Are You REALLY Prepared to Bug Out on Foot? Heed This Cautionary Tale of a Deadly Desert Crossing by J.G. Martinez
Desperation can be a strong motivator.
I want to share a story that I strongly identify with, though I have not experienced this to the same degree. I hope never to go through what the migrants in this story had to withstand. Most Venezuelans lack the preparedness that the great outdoors requires. Many never felt the need to prepare for anything.
I know how this sounds. But, I have to acknowledge the overabundance of lazy and unproductive people in my country that watch too much TV and eat far too much junk food. Those who try to bug out by foot don’t know what they are getting into. Some of them drag their children behind. There is no official record of how many “desert walkers” have been lost in the desert to this point. I have a feeling some have faced fatality.
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The following is the story of Venezuelan migrants who crossed one of the world’s most dangerous deserts, north of Chile, on foot.
Desert Crossing
Chile was the destination of migrants by the thousands. They either knew someone in Chile or went hoping to find a job and a place to live. The Chilean government response at the start was more or less neutral, possibly “warm.” However, once Chile had noticed an increasing number of illegals committing crimes, they started to shut down the gates. (The fear of losing legal status and being sent back is so high that the risk will make most Venezuelan migrants go as gray as possible).
Regular people, without the most basic survival skills or training, printed a map and learned to use a compass. These people entered into the desert in groups, each with a 1.5-liter bottle filled with tap water and very little food. Mostly bread and cans of tuna.
Walking during the day exposed them to the deadly desert sun. The migrants were freezing at night in the desert and burned clothes, trying to keep warm. The desert walkers risked dehydration in the Peru/Chile desert and possible death as the border is filled with land mines.
Abandoned at dawn by the guides, “You’re just 3 hours away, walking that direction.”
The walkers did not seem to investigate very thoroughly the desert on the north border of Chile known as “pampa.” Pampa is nothing but hills and valleys of dirt and stone, and so dry there is no animal life there. (How anyone tried to cross that place dragging the kids is beyond my comprehension.)
Avoiding the border crossing was the idea, so the walkers went through the middle of the desert. (*See maps: The blue is the intended route. The red line is the route they took.) Pretty sure this is over 60 km of one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. Quite an accomplishment even for someone already trained. These people did it with NO training and without a map! (The guides who abandoned them had the map.)
With only enough water and food for one night, the abandoned groups met with a team of off-road motocross riders: Team Tuareg. The riders were amazed to see people in the middle of the desert. These people were in such an inaccessible place that not even the police could get them after they finally contacted authorities, asking for help with their phones. The authorities told them to “keep walking.” Team Taureg evacuated them on their motorcycles. (We bikers are nice guys, so please be careful when you drive.)
