Ms. Graciano, Awesome Art Teacher!
Richmond Community High School
One of Ms. Schultz’ students told her about my speaking to Ms. Graciano’s class, and Ms. Schultz asked if I also had time to speak to her class. I did, and it was fun!!
Ms. Schultz’ students!
Ms. Graciano teaches a great group of students!
Today was National Teacher Appreciation Day.
I imagine you can think of at least one teacher who has had an enduring impact on you through the years, can’t you? Many of us, myself included, can think of several.
Elka Amorim, my current host, who teaches at the high school level, told me stories last night of the impoverished schools where she’s taught, in the Bronx, elsewhere in NYC, and currently in Richmond. She tells me of many exhausting 12-hour days at the school. She tells me of what it’s like trying to succeed with students whose parents have absolutely no involvement in promoting their kids’ education, and of loose-cannon teenagers who are anything but easy to teach. Over the miles, speaking to many schools, I myself have come to learn how challenging it can be to keep kids focused– and I don’t even have to deal with test-related stress.
From the many teachers I’ve met across the miles, I hear of how so many states and school districts have resigned education to a “teach-to-the-test” model, which sadly sweeps away opportunities of learning how to actually thrive in the world, instead emphasizing the filling in the correct box on some standardized test.
Overworked and underpaid teachers really dislike being demonized when students don’t always fill in the proper box on the test sheet– especially when many students come to class unprepared, unsupported, malnourished, abused, and more…
To every teacher who works hard to create a better, brighter today & tomorrow for America’s youth: YOU ARE MY HEROES. I give you far more credit than a ballplayer who makes a hundred times more than you. I give you far more credit than dirty politicians who pay themselves far more than you. I give you far more credit than those who enrich themselves by walking over others.
THANK YOU Rocío Sotomayor, Brooke Drury Shamhart, Travis Burnham, Kelly Alvis Bisogno, Jennifer Richard Blackwelder, Amanda Major, Julie Richard, Krista Schroth, Jenny O’Meara, Leigh Humphries, Ann Crawford, Rachel Parker, Jen Lucas, Winslow Carter, Coach Cheek and so many more for all of your wonderful efforts to create a better, brighter world for our children ~
Hard working Ms. O’Meara, who teaches in Warren County– poorest of all of North Carolina’s 100 counties– thinks day & night of real-world math problems to apply to her classes. She’s working tirelessly to effectively guide, assist and inspire her scores of students.
WARNING: SOME BLOOD IS VISIBLE WITHIN THE PICS OF THIS POST
Five stitches and a day later, the foot is in much better shape. Though the story is still unfolding, here’s how it begins:
Last summer, a hit-and-run driver mowed down 24-year-old bicyclist Lanie Kruszewski at the very spot I suffered Sunday’s laceration. When I reached the spot on foot Sunday afternoon, I spent ten minutes paying homage at Lanie’s roadside memorial, where a “ghost bike” was left. As I left, I didn’t notice the sharp debris on the ground– a broken glass vase– and was sliced open by the glass sticking out. Sounds rather ironic at first, but…
In Memory of Lanie Kruszewski…
In Memory of Lanie Kruszewski…
In Memory of Lanie Kruszewski…
Though I pulled my foot from my sandal seconds after it happened, the 4cm laceration I suffered Sunday afternoon, on the first mile of the day’s route, cut deep. Over the course of the day, it grew painful. However, five stitches later, I’m on the track to recovery. I’ve only used one of the prescription pain pills on Sunday, and none since.
I’ll be down for several days; stitches should be removed just over a week from now.
Though I pulled my foot from my sandal seconds after it happened…
The glass cut deep. Fortunately, however, it didn’t slice open more than 4cm of me.
Dr. Ewing sews me up at Retreat Doctors’ Hospital, in central Richmond, VA
MUCH prettier than it was just a few short hours ago…
Ultra-kind host Chris Byrd wheels me into the pharmacy to pick up antibiotic and pain relief prescriptions. I hadn’t seen the aisles of a store at this eye level in decades.
As mentioned, the circumstances of my wound at the goodwill roadside memorial of a roadside victim sounds rather ironic at first, but the event has sidetracked me onto an interesting detour that already has been bringing about unforeseen brightness. Across the miles, I’ve come to understand that every time some “setback” occurs, something magical always unwinds at some point down the road– something that wouldn’t have otherwise unfolded. I’m optimistic to learn of what will continue to unfold of this all…
I love how “God” works 
Lanie Kruszewski
In loving memory of Lanie Kruszewski, 1988-2012
Andrew Forsthoefel
The only time I’ve ever just unexpectedly happened to cross paths with another man who was walking across America was in Franklin, Louisiana. Andrew Forsthoefel, 23 years old, was several months into his walk from Pennsylvania to the California Coast, and I was of course going the opposite direction. We took the day off to get to know each other, and each of us later blogged about it:
Andrew was recording stories of the everyday people he met while walking, as he well knew that everyone has an interesting story to tell. After finishing his walk on the coast of California last year, Andrew has since been compiling all of his work into a fifty-minute masterpiece– which has been feature this week on NPR’s This American Life.
It took him a year of walking to compile in addition to many follow-up months of hard work to produce, and here is the link to the wonderful final product– (enjoy!)
Meeting Andrew Forsthoefel on the road, in Franklin, Louisiana
This past Tuesday, April 30, art teacher Kelly Bisogno saw me walking up Robious Road into Richmond. She took note of the website written on my sign, and looked me up upon arriving home. After finding me on this website, she sent me this e-mail:
“Just saw you walking down Robious Road near James River High, where I am a teacher. I live in the Midlothian area with my husband and two kids. Need a place to eat dinner or stay tonight? Want to visit out school tomorrow?”
I of course had plans scheduled for arriving to Richmond, however, I wanted to take her up on every offer she gave me.
On Friday, I did take her up on all of these offers: I spoke to hundreds of kids at James River High School (across seven periods), and I later joined Kelly, her husband Mike, and kids Elijah & Evelyn for the evening at their Midlothian home, meeting some fabulous friends of theirs in the process.
Great people!!
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Speaking to students at Richmond’s James River High School today, one asks me how fast I can run. I invited her to a “let’s find out.”
Having learned that I invited a girl to race me earlier in the day (I spoke to 7 class groups today), a young man who people said “looks like your son” invited me to race during period 6. He seemed pretty confident, so I got the feeling that he’d win even if I tried. He got a much stronger start than me, and in the end, I still think he would have beat me. Good for him!! 
Of course, as you all know, I haven’t been racing my way across America, either
Mike & Kelly,
Evelyn & Elijah–
Thank You All!!
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Six-year-old Elijah wants to know where I’ve walked. So, on his map of the United States, I show him the parts of the country I’ve walked through.
Mike & Kelly Bisogno, his parents, have done an admirable job training their kindergarten son on elementary map skills.
Kelly Bisogno, an art teacher at James River High School, where I spoke to seven groups of students throughout the day, had actually just seen me on the side of the road Tuesday, as I was walking up a hill into the western fringe of Richmond. She contacted me later that afternoon, introducing herself and stating that she and her husband would be happy to provide me with dinner and host me for the evening– and that she would love to invite me to speak to her students this week. Had I not already had hopeful, optimistic, family-related plans Tuesday evening, I certainly would have taken her up on her kind offer as I was making my way into town. As Richmond plans have transformed during the week, however, the opportunity to spend an evening with the Bisognos opened up, and what a truly fantastic evening it was meeting this marvelous family in addition to their many fine friends.
Not only did I get to talk maps with six-year-old Elijah, two-year-old Evelyn & I also laughed it up playing some hide & seek!
BIG SHOUTS of GRATITUDE to my latest Richmond host, Dawn Layne, who warmly invited me in for a truly delicious and delightful May Day dinner with fabulous friends Erica & Talitha!!
Dawn & Erica are up to something WONDERFUL in the kitchen!!
Dawn, Talitha & Erica present a FANTASTIC meal!!!
It’s been a while, but today was a 20-mile day!
Goodness, it’s funny how such days work. I felt tired after about 8 miles, ready for the day to end. The next 12 miles were actually much more technically challenging than the first 8– given the dangerous, fast, narrow roads and all. By the time I made it across the James River, at day’s end, I had enough momentum to walk the final 8 miles to his home. However, we’d already previously agreed to meet near the bridge, which I’ll soon need to return to.
Today’s route:
View Larger Map
At the end of today’s 20 miles, the first full 20 in a while, some obstacles tried to stop me from crossing the James River and finishing the day. My response: “Ha!”
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Callie (Host A), meet Matt (Host B):
Callie & Dan (not pictured) were introduced to me by a new friend (Connie) whom I met while walking into the nearby city of Blackstone, over a week ago. Callie & Dan have hosted me the past three nights at their Amelia County Farm.
Matthieu, who stopped to give an introductory hello while I was walking into Amelia from Blackstone this past Friday, also offered to host me locally. With the assistance of some super support drivers, I’ve been walking all weekend, and returning to Callie & Dan’s each night.
Today, I chose to rest my feet from the road & the rains. Tonight, I shift to the local home of Americorp Mattieu, who has devoted this year to working on nutrition education projects here in rural Amelia County. Matt is about to make a major life transition, and become an overseas backpacker for an open-ended amount of time. I remember being “in his shoes” several years ago, before embarking on my spiritual backpacking excursion through Latin America in 2007. I therefore look forward to answering all of Matt’s questions about what I’ve learned across the miles, including how to stay focused on an intuitive, spiritual path forward in life…
Dan & Callie’s farm– lots to chat about the abundance of good work being done here…
Callie, W.C. Jackson (her father), and husband Dan at a delicious organic lunch today .
On his 40th birthday, Matthew Throop, my older brother, joined me yesterday evening for a night on the road. This afternoon, before returning home to Richmond, Matt enjoyed a delicious plate of veggies from the garden of hosts Dan & Callie Walker. How can I get more family & friends to join me for stretches of miles..??
A handful of miles today brought me across rural Powhatan County, through only light rain. Over 400 years ago, here in what is now Virginia, Chief Powhatan was the father of Pocahontas.