Holidays as a bug out test run

For those of you going back and forth to the lake on Labor day, please do everyone a favor and secure stuff in the back of the truck and on the boat.

Went to Jasper, Texas today (September 3rd, 2018) and there was an ice chest in the middle of the road. Would have taken just a few seconds to tie it down.

I pulled over to the side of the road, got the ice chest and threw it to the side. It was on of those dollar store breeze igloo coolers. It looked like the hinges broke on impact, which can be fixed. I might go back and get it later today.

So anyway, for those of you who went to the lake or hunting lease, did you pay attention to various factors?

• Gas mileage of your vehicle.
• Time needed to load up everything.
• Drive time.
• Traffic.
• Lines at gas stations.
• Lines at walmart
• Availability of certain food items at the store
• Did you take an alternative route to the lake?
• Do you ever take an alternative route to the lake?

My observations on people leaving the lakes are:

Numerous bumper stickers declaring gun rights, which would suggest gun ownership.

Lots of RVs, boats, ATVs... etc.

Lots of big 3/4 ton diesel trucks, which can typically pull a heavier load then gas trucks.

This also suggest the economy is doing well. If people are strapped for money they stay home. This weekend there was a lot of traffic around lake Sam Rayburn with more than average people visiting the small corner stores.

There is a Dollar Store near the Sam Rayburn dam, and it was packed with people on Saturday.

Local restaurants near the lake were packed.

People buying odds and ends, such as beer, water, and cigarettes.

Of course with the people comes the trash. Every holiday there is trash thrown on the side of the road, such as the ice chest that blew out of a truck or boat.

When my family and I lived in Bridge City, Texas, when the kids got home from school I would give them around 20 - 30 minutes to pack their bags. As soon as they got off the school bus I would tell them something like, "You have 20 minutes, pack your bags."

There was a learned curve where they started out packing nothing but shirts and a could of shorts. No tooth brush, no underwear... etc. Eventually they got everything ironed out and things started to run smoothly.

I felt it was important to let the kids pack their own bags as they learned what to pack.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Holidays as a bug out test run