[mercury_firefly]

Lately i have very seriously considering traveling on foot to my home in Wellington, Kansas, to my mothers house in Salt Lake City, Utah. I feel that nothing would give you a greater sense of accomplishment that undertaking and completely such a trip. Also, it would prepare me to live a completely different lifestyle that what i'm used to. Going on a trip like this would give me a sense of what it's like to live a hard life. It would be the opposite life of what i've been living for the entire 18 years of my life. I kind of feel this will prepare my for a hard life i will be facing once oil is no longer a viable fuel option.

I really want to do this. I'm curious to know what the legal ramifications of this would be. I'm 18, i will be graduating high school in a few months.

Also, what i would need for a trip. My list thus far is: Large hiking backpack, Sleeping bag, small pillow, small medkit, sewing kit, two quality knives, walking stick, 4 shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of pants, rain poncho, quality waterproof hiking shoes, hat, sun screan and other personal hygeine items, compass, small portable pop tent(if i can find one that is, if not i'll take a tarp and make a tent out of that), wilderness survival book (i already have one and have it well memorized), atleast 300$ in cash.

I've done the math on this. I've figured i can walk five miles an hour for nine hours a day, that's fourty-five miles a day. At that rate it will take me around twenty-five days to reach Salt Lake City. I would also be burning about three-thousand calories a day.

My biggest problem thus far is food. I would defently fill the empty space in my pack with all the food i could. The money i would be taking would ONLY be used to replenish my food supplies.

Also, i have a friend who i have been talking to this about. She was the one who put the origional idea into my head. She say she would go with me (i'm a male, by the way). She knows some people in colorado we could stay with for a few days. That's about the half way mark, so a rest would be well deserved.

[aahala]

I suggest you do a practice trip of much shorter distance to see how things work out.

Unless you have already timed yourself, I think you will be shocked what a fast pace 5 MPH is over a 9 hours, particularly carrying all that stuff.

If I were trying it, I would travel as light as possible on the first attempt. Good shoes and the mastercharge, and a cellphone.

[energyaddict]

What is the biggest distance you have ever walked in a single day? 45 mls a day for 25 days in a row...- very ambitious! I suspect you could reach that goal by bike - but hiking???

[UncoveringTruths]

I think your thumb would come-out on one of those 20 mile inclines at 5 mph.

[Doly]

I had a book called "Walking through America" by a guy only a bit older than you that decided to wall all across the States.

What he did was plenty of training before he started, and some test walks. After that, he knew fairly well what was a good idea and what wasn't.

And who knows, once you start walking, what you may discover?

[mercury_firefly]

I've done a lot of walking in the past so 5 mph didn't seem like that extreme of a guess. I mean, for the first half of this trip i'll be in kansas, and there's nothing but nothing there. I could imagine it being a lot tougher going into Colorado and Utah where it's really mountainous.

[cmlek]

A more realistic estimate for use, assuming you're reasonably fit and used to this sort of thing, would be 20 mi/day.

[Barbara]

May I suggest something?
If this is a trip for meditation and find the sense of life, or a true experience, you should go with bare hands. Once I've read that Native Americans used to do a trip in this way to become real men. Maybe it would be unreasonable to leave without money, we are not hunters after all, but you should go carrying only what you use to carry for your everyday trips... like, say, a lighter and money.

I always dreamed to make a trip like this myself, but unfortunately (LOL) I'a woman so it would be far too dangerous...

Good luck!

[sventvkg]

do some tests and train your butt off...Even at 18, 5mph is way way way faster then you will be able to maintain...get on a treadmill, set it for 5mph and see how fast that actually is...I think if you train for a few months, you could do 25-30 miles a day if you are lucky and plan your trip well..I would go with very high calorie energy bars to munch on while you walk, a backpack built in Water container that you can drink from while you walk. You'll need several gallons a day to sustain yourself and then you'll need to eat a few big meals full of calories...If you do not plan it out correctly and scientifically you could run into trouble. If ya don't drink enough water it will severely affect your ability to hike at the correct speed and distance. Also, this is true for food so you really have to have it worked out.

I was in the military and used to road march great distances at a fast clip with a heavy pack at your age. I can tell you the food water thing is vital.

[OldSprocket]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mercury_firefly', 'M')y list thus far is: Large hiking backpack, Sleeping bag, small pillow, small medkit, sewing kit, two quality knives, walking stick, 4 shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of pants, rain poncho, quality waterproof hiking shoes, hat, sun screan and other personal hygeine items, compass, small portable pop tent(if i can find one that is, if not i'll take a tarp and make a tent out of that), wilderness survival book (i already have one and have it well memorized), atleast 300$ in cash.

[nero]

From my experience I would bring a water purifier or tablets. You can do without food for a day or two but if you're running short on water things get desperate quickly. Don't try carrying too much water(it's too darn heavy) but carefully plan where you're going to get it from.

A good tent is worth the investment, not to keep you dry but to keep the bugs away while you sleep. Maybe you think that's too luxurious? well I'd give up a pair of pants for a proper tent and a light one man tent doesn't weight much more than a pair of jeans.

Good water proof bags for sleeping bag and clothes, I wouldn't trust your back pack to keep out the water, it gets in somehow and then everything turns damp and musty

No need for pillow, stuff your clothes in a bag and you've got a pillow. An air mattress or something to keep a layer of air between you and the ground is much more important than a pillow.

Some people might think this is decadent as well but I would suggest some high detail maps of the path you plan to take. A road map doesn't cut it. I'm talking get the topographic and hydrological details so you can plan the best route.

Your plan for 45 miles a day is very ambitious. If your terrain is at all rough that's not going to happen. I would plan for some R&R days along the way to recover.

Don't light any fires unless you really must so bring only food that you can eat cold. Bring money, in case of emergency very useful stuff. I think a cell phone is a crutch you can do without, but in emergencies can be a life saver; between a small medkit and a cell phone I'd choose the cell phone.

two quality knives? those things are heavy how about replace one with a jacknife.

[OldSprocket]

Nix what I said about cold food. It'll be fine for lunch, but you'll be crossing altitudes that can be COLD at night. I'd expect to want hot meals morning and evening. For that length trip, stove fuel becomes a problem (wood fires are likely illegal for part of your route). Look into kerosene stoves so you can buy a quart instead of a gallon can of Coleman fuel. It's still heavy.

And for that treat, think juicy and sweet.

Take extra plastic bags for repackaging food after a grocery stop.

Back to clothes: warm gloves, ear-covering hat, sweater and wind jacket for those altitudes. It can feel odd in summer to pack for cold weather.

People along the route will help in many ways if you tell them what you're doing. Camping spots, food, etc. How about putting a Kansas flag on your pack and a Utah flag on your GFs?

[mgibbons19]

Cool idea. What everybody else said. I remember hearing about a lady who was trying to hike every continent and I think she made about 25mpd. Train. I wonder about those adventure pants you can get at Patagonia or REI. I'm thinking the nylon quick drying ones. As for a tent, I wonder about those tiny little bivuoack things just big enough for your bag to keep the moisture and bugs off. I would also nix the boots and go for running shoes. But that's me.

If it was me, I would also try a few long walks just for trial. The wrong kind of pants would be a nightmare by day three, you'd want to know which ones will rub you raw for certain.

[Michael_Layden]

And for that treat, think juicy and sweet.
Good suggestion, Fruit juices are a good way of carrying liquid and food. I did 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in October/november in spain and lost my appetite for about 3 weeks of the walk. Lost about 30 lbs weight (no harm) .I basically survived on fruit juice, I think it was the bodies way of cleaning itself. Some of the walkers I met who had done 3000 km and more looked liked skeltons. !! The long distance walkers had to carry tents etc and most ditched these as soon as they could. One remarkable American I met carrried a backpack as large as himself and walked from Frankfurt to Santiago. http://www.solohiker.com is his site.

(The Camino is wonderful and has refuges every 20 km or so , definitely every one in Europe who needs to clear the mind should tink about it. ) Everyone I talked to on it and there were typpically 20-50 on most stetches, had no problem with concepts such as Oil depletion. People who carry their possesions on their backs tend to know what is important and what is not.

In terms of weight I would carry the smallest backpack you can get away with. Anyting over 20 lbs is a killer. Particularly because you will have to carry at least 10 +lbs of water/ liquid on the Kansas/Utah route. Light light light is the key. Also if possible pick up lightweight synthetic gear which dries quickly. I picked most of my gear up on Ebay before setting out. Amazing what really good equipment is discarded annuallly.

Walk 1 hour and rest 10-15 minutes an hour (I found 2 hours walking and 25 -30 minutes resting suited me. Don't look on it as an endurance test, relax and enjoy and you will find days passing. Don't plan particular lengths every day let your body deside. I made the mistake of walking as far as I could every day for the first 2 weeks with way too heavy of a backpack. !! Leave energy every evening, you will recover quickly. I would plan around 15 miles a day !!.


Blisters will probably happen. The second skin medications can help the blisters spread. The best cure is often just a needle and cotton thread covered by a bandage . This allow the blister to seep . STRETCH EVERY DAY BEFORE STARTING AND FINISHING. Tendonitis is bloody painfull.

I would join a Ultralight Hiking discussion group and get their opinions.

You will get to love the road if you go properly prepared and don't push yourself to the limits. Travel very very light and if possible go the scenic route. Country people are great and if you go by small towns people will keep an eye out for you. The shortest route is often the least fun. You will find that they will give you contact in the next town.

The flag idea is good or you could maybe put a sign about oil depletion on your pack. You will probably even get some coverage on local papers and radio stations then.

Michael
Ireland

[pea-jay]

Along those lines, here is a blog from a collection of people walking from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.

Now that's a journey.

[bart]

Hi mercury_firefly --
The idea of a long-distance trip is a great one. I do have one suggestion to make -- why not consider a trip along one of the long distance trails like the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail? There are probably other llong-distance trails nearer you.

Walking along roadways and through cities is a real drag. You don't see the best side of people. It's often hard to find a safe and legal route. And it is b-o-r-i-n-g.

On the long distance trails, you are in touch with nature and you meet interesting people. It's much safer too. There are many books and websites about hiking these long distance trails.

One books that is especially good on equipment and technique is "The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook" by Ray Jardine, the father of low-weight distance hiking. Lynne Whelden makes videos on the subject (Interview with Lynne Whelden)

[Carmiac]

My father made a similar trip by bicycle, from Las Cruces, NM to Seattle, WA. I would suggest you go by bike rather than by foot, much easier and you are less likely to be harrased.

[OldSprocket]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Carmiac', 'M')y father made a similar trip by bicycle, from Las Cruces, NM to Seattle, WA. I would suggest you go by bike rather than by foot, much easier and you are less likely to be harrased.

[nero]

100 miles a day with a fully loaded bike and no rest days? That sounds like work. On the trips I've done, pushing over 60 miles in a single day was a long day in the saddle. I wasn't in the best of shape but I would strongly recommend anyone who is doing a long distance human powered trip to not plan to go at your peak rate every day. You risk injuring yourself and for what? If it isn't an emergency don't use up your emergency reserves.

[oowolf]

Unless you precondition yourself, you wont make it. I walk 50-70 miles a week and along highways I average 4.5MPH and I'm 56 years old. When I was 25 or so I could fast walk 6MPH but only for about 20 miles/day-now I start to poop-out at around 13 miles/day.
Good hiking boots (lightweight, gore-tex), well broke in are a must, or you will get blistered the first day and then you're done. I wear 2 pair of wool socks for cushioning even in summer. Cotton socks are worthless. DO NOT WALK ON PAVEMENT!-the pounding will ruin your joints and asphalt gets hotter than hell. Also, walking along highways will get you filthy in nothing flat-be prepared to eat a lot of grit-as well as toxic fumes.
Be prepared for assholes who throw pop bottles filled with piss-and worse. Be prepared to be offered rides by "lonely" people-many of them obviously drunk, or stoned, or psychotic. Believe me, I've seen it all, and walking highways is dangerous to your health.
Some of the nature trails already mentioned would be much more enjoyable.
Good luck.