The Son and Nice (the dog)

Years ago I walked through the side streets and parks close to our home with my seven year old son playing ball. It was a very large ball and soon the idea to walk for diabetes awareness took hold and I walked alone. A few years ago with a broken back I needed some therapy and my desire to do more than just work as a carpenter and further injure my back brought me to revive the cause I'd left behind to raise my son, and build my in laws family business. Walking helped heal me in more ways than I imagined while doing something that brings a smile to most and a message about diabetes. My puppy joined me on a walk from Louisville to Pittsburg. Then again, last year, to Kansas from Kentucky as well as to the top of Pike's Peak. This spring Nice(the dog) and me have walked well over two hundred miles together.
This morning my son, now nineteen, arrived by bus to join us for the journey. It warms my heart that he wants to come. I am sure that he will learn things about himself , like I have, that he never thought would be found on the side of the road. I hope he will see the good in the people we meet, as I do each day.
Tomorrow we will start on the road together. A happy man, his son Ethan and Nice (the dog).

From the Porch to the End of the Driveway

I overworked my poor pooch today, we walked well over 700 yards and napped this afternoon on K's front porch as the sound of chipmonks tormented Nice (the dog) He didn't even raise his head when the cat wondered past the porch.He must feel neglected from the chicken francese he was fed for dinner.

The Climb and our Introduction to Warren

First let me apologize for the delay in posting for Thursday, life just got in the way.
Thursday morning I was ready to leave the parking lot of Bill's Deli when I was told he would be there soon and would help plot my course for the day if I would stay for a few minutes. He got there and we talked over how to get up the Watchung Mountain range. He gave me his local map for the day and we left to scattered skies and a favorable wind.

As we do everyday, we took all the time needed for each person who stopped to answer any questions they had about our adventure. Nice was given water and treats as we strolled toward the foot of the Watchung, he was never thirsty or lacking attention. We stopped at a dog kennel where I asked if they had any flea and tick treatment for Nice the dog. They sent us two doors up the road to the animal hospital after coming out to give Nice some love, and take a few pictures. We then strolled to the animal hospital down the road.

When we rolled to the porch in front of the office a man had pulled in and opened the rear of his SUV to reveal what looked like a large pillow. I thought he was picking up an animal. As he walked up he talked to Nice and asked the dog if he were on a trip. I explained what we were doing as we all came to the door. Once in, I stood to wait our turn and realized that the pillow was, in fact, the wrapped body of the mans' family dog who had passed away during the night after a long bout with cancer. The doctor asked a series of questions as the man paid for the burial expence and fought back the emotions from the loss of his friend. He was a giant of a man and I could tell it was hard for him to keep his composure as he calmly relayed the final days of his family member to the doctor. As he left I reached out my hand and expressed my sorrow for his loss. he said "Thank you ." as he crushed my hand, told Nice to have a good journey, and left the office. Once again my journey threw me curve ball and I remembered the passing of my last dog,the sorrow I felt, which anyone feels for the passing of a good friend. The assistant sold me the flea and tick treatment, gave Nice some treats and a bowl of water on the front porch and wished us luck before we walked up the road.

The skies had become cloudy and the world was getting soft from the change in atmosphere. We came to a tire repair store and stopped for a little boost. In talking to the men there I was told by the owner that his brother was in the the hospital for an amputation due to the ravages of diabetes. I wished to myself I could walk just one day without an unfortunate tale about this devastating disease. We filled the world with air and were on our way again.
Just before we began the walk up the mountainside we were passing a child care center when the owner and a couple workers came out to see us. One was a woman from South America who spoke little English but her joy at the sight of us was infectious. She hugged Nice and me,and brought us both out a drink. While she was inside one of the other women told her what we were doing and she became even more excited and affectionate. I needed the hugs after the moment I had just had at the animal hospital. A policeman then walked over from across the road where he and a few others were directing traffic at a road work sight. He had seen us early last week on 130 and told me he had seen a patrol car just before and just ahead of me. I told him that as I walk I tend to slow traffic and sometimes law enforcement lay in wait for speeders, like a whale and the fish that follow and pick off parasites; we laughed at the comparison. He and I shared a few more stories before Nice and me crossed the highway to the foot of the mountain road. The police crew watched from a distance.

We were some way up the hill and I was just beginning to feel the burn when two officers pulled up to tell me they knew what we were doing and supported the cause but were concerned because just a short way up the mountain road the road had rails on boths sides and we would be in danger. They offered to get the department truck and shuttle us to the top, I gratefully accepted the help. We arrived at the top, to Washington's Rock Park, took some pictures and safely made our way down the other side of the mountain ridge.
We walked into Warren New Jersey and while passing another child care facility I was asked to stop and talk to a class of four and five year old children about what we doing. Then we walked a little farther and we met a woman and her daughter who told us the Warren municipal complex was just up the road and there we could leave the World while they took me back to Piscataway where the van was so I could gather up the World before the incoming storm. When I rolled up to the flag poles at the Warren Municipal Complex, tied off the World to a lamppost and was about to get in the women's car a city worker came out to see Nice. I quickly explained about the van and ask if I could leave Nice tied there also, she said she would keep him in the building and as soon as I gave her his leash he pulled her inside. She called back that she was on the second floor in finance as he pulled her around the corner.
I got back to the van and went into the busy deli to thank Bill for the map, he asked if I was staying for dinner but the women were waiting outside and I had to leave. We returned to Warren where I was led to Nice who was fast asleep up in finance as the nice women asked me a few questions and admired my sleeping companion. A man who worked there came and fed Nice some biscuits which Nice ate without picking his head off the floor. I told them he was not as exhausted as he looked, they were not convinced until we went outside for some pictures next to the World where he quickly began to search for the ever illusive frogs that hide under every one's feet.
I asked if they knew where a laundromat was and one of the nice women went inside to search the interned while another called to see if I could use the shower in the rescue squad facility there in the municipal complex. Then the first woman who had gone inside returned to tell us K was on her way to take us to dinner and would give us a place to stay for the night. Warren, New Jersey - voted #6 - Money Magazine 2009 America's Best Places to Live. From a helpful ride up the mountain to a delicious meal at one of the best restaurants in town for a stranger and his dog. I rate it #1 in hospitality and goodhearted people.
After a gourmet meal, shower, and more kindness than a man deserves K has let us stay for the afternoon to regroup and help track the bus which carries my son to a nearby town so we can continue this little adventure together. A happy man, his son, and a Nice dog.

The World has a Different Hue Under the Full Moon

The heat got the best of me today. We got going early enough, but with a poor angle in the breeze and the morning traffic on the road that was recommended by a police officer yesterday, I was already fatigued by the time I had to run the train underpass in rush hour traffic. Running under the bridge in traffic predictably brought a patrol officer who got a call of a man, a dog and a bow and arrow. The report did not mention a six foot globe. My. Twisted willow staff attached to the strap on the World does fancy a bow. The officer left without incident.

The heat came on quickly and the office frontages were all grass with no trees to pass under. Though I had loaded up on water I was soon overburdened with gifts of an extra bottle from the people who stopped to talk. Being taught to never turn down a kindness has it's downfalls. Still, it is rude to refuse a gift.

I stopped at a paint store to get a match for the blue of the world which I used this evening to touch up and mask the odor left from the streets of New york city. The older man who they tasked with the custom match did a fine job with the blend and it is a complimentary hue.

Because of the heat we had to stop walking early, The temperature wash 95 degrees and we, luckily, were given a space in a deli shops parking lot for the night. The owner is a great guy and a pleasure to talk to. A diabetic who had given me his card earlier in the day helped me and took me to the van.the heat had the van as hot as a sauna.
My moment of the day came with an older woman who came out of the. Deli with a sandwich and sat next to Nice (the dog), She , it turns out, is diabetic and after helping to her feet she hugged me for what we are doing.

The moon is full and I hope.I can sleep well. Good Night New Jersey.

One a Day

We returned to Perth Amboy this morning and I cleaned the inside of the support van while waiting for a package to be delivered to the Fire Department. They were gracious to allow the package to be delivered there. A woman I met on the first week of our journey has taken it upon herself to solicit companies for some things for us (me and Nice the dog) to use on our walk. First I want to thank her for all her hard work. Thank you, L.

Thanks to Red Wing for the Vasque hiking boots. I wore one pair of Vasque on my 570 mile trip from Kentucky to Kansas, then wore them to walk up the Barr Trail on the east face of Pike's Peak on my Uncle's 83rd birthday. I wore them till the end of the year when the heel finally wore through to the plastic core. I had a pair of low cut boots in the same style when we walked from Louisville to Pittsburg  in 2007, about 430 miles. They lasted just as long. I would not walk without them. I have tested several brands and always go back to Vasque made by Red Wing.

They also provided some socks made in Vermont, "DARN TOUGH". I wore them all day and my feet feel good, darn good! I'll be wearing them when I get to Vermont.

Thanks also to MUTTLUKS who have provided Nice (the dog) with boots. It is forecast to be 91 degrees tomorrow and I'm sure Nice will feel the difference on the hot roads. If you want to find good dog boot makers, trust a Canadian boot maker, eh!

Aside from the many conversations I had today with police, business owners, and passers-by, there was one that made the day worth the world to me. I met a young woman who told me she had been Type-1 diabetic since her early teens and was now really working hard at taking care of herself because she just found out she was pregnant. Her aunt and I reminded her that it's those times when she does not make it important when she is doing silent damage to her self. I told her I had walked hundreds of miles to shake a finger at her. She took it in good spirit and said she would look up this site. I told her to look to the side bar and go to the DESA site for good information. I am just a guy stirring things up. If you are out there reading this young lady. Remember the finger!

If I could have a moment like that everyday on this journey, where it seems like I have some motivating influence,  perhaps to a glowing and beautiful pregnant mother-to-be, I will be a happy man.

Back to New Jersey from the sidetrip to NYC

The Big Apple was fun. I leave New York City with good memories of a city where almost everyone smiles. I am going to return to where I left-off in New Jersey, The Garden State, where the rhododendrons grow as big as a house. I saw -and was seen by- a million people in my short time in NYC. Now I'll leave these streets for the open roads of the New England States. My goal is Maine and all the states in the northeast. I'll leave the "City That Never Sleeps" to the painted men, Elmo, Mickey, and statues of Liberty. I will see more of the state of New York soon. I'm sure I'll enjoy it just as much.

Wall Street, Broadway, and the Smiling City

This morning I woke up in Perth Amboy, New Jersey at the firehouse. My goal was to get over the bridge into Staten Island, find a place where the supply van could be parked, and start to form a plan to get into New York City within a few days. I hadn't figured that when firefighters get involved things happen fast.

The men at Perth Amboy reached out to Staten Island and gave me a map and instructions to get to the Rescue #5. Once there, after explaining that I was walking through all the New England states for the cause of diabetics around the world with my dog (Nice) and wanted to walk in New York City. They advised me that Sunday morning was the best day to get into the city. They reached out to Engine Company #4 - Ladder Company #14 and were able to get me a place to park. They gave me instructions to get there and we were off to the Big Apple.

I drove over the bridge (and of course took a wrong turn) and soon found myself lost in the city. I called over to Rescue 5, and like their name, they guided me by phone to the waterfront firehouse. Firemen go beyond and above the call of duty: they rescued me from being hopelessly lost in the big city.

The parking is limited for the firemen at Ladder 14 and permission to park there granted over the phone needed clarifying when I got there was needed, and they allowed me to stay. We were a block away from Wall Street.

Walking on country roads with a six-foot canvas facsimile of the earth is worlds away from the bustling throngs of even the small crowds of Sunday in New York City. I inflated the World, loaded our packs, and rolled for Times Square from Wall Street, heading up Broadway. As we approached Broadway, a reporter came and did an interview for a newspaper, took our picture, and we were on our way again. We had only been a few blocks and had our picture taken by hundreds of people and had stopped to tell our tale several times. The first man who had stopped us was a diabetic himself. I thought either this was a coincidence or diabetes is so prevalent it really is epidemic. My journey to New York City will have been a success because that man said he would work harder to control his condition. His friend was standing with him and assured him she would help also. Support from others is so helpful in anything we do.

The sidewalks were wide enough for the World and the Sunday crowds. I could quickly read the difference between tourists and those who live here. All gave us room to pass; even the most sour faces softened and fought back a smile as the World rolled by. We crossed from side to side as the scaffolds and street vendors sometimes left no space for our World. The people were very hospitable to the world and stepped aside.
While we slowly rolled along I heard an almost constant murmur of "worldguy.org" and the click of phones and cameras. I thought of this blog and my writings on it. I thought of how I don't like how I look in a photograph. I told myself that I chose this for the message of being active and fit by any means, to raise awareness for diabetes control and prevention. My self criticism and vanity only holds me back from that end. I pushed on to Times Square.

When I arrived to the Square, I skirted by the heaviest of the crowds and then to Rockefeller Center where I sat at one of the benches there. I was having a conversation with a young couple, people were standing by the world taking pictures, and all was well with the World when a man from the center came to tell me I needed to move on lest someone trip over the World and they were sued. I am not sure how someone can trip over a six foot earth ball (although I do have a string attached to it.) So, I moved along.

Earlier in the day I had asked a police officer where I might be able to safely sit out the evening so that in the morning I could be one of the waving tourists waving to the camera on the morning news shows. The officer said Times Square is safe and people are there all night. They have strong presence there for security. It took me six hours to walk to Times Square, and there was no way I could get back to the van to rest and return by morning. Then came the pinprick. An officer rolled up to tell me I couldn't be standing around the Center or the Square because, with all the scares going on, I may be disguising an explosive device inside this 6-foot round inflated World. So, I had to move along.

I still believe all events have a silver lining, and while I walked the five hours back down Sixth Avenue as the shops loaded their mountains of trash on the sidewalks for the night crews to pick up, that it would be better not to walk the streets on Monday when all the office workers are rushing to and fro' while the tourists around the world are clicking pictures of the man with the Indiana Jones hat pushing his giant rolling stone from the Temple of Doom. Yes, while I walk I do have too much time to think between the photographs and conversations.

When I got back to Wall Street and Broadway in the evening, I met a man who had just left his office and was very interested in my quest. He said he had many media interests and took my information down and wanted to help... A chance meeting at almost midnight on the empty streets in the hub of the World.

Today, I give thanks to the concerned policemen who was protecting the masses of the world from the World for being the latest silver lining.

I Finally Used It

My final day of walking in New Jersey was as hard as any. The wind buffeted us backward. I had to push for every foot most of the day, even pushing down hills. Tacking from one side of the four lane state road to the other was no better. We did have many good conversations with many who we would have passed had the winds been calm, so I pushed on one labored step at a time.

We had good directions from the New Brunswick firemen, but I took an exit off the road before I should and found I was on a divided highway. Then a man stopped with encouraging words and advice how to correct my mistake but was not sure of the exact directions. The next exit found us skirting an industrial area with little traffic. I knew I had to circle around to a bridge that crossed the highway I had been on earlier, but was at a loss as to how to get there. Standing on a corner to an office complex, a van stopped and the man began taking pictures with his phone. I called over to ask the best way. He was no help. So for the first time in my travels I used the GPS hanging from my neck. It led me to the helping hands of the Perth Amboy fire Department.

I said I would take more time to post updates but I find myself in a rush.

A Good Nights Sleep and a Hot Shower

Before I leave New Brunswick Fire Company #2, I want to extend my deep appreciation for all their courtesy. They shared their breakfast, hot water (a much needed shower), and allowed me to take time to make some repairs on the World while they washed a load of clothes. They also called ahead to my destination tonight to make sure I was welcome.

New Jersey, all in all, has been a wonderful state to visit. They even have attendants to pump your gas!

Enjoy your weekend, New Jersey!

The Farthest Day and a Cold Shower

It is midnight and I just got to a spot for the night. We walked 15.3 miles from Cranbury to New Brunswick. We had stopped at a volunteer fire house in South Brunswick after a hot and sunny day when we were told we would do better if we walked to another station in New Brunswick. They gave us dinner and a cold shower and sent us to an even better spot.

I will wait till tomorow for any more tales to share ZZZZzzzzzzzz

Friday Morning Sunrise

Yesterday afternoon we walked into beautiful and historic Cranbury, found the old and the new Firehouses, talked with the volunteer commander and took some pictures. I then settled down to the work of global reconditioning. As I worked, a local reporter cam to talk with me. We had an interesting interview for his weekly publication. After he left I retouched as much as I could of our planet as possible before the sun went down. Then I wrote a little post and now after a good night's sleep I am getting ready for the day's dozen. We will walk through the rest of historic and beautiful Cranbury before getting back on route 130 to the next city. I hear I have several miles of industry to pass before I get back to civilization. I will need to take plenty of water just in case we have no place to resupply. I am glad I took the time to do some repainting on the World as the rains and roads of the past two hundred miles are taking a toll on the fabric of our little globe.
Have a wonderful day New Jersey!

Special Delivery

We left this morning to a clear sky. We came to a large nursery where a family of migrants were working. Only the father spoke some English. I did my best to answer his questions. He was as excited as a school kid at what I was doing and amazed at the distance and time of our journey. After we spoke and I was walking away, he called for me to wait while he brought out the proprietor of the place--who was much less enthused but polite. I think she was more concerned with the business at hand so I quickly told her mine and left before she docked the beaming South American man any pay.
The Robbinsville police paid us a visit up the road and brought us fresh water which I appreciate on these sunny and warm days on the open state roads when shade is at a minimum. Many people stopped to learn our story and pulled off the road to talk. One young couple stopped in traffic and turned on their hazard blinkers thinking little of the trucks and cars behind them. These type of people are dangerous so I quickly answered them. Thankfully, they were not hurt or in an accident.
As the day progressed, I came to a place in the shade where two men came from across the road to talk during their break. As I explained myself, a woman trucker stopped to give us a drink. At this point I was trying to coordinate how I was going to pick up a UPS delivery at a store I had passed yesterday and still keep some forward progress. The Robbinsville Fire and Police had given me their phone numbers and the store clerk had said I could authorize them to pick it up, but there was a holding fee. As I juggled phone calls, I mentioned to the trucker I was doing this for diabetes. She pointed at the insulin pump on her side. We talked a little more and she left. About five minutes later, the trucker pulled-up, having found a spot to leave her trailer so she could drive me to pick up my package. That puts a whole new twist to freight delivery.
When I opened the package from D.E.S.A., on top were some wrist bands with the signature phrase of the D.E.S.A. organization, "I run on insulin." I gave one to my special delivery, insulin pump wearing, third generation trucker, first generation owner operator / road angel. She's wearing it now. When she dropped me off she thanked me for walking for people like her. Yes gentlemen, I teared up...Again.

For those that don't know my story, I'm walking because I lost my mother to diabetes, and always stress to you to take care so you can be around for your grandchildren. This walking for diabetes idea is the result of my walking with my -then seven year old- son in the park when the World was too large for our own back yard. The park had a large hill where people would walk their dogs and we would roll the World off the top toward the dog walkers. We called it bowling. The pins always moved, but it was good fun for a seven year old. After a couple months of play many people would come to me asking if I were walking across the country, or where I was going, what cause was I representing. Fun and merriment with my son was just too simple and eventually the idea took hold. These walks are the result of peer pressure and playing with my son in the park.
My boy is nineteen now, he never knew his Grandmother. He called me today and is going to take the money he is earning by helping a man paint his house to buy a bus ticket to come walk with me and Nice (the dog). Even if he has to hitch-hike some of the way, or hop a freight- whatever it takes. Yes gentlemen...
Thank you for being so good to Nice and me New Jersey, and goodnight.