Forward in 2011

I have lined up a new destination for 2011's walk. To be revealed -- amid no fanfare -- on January 1.

Day 356

DATE: December 22

MILES: 1,077.1

I'm here, at Lafitte's in the French Quarter. Not only am I nine days ahead of schedule, but I counted 29 days I didn't walk at all. That means I only spent 329 days on the road.

Walking between now and Dec. 31 will count for next year's walk. Where to? Check back Jan. 1.

Day 348

DATE: December 14

MILES: 1,050.8

I'm in the home stretch, now entering the greater New Orleans area.

I've got 26 miles to go, though according to my map-tracking, I seem a lot closer than that to the French Quarter. Over the year, I've been following several pages of walking directions, and there's a good chance I flubbed a turn or two.

In any case, the goal is still 1,077 miles by Dec. 31, so if I have to virtually walk around the block a few times to hit that distance, I'll do so. The good news is, I'm ahead by 6 miles currently, and well on track to hit the bar before New Year's Eve.

Day 323

DATE: Nov. 19

MILES: 977

I'm finally in a town with some history: Purvis, Mississippi -- an important railway depot; the scene of some troublesome tornados and hurricanes; and, in the early 1960s, part of Project Dribble, where the feds set off a couple underground nuclear bombs nearby.

Also, I'm caught up and have just 100 miles to go.

Day 312

DATE: Nov. 8
MILES: 921
On U.S. 11, just south of Sandersville, Mississippi. Nothing to report.

Day 302

DATE: October 29

MILES: 885.1

Now in Mississppi, south of Meridian and just north of Enterprise. On US-11S which is pretty much where I'll be for the next month or so, a straight shot downstate to Louisiana.

Not much on record about Enterprise; seems they had a flood in 1902. (See above.)

I'm also about 20 miles behind, but hoping to close that gap by the end of November.

Day 271

DATE: Sept. 28
MILES: 810.9
Finally got caught up over the weekend. Still in Alabama, west of Tuscaloosa, but just a few miles from crossing into Mississippi, the seventh state on my eight-state journey.

Day 254

DATE: September 11

MILES: 749

I'm just outside Fayette, Alabama, or what the town's website calls "The Souths [sic] Best Kept Secret." There's this enticement: "Fayette enjoys a temperate Southern climate, plenty of fresh air and clean water, and folks who understand the value of hard work. It is an unbeatable combination, one of which we are justifiably proud." Air, water and workers. Also, the city website is for sale.

Day 229

DATE: August 17

MILES: 666

I'm in my sixth state, Alabama, and leaving Florence for Muscle Shoals. I'm just about to go by the Phosphate Development Works, where the Army used to make nerve gas. The plant was demolished in 1993, but I'll still be holding my breath.

The hot weather this summer has made elective walking less than compelling, and my recent vacation involved a lot of time behind the wheel, instead of out on a hike. So, I'm ashamed to report that I'm about 20 miles behind.

Day 201

DATE: July 20
MILES: 590.2
Heading into Columbia, TN, the self-proclaimed "mule capital of the world." Also, home of NASCAR's Sterling Marlin, who generally goes considerbaly faster than a mule.

Day 186

DATE: July 5

MILES: 553.6

Like the old song says: "I'm on my way to New Orleans this morning / leaving out of Nashville, Tennesee." Of course, that lucky fella was on a bus. I'm still walking, and it's full-on Deep South HOT here and there.

Day 183

DATE: July 2
MILES: 547.2
In Nashville, and just walked past another cemetery, Spring Hill. Loads of C&W session musicians resting here, plus a good slate of stars: Roy Acuff, Floyd Cramer, George Morgan and Keith Whitley. And pictured above, the "still movin' on" site of one of my faves, Hank Snow.

Day 181

DATE: June 30

MILES: 540.4

Just SE of Hendersonville, and closing in on Nashville. Walked right past the Hendersonville Memory Gardens, final home of Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, lots of other singing Carters and a few other C&W folks.

Day 172

DATE: June 21

MILES: 514.6

Whoo hoo! Caught up, and in a new state.

Day 163

DATE: June 12
MILES: 476.4
In Kentucky, approaching Barren River State Park. It's a little SW of Mammoth Caves National Park, which I'm sad to miss, having never been there.

Day 137

DATE: May 17

MILES: 395.4

Middle of nowhere Kentucky; cold rainy weather has put me behind by about 15 miles. Not much to see around here.

Day 124

DATE: May 4

MILES: 368.4

Just walked through Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, a former Shaker community, now restored as an historical site. Very pleasant, indeed.

Day 116

DATE: April 26
MILES: 344.9
Lexington, Kentucky! This is the biggest city I've walked through in months. I'm currently poised right between a country club and the University of KY campus. Still three miles behind schedule, but I'm chipping away at the deficit.
[Sharp eyes may notice that the mile marker on the map reads 150. It seems this map-hack only stores routes up to 200 miles, so I have to do my mile-marking in 200-mile sections. ]

Day 105

DATE: April 15
MILES: 309.3
I'm back in the hole, behind by about 6 miles. Walking through the hills of Kentucky, heading toward Lexington. Recently passed Blue Licks Battlefield State Park, which claims to have been the site of the last battle of the American Revolution, on Aug. 19, 1782, though some other places make this claim, too. In any case, the battle was right near the end, and featured one of the war's stars, Daniel Boone.

Day 95

DATE: April 5
MILES: 286.3
Been walking in Ohio since late January, am finally in my fourth state: Kentucky. Just went through Maysville, which for only being Kentucky's 50th largest city, has plenty of note:
1. Home of Rosemary Clooney. Earlier in Steubenville, Ohio, my walk took me past the mural of Dean martin. Here, I came within a block of a similar commemoration of Ms. Clooney.
2. Decorative wrought iron was made here and shipped down the Ohio to New Orleans. Nice coincidence.
3. Maysville is the site of the reputed "Bermuda Triangle of the Ohio River." It also has a haunted hospital that's been featured on some TV show.
4. I'm presently south of Maysville on US 68, the first macadamized road in the U.S.

Day 90

DATE: March 31
MILES: 274.6
End-of-month (and -quarter) update: I'm 4.6 miles ahead of schedule. I'm just about to cross the Ohio (for the third time) and enter Kentucky. As I type this, my real-world self is a couple blocks from the head of the Ohio River; I could have floated here, instead of walking nearly 300 miles.

Day 85

DATE: March 26
MILES: 257.1
I'm walking down roads called "Grassy Fork," "Black Hollow" and "Steam Furnace." Deep in the heart of SW Ohio. Just past through a dot on the map called "Whippoorwill." Two miles ahead of schedule.

Day 81

DATE: March 22
MILES: 243.9
Still in rural SW Ohio, near Locust Grove, with little to report. Rather than another dull map screen-grab, here I am standing by the fake King Tut statue in Las Vegas. Those are some big feet.

Day 76

DATE: March 17
MILES: 233.9
After a couple of days of non-stop walking in Las Vegas last week -- where every block is the better part of a mile -- I'm ahead of schedule by about 10 miles. And finally, the winter weather here has broken.
Currently, my journey has me in Ohio still, just southwest of Pike State Forest, and heading for the Kentucky border.

Day 66

DATE: March 7
MILES: 194.7
Near Kingston, Ohio, a town of some 1,000 people.

Day 59

DATE: February 28
MILES: 165.9

End of month summary: 165.9 miles walked; 911.1 miles to go.

I should be at 177 miles by now, but the snowiest month ever in my world has put a crimp on just walking down the street.

I'm heading into Lancaster, a place I recall semi-fondly from when my AMC Eagle stopped running there during a road trip. On the upside, it busted near the mall, and some web-buddies later rescued me.

Day 54

DATE: February 23

MILES: 154.5

Still taking U.S. 22 through Ohio. Just passed through Somerset, where Civil War Union General Philip Sheridan grew up. In the town center, I went by his statue, Ohio's only equestrian Civil War monument.

Day 50

DATE: February 19
MILES: 141
Back on another long stretch of rural Ohio, southwest of Zanesville heading for Lancaster.

Day 46

DATE: February 15

MILES: 133.8

Finally undone by endless snow, having slipped on wet ice and banged my shin real good. On my virtual walk, this occured at Mile 131 just east of Zanesville, near the Sunrise Shopping Center (see below). Zanesville was the home of cowboy author Zane Grey. The town is also the location of the nation's only Y-shaped bridge, which is sadly not open to pedestrians.

Day 40

DATE: February 9
MILES: 113

I'm just west of Cambridge, Ohio, on U.S. 22, which 'round these parts is known as the John Glenn Highway.

Cambridge is relatively notable: It's the birtplace of Glenn and Hopalong Cassidy; the "crossroads of Ohio" where I-70, I-77 and US 40/22 intersect; and a well-known glassmaking center ("Cambridge glass").

The town dates from the turn of the 19th century, and the city's Web site offers this insight into its foundation: "Another group of early settlers from the Isle of Guernsey in the British Channel pitched camp in 1806 in Cambridge because the women in the party refused to move on."

Day 37

DATE: February 6
MILES: 104.9

I did 5.3 miles during Snowpocalypse. Might have been easier a little further southwest in Ohio, where I currently "am."

Day 34

DATE: February 3
MILES: 90

Still in rural Ohio; have just passed through Piedmont. Seems the highlight of the area is Piedmont Lake, created in 1937 when the Army Corps of Engineers built a dam. Home of Big Fish: 55-pound muskie, and catfish in the 50-to 70-pound range.

Day 31

DATE: January 31
MILES: 76.4

End of month summary: 76.4 miles walked, 1,000.6 to go.

I lost my map link when my hard drive died yesterday, so not exactly sure where I am. Still in Ohio heading SW. Will re-build map soon.

Day 29

DATE: January 29
MILES: 69.3

I'm still on Rt. 22, just outside Cadiz, Ohio, near Sally Buffalo Park. It's a posted 11 degrees F there now, but in the summer, it looks like where the big kids come to catch little fish, and the adults drive decorated golf carts.

Day 28

DATE: January 28
MILES: 64.5

I've been walking since the start of the month, though off to a slow start with a couple weeks of sub-zero temperatures. Presently, I'm about 20 or miles behind schedule, and doing extra walking to catch up.

Still, these 60 miles have taken me out of Pittsburgh, out of Pennsylvania, across West Virginia and into Ohio. I've crossed the Ohio River twice, and rambled through Steubenville, along Dean Martin Boulevard. Leaving Steubenville, I went by the Dean Martin mural, painted on the side of a Kroeger's.