The Zombie Survival Guide: Part 4: On the Run

The fourth portion of The Zombie Survival Guide is titled “On the Run”, and as can be inferred from the title, it is focused on the challenge of traveling through a zombie infested world. This is a topic of vital importance that all survivors will need to be prepared for.

Before I go any further, I should warn that being well versed in Mr. Brooks’s advice does not excuse you to go wandering around the local mall, looking for that newest version of the iPod that came out before everything went to hell. It is survival advice that should only be used for those moments when you have no other choice but to travel. If you are secure, well stocked, and quietly living out of the sight of the zombie hordes, stay that way.

[ZOMBIE SURVIVAL TIPS] [TRAVEL]

“On the Run” is an interesting chapter that delivers a fairly broad, but insightful, overview of the issues that will face survivors who attempt to travel in a world ruled by the dead. Mr. Brooks covers the topics of preparation, equipment, terrain, vehicles, and alternate modes of transport that one may not have considered before.

Before he gets into specifics, the chapter lays out some general, but valuable, guidelines. One of the key concepts that Mr. Brooks emphasizes is that travelers must first establish a goal. Survivors need to determine a concrete destination, plan how to reach that destination, and avoid getting side tracked when traveling towards that end goal. In Mr. Brooks’s own words, “Every side trip, every pause in the journey, increases the odds of being found and devoured.” As he explains, travelers should not deviate from their plan for anything less than issues of life-or-death. Every action taken outside of the safety of a fortress should be carefully planned and executed. The moment you find your original plans falling apart, and you’re forced to begin improvising, your odds of surviving begin to drop dramatically. Careful planning and precise execution gives you the best odds of reaching your goals.

Another key issue is the preparation of your traveling group. While directly contrary to the logic of defense, I agree with Mr. Brooks’s opinion that you’re better off with a smaller group than a large number of people. It’s lower profile, easier to coordinate, and more mobile. It is also easier to assure that your group is trained, well trained in your traveling strategy, and can be counted on to work together. The more people you bring in to the group, the more variables there are to consider, and the more likely your traveling plan is to fall apart.

That said, the logic doesn’t apply to outright traveling solo. As Mr. Brooks mentions, it is useful for a team to have different members with different skills. Heavy, but necessary equipment and supplies can be spread out amongst the team. Not to mention, it’s nice to have someone on watch when you’re trying to get some much needed sleep.

They may seem obvious, but one also cannot emphasize enough the importance of remaining mobile, staying invisible, and always watching and listening. As you travel, pace yourself, but keep moving, and be ready to move quickly at a moments notice. There is no logic in staying in any single place any longer than necessary. It only increases the likelihood of being found by wandering undead.

Stealth is key. Your group should travel as silently as possible, and keep to cover as much as possible. Travelers should also do whatever they can to avoid fighting the undead anymore than absolutely necessary. It may look easy enough to take out the one or two zombies blocking your most desirable route, but by the time you’ve finished them off, ten more may have heard the noise and be converging on your position.

Like the characters in Gareth Wood’s novel Rise practiced, always keep your eyes and ears open. You will greatly increase your odds of survival if you train yourself to always be searching for, and identifying, threats while you still have time to react.

[EQUIPMENT]

I won’t transcribe the list of equipment that Mr. Brooks recommends, as it is a fairly standard list of survival gear that could be compiled, even outside the event of a zombie apocalypse. The point I would like draw attention to is Mr. Brooks’s emphasis on the importance of this equipment, and the time you invest in choosing what to bring. Mr. Brooks states that this equipment list vital, even more so than the supplies stocking your fortress, because it is all you will have to draw upon while you travel. You will have no room for surplus. Your equipment will be your hospital, your storeroom, and your armory.

It is for this reason that Mr. Brooks advises that you put serious thought into the inventory of your pack. Go through each and every item and ask yourself if you really truly need it. Then go through it again, repeating the question until you’re are 100% certain about all of your choices. Once you settle that matter, test everything. Make sure that all of your equipment is functional, then test it all again. Your life will depend on this equipment, and it is worth the investment of time.

[VEHICLES]

The next topic this chapter addresses is the question of vehicles. Mr. Brooks gives a fair amount of time to this topic, but the general message I’d draw from his discussion is that the cons out weigh the pros. Sure, it cannot not be denied that it would be nice to comfortably travel at ten times the speed you could run, and I’d definitely prefer sleeping inside a little bit of shelter, than none at all. However there are a lot of problems that come with operating vehicles in a land of the dead.

For one, they make a lot of noise. Sure you should be moving at a rate that the undead can’t match, but every zombie within earshot is going to know you’re in the neighborhood. Next, consider the issue of fuel. If everyone has been wiped out, there is probably a fair amount of gas that can be salvaged from gas stations. However, it isn’t an infinite supply, and every time you have to stop and refill, all of those zombies that heard you driving by are going to have an opportunity to catch up.

You also have to wonder how clear the roads will be. I think it is fairly safe to say that the chaos of a zombie apocalypse will result in many wrecked and abandoned cars on the roads. Rural routes will likely be fairly clear, but urban areas may be completely impassable.

To top it off, are you a mechanic? Do you have the knowledge, AND replacement parts necessary to keep a vehicle running? If your vehicle develops a problem and dies, you need to be able to get it running again immediately, or just grab your gear and run.

Mr. Brooks does spend some time discussing the various vehicles types, offering his opinions on their value, but it is the alternatives to automotive transport that receive his highest praise, specifically the horse and bicycle. These possibilities are favored because they are quiet, highly maneuverable, and require a minimum of surplus gear to maintain. However, Mr. Brooks does point out that riding a horse isn’t something that just anyone who’s watched a western will be able to pick up without any practice. Without a certain level of skill, it is quit easy to seriously injure oneself. It is for this reason that the bicycle is his number one choice for vehicular transport.

[TERRAIN]

The next portion of this chapter focuses on the various types of terrain one might have to travel through. The key point Mr. Brooks tries to send across in this section is that humans will no longer have any control over their environment, and surviving will require respect for that lack of control. Everywhere you travel, the rules of survival may be different, and adaptation will be vital.

To begin, forests and fields of crops may offer concealment and protection from the eyes of the undead. However, what conceals you from them, may also conceal them from you. This is directly opposite of the issue with wide open plains, where you may see the undead from great distances, but they may also see you.

Hills are an interesting consideration, and Mr. Brooks suggests sticking to valleys and low areas to avoid being spotted by distant undead. I think I might support this recommendation, but would suggest utilizing a mix of traveling through low and high areas in order to achieve a balance between concealment and scouting what lies ahead.

In contrast, swamps and wetlands should be avoided like the plague. While traversing them is noisy, dirty, slow, and full of bugs, the greatest threat is from undead, lurking unseen in the mud and water. Mr. Brooks also warns against deserts. As he says, “Even without the threat of zombies, dehydration and/or heatstroke can kill a healthy human in several hours.”

One terrain that Mr. Brooks does favor is tundra. The reason for this favor is that in winter, the extreme cold will likely freeze zombies solid. And in summer, the long hours of sunlight offer ample travel time, and even the security of sleeping out in the open, without the hazard of complete darkness concealing approaching zombies. Provided you were properly equipped, the logic would probably carry over to all arctic regions

The final terrain Mr. Brooks discusses is an urban environment. Straight off the bat, it should be stated that metropolitan areas should be avoided at all cost. Due to the high population density, these are undoubtedly the most hazardous areas one could possibly venture. That said, there will be many people unable to avoid this hazard, and there is no reason to simply give up and accept your fate.

Like all other travel, you need to know the area. Knowing your route, and alternate routes is vital. Getting lost or turned around can quickly turn into a death sentence. Next, never venture in by vehicle. Not only will you alert the entire undead population to your arrival, you will quickly find yourself trapped on impassable roads.

Mr. Brooks suggests utilizing the freeways as routes of passage. The reason for this is that they are generally direct, easy to follow routes. They are also often raised up above the ground, and/or bordered by tall walls and fences that may offer some protection from the general zombie population. I agree with the reasoning. However, as Mr. Brooks goes on to describe, these routes are not likely to be completely devoid of undead inhabitants. There is a great chance that freeways, and other major traffic arteries, will be clogged with the vehicles, and reanimated corpses, of people who attempted to flee during the early stages of the outbreak.

While I can’t imagine who wouldn’t instinctively follow this advice, Mr. Brooks also recommends above ground travel. Sewers and storm drains may offer an alternate route through infested territory, but it would be very easy to become lost, trapped, and devoured down in that darkness.

It is also recommended that one be on the alert for friendly fire. You don’t know who you might stumble across, and whether they might actually be friendly or not. Listen for the sounds of combat, be alert for piles of bodies that might signify a sniper’s field of fire, and give everything a wide berth.

Lastly, don’t stay in a city overnight unless you have no other choice. Enter the city at dawn, and leave by dusk. If you are forced to spend a night, find a shelter with a minimum number of entrances, but alternate means of escape (such as a neighboring building that could be reached from the roof). Plan your immediate escape, and the steps that will follow.

[ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION]

The final topic Mr. Brooks addresses in this chapter is alternate modes of transportation, specifically air and water. Travel by air does seem to be the safest mode of transport, but the availability of this luxury is likely to be at a minimum. Fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, balloons, and blimps all have advantages and disadvantages, but none can avoid the questionable issues regarding fuel, safe landing, and required technical know-how.

Boats, in any form, can immediately demonstrate considerable value. While I’m not going to immediately endorse the opinion the the undead will sink to the bottom, I at least don’t see them having the necessary coordination for swimming. Provided your boat is able to utilize at least some measure of propulsion, the undead may be fairly easy to avoid.

Unfortunately, rowing out into the middle of a lake in your little wooden dingy is hardly a surefire strategy for survival. You will need to be familiar with the waterways you are navigating, be it rivers, lakes, or an ocean. You will need to stay in water deep enough to prevent the undead from simply walking out and climbing aboard your boat. You will need to be completely supplied for the duration you intend to stay waterborne. Don’t count on being able to drink the water you’re floating in, or count on actually managing to catch steady supply of fish. Taking to water may prove a perfectly sustainable fortress for some, a temporary respite from the undead for others, and slow death for the unprepared.

Well, I didn’t intend to mention as much of this chapter as I did, but it looks like I did actually go through most of it. Like everything else in Mr. Brooks’s guide, a solid range of issues were raised, and addressed intelligently. I don’t always agree with everything recommended, but over all it is a fantastic resource for those that intend to survive when the dead rise.

Read other “The Zombie Survival Guide” posts:

• Undergrad Intro to Zombies 101
  The Zombie Survival Guide: Part 1: The Undead: Myths and Realities
• This.. is my BOOM-STICK!
  The Zombie Survival Guide: Part 2: Weapons and Combat Techniques
• Zombies these days just have no respect, now get off my damn lawn!
  The Zombie Survival Guide: Part 3: On the Defense