How do you survive a backpack trip? I hear about people doing this. What sort of research goes into that trip? I imagine I'd be mugged by the end of the day and dead by the end of the week if I tried something like this without any local knowledge.

It's amazing, and I admire you folks who can do things like this. Now I have a family and a good job and the best I can hope for is to load everyone up the Honda Element and drive (spins in a circle) THAT-A-WAY for a week or so--just to go on an unplanned adventure.