Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 11, 2009 – 2:04 pm
Day 8–July 11, 2009 (rest in McConnellsburg, PA, 0.0 miles) JLG Industries is one of the largest employers in McConnellsburg. The company recently gained a government contract to build armored vehicles, which will mean more jobs in a region that sorely needs them. But while it may bring jobs, it will do nothing towards creating a [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 10, 2009 – 4:56 pm
Day 7–July 10, 2009 (Mercersburg, PA-McConnellsburg, PA, 9.9 miles) More than a few times I have heard comments suggesting that poor people, homeless people, are lazy; that they don’t want to accept a job at McDonalds or take some other minimum wage job; and that they don’t want to work. I don’t know where those people [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 10, 2009 – 3:02 am
Day 6–July 9, 2009 (Hagerstown, MD-Mercersburg, PA, 19.6 miles) Today I realized for the first time just how many people my trip has touched, and how much the support, encouragement and well wishes from those I have met along the way have helped propel me forward on my journey. Walking through Hagerstown on my way [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 8, 2009 – 11:32 pm
Day 5–July 8, 2009 (Greenbriar State Park-Hagerstown, 13.6 miles) This morning began cold and miserable in a tent. It ended exhausted but with a renewed energy to push on. Today, I met a man named Fred in Wagners Crossroads just as I was feeling the reality of my trip sinking in and having doubts about [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 7, 2009 – 7:58 pm
Day 4–July 7, 2009 (Frederick-Greenbrier State Park, 16.5 miles) As I was leaving Frederick today, I passed someone, clearly surprised to see a woman walking through town with a backpack, who shouted out “the Himalayas are that way” and pointed in the direction from which I’d come. Fortunately I am not crossing such a formidable [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 6, 2009 – 8:41 pm
Day 3–July 6, 2009 (Germantown-Frederick, 13.3 miles) After a painful purge of 15 pounds from my backpack (including the first two-thirds of a book I had been reading that I ripped out and threw away) I began to make some real progress. A lighter backpack made a huge difference and I was actually enjoying walking. [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 5, 2009 – 10:28 pm
Day 2–July 5, 2009 (Rockville-Germantown, 9.5 miles) I don’t know how I failed to notice, but Maryland is just one long uphill. And this morning I found out the cold hard truth about just how much weight I am lugging around. When I purchased a tent from the nice guys at Hudson Trail Outfitters in [...]
Written by Jennifer Cooper on July 4, 2009 – 9:48 pm
Day 1–July 4, 2009 (Washington, D.C.-Rockville, 12.5 miles) As I began my 3,000 mile journey from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco it was hard not to notice the difference between the haves and the have-nots in this country. I started my walk at the Lincoln Memorial among those who are celebrating the nation’s independence, people [...]