Houston, we have a problem.

Woke up today, at Ramey and Ben's, to some of the scariest clouds I've ever seen. The possibility of thunderstorms, snow showers and rain. The mountains I had to walk towards were not even visible. What do I do? Find a CouchSurf and bunk down for the day. Thankful, it wasn't hard and I'm back on the campus of NMSU at Jen's. Thank you Ramey and Ben for the hospitality.

Here's how the weather broke down - rain: nope ; snow showers: if 2 minutes equals a shower ; thunder: not a peep. What we did get was cloud cover and wind like crazy. The wind was blowing like the big, bad wolf "I'll huff and I'll puff and..." well you get the point, 30 mph gusts for like 5 hours.

Now the fun part. I had a sort of melt down today about the "walk". Do I keep going? Is anyone really paying attention?

The lack of press interest really has me baffled. I guess my delusions of grandeur before this walk started were true delusions. I thought everyone would be all over this because everyone seems to have a cancer story. WRONG! I can't even get a small town paper to write a blurb. This had me questioning everything. What can i do? How come things aren't the way I expected them to be?
"It's the first quarter of the big game and you want to toss up a hail Mary. I'd like to be pimps from Oakland or cowboys from Arizona, but it's not Halloween. Grow up Peter Pan, Count Chocula"

I DO have a cancer story and I don't want my kids to have one. So, I guess I'm gonna walk. I made a promise to a beautiful girl that I'd meet her in Fort Worth to celebrate a belated Valentine's Day and I don't lie to her.

I know the last few days have been kinda of boring for readers but the adventure is just getting started. If you leave now you might miss the good parts. Please stay tuned and donate to one of the organizations, so the only stories we tell have happy endings.

Day 34 total: 0
Jesse Walks America total: 521.4
Jesse Walks America total times I've wanted to go home today: 17
Jesse Walks America total times I went home today: 0

I'd do it the same too

Before I head off and don't have internet access there is something important I need to post. On Thursday, Feb. 12, my new friend John in Peoria(who serves our country in the Air Force) is taking a very big exam for a promotion. I would really appreciate it if everyone who follows and supports me would send him good thoughts on Thursday. Good luck, John. I'll be thinking good thoughts all day.

"I'll make you famous"

Last full day in Las Cruces, so what was I gonna do......laundry. That's right I had to get it done before I hit the road. I talked to Kelly, did my laundry, and played online.
At around noon, Jen And I walked to Old Mesilla, about 3 miles away. The town is an "old west" historic area kind of turned touristy. First thing we did was grab some food at La Posta. It was very good and not very expensive. We walked around and took some pictures and video. One of the shops was the courthouse where Billy the Kid was sentenced to hang. That was pretty cool.


We headed back to her place so I could pack up for the next CouchSurfing place. We said our good-byes and off I went.

It was a 4 mile walk to my next destination but I made it kinda quickly. So I'm at my last surf in Las Cruces hanging out. One of my hosts, Ben, has actually hiked the Pacific Crest Trail so we've been talking a little about that. Some of you may or may not know that I had loosely planned to go hike the PCT right after this adventure. Whether I do or not will remain to be seen. A five month walk, that is kicking my butt right now, followed by a five month hike in the woods, sounds.....????
Check out a map of the PCT
Tomorrow I start the 30 day walk to Fort Worth, TX. As I wrote yesterday, Kelly booked her flight so now I have to be there by then. It's good to have deadlines, I've learned, especially with rewards at the end.
I haven't walked route for 4 days, wow. This has been a nice break, but it's time to get back to business.
All the walking I did today was in my new LIVESTRONG sneakers. I wanted to break them in a little before I retire the Asics. Speaking of sneakers let me give a quick thanks to Walt for the sneakers he donated to me. Thanks Walt. Watch this......

I'm heading to Alamogordo, NM through White Sands National Monument where the first atom bomb was tested. I've been told they still do missile testing, so I have to check a schedule to insure that the road will be open. Being hit by a missile would really suck.


Day 33 total: 0
Jesse Walks America total: 521.4

Planes, rains, and how does this make you feel

Today was very laid back. I woke up and talk to Kelly for a few on her ride back from D.C.. Once Jen, my CouchSurfing host, woke up we walked down the street to a different coffee shop for breakfast. It was very nice out on the way there but on the way back a canopy of clouds had moved in. There was rumor of rain and it looked like it may come true. I actually felt a few drops.

Jen had to work so I went for a walk and snapped these pictures for someone who has been following my travels since day one. I think this is the place you were talking about. If so, still here. That's crazy.

Since not to much has happened I figured I'd give you guys a few videos and some facts.

-Cancer may affect people at all ages, even fetuses, but the risk for most varieties increases with age.
-Cancer causes about 13% of all deaths.
-According to the American Cancer Society, 7.6 million people died from cancer in the world during 2007.

Wideawake performance of Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow at Antone's in Austin, Texas. Download the song at iTunes. All proceeds benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation.


The good news of the day is Kelly booked her flight to Dallas. She will be arriving on the 12th of March so that gives me 30 days starting Tuesday to get there. I can't wait to see you, Kelly. It will be so wonderful.


Day 32 total: 0
Jesse Walks America total walked: 521.4
Total number of people who have died from cancer since I left the pier: 46,080(roughly)

"C" is for cookie

Day 2 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Last night I stayed with my CouchSurfing host, Michelle. She picked me up, dropped me at her place, told me how to get to the local coffee shop, Milagro, and had to go back to work. Later that night we went downtown with a couple of her friends, Jo and Craig who are from Connecticut (and surfed with Michelle last week) to an art exhibit. Afterward we returned to her place, where two other friends came by, Justin and Abby, and we watched a movie. The movie was Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus, it was very good.

We sat around and talked a bit before turning in.

Unfortunately, the string of strangers effected by cancer continued yesterday. Abby's mother had been told about another tumor that had developed. Not to get into her personal details, I know that my family wishes all the best for her and her family.

Today I got up, talked to Kelly, and headed to Milagro to start emailing local radio stations. Once I finished that I felt my primal urge kick in. The urge, for some reason, to go to the place I always go if I'm bored.....the mall. I located it on the map and it was only 2 miles, so off I went. What do you know it was pretty much the same as every mall. So back to the coffee shop to start figuring my route to Dallas.

So, I was working on that when my next CouchSurfing host called to set things up for tonight. Seems she works right down the street from Milagro, so I walked down to meet her. We sat and talked briefly, she was supposed to be working, and made plans to meet up later. Now I'm back at the coffee shop waiting for Michelle to finish her daily things so I can say my good-bye's and thank you's and begin a new adventure. Tonight, I'll be staying on the campus of New Mexico State University with a new friend, Jen.

Today was very relaxing and kinda boring so far. The boring part was by my choice, I guess. I just wanted to get those emails done and figure out my route a little. One of the things I told my step-dad before I left was that I wanted to teach myself to stop procrastinating. I'm trying, Bob, I really am. HAHA

I met up with Jen at the local grocery, where she had to grab somethings for dinner. We got back to her place and just started talking while she cooked. I grabbed a quick shower, we ate and headed out to one of her friend's to watch a movie.

Once all the introductions were made, the questions about the walk began. This is one of the things I love about doing this, talking to people who are genuinely interested. Everyone in the room seemed to enjoy my stories and I enjoyed telling them. I love when a group of total strangers and I share a laugh or two over my misadventures. While all this was happening Katie, whose dorm room we were in, made chocolate chip cookies. When they came out of the oven a line was formed like a soup kitchen. They were some good cookies.

We watched "Once" and the movie was good, but the soundtrack was terrific.

All in all it was a great night. The kindness of strangers is still amazing me. To be in a room with complete strangers and feel like you belong, is a great feeling. That has been my experience to date with CouchSurfing so far.

Any one who knows me, knows that my roots are strong with family and friends. So, you guys know how hard it is for me to be away. I miss you guys like crazy already. There isn't a day that I don't want to come home to regular life. So when I have the "right at home" feeling it makes things easier to deal with. I still miss you guys it just makes it a little easier.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on "Which came first...." It took a lot for me to get that one together.



Day 31 total: 0
Jesse Walks America total walked: 521.4
Jesse Walks America total rode: 276
Jesse Walks America total fresh baked cookies: 2 (really I only had 2)

Which came first the "walk" or the "reason" ?

Sorry, this is a bad picture taken in a coffee house bathroom mirror. It is my tattoo on my chest that says "MA" which is what we called my grandmother. She was, with the exception of my mom, the most important woman in my life. I bring this up because people who I've met, ask if cancer has effected me personally and I tell them I lost my grandmother 15 years ago. Fifteen years seems like a long time for someone to finally get up and do something in some one's memory. The fact is it hasn't been 15 years since I've done something in her memory, I do something everyday. I wake up, take a breath and try to be the best grandson I can be.

I woke up this morning feeling I needed to defend my choice of accepting rides on my "walk" across America. The fact is, the walk is an amazing side note to a bigger picture. If I were walking just to say I did it, I would have given up weeks ago. Surprised to hear that? Don't be, this is hard. I miss my family. I miss my friends. And I miss the hell out of my girlfriend. But I made a promise and a commitment to raise money and awareness of this terrible disease.

I want to walk from coast-to-coast, but more importantly I want to reach people. If this means accepting the kindness of strangers who offer a ride to the next town, well... Walking in the desert for days on end doesn't get the message out. Each person who I've rode with has lost someone to cancer, a wife, a father, an uncle. Those people's stories touched me and I hope my efforts touched them. In fact I know it did because they told me.

I'm currently one week ahead of my scheduled arrival into Dallas to meet Kelly. I intend to spend the next few days in the city of Las Cruces, NM looking for a way to spread the word of what I'm doing. Whether it's newspaper, radio, tv, or standing outside the McDonald's greeting people.

Am I walking every step of the 3,800 mile route that I had planned? No. Do I regret taking those rides? No. If I let anyone down by that statement, I'm sorry. Truly I am. "Jesse Walks America" is about raising awareness and money for cancer research, not about the number of miles my feet hit the ground.

When I take my last step on this journey I want to feel like I made a difference. Walking from coast-to-coast isn't heroic, making an impact on some one's life is. If I can help someone from losing their "Ma", then I've done something to be proud of.

So please keep following me whether it's walking or catching a ride to the next town. And if you haven't made a donation, please do. We still are making a difference, one donation and one mile at a time.


Day 30 total: 0
Jesse Walks America total walked: 521.4
Jesse Walks America total rode: 276

p.s. I walked across the border into New Mexico today.

Helping hands from everywhere

Woke up after sunrise today, figured I'd sleep in since I'm ahead of schedule. I went down to the lobby and had some breakfast, then went to get packing. I got a move on around 9:45 from the Super 8. I want to thank the manager for her generosity and hospitality. Unfortunately she is another person I've met who has a loved one battling cancer. Tell them to keep fighting the fight and LIVESTRONG.

On the way through Safford I noticed the office for one of the local papers, the Eastern Arizona Courier. So because I'm trying to talk to more people, I stopped in. I spoke to the Managing Editor, Aimee Staten, and she took down my information and took a quick photo. In the next few days there may be a story, I'll keep you all posted.

Once I got out of the city limits I snapped this picture of this beautiful mountain

In the desert again, I was just going along thinking where am I gonna sleep tonight. I passed a sign saying that the next town, Duncan, was 32 miles and Lordsburg (a future destination) was 66. Knowing I would have to walk into the night if I was hoping to reach Duncan, I just kept an eye on cell service and kept plugging along.

I stopped to use the roadside facilities and grab a drink, when a pick-up passed and backed up to me. The driver asked where I was headed and if I was okay, "East and yes." "Well throw your rig in the back and I'll get you to the next town so your not sleeping in the desert." Raised not to be rude I accepted the offer. Larry and I started talking and it wasn't long before he shared that he had lost his wife to cancer 7 years ago.(side note they were married 43 years, no lie) Thanks for the lift Larry.

This is becoming a reoccurring event, someone stopping to check on me, offering a ride and having lost a loved one to cancer. I could really do without the latter.

Larry dropped me at the town hall where he said I'd be able to find out about a place to sleep. The lady at the town hall mentioned that the local bed & breakfast would be my best bet. So once I had directions, I was on my way. Being a small town it wasn't long before I came across The Simpson Hotel.

I knocked on the door and was greeted with a smile by Deborah. I explained what I was doing in town and that I was in need of a room, "Well, welcome to the Simpson Hotel". She showed me my room and told me where to park the Switchback Hybrid. I brought some things in from the jogger before I headed out to explore town and grab a bite to eat. After returning and taking a shower, I went out to grab something from the jogger and found one of the goats checking it out. Yes, I said goat...curious about what might be in there, I guess.

Now I'm sitting, listening to the Celtics-Lakers game on ESPN radio on-line enjoying having a roof over my head again. Come on CELTICS!!!!!!

Today has been a good day to be me and I want to give a few "thank you"s out to some of the people that have made it that way. Again thanks to the Super 8, Larry, Deborah at the The Simpson Hotel. Also to the law offices of Horan Mclean & Horan for their generous donation, and to my cousin Caitlyn for all her help spreading the "word" of the walk.

While I'm thanking people, thank you to my family, my girlfriend Kelly, my friends, all my sponsors for all the love and support. Also to the three organizations we're trying to help, for letting us be part of trying to make a better tomorrow for people diagnosed and living with this terrible disease.


Tomorrow I will walk into New Mexico, my third state on the way home. Thanks for having me Arizona. It's been fun and I'll be back some day, probably driving though.

Day 29 total: 18
Jesse Walks America total: 521.4