WHAT IF -

[Cynical Ninja]

I just did a quick search of OP's location and WOW, that sounds like a nice area.



Northumberland has been the site of a number of battles. The county is noted for its undeveloped landscape of high moorland, a favourite with landscape painters, and now largely protected as a National Park. Northumberland is the most sparsely populated county in England, with only 62 people per square kilometre.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northumberland

Yeah I have to admit its a nice place to live I can't stand urban sprawl even popping down to the city of Newcastle (not a particularly big city) does my frigging head in sometimes.

My daughter is getting into fashion and when she finds something new online she likes the only shop that sells it in the area is always in bloody newcastle.

[Donovan]

So basically the buck got pissed when he went to get a leg up and discovered his date was a dude. I've seen that happen...

[HairOfTheDog]

... do have a well, thus always have a dozen or so 35 bottle cases of water on hand...have a sawed off 12 ga and alots of ammo, so. . . . . . .

so. . . . . . . "rob Carsman's water well" has been scratched off my emergency survival checklist - too darn risky.

Ah well, I'll get a tube and try Maggot's salt water boiling/steaming method of distillation.

If the electricity/gas goes out in the OP scenario, I can still boil. Got a fire pit, a couple of old Coleman barbecues and lots of coals + lighter fluid, and a huge matchbook collection. Might even be able to swap warmth for water.

I could eat grasshoppers and plants for a while, but barring cannibalism, my carnivorous days would be over. Besides people and pets, nothing to hunt/trap in my neck of the woods.

[Donovan]

I would love to spend an extended time in the UK just exploring and living and getting deep into it. We have a certain amount of historical pride here but it's a shred compared to mother England et al. For sheer volume of untouched wilderness we probably have you beat, but for historically relevant sites and pinnacles of human accomplishment? No contest.

[Donovan]

... do have a well, thus always have a dozen or so 35 bottle cases of water on hand...have a sawed off 12 ga and alots of ammo, so. . . . . . .

I could eat grasshoppers and plants for a while, but barring cannibalism, my carnivorous days would be over. Nothing to hunt in my neck of the woods.

You'd be surprised. Seabirds alone would feed you pretty well and some of the best fishing in the states is right there. and outside the city proper you have some pretty wild areas in the hills...

[Cynical Ninja]

I would love to spend an extended time in the UK just exploring and living and getting deep into it. We have a certain amount of historical pride here but it's a shred compared to mother England et al. For sheer volume of untouched wilderness we probably have you beat, but for historically relevant sites and pinnacles of human accomplishment? No contest.

We have loads of historical and heritage sites all over the country you could stay here for years and still not see them all. Its an ancient land with deeply pagan roots the evidence of which can still be seen today its not just about Stonehenge there are hundreds standing stone circles, ancient barrows and massive chalk engravings like the cerne giant and his erect phallic member!

I would love to explore the huge forests in america if I had the money I would dedicate my life to searching for the elusive bigfoot and sasquatch! And i would love to go on, is it the freedom trail?, in Boston? I've been to America four times and have only really seen the tourist traps.

[HairOfTheDog]

I could eat grasshoppers and plants for a while, but barring cannibalism, my carnivorous days would be over. Nothing to hunt in my neck of the woods.

You'd be surprised. Seabirds alone would feed you pretty well and some of the best fishing in the states is right there. and outside the city proper you have some pretty wild areas in the hills...

That's true. But, I'd be focused on transporting water back and forth several miles from the ocean to my house (only so much I can carry on foot/skates or hang over the handle bars). I'm doomed without water, but could probably survive on vegetation and bugs from my own neighborhood. I hardly ever water and my plants grow like weeds.

I don't wanna mooch off of others or become dependent. Luckily, I'm thinking the local Saturday swap meet would be bustling more than ever, just different goods/services being traded.

Hell, I could just plant a couple of seeds now and become the "pot and fire" lady. Tokes-for-protein swapping right out of the backyard. Have a feeling the competition would be fierce here though. Probably need a back-up emergency biz plan...

[Jimbone]

If it all went to hell, the last place I would want to be is in or near an urban area. I can't imagine how horrific it would get there in a hurry.

[Duchess]

I don't want to be in an urban area even under the best of circumstances. I love the countryside so much that I would live in a box if that's what it took to remain here.

[Donovan]

Funny thing about living that far off the grid. You'd be shocked at how fast your favorite things become irrelevant and discard able, and how fast things like 'proximity to water' 'renewable food source' and 'shelter equipped with multiple egress/escape options' become integral to survival. It's been 25 years since I was in such dire straits that those things mattered, but to this day my mind still scours the landscape for potential spots and resources to be filed away for use "just in case". I got about half a dozen "backup plans" working for various scenarios that involve getting safe and situated. And few of them involve staying put.

[BlueTiki]

I'd be curious to know if I would want to remain amongst the living, after the shit hits the fan.

Especially having eaten the last of my Mexicans, down to two rounds of ammo and three sheets of double-ply.

[Duchess]

Especially having eaten the last of my Mexicans,

I read that & the first thing that came to mind was, I don't eat dark meat.

I wonder if it's like turkey in that dark is more moist than white.

[Donovan]

Pretty sure if you eat that much Mexican, you'll have long since used up all your two-ply. Just sayin.