Musings from my 122 day, 2,800 mile walk from Jacksonville, Florida to San Diego, California. I left the Atlantic on November 11th, 2020, and reached the Pacific on March 12th, 2021.
Southbound
On November 11th, 2020, my much anticipated third walk across America should begin. I purposefully throw in some sort of disclaimer when I talk about my upcoming journey. During these unprecedented times, plans can change in an instant. When folks have asked how long this walk will take, I tell them “exactly four to eight…
Alligator Alley?
After nine full days of walking, I have landed on the shores of the Ochlockonee River off Highway 20 in Northern Florida. I am 225 miles into my third walk across America. No signs of any alligators – yet – though I did see a young black bear nearly get hit by a car yesterday!…
Grateful in the Panhandle
I resumed my walk from the banks of the Ochlockonee River on Saturday, November 21st. When I was originally planning my trip, I intended to walk the Gulf Coast from Panama City to Pensacola, then over into Alabama. Unfortunately, Hurricane Sally hit the coast in September and damaged the Pensacola Bay Bridge, causing it to…
Sunshine, Cotton, and Magnolias
It was a good thing I had a roof over my head in North Pensacola. It poured…all day. But by the morning of November 30th, I was left with dry, sunny skies. My 27 mile walk to Robertsdale, Alabama, was a day of many firsts for this walk. I hit the first state line of…
Bayou Country
I was 16 miles from the Louisiana state line when I woke up on December 7th. It was a chilly 39 degrees outside as I packed up my gear. The woman camping “next door” brought me a cup of piping hot coffee, which helped warm me up. I walked back to the highway and said…
Loving Louisiana
Louisiana has presented plenty of challenges over the last six days and 170 miles. Every obstacle has been well worth the effort thanks to the beautiful scenery and a great deal of generosity and kindness from those I have crossed paths with. Terry dropped me back off at the Louisiana State Capitol building in downtown…
Trudging Through Texas
From Leesville, Louisiana, I found myself 25 miles from the Texas state line. To ensure my friend Gary (who put me up in Leesville for the night) got his money’s worth, I ate my fill of COVID compliant to-go breakfasts, drank plenty of coffee, watched some ESPN, and reorganized PJ before resuming my walk at…
The Heart of the Lone State State
I started 2021 off on the right foot (or maybe it was the left) by resuming my trek across the Lone Star State. I left the Super 8 in Fairfield around 10 AM and headed west on U.S. 84. The rain that soaked East Texas over the previous two days had moved out of the…
Walkin’ West Texas
I left the Ballinger Inn on January 12th ready to tackle West Texas. The storm that dumped five inches of wet snow in Ballinger had moved out of the area. Locals told me they typically receive and inch or two every winter. So far this season, they have received almost a foot of snow! Despite…
An Enchanted Walk…Back to Texas
Taking an impromptu rest day in Andrews, TX was a great decision. The ensuing 11 day, 290 mile walk to El Paso gave me all I could handle! PJ and I rolled out of Andrews around 8 AM on January 19th with the hope of reaching the New Mexico State Line, 32 miles down the…
The Borderwalk
I left El Paso on February 1st fully prepared to begin the “Borderwalk” segment of my journey. A few days before reaching El Paso, I planned on walking north to Las Cruces and following Interstate 10 west. “Weird things happen close to the border,” people warned me. The alternative (and my original plan) was to…
Sonoran Desert Musings
“Magical” is the best way to describe my nine day, 269 mile walk from Douglas, Arizona to Tempe. The scenery was incredible, the plants were mesmerizing, and solitude in the Sonoran Desert gave me plenty of time for reflection and introspection. I left Douglas on February 10th after a much needed day off. PJ and…
California Dreaming
The nine day, 231 mile jaunt from Tempe, Arizona to Blythe, California featured a variety of challenges and new experiences! I wasn’t going to coast through the final 200 miles of Arizona. I left my friend Shane’s house in Tempe on February 20th. California was still a ways away, but I could hear her calling.…
Pacific Bound
From Blythe, CA, I found myself less than 250 miles from the Pacific Ocean in San Diego. When I left my Motel 6 room, I reminded myself “250 miles is 250 miles. That’s still a long way to walk.” There have been plenty of challenges during the last nine days and 220 miles of walking!…
Wherever I Go, There I Am
From Santee, the finish line for my third walk across America was 30 miles away. Technically it was only 20, but I wanted my walk to total 2,800 miles, so I added a few extra steps during the last couple days. My amazing host in Santee, Melanie, joined me for a 14 mile walk on…
Ben Clagett 