Tag: DIY fuel hacks

Oklahoma’s Worst Roads to Drive on During a Disaster

On By The.Daily.ChristianIn Oklahoma, Oklahoma Survival Prepper, Oklahoma's Worst RoadsLeave a comment

Oklahoma’s Worst Roads to Drive on During a Disaster – And How to Escape Alive

By a Well-Traveled Survivalist

I’ve driven through wildfire smoke so thick it turned day to night. I’ve had angry mobs pound on my hood, forded flooded roads where only alligators belonged, and maneuvered past twisted wrecks on broken highways. Let me tell you something straight: no matter how good your bug-out bag is or how much water you’ve stashed, if you can’t drive your way out when the heat’s on, you’re already dead in the water.

Now, let’s talk Oklahoma—a land of brutal tornadoes, torrential rains, ice storms that shut everything down, and enough open space to vanish into if you know what you’re doing. But it’s also a place where the roads betray the unprepared. Infrastructure here isn’t designed for mass evacuations, and even the most seasoned drivers can get trapped on the wrong stretch of pavement. So buckle in. I’m going to walk you through the worst roads in Oklahoma during a disaster, the skills you need to survive behind the wheel, and how to keep moving when your gas runs dry.

Oklahoma’s Worst Roads in a Disaster

  1. I-35 – Oklahoma City to Norman and Beyond
    The spine of the state. It clogs instantly during mass movement. One overturned semi in a storm and you’re boxed in for hours.
  2. I-44 – Tornado Alley’s Trap
    From Lawton to Tulsa, this road slices through storm central. It’s surrounded by low-lying areas prone to flash flooding.
  3. I-40 – Cross-State Death Funnel
    Wide open, windy, and exposed—especially across the western plains. When tornadoes touch down, debris gets whipped into vehicles like shrapnel.
  4. US-69 – McAlester to Muskogee Corridor
    Two-lane bottlenecks meet erratic traffic. Heavy storms routinely knock out lights and signage.
  5. Turner Turnpike – OKC to Tulsa
    Sounds convenient until you’re stuck with toll booths and zero shoulder space to escape a wreck or gridlock.
  6. US-412 – Wind Shear Highway
    High elevation sections turn into white-knuckle drives during ice storms or high crosswinds.
  7. US-59 – Flood-Prone Backcountry
    Low water crossings near Sallisaw and Poteau make it unpredictable in spring. Flash floods hit hard and fast.
  8. OK-9 – South OKC to Norman
    Suburban sprawl and narrow lanes make for confusion and chaos when lights go out or intersections fail.
  9. OK-3 (Northwest Expressway)
    An urban escape route for OKC folks, but everyone has the same idea. Wrecks, stalled cars, and blocked intersections pile up quick.
  10. US-81 – Grain Hauler’s Corridor
    Filled with slow rigs, agricultural machinery, and limited passing lanes. One wrong move and the line behind you builds fast.

15 Survival Driving Skills That Save Lives

  1. Throttle Control
    Panic makes people mash pedals. Learn to feather your gas—smooth inputs keep your tires gripping in mud, ice, and debris.
  2. Reading Terrain Fast
    Scan for soft shoulders, water depth, drop-offs. Know if you’re about to dive into a ditch or sinkhole before you commit.
  3. Escape Route Mapping
    Always carry a physical map. GPS lies. Signal drops. And some of the best routes don’t even show up on an app.
  4. Driving Without Street Lights
    Practice night driving with only parking lights or no lights on moonlit nights—especially if you’re moving stealth.
  5. High-Centering Avoidance
    Know your vehicle’s ground clearance. Avoid cresting debris piles or road medians that can leave you stuck on your frame.
  6. River Ford Judgment
    If water is fast and touching your bumper, turn back. But slow, shallow water (6 inches or less)? Low gear and don’t stop.
  7. Skid Recovery
    Whether it’s ice or wet clay, know how to steer into the slide and recover control. Panic spinning only makes it worse.
  8. Two-Tire Recovery
    Ever had two tires drop off the pavement? Don’t jerk the wheel. Ease back onto the road gradually.
  9. Quick U-Turns in Tight Spaces
    Learn how to spin your vehicle around in a pinch—especially with limited room and traffic pressure behind.
  10. Dead Reckoning Navigation
    When GPS and cell towers go, your brain better know the compass. Read the sun. Use landmarks. Get oriented.
  11. Hood and Mirror Discipline
    Keep your hood clear. Check mirrors constantly. You’re not just looking at cars—you’re watching for threats, mobs, or road hazards.
  12. Barricade Breach Planning
    Think like an operator. Is the barrier manned? Wooden or steel? Can you hit a low point or shoulder and bypass safely?
  13. Silent Evasion Tactics
    Kill your engine when scouting on foot. Coast in neutral down slopes. Sound attracts attention—keep your vehicle quiet when needed.
  14. Fuel Conservation Driving
    Drive slow, shift early, coast when you can. Keep RPMs low to stretch that last gallon of gas like it’s your lifeline.
  15. Mechanical First Aid
    Basic roadside repair knowledge is gold. Swap belts, patch tires, jump a dead battery, or bypass a blown fuse with a paperclip.

3 DIY Survival Driving Hacks When You Run Out of Gas

1. Gravity-Fed Fuel Siphon (No Suction Needed)
Carry 6-8 feet of clear tubing and a 2-gallon container. Drop one end deep into a donor vehicle’s tank, fill the hose with fuel manually, and lower the other end into your container. Gravity does the rest. No mouth-siphoning needed.

2. Propane to Gasoline Conversion (For Older Engines)
Some older carbureted vehicles can run on propane with a simple regulator and line adapter. If you’ve got camping propane tanks and the right rig, this can buy you escape miles in a pinch.

3. Ethanol Burn Trick (Rural Area Only)
Some farm towns keep high-purity ethanol or E85. If you’re in an older car not too picky about octane, you can mix ethanol 50/50 with gasoline to get home. Watch your fuel lines—it runs hot and lean.

Bonus Tips from the Road

  • Carry Jerry Cans – But Hide Them
    Thieves look for visible fuel. Mount internally or black out the cans and store low-profile.
  • Two-Way Radio Beats Cell Phones
    CBs or handheld ham radios keep you in contact even when the towers fall silent.
  • Camouflage Counts
    Don’t drive a decked-out survival truck screaming “I’m prepared.” Subtle wins. A dented old pickup draws fewer eyes.
  • One Road, One Chance
    Never back yourself into a single-exit road unless you know you can blast out in reverse or on foot. Always think: “If it closes behind me, how do I get out?”

Final Thoughts From Behind the Wheel

I’ve met people who spent years prepping gear, stashing supplies, and building bunkers—but forgot how to drive when the power went out or the roads flooded. Survival on the road isn’t about horsepower or tactical decals. It’s about brains, calm, and skill.

In Oklahoma, disasters don’t come with much warning. One minute the sky’s blue, the next it’s green, and then it’s gone. When that moment comes, you don’t rise to the occasion—you fall to your level of training.

So train hard. Drive smart. Keep your eyes on the road—and never, ever trust that the pavement will be there tomorrow.

Indiana’s Worst Roads to Drive on During a Disaster

On By The.Daily.ChristianIn Indiana, Indiana Survival Preppers, Indiana's Worst RoadsLeave a comment

’ve been through more broken terrain and disaster zones than most folks see in a lifetime. Desert rubbles, forest mud, coastal storms—everywhere I’ve pushed my rig to the limit. But if you ask me, it’s Indiana’s worst roads that sneak up on you during a crisis. They may not look dangerous on a GPS map, but once the storm hits or civil disruption starts, what seems like a harmless rural highway can become a deathtrap in minutes.

So here’s my comprehensive guide: how to survive driving through those back roads, gravel highways, and forgotten bridges when everything goes sideways, and how to drive your way out without fuel when the gas pumps go dead.

Indiana’s Worst Roads in a Disaster Scenario

  1. County Road 600 East (Shelby County)
    Narrow, winding, crosses multiple creek beds. Wooden planks on bridges rot fast, and without maintenance during a disaster, collapse is just a matter of time.
  2. Old Vincennes Trail (Vigo County)
    Overgrown, poorly marked, passing through wooded areas. Fallen trees and wildlife are common obstacles after high winds.
  3. State Road 156 (Clark County)
    Cliffside road overlooking the Ohio River. Erosion from flash flooding can cause sudden landslides.
  4. County Road 775 South (Jennings County)
    Sandstone ridges and blind turns; when mud shows up, traction vanishes.
  5. Old State Road 32 (Madison County)
    Sporadically paved, pocked with sinkholes. In a quake or flooding, you’ll be playing dodge‑the‑hole.
  6. Several river‑low bridge crossings
    Any small under‑maintenance crossing becomes dangerous when water rises. Think County Road 700 South over the Muscatatuck River.
  7. Backcountry farm‑access lanes (any county)
    Dusty or muddy, they often turn to impassable quagmires when rain hits.
  8. Abandoned railroad crossings
    Rails burst, gravel shifts, axles break.
  9. Hilly switchbacks around Brown County
    Steep, no guardrails, deceptively narrow, and easy to overlook black ice in winter emergencies.
  10. Unlighted stretches of US 41 (Benton–Newton counties)
    In power outages, you’re blind and vulnerable to stranded vehicles or ambush.

These roads share traits: narrow width, degraded pavement, poor signage, multiple natural‑feature crossings, and few civil‑support options. In a disaster—whether tornadoes, floods, EMP, or civil unrest—any one could strand you or worse.

15 Survival Driving Skills

  1. 4×4 Engagement on Uneven Terrain
    Always be familiar with how and when to shift into 4‑wheel drive or low‑range. Too early or too late, and you get wheelspin or lock‑up.
  2. Reading Water Flow Through Bridges
    Wet bridge? Look for current direction and debris patterns. Back off immediately if it’s choppy or fast; wood‑plank bridges hide structural damage until they fail.
  3. Low‑Torque Start on Loose Surfaces
    Feather throttle at launch — high RPMs on gravel or mud dig you in faster than a front‑end dig.
  4. Heel‑and‑Toe Shifting for Descents
    Mismatched revs cause lurching. Master heel‑and‑toe for smooth downshifts steeply.
  5. Left‑Right Shake Method for Stuck Tires
    Shift between drive and reverse while gently applying throttle to jar tires free.
  6. Smart Air‑Down for Gravel or Sand
    10–15 PSI lower gives better traction—but don’t go below 15 PSI to avoid bead‑seals popping.
  7. Tire Chains Without Chains
    Use rope in a crisscross pattern to dig into ice/mud if you don’t have actual chains.
  8. Maintaining Momentum on Uphill Soft Spots
    Too fast, you’ll dig; too slow, you’ll stall. Keep steady momentum to pass through.
  9. Stone‑Dodging
    Steer around big rocks on uneven road — never drive directly over them unless you’ve got rock‑sliders.
  10. Trail‑Guided Spotting
    Have a passenger get out and direct you slowly through tricky curves or washed‑out areas.
  11. Exit Planning at Intersections
    If disaster intensifies, always identify the safest route exit early—not just the shortest.
  12. Steering On‑Point at Loss of Traction
    Caused by mud or ice? Don’t brake hard. Gently steer into the skid.
  13. Fuel Conservation by Dialing Back Speed
    Drive at half throttle; aerodynamic drag kills your range quickly.
  14. Emergency Braking Without ABS
    Pump brakes to hold control; heard of ABS, but pumps manually if needed.
  15. Night Vision with High Beams and Mirrors
    Angle mirror to reflect headlight glare onto signs/obstacles; life‑saving when power’s out.

3 DIY Survival Driving Hacks When You Run Out of Gas

On Indiana’s worst roads, gas stations may be gone—or unreachable. If you’re out of gas, here’s how to keep moving.

Hack 1: Gravity‑Feed from Above‑Ground Tank

You carry a soft fuel bladder or five‑gallon jerry can? Strap it securely on roof or tailgate. Use gravity hose to feed fuel into a tank primed inlet loop. Makeshift pump: suck to prime, then let gravity take over. Yes, risk of spillage—but it beats being stranded at night on County Road 600 East with a creek rising fast.

Hack 2: Charcoal‑Filtered Woodgas Retro‑Burner

If you have a small steel tank and angle grinder, you can convert it into a woodgas generator to run a carbureted engine. On cold nights near wooded backroads, scavenge sticks and deadfall. Build small charcoal gasifier, pipe the gas in. Maintains low RPM just to get out. It’s not clean or fast—but it moves you miles on firewood alone.

Hack 3: Pedal‑Truck Push Start

Now, I’ve done this solo. Use tire pressure: lower rear tires a bit to increase traction, fold the rear tailgate down. Shift to neutral, starting at a slight decline if available (maybe an abandoned bridge ramp on State Road 156). Hop in and start pushing with hands or foot‑brace on tailgate. Once you get it rolling, jump in and pop it into second gear—bump start. Works until engine turns over. Yes, slower than a patrolling cop with a machine gun, but it gets you moving.

Navigating Disaster on Indiana’s Harsh Roads

Picture this: the power’s out, emergency sirens howl somewhere in the east. You’ve just fled town with enough gear for 72 hours—food, water, med kit, fuel bladder, jumper cables, axe, tow strap. You’re on County Road 600 East, heading toward high ground. Two miles in, the wooden bridge over Little Blue Creek creaks and tilts as fast‑flowing water pounds foundations.

You stop. You don’t cross. Use skill #2: read the flow and bounce the front bumper light on the water. You see rippling eddies that signal rising water. Bridge side rotted. You turn around onto a mud‑marked service road parallel to the creek. Feather throttle, use 4×4 low, and push through ruts. Two more creek crossing ahead—one small, one large. Use #1 and #6—air‑down and steady momentum. Scrape mud clear with shovel, dig out puddles that could bury axles. You make it safe.

Your fuel runs low. You cross paths with another driver stranded without fuel. He offers you 3 gallons of white‑gas camp fuel. It’ll work—just add it to your mix and run at carrot‑and‑stick half throttle (#13)—and avoid highways where you’d burn through it too fast. You ration. You’re still miles from ignition.

That night, you set camp by Old Vincennes Trail edge. Rain pounds, mud deepens. You build woodgas maker (#2 hack) from a steel drum scavenged at a burned‑out farmstead. You fire it up. Squeaky, smoky, home‑built. Smoke trails under your chassis. You manage a mile—overnight goal reached.

By dawn, you’re near State Road 156, cliffside curves ahead. You check erosion signs, use heel‑and‑toe to descend without overheating brakes (#4). Bridges? You test the surface. Shake the suspension as you ease on. Good to go. You make it off the worst route.

Tips for Staying Alive on These Roads

  • Pre‑trip inspection: check tires (wear, mud, gravel patterns), steering tightness, brake fade. Repair immediately—mobile tools are useless once you’re 10 miles from pavement.
  • Pack a survival driving kit: include rope, small pump, low‑pressure gauge, charcoal, steel pipe, welding gloves (for woodgas hack), funnel, shovel, jerry can, battery jumper leads, emergency blankets, hand winch.
  • Drive early or late: midday brings heat and storms; night brings opportunistic threats. Dusk to dawn is quietest—but use high‑beam night‑vision tricks (#15).
  • Scan shoulder signs: any unusual piles of brush, stones, or barricades likely indicate you’re heading into flashpoint or unstable terrain.
  • Avoid predictable routes: towns near rivers, dams, power substations are likely to bubble in a disaster zone. Take alternative farmland roads instead.
  • Stay low and quiet: engine off, wheels straight, lights out at rest points. Listen to water, wind, wildlife patterns—silent terrain reveals more than loud engines.
  • Log your route: draw progress on map as you go—even if GPS dies, you’ll have a paper chart with mileage and direction.

Why Indiana’s Worst Roads Demand Respect

Most disasters don’t strike the urban core first—they hit infrastructure: rural roads, bridges, culverts. Maintenance stops, communication fails. Suddenly, that unassuming county road you took as a shortcut becomes the only passable route… until it buckles under pressure. In a hurry, without the right skills and foresight, you end up trapped in a flash flood, landslide, or worse.

Every survivalist knows: it’s not a matter of if your route becomes compromised—it’s when. That’s why you build redundancy: alternative tracks, vehicle adaptability, ability to jury‑rig fuel systems. You learn dirt, water, slope, and engine behavior by night, when mistakes hurt, and climb back into that rig knowing it’s re‑broken now. Only after 10 nights of living on a plateau under the first light of dawn do you begin to respect the roads ahead again.

Final Takeaways

  • Indiana’s worst roads—narrow, rural, weakly maintained—become death zones in any significant disaster.
  • Master 15 survival driving skills: from mud starts to heel‑and‑toe downshifts and on‑point skid control.
  • Carry the tools to jerry‑rig fuel or make woodgas: 3 DIY hacks for zero‑fuel emergencies.
  • Drive defensively—know every mile, test every creek, carry a detailed map, and plan your exits.
  • Above all: stay calm, keep momentum, trust your training—and remember: in a crisis, speed is a trap; control is what gets you home.

When the sirens fade and normalcy bleeds back in, folks will talk about how the interstate jammed, how the airport shut down. You’ll be working on your truck, re‑packing your gear, cleaning your woodgas rig. You’ll drive through forgotten roads, patch bridges, and smile: you chose the hard way—and lived to tell the tale.

Rhode Island’s Worst Roads to Drive on During a Disaster

On By The.Daily.ChristianIn Rhode Island, Rhode Island's Worst Roads to DriveLeave a comment

Rhode Island’s Worst Roads to Drive on During a Disaster – and How to Survive Them

By a man who’s broken down in the Rockies, outrun a wildfire in California, and once crossed a frozen lake in Manitoba with nothing but a CB radio and a prayer, let me tell you something straight: driving during a disaster is a whole different beast. And if you’re in Rhode Island—small in size, dense in people, and loaded with pothole-riddled nightmares—you better be ready to adapt, react, and survive.

I’ve been through hurricanes, blizzards, and blackouts. And trust me, when the highways jam and the backroads crumble, knowing how to drive to stay alive is as vital as food and water.

Rhode Island’s Road Hazards in a Disaster

Rhode Island might be tiny, but it packs a punch in terms of infrastructure risk. Here’s a survivalist’s breakdown of the worst roads to avoid (or approach with extreme caution) during a disaster scenario:

  1. Route 95 through Providence – Traffic bottlenecks, overpasses, and congestion mean you’re sitting ducks in a bug-out situation. If it’s not gridlocked, it’s flooded.
  2. Route 10 Connector – Often under construction, and with poor visibility ramps, it becomes a chaos corridor during emergencies.
  3. Route 6 (Huntington Expressway) – Riddled with sharp curves and sudden exits, this road is a nightmare during high-stress evacuations.
  4. Post Road (Route 1) – Flood-prone and filled with commercial strip malls. Great for scavenging, terrible for escaping.
  5. Route 146 into North Smithfield – Lined with industrial traffic and overloaded bridges. Avoid it when supply trucks panic.
  6. Broad Street in Cranston/Pawtucket – Narrow, dense, and chaos incarnate when people start fleeing in masses.
  7. Hope Street in Bristol – Coastal, and the first to flood in a Nor’easter or storm surge.
  8. Putnam Pike (Route 44) – Beautiful, rural… and isolated. When tree limbs drop, you’re boxed in.
  9. West Main Road in Middletown – Connects to Navy installations, making it a prime security choke point during martial law or military lockdowns.
  10. Reservoir Avenue, Cranston – Urban traffic, tight intersections, and vulnerable power lines make this area high-risk.

15 Survival Driving Skills That’ll Save Your Life in a Disaster

When the time comes and you’re behind the wheel while the world burns, floods, or freezes, these 15 survival driving skills could make the difference between life and death:

  1. Situational Awareness – Constantly scan mirrors, gauges, and surroundings. Awareness buys time.
  2. Emergency Braking Control – Learn how to brake hard without skidding. Threshold braking on dry ground; pumping on wet.
  3. Navigating Without GPS – GPS dies, cell towers drop—so know your route by memory or use an offline map app.
  4. Driving with Blown Tires – Steer straight, ease off gas, don’t brake until speed drops. Then guide to a stop.
  5. Night Vision Tactics – Avoid high-beams in fog; use low beams and follow reflective markers or fog lines.
  6. Fuel Efficiency Driving – Feather the throttle, avoid sudden stops, and coast when safe. Every drop counts.
  7. Hand Signals and Horn Codes – In a convoy or with other survivors, use lights or horn taps to communicate.
  8. Underwater Escape – Unbuckle, roll down windows fast before electronics die. Kick windshield if submerged.
  9. Snow & Ice Maneuvers – Turn into the skid. Never slam brakes. Use snowbanks for controlled stops.
  10. Off-road Evasion – Know how to spot soft ground, use momentum to climb hills, and shift to low gear on declines.
  11. Avoiding Road Rage & Panic Drivers – Stay calm. Predict erratic movements. Don’t engage—evasion is your friend.
  12. Barricade Navigation – Reverse precision. Know how to three-point turn in tight quarters or go off-shoulder without getting stuck.
  13. Silent Movement – If needed, coast with the engine off on downhill terrain. Avoid noise to stay unnoticed.
  14. Improvised Lighting – Red LED headlamps or dimmed cabin lights help preserve night vision and avoid detection.
  15. Driving Through Floods – No more than six inches of water unless you know your air intake height. Go slow, steady—don’t create a wake.

3 DIY Survival Driving Hacks When You’re Out of Gas

You’re out of gas. Maybe siphoning stations got shut down, maybe your fuel cache got looted, or maybe you just pushed too far. Don’t panic. You still have options if you’ve got a brain, a toolkit, and a bit of know-how:

1. The Denatured Alcohol Boost (Alcohol Stove Fuel Hack)

If you have denatured alcohol (used in marine stoves or camping gear), you can use a small blend (ONLY in emergencies) to extend the remaining gasoline in a carbureted engine. Do not attempt this with fuel-injected or modern engines—older vehicles only.

  • Caution: This is extremely risky. Use only to limp to safety. Never exceed 10% mix. Filter everything.

2. Siphon from Lawn Equipment, Generators, or Boats

Emergency fuel isn’t just in cars. Mowers, snowblowers, backup generators, boats—all carry gasoline. Use a hand-siphon pump (avoid mouth siphoning) and a catch can. Keep a fuel transfer kit in your bug-out bag—small, cheap, priceless in a pinch.

3. Create a Gravity-Fed Drip Tank

If your vehicle fuel pump fails or you want to bypass a contaminated tank, rig a gravity-fed drip tank using a clean water jug, clear tubing, and a fuel filter. Mount it above the engine and feed it into the carburetor or fuel intake. This is makeshift, not efficient, but it can get your rig a few miles out of hell.

Surviving the Drive in Little Rhody

Driving through a disaster in Rhode Island is about threading the needle between panic, geography, and infrastructure failure. You’ve got bridges, tight urban corridors, a coastline that floods faster than your bathtub, and a population density that ensures traffic the minute the sirens wail.

So what do you do?

  • Pre-scout alternate routes—especially rural cut-throughs, utility paths, and even bike trails.
  • Keep a printed map in your glovebox. Mark fuel stations, water sources, and chokepoints.
  • Drive light. Weight kills speed and fuel economy. Strip non-essentials from your bug-out vehicle.
  • Keep a vehicle go-bag: Include fix-a-flat, siphon kit, battery jumper, headlamp, tire plug kit, and a collapsible fuel container.
  • Fill up every time you hit ¾ tank. Don’t wait till you’re low in a crisis zone.
  • Maintain your ride. That rusted-out ’98 Tacoma might be ugly, but if it runs clean and has high clearance, it’s better than a dead hybrid with a cracked battery.

When you know the roads like a survivalist knows his terrain, and you’ve trained behind the wheel as much as on the trail, you won’t need to hope—you’ll just drive. Smooth, quiet, and smart. Get out of Dodge—or Providence, in this case—and live to see another sunrise.

You’re not just driving. You’re surviving.

Wyoming’s Worst Roads to Drive on During a Disaster

On By The.Daily.ChristianIn Wyoming, Wyoming's Worst Roads to Drive on During a DisasterLeave a comment

Driving Through Disaster: Survival Tactics for Navigating Wyoming’s Worst Roads

When the sky turns black and the land starts to rumble, there’s only one thing on a survivalist’s mind: movement. You get caught sitting still during a natural disaster—be it wildfire, flood, blizzard, or quake—and you’re as good as part of the wreckage. Wyoming, beautiful and vast as she is, has some of the worst roads you could imagine driving when Mother Nature’s wrath descends. I’ve driven through it all—dust storms in the high plains, snow squalls near Togwotee Pass, even a landslide outside of Jackson that buried half a two-lane mountain road. And I’m still here to tell you what works—and what damn sure doesn’t.

Now, I’ve broken down in Bighorn Canyon in winter and blown a radiator going downhill on Highway 22 when the brakes cooked out. I know every rattle and groan a vehicle makes when it’s begging you to stop. But survival? That’s about going forward when everything else is falling apart.

Wyoming’s Most Treacherous Roads in a Natural Disaster

Some roads here seem like they were designed with disaster in mind—twisting, narrow, unforgiving. If a major event hits—earthquake, wildfire, blizzard—these are the roads you want to avoid or be prepared to conquer:

  1. Togwotee Pass (US 26/287) – Altitude, avalanche zones, and whiteout blizzards make this a death trap.
  2. Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY 296) – Gorgeous in summer, but in winter or fire season, it’s a one-way ticket to stuck.
  3. I-80 through Elk Mountain Pass – Infamous for sudden blizzards and 80-mph wind gusts. Trucks jackknife here regularly.
  4. Beartooth Highway – Known as one of the most dangerous roads in America; beautiful, but cliffs and snowstorms will kill you.
  5. WY-22 over Teton Pass – Hairpin turns, rockslides, and no room for error.
  6. Wind River Canyon (US 20) – Landslides, flooding, and ice take this scenic drive and turn it into a trap.
  7. WY-130 (Snowy Range Scenic Byway) – Closed most of the year for good reason. In a disaster? Forget it.
  8. Casper Mountain Road – Steep, unguarded, and a magnet for ice and landslides.
  9. South Pass (WY-28) – Historic, yes—but treacherous in high winds and with poor visibility.
  10. Medicine Bow Mountains routes – Remote, often unmaintained, and the first to close in bad weather.

15 Survival Driving Skills to Get You Through Hell

When disaster hits and the roads go to hell, here’s what you better know before you even turn the key.

  1. Threshold Braking – Learn to brake just before your tires lock. Especially useful on icy or gravel roads.
  2. Clutch Control (Manual Transmissions) – Use low gears to descend steep grades safely or to power through debris.
  3. Off-Road Line Picking – Know how to visually choose the safest path over rocks, through mud, or across fallen branches.
  4. High-Centered Escape – Know how to rock your vehicle out when it’s stuck on a crest (like snowbanks or debris piles).
  5. Skid Recovery – Steer into the skid, don’t panic, and throttle lightly to regain control.
  6. Water Fording Techniques – Know how to test water depth, use low gear, and maintain a slow, steady bow wave.
  7. Reading Road Shoulders – In Wyoming, shoulders are often soft, crumbly. Know what’s drivable—and what’s a trap.
  8. Using Reverse Strategically – Sometimes backtracking 50 feet is safer than pushing ahead into chaos.
  9. Downhill Descent Control – Use engine braking (low gears) instead of cooking your brake pads.
  10. Navigating Without GPS – Natural disasters knock out cell towers. Know how to read a topographical map and use a compass.
  11. Night Vision Preservation – Keep your cabin lights off, dash dimmed. Let your eyes adjust; use red filters if needed.
  12. Quick Tire Change Under Duress – Practice doing this in under 10 minutes. Time is life when you’re being chased by wildfire.
  13. Improvised Traction Aids – Floor mats, branches, even clothing can give you grip on snow or mud.
  14. Evacuation Convoy Driving – Know how to follow closely without tailgating and communicate with lights or hand signals.
  15. Stealth Movement – Sometimes survival means not being seen. Turn off lights, coast in neutral, stay low and slow.

3 DIY Survival Driving Hacks When You Run Out of Gas

Even the best laid plans meet the bottom of a gas tank. If you’re deep in Wyoming’s backcountry when the needle drops to E, here’s what can keep you moving:

  1. Fuel Siphoning (If It’s Legal and Safe)
    Carry a hand siphon or rubber hose. Abandoned vehicles or machines in remote farms may have usable fuel. Use a filter (like a cloth or even a coffee filter) to screen debris as you transfer.
  2. DIY Wood Gasifier (Advanced Hack)
    Old-school tech: with metal cans, piping, and a heat source, you can build a wood gasifier. Burns wood to create gas vapor usable by older carbureted engines. Doesn’t work on modern fuel-injected cars without major modding—but for that 1980s pickup? Maybe your only option.
  3. Alcohol-Based Fuel Substitute (Short Range Only)
    If you’ve got isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, or even high-proof liquor, you can mix it in with leftover gas in emergencies. You’ll burn hotter and dirtier, and it’s not good long-term—but in a disaster, range matters more than emissions.

A Survivalist’s Advice for Wyoming Disasters

Wyoming isn’t forgiving. With towns separated by dozens of empty miles and weather that can turn in a heartbeat, you have to drive like your life depends on it—because out here, it does. Keep your rig ready at all times: full tank, spare fuel cans (stabilized), tools, jack, patch kit, compressor, food, and water for three days minimum. I keep a bugout bag in the cab and a collapsible shovel in the bed. I also travel with tire chains—even in summer—because snow can hit in August up near Beartooth.

In winter, I preheat my diesel with a generator or plug-in timer, and I’ve learned the hard way that synthetic oil is mandatory when the mercury drops below -20°F. Got stranded once near Rawlins for 28 hours in a whiteout—thank God I had insulated boots, a zero-degree bag, and a Hi-Lift jack to lift the truck out of a drift when it all cleared.

Also, know how to communicate without a cell. A CB radio, handheld ham (with a license if you’re being legal), or even a signal mirror can mean the difference between rescue and rotting. Don’t expect anyone to come for you fast—not here.

And never drive into the unknown without logging your route with someone. Even if it’s just a buddy over text. If you vanish in Wyoming’s backroads, it can be weeks before anyone finds you—if at all.

Final Thoughts

Driving in disaster is not about speed—it’s about control. Knowing your machine. Reading the land. Making decisions in seconds that mean life or death. That’s survival driving. And in a place like Wyoming, where the sky can fall on you in more ways than one, that knowledge isn’t just a skill.

It’s your salvation.