We’re in the man’s home town. I saw a Bill Geist story on Steubenville on CBS Sunday Morning a few months back, and they go all out for their famous son (on his birthday, I imagine). I think there is a big mural of Dean’o on a wall somewhere and probably a statue somewhere. Hopefully we will get to see all that.

Ronnie showed up this evening and tomorrow we will attempt to walk in three states in one day – no small feat I’ll have you know. Anyway we will start out about 3 miles from the Ohio River and cross it and then scoot across W. Virginia and cross into Pennsylvania – all before lunch if we’re lucky. We’ll see.

Today was a day that had a lot of things working against me. We were walking US 22 starting out in Cadiz and it was a scrawny two lane road with no shoulder and then suddenly it went to four lanes with an 8′ wide shoulder and rumble strips. Now, for a walker, it doesn’t get any better than that. Anyway I crossed from Harrison County to Jefferson County and presto, I can no longer walk on that road – no pedestrians, animals, or farm equipment allowed. No warning, no signs, no nothing. We found this all out in Zanesville at the Ohio Highway Patrol, but I didn’t believe them. So, we had to scramble to find an alternate route and we did, taking Co. Rd. 22A which was the old US 22 and meandering through the area until we got to where we wanted. Pennsylvania looks to be a trouble spot in places too, and I’ve got my navigator/route planner back in Indy working overtime to come up with some alternate routes. So far he has me going all over the place in Pittsburgh and has added 23 miles or so to my walk. But, if that’s what it takes.

Good weather today, nice and sunny, but cool. Tomorrow it is supposed to be much the same and the weather man said sometime later this week that it should only get into the 60’s. Great walking weather, but a bit nippy early on.

Pictures show some of the area scenery and the bottom picture shows me with my rain gear.

Miles Covered: 18
Total Miles: 2,749.5
Money Found: $0.67
Total Found: $76.98

It’s hard to believe, but I will essentially be through Ohio by the end of the day tomorrow. I probably could be in W. Virginia, but my brother Ron is driving over from Indy to walk in three states in one day with me. So, on Tuesday morning, I will leave Steubenville, cross the Ohio River into WV and after 5 or 6 miles, I will cross over in Pennsylvania. That will make five states in September that I walked in.

Today we resumed our journey. I got in a good 20 today and we are currently just east of Cadiz, OH, home of Clark Gable. Tomorrow, we will be in the hometown of Dean Martin. The weather today was cool and overcast and it was just perfect for what I’m doing. As stated previously, the terrain has turned hilly and the grades both up and down are getting longer. It is quite picturesque and looks like a postcard around every turn of the road.

Miles Covered: 20
Total Miles: 2,731.5
Money Found: $0.00
Total Found: $76.31

Today Valda & I took a much needed day off and just rested. We were at the Piedmont Marina & Campground in Smyrna, OH and spent two nights there, listening to some live music, and visiting with the neighbors.

We ate all day with Kenny & Becky and enjoyed her beans and ham, blueberry muffins and pizza. Becky works in a restaurant in Zanesville. We were sure glad they pulled in behind us. Thanks for the food and company. Now for those of you who know my brother Keith, you might see some resemblance between him and Kenny. It was like here is my brother Keith, and my other brother Keith. Weird.

I want to thank Nancy & John Walker of Hillview Acres Campground in Cambridge, OH for letting us take on water last Thursday. It was much appreciated!

Miles Covered: 15
Total Miles: 2,711.5
Money Found: $0.16
Total Found: $76.31

Another glorious day here in Eastern Ohio, and I’m right in the middle of it, walking down the road. The mornings are cool, the afternoons are warm, and the evening darkness comes way too soon. We are in hill country, foothills to the Appalachians I reckon, and the road has taken to long uphill grades and downhills that sometimes aren’t as long. Seems I’m climbing up more than walking down. But it’s Fall, the pumpkins are being picked, the corn has turned brown, and pretty soon I’m going to have to deal with frost and that crisp nip in the air that it brings.

I had a visitor today. Lynne J. of Cambridge, OH joined me on my journey and walked a couple of miles as I got into Cambridge. Lynne is the niece of long time friends of Valda’s and mine, Bob & Marylou N. of Palm City, FL. She has lived mostly in this area her whole life and has been in the dental field as well as the political field the past several years. Many thanks to her for joining me and then for buying Valda’s & my lunch at the Coney Island Restaurant. Marylou & Bob, it was a special treat and we all three wished you could have joined us.

I said goodbye to US 40 for the last time. I walked on US 40 for the first time in Utah, then in Colorado, then in Indiana, and finally in Ohio. I am now walking on US 22 and am about 55 miles from Steubenville, home of Dean Martin. This road is not nearly as nice as US 40, but it is the only one going my way. We are currently about 3 miles east of Winterset, OH. Not too many large towns on US 22 so it’s hard to tell you exactly where we are. I am walking tomorrow and then will take Saturday off and rest. I’m still keenly aware that I was sick this week and I think I’ll take days off a little more frequent now.

Personal to Bob & Marylou: thanks so much for your donation to Gateway and to Valda’s gas fund. It is much appreciated. Thanks also to John Strauss of radio station WIBC in Indianapolis for letting me ramble on a call in interview last Sunday morning. Emmis Broadcasting, who owns WIBC among other stations, has really been good to us and have actually given us 5 interviews on their various radio stations. Many thanks to them. I also want to thank Jeff Reed of radio stations, WILE, WCMJ, and WWKC of the Cambridge area for the walking interview this morning. We certainly appreciate the opportunity to spread word about what we are doing and it too is much appreciated.

Miles Covered: 18
Total Miles: 2,696.5
Money Found: $0.90
Total Found: $76.15

I’m in Zanesville, Ohio, home of author Zane Grey. Now Ol’ Zane is an interesting character to say the least. He was a noted author, and if you read his books, he was also a bigot. My great-grandfather on my mother’s side called him a scoundrel. He should have known, because he was Zane’s uncle. My grandmother’s dad and Zane’s dad were brothers. So, I don’t know what that makes me to him but some kind of cousin several times removed, I think. My brother says Zanesville was named for Zane but seeing as he was born here in 1872, I think it might have been the other way around. Anyway, we walked through Zanesville today and are currently sitting in New Concord, OH. Tomorrow we should be well past Cambridge.

I had a TV interview today, WHIZ TV out of Zanesville came out and caught me while I was just entering town. They did a short interview and filmed me walking down the sidewalk. It should be on my ‘media page’ in a day or two or you can go to their website at whiznews.com and see it now.

Today was a great day as I said. The weather was once again perfect, mid 70’s to low 80’s and little humidity. The sky has been clear with scattered clouds. The terrain has turned hilly and that’s okay too. I am passing small family farms with scattered pastures mixed with corn fields. Occasionally I pass a farm that is selling pumpkins. It is a nice serene setting and quite pretty.

Miles Covered: 20
Total Miles: 2,678.5
Money Found: $0.60
Total Found: $75.25

Today I was tuckered out and actually was sick most of the day. I did my afternoon leg and laid down and didn’t get up till this morning. I had a 101 degree fever and felt like I was getting the flu.

I just found out that NYC is hosting another great event on the same day it is hosting my ‘splash in the Atlantic’ to signify the end of my walk. The other event is the NYC Marathon. What timing. Chris is checking out their route and the time they start. The good thing is we should only have around 11 miles to walk that day so we can set our start time to pretty much whatever we want. Hopefully we won’t all meet on the Brooklyn Bridge, going two different directions at the same time. Oh well.

Miles Covered: 15.25
Total Miles: 2,658.5
Money Found: $0.13
Total Miles: $74.65

Today we got up and hit the road again. We are currently in Amsterdam, OH, a really small town about 35 miles east of Columbus. Tomorrow we will be in Zanesville. The terrain has gotten hilly and I was told it would stay this way from now on. Oh well, it isn’t Colorado at least.

I got an email from Tillie M. from Columbus, OH today and she shed some light on the stars that I’ve been seeing on the front of houses. She said they are of German and Dutch origin and are placed on houses, barns, and even outhouses to ward off evil spirits while welcoming visitors. The Amish are of German decent and use the star symbol quite often. Thanks Tilllie for this information on the stars and if you have an answer you want to share, please leave a comment on a blog so everyone can see it.

Mike A. and Kay B. showed up this evening on their motorcycles and I actually got Mike to walk a bit with me. He earned his bookmark. Kay earned hers yesterday. Thanks to you both. By the way, Valda thanks you for the Wal-Mart card. It is much appreciated.

Miles Covered: 18
Total Miles: 2,642.75
Correction from 9.18.08: +0.5 mile
Corrected Total Miles: 2,643.25
Money Found: $0.22
Total Found: $74.52

Well, we finally made it through Columbus – walking that is. We haven’t yet left the area, but I think tomorrow will finally find us on our way to Zanesville. We met up with an old friend, Mike A. and his friend Kay here in the Columbus area, and it was really good seeing him after 27 years. I thought it had been more like 35 years, but Mike, being the chronological genius that he is, told me that he left the Indy area in 1981, not the early ’70’s like I thought.

I want to thank both of them for their hospitality, a couple of dinners out, and a great home cooked breakfast this morning. I also want to thank Mike for his donation to Gateway and I want to thank Kay for her matching my ‘money found’ fund, and for walking 6 miles with me today through Bexley and surrounding areas. It was a fun break and everything is much appreciated, but now I need to get back to work.

Today, we had another short day and walked 14.5 miles and will start out tomorrow just East of Reynoldsburg. Tomorrow I’m looking at a 20 miler!

Tonight we had dinner with Mike & Kay’s friends, Gary & Mary, and Katie and Jim. It was fun getting to know them and answering their questions about what I’m doing. I want to thank them all for their interest.

Miles Covered: 14.5
Total Miles: 2,624.75
Money Found: $0.91
Total Found: $74.30

Today Valda & I were visited by Steve & Penny B. of Franklin, Indiana. They were on their way to Washington, DC and hooked up with us on the west side of Columbus. Penny raised $125 for Gateway by taking pledges for the walk around Monument Circle in Indy two weeks ago. She walked all ten laps and did a heck of a job. Thanks Penny, it is much appreciated.

We had a short day today, walking only 13 miles, but getting through the downtown area of Columbus. Today, we had another short day and walked 14.5 miles and will start out tomorrow just east of Reynoldsburg. Tomorrow I’m looking at a 20 miler.

Tonight we had dinner with Mike & Kay’s friends, Gary & Mary, and Katie and Jim. It was fun getting to know them and answering their questions about what I’m doing. I want to thank them all for their interest.

Miles Covered: 13
Total Miles: 2,610.25
Money Found: $0.68
Total Found: $73.39