Free Bug Out! Part 7: Mile High Motorhomes by Robert Boren Page A

leave this place. Too much family history here.”
    Dobie looked over at him and nodded, but was thinking how difficult it was going to be to get Gabe out of harm’s way if the worst happened.
    The road narrowed and started to climb back into the hills. There was another series of switchbacks, causing Gabe to slow way down. He continued to keep an eye on the bobtail in his mirror as it lumbered along behind them. Then the road turned to dirt and went alongside a creek.
    “This your creek?” Dobie asked.
    “Sure is. This route isn’t usable in either the winter or early spring.”
    “You own this land, don’t you?”
    “Yep, but it’s not good for much,” Dobie said, laughing. “I’ve got a gate coming up that I’ll have to unlock. Keeps folks from driving down here from the highway.”
    They went down the straight part of the road for a few more miles, only making about twenty miles per hour. Then there were a few more switchbacks, on dirt road too thin for more than one car to pass at a time.
    “Hope this isn’t too scary for Jake,” Dobie said.
    “He’s good at driving that bobtail. Don’t worry about it…we’re almost through it anyway. Look, there’s my gate up ahead.”
    The gate was made of tube steel, painted yellow. Gabe pulled right up to it and got out of the Suburban. He unlocked the padlock, and then pushed the gate open on its hinge. Then he got back into the Suburban and drove down far enough that the truck could get past the gate too. He and Dobie got out and walked towards the truck.
    “Damn, Gabe, never been through this section,” Jake said, through the open window. “I was getting a little nervous on those dirt switchbacks.”
    “I knew you could make it.”
    “This your land?”
    “Yep, been in the family since my granddad’s time.”
    “Pretty back here, that’s for sure.”
    “I’m going to close the gate after us. We’re almost home.”
    “Good,” Jake said. “That was a hard drive. I’ll be glad to park this damn thing.”
    Gabe and Dobie walked behind the truck and saw the bullet holes. They were low on the passenger side.
    “Son of a bitch,” Dobie said. “Another few inches and they would have hit the rear tires on that side.”
    “Yes, I’d say luck was with us today,” Gabe said. He started to push the gate back into place across the road. Then he stopped and listened. “You hear that?”
    Dobie walked over next to him, cupped his ears with his hands and faced back down the road. He heard some kind of vehicle coming slowly up the road, but he couldn’t see it.
    “Shoot,” Dobie said. “We got followed.” The two men ran up to the cab of the truck.
    “We got followed,” Gabe said. “I’ll lead the way to the park. Terry, stay here with Dobie, and wait for those folks. I’ll send Jeb and Charlie and Kurt and the Sheriff here with their rifles…they should be back here in about ten minutes.”
    Terry jumped out and checked his rifle and his handgun. Dobie ran back to the Suburban and grabbed his rifle. He let Duchess out of the car, as Gabe jumped behind the wheel.
    “You’d better not get hurt,” Trish said to Terry. She looked scared. Terry smiled at her and nodded.
    “Go!” Dobie said. Gabe took off, and the bobtail followed, going as fast as they could on the dirt road. Terry walked up to Dobie.
    “We need a good position to fire from,” Terry said.
    “Yeah, look over there,” Dobie said, pointing to a clump of trees close to the creek on the right side of the road.
    “C’mon,” Terry said. “That’ll work.” They quickly slid down the side of the road and next to the creek bed, then climbed up into the trees far enough to see the road. Duchess stayed on the ground next to the tree, looking around, her ears perked up.
    “Think they’re still coming?” Terry asked.
    “Yeah,” Dobie whispered, scanning the road. “They’re back in the worst part of those switchbacks. I’m surprised we didn’t see them.”
    “They must