Yeah I know we've been over this before, but it's been on my mind lately.
I'm traveling often now through some rural spots... luckily I'm not out in far West Texas or other places where the towns get to be literally a couple hundred miles apart, but the fact is I'm often about 30-40 miles from anywhere that even has a gas station, and a lot of the places I go through have nothing in the way of cellular phone coverage. You can make all the calls you want to, but you won't connect anywhere.
I pack accordingly with emergency food water etc. Realistically, the worst that could likely happen is I get stuck at some weird hour and have to wait 8-9 hours at most before people start driving through and I can flag someone down for help. However, I also plan on the possibility I may simply have to hoof it to the next wide spot in the road 40 miles away. Most realistic worst case scenario, more or less.
So it's not like you'd pack up for a really isolated place like far West Texas or Montana or Alaska, etc., but it's worthy of consideration to be prepared.
Part of my preparations includes the Truck Gun. Luckily the parts of Texas I am worried about don't really have a lot of aggressive animals, but rabid ones are always a concern and I don't know anyone who has lived here all their life and not seen one atypical example of an aggressive coyote. By nature most of these animals are cowards who will flee humans, but it'd be just my luck I'd meet the one that won't.
There's nothing that terribly large however. A 9mm pistol would actually take care of anything, but I prefer something that makes me feel better. An ideal cartridge would be either a powerful pistol cartridge fired from a carbine, or a light rifle round like a .30-30.
Animals ain't my only concern either. I drove the route yesterday, and counted three drifters. Duffel bag on the back, ragged clothes, haven't showered since who knows when... you know the type. One was near a town but the others were in the middle of nowhere trying to hitch hike. They looked harmless enough I suppose (they looked like potheads), but looks mean nothing.
I guess it's just the cold heartless bastard in me, but if I ever do break down out there and meet one of these guys on my trek, I want to be holding an obvious and reasonably powerful weapon. I don't want to hurt anyone, but I want to make it obvious I don't wish to speak to them.
I've used an SKS, my 1894, and will probably try my GP WASR out in this role as well since it's so easy to carry. I don't want to use a terribly expensive gun in this role.
There is the issue a sheriff's patrol car might see some guy in his early 20s trekking around with a gun along the side of the road, but here's what can happen there:
1. They stop and I explain the situation and I get help. Hooray. They might take the gun but that's just fine if they do. It got me to safety its job is done, and I'd most likely get it back at some point anyway because I'd have a good attitude about it and the last time I check it's not illegal to simply carry a rifle. Most likely outcome considering I'd be trying to flag them down.
2. They see me flagging them down and just think I'm a ranch hand looking for varmints and that I am being friendly, and keep on driving.
I have considered being a little more low key, which is my I currently use the Marlin. Its presence in a West Texas or Central Texas pickup truck is not noted. The AK47 clone may be a bit much though.
Too much preparation, not enough, just right, what say you?
Wish I had OnStar. Would make this situation much better.
I'm traveling often now through some rural spots... luckily I'm not out in far West Texas or other places where the towns get to be literally a couple hundred miles apart, but the fact is I'm often about 30-40 miles from anywhere that even has a gas station, and a lot of the places I go through have nothing in the way of cellular phone coverage. You can make all the calls you want to, but you won't connect anywhere.
I pack accordingly with emergency food water etc. Realistically, the worst that could likely happen is I get stuck at some weird hour and have to wait 8-9 hours at most before people start driving through and I can flag someone down for help. However, I also plan on the possibility I may simply have to hoof it to the next wide spot in the road 40 miles away. Most realistic worst case scenario, more or less.
So it's not like you'd pack up for a really isolated place like far West Texas or Montana or Alaska, etc., but it's worthy of consideration to be prepared.
Part of my preparations includes the Truck Gun. Luckily the parts of Texas I am worried about don't really have a lot of aggressive animals, but rabid ones are always a concern and I don't know anyone who has lived here all their life and not seen one atypical example of an aggressive coyote. By nature most of these animals are cowards who will flee humans, but it'd be just my luck I'd meet the one that won't.
There's nothing that terribly large however. A 9mm pistol would actually take care of anything, but I prefer something that makes me feel better. An ideal cartridge would be either a powerful pistol cartridge fired from a carbine, or a light rifle round like a .30-30.
Animals ain't my only concern either. I drove the route yesterday, and counted three drifters. Duffel bag on the back, ragged clothes, haven't showered since who knows when... you know the type. One was near a town but the others were in the middle of nowhere trying to hitch hike. They looked harmless enough I suppose (they looked like potheads), but looks mean nothing.
I guess it's just the cold heartless bastard in me, but if I ever do break down out there and meet one of these guys on my trek, I want to be holding an obvious and reasonably powerful weapon. I don't want to hurt anyone, but I want to make it obvious I don't wish to speak to them.
I've used an SKS, my 1894, and will probably try my GP WASR out in this role as well since it's so easy to carry. I don't want to use a terribly expensive gun in this role.
There is the issue a sheriff's patrol car might see some guy in his early 20s trekking around with a gun along the side of the road, but here's what can happen there:
1. They stop and I explain the situation and I get help. Hooray. They might take the gun but that's just fine if they do. It got me to safety its job is done, and I'd most likely get it back at some point anyway because I'd have a good attitude about it and the last time I check it's not illegal to simply carry a rifle. Most likely outcome considering I'd be trying to flag them down.
2. They see me flagging them down and just think I'm a ranch hand looking for varmints and that I am being friendly, and keep on driving.
I have considered being a little more low key, which is my I currently use the Marlin. Its presence in a West Texas or Central Texas pickup truck is not noted. The AK47 clone may be a bit much though.
Too much preparation, not enough, just right, what say you?
Wish I had OnStar. Would make this situation much better.