Hello! My name is J.J. King and I am fundraising for Food Bank of Wyoming at a nominal rate of one penny per mile while hiking along the American Discovery Trail (ADT). From Delaware’s sandy beaches, to Nebraska’s sand hills, I plan to continue walking across Wyoming for a total of 3,225 miles, as time and weather permit. I will need to average 21 miles per day … and pray … and eat lots of ice cream.

Would you donate 45 cents to Food Bank of Wyoming if someone hiked across Delaware?  Might you increase your gift to $11.00 when I continue across Ohio?  What about when I cross into Wyoming?  

Would you consider donating 1¢ for each mile of my hike? Every dollar raised provides enough for four meals, which means your $32.00 will provide 128 meals to Wyoming neighbors facing hunger. 

Every donation will be collected directly by Food Bank of Wyoming and I will not receive any portion of any donation. 

Following my career in the United States Navy, I completed long distance hiking trails such as the entire Appalachian, Ice Age, New England, Tahoe Rim, and the Wonderland totaling 3,758 miles.  I have hiked 1,140 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, and two traverses of the Grand Canyon and a bicycle ride across America totaling 4,646 miles. 

My American Discovery Trail hike will commence on May 1, 2022, and I have plans to complete my adventure in September 2022. 

I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation and sincere gratitude for your support to Food Bank of Wyoming. It's dedicated staff and their untiring volunteers; and our fellow citizens of Wyoming.  Thank you for your inspiring participation and taking action to end hunger in Wyoming. 

See picture's from J.J.'s Journey by clicking this link: J.J. King's journey on the American Discovery Trail

Read about J.J., on the Food Bank of Wyoming blog, https://wyomingfoodbank.org/newsy/walking-feed-wyomingites-facing-hunger/

Update as of June 16, 2022
Greetings friends and supporters of the Food Bank of Wyoming!

This update comes to you from Ottawa.  No, I am not in Canada, but visiting Ottawa, Illinois.  My last update was sent from Winamac, Indiana.  This journey has covered 1,005 miles since leaving Delaware on April 28, 2022.

My final day in Indiana ended within feet of its border with Illinois.  Indiana is to the right side of my pack; Illinois is to its left side.  I simply slept under the stars without my tent, also known as "Cowboy Camping".

 Indiana was an overall good experience.  My transit took eight days from Richmond to this rural field four miles west of Lake Village.  Only one mean dog encounter ... a German Shepard named "Bear".   I met many friendly and helpful people who were genuinely interested in the Food Bank of Wyoming.

I passed through the City of Kankakee, and then hiked 10.5 miles in Kankakee River State Park.  A campground provided a stay for my first evening in Illinois. 

Continuing onward, another rail-trail greeted me, the Wauponsee Glacial Trail (WGT).  Over 15,000 years ago, glacial activity in the Midwest scoured the land, creating lakes, rivers, swamps, moraines (ridges of soil and rock), and rich earth for today's farmers to grow crops.  The WGT runs nearly 23 miles from Joliet, Illinois south to the Kankakee River. 

 My trek included less than two miles on the WGT to reach a substantial iron bridge.  Built In 1903, it spanned the Kankakee River.  It was in remarkable condition with little rust, being well maintained.

Some of the barns in Illinois are capped at the centerline with a smaller structure.  I have not witnessed this design until reaching the Land of Lincoln.  (Not on this hike; not during my hike across Wisconsin in 2017.)   Maybe I will be fortunate to meet a farmer to learn more about the functionality of these projected roofs.

Onward to the Towns of Diamond and Coal City; and the larger City of Morris.  Morris was the starting point of the Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail.  The original canal system was completed in 1848, the same year Chicago was first serviced with railroads and the telegraph.  Similar to the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) towpath I experienced earlier in May, this canal system provided a means for farmers to transport their harvested bounty to Chicago and points beyond.

 Morris was also the location of the world's first electronic telephone central office in November 1960.  Sixty-two years later, and reliable (most of the time) world-wide voice and visual communication is supported by orbiting satellites.

 Upon reaching Ottawa, I decided to take a day of lodging to rest from heat index temperatures above 100F.  It has been exceptionally hot this week.  Keeping hydrated is challenging.  Ample water must be carried between towns, but that extra weight in the pack presents a greater effort to carry.  

I look forward to departing tomorrow June 16, 2022) as I am only 100 miles to the mighty Mississippi River.  A bridge awaits to cross into Iowa!  Davenport, Iowa ... maybe by this weekend.

Until then, I trust that you are doing well, and that your summer is off to a great start.  Sending with best regards.

Update as of June 9, 2022

Hello fans and supporters of the Food Bank of Wyoming!  I trust that all is well with you, your families, and friends.  This update comes to you from Winamac, Indiana, located about 65 miles east of Illinois.

The walking adventure draws ever closer to Wyoming, having completed 856 miles as of June 8, 2022.  Up to 18,600 calories of ice cream.  Gratefully there have been no mean dogs in the Hoosier State.

I departed Richmond, Indiana on June 3, 2022 to enjoy the Cardinal Greenway (CG) Rail-Trail.  It was voted the nation's best pathway in 2018, the 25th anniversary of the goal to form an east to west crossing of America via former railroad lines.  Its 62 miles are very well maintained.

 The CG includes shelters, water fountains, interpretative signs, picnic tables, benches, and "bicycle maintenance stations".  

 I enjoyed one evening at a shelter, that included a local "resident".

 The CG ends to the equally impressive Sweetser Switch Trail.  Although only four miles long, it includes two covered bridges.

 Upon leaving the Town of Converse, I noticed something moving in the center of a county highway as my day was drawing to a close.  Two small raccoons!  Bound to be hit by traffic.  Using my hiking poles, I carefully returned them to the grassy shoulder.

 Time seemed to return to the 1930s upon arriving at the small village of Wawpecong, Indiana.  A very well preserved gas station presented an atmosphere where the pace of life was not as rushed as today.  Only full service with uniformed attendants; self service was not an option.  Cash only.  No credit cards.  Probably 5 cents for a cold bottle of Coca-Cola.

 Beyond the Shell Gas Station, a large barn, circa 1914, loomed on the horizon.  Imagine the thousands of bales of hay stored inside during the past 108 years.

 This barn was apparently owned by a proud graduate or fan of Purdue University, located in  West Lafayette, Indiana.  Home to the Boilermakers.

 The small Town of Bennett's Switch provided access to the Nickel Plate Trail, yet another rail-trail, this one totaling 44 miles.  It passes through some rather intriguing names of small towns including Miami, Bunker Hill, and Denver.  Along the way is a larger city named Peru.  To my surprise, the memorial statue honoring local citizens who served during World War I was an exact duplicate to the same statue in front of the county courthouse in Phillipi, West Virginia.  How many more small towns and cities have the same statue?  

 Peru's Public Library caused me to pause for a moment as I walked past its front entrance.  Do you see anything peculiar with the stained glass window above the doorway?

 I am looking forward to continuing my trek along Indiana's meandering county roads.  As quiet as a library here.  Alongside the farmland, where the corn is currently only ankle high.  A local farmer said it will be a good harvest if it grows to one's waist by the 4th of July.  As you enjoy an ear of sweet corn later this summer, be sure to thank the farmers of Mid-western America.

Thank you for sharing your time.  I truly appreciate your support of the Food Bank of Wyoming.  Sending best regards from Indiana!

Update as of June 3, 2022

Greetings friends and supporters of the Food Bank of Wyoming!

My last update was dated May 11, 2022, when I crossed the Virginia - West Virginia border.  This update is written from Richmond, Indiana, the first city off Interstate 70 where it crosses from Ohio. 

My walk has covered 725.3 miles.  I have enjoyed 13,960 calories of ice cream.  Grateful for multiple offers of cold water.  Equally grateful that I have experienced only four mean dogs.  (The "Dog Horn" is an effective deterrent.)

I have rerouted portions of my walk along the American Discovery Trail due to poor weather, flooded rivers, and to see some historical sights that would otherwise be missed.  Sometimes detours reveal pleasant surprises.  

An example was a stay in Moorefield, West Virginia.  The historic Mullin Motel, circa 1847, is the oldest continuously operated lodging in the state.  

I suspect many citizens of Wyoming are familiar with the Rocky Mountains defining the Western Continental Divide.  But are they familiar with another great divide, although much lower in overall elevation?  The Eastern Continental Divide runs along the chain of the Appalachian Mountains.

Rain and snowmelt on the east side of this road sign on the divide flows into tributaries leading into the Atlantic Ocean.  Water falling on land to the west side of the sign flows to rivers ultimate reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

The small towns along my walking route included impressive architecture, including county courthouses.  This one is located in West Union, West Virginia.

West Virginia also hosted my first encounter of a "rail trail" ... former railway lines repurposed as biking and walking paths.  These pathways were a much welcomed alternative to walking on the sides of highways and county roads. 

The North Bend Rail Trail extended 71 miles from Wolf Summit to Parkersburg.  There were several tunnels to navigate, including one extending 0.43 miles.  The entrance was pitch dark in the middle of the day.  

Due to an interior curve, I did not see the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel" until about half-way through.  My headlamp provided reassurance of not walking into the tunnel's walls.

 Another example of unique architecture was the bank in the Town of Cairo.  Opened in 1896 and closing as a bank in 1974, its Italianate design was unique for the local area.  

Parkersburg marked my farewell from West Virginia as a bridge crossed into Belpre, Ohio.  I looked forward to more level land as my walk continued into the Midwest.

Churches in the many villages and small towns seemed to hold a prominent location.  My early evening arrival into Logan, Ohio was particularly rewarding as one church featured an illuminated cupola.

Groveport, Ohio provide another example of a 19th Century church.  The craftsmanship that was devoted to construct such buildings must have required many professional trades.

Upon reaching the capital city of Columbus, I looked forward to a day of rest.  Constructed between 1838 and 1861, the capital building is noteworthy as it was designed without a dome, commonly seen in most other states.  (Delaware, Hawaii, Nebraska and Virginia are examples of states also lacking domed capital buildings.)

Leaving Columbus, I marveled at the condition and preservation of the cast-iron, eagle crest and shield once adorning the bow of the battleship USS OHIO.  This ship was among the Great White Fleet that circumnavigated the world during President Theodore Roosevelt's administration.

My traverse continued on the Ohio to Erie Trail ... a bike and walk path that extends from Cincinnati, to Columbus, to Cleveland.  Ohio hosts hundreds of miles of truly off-road pathways.  It wandered on to Cedarville, Ohio.  A man who immigrated to America from Romania was very kind.  He visited my campsite with homemade whole wheat bread, yogurt and an omelet.  (I know the reader is familiar with omelets, but I have to share a photo of his delicious gift.)

A portion of the North Tower of the World Trade Center was featured in a small memorial park.  The Town of Beavercreek was granted this solemn gift from in 2011, following the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001.  It stands 25 feet high, eight feet wide, and weighs three tons.

Last winter, I read David McCullogh's book on the Wright Brothers.  It was particularly moving to stand at 7 Hawthorn Street in Dayton, where the Wrights once resided.  (The home was relocated in 1936 to Dearborn, Michigan by Henry Ford.)  Fortunately Wilbur and Orville's bicycle shop remains in place as part of Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.

I departed Dayton the day after Memorial Day.  There are many National Cemeteries across America, including Arlington National Cemetery.  All of the gravesites at the Dayton National Cemetery were honored by small flags of the United States.  The cemetery includes 33 servicemen who served in the War of 1812.

On June 1, 2022, I said goodbye to Ohio, and hello to Indiana.  I look forward to starting my walk across the Hoosier State on another bike and walk path, the 62 mile Cardinal Greenway.

I will try to give another update upon reaching the Indiana - Illinois border.  Until then, thank you very much for your thoughtful support of the Food Bank of Wyoming.  My walk is just one way to help end hunger in our beloved State of Wyoming.

Updates as of May 27, 2022

The photo shows a church in Logan, Ohio. I arrived in Columbus today; departing on Saturday for Dayton. 

Update as of May 24, 2022​

I should reach the Ohio-Indiana border next Monday to approach Richmond, Indiana. Planning to complete Indiana, Illinois and cross into Iowa during June.  

About 1,840 miles from Athens, Ohio to my house.

Update as of May 11, 2022

Hello Friends and Supporters of the Wyoming Food Bank:

Since last writing, my walk has included a detour due to a flooded Potomac River after receiving heavy rains last week.  I stayed in Bethesda, Maryland for two days to avoid the storms, and it was a wise call as the riverbanks exceed flood stage.  Departed for the C&O Towpath on May 7th. The C&O Towpath defines the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, 185 miles from Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland.

Canal boats were pulled (towed) by mules.  A series of locks allowed the boats to safely descend the grade and contours of the land along the Potomac River. 

Some locks along the canal included small cabins where lock keepers lived with their families to operate the locks. 

The Great Falls of the Potomac River were overflowing its banks.  Usually one can see large rocky crags from this viewpoint.  A raging torrent of water.  (Virginia can be seen on the opposite side of the Potomac River.) 

I continued to historic Whites Ferry, but as the Potomac River crested in places over the C&O Towpath, I knew that it would be unsafe to hike to the ADT's crossing at Oldtown, Maryland.  So I decided to cross at Harpers Ferry with its substantial bridge.  

Along the way toward Harpers Ferry, there were many barns in the idyllic western Maryland countryside.  To pass time, I conceived this poem on a bright sunny afternoon:

Hello old barn,

If you could speak,

How many miles beneath my feet? Must I traverse

In this Land of Mary? To cross the Potomac,

At Harpers Ferry.

While having a roadside lunch near Dickerson, Maryland, a man in a pickup truck asked if I was at the beach in Delaware two weeks ago.  He recognized my backpack and flag.  "Yes sir, that was me."  He exclaimed that he saw me.  I provide a card with information about the Food Bank of Wyoming.

Just before reaching the bridge to Harpers Ferry, the Appalachian Trail joins the C&O Towpath.  It was great to be walking a few miles of the AT ... my first time since walking the entire 2,185 miles in 2013 from Maine to Georgia.  White blaze markers identify this incredible trail.

Arriving at historic Harpers Ferry, one sees "John Brown's Fort".  Tomorrow the detoured route will access a return to West Virginia, where I will reconnect with the ADT in Streby, West Virginia.  Sometimes detours in life bring otherwise missed opportunities as shared above.  

My walk since starting in Delaware on April 28th has included 234 miles.  Miles of overall good weather, friendly and helpful people, and only two bad dogs.

Thank you for sharing your time, and supporting the Food Bank of Wyoming.

Cheers,

J.J.

Update as of May 4, 2022

Thank you for sharing your time by visiting this webpage.  My walk along the American Discovery Trail (ADT) has proceeded well since starting on April 28, 2022.  It was great to experience the Atlantic Ocean for the first time 2010.  A small sample of seawater was collected and added to my backpack.  Someday I hope to deposit it into the Pacific Ocean. The ADT's eastern terminal is located at Cape Henlopen State Park, near the town of Lewes, Delaware.  During World War II, the United States Army monitored potential German submarine operations off the coast in this area.  The Delaware River provided direct access to building and maintenance shipyards at Philadelphia.  These strategic assets needed to be protected from the enemy.

The 45 mile walk across Delaware included farmland, marshes, small streams, friendly people ... and an impressive elevation gain of 49 feet above sea level.  At a grocery store in the Town of Milton, a clerk noted that Wyoming was not too far away from the store.  "No sir, I am not walking to Wyoming, Delaware.  My goal is the State of Wyoming."  

In Bridgeville, a friendly staff at T.S. Smith Orchard Point Market, circa 1907, provided a complimentary egg sandwich.  It was most appreciated to start my day with a cooked meal, instead of dipping into a bag of granola.  I purchased some fresh apples grown just behind the barn, next to the hen house which provide the main ingredient of my meal.  The entire experience reminded me that the focus of my walk was to raise funds to help feed our fellow citizens residing in Wyoming.

Having completed over two days of walking, I approached the Delaware-Maryland border.  A "welcoming sign" was not posted.  So I created one to define my first state traverse.  Thank you Food Bank of Wyoming staff and volunteers for the impressive shirt!

The Town of Denton, Maryland featured a tribute to a visit on September 5, 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  Apparently the entire population of the town was present to listen, as reported by an article in Life Magazine.  

On the west end of Kent Island, Maryland, bikers and hikers must arrange for a shuttle ride across the 4.3 mile long Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  This transit will be the only time that I will not actually be walking toward Wyoming.    The bridge is dangerous and unlawful for pedestrian use with three lanes of traffic on each span.  The roadway climbs to 186 feet above the water.  

Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the United States Naval Academy was commissioned into service in 1845.  The ADT passes the west side of several athletic fields.  I was passed by young Midshipmen (students) on their afternoon training runs.  Well, I was carrying a backpack.  They were not even carrying a water bottle!  Unfortunately, Maryland's Capital building was enclosed in scaffolding for maintenance, preventing a clearer view.

The ADT includes a visit to Greenbelt, Maryland.  This small town is known as the nation's first planned community with an emphasis on pedestrian travel, rather than by vehicle.  It was chartered in 1935.

My first week of hiking 138 miles ended on May 4, 2022.  It included a traverse of the National Zoo in northwest Washington D.C. to make my way to Bethesda, Maryland.  The Zoo is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the panda bear exchange with China, made possible by President Richard M. Nixon in 1972.

 Two days of rest in Bethesda, Maryland has allowed safe lodging from a weather pattern of heavy rain, localized flooding, and thunderstorms.  I look forward to resuming my walk on May 7, 2022.  Onward to the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Towpath alongside the Potomac River.  Administered by the National Park Service, its southern terminus is located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.  The ADT shares 168 miles of the C&O Towpath to access Oldtown, Maryland.  Oldtown will be my crossing point to access West Virginia!  I hope to make my next update from the "panhandle" of The Mountain State.  Until next time, thank you for supporting the Food Bank of Wyoming.