Why are you walking?

I am walking 3,000 miles from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco in an attempt to raise awareness of poverty and homelessness and to write a book about my travels. Please check out my Why I am Walking page.

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 15 miles a day on average.

Where do you sleep at night?

It depends on the day. Sometimes I have stayed in hotels or camped. Other days I stay with people I have met along 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?

I am back home in Washington, D.C. I reached Chicago on Oct. 31 where I ended my walk for the season. Here is my last GPS location. I expect to return to Chicago in the Spring and continue my trek to San Francisco.

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

I began in Washington, D.C., and have visited Frederick, Md., Hagerstown, Md., McConnellsburgh, Pa., Greensburg, Pa. and then Pittsburgh. From there visited Youngstown, Cleveland, Detroit, Elkhart, South Bend and Chicago. When I resume my walk I will travel to Des Moines, Denver, Sacramento and San Francisco 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. But 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. I hope to make it to Chicago before stopping for the year at the end of October. I will pick up my journey the following spring.

What shoes do you wear?

I don’t have special shoes. At the moment it is Brooks walking sneakers. They are the third pair of sneakers since I started my trip.

How heavy is your backpack?

Initially my backpack was 54 pounds. I twice reduced the weight by mailing items home. It is now approximately 35 pounds.

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, two pairs of shorts, two pairs of stretch pants, a pair of wind pants, a pair of long underwear, two exercise tops, four long-sleeved shirts, a fleece jacket, a rain jacket, two sports bras, 10 pairs of socks, 10 pairs of underwear, miscellaneous toiletries, a notebook, and a variety of electrical cords.

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