Day 89–Sept. 30 ( Lake Milton, OH – Braceville, OH, 14.8 miles) *came to Lake Milton from Warren by car and spoke to students at Jackson-Milton Elementary School When we are young we are told not to talk to strangers. We are told to fear those who are different, to judge people by their appearance. [...]

Day 88–Sept. 29 (Youngstown, OH –  Warren, OH, 8.8 miles) It has been a generation since steel manufacturing jobs left the region. Many living in western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana can remember family members working in the steel mills or perhaps worked there themselves. At it’s peak in the 1940s more than half a million [...]

Day 87–Sept. 28 (New Castle, PA – Youngstown, OH, 17.3 miles) Absent from many discussions of affordable housing are a few realities. First, much of “affordable” housing is substandard, owned by slum lords who charge too high a rent payment for poor quality housing. Second, many people who can afford rent payments in an affordable [...]

Day 86–Sept. 27 (rest in New Castle, PA, 0.0 miles) I will admit right now: I am not a fan of Wal-Mart. I disagree with many of its business practices from discrimination against women and the low wages it pays employees to its union-busting activities and editing of books, CDs and DVDs for content it [...]

Day 85–Sept. 26 (Beaver Falls, PA-New Castle, PA 18 miles) In the bad times, when we struggle and make our way through hardship or tragedy, we vow we will never forget. But we do forget. When I was first married I can remember struggling to pay the bills and staying up nights wondering how we [...]

Day 84–Sept. 25 (Baden, PA-Beaver Falls, PA, 10.8 miles) Twenty miles to the north of Pittsburgh the town of Aliquippa is perhaps the most run-down town I have seen in my life. Many of its buildings are abandoned and drug dealers and prostitutes run rampant. I was warned against visiting the town. I was told [...]

Day 83–Sept. 24 (Bellvue, PA-Baden, PA, 14.2 miles) The sidewalks along Route 65 in Emsworth are in such a state of disrepair that in many places grass and weeds have fully reclaimed the concrete. When I was walking, I passed no one. Just a little north lies the town of Sewickley. The sidewalks are pristine. [...]

Day 82–Sept. 23 (Pittsburgh, PA-Bellvue, PA, 7.9 miles) Leaving Pittsburgh today I felt conflicted. I was not interested in being part of a G-20 protest that could become violent. And I didn’t think it was my battle. But, with each step I took, I realized that every protest is my battle–our battle–to preserve democracy and [...]

Some 80 days after I first began my cross-country journey on July 4th in Washington, D.C., I find myself in Pittsburgh once again. I first reached this diverse and dynamic city more than a month ago. But I was forced to take a an unscheduled break from walking as a result of a stress fracture. [...]

Day 81–Sept. 22 Coming soon!