How Far Could You Walk in an Emergency?

 

How Far Could You Really Walk If the Grid Went Down?

When I began writing my Miles Away trilogy, I knew I wanted the story to feel realistic. My main character, Joanie, is a middle-aged woman in average physical condition who finds herself stranded hundreds of miles from home after a national crisis.

Like many people, I initially assumed that if someone was determined enough, they could simply shoulder a backpack and start walking. After all, people hike long distances every day, don't they?

What I discovered during my research surprised me.

To get Joanie home to her thirteen-year-old son, I mapped possible routes from southern Missouri through Arkansas and Oklahoma. I researched walking speeds, daily mileage, food requirements, water needs, weather exposure, footwear, injuries, and how much weight an average person could realistically carry.

The deeper I researched, the more concerned I became.

What started as research for a novel quickly became a personal lesson in preparedness.

On average, 10-15 miles a day

The Reality of Walking Long Distances

Most of us drive hundreds of miles without thinking twice about it. We travel unfamiliar highways guided by GPS and assume help is only a phone call away.

But what happens if your vehicle breaks down in a remote area?

What if there is no cell service?

What if your phone battery dies?

What if help is several hours—or several days—away?

Suddenly distance feels very different.

How Far Could You Walk?

Distance	Estimated Walking Time
5 Miles	1-2 Hours
10 Miles	Half Day
20 Miles	Full Day
50 Miles	3-5 Days
100 Miles	1-2 Weeks

As I worked through Joanie's journey, I realized that a distance that seems manageable on a map can become overwhelming when you are carrying supplies, dealing with weather, avoiding dangerous areas, or simply trying to find enough water.

The farther I planned her route, the more I understood how vulnerable many of us would be if forced to travel on foot.

The Importance of Having a Plan

One of the biggest lessons I learned had nothing to do with a major disaster.

Even a simple vehicle breakdown can leave someone stranded and isolated.

That realization reminded me of a trip overseas years ago.

While traveling in Turkey with my daughter, we took preparedness seriously. Before leaving home, we located the nearest U.S. embassy and wrote down its address and phone number. We studied city maps and familiarized ourselves with the route between our lodging and the embassy in case we became separated or lost.

We carried written phone numbers and placed copies of important documents in separate locations. We even stored spare copies of our passport information in our luggage.

At the time, it felt like a precaution we would probably never need.

Looking back, it was simply good planning.

The same principle applies when traveling in the United States.

Many people assume their phone will always work. But batteries fail. Phones get lost. Electronics break. Cell towers can become overloaded or unavailable.

A paper map and written phone numbers may seem old-fashioned, but they still work when technology doesn't.

What I Keep in Mind Now

Researching Joanie's journey changed how I think about travel preparedness.

Today, I believe every vehicle should contain a few basic items:

• Extra drinking water
• Emergency food or snacks
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Extra socks
• Cash in small bills
• A paper map
• A flashlight
• A tarp
• Basic first-aid supplies
• Phone numbers written on paper

One item that became especially important in my novel was a simple tarp.

For Joanie, a tarp served multiple purposes. It provided a dry place to sleep, protection from rain, and emergency shelter when needed.

Preparedness often isn't about carrying more gear. It's about finding multiple uses for the gear you already have.

Know Your Distance

Another lesson I learned while mapping Joanie's route was the importance of understanding distance.

How far is it from your workplace to your home?

How far is it from your favorite vacation destination?

How far would you need to travel if you became stranded?

Many people have never calculated these distances.

Knowing the mileage allows you to estimate how long a journey might take if you had to walk.

It also helps you identify potential obstacles, water sources, towns, and alternate routes before an emergency ever occurs.

Don't Forget Your Feet

One injury can end a long walk quickly.

Blisters, sprains, and ankle injuries become serious problems when help is unavailable.

Comfortable footwear may be one of the most overlooked preparedness items.

Broken-in walking shoes, quality socks, and even a simple ankle support brace can make a tremendous difference.

The best emergency plan in the world becomes difficult to execute if you can barely walk.

The Lesson I Took Away

By the time I finished researching Miles Away, I found myself feeling something unexpected.

Fear.

Not fear of a fictional disaster, but fear of realizing how dependent we have become on convenience and technology.

The experience reminded me that preparedness isn't about expecting the worst.

It's about thinking ahead.

It's about having a backup plan if your car breaks down.

It's about carrying enough water to get home.

It's about knowing where you're going before you need to get there.

It's about having cash when electronic payments aren't available.

And it's about understanding that a little planning today can prevent a lot of problems tomorrow.

Whether you're traveling across the country or simply driving to the next town, always have a plan.

Because the most important lesson I learned while writing Joanie's journey is this:

Hope is not a plan. Preparation is.

While researching the Miles Away trilogy, I spent countless hours mapping routes, calculating walking distances, and exploring the practical challenges of traveling on foot during an emergency. If you'd like to follow Joanie's journey home, you can find the series on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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What Living History Taught Me About Modern Preparedness

 

Texas Pioneer Farms

With more than a decade of volunteering at a living history museum, I can honestly say I have no regrets about homeschooling my children and giving them what I often call a "Little House on the Prairie" upbringing.

Those experiences inspired both my book Mom's Pioneer Living Handbook and many of the articles I write today. Having grown up in the Ozarks and spent time living off-grid on family property in rural Missouri, I already had an appreciation for simple living. However, spending years immersed in a living history environment gave me a deeper understanding of how our ancestors lived, worked, and overcame challenges.

What Life Was Really Like Before Modern Conveniences

It's one thing to read about pioneer life in a book. It's another thing entirely to spend long summer days dressed in period clothing while demonstrating 1800s skills in the Texas heat.

When temperatures climbed above 100 degrees, visitors would often ask:

"Aren't you hot wearing that dress?"

The answer surprised many people.

Most of our clothing was made from cotton, which actually stays remarkably comfortable in hot weather. Long sleeves and long skirts also protected us from the sun and insects. After spending enough time outdoors, I quickly learned why our ancestors dressed the way they did.

You also learn very quickly why old homes were designed with dog runs and breezeways. Those architectural features weren't decorative. They were practical solutions that encouraged airflow through the house before air conditioning existed.

Cooking Before Electricity Was Hard Work

One of the biggest lessons I learned involved food preparation.

Cooking on a wood stove wasn't as simple as turning a dial and waiting a few minutes. Meals often required planning hours in advance.

Many families cooked during the cooler morning or evening hours because the stove itself could quickly heat the entire kitchen. After the meal was finished, water still had to be heated for washing dishes.

At our museum, we had access to a hand-pump well, which gave us a glimpse into the daily effort required just to obtain water. Even then, I often found myself wondering about the families who had to carry every bucket from a spring, creek, or nearby water source.

Modern conveniences have made us forget how much labor was once required simply to prepare a meal and clean up afterward.

Why Traditional Skills Mattered

The more time I spent living history, the more respect I gained for our ancestors.

Running a household required a tremendous amount of work. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, gardening, preserving food, caring for livestock, raising children, mending clothing, and homeschooling often filled every hour of the day.

These responsibilities weren't hobbies. They were essential skills necessary for survival.

Our ancestors developed a level of self-reliance that many of us have lost in today's convenience-driven world.

What Our Ancestors Can Teach Us About Preparedness

One of the most interesting realizations I've had is that our ancestors were not "preppers."

They simply lived in a way that required preparation.

Food was stored because winter was coming.

Seeds were saved because another planting season would arrive.

Firewood was gathered because cold weather was inevitable.

Extra supplies weren't purchased out of fear. They were stored because experience taught people what they would need in the months ahead.

That mindset is something worth remembering today.

Learning to Live With Less

Over the years, I've become increasingly grateful for modern conveniences.

Air conditioning.

Running water.

Refrigeration.

Washing machines.

Vehicles.

Grocery stores.

These are luxuries that previous generations could only dream about.

Yet I have also learned that becoming completely dependent upon these conveniences can leave us vulnerable when disruptions occur.

Power outages, severe weather, supply chain problems, and other unexpected events remind us how quickly daily life can change.

Having backup sources of light, water, cooking methods, and food storage isn't fear-based thinking. It's practical planning.

Why These Skills Still Matter Today

During my travels, I've visited places where people still live in ways that resemble life in the 1800s by modern American standards. Some families continue to live in tents, raise livestock, cook over fires, and travel seasonally with their animals.

These experiences reinforced something I have come to believe strongly:

Resilience comes from skills as much as supplies.

Knowing how to adapt, improvise, repair, preserve food, and make do with what you have can be just as valuable as anything stored on a shelf.

The Inspiration Behind the Miles Away Series

Many of these lessons influenced my recent Miles Away series, a grid-down family survival story built around realistic scenarios and practical challenges.

Rather than focusing on fantasy survival situations, I wanted readers to think about everyday questions:

• How would we cook without electricity?
• How would we get water?
• How would we preserve food?
• How would we handle sanitation?
• How dependent are we on modern conveniences?

In many ways, a prolonged grid-down event would force us to rediscover skills that previous generations considered ordinary.

Final Thoughts

I believe it's important to remember how our ancestors lived—not because we want to return to the past, but because their experiences still have something to teach us.

Preparedness isn't simply about storing supplies.

It's about developing resilience, learning practical skills, and understanding how people survived long before modern conveniences existed.

The more I learn about pioneer living, the more I appreciate both the comforts we enjoy today and the wisdom our ancestors left behind.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of all is this: self-reliance isn't about fear. It's about peace of mind.

This article may contain affiliate links to my books. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I may also earn royalties from books I have written.

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The 5 Cheapest Foods That Could Help Keep You Alive During Hard Times

 Food shortages, rising grocery prices, natural disasters, and economic uncertainty have caused many people to rethink what they keep in their pantry. The good news is that preparing doesn't have to mean buying expensive freeze-dried meals or filling an entire room with supplies.

In fact, some of the most nutritious and affordable foods are probably already sitting on your grocery store shelves.

If I had to start over today, these are the five foods I would focus on first. They are inexpensive, easy to store, and provide many of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy during difficult times.

Sprouting potato and onions 

1. Potatoes

Potatoes often get overlooked, but they are one of the most nutritious survival foods available.

They provide:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B6
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Fiber
• Carbohydrates for energy

One reason I like potatoes is that they are incredibly easy to grow. Over the years, I've grown potatoes in buckets right on my porch. No garden was required. A few containers, some soil, and seed potatoes can produce a surprisingly good harvest.

Stored in a cool, dark location, potatoes can last for months and provide a reliable source of calories when fresh produce is limited.

2. Dry Beans

If there is one food every preparedness pantry should contain, it's dry beans.

Beans provide:

• Protein
• Fiber
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Folate

Dry beans are inexpensive, easy to store, and can remain usable for years when kept in sealed containers.

I keep a variety of beans on hand including pinto beans, black beans, and white beans. They can be used in soups, chili, casseroles, side dishes, or even mashed into spreads.

Combined with potatoes, beans create a filling meal that provides both energy and protein.

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A good year for the hens 

3. Eggs

Eggs are often called one of nature's most complete foods.

They provide:

• Complete protein
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin B12
• Choline
• Healthy fats

For several years, I kept backyard chickens and enjoyed having a steady supply of fresh eggs. Not everyone has that option, of course.

During the lockdowns, many people discovered how quickly grocery store shelves could empty. If eggs become difficult to find, there are still alternatives such as beans, lentils, dairy products, canned fish, and peanut butter that can help provide protein and important nutrients.

The lesson isn't necessarily that everyone needs chickens. It's that having multiple food sources provides peace of mind.

Homemade oatmeal, pecan cookies

4. Oats

Oats are one of the most affordable breakfast foods available.

They provide:

• Fiber
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Iron
• B Vitamins
• Long-lasting energy

A large container of oats costs very little and can be used for hot cereal, overnight oats, cookies, bread, and even homemade granola.

Stored properly, oats can remain fresh for years and provide an inexpensive source of calories and nutrition.

5. Sprouting Seeds

This may be the most overlooked food on the list.

Sprouting seeds provide:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin K
• Folate
• Antioxidants
• Fresh greens year-round

One of the reasons I recommend sprouting is that almost anyone can do it.

You don't need a garden.

You don't need acreage.

You don't even need a backyard.

A mason jar on a kitchen counter can produce fresh sprouts in just a few days.

Whether you live in an apartment, RV, tiny home, or traditional house, sprouting seeds may be one of the fastest ways to grow fresh food and add nutrition to your meals.

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How to Store These Foods

The good news is that all five foods are relatively easy to store.

Potatoes

• Cool, dark location
• Avoid refrigeration
• Check regularly for sprouting

Dry Beans

• Mason jars, buckets, or food-grade containers
• Keep dry and protected from pests
• Store in a cool location

Eggs

• Refrigerate fresh eggs
• Consider powdered eggs for long-term storage

Oats

• Store in airtight containers
• Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers can extend shelf life

Sprouting Seeds

• Mason jars or sealed containers
• Cool, dry location
• Rotate periodically for best germination rates

Final Thoughts

When people think about emergency food storage, they often imagine expensive specialty foods. Yet some of the most valuable foods are also some of the cheapest.

Potatoes, beans, eggs, oats, and sprouting seeds have nourished people for generations because they are affordable, practical, and nutrient-dense.

Preparedness isn't about fear. It's about having options.

Whether you're living on a homestead, in a suburban neighborhood, an apartment, or an RV, building a pantry around simple foods like these can provide both nutrition and peace of mind when times get tough.