A Walk Across America
 

I'm not sure where to put this thread.

Has anybody read this book? What did you think?

I just ordered it from amazon.com. I am seriously - I mean seriously - considering doing this. I need a kick in the pants. I need to shake up my life before someone or something else shakes it up for me. And I'm not being impulsive about it. I've been planning... something... for a while now. I just didn't know what it was. I still am not sure. I'm trying to listen to and trust my intuition, follow my inner wisdom, etc.

Last November when my lease was up, instead of signing a new lease somewhere else, I agreed to move in with friends and housesit until the end of May. I've been selling off all of my crap. I just don't want it anymore.

At first I thought I might try working on one of those organic farm stays in Canada over the summer, then I'd try house-sitting in different parts of the US. Take a total of a year off.

But now... I need to lose weight, I'm not getting any younger or healthier. Plus next summer is the 40th anniversary of my mother's death from pancreatic cancer. I'd like to do something big to raise awareness. And at the same time my progress would depend on me moving my ass a minimum of 15 miles a day.

Anyway, right now it's just a fantasy.

So... have you read the book? Has anyone tried a long-distance walk? How'd it go? Tell me all about it.

Wow! Thanks Daktari. I'm going to watch that.

I haven't read that one, but it did make me remember one that my mom read and completely loved. I haven't read it myself, but she talked about it enough that I know it's about a woman who walked across the country... I think several times.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Peace-Pilgrim-Life-Work-Words/dp/0943734290"]Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words: Peace Pilgrim: 9780943734293: Amazon.com: Books[/ame]

Mom read the hardcopy book, but it looks like they're now offering it for free download on the website.

http://www.peacepilgrim.com/FoPP/htm/book.htm

A family friend's son took a summer to walk the Appalachian trail, and it changed his life. He wound up walking it over and over again, found his now-fiancee at some point along the way.

I love that book. I read it as a kid and re-read it the summer before last. It sounds like something fantastic for you to contemplate! If you do it, you might check out the website Warm Showers. It's a host site for traveling cyclists, but I'm sure it could be tapped into for a traveling walker. You can line up places to sleep/shower/wash clothes on the way. I've not done a walk like this, but have done some by bike and love it!