This post came to mind as I was doing a little rearranging in the BOV. Mrs Prepper and I were getting ready to make a run over to the BOL for the weekend. It’s mid January and we have to travel across to mountain passes to get to our destination. The weather report was that we may get snow so I wanted to be sure everything I thought I had in the Jeep was actually still in there and add in anything that might be missing.
Many of you will have read my earlier post about my Jeep (BOV). So you already know that I keep a substantial amount of gear at the ready and this won’t be any real shocker that I keep an even larger amount for the winter travel months. I thought that with this in mind I’d show you the additional items that I add for November through April…
In the picture you can see the extra items laid out on the olive drab tarp… All of that and even the trap go in to the existing mix. I already know what you’re thinking, it’s a Jeep Cherokee and with all that crap stuffed inside there won’t be any additional room for passengers. Yeah, while it does look like a lot of stuff to stack up in such a small space there is still the entire back seat for 2 additional passengers and or trip specific gear!
Cold weather gear, I’m sure that speaks for itself! When it gets cold, have additional layers to put on! A lined Carhart jacket and stocking caps, even two layer cold weather gloves… I also toss in an old pair of work boots and warm socks. I don’t expect to be getting stuck in a pair of loafers on a mountain pass but I cover a lot of ground during the work week too, I’m just not interested in any cold weather hiking in dress socks and shoes!
This is all fine for if we get stranded and need those extra layers while trying to get back on the road. What happens if the situation turns more long term? The sleeping bags come out and we mummy up using the Jeep as a shelter from the wind…
I keep a number of tools in the vehicle at all times; full sized short handled round nose shovel, bow saw and a hatchet as well as various other hand tools. During the winter though I add in a collapsible snow shovel… I found this a number of years back and while it isn’t heavy duty, it does work well for what it’s designed for – moving snow! I haven’t ever gotten the Jeep stuck but have helped dig snow out from other vehicles with this tool and I know its value, so it goes in every winter!
How about traction? Iced or snow covered roads are to be taken seriously for sure. I’d rather not have to use the shovels or even put on tire chains if I can help it… I’m getting to be an older “survivalist” and would rather stay in the heated automobile and have an uneventful trip. You’ll see in the picture a white bucket; those are my still unused tire chains! I hope to have them forever and have them be brand new the entire time! These chains are the real thing, linked metal aggressive tire chains and I have 4 sets… If it became necessary to go 4wd and have a set of chains on each tire, we have it covered! Like I said I haven’t ever needed to chain up this Jeep or any of the other Jeeps I’ve owned but I did do a trial run, don’t want to be out in the dark trying to figure out what I’m doing!
To help avoid the use of chains I have fairly aggressive tires on the rig! BF Goodridge All Terrain tires have been my tire of choice since I was a young man with my first Jeep Cherokee. They last far longer then they are advertised to and have a good Highway ride too! I actually run these exact tires on all 3 of my rigs, the only car I own that doesn’t have these is my daughters Ford Explorer. It does have solid truck tires on it but we found a screaming deal on another brand or she’d be running BFG’S too!
Let’s see what else am I sure to include? Oh yeah, I found an ice scraper that I really like… Long handled and sturdy, it goes in every winter but the rest of the year I carry a smaller standard scraper just inside the driver’s door.
The last couple of things that I know go in are a couple of large black trash bags and a package zip ties. The bags are or at least should be of the thicker 6mil design, these will hold up to a lot more abuse and could be reused several times. Additionally the bags could serve in other emergency scenarios… Zip ties, these are added to secure the ends of the tire chains so they can’t come loose and fall off prematurely. We’ve all seen those cars with scratches and or body damage to their vehicles from loose chains spinning around hitting the vehicle. I do not want that to happen to me so they stay close to the chain bucket… Come to think of it I should stash an additional package in the bottom of the bucket under the chains so there’s no way they could fall out or be lost! The same thing applies to these zip ties as to the trash bags, they could be used in any number of ways and add options to the preppers bag of tricks!
I’m fairly confident that I haven’t shared anything profound with you all today… I do hope that I could provide that reminder and inspiration to go out and make those adjustments to whatever vehicle you do your winter travel in. That BOB (bug out bag) riding in the trunk would certainly be enough to keep you alive but if there’s a few things that might help keep you from having to use it… Just do them now while your thinking of it and keep the bag where it belongs – in the trunk!
Safe travels,
Prepper
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