Knowing which direction is best, depends greatly on understanding where you are and what the fallout scenarios of your emergency are. The reason most Carolinians and Californians will head straight west or east is because coastal areas often experience flooding. The common sense in such a scenario is to move directly away from large water masses. There are, however, a good many factors to consider outside of the initial and most obvious ones. Traffic, weather patterns, and topography are just the tip of the iceberg. What other folks are doing should also have a profound effect on your decision making. It is very important to run away from the herd.

Let’s look to Wisconsin for another escape example. With Wisconsin so close to Canada, a mere hop, skip and a jump across Minnesota territory and over our northern neighbor’s border may seem like a safe plan. The problem is that state borders often feature check points and border patrols.

Let’s say you have filled up your truck with a dozen plastic gasoline containers and a sizable firearm supply. You probably will not want to come into contact with local police or authority figures.

Heading south or southwest into Illinois and Iowa can give you ample opportunities to explore the country. Looking at a map of the United States shows us that so much of the country is south of Wisconsin, that the opportunities for escape are infinite. course, means that most Wisconsin residents will probably follow this exact route. So what do we do to avoid crowds if we are escaping Madison, Milwaukee or Green Bay?

Two great options include the Great Lakes, namely Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. A properly docked boat can transport your family to Michigan, Illinois or Indiana, bypassing cluttered roads and traffic along the way.

If you plan in advance, such destinations can make great rally points for larger groups of people from different areas. It all comes down to looking at the map and figuring out where the smallest number of people will head, most of the time.