Why are you walking?

I am walking 3,000 miles from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles  to talk to those experiencing poverty and homelessness firsthand, and to write a book about my travels.

Do you accept donations?

Yes. I encourage people to donate to any of the organizations that assist the homeless, provide affordable housing or work towards reducing poverty that are listed on my Donate page. I can also accept donations towards my journey on this site through Pay Pal.

How else can I help the homeless?

If you want to help the homeless but are unsure where to start, the National Coalition for the Homeless offers suggestions with a handy guide: How YOU Can Help End Homelessness.

How many miles a day do you walk?

I walk 20 miles a day on average.

Where do you sleep at night?

It depends on the day. Sometimes I stay in hotels or camp. Other days I stay with people I meet on my journey. If you live on My Route or know someone who does and are interested in offering me a place to stay, please contact me at jcooper@justabumpintheroad.org.

Where are you now?

Here is my last GPS location. I am currently walking from Kansas City to Oklahoma City.

What cities and towns will you be visiting on your route?

I began in Washington, D.C., and have visited Frederick, Hagerstown, Greensburg, and then Pittsburgh. From there visited Youngstown, Cleveland, Detroit, Elkhart, South Bend and Chicago. Last year I visited Bloomington, Springfield, St Louis, Columbia and Kansas City. I am currently walking to Lawrence, Topeka, Manhattan, Wichita and Oklahoma City. Next spring I plan to walk to Amarillo, Albuquerque, Flagstaff and Los Angeles among many other cities and towns. A full map is listed the My Route page.

How long do you think it will take you?

I initially had planned to spend four months walking, averaging 25 miles a day, and arrive in San Francisco by the end of October 2009. I have since determined that it doesn’t really matter how long it takes as it is more about the journey and the people I meet along the way. In 2009 I walked from Washington, D.C. to Chicago and in June 2010 I walked from Chicago to Kansas City. I am currently walking from Kansas City to Oklahoma City. I hope to finish the journey in early spring 2012.

What shoes do you wear?

I don’t have special shoes. At the moment it is Asics trail running sneakers. They are the fifth pair of sneakers since I started my trip.

How heavy is your backpack?

Initially my backpack was 54 pounds. It is now approximately 30-35 pounds depending on how much water I am carrying.

What are you carrying with you?

In my backpack I have a tent, a sleeping bag, a laptop, a cell phone, two bottles of water, a couple changes of clothes, a fleece jacket, a rain jacket, lots of socks, miscellaneous toiletries, a notebook, and a variety of electrical cords.

Have any other questions? E-mail me at jcooper@justabumpintheroad.org