For those of you who know me, you know I have been planning a walk across the United States for quite some time now...well, not really planning, exactly, because I'm famous for doing very little of that...but I've been thinking about it.
A few simple rules and guidelines -
1.) No major roads.
2.) Shave my head and beard before I leave (I have shoulder length hair right now).
3.) Not to worry about time or distance - that distracts from the journey itself.
4.) As always with me - extremely limited gear
I will be blogging about the journey HERE so don't miss out. I've read some amazing literature on trans-american walks and I'm quite excited to finally experience it for myself.
Departure date: Still unknown at this point.
I recently had some major foot problems during a long walk and will need to fix those if I can...
2 years ago
Ben, your idea for this trek is a great inspiration for me because, as you know, I have been planning the Roadside Memorial Walk from Cape Coral, FL, to Dillon Cemetery in Dillon, CO, in order to gather the stories of those killed along roadsides and highways, and find out how their families learned to live with their grief. I believe that that walk will be the major vehicle that brings the world's attention to our work with Friends Along the Road. Yet I have been putting it off for five years. I desperately want/need to make the walk - I feel called to do it - yet I don't know how to provide for Judy and pay our bills (car payment, rent, etc.) while I am gone. Judy can't accompany me on foot because she has severe foot, knee, and hip problems. How can I pull this thing off? I believe in the value of spontenaity, yet I also believe doing as much planning as possible can reduce the incidences of negative things ruining the expedition. Have you heard of the Florida minister who has walked around the world several times? Also, I would like to recommend my favorite travel book, "Jupiter's Travels," by Ted Simon. He drove an old Triumph motorcycle around the world. In that Peter Jenkins book, "Walk Across America," Jenkins did very little planning and just sort of went with the flow. It seems like there may be a fine line between planning and spontenaity. My own vague plans are listed at http://www.friendsalongtheroad.org/walk.htm. Hope I can someday make them a reality. Wishing you success on your trek!
ReplyDeleteHere is the blog for Mark, who is riding his bicycle across the US to raise money to fight lung cancer. Bravo! And it gives me an idea for funding my own Big Walk for FAR: Maybe I just need to get a website and blog in place for it, including a setup with a "donation thermometer" and secure donation box so that people can donate toward providing Sanctuary and Caring Support for Those in Grief. Then, as donations come in, I could allot a small portion of thhe proceeds toward funding the walk itself.
ReplyDeleteOops...here is Mark's blog: http://marksrideacrossamerica.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteCheck out these trekkers:
ReplyDelete80-year-old Harry Lee McGinnis walks around the world - http://gimundo.com/news/article/80-year-old-man-walks-around-the-world/
Gary "Walkingman" House, around the world on $5 a day - http://www.walkingman.org/
Fat man walking around the world - http://calorielab.com/news/2006/09/19/fat-man-walking-around-the-world/
First American Woman Walks Around the World - http://walking.about.com/od/longdistance/a/letofsky2004.htm
THOSE ARE GREAT BLOGS - I MIGHT HIGHLIGHT THEM IN MY BLOG
ReplyDelete