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 15-20 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?

Here is my last GPS location. I am currently back home in Washington, DC. In September I plan to return to Kansas City and hopefully reach Denver before stopping for the year. Next year I will finish the journey from Denver 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. This year I have visited Bloomington, Springfield, St Louis, Columbia and Kansas City. Eventually I will also walk to Denver, Salt Lake City 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 2009. 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. In 2009 I walked from Washington, D.C. to Pittsburgh and then Pittsburgh to Chicago before stopping for the year. This June I walked from Chicago to Kansas City and in September I plan to walk from Kansas City to Denver. I will finish the journey in 2011.

What shoes do you wear?

I don’t have special shoes. At the moment it is Mizuno running sneakers. They are the fourth 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, two pairs of shorts, a pair of stretch pants, two exercise tops, two long-sleeved shirts, a fleece jacket, a rain jacket, two sports bras, 14 pairs of socks, 8 pairs of underwear, miscellaneous toiletries, a notebook, and a variety of electrical cords.

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