These Knees Were Made For Walking

Since I was 10 years old I have wanted to walk across the country. I have lost count of how many times I have planned the trip. 

The last time was a few years ago when I saw a news story about the ELF mobile. Jerry Seinfeld was here in Durham, where it is made. 

https://organictransit.com/product/elf-solo/

A self powered vehicle that I could put all my stuff in and pedal my way across the country. But I didn’t do that.

Well, I retired this year and now is my chance. I am planning on walking from Rehoboth, Delaware to Kalaloch, Washington. I leave North Carolina on April 18th, I am doing what we’re calling “Hub and Spokes”. My aunt Ina will travel with me. We will camp in one spot for several days. Ina will take me to the trail and I will walk. Then she will come pick me up and we will go back to camp and I will pick up the trail from where I left off. Every week or so we move camp a little further along. That way, I get to go “home” every night, sleep in the same bed. Have coffee and start fresh every morning. 

There is an organization called “Rails to Trails”. They rehab old railroad lines into paths that people can hike/walk/bike/horseback ride along. They are working on the “Great American Rail Trail” 

This is the interactive link: https://gis.railstotrails.org/grtamerican/

It is not completely done but this is the path I am going to take. It starts in Washington, DC and ends on the Washington State coast and goes through 12 states plus DC: 

Washington, DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington. However, I am starting in Delaware so that state is added to my itinerary for a total of 13 states plus DC.