I won’t for a second ever claim that simply taking a 20-minute walk today is (by itself) going to end all cancers in the world– and I believe that few (if any) would believe such short-falling logic. That said, the reason I embarked on a Walk of Inspiration Across America is to inspire people, especially those who aren’t already, to take simple steps forward– at minimum: get up, go out, and take a walk today.

I’m walking thousands of miles across America to promote that everyone take a walk today. I’m taking millions of steps, from America’s Pacific shores to the Atlantic, to prove that all you need to do is begin taking small, focused, determined steps in a given direction, and that over the course of time, your devotion will deliver you tremendous accomplishments. This is true of pretty much anything in life.  This I know.

That said, when people ask me about nutrition, though I’ve learned a lot more than I once knew, everything I’ve learned in the realm of nutrition has ultimately taught me how much I don’t know– how much I have yet to learn regarding healthy eating.

Still, given that I’m walking to promote healthy lifestyles, and my fuller explanation is that a healthy lifestyle includes effective exercise, health eating, and stress management, many of the people I’ve met still seem to want to ask me nutrition-based questions as if I’m an expert on the subject.

Yes, I can quote some of the work of Michael Pollan, Dr. Oz, Andrew Weil, Deepak Chopra and others, and definitely refer them to Food Rules as a starter. That said, I still feel very limited on what I can offer in the way of answers to a variety of great, nutrition-based questions that are asked of me.

Therefore, especially given that I’ve recently acquired quality recording equipment, I’ve enlisted the help of some pro’s: I’m meeting with naturopaths, nutritionists, and physicians, asking a litany of nutrition-based questions in addition to other general health questions– and recording their answers for what will soon be many on-line video links on how to simply integrate a strong nutritional foundation into daily living. I’m learning a fabulous little nutritional education in the process.

While I won’t claim that simply walking 20 minutes daily will alone prevent all chronic diseases, the first step of a daily walk, which leads to healthier eating and soothing stress management, will definitely decrease anyone’s risk of developing any chronic disease.

As Dr. Oz says: “genes may load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.”  Given my disease-prone family history, my gun may be loaded, but I’m keeping my hands away from that trigger. I suggest you do the same for your life!  ;)

Dr. Rhett Bergeson, MD, and Deb MacIntyre, ND, take some hours out of their days this week to explain healthy living. Spending about three hours with each of them, in addition to Bryan Ginter, ND, all explained their broad approach to taking steps into living a healthier lifestyle. I've recorded most of my time with them-- a project I'll be working more on after the Walk concludes.

Thank You, Whitney, for a truly fantastic, restorative massage. I feel completely ready to start accumulating more miles again!
While Whitney was working on me, I simply envisioned this glowing, light-and-love-filled being repairing my aches, pains and tightness. It worked!!

I also have to shower tremendous gratitude upon other massage therapists who’ve helped to keep me in great shape across the miles, including: Jenny McDonald Dronet, Kim Schaefer, Natalie Durkin, Juicetress RawRhythm, and many more!!
Thanks so much for all your wonderful work!!

Whitney Kuriger, LMT - Atlanta

Having recently walked across Louisiana and all of the Gulf Coast areas ravaged in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina, my heart tonight is with the people of the Gulf Coast. I have many friends there now. Some have evacuated; many others remain. Those who’ve stayed are holding strong– I’m confident they’ll weather this storm well. It’s the biggest storm since 2005, but is expected to be nowhere near the threat level of Katrina. I’m hoping for minimal damage and NO loss of life!!

Some of the Gulf Coast Angels who've hosted me across many hundreds of miles...

Julie welcomes to me Atlanta with Fresh, garden-picked cherry tomatoes!

I met Julie Laurent last summer in Portland. I’d gone home to attend my late Grandfather John’s memorial service, and during the few weeks I spent at home with the family, the still-blossoming lavender crop from the farm which once was, was ready to be picked and freely distributed to countless smiling strangers at Portland’s summertime street fairs. During summer #5 of free lavender distribution (see my “Lavender w/Love” facebook photo album), I generally put out the word on Facebook, Craigslist and Couchsurfing, inviting anyone & their mother to join me during any great street fair giveaway. I’ve met many sweet souls during the lavender seasons, and Julie has been on of the highlights .
Last summer, Julie was passing through Portland at just the right time during her Eat-Pray-Love-type thirtysomething spiritual pilgrimage experience. Julie, from France, moved to the US about five years ago from her hometown, just north of Paris. Despite having achieved an excellent command of everyday English, she maintains a French accent so pretty, that even if she were to simply recite mundane auto repair manuals, her sweet accent could still sing you to sleep.
After we teamed up for lavender and some meditation in Portland, she also happened to be passing through Austin after I’d returned to ATX, and was about to resume my miles. She joined me for three days of walking out of Austin, the final two with Jenna Jasso– an awesome experience during which we walked from Jenna’s LoveATX headquarters to Bastrop’s Awesome Hollow, home to the Church of Awesome, on Possum Hollow Road.
After spending a night in Awesome Hollow, Julie set off on her three-day, thousand-mile return trip to Atlanta. She spent a night in Houston with Simplicity Love & Rashida Alisha Hagakore, who ultimately invited me in for weeks and introduced me to a spunky social life via their “Houston Consciousness Community.”
Not long after returning to Atlanta, Julie returned to France, with the intention of moving back permanently. However, the Universe had other plans for Julie, and just a few months ago, she returned to Atlanta. She’s currently living in NW Atlanta, in a phase of busily working for a local florist, and living below a nearby neighbor, home facing the woods.
She invited me in weeks ago. I told her I would likely spend the rest of August in Atlanta, and though her parents, who don’t speak any English, are currently visiting from France, she’s created space for us all. I’ll probably do some hopping around within Atlanta while here, as I am making myself fully available to speak to schools and other groups, but Julie will remain “home base” while in town– especially since by now, Julie feels like family .
What a delight it’s been to spend these first 48 hours in Atlanta with a dear friend– and I very much look forward to spending more time with her & family & friends throughout these coming days within Atlanta.

Julie & her parents

With the exception of a dozen or so rural miles between them, I spent today walking from Peachtree City to Union City. At the end of the day, I met with my cousin Jennie & her family, for the first time in years, and the first time ever outside of the Pacific NW.

After a couple of days of rich conversation, delicious food, and getting lost within Peachtree City's 90 miles of interconnected paved trails, Denise & Jim bid me best wishes as I continue on from their warm welcome. Thanks so much, Denise & Jim!

Just a mile down the road, and I receive a call from Denise that I forgot to return their house key. Yikes-- she's right! She was already on the other side of town, but her husband was nearby, so she told me to stop at the local Village Store, and he would meet me there. This ended up working out really well. Thaker Patel, the owner of the store, initiated a scintillatingly spiritual, meaning-of-life conversation with me. He ended up taking a postal address from me, to send me a couple of fascinating books on Eastern Philosophy. He told me to help myself to anything I needed within his store-- so, I grabbed some extra water. I love it when being forced "out of my way" results in something beautiful .

Siohvan, a local singer, stops to ask me about the Walk. We end up chatting for a few minutes, and, like the Davis Family, she recently found herself highly inspired to change her eating habits after watching the documentary "Forks Over Knives." Siohvan gifted me with a fresh sunflower for the rest of my day's miles

A few miles into the day, walking the rural roads outside of Fayetteville, Ms. Sarah Caldwell, a retired grade school teacher who used to read Peter Jenkins' best-selling "A Walk Across America" with her classes, stopped to chat for a few minutes. The book was published decades ago, and though she used to read it to her classes at the time, this was the first time she'd actually seen or met anyone walking across America. As her face filled with wonder, so did mine. Though I've yet to finish his first book, I've found my walk across America in so many ways similar to Jenkins'. (Contemporary technology is the major difference.)

I've been highly reliant on Google Maps to show me an adequate walking route from one destination to the next. While Google is accurate 99% of the time, occasionally roads will become dead ends, bridges won't exist, or other snafus will arise. Today, I became suspicious when some of the roads had "NOT A THROUGH STREET" signs posted, which in some areas means they just want local traffic only, yet in others can mean the road won't connect with any other. I marched forth though, and witnessed many rural America delights: song birds, the exclusive smell of the plants all around me, many moments of quiet and stillness, the earth beneath my feet ~

The Williams Family Warmly Welcomes me to Union City. All of their names begin with the letter 'Z'!

I've been looking forward to this for a long time. Today, I caught up with my cousin, Jennie, who lives south of Atlanta, Georgia. They live a few miles off my route, but have volunteered to transport me back & forth to today's stopping point at Buffington Road in Union City. It's been years since we've seen each other, and it's been great not only to laugh over all the fun childhood memories we all shared, but also to exchange stories of how our lives are moving along today. I've really enjoyed meeting her husband, Brian, as well!

100.
I just reached a hundred references this weekend on Couchsurfing. Admittedly, though the idea of lining up a homestay on-line with people you’ve yet to meet in person DID sound very odd and suspicious, some of my best, most reputable friends had participated in this social network, were applauding it wildly, and heavily, heavily recommending Couchsurfing to me.
Though their good words did convince me to give it a try, heading for my first such experience (near Canby), I still felt some discomfort with the whole idea. Luckily, I trusted the recommendations of all of these great friends, and I seemed to get a good on-line vibe from the first couple who invited me into their home: Mike & Wilma Bruno, who live near Canby, Oregon.
As the Brunos lived miles from my route, they decided to give me a ride back and forth from/to a given street corner in Canby. They were awaiting me as I arrived from Lake Oswego, and as I approached the corner of 9th Avenue & Ivy Street, Mike stepped out of his car, and approached me with the look in his eye of greeting an old family member– a very warm introductory handshake followed. I was sold immediately.
Mike & Wilma took me out to eat that evening, and provided me with a very cozy place to sleep at their home in the woods (which he himself built). The following morning, they fixed me a healthy, delicious lunch– excellent road fuel for my coming day’s walk to Wilsonville.
Thousands of miles and nearly three years later, I’ve continued on to meet hundreds of people via Couchsurfing, many of them becoming great, close friends of mine. In fact, I’ve found that the personality type that is open to ideas such as Couchsurfing is the personality type I’m most attracted to in new friends.
Some people ask me about the safety of a network like CS. I understand their concerns. Though not required, Couchsurfing allows people to confirm their credibility via verification checks. I made a $25 donation to the site, which matched my name and credit card info/address with my profile info. They then sent a postcard to my house with a 16-digit code; I entered the code and achieved verification level 3 (the highest). Also, just as you’d find with Amazon or Ebay, other people are allowed to leave references on your profile page, and you have no control over the references they leave– positive, neutral, or negative. I also leave references on the pages of others, and they have no control over what I say about them. I gravitate toward profiles of well-reviewed, verified CS members.
So far, I’ve had nothing but great experiences– a trend which I’m sure will continue all the way to Washington, DC, and well into the future.
Below is the link to my page, where you can take a look at my profile, the 100 references left for me, and the 100+ references I’ve left for others.
I should clarify that though I’m writing here about CS, I’m not writing to “advertise” the CS website itself, but simply to champion the idea of a peer-reviewed hosting network. CS is simply the only such network I’ve been using; it’s the largest such network, with over 3 million people participating in countries all over the world.
I write this post today from the home of the Hardin Family, a Couchsurfing family who’s hosting me in Newnan, Georgia. They’re very nice people, and after 18 miles yesterday, I’m spending Saturday & Sunday night at their home.
I’ll be staying with many more CSers through the subsequent 750 or so miles to Washington, DC.
Admittedly, just weeks into the Walk of Inspiration Across America, I found that even if I had only walked to meet the countless wonderful people across the miles (a large part of my Facebook posts) the experience easily would have been well worth it. Not only am I walking with a mission, I’m earning the privilege to meet so many of the millions of great Americans along the way!!
LINK: www.couchsurfing.org/george_calvin