walking across country update

My partner and I attempted our walk on the 18th and ended up coming home the next day! We camped overnight at Paris Mountain State Park in South Carolina.
The night was warm up until midnight, of course we stayed uncomfortable and cold in the morning hours.
Within the night we had a discussion about continuing the walk across country, so we decided --within just a couple of hours of attempting this feat-- that we may not be able to do this physically and emotionally.
So The following morning we walked back into town at Traveler's Rest, about 10 mile walk in the blazing hot sun...

We walked passed Lake Placid and a waterway, lots of ponds, animals, beautiful flower beds and decorated yards. I loved walking in South Carolina~
The 10 miles or so we walked was beautiful and enjoyable in that sense, and that was why I wanted to walk across country, but the weight of our backpacks was too heavy!

I was a little disappointed that I couldn't carry 30 lbs as far as 10 miles!

Luckily, we caught a ride with a young guy who so happened to be a biker, and an avid camper too. He gave us a lift for a couple of miles. He was such a nice, polite guy-- he ended up checking back in with us as he was going back out of town-- he noticed that we hadn't left the location he dropped us off at. Of course our ride back home hadn't made it, yet. Actually we done a little more walking back-and-forth to watch for our ride.

Of course the weight our packs needed to be lightened. I needed to avoid carrying so much food. I didn't really need to carry a pot around with me. Also I had an extensive first aid kit that needed to have been reduced. I carried what felt like 30 lbs and James carried about 40 lbs because of the tent.

However it wasn't just the weight of our packs that was holding us back from continuing.
The walk seemed a little daunting. And perhaps we were running away from the inevitable-- getting jobs to afford land. So it seemed I was running away from my long term goals. Then again, if you adopt a nomadic lifestyle-- is your main goal but food, water, shelter?

I may do this walk in the future-- perhaps I need more time for preparation, more investment. I want to see the monuments of Utah, the forests in California, foraging fruit in Arizona, Mt Rushmore of South Dakota, find gems in Colorado, soak in the hot springs of Washington...

Top 5 Foods I Eat the most

I choose what I eat by the quality of the food.
Will this food make me feel good tomorrow, or will I regret eating this?
Will this food supply me with nutrition?
I crave sugar, so I eat fruit instead of cake containing oils, salts, flours, and refined sugars. I crave salty foods, so I eat greens and vegetables that supply sodium.


I find that fruits and vegetables satisfy my needs, enhance my performance/endurance levels and improve my health. What I eat the most is also based on the price I have to pay. Fruits are the most inexpensive foods in comparison to pre-cooked/processed foods and animal by-products.

(1) The number one food I eat the most is Bananas. I am used to eating close to 40 lb of bananas a week for $20. Lately--since becoming homeless and having little money-- I can only get several bundles of bananas a week. Regardless of where I am or how much money I have, bananas is always the best option. Bananas taste good in smoothies, and usually make smoothies taste better. Bananas taste good by themselves and eaten with many other fruits.
Bananas are inexpensive, full of fiber, potassium, protein, carbohydrates which keeps me energized. Because I eat bananas the most, they have become my favorite food of all time.

(2) Dates are another food that I buy the most-- simply because it is one of my favorite fruits. Dates are not particularly cheap, however I find that they come at a good price for the amount of calories per lb. Compared to cheaper foods like cucumber, carrots or peas-- dates may not be that cheap but at least I can feel satiated on a little amount of dates. Like bananas, dates fill me up with their sugary goodness which gives me the capabilities to think, read, write, and feel grounded. Also like bananas, dates can make smoothies taste better and they always taste good by themselves.

(3) Apples, one of the cheapest foods in my area. Apples are one fruit that can grow in cold or warm climates, so you can get local apples for a cheaper price. This also means you may be able to forage apples for free in your area or grow them. There have been times when I found gallons of apples for free! And there have been many times when I had to eat apples only, because that's all the food I had available.

(4) Oranges (citrus) are inexpensive when purchased in season. My favorite citrus is in bite-sized form, like clementines or mandarins. I also prefer to juice oranges with grapefruit or clementines, as you can see here "The easiest way to eat grapefruit" Juice.

(5) Lettuce is the fifth main aspect of my diet. I eat bananas the most, probably up to 20 a day if  I want (but usually up to 10). Dates are the second food I eat most, because it contains the sugar I need for energy, alertness and happiness. Dates and bananas are high in calories, carbohydrates and sugars-- funny enough-- these two foods make me feel the most satiated, light, clean, and happy (better mood). So at the end of the day I want a food that balances the sugar foods with greens and vegetables.
Lettuce is water rich, full of omega-3, fiber, and high in calcium. Iceberg lettuce gets a bad rep for being bland and not nutrient dense, but this is false! Iceberg lettuce has more omegas and calcium compared to other greens.
It is usually best to grow your own lettuce. Home grown food usually provides better nutrition and b12 availability.

As I said, bananas consumes the majority of my diet. Actually, bananas may make up 50% of my diet alone! Dates, apples, oranges, and lettuce also take up the majority of my diet, but I also eat a lot of mangoes, berries, tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado. I like to have carrots, broccoli, rice, and potatoes once or twice a week.

I understand that people are at different places in their health journey, so I can see where eating 7 bananas for breakfast or 7 mangoes is alarming. People would rather have a bowl of oatmeal with a banana and some brown sugar. That is why I took the liberty of listing meals that I usually prepare for my (vegan) boyfriend, or meals that I would make for non-vegan friends and family. You can view the post here "Cheap Low fat vegan meals for non-vegan friends & family".

Eating more simply doesn't mean depriving yourself. In fact I encourage people to eat as much as they would like until they feel satiated. However my approach to health is eating large quantities of healthy fruits and vegetables. The more fiber you get in your diet, the more you can clean it out!