What burns my butt is this talk of luck.

An experienced backpacker goes into the woods for the weekend. He falls and breaks a leg in east no-place. Because he is experienced, he has the gear and the knowledge to survive this accident.

No luck involved. He sat down and made a plan and knew what to do if something like this happened. More importantly, he told other people what to do if he didn't show up by a certain time.

Everything is a matter of being prepared for the environment you are placing yourself in. Should you choose to live in a city, you learn the rules of the city. You know how to hail a cab, take a subway, where not to go. If you decide to leave the city without the requisite knowledge to survive outside your "comfort zone"... failure to plan.

Planning is an important part of any venture. Be it a trip to the 7-11 to get a quart of milk... better take my wallet, car keys, not too much money... or be it a trip to Alaska for a month... the same rules apply. Know your environment and the rules to survive in it.