Sounds like you’ve been there. Lol
I have. I also keep an Estwing tomahawk, a machete, 3 MREs, a large thick tarp, and two heavy Swiss Mil-Surp wool blankets by the spare tire. A Get Home Bag lives behind the passenger seat.
On long trips I have a handheld VHF/UHF radio with the GMRS frequencies programmed.
L