Tom Sparks is dying of cancer and his ranch is failing. His wife, Jody, reveals she wants to do something meaningful in her remaining years. He gets a letter from Abby, his older sister in Mexico, saying she is sick. When he is served with foreclosure papers, he goes ballistic, torches his house, and takes off on his horse into the wilderness.

Sheriff Cat Osborne investigates the fire but delays going after him. It's late in the day and she doesn't have a horse or backcountry gear with her. Tom rides through the desert and meets a crazy former Wall Street banker, Pickett, who applauds what he is doing. When Osborne tracks him to the mine where Pickett lives, he stalls her to give Tom time to escape. Later, he helps a dazed and abused woman, Marla, and then humiliates her abuser, an outlaw biker named Billy, who swears to get even.

Marla persuades her brother, Sy, to drive Tom to Mexico. They run into a police roadblock set up to capture Tom, but he bolts on his horse and disappears again into the desert. Marla posts information about him on the Web. He stumbles into a hidden oasis where the women living there are not happy to see him... until they learn he's a famous outlaw. Sheriff Osborne catches up to him there but realizes that arresting him likely will cost her votes, so she decides to accompany him on his journey.

People throughout the country admire Tom's courage and determination. One lone cowboy fighting the system gives them hope for what the country can still be. With the public's support, a cowboy's determination, and an insane amount of luck, can Tom reach Abby in time and save his ranch?