Many more walking stories in Walking the World: Memories and
Adventures.
Look at the Table of Contents.
Also read my articles on walking in Australia, Ayers Rock, Antarctica,
Amsterdam, Egypt, Iguazu Falls and Ipanema Beach (Rio).
Author's Den
Send Me your walking story and I will display it here.
For example:
What benefits have you received from walking?
What was your most memorable walk?
Daryl May walked the End-to-End--twice! See his story here:
Daryl May's website
Read Neil Hopper's stories of walking in Los Angeles at walkinginla.com
Steve Vaught has finished his walk across the country to
lose weight and regain his life.
www.TheFatManWalking.com
Nuno Ferreira is walking Portugal. Most of his text is in
Portuguese, but he is adding some English. Good pictures.
Nuno's Blog
Walking In Arlington Cemetery
In 1939-40 I was working for the Department of Justice and living
in a rented room in the home of the mother of Kim, my future wife.
Kim and I took many walks in Washington, D.C. and nearby Virginia.
One time we visited Arlington Cemetery. Three-fourths of the land was
a large park in those days and only a small part was used as a cemetery.
Since then, thousands of soldiers have been buried there, including my
brother, Lieutenant General Lawrence J. Lincoln.
When Kim and I tried to leave Arlington we found that the gate had
been locked. The fence extended for miles and it was getting dark.
There was a large tree near the gate, with a limb extending over the
fence. Kim was wearing a dress—with all the underpinnings women wore
in those days—but after some hesitation due to modesty, she climbed the
tree with my help and made it over the fence.
I would have had no objection to spending the night in Arlington. As a
youth, I slept in a tent on the porch of the family cottage on the shore
of Lake Huron, in northern Michigan, through the coldest nights of winter.
However, Kim’s mother would have taken a very dim view of her daughter
staying out all night with a man. I have never asked Kim her personal
feelings about this.
There was a young lady named Kim
Who always was proper and prim.
But after some fun
In old Arlington
She finally went out on a limb.
--Jim Lincoln
Walking With the Marines
My father was a Marine in World War I, with duty in France.
He was a typical Marine--very proud of being one and showing it
when he walked. I inherited his love for walking, which he did 2
miles in the morning and 2 miles in the evening.
In 1955 I had a son after 3 daughters and my husband and I needed
a larger house. After much looking we found one 2 doors from my
parents' home.
This gave me the ability to walk with my father for 2 miles in the
evening, which I loved. We walked in all kinds of weather--rain,
sleet, snow--this was in Connecticut. We walked very strictly: 6
strides--inhale, 6 strides--exhale. My father was able to do this
up to 89 years old.
I still love to walk and I am so grateful to be able to do it.
--Violet LaRivere
Marathon Walking
Just because you’re a walker and not a runner doesn’t mean that you
have to avoid marathons. Marathons are becoming more and more
walker-friendly. Here are three examples:
Los Angeles Marathon. I walked the Los Angeles Marathon on
March 7, 2004, along with 24,000+ other walkers and runners. There
are so many walkers that you will never feel alone. In fact, I
spent the whole day trying to maintain a little distance between
other walkers and myself. The route is a great tour of LA, from
downtown to the west side and back. It was hot—in the high 80s. The heat
hasn’t bothered me so much since I was walking in the desert on my
Los Angeles to Denver trek. But this is unseasonable for March in
LA. More typical weather would be in the 60s. Many people lined the
route to cheer; play music; offer water, Gatorade or oranges; give
high-fives or spray hot participants with hoses.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Marathon and Half-marathon. I walked the
half-marathon on February 21, 2004. I have found that when both a
full and half marathon are offered, most walkers choose the half.
This typically gets them to the finish line at the same time as some
of the runners. The weather for this one was also unseasonably warm,
but that meant in the 60s and this was welcome. The route is flat and
easy and not as crowded as LA, with a total of about 4,500 walkers
and runners.
Palos Verdes Marathon and Half-marathon. This one couldn’t be more
convenient for me, since it’s in the city where I live, near Los
Angeles. I have walked the marathon twice and the half-marathon at
least four times. It is usually held in May, in the cool of a coastal
morning. You can’t beat the views as the whole route is along the
rocky coast, with ocean, cliffs, and Catalina Island in the distance.
The route has its ups and downs, but nothing we walkers can’t handle.
--Alan Cook
Walking (Marching) in the Army
I was told never to volunteer for anything in the army, but when I
started basic training with the Army Reserve in 1960 I admitted that
I had been guidon bearer for my ROTC company at the University of
Michigan. That turned out to be the best decision I made in basic
training.
I took basic training at the late and unlamented Fort Ord in Monterey,
California during what was supposed to be summer. Ha. I remember one
warm day during the eight weeks I was there. But being guidon bearer
of my company helped me get through it.
The guidon is a flag attached to the end of a stick (okay, a staff).
The guidon bearer marches at the head of the company, carrying the
staff in a vertical position so that the troops following meekly
behind can all see it. When the officer or NCO in charge gives a
command, such as “Column right…” the guidon bearer raises his staff
as high as he can so that the poor suckers in the rear who can’t
hear and who are eating the dust of those in front of them will
know that something is up. Specifically, the guidon. On the command
of “march” (or “harch”) the guidon comes down.
The advantage of being the guidon bearer is that I got to set the
pace. Occasionally, the Senior Drill Instructor would yell in his
southern accent, “Guidon bearer! Stop taking those damned 90-inch
steps.” But hey, my natural stride was longer than the regulation
30 inches. But the biggest perk was that I didn’t have to eat the
dust of the troops in front of me. And, as I found out one day when
I reported late because I had been on sick call and had my job
taken over by another member of my squad, when you’re marching in
the rear during training you’re either waiting for the soldiers in
front of you to move or racing to catch up with them. This
telescoping process is continuous, not like the smoothly marching
ranks you see in parades.
I was not suited to the army, or vice versa, and was glad when my
six months of active duty were up, but at least I learned one
thing: the manual of arms for the guidon.
--Alan Cook
Many more walking stories in Walking the World: Memories and
Adventures.
Look at the Table of Contents.