Sometimes I wonder how I survived.

There are times when I look back at some of my experiences and decisions on my Walk and think to myself, how the heck did I actually survive that?  Like this one from day 2 in Hancock, Maryland where I was hiding from a massive storm:

15

15

The funny thing about this video is it wasn’t until I was watching it last night that I realized that what I called a fire station alarm was most likely a TORNADO SIREN OMG.  And it had gone off three times already.  And there I was sitting in a wire and aluminum shelter.  Seriously, how did I survive this trip?

20

To be fair, I had been listening to my little weather radio and was aware of tornado spottings in the area. It’s just…I’m from Maine, people. We don’t have tornado sirens here. If you hear a siren it’s a pretty sure bet that it’s just the fire station downtown. Logically I knew about tornado and storm sirens, I just didn’t think about it at the time. Thankfully I was lucky and no tornadoes actually touched down where I was. I remember hearing about one or two little ones in the nearby areas, but only golf ball sized hail, strong winds, thunder and rain where I was.

Honestly, I had the best luck along this trip. It didn’t seem like it at the time, but looking back I’m just constantly amazed at the dangers I narrowly avoided.

Read Full Post »

This Time Last Year

I’m working on re-vamping and updating the website (so if you notice things disappearing or moving around, no worries, you’re not going crazy, that’s just me fiddling) and found this entry from about this time last year:

One Part Hippie, One Part Nerd, All Parts Awesome

Walking across the country, or any long term walk, is not always glamorous. Or even comfortable. I rarely know where I’m going to sleep each night, and more often than not sleep is on the ground in a tent. Showers are few and far between, and it’s hard to tell when I’ll even see a proper bathroom. It’s long and occasionally boring and hard work. It’s lacking most of the comforts of home.

So what do I miss most out of all of those comforts? Is it the easy access to a bathroom? The proper meals? The comfy bed and pillow?

No, what I miss most, and I what I end up thinking about a lot during the day, is pretty nerdy. Out of all of those comforts of home, I’d say the one I miss the most is video games.

A week ago or so I was climbing a mountain when at the top I suddenly heard an eagle scream. It was a pretty cool moment, hiking this old dirt camp road straight up a mountain, and then at the top a large field with an eagle soaring above. But what did I immediately think of? Assassin’s Creed and Guild Wars, both games that have eagle screams worked in to certain areas. And as much as I was enjoying the majesty of the moment, I suddenly had a strong longing to go scale tall buildings and jump in to hay carts. Or to run around in the cold of the Shiverpeaks and help out some dwarves.

I am totally enjoying myself, don’t get me wrong. I like the challenge of walking, talking to strangers, seeing the small little towns and farms. I like sleeping in a tent, and I have a super comfy sleeping bag. I don’t even really mind not having a proper bathroom to pee in. I just wish there was some way to hook up a solar powered Xbox 360 or a super laptop that I could play Guild Wars on now and then.

Because I am a nerd. True story.

That’s from June 25, just about a year ago now. I still remember in vivid detail that exact moment in West Virginia and hearing that eagle scream.  It was just one of a long list of really awesome moments on the road.

What amuses me is I’m pretty much in the opposite situation today.  I play a lot of video games these days (mostly down to Skyrim, LoL, and Guild Wars) and always have the comforts of home at my fingertips.  Instead of missing gaming, these days I’m missing being out there on the road. I miss sleeping in a tent, the feeling of accomplishment after struggling through the heat and hills all day, meeting strangers along the road…I miss it all.

I miss it all, but for now I’m enjoying the here and now and soaking up the pixelated adventures.  I have no doubt someday in the future I’ll be out having an offline adventure somewhere and be thinking about gaming. Because that’s just how I roll.

Read Full Post »

Equipment List: Walk Across America

Making an equipment list for my walk across the US was a lot harder than making the one for walking the Erie Canal.  For one, I used a lot more gear (400+ miles vs 3000+ miles). And then what gear I had was always changing and adapting.  I’d enter different climates with different demands (winter gear for mountains) or I’d mail home gear I ended up not needing (extra clothes) or stuff that didn’t work out.

Here I’ve put together a basic list of all my gear. I’ve tried to put notes with gear that didn’t work out or stuff that I didn’t need until later. Hopefully this helps some people out while planning their own adventures. If you have any questions about gear, feel free to email or comment here.

Stroller (I had an older version of this stroller.)
Backpack
Clothes
- 1 pair of jeans (later thrown away)
- 1 pair of conversion pants
- 2 pair shorts (one for sleepwear, mailed other home in PA)
- 1 pair long cotton pants (sleepwear)
- 1 long sleeve shirt
- 2 t-shirts (1 cotton, 1 hiking)
- 2 tank tops
- 5 pairs of underwear
- 5 pairs of socks
- 2 bras (by Ohio I had only 1 for the rest of the trip)
Cold Weather Gear (gathered as I hit the Rockies)
- Winter Jacket
- Fleece Jacket
- Winter hat
- Winter gloves
- long underwear
- heavier winter socks (mostly to sleep in)
Shoes (New Balance trail runners)
Sun hat
Rain jacket + rain pants
Sleeping pad
Sleeping bag
Tent
Odor-proof bags
Bear Vault (added in Colorado)
Cooler (given away in Colorado)
2 Nalgene bottles
Knife
Flashlight/emergency radio
Rope
Clothes pins
Journal + pens
First Aid Kit
Stove & Cookware (both added later, and only used a handful of times)
Toiletries
- quick-dry adventure towel
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- Noxzema wipe thingies (once the first pack was gone I didn’t buy more)
- face cloth
- contacts + solution
- glasses
- soap
Electronics
- cell phone
- netbook
- mp3 player
- digital camera
- Kindle
- Solar Charger

Anna’s Gear
-Anna’s Pack
-dog food
-treats
-travel dog bowl
-poop bags
-vet papers
-shoes (added in Utah)
-spare collar
-sleeping pad (cut in half)
-blanket to sleep on

And that’s it. I think. I had other bits and bobs – hair ties, spare batteries, lip balm, sunscreen, etc – that I didn’t include, but that’s all the major stuff. Unless I’ve forgotten something, which is completely possible.

Oh, and I also had a small ziplock bag always within reach, which carried a small notebook, pen, a bunch of my business cards, and (as time went by) business cards and notes that people I met would give me along the way.

Like I said above, if you have any questions or want a more in depth review of something, feel free to comment here or email me at Ameranth (at) gmail .com

Read Full Post »

Utah, land of amazing scenery and horrible luck

first day in Utah, and already full of awesome

Utah has not been kind to Team Adventure.  In the first week here I broke my tooth, my camera died, and Anna started limping.  While the amazing scenery definitely helped soften those blows, it’s still been a rough state.

We took today off (a frustratingly common occurrence here in Utah) due to it being too cold to walk.

snow comes to Utah

It’s a frustrating decision, but it was the right one to make.  Sometimes it’s hard to think safety first, because I just want to go go go.  We are so close to the end, yet so far away, and these days off and delays just keep piling up here in Utah.

We’re planning on heading out tomorrow and hoping to be in Las Vegas in about ten days.  If we can just get over this last mountain range and to a lower elevation in Nevada it’ll be fine, but it’s getting to that area that’s proving difficult.

As for Anna,

Anna, chilling in the shade and keeping an eye on the desert in Utah

She’s doing alright.  She’s had a chunk of downtime to give her paws a break, and it’s definitely helped.  She’s not 100%, but she’s also not limping.

In addition to her new shoes Anna is now only walking half days.  Around noon or early afternoon Jon, our car support driver, meets us for lunch and planning for the rest of the day. When Jon heads out after our noon break, Anna goes with him.  It was kind of sad to be walking without Anna for the first time on this trip, but it’s one of those tough safety first decisions.

Not that it was tough for Anna to get in the car. She hopped right up, and I’m pretty sure enjoyed herself immensely.  Which is good, since this will probably be her schedule for awhile yet.

So yeah, Utah is amazing, but I’m ready to move on.

Read Full Post »

You can’t take the sky from me; Anna’s feet cont’d

Anna’s sad paw.

Bad news everybody, Anna is out of the game for awhile.

We started out from Hanksville Monday morning with high spirits. The dogs were energetic, the clouds were heavy in the sky (meaning blocking the hot desert sun), and all was good.

About five or six miles down the road we decided to break for lunch. We had gotten a bit of a late start, heading out around 9-ish, so lunchtime came pretty fast.  The dogs were happy, the sun was still blocked by clouds, and we had plenty of water. All was still good.

Couple more miles down the road and the clouds disappeared. The afternoon sun was at full blast and Anna decided she had had enough. We passed a car that was pulled over, I assume to admire the views, and as we walked by Anna dashed under the car and into the shade.  After some coaxing I got her out and moving again, but I knew from our midwest heatwave days that that was a sure sign she was heading for overheating.

A little ways up the road I pulled over and informed Ralph that Anna needed a break. She couldn’t take the sun. We pulled over, set up our breaktime shade stations, I took off Anna’s boots, and we sat down to have a rest.

After about an hour or so, after soaking Anna with a wet bandana and giving her plenty of water in the shade, we got up to get going. Only Anna wasn’t moving.  She just planted her feet and refused to budge.  Ralph, who has a much bigger cart than I do, stepped in to rescue Anna, picking her up and placing her atop his cart.

Anna rode this way for awhile until she jumped off. Figuring this meant she was good to go, I put the boots back on her front paws – the more severely damaged of the four – and got to walking. We made it only a little farther down the road before Anna started limping…..on both front paws.  She’s been limping off and on on her front right, but now she started the left too. Super bad sign.

After climbing a rather large and shoulderless hill, back onto the cart Anna went.  She stayed there until we stumbled upon an oasis where we stopped in for a drink, only to find out they had a motel room for a fine price.

So now here we are, at the Luna Mesa Oasis restaurant/motel/campground.

Home for a bit.

Yesterday I ran into town (an hour away) to help the daughter of the owner run some errands, then when we got back I helped her feed the horses. It was a busy day, but the end result is a new friend and a ride into Loa on Thursday.

The plan, as of now, is to get to Loa and try to walk to Koosharem. We have car support coming, who was originally going to meet us in Cedar City, but now hopefully in Koosharem. That way Anna can ride in the car support, and the rest of Team Adventure can continue on the journey west.  It’ll be very sad not to be walking with Anna, but safety and health first.  Hopefully after a week or so of riding and resting she can come back to walking the road with me.  Time will tell.

But one thing is for sure, we’re not giving up.  Bears, heat waves, hail storms, allergies, flat tires, high mountains, dry desert, injuries….nothing will stop us from reaching our goal.  We will continue on until we run out of land and hit that ocean.

take my love
take my land
take me where I cannot stand
I don’t care
I’m still free
you can’t take the sky from me

burn the land
and boil the sea
you can’t take the sky from me

Read Full Post »

Anna’s feet

If you’ve been following the Twitter and Facebook updates you’ll know about Anna’s paw troubles. For those not following the Facebook/Twitter updates….you really should start doing that. I update those way more than this blog. But basically, Anna’s paws are pretty torn up and we’ve taken the past three days off to let her recover a bit.

In addition to rest, Anna is now the proud owner of a new pair of dog shoes to help protect her feet across the rest of the desert.

I know some people think getting shoes for dogs is a bit ridiculous, as dogs are pretty much built for walking all day and covering long distances. However, while dogs are meant to walk all day and cover a lot of ground, they’re not meant to walk twelve hours a day on hot pavement.  I was hoping that Anna would be okay, and throughout the entire walk I’ve kept a really close eye on her paws to make sure, but the Rockies followed by the desert – or maybe just walking from Maryland to Utah – turned out to be too much. So shoes it is!

At first Anna was a little unsure, but after a couple of short walks over the past three days of rest she’s gotten pretty used to ‘em.

Read Full Post »

Rocky Mountain High

We have officially walked up, over, and through the Rocky Mountains.

And if feels pretty damn good.

Originally I was planning on getting a ride over the mountains and continuing walking to the coast from the other side. Mainly for fear of death by ninja cougars or raging bears that would surely attack a lone female hiker and her adorable dog. (Movies and television have assured me that the truly vicious animals go for the cute girls and dogs.) However, Fate intervened by way of Ralph and Alice offering a partnership through the mountains. And boy am I glad they did.

Walking through the mountains was an amazing experience. It’s nothing at all like the Appalachians or any of the mountains we have in Maine. There is just nothing to compare to the Rockies.

We started by going up and around Pike’s Peak.

Pike’s Peak, from a distance

Then worked our way up through a few mountain passes

Ute Summit

Wilkerson Pass, elevation 9502

Trout Creek Pass, elevation 9346

And eventually through our highest elevation and toughest climb up and over Monarch Pass

And then it was all easy sailing from there…..ha, no. That’s a lie.

Monarch Pass, elevation 11,312

But when we crested our last mountain pass, and saw not another row of summits before us but wide open land…

wide open below us

..well that was a pretty amazing feeling.

There were days where I thought the mountains would go on forever, but of course they didn’t.  It was both harder and easier than I thought it would be, walking through the Rocky Mountains, and I’m really glad I decided to hike on through instead of hitching a ride.  An experience on this adventure that I’ll never forget.

Read Full Post »

Wanderlust

Walk on

Last summer I walked from Albany to Buffalo, following the Erie Canal.  It was to be a trial, of sorts, for the grand adventure of walking across America.  After reaching the end my mother asked how I felt. I replied that I was proud to have reached my goal, but that it didn’t feel as though I had gone far enough.  She replied, “Kelly, it’s never going to be far enough.”

Looking at the map and realizing that I am relatively close to the end of this adventure, I have a sneaking suspicion that she was right.

We’ve come so far, and the end so close.

I’m looking at this picture, contemplating how far Anna and I have walked and how far we’ve yet to go, and instead of being amazed at the distance we’ve already covered I find myself thinking it’s not going to be enough.  I’m not going to want to stop.

I both long for and fear the end of this adventure.

But regret nothing.

Read Full Post »

More Questions Answered

Do you periodically stop and buy new articles of clothing when the old ones wear out (socks, shoes, t-shirts ect)?

The only clothing or gear that I’ve had to replace are shoes and socks. I’m on my third pair of shoes (New Balance sneakers), and I’ve gone through a lot of socks (mostly SmartWool brand).  The rest of my clothes don’t get as much wear and tear as my foot gear, thankfully.  In Boulder I did end up buying a new top, which wasn’t exactly needed but a welcome change.

I will need warmer gear as we head into the later part of the year and into the desert. But I’m having that mailed out to me rather than buying brand new stuff.

When you go into a store, where do you leave Anna and your gear?

I just park the stroller near the door, somewhere out of the way but close enough for me to glance out and check on, put the brake on and tie Anna’s leash to the handle.  If I’m in a pretty large city I’ll also use my bike lock and lock the stroller to something.  Whenever I go into stores I’m not in there very long, so it’s not too big a deal.  It can be a little annoying, as I’m the type of person who likes to take my time and wander around shopping, but you can’t really do that when all of your belongings and your dog are sitting outside basically unprotected.

Overall, do you feel like the buggy is superior to carrying a pack?

A million times more superior to carrying a pack.  I cannot express enough how beneficial a stroller or cart is to this kind of long-term walking adventure.

For one, it is so much easier on my body. When I carried my pack on the Erie Canal I was always in pain. Each new day was a new pain – shoulders, back, hips, knees, ankles, feet – I never seemed to be at ease.  Which is one of the big reasons I knew I wanted a stroller of some sort for this adventure.  There are days when pushing the stroller up and down mountains can leave my wrists and arms aching, but it’s nothing compared to carrying the pack. And even more importantly, I can carry twice as much food and water.  Which is literally a live saver.

At some point I plan to write up a gear review of the stroller and all of it’s pluses and minuses.

Has anyone ever said “No” when you asked if you could tent on their yard?

Two or three times I’ve been turned down for yard camping. I never feel offended or upset at those time. I know I’m harmless and awesome, but to these people I was a stranger with a strange request and they have to think of the safety of their families first.  Every time someone says yes, or offers their yard, or invites me into their homes, I am amazed at their generosity and count myself lucky.

How are you getting back to the West coast? Are you walking back, flying, driving?

I’m not sure.  If the world worked the way I wanted it to, I’d end up on the West coast and someone would offer me an awesome job and a place to stay for a bit.  Sadly, the world rarely works the way I want it to.  Realistically, I will probably be renting a car and driving back.  I’m tossing around different ideas, but I think it might be nice to drive back the way I walked and thank all of the people who have helped me along the way.  Then again, it might be cool to drive to the states I didn’t walk through and see the sights I missed.  I don’t know, but I’ve got at least a month to figure it out. Plenty of time!

One thing I can guarantee is that I’m not walking back the entire way. Once across the US is enough for now.

Read Full Post »

Colorado and Beyond

This is the post in which I finally share my plan for getting past Colorado. This entire adventure I’ve been saying I’ll just get to Boulder, visit with my brother, and figure out the rest of it from there. Well, before I knew it I was in Boulder and I had to actually figure stuff out.

The plan: I am teaming up with fellow thru-hiker Ralph. Together we plan to face down the Rockies and the deserts of Utah and Nevada. Right now we’re in Colorado Springs (which is amusing the Stargate geek in me), and are planning to head out tomorrow morning for our first venture into the mountains. We’ll be following hwy 24 until Buena Vista, where we’ll jog south and onto hwy 50 – which we’ll probably be on for quite awhile.

Teaming up and following a route through the mountains and the desert was a tough call to make. I really had my heart set on heading up towards Portland and then possibly Seattle, but it wasn’t meant to be. I just couldn’t see a path where I wouldn’t need car support, which is something I couldn’t find. Ralph contacted me and offered to share his car support through the desert – an offer I found I couldn’t pass up.

It’s going to be tough – we’ll be hiking through some rough spots here in Colorado, getting up to 11,000ft elevation at some points – but I think together we can make it happen. Plus, it’ll be nice to have someone to talk to for a change. I talk to Anna a lot, but it’s just not the same.

So tomorrow we’re off to start the (hopefully) two week trek through the mountains. Wish us luck, because I think we’re going to need it.  Those mountains are intimidating from down here.

The view from the hotel in Colorado Springs.

Read Full Post »

Wizard Woes; or How I Entertain Myself

the open road

That^ is what a lot of my days look like. A straight expanse of road lined with wide open fields.  Occasionally I’ll pass a farm, and mostly I’ll start and end in an actual town.  But for most of the day it’s just me, Anna, and the open road.

So, how the heck does an easily distracted, eternally bored, hard to entertain for long periods of time, girl like myself handle it?

Well, there are many answers to that question.

In Ohio I found my mp3 player…which died two days later. I did eventually buy a new one, so I do listen to music and sing along as I walk. Sometimes I just sing out loud minus the mp3 player. I talk to myself. Talk to Anna.   I make up songs about what I’m doing and thinking.  I tell myself stories. I ponder the changes in landscape and how massive cornfields have changed the environment and played their part in the changing weather patterns.  I think about the differences between the sky in the Midwest and the sky over New England.  I think about the pioneers who traveled West when they had no idea where West was or what was out there.  I think about where I’m going to sleep that night.

But mostly, I think about that damn Wizard.

You’re a Wizard, Harry. (found online)

Back in Ohio or Pennsylvania, I decided that somewhere out there, lurking in a mountaintop tower (or perhaps a really cool floating castle) is an evil Wizard intent on putting an end to my adventure.

possible hideout of evil Wizard (screencap from Guild Wars)

For some unknown reason, this Wizard does not want me to reach my destination. He sends sever thunder storms, massive amounts of rain and strong winds. He sucks all of the life out of an area in an attempt to intimidate me into turning back.

He lets loose his horrible hounds to chase us off.

let loose the terrible beast!

He gets minions to try and block my way.

Plants signs and attempts to melt roads, in an attempt to get me to give up hope, turn around and go back home.

Trail closed? Nice try, Wizard.

Disappearing road? We’ll find away around.

So now, whenever some obstacle is thrown at me – be it heat waves, caved in roads, or dogs chasing me down – I don’t get down, I just throw my fist in the air and yell “damn you Wizaaaard!”

Because I will not be fooled nor will I be intimidated!  I shall reach my destination, and no Wizard, no matter how tricksy or talented, is going to stop me.  His powers may be mighty, but my will is strong and I will continue on to the end.

Read Full Post »

Trail Food

Indiana Sunrise

I recently asked what you would like to read about, and was told the topics of how I entertain myself throughout the loooong days, and how I feed myself are the topics of interest.

Let us tackle food first.

Disclaimer: I am not a healthy person, and in no way should anyone ever use my own diet as a model for their own trail deliciousness.

I was going to show you a picture of what I currently have in my food bags, but the camera died. Sorry, no photo for you.  Lists instead!

Currently I have: 1 jar of peanut butter, a couple of Clif Bars, a few NatureValley granola bar things, Ramen noodles, trail mix (peanuts, cashews, almonds, raisins, yogurt covered raisins), and Poptarts. And then whenever I’m in a hotel I grab a bunch of those single serve jelly packets. I think I have about five or six left.

Some regular items I carry that are missing at the moment: a loaf of rye bread or a package of bagels, and a piece or two of fresh fruit.

Poptarts and PB&J.  Like I said, not the healthiest example out there, but it works for me.

I generally try and have one “big” meal a day, which I get when I walk through a town. Most towns out here have a pizza/sandwich place, so I’ve been eating a lot of subs loaded up with veggies as my big meal of the day.

The Ramen noodles are a new addition, as I just recently bought a camp stove and cooking set. They’re not exactly bursting with nutritional goodness, but sometimes it’s just nice to have a hot meal at the end of the day.

People often recommend oatmeal or porridge for a hearty breakfast, but I don’t usually eat until I’ve been walking for an hour or so.  When I wake up I want to get up and get going, and the idea of sitting and getting the cooking gear set up and then having to wash it all….that just seems frustrating to me.  Maybe if I had someone to share breakfast with it would be different, but as it stands I like to pack up and get going, then stop down the road for a piece of fruit or a poptart and a drink.

Which brings me to drinks. Mmmm liquid refreshments.

I carry just about 2 gallons of water with me most days.  I have a 1 gallon jug that is the community water, so to speak.  I use this to refill both Anna’s bottle and my own.  Anna has her own Nalgene bottle that she’s learned to drink from (she drinks out of the lid and knows the commands “thirsty” and “drink”), and then a various third bottle that I drink from.  Depending on what I feel like it will either be filled with plain water or I’ll spice it up with a CrystalLight flavor pack thingamajig.

Anna’s pack, which she really hasn’t been wearing since Ohio, has a water bladder in each saddle pack. So theoretically I could carry more water by filling those up, but I haven’t yet mastered the art of filling them without getting everything in the pack wet.

So there you have it, the mystery of how I fuel my body and keep on trucking along.

And now and then I’ll be lucky enough to find myself staying with someone who enjoys cooking and serves up a delicious meal:

Amazing meal in Iowa City, thank you Roman!

But usually it’s the Poptarts and PB&J.

Read Full Post »

Hello from Iowa!

Dear people who told me Iowa is super flat and boring, you are wrong.

Iowa. Not flat.

That may not look like much of an incline to you, but it is a heck of a lot more intimidating when you’re standing on the melting tar in the heat and walking up and down these “rolling hills” all day. It’s no Pennsylvania, but it’s still rough.

I have reached Iowa at the start of an epic heat wave. Lucky me! Predicted to be heat index of 110 F all week. Understandably, we are not walking today. Today we are resting in Davenport. Thankfully, the CouchSurfer hosts that took me and Anna in the night before were kind enough to welcome us for an extra night and day. Tomorrow I plan to get up before the sun and head out to beat the heat. The goal is a mere 14 miles down the road, but that is an eternity in this kind of weather. We shall see.

Yesterday was an odd day. Went up to LeClaire, Iowa to see the home base of the American Pickers tv show. That means we actually walked a full day but made zero gain in miles, since LeClaire is north-east of Davenport. It was totally worth it. Very cool to see in person. And there was a bunch of items that I recognized from the show.

Anna in front of Antique Archaeology, home of the American Pickers

So since I’m heading into pretty sparse territory I decided it was time to get myself some cooking gear. I went with the MSR Pocket Rocket stove and the Pinnacle Soloist. Just enough for oatmeal, hot drinks, or soups now and then. I’m pretty excited to try ‘em out!

Course through Iowa has changed. I’ve decided not to follow the ADT route to try and save myself some time. Instead I’ll be heading pretty straight across and towards Omaha. Looks to be a pretty straightforward road, but we’ll see about that. Not many campgrounds or towns, it loos like, so might be forced to do some more ninja stealth camping along Iowa and Nebraska.

Notes on Utah and Beyond: Looks like it’s going to be near impossible to manage Utah and beyond into the desert without some sort of help. At least not with Anna by my side, and she’s stuck with me. So if anyone is interested in taking a very slow road trip across Utah and Nevada to act as car support, let me know! I’ve got plenty of time to figure it out before I get there – another three states at least.

Read Full Post »

Hello from Illinois!

Today we are taking a day off in Peru, IL. Yesterday was rough, the total miles ended up being around 29 and didn’t stop until around 9:30pm. It was a looong day, and the last half was pretty frustrating, so I think a rest in a nice cool comfy place is well deserved.

I think we should be in Iowa in about a week, which is pretty darn exciting.

Couple of video updates from the past few days:

Geese along the I&M

The geese decided to be smart and jump in the canal, but we had been herding them right up the path in one big gaggle before.

Update along the I&M

Off the I&M and back on the road

I think I’m going to try and do more video updates along the way, they’re quite handy. Anything anyone wants to hear about or see, just let me know and I’ll try and include it!

Read Full Post »

The story about the meat eating.

So I’m eating chicken nowadays.

It all started back in Pennsylvania. I was staying with a very kind elderly couple. I originally planned to just camp in their yard and be off in the early dawn, but they would have none of that! They’d get up early if they had to, but we were having a hearty breakfast and saying a proper goodbye before I left. Well, turns out the next day was calling for both severe heat and severe thunder storms. Mary and Phillip decided it wasn’t safe for Anna and I to go out and insisted I stay with them for another day. I could spend the day doing laundry and relaxing, and they even invited me in to sleep on a real bed that night.

So I spent the day with them, helping Mary with groceries and errands, and talking to Phillip about his interesting family history. That night we were having leftovers for dinner, spaghetti with sauce. I didn’t think anything of it until I was helping Mary prepare and realized that sauce = meatsauce with hamburger all through it and the pasta already mixed in.

Now, you’re probably thinking I could have just spoken up and passed on the pasta and made due with salad and bread. What you’re not realizing is the personality I was dealing with. Mary would not have been offended at all if I had spoken up, but she also wouldn’t have been satisfied with me just having salad and bread. She would have insisted on getting out a whole other meal and probably making something from scratch.

And you’re probably thinking that’s not so big a deal, but what else you’re not realizing is the age of Mary and Phillip. Think great-grandparents.

They were actually about a month away from moving into an assisted living community, which they both had mixed feelings about. They realized they couldn’t keep up with the large house and yard (I think it was 10 acres), but they had lived in that house for years, raised a family there, and put a lot of sweat and heart into renovating it. However, they both realized that they couldn’t live on their own anymore and were somewhat looking forward to the relief of having a supported living arrangement.

So if I had refused the spaghetti, this somewhat frail yet super kind old lady would have put up a fuss and gone about arranging a whole other meal for me, of which she probably wouldn’t let me help much, and of which would have dirtied a whole other set of dishes that she wouldn’t let me wash. So all in all it was just easier to pick around the bigger chunks of hamburger and suck it up and eat the meatsauce.

It was a little sad, as it had been about ten years going that I hadn’t eaten any meat. But early on in this trip I had resigned myself to the idea that by the end I would have eaten meat again. I’m not the healthiest vegetarian, which is fine for a regular semi-lazy lifestyle, but that just doesn’t work for an active walking-across-the-country lifestyle.

I’m not eating meat at every turn, and I still tell people that I don’t eat meat – or at least only eat white meat/chicken. But every now and then at a store in the middle of nowhere that has very little options I’ll go ahead and get some chicken fingers or a chicken salad and share it with Anna.

And I gotta tell you, I definitely notice the difference in hunger satisfaction and energy levels on those days.

Note: my reasons for not eating meat are not due to me being against eating animals in general, but more of a political stand against the way the American meat industry is run. I still disagree with the way the meat industry is here in America, but if it comes down to my own personal health and survival I’ve always said I’d eat meat. I prefer not to, but you gotta do what you gotta do to keep yourself safe and healthy. Also, I just don’t like most meat.

Read Full Post »

Check it out, Achievement icons!

Atlantic Ocean

………
(Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio)

(Survived a) Bear Encounter

Madonna of the Trail Quest

Giant Cuckoo Clock

Couch Surfer (lvl 3)

And those are only so far…there are a lot more to come as I gain experience and complete more quests along the way. Very exciting!

Read Full Post »

In which there are many maps and no definite answers.

It has been brought to my attention that when I ask for help along the way, people to meet, and places to stay, it might be a good idea to let you all know where exactly it is I’ll be walking.

As per usual with me, nothing is set in stone. However, here are some maps with a general idea of where I’ll be heading.

Starting from where I am today:

Hah, pretty detailed, right?

I’m just about into Indiana, and here’s how I’m thinking of going.

Mostly I just need to hit Kokomo, IN, avoid Chicago, and then at some point start drifting up towards Rock Island/Davenport area where I’ll meet back up with the ADT.

The ADT maps for Iowa,

(Iowa is a bit iffy for following the entire trail, as it would cut down on time to skip the ups and downs and try and go straight across)

Nebraska,

and Colorado.

Once I get to Denver/Boulder I’m planning on reassessing the situation and going from there. Portions of the CO trail make me a tad nervous, so I might be changing it up there. We’ll see.

Hopefully that clears things up a tad and lets people know where I might be looking for a place to stay. If you are familiar with any of the areas I’m proposing to go through and have some tips or suggestions, please don’t be shy in sharing!

Read Full Post »

One part hippie, one part nerd, all parts awesome.

Walking across the country, or any long term walk, is not always glamorous. Or even comfortable. I rarely know where I’m going to sleep each night, and more often than not sleep is on the ground in a tent. Showers are few and far between, and it’s hard to tell when I’ll even see a proper bathroom. It’s long and occasionally boring and hard work. It’s lacking most of the comforts of home.

So what do I miss most out of all of those comforts? Is it the easy access to a bathroom? The proper meals? The comfy bed and pillow?

No, what I miss most, and I what I end up thinking about a lot during the day, is pretty nerdy. Out of all of those comforts of home, I’d say the one I miss the most is video games.

A week ago or so I was climbing a mountain when at the top I suddenly heard an eagle scream. It was a pretty cool moment, hiking this old dirt camp road straight up a mountain, and then at the top a large field with an eagle soaring above. But what did I immediately think of? Assassin’s Creed and Guild Wars, both games that have eagle screams worked in to certain areas. And as much as I was enjoying the majesty of the moment, I suddenly had a strong longing to go scale tall buildings and jump in to hay carts. Or to run around in the cold of the Shiverpeaks and help out some dwarves.

I am totally enjoying myself, don’t get me wrong. I like the challenge of walking, talking to strangers, seeing the small little towns and farms. I like sleeping in a tent, and I have a super comfy sleeping bag. I don’t even really mind not having a proper bathroom to pee in. I just wish there was some way to hook up a solar powered Xbox 360 or a super laptop that I could play Guild Wars on now and then.

Because I am a nerd. True story.

Read Full Post »

Pair o’ nerds, we are.

Trying to get a picture of me an’ Anna on the road, and this is the best I end up with. I gave up and just accepted the fact that we are a pair of nerds and a good photo was just not happening.

Read Full Post »

Frequently Asked Questions from the road

What do your parents say/think?

It’s funny, but men ask me what my dad thinks about me walking across the country alone, and women tend to ask what my mom thinks. Occasionally someone will ask with a generic “parents”

My parents, like most people, probably think I’m nuts. But I’m lucky enough to have parents that support me in whatever I do. Oh sure, they’ll try their hardest to convince me not to do something if they think it’s foolish, but once I’ve made up my mind for reals they pretty much stand behind me 100%. Because my family is full of rock stars like that.

How old are you?

Which is usually paired up with the parents question. Apparently I look like a high schooler? I’ve gotten asked a handful of times if I’m doing this after my HS graduation. I know I don’t look my age, but High School? Really? Okay then.

For those wondering, I am 30. The big three oh. I’m not particularly fond of that age, so it irks me to have to say it so frequently, but there it is. I did accidentally lie twice, saying I was 29, but it was an honest mistake! I often forget how old I am.

Where do you stay/sleep?

This seems to be the most confusing aspect of my lack of planning for people. The loosely planned route and time table are one thing, but not having a plan for where I’m sleeping each night really seems to throw people off.

When I’m in a city, which I try to avoid as much as possible, I find a campground or hotel/motel to stay in. Mostly I try to plan my days so that I’m walking through the cities and sleeping in the country, but it can’t always work out like that.

When I’m in the country, basically I walk until Anna lets me know she’s done. There comes a point in the day where she lets me know a rest isn’t going to cut it and I better find a place to sleep. This is usually a few miles before I’m done for the day, but what can you do?

When Anna gives me the signal I check out the area I’m in and look for a house with a yard. I tend to lean towards houses that have a well maintained garden/yard and house, and also houses with signs of a family. Families are always safer than singles. Really what it comes down to, and I know it sounds silly, but I go with a house that just feels right. I know it when I see it, and my gut instinct hasn’t led me wrong yet.

When I pick a house, I stroll over and park my gear at the edge of the driveway or yard, walk up and knock on the front door. When someone answers I say some variation of, “Hello, my name is Kelly and the dog is Anna, and we’re walking across the country. I was wondering if I could use a spot of your lawn to set up my tent for the night?”

I explain that I’ll just need a bit fo the tent and that I’ll be out and gone by the time the sun is in the sky. Sometimes people say yes and point to a spot on their lawn, and a majority of people invite me in for some lemonade, to use their bathroom, or just to chat. Once in awhile people will offer a spare bedroom for us to crash in, which is above and beyond and all sorts of awesome.

So that’s about it.

What do you do about showers and going to the bathroom?

Showers, while lovely lovely things, are not really a priority at the moment. I’ve been really lucky and a lot of the people who allow me to tent in their yard also invite me in for a shower, but that’s not always the case. And really, a shower is great but there’s no escaping the fact that for most of the days I’m going to be a stinky sweaty dirty mess. That’s what happens when you walk all day in the hot sun and dusty roads.

As for bathroom breaks – I have options. Sometimes there are stores that have public restrooms, sometimes local parks have porta-potties, and sometimes I use the woods. It all depends on where I am.

Those seem to be the most pressing or often asked questions. If you’re curious about something don’t be shy!

Read Full Post »