She finally got in yesterday afternoon after some flight delays. I'm taking today off and will be back on the road tomorrow.
Day 69
Mom arrives!
June 3rd, 2010
I'm walking across America.
That's the idea, at least. I'm walking westward from New York City for nine months or so. If everything goes according to plan, I'll be in Oregon when the clock runs out. If nothing goes according to plan, maybe I'll end up in Peru or Mongolia or Pennsylvania. You can read all about the details of my trip if you're so inclined.
Email me at matt@imjustwalkin.com
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Here's my progress so far:
Hi Mom!
She brought her backpack, let’s see how many miles she can get in today!
that’s the prettiest face you’ve put up yet….enjoy your visit with your Mom….it’s a joy to see how you have ignited people’s imagination and evoked the better angels of our nature.
Howdy.
How COOL! Hope you two have a great visit and enjoy your day off. I stumbled upon your journey last week and have really enjoyed your pics. As you have heard before very inspirational.
Enjoy your break with mom!
How great! So glad that your mother could make a portion of your trip. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!! And great mural photos. Oh, fabulous quilt!
Lovely. Have fun together!
How nice that your mom is visting you. I would so do the same thing in order to see how my boy (no matter how old) is doing on the road. BTW my son graduates with a degree in Civil Engineering this December from Pitt!
Go Pitt!
And mom brought a back pack!!! Peace to Mom and thanks for the note back Matt.
Enjoy!
Mom’s packin’ and ready to roll! What fun!!
Hi Matt & Mom –
Matt – Have a wonderful day with your Mom! Thanks for the return note! You are truly an inspiration! Continue to walk the walk! LOL!! I’m now thinking about doing my own personal journey, however, I’m a driving not a walking. I have been all up and down the east coast but never cross country so I’m thinking next year might be time for me to get in a car and visit the middle states that seem to be just so majestic! Thanks again for just being you!!
Mom – Have a wonderful day with your son!
Its nice to see a picture of your mom. Following your journey a person reads peoples comments and its nice to put faces to them. Last year I drove accross country to California and back with my daughter very inspiring. We took one way there and the another back. I will always cherish the time with my daughter and seeing the country side. I’m enjoying following your adventure. Have a great time with you mom and have a great day
Hey Matt, Hope you have a good time with your Mom!! Happy walking. Looks like rain the next few days. Hope it misses you.
By the way Matt, you just like her. Same chin and smile. What’s that vine behind her on the wall? Love it!
Thanks! I’m pretty sure it’s Boston ivy.
Welcome to Minneapolis, Matt and Mom!! Enjoy your stay!!
you’re taking tomorrow off? what the heck! what am I suppose to look at and read? geez ;-)
Aw, your mom is so pretty!! Thanks for the pic Matt.
mom are you walking too?
That’s my wonderful sister!! Miriam is also a great walker!!
Love,
Brother & Uncle Bill
We saw you north of Winona on Saturday- going too fast to stop! I love that you are doing this- I teach geography and your foot print across this land is an educational tool I would love to explore. I am in Minneapolis and really appreciate you took Hwy 61, it is the most beautiful, relaxing road! Hi to your Mom- tell her she has raised an incredible son!
Blessings from Minneapolis,
Patty
Fine lookin’ woman!
Welcome “Mom”. I hope you have a great reunion visit. I arrived today too (I finally caught up with Matt by starting May 27 to read all posts from the beginning of his trip). And, thank you, Matt, for the “Thanks, Anna!” email you sent me this morning! Ditto to the guy who commented if you were a biochemist he would have been outta here a long time ago. I love the selection of pictures you are posting. I love advertising and architecture and historical data so your site is the trifecta for me. Be safe and take care of yourself. I worry about your 20+ mile days because you still have a long way to go. This adventure has been an incredible joy for me to be sharing…
What a happy looking Momma!
I’m so glad your taking a day with your mom, I will miss your updates, but absolutely love the idea of a break for you. I’m enjoying each day and every pic you post. Once again thank you for showing me the America I know is there, the America I love. Get some rest, I’ll meet ya back up right where you left off :)
Yeahhhhhh, it’s Mom!! You have one great son, but I’m sure you already knew that. I just wanted to verify it though. Have fun with your little boy.
One great son? You gonna take that, Jonathan?
No I will not. In fact, I’m going to start from Chicago and walk 50 miles a day just so I can beat Matt to Oregon.
That’s my mama!
Matt, I’m really enjoying your journey! Your Mom has the most beautiful sunny smile. Stay safe and best wishes to you both!
Whoo hoo!
Go mom!
You got a good set of parents there Matt.
Great family resemblance, Mom, to your brother Bill. We worded together before I retired.
Both your mom and your dad have joined your adventure, at one point or another, and that is very special. It is special because I work with at-risk kids who aren’t so fortunate in more ways than you can imagine. Nothing is more powerful than the love and support of a family. Thanks for sharing this wonderful picture of one proud mom!
Hi to Mom . Your Matt is an inspiration to America. Not only leaving his footprints, but showing what folks in this nation are all about. Congratulation on raising a son that brings out the good in this country. We are so blessed to be able to share your adventures.
she looks so sweet… looks very much like my mom who passed away 8 years ago…. cherish every moment with your parents!
Maybe there’s a lot of us, Tom, who thought of our own moms who have passed when we saw the pic. She just looks so lovely, doesn’t she? Let me echo…cherish every moment.
Ditto to what Tom and Michael said cherish every moment. I’ll add…and say all the things you want to say now so you don’t sit around saying why didn’t I ask this or say that. Mom does look so lovey. I still have my own wonderful mama but I sure miss my dad.
Hey Matt and mom,
I am so glad you’re spending time together. I am very happy you are safe, I hope you have a great visit.
I am enjoying following your journey.
take care
Have fun and don’t walk to fast. See you when you get back Karla
Matt,
Welcome to Minneapolis/St Paul area. You are an inspiration to many people around the world who are following you online. I am reminded of the quote ” The journey of a 1000 miles ( 3000 plus in your case) begins with the first step”. Nice that your mom is able to be with you for a short visit.
I want to put in a plug for a book like many other have suggested. Great pics that you have been taking along the way. Thanks for sharing the experience. Safe journey!
WTG Matt.. Good to see you uniting with your mom.. thats great she come to be with you.. Still keepin up with your progress.. God bless
Rod
Texas
Well, I am hooked on checking out your blog a daily basis. It’s amazing. Love the mailboxes and other unusual pics. Enjoy your time with your mom.
I’m a fan of mom now too! Mom, only a little over half the trip left. Hope you brought your tennies. :) Enjoy Minnesota.
SWEET!! Yeah for MOM time!! Enjoy… :)
Miriam!!! Great to see you — even at such a distance!
HHHHOOOORRRAAYYYY, we finally get to meet Mom! She looks like a woman who wants to give a lot of hugs, but maybe it’s you (who presumably took the picture) who she really wants to hug. I’m with Mom, I love that Mom and Dad were reportedly worried about your safety and you send them “I’m OK” messages. My husband (a backpacker) will be getting a SPOT very soon, which I never knew about before your blog… funny though he did.
Hooray! It’s Mom!
In a time where so many have lost hope in humanity, where our visions of the world have been shaped by the awful things that happen in the news, the relationships we see on tv and film, you are helping us to rediscover the flip side.
While there will always be bad things that exist in our societies, people and life is better than we think and you’re helping so many to reshape their beliefs for the better instead of being paralyzed because of learned fear.
Now a pic of a smiling mother who loves and supports her son even if his choices could be considered unconventional, and son who loves his mother, thank you, thank you for showing the world another side we so rarely see.
We suspected all this, but were too afraid to venture out to report on the state of america. You are like the guy who is telling us behind locked doors afraid of the world, hey everybody its ok, its ok to come out of your homes and live again. really really great matt.
Hope you have a good visit with mom, she’s inspirational too, how many parents support their kids in their decisions no matter how unusual people think they are- thanks for supporting your son, he’s a pioneer!
Even though you just called Matt a weirdo about 5 times (he knows what you meant, I’m sure), awesome post, Mari. All of it true and spot on. The thing I keep thinking is that I know lots of people who would treat Matt exactly the way he’s been treated…a nice hot meal, shower, a $20, a breakfast and a warm goodbye, BUT “I” might be the one who would just keep looking straight ahead instead of seeing the unconventional guy waltzing down my street pushing a cart. And so I am challenged to notice and interact and trust. And that’s a good thing. Really good.
Yes, I believe his mom would love him even if he grew an extra set of fingers on his forehead. She just WOULD. She’d even buy extra mittens for him.
(Dont’ worry…my mom loved me in spite of the smart ass I developed). *grins and hugs*
ditto to Mari and to Michael:
Right on both posts…but that is the coolest thing about “tagging along” and the possibility of a book…for those that may miss this “read as he goes” blog… There is peace out there. Matt’s footsteps are kind of proving it. Let the kids out, take them on a long walk (without the DS’s) smell the flowers…touch the ivy..smile at the Fauna. I guess that is why I am liking this so much. It is a ok world and yes we zoom by so quickly…what is that phrase..stop and smell the roses. Be careful of the thorns – bujt there is always a way around them.
Matt & Mom: Rise and shine…time to get W A L K I N G….. we need some pictures and some of that one sentance humor. Happy Friday and hope you have a peaceful day…..
sorry…not saying your writing a book…but if you did……;}
so glad you got to spend some time with your mom. happy friday to you both.
I’m so happy that you both got to have a visit. Mom Rocks!!!
Matt it’s great that your family can join you on your great adventure. I look forward to your daily discoveries and the amazing sights and people you have met along the way. Your trek has brought out some wonderlust in me too. It is awesome the way folks along the way have taken you in. It makes me realize what a great country we truly are. Enjoy your day off with your mom. I look forward to your future posts.
There is nothing like a mother’s support:) Have a great day!!!
Hi Mom:
No one has to tell you what a great son you have, you can see it in your face. Have a great visit with Matt.
Katie
I have never seen a happier face!!!!!! :) :) :)
Yay! We finally get to see Mom. You are lucky to have such a family, Matt, but I’m sure you know this already. Thanks for posting the picture.
How wonderful to spend some time with your mom! Your journey is making want to take a trip cross country myself! wish i lived on your route but im in Florida. God bless you!
Unconditional love is the best kind!
Wow, I can see mom’s great resemblance to her brother Bill, my morning newsman here in NC! I enjoy keeping up with your journey.
I showed this picture to Arya and she said “MIRIAM!!!!” She says to tell you hi, and she loves you, and she misses you. Hope you and Matt are having the time of your lives!!!!
Hi, Arya!!
Love,
Miriam
Is Barry making you use his used equipment?
Hi mom! Finally get to see what you look like. Adorable of course!!
Yay!!! Hi MOM!!! One of these days you and Mom need to come out to California. I have a million pictures of wildflowers from my hikes that desperately need identification!
What a lovely smile!