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[abculatter_2]

I'm planning to take a walk from Orlando, Florida to the West Coast (probably San Francisco) sometime in my future, probably a few years. I'm trying to think up a plan for the trip, and make sure I'm well prepared for it before I embark. I have a map here, which anyone can contribute to, for planning the exact route I'll take.

As for how long this will take, according to Google maps the trip will be around 2860 miles. I figure that I should be able to walk 20 miles in a day (10 hours of walking at 2 mph, with 14 hours of rest) without too much trouble, which means that it'll take at least 143.5 days to complete. I will probably stop at more then a few places along the way, however, and one should always assume delays. Thus, I will make a generous estimation of 200 days from start to finish for the trip. If the route distance changes significantly between now and when I start, I'll change this estimation accordingly.

Also, I should make a budget for food and supplies I'll get along the way, as well as an inventory checklist of things I should have before I go.


Budget (assuming a 200-day trip):
Food - $3500 (This is $17.5 per day)
Water - $600 (I should be able to get this for free most of the time, but I'll budget $3 a day for it just in case)
Hotels - I have no idea how much your typical hotel charges per night, though I'd like to make hotels a luxury instead of a norm to save here. Help in determining how much I should budget for this would be wonderful
Toiletries - $250
Spending Money - $2500
Emergency - $1000
Cell phone bill - No idea how much this will be (I've only have a cell phone for around 1 month in my life).

Total - $7850 so far


Inventory (Food and water are given):
Towel (NO PROPER HITCHHIKER TRAVELER SHOULD BE CAUGHT WITHOUT ONE)
Backpack (Preferably water-proof)
Compass
Knife
Multi-tool
Lighters/matches
Clothes (Probably from an army surplus)
 - 2 full outfits
 - 2 pairs of socks
 - 1 pair of gloves
 - 1 pair of good shoes
Cell Phone
 - Waterproof
 - GPS
Extra batteries for Cell phone
Watch (Preferably water-proof)
Journal
Water-proof bag
Camera (Preferably water-proof)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Pencil
Eraser
Water-proof canvas/denim (Enough for a tent and a sleeping bag)
Rope/Twine
Wallet
 - Driver's License
 - No more then $100 at any single time
 - Credit Card
Hand-Crank flashlight
First Aid Kit


Any other ideas?

[Megaman]

Gun? Please specify type and model.

[abculatter_2]

Gun? Please specify type and model.

No idea, I've honestly never held a gun before (hence the "Gun training"). I don't even know if I've seen a real, working gun in real-life before. Something which I can keep in a pocket or special belt-carrier.

[Vector]

Weigh all that stuff, and then ditch 3/4 of your clothing and all of your cooking equipment.  Learn to start a fire.  You really, really, really don't want to be carrying all that.

[Tellemurius]

you never seen a gun used?
this is going to be a iffy topic as you are some random guy with a gun, out of question, are you over 21?

[Vector]

you never seen a gun used?
this is going to be a iffy topic as you are some random guy with a gun, out of question, are you over 21?

No, he's in high school.

[abculatter_2]

you never seen a gun used?
this is going to be a iffy topic as you are some random guy with a gun, out of question, are you over 21?

No, he's in high school.

Yeah, I'm 17, and I have no intention of doing this anytime soon. Likely sometime after college. This is just for planning.

[Tellemurius]

if want a gun you would have to get a concealed carry license (trust me, walking around with a gun on your side is not a good idea), and to get the pistol and license you would have to be 21.

and guns aren't heavy, i have a Sig P229 for conceal carry (when its legal for me to carry), its not like hes walking around with a 12 gauge (don't do that either).

[Vector]

Also, don't carry the toilet paper if you can manage it.  Carry a trowel and familiarize yourself with local botany.

[Jopax]

One thing immediatley comes to mind, how are you going to do the very long desert walks?
The area around Vegas is pretty lifeless and hot so expect a slower progress around those parts, plus you will need a lot of water and food just for that trip since i don't think you will be running into gas stations and towns every 20 miles.

Also, instead of a gun try considering a taser, one of those pistol thingies that shoots lightning through a wire

[Vector]

...and the route from Florida to San Fran takes you directly across New Mexico and Arizona.

Yeah, you probably don't want to do this any time of year.

If he walks further north or hitchhikes in those regions, maybe...

[Sir Finkus]

The gun may be a problem in certain states, I'm a gun owner and I wouldn't even bother with it.  Every state has different laws regarding carrying (although some states accept concealed carry permits from other states).  You'll certainly have a problem carrying in California unless you have some connections.  There is a federal law that allows you to transport gun in a locked container through a state where that gun isn't legal as long as that state isn't your final destination, but you might run into a problem if you're just walking.  I'm not saying a gun wouldn't be handy to have, but it isn't worth the legalities.

Regarding training, handguns are actually rather difficult to shoot accurately, so you'd want to have a few months to familiarize yourself with the weapon.

Again, I would not advise the handgun unless you really know what you're doing.  Just do your best to stay in safe areas and confine your travel to daylight hours.  Stay in hotels, or in campgrounds.

Also, make sure you are in shape.  It may not sound that bad, but walking all day every day with a heavy pack is very demanding.

[ChairmanPoo]

Quite frankly, if I feared I might need a gun if I went somewhere, I'd seriously consider not going that somewhere.

[Duke 2.0]

Also, instead of a gun try considering a taser, one of those pistol thingies that shoots lightning through a wire

Yeah, plastic things like this are usually lighter despite having batteries and such. You want to deter people, and this offers around the same effectiveness without all the legal issues.

 And be sure you have somebody you can call every few days to track your progress. A personal locator is fine and all, but it's best to always have somebody in touch. It'll also make the whole thing seem a lot less lonely. And trust me, going about something like this yourself will get very lonely very quickly. Definitely take a northern route to avoid the more arid parts of the country.

[SalmonGod]

I hope you're able to make this happen.  I would have loved to do something similar, but I took on some major responsibilities at 17 and had my first kid at 21. 

Still have hope that I'll one day take a motorcycle trip to Alaska with my parents.