Walking Across the United States



Matt Green is a 30-year old man who decided to walk across the United States.  He's not doing this to raise funds for a charity or to call attention to a cause; it's a "for the heck of it" adventure.  He intends to walk 3,000 miles, from Rockaway Beach, New York to Rockaway Beach, Oregon, pushing a cart which carries (among other items) his food, clothing, basic camping equipment, two books, pepper spray, and duct tape.
When I’m driving, I find myself saying “Oh, I should have stopped there” as I go flying by something that looks interesting. The idea of having to impede your progress, turn the car around, and find a place to park is such a mental barrier to exploring when you’re driving. Even on a bike there’s a hesitancy to stop and climb off the saddle to go check something out. But it’s easy when you’re walking. You don’t have to stop what you’re doing; you just walk in a different direction for a little and have a look around.

I’m very drawn to the simplicity of this whole pursuit. Each day I’ll wake up, pack all my possessions back in my cart, and walk a little farther. That’s it. That’s the extent of my world. I’m just walkin’. I think everyone dreams about such a simple existence from time to time, when the worries and pressures of modern life start to accumulate. This is my chance to live that dream for a while, and see how the reality compares to the fantasy.

He is travelling without a support team, so to a certain extent he relies on the kindness of strangers, and he documents those encounters and his other experiences with photos at his very interesting website (including, to date, 24 "awesome mailboxes.")

Previously on Neatorama: Walking Across America (with a Mule!)

Matt Green's I'm Just Walking website.  Via the StarTribune.

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I have driven the route he is walking. He is going through some of the nicest parts of the country and will enjoy his next month or two. I worry about his trip after that, however. For example, there is a stretch of road in Montana where the distance between road signs is 60 miles and 150 between towns.
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