The One-Wayer
Florence is an individual, a one-wayer, unwilling to simply float down the river in hopes of returning back to where she started.
Find other stories, or create other stories of people who go one-way. Slaves, braceros, dust-bowl migration, All of these people went West, but she is going East.
She has one problem. She's afraid of heights. She's never flown before and is absolutely sure any trip she might take in a tin can up in the atmosphere would be the death of her.
Look into the history of the Texas Eagle.