Preparedness

How far can you walk?

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Frequently I see on internet forums and in articles people talking about hiking/walking hundreds of miles after an EMP.  These folks talk about 30+ miles per day for upwards of two weeks to get to their destination.

Can you walk 320+ miles in 2 weeks? With a 90 pound pack?

I can’t.

It’s easy to sit behind a keyboard and say, “Well, if I HAD to I could.” Reality is quite different. Muscle soreness, pulled muscles, blisters….and injuries are all but avoidable.

So what’s the answer? Moderation and realistic thinking. Now don’t get me wrong some may be able to do it. I think I could get 20 miles for a few days – then I’d drop to 15 or so. Of course, there are many factors that would affect this.

Why is this important to consider now? Planning. If you regularly work 100 miles from home and tell your spouse that if an EMP were to happen you will make it in 5 days but it actually happens and 7 days go by and you’re not home yet that could present a problem. What if family members decide to start looking – and miss you by a day or two?

Realistic thinking and planning are important.

Rourke

 

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11 Comments

  1. SingleMom says:

    I recommend tracking down reprints of traveler’s or soldier’s guides written in the 1800’s. Aside from the fact that they frequently have interesting chapters on fighting Indians or what kind of wagon-repair parts you need, they also stress necessary supplies, the various types of terrain you’ll cover, and how slowly the trip will progress, depending on weather and unforeseen events.

    It’s a given that most of us won’t be in a position to pull a couple oxen or 15 pounds of bacon out of our EDC/GHB, but books like these help put things in perspective. Rather than thinking you’ll be Chuck Norris or Rambo, imagine yourself as Caroline Ingalls, then make your plans.

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  2. JohnP says:

    With two herniated disc, two stenosis’s, and a compressed disc on the tailbone, a couple hundred yards. All my planning is in defence of my family and our .home

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  3. Oren Player says:

    Uh, no. I can barely make it to the end of the drive…going isn’t too hard, its down hill. But coming back up the 1/4 mile drive gets pretty difficult. Seriously bad knees don’t help.

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  4. Oren Player says:

    JohnP,
    Same here. My body does not cooperate. That is why when ever someones talks about bug out, I tune them out. Just call me the home guard.

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  5. goinggray58 says:

    A lot of things come into play. Weather, temp, terrain. Then there is the Situation… If you just broke down maybe walking a road is fine.. maybe not depending on location.
    Social disruption or services down is totally different. If you have distance and a pack of ANY size .. you might stand out and may be a target. so when do you travel day or night, do you use roads, trails or mirror the fence just inside the tree line to be less visible. Do you cross on bridges (pinch and security points).. again it is situational. I guess you have to wrestle with how much faith you have in your fellow man. In my case not much. in general. There are good people .. but it only takes, one that isn’t, to be a serious problem.
    If yo are in your native AO you should already have thought about routes and alternates and probably a small pack to walk with. I carry much more but I’ll only pack out what I need, and cache or leave the rest. If you are traveling it’s worth taking a look, and a map of the area, maybe do a walk or drive about when you get there while filling the tank. Just depends on your approach and how much risk you are willing to assume. Of course physical condition and age will make a difference..
    If I’m close (50 miles or so) a light pack and a sprint are fine with me. Bad conditions and covert is what I’ll do (means more time but less risk). If I am over 50 miles it will be a couple days, over 100 and several. Now you have to think about light and frequent resupply. Walking all day regardless of conditions dehydrates and burns several thousand calories. If you don’t do it regularly day two after rest will be very hard and less distance.. Radios are a thing, so are phones if they are working… Most cheap radios, like baofeng have a model that include s and FM radio option.. Consider you defensive tools and battery backup carefully.
    No plan goes like the plan says, or you woudl not be walking.. so be a little flexible. Don’t be married to ideas that are not going to work.. don’t force it. Thin first, act second if you can. We’ll do what we will do, good luck!
    GG58

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  6. Mike Suchman says:

    Our gameplan is to bug in, as we live in a semi-rural area & are working on creating a MAG [mutual assistance group] where every member has skills that a community needs to survive. Think like an old west frontier town, where every one has a job to do so the whole town may go on.

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  7. Fixit says:

    I always base mine at 10 miles a day . First will Isi be traveling in a straight line ? No you can bet there will be detours. Second I my be sick or injured. Third I am not getting any younger.
    Now have I tried walking any long distances . Not lately . About 6 years ago I did do an 11 mile hike with backpack , sidearm and rifle . It started at roughly 9000 feet elevation and went to 11000 feet then back down to 9000 feet. It was an all day hike and I knew it the next day but it proved what I could do at the time.

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  8. Jimmy Garland says:

    A fold up bike in the trunk if you work more then 20 or 25 miles from home. The ground that you cover while everyone else is still in that denial haze, may be the difference if you make it home or not. Also a means to keep the bike!!!

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  11. Capt.Michaels says:

    I agree 100% with Goinggray58 and think that is a piratical analysis. As a former Marine, with a good pair hiking boots I could keep walking until God knows how far.

    Now as far as how far I could walk in a day? Realistically, pacing oneself and based on conditions it depends. In a good situation on just uneven ground. The last time I walked somewhere, intentionally on foot. I walked 3.8 miles in 1 hour. And that was not a speed march. So I could easily walk 30 miles in 1 day if I pushed hard. That is without a pack. With a pack it would realistically be between 20 to 24 miles a day. Under difficult terrain? 10 to 15 miles a day.

    As far as, Can you walk 320+ miles in 2 weeks? With a 90 pound pack? You would have to be hauling *Beep* and most people cannot. I’m sure with physical conditioning you could do it, but the number of people that can do that are pretty limited. And those that could condition themselves would rarely have the the time to do that, Plus what most of us do each day, Work!

    Now, go ahead and lets say your moving with your family. Whew…they couldn’t keep up with me. It would be a much slower pace. I have no idea, but I’m guessing 2 miles an hour, 8 to 10 miles a day with packs. However, my family is Very active. In fact we’ve walked pushing a baby stroller for several hours before. I’ve made them pretty tough.

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