Real Survival Starts Within 5 Miles of Your Home
If you think roadblocks and checkpoints only happen in third world countries, you're dangerously mistaken. Just last month, my wife was driving with our three kids through the hills of Virginia when she encountered something that made every parent's worst nightmare feel real. Sketchy individuals had positioned themselves to block the road ahead, and her situational awareness immediately told her this wasn't some innocent breakdown or construction crew.
She quickly turned around and got our family out of there. Yes, she was carrying. Yes, she knew exactly what she was looking at. And yes, that split-second recognition and decision potentially got them out of a dangerous situation.
You don't see these situations often in America, but they're happening more frequently than most people realize. The difference between becoming a victim and getting home safely often comes down to one thing: knowing your area well enough to have options when your primary route becomes compromised.
That's exactly what hit me during a recent exploration just two miles from my own home. There I was, discovering abandoned bicycles rusting in a creek on Tennessee Valley Authority land, realizing I'd never actually explored this area despite living so close. How well do any of us really know our immediate surroundings beyond the main roads we drive every day?
I'm talking about the kind of intimate local knowledge that transforms you from a potential target into someone who owns their environment. The kind of intel that gives you alternative routes when the normal paths become dangerous or impassable.
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Here's what bothers me most about our current situation. We've all heard increasing reports about illegal roadblocks, people posing as officials to rob travelers or worse. Yet most of us couldn't navigate to our own homes without following the main roads or relying on our phones. That's a dangerous dependency that leaves you vulnerable when systems fail or routes get compromised.
I've recently switched from carrying my G19 to a G43 for daily carry, and the decision perfectly illustrates this point about preparedness. Sure, you lose round count, but if the gun isn't on you because it's too uncomfortable to carry, those extra rounds don't matter. Same principle applies to local knowledge. All the survival gear in the world won't help if you don't know the terrain around your own home.
During my reconnaissance mission through this TVA land, I started thinking tactically about alternative routes home. What if the main road was blocked? What if I needed to move on foot? What if my family needed to reach me through unconventional means?
Walking through this stretch of woods, following game trails and creek beds, I began mapping out possibilities that never existed in my mental GPS before. There's something almost meditative about moving through familiar territory with fresh eyes, looking for tactical advantages rather than just enjoying nature.
The four massive poplar trunks clustered together near that monster white pine make perfect landmarks. Easy to spot, impossible to miss, and the kind of reference point that could guide you home even in the dark. I marked them on my GAIA GPS app, but more importantly, I committed them to memory alongside dozens of other features most people would walk right past.
That dense rhododendron thicket caught my attention for entirely different reasons. If you needed to disappear, to lay low and avoid detection, it's hard to beat natural barriers like that. Most people go around these obstacles, which makes them perfect concealment for anyone needing to stay off the radar. Good to know if you're the one who needs to hide, critical to know if you're trying to avoid someone else who might be using it.
Three days before this hike, I had to use my first aid training on a man who got run over by a truck. It was sobering, scary, and a harsh reminder that these skills aren't just theoretical exercises. They're insurance policies you hope never to need but are grateful to have when disaster strikes.
That incident drove home why local area knowledge matters so much. In crisis situations, whether medical emergencies, natural disasters, civil unrest, or criminal activity, your ability to navigate alternative routes could determine outcomes. Not just for you, but for your family, your neighbors, anyone depending on you to have answers when normal systems fail.
Let me tell you what I carried for this local reconnaissance mission, because it's probably less than you think. My small drawstring pack from P&W Bushcraft held everything I needed: notepad and pencil for observations, poncho for the inevitable rain, metal cup for water, basic snacks, and my OSH survival kit as backup.
The beauty of local exploration is that you don't need the full 72-hour survival loadout. You're never really that far from civilization, from your vehicle, from help if needed. But you still want the essentials, especially that tourniquet I keep in there because I don't feel like dying from something preventable.
The freeze-dried pumpkin pie wrapped in my Wazoo foraging bandana was the day's luxury item, and let me tell you, it's amazing what a morale boost tastes like after hours of hiking. Even my dog Maggie approved, though I wouldn't have predicted she'd go for pumpkin pie.
This mission perfectly demonstrated why cold weather exploration gives you massive advantages. In summer, this same area would limit visibility to maybe arm's length through the vegetation. You'd be claustrophobic, trapped in green walls, with no idea what opportunities or threats existed just beyond your immediate bubble.
But with the leaves down, I could see that old logging road in the distance, spot the private property boundaries I'd want to avoid in certain scenarios, and identify multiple route options for different situations. The winter landscape reveals the true skeleton of the terrain, showing you what's really there versus what summer foliage might be hiding.
So here's my challenge to you: how well do you actually know the area within five miles of your home? Not the main roads everyone uses, but the back roads, game trails, water sources, and natural shelters that most people never notice.
This weekend, grab your 72 hour Get Home Bag so you can test it out on this assignment. You need to know how much weight you can carry and how to use your gear. Start your own local intelligence gathering. Use your phone's GPS app to mark interesting features, but also practice navigating without it. Study aerial maps before you go, but trust your feet and eyes once you're out there.
Pay attention to seasonal changes. Note which routes would work in different weather conditions. Identify resources like water sources and natural shelter options. Most importantly, think tactically about advantages and vulnerabilities in your immediate area.
The goal isn't paranoia, it's preparedness. It's transforming from someone who depends on systems that might fail into someone who owns their environment regardless of circumstances.
Because when things go sideways, and statistically they will at some point, local knowledge becomes your most valuable asset. The question is: will you have it when you need it?
Want to see this local reconnaissance mission in action? Check out the full exploration video on my YouTube channel where I demonstrate these techniques hands-on. You'll get to see exactly how I navigate, what gear actually works in the field, and why those abandoned bikes in the creek still bother me.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel for weekly survival content that goes beyond theory into real-world application. I test gear, explore techniques, and share the kind of knowledge that could make the difference when it matters most.
For those serious about building their survival capabilities, visit my Amazon storefront where I've curated the exact gear I use and trust. Every item has been field-tested, and I only recommend equipment that I'd stake my family's safety on. From the GAIA GPS app I mentioned to the specific survival kits and everyday carry items that make the cut.
Looking for more in-depth survival education? Visit my Youtube channel On Three. It gives you access to detailed training modules, emergency preparedness plans, and actionable intelligence that is very detailed.
The knowledge and skills you gain today could be the difference between thriving and merely surviving when the unexpected happens. Your family's security might depend on decisions you make right now.
Don't wait for the wake-up call. Start building your capabilities today.
Thanks for reading. Leave a comment, tell me what I missed, and subscribe to stay sharp out there.
— Jason Salyer
On Three
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