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:
Good Morning,
Where is everyone still sleeping. It’s 9:00 am central time==come on all you sleepy heads get up. Love the wheat.
Barb..we now know where crop circles come from…..a green man in a cart….Green … not martian green…but hobo green. Matt Green.
Cream of wheat for breakfast anyone….Matt see any cows for us…
again–the wheat fields waving :) looks like some storm damage or wind damage to some of it-bummer. enjoy your walk today!
It’s probably because the heads are too heavy for the stem to support it. They’re still good as the combine will be able to pick it up off the ground during harvest.
Also it looks like it’s about ready to harvest. Matt should see some combines before too long…
They’ll be harvesting before the end of the month. My best friend’s family owns a huge farm and grows wheat about four miles from where Matt shot this video — between St. John & Lamont. She grew up on this farm and always goes down from Spokane in late summer to help with harvest.
Hey Lori,
My cousin has a farm between St. John and Lamont as well. I use to work for him during the summers when I was in high school. What is the last name of your friends family?
– Brent
Six degrees — Swannack — even if it’s not the same family, they probably know each other. “Six degrees”, as they say, eh? Where are you these days?
I know the name. And I’m positive that my cousin knows those folks as well.
And it is a small world. As for me, I live in Dallas. Where it’s been pretty hot . We finally we got a break and it’s only 95 right now.
You may also know the name from seeing it on the road to their house. With such big farms in the area, most of the roads cutting through them are named after the families who own the property — “Swannack Road.” What’s your cousin’s name? I will ask my friend when I see her. I’m sure they do know each other. :-)
Hi Lori,
Looks like the website won’t let me comment again on your post. My cousin’s last name is Spuler. It will be interesting to see what she say!
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
How lucky are we to have such a diverse and beautiful land. Thanks Matt for showing all of us the wonders of this vast country. Looking forward to seeing your feet in the Pacific! Keep on rolling along.
Jeff- haven’t used vicarious lately… so that’s for you bud!
Wow, now thats a lot of wheat!! LOL
Well when you make it here to Rockaway Beach we have tons of green-ness just waiting for you. Look at that sky….it’s been rather overcast and misty this last past week high’s in the upper 60’s. Anyways…I haven’t heard anything about a welcome party, but I’m not much of a social type with the community leader people. My bro-inlaw is. so when I get a chance I’ll talk to him….see what I can find out :)
Happy Friday and have a good walk :D
Matt H. for Rockaway – man you gotta help out the Hobo Nation here and get yourself in the know – and quick! ;-) It’d be kinda cool if Rockaway Matt is the first one to shake Hobo Matt’s hand as he roll into town. Rock on!
Young – I’ll ask around, and quick :) LOL I would like to meet Hobo Matt, I just hope he doesn’t roll into town on the one day I’ll be out of the state :|
Matt…we all have that problem. How big is the beach there? miles and miles? If we head west …and sit on the beach will see him ??
Just check out Rockaway’s site:
Didn’t see anything about Matt and his trek, seems weird :P
I found the Chamber of Commerce site: http://www.rockawaybeach.net/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=59
This is a contact us page, maybe everyone can send them a message, I would do it but I’m not sure what to say :P
also here is the Email address: answers@rockawaybeach.net
Hope this helps I’ll talk to my bro-in-law this weekend and see if he has heard anything :)
oh check this place out: http://www.rockawaybeach.net/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=71
This is just a few blocks away from my house (inlaws property) our property is on the northwest corner of the Old Growth Cedar Wetlands Preserve (we live on Hwy 101)
Have a good walk Matt!!
Beautiful Matt! Enjoy the rest of the walk! I’ve been following you since day 14. I’m very jealous of you, brother.
Seen any crop circles yet?
IF YOU GOT 60 DEGREE WEATHER WHOW THAT BEATS 105 AND HIGHER THAT WE HAVE IN ALABAMA. KEEP ON PUTTING ONE FOOT FORWARD, WHAT DOES EVERONE THINK 12 TO 14 MORE DAYS. I’M LIKE EVERYONE ELSE HATE TO SEE IT COME TO AN END, WILL HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE, BUT AS NOT AS NICE AS THIS HAS BEEN.
This video reminds me of my home territory in South Dakota. Lots of fields looking like this with wheat or ekse alfalfa and other such stuff.
Yep, they got lots of wheat on the Eastern side of Washington. But just you wait Matt, you will see a completely different Washington once you get on the West side of the Cascade Mountain Range. A lot cooler, lots of BIG fir and hemlocks.
I must say it has been a lot of fun following your trip Matt, it’ll be a let down after you get to Rockaway Beach.
You have done a great job of keeping us informed and not to mention how well you have traveled.
Thanks for the memories.
Yup….a complete change. You are so right John! Cooler weather and so much green around! I will take our cool weather over hot any day. If I could share it with all of you who are having an ugly heat wave, I would totally do it! No one should be too hot in my opinion. But, then again…I’m crabby when I’m too hot…hence why I live here. You don’t want me crabby. Hee hee!
I’m crabby too – when I’m too hot!
Greetings from New Mexico, Matt … and Toto,
It looks like you’re in Kansas again! … except for the rolling hills. That’s a LOT of wheat!
Thanks for ‘carrying’ me cross country with you.
When Lewis and Clark arrived at the Columbia River, because it’s such a BIG and wide river they thought it was the Pacific, which was their final destination. In their joy (even tho’ it was premature) Lewis journaled “Ocean in view. Oh, the joy!”
Sad, though it will be for all of us when your journey (and ours) ends, it will be so exciting when you, too, experience “the joy” of reaching Rockaway Beach.
Walk on!
Wow! Wheat as far as the eye can see! And I thought my Indiana grew a lot of wheat. That is truly amazing.
that is an insane amount of wheat, of course coming from a perspective of someone urban. then again, it would probably get the same reaction from a wheat farmer seeing NYC for the first time.
And its so QUIET! (This coming as I sit in my office listening to the constant drone of traffic) I’d like a little slice of that quiet for a bit…..
Safe rest of your journey – the champagne is chilling and waiting for us to toast you upon your arrival at Rockaway!
Now that the end of your trek is in site within the next few weeks it’s sad to think we won’t be able to
click on this wonderful web site and marvel at your pictures and commentary. What about reversing
the trip and heading back east on a southerly route? :>)
No breeze – darn, I would have liked to seen the wheat waving.
I’m guessing instead of the Emerald City – there were Wheat Fields on the other side of the Wildflower field – sure looks like it!
WHAT PART OF ALABAMA DO YOU YEARN FROM, ME I’M FROM NORTHWEST ALABAMA, AS I HAVE NOTICED YOU REALLY ENJOY MATT’S TOUR AS I DO, WHEW I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO AS HE HAS ONE DAY.
Raymond, I’m from Flat as a Flitter, Central Alabama – You should have a few hilly areas up in your location, don’t you?
Yes i live on 2nd highest point in Marion County and its hot on this hill north of hamilton, but it rained today, messed up my cycle ride but what the heck, needed rain, ride can wait
When you go across Wisconsin and see the corn fields swaying in the breeze it’s beautiful too. Amber waves of grain huh?
Hey Matt, As I spend the day counting down the clock till the weekend – I envy you. Enjoy your trip and thank you for sharing your experience. This picture is beautiful.
I’m glad it’s cooler weather for walking. It’s been in the upper 90s here in Cincinnati. On Wednesday, the official high was 99 with a heat index of 112 degrees. I’m soooo glad Matt’s not in this part of the country right now.
It is actually going to be in the 90’s today where Matt is walking. The only good thing is that we have a dry heat here. No humidity. It is likely that he will have temperatures in the 90’s to 100’s all the way till the gorge and possibly still then.
Matt your journey wia the web is like a great book I can’t put down and don’t want to see the ending.
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL – FOR AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN
This is my favorite rendetion – sing it – and be proud of your country!
http://home.comcast.net/~nw-fla/tribute_flag_B_thompson.htm
Awesome, thanks Matt
Hi Hobo Nation my son’s girlfriend is writing a blog on things to do in Ohio. She is applying to win a chance to live in the Museum of Science and Technology in Chicago for a month. If selected you have the whole place to yourself at night and you blog about your experience.
Check it out http://adventures4smiley.wordpress.com/ I think she would appreciate some comments…..
Thanks Matt & the Hobo Nation
http://www.msichicago.org/
RE: Wheeeeeat
Croooooooooop circles. . .
Breeeeeeeeeeeeeeead!
OMG, who knew eastern Washington state was so beautiful? I want to go jumping around in that field until the farmer who owns it comes after me with a pitchfork. Damn you Matt always making me wanna pack up and go west….
Matt is in a lot nicer country than i was when we went on the 12 day ride to east California, it was 112 in shade, lot of diff in north verses south in weather, but it was good ride on trike
112? Yikes!! That’s the only thing I can’t stand…heat. My mom used to live in South Carolina…I was dying every time I went to see her. On the other hand…good eats down there!
This has been an awe inspiring vicarious journey with Matt and I shall miss it when it’s over. Since Matt did this because he just enjoys walking, why should there be an “end of journey” project or meet up, did he ask or say anything about meeting up with anyone? did I miss something? cause I’ve been following him from the 2nd day of his trip. Not trying to be rude or anythng but this is a sincere question I’m asking.
That would be such a good idea. I would love to meet him.
Peace, from Michelle in Providence
The first time I was in a very open space like this (western NC not to many places, anything like this)when I had a huge panic attack (after my first “long illness”). I felt so small compared to the space around me.. I thought I was going to be swallowed up and taken in and lost forever.
I couldn’t press the gas peddle far enough down to get me home fast enough to my 4 white walls of protected space.
This picture makes me wanna rush out and enjoy this beauty, and suddenly I have no fear at all.
I’d love for this to be a final resting place. Not my beloved Blue Ridge Mtns.. but a place I can see from left to right, wide open place… where the wheat grows beautiful, and it looks like ripples in a pond, when the wind brushes against it.
For a city boy… crossing the country ON FOOT for the first time… (even with 3/4 of the USA behind me)
musta been over whelming.
(sigh)
Thanks Matt!
Craig, I went from Alabama to California on Southern route from June 25th to Julu 4th (not enough time), man it is different out that way, I plan to do it again with more time, the next trip. I looked forward to going furher each day. It’s a whole new world out there, and if we can next summer or fall of year I plan on staying around 3 weeks, in order to have time to see everything better. Have a nice Monday, Later……
Matt,
I’ve been following your blog since May. Thanks for sharing
an eclectic collection of pictures. I now have some sense of
what the people, mailboxes, nature, roads, businesses and
signs are like out west.
Linda in your home state of VA.