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The United States is a big country any way you look at it. It takes hours by plane, days by car or train, and months (if not years) by foot. Why would anyone go through the trouble of walking across the US? Asking this question to Matt Green from I'm Just Walkin' will probably get you an answer in the form of a question: Why not?
Pulling a Forrest Gump
He's not the first to do it (check out Tom's site from 1997), but his experience is inspiring and worth sharing. Matt writes:
"I’m anxious. I’m not sure what I’m doing with my life. I need an adventure. And I do want to smell the ground and look at grass and birds and trees. I want to savor the country. And there’s no other way to do it save on foot.
A couple years ago I started a walking group called Hey, I’m Walkin’ Here! in New York City, and my love for walking really blossomed over the course of our adventures. Moving through the world at three miles an hour, you can fully take in your surroundings. There’s nothing separating you from your environment. You notice things that go completely undetected by people zooming by in cars. It’s such a rich experience: you can see, hear, and smell everything around you, and even touch and taste things if you feel like it."
Human-Scale Travel
Matt has been walking for 67 days now, and he's near Minneapolis in Minnesota. He has been posting photos taken along the road on his website, as well as a map showing his progress. Some of the photos are of funny or interesting that he saw during his journey, but many are of the people that he met. It seems like walking alone is a great way to meet cool people, because Matt has met dozens of them!
If you are curious about where Matt sleeps or what equipment he has brought along, check out this page on his site.
Good luck on your journey, Matt!
See Also
Recap of Bike Month in New York City (Video)
Drive No More: 6 Alternatives to Your Car
