List of people who have walked across the United States
Encyclopedia
Walking or running across the United States
has long been a challenge, especially to bring publicity to some social cause. The shortest route from coast to coast, from San Diego, CA, to Jacksonville, FL, (See map) is approximately 3782 kilometres (2,350 mi) long. With an average human walking speed
of 5 km/h, and allowing 12 hours per day of walking, the journey would take at least two months. Press coverage of attempts often refer to the portrayal of the feat in the movie Forrest Gump
.
in Santa Monica, CA, going through GA, AL, MS, LA, TX, NM, AZ, and CA. He left on May 10, 2010 and finished eighty-one days later on July 29, 2010.
.
to San Francisco, California
, crossing 10 states in three months (June 17, 2007–September 16, 2007), to raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis
. Casamassima is currently 29 and a graduate student at Harvard University
.
, a 36-year-old from Spokane, Washington
, and her 18-year-old daughter Clara walked from Spokane to New York City
in 1896, setting off on May 5th, 1896, passing through 14 states along the way, and arriving at the latter on Christmas Eve
. She did so in response to a $10,000 challenge from a sponsor given to any woman who would walk across the United States. She brought with her a compass, red-pepper spray, a revolver, and a curling iron. She wanted the money in order to save her family's 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) farm. She did not receive it.
. Fanning served in the 2nd Ranger Battalion with Tillman. The idea was to raise the $3.6 million Tillman gave up when he left the NFL to join the military. The money was donated to the Pat Tillman Foundation. He spent 8 months, walking across the U.S., speaking to schools, prisons, and corporations. He stopped 42 steps, symbolic of Tillman's jersey number from the Pacific Ocean
, technically, "not walking across the country for Pat," as he said in his final blog entry. He walked 50 miles (80.5 km) in 23 hours while in New Mexico.
In 1996–1997 he walked from Bangor, ME to San Diego, CA for local AIDS networks in memory of his brother Jimmy, who died of the disease. The walk was plagued by delays due to Figueroa's battle with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.
In 2005, he began a walk around the United States for victims of child abuse. Figueroa walked for six months and covered 6437 kilometres (3,999.8 mi) of the 12070 kilometres (7,500 mi).
On June 4, 2010 Figueroa left from where he previously stopped, 6.43 kilometres (4 mi) west of Somerset, PA and is currently finishing his trek around the United States. He plans to arrive in Tucson sometime in late December.
was inspired to walk across the United States following the 1999 suicide of his son, Stevie. Since then, he has walked about 26000 miles (41,842.8 km) through the 48 contiguous United States, passed through more than 1,800 communities and worn out 33 pairs of shoes while carrying a large sign that states, "LOVE LIFE."
filmmaker, walked from Venice Beach, CA to New York City
, with a small crew, including Mark Metivier, John Conway, Satinder Kaur, Leonora Anzaldua Burke, Michael Cox, Matthew Chester and Andres Pacheco. They started on February 1st, 2011 and ended on August 20th, 2011, taking 201 days (including rest days). They covered approximately 3800 miles (6,115.5 km), going south through New Orleans and the Bible Belt
and up the East Coast. They walked in shifts, living and working out of an RV that would drive ahead while they walked. Goodrich and Metivier were the only ones of the crew to complete the whole journey, from start to finish. The walk was part of a documentary A.J. was making to finish his graduate degree in film production at the University of Southern California
. The team's goal was to document people's feelings on same-sex marriage in the United States
, and to profile queer
issues and identity in America. The film is called "The Road Less Travelled By" and is currently in post-production.
from New York City, NY, walked from Rockaway Beach, NY to Rockaway Beach, OR. He began on March 27th, 2010 and ended on August 25th, 2010, taking 152 days (including some rest days), using walking directions provided by Google Maps
. He documented his journey as he walked by taking pictures with his Motorola Droid
and posting them to his blog
with comments. He pushed his belongings in a converted Runabout stroller. Each day, if in a place where he didn't know anyone, he would knock on someone's door and ask to pitch his tent on their property. Many people invited Matt into their homes and in doing so, he was able to share his story with many people and also learn about the lives of average Americans all across the country. One of Matt's favorite activities during his journey was documenting strange mailbox
es he encountered along his walk.
, a 27 year old, hiked 5000 miles (8,046.7 km) from Bellingham, Washington
to Key West, Florida
. Matt left Bellingham on September, 1st, 2006 and finished November, 8th, 2007. He walked down the west coast past L.A. and turned east to Key West. Matt raised over $11,000 for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
in the memory of his mother that passed from cancer. Matt kept a journal on his website, MyWalkingAdventure.com.
, setting off on January 1st, 1999 to Washington D.C., a distance of 3055 miles (4,916.5 km). She walked for six days per week, with a mean speed of 10 miles per day, in an effort to call people's attention to campaign finance
reform, taking 400 days to complete her walk.
from April 1st, 2008 to November 2nd, 2008, a total elapsed time of 215 days, 6 hours, and 24 minutes. He covered a distance of 3206.75 miles (5,160.8 km), walking for 176.75 days (1070 hours) with a mean
speed of 3 mi/h, raising $9,819.11 for charity.
in Cape Flattery, WA he walked to Neah Bay, WA then onto Seattle, WA. Hooker then flew to San Diego, CA and walked across America via a southern route, California
-Arizona
-New Mexico
-Texas
-Louisiana
-Mississippi
-Alabama
-Georgia
-Florida
finishing the hike / walk in Jacksonville, FL on February 27, 2003.
, age 25, left Encinitas, California on January 22, 2002 and arrived in New York City 3,349 miles and 154 days later. His only travel companion was his dog Cosmo. He did not carry a cell phone and had no support team. He covers the why and how in his 2010 Annenberg Foundation
lecture: http://www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org/events/iris_nights_past_ee_huey.asp
Huey's walk journals can be read here: http://www.aaronhuey.com/walk/pages/aaronhuey/walk_index.html
left home on April 1, 2009 to walk over 2200 miles across America to live his dream and to honor charities that include The Megan Gore Scholarship Fund and the The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Greg Insco completed his walk to Los Angeles, CA on June 15, 2009.
, a photojournalist
, walked from Alfred, New York
, setting off in October 1973, to Florence, Oregon
, which he reached in January 1979. He detailed his account in his book, A Walk Across America.
, and headed west through Arizona, California, then walked around the world entering US shores again in NY. NJ, PA, Upstate NY, Ontario, CA, MI, WI, MN, IA, MO, KS, CO. Her walk around the world was the culmination of a childhood dream, but moreover was an advocacy campaign for breast cancer around the world. In each country the funds raised stayed in that country. Her book, 3mph: The Adventures of One Woman's Walk Around the World has become a best seller.
The trip was more than 2400 miles (3,862.4 km) long, and went through 8 states.
, an ex-New York Giants
Football Player, began walking from New York City
's George Washington Bridge
to San Diego in order to raise money for medical care for the first responders to the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack
on the United States
.
, walked from Landers to the home of her sister in New Britain, Connecticut
in 1996.
, walked 3333 miles (5,363.9 km) from Jacksonville, Florida back to Seattle over 133 days. His trip began on May 1st, 2010 and ended on September 10, 2010. The walk began as a quest for individual accomplishment, with Jack soon realizing that the walk was much bigger than one man. Soon thereafter, the walk soon developed into a quest to raise money for Seattle Children's Hospital. Jack documented his walk daily on his blog at My Long Walk Home. When he finished walking, Jack hadn't reached the fundraising goal he had hoped to achieve. To help motivate donations, 2 weeks later Jack hopped on a bicycle and rode 3700 miles back towards Jacksonville over the next 6 weeks.
(1903 – 1977), a Russian-born health enthusiast, walked 3,387 miles from San Francisco to New York City
in 46 days in 1960.
, Denmark, ran coast to coast in the summer of 2005. Route: Los Angeles-Seattle-Calgary-Chicago-New York. This was a part of an around the world run from UK-Russia-Australia-USA-UK.
in 2005, a distance of 4900 miles (7,885.8 km) that crossed 13 states, setting off from Cape Henlopen
on 2005-02-27 and finishing in Point Reyes, CA in October of the same year. At their fastest, they covered 21.5 miles per day. Their mean speed was 34.4 kilometers a day.
The purpose of Al's walks is to raise awareness for disabled senior citizens. Al also lives by the quote, "Don't let your dreams die before you do."
and finished w/family and supporters on November 13, 2010 in San Francisco, CA. Jonathon walked 3030 miles (4,876.3 km) across 14 states while destroying 7 pairs of shoes in 8 months. He was joined by his dog, Kanoa for the first 5 months. As he moved West, Stalls raised awareness for leading global micro-finance organization Kiva Micro-funds. Through collective efforts of Stalls and supporters 'Kiva Walk' generated over $415,000 in loans to entrepreneurs across the globe.
and finished in Virginia Beach, Virginia
September 14, 2007. Amazingly enough, heading in opposite directions, with no prior knowledge of the existence of the other (according to his website) he and Joseph Casamassima crossed paths in Gibbon, Nebraska
—about the half way point for both men.
Bjorn Suneson, this time aged 62, ran across the US again, starting April 10, 2010 at Westport, Washington
and finishing July 17 at Tybee Island, Georgia
.
, UK, has walked and run from Cape Prince of Wales
, Alaska to Newfoundland
, Canada over Edmonton-Chicago-New York City. This was a part of an around the world run UK-Russia-USA-UK.
, pioneering the Teitelbaum Cutoff from Cripple Creek, CO to Buena Vista, CO. Their journal, documenting an abundance of raccoons, brambles, wrong turns, and incredible generosity and kindness, can be found here: http://www.trailjournals.com/walkacrosstheus
, a 40-year-old from Valley Center, CA, walked from Oceanside, California
to New York City, a distance of 2800 miles (4,506.2 km), setting off on 2005-04-10 and arriving on 2006-05-09. He lost 110 pounds in weight in the process.
) walked together from the Atlantic to the Pacific while shooting a documentary called Walk the Dream.. Their journey began on Long Island on April 21, 2010 and ended in Santa Monica on October 21, 2010. The trio's route brought them through NY, NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, CO, UT, NV, and CA. A support vehicle accompanied the three over the course of the 6 months.
Mark's blog can be read here: http://www.rungeordierun.com
, to New York City
through the Deep South. He was one of the founders of Walk of the People - A Pilgrimage for Life
, a walk that raised awareness for improving U.S.-Soviet Union relations, and the only participant to cover the entire distance in the United States. His story is in a book called "Walking through the Wall" by Kevin J. Shay.
Dale's blog on some reflections on his walk can be read here: http://walkofthepeople.blogspot.com
Peter Leaders has been walking across the country since October 2011 starting from Safety Harbor, FL.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
has long been a challenge, especially to bring publicity to some social cause. The shortest route from coast to coast, from San Diego, CA, to Jacksonville, FL, (See map) is approximately 3782 kilometres (2,350 mi) long. With an average human walking speed
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
of 5 km/h, and allowing 12 hours per day of walking, the journey would take at least two months. Press coverage of attempts often refer to the portrayal of the feat in the movie Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise...
.
Crossroads Pro-Life
Since 1996, non-profit group Crossroads Pro-Life has been sponsoring walks across the United States each summer to raise awareness for the pro-life movement. The age group that participates are generally college students; however, older individuals have walked as well. As of 2011, there are four walks that take place each summer from Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; and Los Angeles, CA. Starting around the end of May, each of the four walks meet at the end of the summer in Washington, DC. Crossroads also sponsors a walk across Canada and a walk around Ireland.Mark Baumer
Mark Baumer was 26 years old when he walked from Tybee Island, GA to the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
in Santa Monica, CA, going through GA, AL, MS, LA, TX, NM, AZ, and CA. He left on May 10, 2010 and finished eighty-one days later on July 29, 2010.
Mycle Brandy
Mycle Brandy, 59 years old and a 4 time stroke survivor from San Clemente, CA, walked from Newport Beach, CA to Washington DC leaving on 14 January, 2010, going through CA, AZ, NM, TX, OK, MO, IL, KY, IN, OH, WV, MD, VA, DC. He walked to raise awareness of the early warning signs of stroke and warn against a sedentary lifestyle visiting stroke units at local hospitals and talking with stroke survivors. He delivered his message through television, radio, newspapers and personal appearances and has raised more than $10,000 for the American Heart AssociationAmerican Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
.
Joseph Casamassima
Joe Casamassima, a musician and former teacher, at age 27 walked from Stroudsburg, PennsylvaniaStroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state, approximately five miles from the Delaware Water Gap, at the confluence of the Brodhead and Pocono Creeks. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Stroudsburg is part of the...
to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, crossing 10 states in three months (June 17, 2007–September 16, 2007), to raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
. Casamassima is currently 29 and a graduate student at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Daniel Brooks Chapin
In January 2010, Daniel Chapin a youth advocate and activist from Orange County, California walked from California to Tennessee and onto Washington D.C. after a brief month of rest in Nashville, Tennessee. The walk was organized to promote community solidarity and to raise awareness for the importance of unified faith based youth programs throughout the nation. Chapin who also served as a youth pastor and marriage counselor in California, was motivated by his interactions with young people in his then current hometown, Garden Grove, Calif saying,"Young people are looking for a sense and longing and community," he said. "They're not finding it, especially in churches. They're finding division and doctrinal differences." Chapin's journey visited the heartland of America and along the route he was hosted at a variety of venues who share similar goals of inter-community solidarity and exchange, such as the Roadrunner Hostel in Tucson, Arizona and All the King's Horses Children's Ranch in Benson, Arizona speaking at churches, city halls and the like. Chapin performed the walk without a cell phone or support vehicles. Instead, he relied on teams of individuals and those encountered along the way to aide in travel arrangements, host homes, etc. Chapin is currently working on a book to be released in the summer of 2011 on the journey.Helga Estby
Helga EstbyHelga Estby
Helga Estby was a Norwegian-American immigrant most noted for her walk across the United States during 1896.-Biography:...
, a 36-year-old from Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, and her 18-year-old daughter Clara walked from Spokane to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1896, setting off on May 5th, 1896, passing through 14 states along the way, and arriving at the latter on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
. She did so in response to a $10,000 challenge from a sponsor given to any woman who would walk across the United States. She brought with her a compass, red-pepper spray, a revolver, and a curling iron. She wanted the money in order to save her family's 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) farm. She did not receive it.
Rory Fanning
Rory Fanning, age 34, of Chicago, IL walked from Virginia Beach, VA to San Diego, CA in 2008-2009 in honor of Pat TillmanPat Tillman
Corporal Patrick Daniel "Pat" Tillman Jr. was an American football player who left his professional career and enlisted in the United States Army in June 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks. He joined the Army Rangers and served several tours in combat before he died in the...
. Fanning served in the 2nd Ranger Battalion with Tillman. The idea was to raise the $3.6 million Tillman gave up when he left the NFL to join the military. The money was donated to the Pat Tillman Foundation. He spent 8 months, walking across the U.S., speaking to schools, prisons, and corporations. He stopped 42 steps, symbolic of Tillman's jersey number from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, technically, "not walking across the country for Pat," as he said in his final blog entry. He walked 50 miles (80.5 km) in 23 hours while in New Mexico.
Louis Michael Figueroa
Louis Michael Figueroa, age 43, of Tucson, AZ is arguably the most prolific transcontinental journeyman. In 1982, at the age of 16, Figueroa became the fastest and youngest person to run across the United States covering the route from New Brunswick, NJ to San Francisco in 60 days to fulfill a promise to a friend who was dying of bone cancer.In 1996–1997 he walked from Bangor, ME to San Diego, CA for local AIDS networks in memory of his brother Jimmy, who died of the disease. The walk was plagued by delays due to Figueroa's battle with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.
In 2005, he began a walk around the United States for victims of child abuse. Figueroa walked for six months and covered 6437 kilometres (3,999.8 mi) of the 12070 kilometres (7,500 mi).
On June 4, 2010 Figueroa left from where he previously stopped, 6.43 kilometres (4 mi) west of Somerset, PA and is currently finishing his trek around the United States. He plans to arrive in Tucson sometime in late December.
Steve Fugate
Steve Fugate of FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
was inspired to walk across the United States following the 1999 suicide of his son, Stevie. Since then, he has walked about 26000 miles (41,842.8 km) through the 48 contiguous United States, passed through more than 1,800 communities and worn out 33 pairs of shoes while carrying a large sign that states, "LOVE LIFE."
A.J. Goodrich and Mark Metivier
A.J. Goodrich, a 27-year-old documentaryDocumentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
filmmaker, walked from Venice Beach, CA to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, with a small crew, including Mark Metivier, John Conway, Satinder Kaur, Leonora Anzaldua Burke, Michael Cox, Matthew Chester and Andres Pacheco. They started on February 1st, 2011 and ended on August 20th, 2011, taking 201 days (including rest days). They covered approximately 3800 miles (6,115.5 km), going south through New Orleans and the Bible Belt
Bible Belt
Bible Belt is an informal term for a region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism is a significant part of the culture and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average.The...
and up the East Coast. They walked in shifts, living and working out of an RV that would drive ahead while they walked. Goodrich and Metivier were the only ones of the crew to complete the whole journey, from start to finish. The walk was part of a documentary A.J. was making to finish his graduate degree in film production at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. The team's goal was to document people's feelings on same-sex marriage in the United States
Same-sex marriage in the United States
The federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage in the United States, but such marriages are recognized by some individual states. The lack of federal recognition was codified in 1996 by the Defense of Marriage Act, before Massachusetts became the first state to grant marriage licenses...
, and to profile queer
Queer
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary. In the context of Western identity politics the term also acts as a label setting queer-identifying people apart from discourse, ideologies, and lifestyles that typify mainstream LGBT ...
issues and identity in America. The film is called "The Road Less Travelled By" and is currently in post-production.
Matt Green
Matt Green, a 30-year-old civil engineerCivil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
from New York City, NY, walked from Rockaway Beach, NY to Rockaway Beach, OR. He began on March 27th, 2010 and ended on August 25th, 2010, taking 152 days (including some rest days), using walking directions provided by Google Maps
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
. He documented his journey as he walked by taking pictures with his Motorola Droid
Motorola Droid
The Motorola Droid is an Internet and multimedia enabled smartphone designed by Motorola, which runs Google's Android operating system. The Droid had been publicized under the codenames Sholes and Tao and the model number A855...
and posting them to his blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
with comments. He pushed his belongings in a converted Runabout stroller. Each day, if in a place where he didn't know anyone, he would knock on someone's door and ask to pitch his tent on their property. Many people invited Matt into their homes and in doing so, he was able to share his story with many people and also learn about the lives of average Americans all across the country. One of Matt's favorite activities during his journey was documenting strange mailbox
Mailbox
Mailbox may refer to:* Letter box, copper box, or other sturdy material compartment, or slot for incoming postal deliveries.* Post box, a physical box for outgoing postal deliveries....
es he encountered along his walk.
Matt Gregory
Matt GregoryMatt Gregory
Matt Gregory is the former Attorney General of the Northern Mariana Islands. He was appointed in 2006 and served until September 2008. After Gregory's departure, the position was vacant for nearly eleven months.-External links:* on LinkedIn...
, a 27 year old, hiked 5000 miles (8,046.7 km) from Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
to Key West, Florida
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
. Matt left Bellingham on September, 1st, 2006 and finished November, 8th, 2007. He walked down the west coast past L.A. and turned east to Key West. Matt raised over $11,000 for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, is one of the world’s leading cancer research institutes...
in the memory of his mother that passed from cancer. Matt kept a journal on his website, MyWalkingAdventure.com.
Doris Haddock
Doris Haddock, a.k.a. "Granny D", an 89-year-old activist, retired secretary and shoe factory worker, walked from Pasadena, CaliforniaPasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, setting off on January 1st, 1999 to Washington D.C., a distance of 3055 miles (4,916.5 km). She walked for six days per week, with a mean speed of 10 miles per day, in an effort to call people's attention to campaign finance
Campaign finance
Campaign finance refers to all funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest. In modern democracies such funds are not necessarily devoted to election campaigns. Issue campaigns in referendums, party activities and party...
reform, taking 400 days to complete her walk.
Rick Hammersley
Rick Hammersley, aged 60, of Green Cove Springs, FL walked from California to Coney IslandConey Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
from April 1st, 2008 to November 2nd, 2008, a total elapsed time of 215 days, 6 hours, and 24 minutes. He covered a distance of 3206.75 miles (5,160.8 km), walking for 176.75 days (1070 hours) with a mean
Arithmetic mean
In mathematics and statistics, the arithmetic mean, often referred to as simply the mean or average when the context is clear, is a method to derive the central tendency of a sample space...
speed of 3 mi/h, raising $9,819.11 for charity.
Steven Hawke
Steven Hawke left Malibu, California on May 15, 2009 to introduce the idea and design for a new history museum to Americans and the world. The journey included Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Topeka, St. Louis, Frankfort, Charleston, Richmond and on to Washington, D.C. As planned, Steven arrived in Washington on September 10, 2009. Steven reminded those who spoke with him that walking was the first method of transportation used by our ancestors, to travel from coast to coast. His journey across America covered 3860 miles. Travel companions included D. Anson Brody and Natt Holman.Thomas Hooker
Thomas Hooker, age 42, of Seattle, WA started his walk on September 11, 2002, the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Beginning in the corner of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in Cape Flattery, WA he walked to Neah Bay, WA then onto Seattle, WA. Hooker then flew to San Diego, CA and walked across America via a southern route, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
-New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
-Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
-Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
-Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
-Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
-Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
-Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
finishing the hike / walk in Jacksonville, FL on February 27, 2003.
Aaron Huey
Aaron HueyAaron Huey
Aaron Huey is an American photojournalist and documentary photographer who is most widely known for his walk across America in 2002 and his work on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He grew up in Worland, Wyoming, graduating from Worland High School. At the age of 18, he studied as a Rotary...
, age 25, left Encinitas, California on January 22, 2002 and arrived in New York City 3,349 miles and 154 days later. His only travel companion was his dog Cosmo. He did not carry a cell phone and had no support team. He covers the why and how in his 2010 Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation is a private foundation that provides funding and support to non-profit organizations in the United States and around the world...
lecture: http://www.annenbergspaceforphotography.org/events/iris_nights_past_ee_huey.asp
Huey's walk journals can be read here: http://www.aaronhuey.com/walk/pages/aaronhuey/walk_index.html
Greg Insco
Greg Insco, at age 26 from Colerain Township in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
left home on April 1, 2009 to walk over 2200 miles across America to live his dream and to honor charities that include The Megan Gore Scholarship Fund and the The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Greg Insco completed his walk to Los Angeles, CA on June 15, 2009.
Peter Jenkins
Peter JenkinsPeter Jenkins (travel author)
Peter Jenkins describes his experiences over nearly six years that he spent walking from New York to Oregon.Peter was born on July 8 of 1951He is a graduate of Alfred University, with a BFA in Sculpture/Ceramics , as well as an honorary doctorate ....
, a photojournalist
Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism...
, walked from Alfred, New York
Alfred (village), New York
Alfred is a village located in the Town of Alfred in Allegany County, New York, USA. The population was 3,954 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Alfred the Great....
, setting off in October 1973, to Florence, Oregon
Florence, Oregon
Florence is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 8,466.-History:The Florence area was originally inhabited by the Siuslaw tribe of Native Americans. Some state that the city was named for state senator A. B...
, which he reached in January 1979. He detailed his account in his book, A Walk Across America.
Ron Kessler
Ron Kessler, 39, walked 3600 miles (5,793.6 km) without a support vehicle from Cape Henlopen, DE to Point Reyes Seashore, CA in 2008 between March 1st and October 11th. He loosely followed the American Discovery Trail from Delaware through Missouri, then carved his own route from Kansas westward. He walked to raise money for breast cancer research and encourage regular mammograms, and was inspired by a close friend who succumbed to the disease just months after the walk. Ron wishes to thank the many, many people who helped him along the way. His journal can be found at http://www.trailjournals.com/roadtothecurePolly Letofsky
Polly Letofsky, 37, walked around the world and as a natural portion of that walked across the United States. She started in Vail, ColoradoVail, Colorado
The Town of Vail is a Home Rule Municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,589 in 2005. The town was established and built as the base village to Vail Ski Resort, with which it was originally conceived...
, and headed west through Arizona, California, then walked around the world entering US shores again in NY. NJ, PA, Upstate NY, Ontario, CA, MI, WI, MN, IA, MO, KS, CO. Her walk around the world was the culmination of a childhood dream, but moreover was an advocacy campaign for breast cancer around the world. In each country the funds raised stayed in that country. Her book, 3mph: The Adventures of One Woman's Walk Around the World has become a best seller.
Steffen Hem Lian
Steffen Hem Lian, 25 years old from Norway, walked alone from San Diego, CA to Savannah, GA. He left on August 10, 2007 and arrived January 1, 2008. He did this to raise money and awareness for kids with cancer.The trip was more than 2400 miles (3,862.4 km) long, and went through 8 states.
George Martin
On September 16, 2007, George MartinGeorge Martin (American football)
George Dwight Martin is a former American football defensive end who played his entire career in the National Football League for the New York Giants...
, an ex-New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
Football Player, began walking from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
to San Diego in order to raise money for medical care for the first responders to the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Matt Mattingly
Matt Mattingly, age 59 of Sonora, California, walked 3507 miles (5,644 km) in 117 days, from near the Statue of Liberty in New York City to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Mattingly finished his journey on Sept 7, 1990, and wrote about his experiences in his book The Long Walk Home.Margie McCauley
Margie McCauley, a 67-year-old from Landers, CaliforniaLanders, California
Landers is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California. The town lies in the Homestead Valley of the Mojave Desert, northeast of Flamingo Heights. The closest large towns are Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree. The town has its own small airport, Landers Airport.Near Landers is Giant...
, walked from Landers to the home of her sister in New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254....
in 1996.
Jack Morris
Jack Morris, a 40-year-old from Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, walked 3333 miles (5,363.9 km) from Jacksonville, Florida back to Seattle over 133 days. His trip began on May 1st, 2010 and ended on September 10, 2010. The walk began as a quest for individual accomplishment, with Jack soon realizing that the walk was much bigger than one man. Soon thereafter, the walk soon developed into a quest to raise money for Seattle Children's Hospital. Jack documented his walk daily on his blog at My Long Walk Home. When he finished walking, Jack hadn't reached the fundraising goal he had hoped to achieve. To help motivate donations, 2 weeks later Jack hopped on a bicycle and rode 3700 miles back towards Jacksonville over the next 6 weeks.
Dr. Barbara Moore
Dr. Barbara MooreBarbara Moore (vegetarian)
Dr. Barbara Moore was a Russian-born health enthusiast who gained celebrity in the early 1960s for her long-distance walking....
(1903 – 1977), a Russian-born health enthusiast, walked 3,387 miles from San Francisco to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 46 days in 1960.
Jesper Olsen
Jesper OlsenJesper Olsen (runner)
Jesper Olsen, or Jesper Kenn Olsen, is an ultra distance runner from Denmark.-Education:Olsen has a Master's degree in political science from Copenhagen University. He also has a law degree.-World Run I:...
, Denmark, ran coast to coast in the summer of 2005. Route: Los Angeles-Seattle-Calgary-Chicago-New York. This was a part of an around the world run from UK-Russia-Australia-USA-UK.
Marcia and Ken Powers
Marcia and Ken Powers, a husband and wife from Pleasanton, CA, walked along the American Discovery TrailAmerican Discovery Trail
The American Discovery Trail is a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. It starts on the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and ends on the northern California coast on the Pacific Ocean, and is signed on over of trail. This includes the doubled...
in 2005, a distance of 4900 miles (7,885.8 km) that crossed 13 states, setting off from Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen is the southern cape of the Delaware Bay along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It lies in the state of Delaware, near the town of Lewes, Delaware...
on 2005-02-27 and finishing in Point Reyes, CA in October of the same year. At their fastest, they covered 21.5 miles per day. Their mean speed was 34.4 kilometers a day.
Al Slusser
At the age of 71, Al Slusser is the oldest recorded man to walk across America. He stepped out of the Pacific Ocean at San Diego, California on October 1, 2009. He took a 3 month break upon arrival to Arizona from November 1, 2009 to February 6, 2010 due to a family illness. On August 13, 2010 Al walked into the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean at Annapolis, MD. His walk lasted 220 days and he walked 3,188 miles. Al also plans on walking from the bottom of Florida to the tip of Maine and then walking along the West coast as well. He hopes to accomplish all of his walks by the age of 73. Keep tuned to his website, Great America Walk for updates.The purpose of Al's walks is to raise awareness for disabled senior citizens. Al also lives by the quote, "Don't let your dreams die before you do."
Jonathon Stalls
Jonathon Stalls, a 28-year-old resident of Denver, CO started walking on March 1, 2010 from Lewes, DelawareLewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
and finished w/family and supporters on November 13, 2010 in San Francisco, CA. Jonathon walked 3030 miles (4,876.3 km) across 14 states while destroying 7 pairs of shoes in 8 months. He was joined by his dog, Kanoa for the first 5 months. As he moved West, Stalls raised awareness for leading global micro-finance organization Kiva Micro-funds. Through collective efforts of Stalls and supporters 'Kiva Walk' generated over $415,000 in loans to entrepreneurs across the globe.
Bjorn Suneson
Bjorn Suneson, a 59-year-old Swedish marathon runner and economics journalist, began his run across the United States on June 11, 2007 in Florence, OregonFlorence, Oregon
Florence is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 8,466.-History:The Florence area was originally inhabited by the Siuslaw tribe of Native Americans. Some state that the city was named for state senator A. B...
and finished in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
September 14, 2007. Amazingly enough, heading in opposite directions, with no prior knowledge of the existence of the other (according to his website) he and Joseph Casamassima crossed paths in Gibbon, Nebraska
Gibbon, Nebraska
Gibbon is a city in Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Kearney, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,759 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Gibbon is located at ....
—about the half way point for both men.
Bjorn Suneson, this time aged 62, ran across the US again, starting April 10, 2010 at Westport, Washington
Westport, Washington
Westport is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The city's population was 2,099 at the 2010 census.Westport is located on a peninsula on the south side of the entrance to Grays Harbor from the Pacific Ocean. The public Westport Marina is the largest marina on the outer coast...
and finishing July 17 at Tybee Island, Georgia
Tybee Island, Georgia
Tybee Island is an island and city in Chatham County, Georgia near the city of Savannah in the southeastern United States. It is the easternmost point in the state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,990. Tybee Island is an island and city in Chatham County, Georgia near...
.
Rosie Swale-Pope
Rosie Swale-PopeRosie Swale-Pope
Rosie Swale-Pope, MBE, born , is an author, adventurer and marathon runner who successfully completed a five-year around-the-world run, raising £250,000 for a charity that supports orphaned children in Russia and to highlight the importance of early diagnosis of prostate cancer...
, UK, has walked and run from Cape Prince of Wales
Cape Prince of Wales
Cape Prince of Wales is the westernmost point on the mainland of the Americas.Located on the Seward Peninsula of the U.S. state of Alaska near the city of Wales, Cape Prince of Wales is the terminus of the Continental Divide, marking the division between the Pacific and Arctic coasts, as well as...
, Alaska to Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Canada over Edmonton-Chicago-New York City. This was a part of an around the world run UK-Russia-USA-UK.
Tamar and Jakob Teitelbaum
Tamar and Jakob Teitelbaum, a married couple from Montreal, QC, hiked from Cape Henlopen, DE to Point Reyes, CA in 2006, covering 4400 miles (7,081.1 km) in 205 days. They walked from April 25 to November 17, taking off one day in Grand Junction, CO to bury water in the desert. They followed the American Discovery TrailAmerican Discovery Trail
The American Discovery Trail is a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. It starts on the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and ends on the northern California coast on the Pacific Ocean, and is signed on over of trail. This includes the doubled...
, pioneering the Teitelbaum Cutoff from Cripple Creek, CO to Buena Vista, CO. Their journal, documenting an abundance of raccoons, brambles, wrong turns, and incredible generosity and kindness, can be found here: http://www.trailjournals.com/walkacrosstheus
Steve Vaught
Steve VaughtSteve Vaught
Steve Vaught, also known as The Fat Man Walking, is a California man who walked across the United States of America in an attempt to lose weight...
, a 40-year-old from Valley Center, CA, walked from Oceanside, California
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
to New York City, a distance of 2800 miles (4,506.2 km), setting off on 2005-04-10 and arriving on 2006-05-09. He lost 110 pounds in weight in the process.
Blake Wink, Dan Petracca, Sara Klem
The group of three (all from Rochester, USARochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
) walked together from the Atlantic to the Pacific while shooting a documentary called Walk the Dream.. Their journey began on Long Island on April 21, 2010 and ended in Santa Monica on October 21, 2010. The trio's route brought them through NY, NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, KS, CO, UT, NV, and CA. A support vehicle accompanied the three over the course of the 6 months.
Bob Wieland
Bob Wieland is a Vietnam War veteran who lost his legs to a mortar mine in 1969. He "ran" across America on his hands, taking three years, eight months, and six days to travel from coast to coast and raise money for Vietnam war veterans.Leo Schreven
Leo Schreven as a teenager made 100 goals to finish by the time he became 50. Walking across America was the last of those 100 goals he had left to accomplish. On the 9th of February on Jacksonville Beach in Florida Leo Schreven began his walk that would last 100 day and would end on his 50th birthday. Each day he made a video with a short talk and then it would show some interesting things he would see during the day making it probably the most documented walk across America. He finished in San Diego California on his birthday, 100 days after he began. You can see more about Leo Schreven's Walk Across America at http://www.goallpower.com/walk/. You can see his route and his daily videos.Mark Allison
In the Summer of 2007, Mark Allison ran 874 miles (1,406.6 km) from John O'Groats to Lands End in 37 days raising £34,108 for St Benedict's Hospice (Charity No. 1019410) in the UK. This Hospice cared for his mother during her final days battling lung cancer. Continuing to repay the debt of gratitude to the Hospice in May - August 2011 he is running from California to New York in 100 days—a distance of approx. 3100 miles which will see him run an average daily mileage of 31 miles.Mark's blog can be read here: http://www.rungeordierun.com
Elena J. Hanuse
From her book, "One step at a time : my 18-month walk across America," at age 52, Hanuse set out to realize a childhood dream: to walk from the Golden Gate bridge to the Statue of Liberty. The family dog, Buck, went the distance with her; husband Alex provided moral and logistical support for the adventure. This is Hanuse's affecting if somewhat truncated re-creation (10 of the 13 chapters are set west of the Mississippi). There were some close calls: back home Alex had a life-threatening bout with an ulcer; the author's knees nearly gave out in Death Valley and she contracted pneumonia in Colorado; Buck was swept downstream by floodwaters in Utah. Hanuse, a teacher, paused during the journey to speak to school and church groups; she seems to have enjoyed a warm rapport with the children she met.Dale James Outhouse
In 1984, peace activist Dale James Outhouse walked some 4500 miles (7,242 km) from Point Conception, CAPoint Conception
Point Conception is a headland along the Pacific coast of U.S. state of California, located in southwestern Santa Barbara County. It is the point where the Santa Barbara Channel meets the Pacific Ocean, and as the corner between the mostly north-south trending portion of coast to the north and the...
, to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
through the Deep South. He was one of the founders of Walk of the People - A Pilgrimage for Life
Walk of the People - A Pilgrimage for Life
A Walk of the People - A Pilgrimage for Life was a walking personal and political action organized by peace activists Dale James Outhouse and Pamela Blockey O'Brien to bring attention to the perils of impending nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union...
, a walk that raised awareness for improving U.S.-Soviet Union relations, and the only participant to cover the entire distance in the United States. His story is in a book called "Walking through the Wall" by Kevin J. Shay.
Dale's blog on some reflections on his walk can be read here: http://walkofthepeople.blogspot.com
Currently Walking across the US
Husband and wife team Nick and Lucy Russell started walking from the coast of Georgia in October 2011. Their goal is to reach the West coast and raise money for poor people in Tajikistan.Peter Leaders has been walking across the country since October 2011 starting from Safety Harbor, FL.