Before the desolation by the inevitable Faro Plague, it would have taken just under 12 hours to arrive at Carson City from Utah by car or motorbike. Now, these options just simply meant exponentially increasing the likelihood of catching the swarm's unwanted attention. Coupled by the fact there would be machine remnants and other vehicles stranded over the motorway, Elisabet concluded that travelling on foot towards her Sobeck Ranch home would be the safest way. "Practical in this given situation," she said to herself. "But definitely not ideal."
Her physical fitness level was a blessing from her active lifestyle since her early twenties. The only hindrance to her nimbleness was her environmental suit, though the delay of her journey home was also contributed by other factors. En route, Elisabet made quick stops to rest and forage for anything edible, by dodging into buildings and houses. This also presented the opportunity to conserve the usage of her suit's remaining life support capacity in places where indoor air quality was still breathable.
Not all places were devoid of life yet, as she soon discovered. A handful of humans had managed to evade the swarm as far as Hinckley, her current pit stop. She had run-ins with the customary obnoxious survivors depicted in disaster movies, as well as humble and generous ones whom shared their limited rations. Those who survived with the odds stacked against them wrenched her heart. Regardless of their stand and belief, all of them were tied by one foreboding fate: this was just a temporary respite. If they were not consumed by the machines, they would still die of starvation and thirst. It was between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Elisabet would give anything to save each and every survivor. Unspeakable sorrow engulfed her entire being, knowing that she was standing among these people and yet could only offer kindness, solace, and companionship. It also pained her to no end that Project Zero Dawn was the only way to give life a fighting chance to once again thrive on Earth. There was no hope of avoiding the extermination of the present biomass, but she could not bring herself to break this to them. She can only promise that things will "turn around for the better, sooner or later".
As the fifth day dawned since her departure from GAIA Prime, Elisabet had ensured she was sufficiently ready to tackle the challenges that may be present for remainder of the way home. A vast arid desert punctuated with small mountain ranges and rugged open terrain now lay before her and her destination. Her grip tightened on the knapsack given to her, filled with supplies to last the journey. She was determined to reach home no matter what it took.