Alvin & Diana Macomber, Mount Vernon, Virginia

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I enjoyed sidewalks for nearly half of today’s miles– a big improvement in comparison to the road south of Dumfries…

Ahhh, spring!

My body is tired and is ready for a non-walking day. So, after another 22km today, through threat of thunderstorms, it appears I’ll earn tomorrow off (yay!!). I walk today from Woodbridge to Mount Vernon, and I’m eager for the privilege of walking a handful of miles OFF of inhospitable Hwy 1 today…

Making my way through thousands of new homes in Woodbridge

En route to Brookmoor Lane, Woodbridge, VA

Time to track down Yuri & Anna’s slice of townhome-topia!

It’s common for many to ask me a variety of questions about what walking across America is like. An interesting twist came last night with young Max, who was explaining to me what it must be like to walk across America. (Loved it!)

“Don’t take a picture,” six-year-old Anton tells me, “if you take a picture, I’ll kill you.”
“OK– well how about I just take a picture of that egg you’re holding?”
“Oh, OK,” Anton replies, smiling, and enthusiastically seeing the full pics once they’re on the computer.
(Enjoying a fun morning in Woodbridge before today’s 22k to Mount Vernon gets underway.)

Yuri & Anna are AWESOME!!! He’s from Russia; she’s from Ukraine. They’re both such a pleasure to talk to! From World Bank & IT to Burning Man & Meditation, the conversations proceeded so well that part of me wishes I were their neighbor!!

This was a look back, after just getting through Stafford County…

I wish Highway 1 were more hospitable to pedestrians and bikes. Too often I found myself sinking into a ditch or jumping a guard rail to evade fast-moving avalanches of traffic.

A patch of public park grass always welcomes rest to tired feet..

I love grass on a sunny day, but lately, resting in the grass always seems to bring unwelcome, latch-on visitors: ticks!
I’ve carefully, toyfully tugged ticks from my skin in recent days– which isn’t too hard when they’re freshly found. This one, however, would not let go for the life of him. When he doubled-down to quickly dig deeper on me, causing me to feel his stabbing jaws in the process, I don’t know that he survived my reaction. I don’t intentionally kill insects or spiders– even mosquitoes just get brushed off– however, if one doesn’t let go and insists on quickly digging deeper into me, I’ll take necessary steps to defend myself ~

Walking miles of a very busy and inhospitable highway, the back lot of an old strip mall was a very welcoming detour!
Dumfries, Virginia

First time I’ve seen a sign like this on the front door of a restaurant (or any establishment)…
Dumfries, Virginia

Dumfries, Virginia

Dumfries, Virginia

Dumfries hosts Adam & Natalie Coffman are AWESOME!!!
They’re both very open-minded, active duty U.S. Marines who really enjoy making music, speaking about philosophy, meditating, practicing yoga, and so much more!!
I look forward to meeting them again across the many miles…
Thanks very much, Adam & Natalie!!!

My hosts in Dumfries, Virginia, live across the street from what’s known as one of the most haunted homes in Virginia…

$30 + parts. On a VERY tight budget, I’m happy it’s not more. On my way out of Fredericksburg, I felt the left side of the chariot weakening and wobbling. I looked down to find several spokes missing, and other spokes broken. The wheel was wobbling quite intensely, and I didn’t want to walk any further on it. I desperately needed to find a bicycle repair shop– as bike “mechanics” could also work mechanical wonders on my chariot. Luckily, I was still in a college town. Gary, a friendly local, directed me to Bike Works.
Andre, resident bicycle expert at Bike Works, assessed the scenario, told me the prob should be able to be fixed, and got busy… He finished some 40 minutes later…
…Fascinating how the day ultimately unfolded: Andre ended up helping way beyond what was needed, charging me close to half of what the price otherwise would have been. Interestingly, these broken spokes and the bike shop visit set me on a course to encounter a series of souls over the next few hours who not only paid the bill for me, but paid for a few meals down the road for me as well. Amazing.

Today’s 17 miles, mostly up Hwy 1, featured their fair fraction of danger, unfortunately. VA Hwy 1 absolutely SUCKS for any sort of human-powered transportation– at least between Fredericksburg and Aquia Harbor, where I reached at the end of the day. Nonetheless, one of the most cautiously alert and tiring days of the walk ended upon meeting hosts Adam and Natalie in Aquia Harbor. (More on them soon…)

Hosts Adam & Natalie (left) meet me at the end of the day for dinner outside of a local coffee shop. People from neighboring tables– Cindy, Austin, Ben and others eventually gravitate into a wider conversation about life, values, goals, directions, etc.
How Awesome!

“Can we offer you a drink?” Jake and Mary ask me, as they approached me on the sidewalk, before I met Adam and Natalie…

…Corbin, Virginia: This is the final outpost of rural America I’ll be seeing before reaching the southern edge of the greater DC metropolitan area. (I arrived to Fredericksburg hours later.)

Farewell steps through fields of rural Virginia…

Where the sidewalk starts.    This was the first sidewalk of southern Fredericksburg– the southern edge of the greater DC metropolitan area.

On the southern edge of Fredericksburg, I walk past the Slaughter Pen Farm Battlefield.

Even if 6-12 inches of highway shoulder emerges, I feel very fortunate– especially in Virginia!!

Historic Fredericksburg

Historic Fredericksburg

Historic Fredericksburg

Historic Fredericksburg

Historic Fredericksburg

Historic Fredericksburg

Caroline Street– Historic Fredericksburg.

Fascinating Fredericksburg History…

This dazzling duo ultimately inspired a stream of Fredericksburg’s fabulous fifth graders signing and writing happy messages to me this afternoon, on the back of my WALKING ACROSS AMERICA sign.
I’m very ready to arrive to Washington with the loving thoughts and words of children & adults alike!! ” <3 “

Fredericksburg’s fabulous fifth graders finish signing and writing happy messages to me this afternoon, on the back of my WALKING ACROSS AMERICA sign. (Yes, the back of one of my signs says “FOR SALE BY OWNER.” I simply put mailbox reflective letters on the other side to say: WALKING ACROSS AMERICA. That’s how I’ve done it since the beginning )

Fabulous Fredericksburg hosts Cameron & Rachel Novak!

Don, owner of Blackstone Coffee Company, in Fredericksburg, also lost his mother to cancer. He invited host Cameron Novak & me in for complimentary meals, and shared with us extensively regarding the story of his working history, including the birth of growth of Blackstone Coffee Company– from his garage to a second store under construction. His fascinating story would make for a great documentary piece!

Handmade by Don!

Happy Campers at Blackstone!!!

Service with a smile!

Mmmm!!!

Cameron is awesome on the guitar, and inspires me– I wanna learn!!

Not far now…
After nearly 4 years, this is the first sign I’ve seen giving me a distance to my committed goal. Funny that they don’t even attach the “D.C.”
Thunderstorms were predicted for the afternoon, so today’s mission was to get as far as possible before the storms!

Halfway through the day’s miles comes a butterfly blessing at blacktop’s edge!

The Macomber Family says goodbye this morning

Starting the day on a more remote, quiet road, en route to Hwy 301 and Bowling Green.

This is the first time I’ve stumbled across a business like this:
Dana, seen here, gives car washes on this lonely rural road by lowering a bucket into the creek water below. I love it!

Virginia Hwy 301, Caroline County

Organic PB&J on home-baked biscuits that last night’s kind host prepared for me on the way out the door today. I can’t think of anything that would hit the spot any better halfway through today’s 23k. Thank You so much, Christi M & Family!!

Ten miles into the hot day, Asia greets me on the side of the road and offers me a fresh bottle of frigid water– How sweet!!

Rural Caroline County, approaching Bowling Green.

Rural VA Hwy 301, approaching Bowling Green.

Rural Caroline County…

My kind of sign!!

Welcome!

Arriving into Bowling Green, shortly before dark.

Jimy & Loyce Edwards, my hosts for a pair of nights in Bowling Green, VA. I quickly found that this is the type of couple and community that I like spending at least a week with. That said, given a tighter schedule to reach DC by June 22, I was only able to spend a pair of happy nights with them both. Jimy is pastor of the local United Methodist Church.

Having ventured a “lucky 7″ miles out of my way to reach the more rural Hwy 301, I was super delighted to initially find what I’ve been sorely missing for over a thousand miles: roadside shoulders!!!
Of course, the shoulders dried up within a couple of miles, but I definitely enjoyed them while they lasted!! I truly do look forward to more shoulders, sidewalks, and hike-n-bike paths as I approach DC on foot .

Gabriel’s Rebellion. Incredibly inspiring. Gabriel has become one of my historic heroes. As far as I’m concerned, I consider him AT LEAST as much a “Founding Father” as Washington, Jefferson et al…

Half a dozen miles into my day, Christi & 15-year-old son Asa join me for the final half hour of the day’s walk to their cicada-surrounded home, tucked well into the woods of Frog Level (Doswell), Virginia.

Hooray, Macomber Family!

The entire Macomber Quintet greets me at the front gate: Duncan, Christi, Asa, Isaac & Charlotte greets me at the top of the long driveway into their forest-surrounded home.