a heavy populated area now, much less when that population turns into human eating/vomiting machines.

4. This plan will work because I have all my gear/supplies in place now.

5. I believe if I'm given slightly enough warning, I can sieze the opporitunity and make a calm rational plan if things dont turn out the way I want

GEAR:

2004 Chevy Impala (full tank)
1998 Isuzu Rodeo (full tank)
S&W M&P 40 (ammo included)
Remington 597 (ammo included)
New England Arms 20 gauge (ammo included)
20 gallons of gas in fuel cans
SteriPen
KaBar Campanion
KaBar Mule 9
30 days of shelf stable food
Sterno oven (fuel included)
homemade firestarters
Firstaid kit
Roadside Tool Kit
Flashlights
US state road map
Handheld GPS
CB radio
Hatchet
Camp saw
carpenters tools
3 backpacks (one is a BOB the other 2 in case we have to go on foot and carry some stuff)
tent
sleeping bags


ROUTE:
will post route soon

SOME DETAILS:

I live in Summerville SC, which is in the Charleston metro area of SC. I work at a dealership about 13 miles from my home. My wife stays at home now with our newborn, and my son goes to school about 5 miles from home. I spend most of my time at work, so when SHTF all I need to do is head home. That wont be a problem since the dealership is right at a entrance to I26 and my home is about 10 miles down a rural road so I dont expect to find much trouble on the way even if I have to go on foot. If my son is in school at the time, it wont be difficult to get him since its rural as well.

SHTF:

So I'm at work and SHTF, so I immediately head home down I26. I get home and check on my wife and baby, if necessary WE will head to the school and pick up the boy. Then we will return home and begin preps to bug out or bug in depending on the condition of the neighborhood.

Its only a matter of time, maybe hours, days or weeks, before we have to bug out. Time will tell. I will have to remain alert and ready to go. I dont plan to bug out immediately (once you see my bug out plan and full plan you will understand) because there are going to be many dangers along the way. Bug out too soon and I risk getting stuck in a traffic jam or the run of the mill pandamonium. Bug out too late, and we could get overwhelmed. If an immediate bug out looks good we will do that because its only a matter of time before that window closes and we will have to wait anyway.

THE BUG OUT:

We will leave out home in Summerville and head for out hometown Goreville in southern Illinois. There are three major routes (posted above) that we can take. Each one poses similar threats, major cities, choke points in the mountains, major traffic congestion, along with all the typical SHTF threats (riots, looting, mayhem,zombies). If all three routes fail then I have a detailed state road map and a GPS to lead us through the backroads and state routes.

Depending on what situation Im dealt with, we can either take the 04 Impala or the 98 Rodeo. Either one will carry all the gear, the Isuzu will carry more. The isuzu is also 2WD, but has a higher road clearance which I can use to get over a few more obstables. The Impala gets greater gas mileage which means we will have to make fewer stops and its in better condition.

THE FINAL PLAN:

Once I arrive at my hometown, I will begin with my plan that I created while I was living there. This is that plan:

My survival plan is broken into three phases. Each one preparing for the next. Phase Three is the ultimate goal, a long term sustainable life for all worthy survivors. Phase Two is a stronghold to give me supplies, security, and strength while I prepare Phase Three. Phase Two is like number Three. It success depends on its previous phase. Phase One is the cornerstone for all three phases, if it fails I am forced to default to a life of wandering until something else comes along. Phase One is a simple one, and it is designed to give me adequate safety immediately. Phase One will be successful as long as weather and time permit.

PHASE ONE:

I will go to the Lake of Egypt. Then hijack a pontoon boat or two. Load my stuff onto the boat(s) and head out to a remote cove on the lake, where no one will know we are there neither will we be seen. After dropping anchor, we will tie the pontoon boats together. This will give us more room and stability against waves and storms.

This is only temporary, maybe 2 - 12 weeks. We will do this while we are building strength for a permanent fort. I dont like the thought of being seiged by zombies while I'm building my fort. In a zombie apocalyse I need a safe location.... immediately!

By day we will gather supplies, build my permanent fort and make any other preperations. By night we will sleep on the boat-fort.

In this phase I dont have any need for looting for the essentials. I am very good at fishing, especially cat-fishing. This is where most of my food will come from. Also we will clean and sanitize the lakewater for drinking. Bathe in the lake, and wash our laundry too.


PHASE ONE TRANSPORTATION:

I don't plan on using cars/trucks very much... only at first to gather bulk supplies. Then I will have horses to get me around, work the farm for food, and anything else. Horses don't need gas, they eat grass, they are much easier to maintain than a car, and they are easily replaced. After z-day, cars will quickly become useless and horses will be reborn as the main form of transportation.

PHASE TWO:

During PHASE ONE I will have all the preparations for PHASE TWO complete. I currently work at a Pepsi Bottling Company in a town 16 miles away from my home and 8 miles from PHASE ONE location.

The Pepsi bottling plant has several large warehouse buildings, the bottling plant being the largest. The bottling plant is where I will make my stand during PHASE TWO, maybe longer. The entire facility has lots of tools and heavy equipment to help me make fortifications, such as: forklifts, large propane refueling tank for the forklifts, diesel refueling pumps for the semi's, delivery trucks, and the other company vehicles. ALSO YEARS WORTH OF PEPSI AND OTHER SOFT DRINKS! OH YEAH!

In PHASE ONE, I will fortify the bottling facility with the semi trailers and vending machines under and behind the trailers. the vendors are very heavy, each weighing at least 500 lbs. (empty) and they are very tough. The semi trailers and vending machines will be perfect for building a wall around the parameter. There are plenty of them. I would fill the trailers with pallets and crates to keep raiders from getting into the semi's, cutting a hole in the sides and getting over my wall.

While I have the security of PHASE TWO, I will be making preparations for PHASE THREE.

PHASE THREE: option A

PHASE THREE will be a long term, sustainable life. I want to create a secure location that is easily defendable. Im not settled on EXACTLY where, but simply I will have a farm that I have fortified with fences, trenches ect.

It's too early to know for sure which place would be the best for a farm. PHASE TWO will be there for me so I have time to research this. The ideal location will be the open farmland that surrounds the Pepsi Bottling plant; where I will be in PHASE TWO. I could work to build fences and other barriers, and then retreat to the factory when trouble arises.

The only problem this creates is a lack of water. The nearest body of water is at least five miles away. There may be some farm ponds, which would suit my needs. I can get enough water for myself and others. The reason I need a body of water is for the livestock I will be raising. If I can't find a solution to this problem, I will find another location.

There are many farms I could use, they are not as close as the one next door but they will have to do if I can't rectify this problem.

OPTION B:

Option B can become anything at this point, but it's better to have an option ready than to think of something off the top of your head in a zombie apocalypse.

As of now, If option A fails or it is impossible to establish in PHASE TWO, I will travel west to one of the plains states like Kansas. Kansas is open, has many large farms established with all the heavy equipment. There is a very low population, and zed can be seen from miles away. Also there are large water aquifers in Kansas which I would use to water myself and the livestock and crops. The wells to the aquifers are already dug so this would be convenient.

LOOTING LOCATIONS:
I wont be raiding ANYWHERE during the first few weeks IF POSSIBLE. There will be too much fighting and sheer pandamonium for a while. This is why PHASE ONE will save my life.

1. Abandoned homes. It's risky, uncle zed can be waiting around in any dark room. I think that all of the walmart/costco/home depot supplies will be displaced into people's homes. Then they die and I take their stuff.

2. Construction sites. There are plenty of tools/equipment that will help me to establish PHASE TWO and THREE.

3. Farms. Mainly for the fuel in the tractors and such. Also some farmers still can their foods. I'm sure that there are plenty of useful things I would find.

4. Small businesses. Like Mom & Pop places. Privately owned lumber yards, resturants, etc. These may have been raided by the time I get there.