I enjoyed a wonderful time of reaching out to groups spanning all 400 K-12 students yesterday at Kenston Forest School in Blackstone, Virginia. It was a lot of fun, and the kids made premier participants, asking me a variety of thoughtful questions. I look forward to staying across the miles with people I met here yesterday…
Monday’s 14 miles only brought me into Kenbridge, VA, still 11 miles shy of Blackstone. However, I was asked to speak to the Blackstone Rotary Club Monday evening, and KF School yesterday morning. Leroy & Silvia, a very friendly local couple, are hosting me here in Blackstone this week. I therefore am “ahead of the route” for now, and within the next couple of days will need to return to Kenbridge, connect the steps, and walk the eleven miles here to Blackstone.
Life is great and getting better!! (So is the world-friendly spring weather!)

“As we thank you for coming to our school, we’d like to give you this Kenston Forest School shirt,” student leader Caroline Coleburn tells me, as she introduces me to an assembly of grades 8-12.

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“Oh yeah– time check! How much time would you like me to speak to this group?”

“Every single one of you holds tremendous power to create a better, brighter world for yourselves in addition to EVERYONE around you. Meditate. Find your calling. Take that first step forward onto your soul’s path.”

Stepping into the crowd to get a picture with grades K-7. (Where’s Waldo?)

I’d met Ms. Frannie Schwabenton (right) last night at a Rotary function. She works at Kenston Forest, and organized my speaking appearance here today. I love her wonderful enthusiasm, and her HUGE smile!!!

Hanging out with Mr. Colby, the headmaster, after classes. One of the favorite parts of his job? If stress brews in the office, he can go over and visit the little kids, benefiting from an energy boost from all of them!

Today’s 14 miles took me from the Lunenburg County line, where I’d last left off with Bill Bradley, all the way into Kenbridge– to Bill’s auto shop. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten the sunscreen, and thank God it was cloudy 90% of the day, because my neck was slightly affected by the sun for the few minutes it was out– I would have been toasted had it been sunny all day…

On his commute back and forth between work and home, Bill Bradley brings me back to the Virginia’s Mecklenburg/Lunenburg County Line, where I resume my 14 miles into Kenbridge.

It starts out, as Mr. Rogers would say, as “a beautiful day in the neighborhood.”

Funny– I never see advertisements for blackberry plants back home. We can’t keep them under control there!

Ten miles shy of today’s destination of Kenbridge, VA, I happen across some fantastic roadside wisdom…

Here’s another of many reasons it was so helpful for Bill to bring my Chariot to Kenbridge for me: fast, narrow bridges—

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Laura, Lucas, Lois Lane?
I don’t remember all of their exact names, I simply remember that all of their lovely names began with the letter “L.” After seeing me roadside earlier, they stopped and spontaneously delivered me a food care package: homemade turkey sandwich, lunch meat, cheese, crackers and water. I happily thanked them for their kindness, and kept quiet about being a vegetarian. Bill Bradley would later eat the turkey sandwich and lunch meat, telling me it “hit the spot” for him!
THANK YOU, “L” family!!

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Kenbridge, Virginia

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In light of the tragedy at the Boston Marathon:

“The Helpers” - Fred Rogers

(At least) 2 of my friends were a couple of blocks from the blasts in Boston:

BJ Hill walked across America in 2008; he advised me heavily in the lead up to my walk. BJ is from Boston, has worked for the American Red Cross, and was volunteering for the Marathon, two blocks from the actual blast. BJ is one of the “helpers.” This is what he wrote:

“I am OK, my team and I were stationed on the corner of Stuart and Berkeley, about two blocks from the incident. The sounds were like the slamming of a dumpster lid, hollow and metallic, and since there were a lot of trucks, buses and heavy equipment around, we just figured something had fallen. It was about five minutes later we started to hear the word Explosion over the radio. We held our zone, answered questions, pretended to be calm and looked after the runners until around 5pm the course was officially closed and the med team was disbanded. Because the streets were shut down, runners were forced to walk a detour the last half mile, and their gear (inc. cell phones) were all moved around from the designated pick up spots, it was pretty chaotic. I stuck around a little to help this little old French woman who spoke no English find her husband. (He was running the marathon at 81 years old (!)).

And I gotta say, Marathon Monday is one of my favorite days to be in Boston because I always felt there’s such a spirit of unity and endeavor in the air. Despite the senseless of what happened today at 2:50, the acts of both courage and selflessness I’ve seen today only reaffirm my belief that Boston is one of the best cities in the world.”

BJ reported today that he was completely exhausted.
Thank You, BJ Hill, for your tireless efforts to assist those around you.

ZOE ROMANO, whom I advised as her run across America was getting underway in 2011, ran the Boston Marathon yesterday, and finished a minute before the blast– slightly faster than she’d originally expected to finish. She was a couple of blocks away when the blast went off. This is her brief telephone interview on a local news station.

I SHOWER GRATITUDE UPON ALL “HELPERS” FOR BRIGHTEN OUR HEARTS AND SPIRITS IN THE FACE OF TRAGEDY ♥ ♥ ♥

Click link below to go to online story.

LINK TO SOUTH HILL ENTERPRISE STORY

(Sometimes these small town newspapers lock out their articles before too long, but within the next comment here, I’m placing the origin of the article…)

ALSO:

Occasionally reporters take more than written notes to record a conversation: they record audio and/or video. Interviews often become highly conversational, very often lasting an hour or longer. I almost lost notice of the camera that reporter Chris Griggs had brought with him, as we sat and chatted for less than the normal hour in South Hill’s Centennial Park. This interview lasts 17 minutes, during which Chris Griggs ask some common questions in addition to some less frequently asked:

99% of the time, Google Maps guides me very, very well. It tells me where I’m at, it tells me which way to go, how far I have to go, and usually, what the road ahead of me looks like. Digital maps have been indispensable to me across the miles, especially when a local tells me that location XYZ is only a mile away, after a left turn and two right turns, and I quickly learn that XYZ is actually five or more miles away, after a right turn and two lefts.
I have to stop shy of saying that the maps reliably guide me 100% of the time, however, as there have been a couple of bridges on G Maps that haven’t actually existed, and occasionally what looks like a road on the map is, at best, a grassy trail– sometimes on private property.

Road to… somewhere (??)

Case in point: Today.
It’s a good thing that today’s ten mile loop was simply a leisure walk, for if I’d had my Chariot, there’s no way I would have made it through. Google Maps guided me miles up a road which slowly turned into a dead end. Where I met this dead end, Google actually showed a narrowing road that still connected to a larger loop. This narrowing road, however, was no more than a gated, grass-covered trail that led to a dirt power-line road, crossing a couple of hills and a creek (without any bridge) in the process.

In the interest of spending time outdoors, soaking up the PERFECT 70-degree weather, and keeping my body in solid shape for Monday’s 14 miles to Kenbridge, the fact that today’s miles were merely leisure miles worked out perfectly– for I rarely get to walk trails or go on other nature excursions, and I was free of my beloved-yet-cumbersome Chariot– so I couldn’t be more satisfied.

Today would have been tremendously taxing if I had been on the trail with the Chariot– especially at the creek. However, even if that had been the case, I would still be giving Google Maps a solid “A” for having led me well through so many confusing webs of roads across the thousands of miles– including when G Maps have led me straight into “the Hood.”

(Disclosure: I receive no benefit from Google for writing this and they don’t know that I am writing it. I’m a general fan of online maps

The grassy trail transitions to a power-line path…

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G Maps took me down this “road.” I’m glad I didn’t have to try to manage my Chariot across the “road.”

…after a while, back to a real road: Country Club Road.

I walked through La Crosse on my way home.

La Crosse, Virginia

La Crosse, Virginia

La Crosse, Virginia

La Crosse, Virginia

La Crosse, Virginia

“Tornado warning issued, thunderstorms on the way,” was what I awoke to at 5:30 AM this morning. I was supposed to sew up 14 miles to Kenbridge today, where I was set to spend the night on the floor of a tire store there. Earlier this week, I had already walked several miles out of South Hill, yet had returned to speak to more students here. At 7:30 AM, I was to be picked up in South Hill and returned to the Mecklenburg/Lunenburg County line, where I’d left off en route to Kenbridge.

Then, not even five minutes before 7:30, I received a text from Steven Stanley, General Manager of the Fairfield Inn Marriott, where I’ve been hosted since last Saturday. Steven saw the dismal forecast, and knowing that I couldn’t receive the same ride offer till Monday, offered me the entire weekend at his Marriott.

It took me mere seconds to take Steven up on his offer. (SOLD!!!)

Thanks to Steven, I stayed safe from the storms, and have kicked off a productive weekend in town. This revised scenario also works out extra well because I met people yesterday with connections up the road from me, in Lunenburg County, and now that there’s more advanced notice of my arrival, there’s greater potential to meet more locals, speak to schools, etc.

And that’s one of the greatest realities of the Walk: while sticking to my commitment of connecting all the steps to walk all of the miles, I’ve also learned to be as flexible as ever, for in an instant, days, weeks or even months worth “plans” can change. It’s been a wonderful life on the road, and I’m excited to see how the rest of Virginia unfolds…

The Fairfield Inn Marriott, South Hill, Virginia

Yesterday’s 12k moved me forward from South Hill, across the Mecklenburg County line and just barely into Lunenburg County. Before the day’s end, however, I received a phone call and invitation to speak to another school near South Hill, and another two nights stay at the Marriott to facilitate speaking to the school.
Road Angel Bill Bradley, who works in Lunenburg County (Kenbridge) but lives near South Hill, picked me up and returned me to the Marriott on his way home from work. Once finished in Mecklenburg County, I’ll return to the Lunenburg County line and continue on foot from there.

I’ve learned my lesson– at the slightest hint of a hot spot, I quickly cover the sensitive spot to prevent any additional debilitating blister. I learned A LOT about this in Oregon!

Hello There!

Loving the view…

nodding goodbye to another friendly community…

Loving the view

Virginia Hwy 138, Mecklenburg County

Virginia Hwy 138, Mecklenburg County

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Tonight will be my fifth night at South Hill’s Marriott Fairfield Inn.
General Manager Steven Stanley (right) sent me a hosting invitation well over a week before I reached the Virginia border. Steve also has helped organize local school speaking appearances for me, in addition to restaurant meals.

I didn’t even meet Steve till last night, and I really enjoyed the ability to finally befriend him in person.

To the left is Richard, maintenance man for the hotel chain. Steve, Richard & I all enjoyed a fun conversation yesterday afternoon as Richard was about to retire for the day.

After saying goodbye to Richard, he unexpectedly returned to the lobby five minutes later and told me he’d like to get me some additional food for the road. I took him up on his offer, and he shuttled me over to the nearby superstore. I took him up on some bananas, avocados, hummus and black beans, and he continued to vocalize a wide-open invitation for me to place more into the cart. Admittedly, the new sunglasses I’ve needed came to mind, but I didn’t feel like mentioning them. I felt more than honored to received the food basket he was giving me, which will last me a couple of days.

I became very inspired by Richard’s stories of how he and his wife have hosted many recovering alcoholics and drug addicts across the years– especially given that he was once a serious alcoholic himself. The personal story Richard shared with me about why found he needed to make serious changes in his life brought tears to his eyes, evoking strong emotion from me in the process.

We all hold tremendous potential within– throughout our lives– potential to create a better, brighter world for ourselves in addition to everyone around us. We simply need to meditate to find our unique calling during our time here.

In which direction does your golden voice of intuition guide you?

Which way does your God Compass tell you to go?

Once we find what our path is and where it begins, no matter how scary it may feel at first, and regardless of whether or not we see where the path ends– true spiritual satisfaction arrives only as you TAKE THAT FIRST STEP FORWARD ~

Ms. Marah Michael & Family stop to say hello this weekend, on my way to South Hill. (They live several miles outside of town.)

Yesterday afternoon, I’d been invited to speak throughout today to P.E. classes at South Hill’s Park View High School. They knew I was staying at the local Marriott Fairfield Inn, and estimated it would only take me a half hour to walk to the school from the Fairfield. I simply trusted the guestimate they gave me, and it wasn’t until an hour before departure time this morning that I found the school to be 5.3 miles away. At best, I walk about 3.5 miles per hour. The school was therefore at least an hour and a half away, and given that I’d be slowing to get through busy intersections, I was in for a good two-hour hike. It appeared I’d be missing at least one of the day’s four block classes– possibly more.

Then, out of nowhere, Ms. Marah Michael, who’d stopped to say hello with her family on my way to South Hill this weekend, sent me a Facebook messages telling me that if there was anything she could help me with, she’d love to do so. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to tell her about my all-of-the-sudden situation, and ask her if she knew of anyone in the immediate area who drives across town and might like to give me a ride, so that I could still make it in time to speak to every group of students.

Marah messaged me back immediately: “I work right down the street from the Fairfield! I will gladly drive you over there.”

Marah arrived to pick me up a few short minutes later, and away we went to the high school, making it just in time so that I was able to give a full speech to all four groups!

While Marah was definitely a happy morning Road Angel, I would ultimately find that Marah would be the first of many for the day…

One of many groups of P.E. students at Parkview High

I love signing personalized messages for the students!

As Park View High School was several miles off my route, to save me time and energy away from my actual route, the Driver’s Ed car gave me a ride back to my hotel room

After having met with Jerry & Ellen today, who took a trip up to South Hill and took me to lunch in the process, I later met with Chris Griggs, reporter for the local South Hill Enterprise. The story comes out Wednesday, April 10, and I’m looking forward to reading it and posting it here.

South Hill Enterprise reporter Chris Griggs sets up his camera to record a conversation in the park, South Hill, VA

I’ve been invited to speak to the local high school’s P.E. classes, which I’ll be doing throughout Tuesday.

Steven Stanley, General Manager of the local Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, has invited me to a fourth night (Tuesday)– what wonderful hospitality upon my arrival to Virginia!

I’ve also been in the slow process of updating my Q & A page, and I’ll post once I’ve finished that process. In the interim, I’m going to post some of my lengthier answers as blogs– for I feel some of these answers are more informative than a typical events-of-the-day blog I write.

What’ s it like out there on the road?

Every day is a great new adventure, predictable in some ways, unpredictable in many other ways.

It’ s pretty predictable that at least a handful of people are going to see the “WALKING ACROSS AMERICA” signs and stop to inquire. Fun conversations typically ensue, and some of these people have turned into excellent friends across the miles– I even attended the wedding of one such random roadside stopper– when Veronica, a woman I’d met on a highway near Abilene, Texas, eventually married Stephen, her best friend, in Austin, Texas. I continue to remain in touch with both, and will visit them again. I stay in touch with and will visit many others I’ve “randomly” met roadside as well.

I start out almost every day with a target destination, a prediction of how long it will take me to arrive, an idea of the weather and terrain, info regarding how hospitable the road is, potential hazards, etc. I never can predict exactly what will transpire throughout the course of the day. I may end up reaching my destination; or, sometimes something comes up and I settle earlier in the day; rarely, I go beyond the day’s pre-planned destination.

ANECDOTE:

Zan and I left Cambria and knew that I’ d be walking along Highway 1 for a good twenty miles into Morro Bay. (Zan was the awesome Australian man walking with me at the time.) Despite the wet forecast, we didn’ t know that the rain would last for about the first half of the walk. We couldn’ t predict all the great views, curves, and hills that lay ahead of us. The fact that a man name Daniel would stop near Harmony to spontaneously interview us for his website with his fancy camera was unexpected. Daniel was amazed at the happy enthusiasm we showed despite just having walked through several days of what he described as “our worst storms here in ten years.” He spontaneously asked if he could use his fancy camera to interview us for his website, and we agreed to it.

Upon reaching Cayucos, who knew that the restaurant chosen by Zan would end up giving us a free meal?

We didn’ t know that we’ d walk the beach for the last few miles into Morro Bay. And when we did walk the beach, we were led to believe that since high tide had passed, that we’ d have an easy walk down five miles of coastline. Instead, however, we were hopping, skipping, and dodging waves for miles down the beach. Had I known this ahead of time, I probably would have said no to the opportunity to walk the beach. Once into it for a little while, however, we found it to be fun, and ignored every chance to return to the road all the way into Morro Bay.