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 69–Sept. 10 Coming soon!

Day 61–Sept. 2 Over the border in Surrey, British Columbia city leaders attempted a truly foul solution to the problem of homelessness. According to an article in the Surrey North Delta Leader, chicken manure was spread around a Whalley social service building on Aug. 14 in an attempt to drive away vagrants. A political relations [...]

Day 35–August 7, 2009 The human body cannot live without food. Yet time and time again we give up food in favor of other things our body does not require. And certainly many people have gone hungry in favor of If this is the case, that so many people would rather go hungry than roofless, [...]

Day 31–August 3, 2009 I do not remember the first time I encountered someone who was homeless. It is not something that entered my consciousness growing up in the suburbs of Albany, N.Y. So it comes as no surprise to me that the Albany County 10-year Plan to End Homelessness suggests that it is an [...]

Day 28–July 31, 2009 Strictly speaking homelessness means not having a home. But there are many ways a person can be homeless; staying with family or friends; living in transitional housing or shelters; or simply getting by on the street, in cars, or in tents. Regardless, homelessness is the result of a breakdown in community. [...]

Day 27–July 30, 2009 Nearly four weeks and 230 miles into my trip I have come to the realization that injuries cannot be ignored. So, as of today, I am stepping off the road. It is my hope that after a couple weeks of rest my ankle will be ready to pound the pavement once [...]

Day 26–July 29, 2009 (rest in Pittsburgh, 0.0 miles) Since I began my walk not a month ago I have climbed mountains and walked beside farm fields. I have met amazing and generous people and made lifelong friends. I’ve walked through impoverished communities and been touched as those with almost nothing pulled money out of [...]

Day 25–July 28 (North Versailles, PA-Pittsburgh, PA, 12.7 miles) Virginia Woolf once said that for women to be successful as writers they had to have a “room of one’s own.” But many women do not even have a place to call home, let alone a room to devote to creative endeavors. In Pittsburgh there are [...]