Peter Jenkins Set Out to Walk Across America and Ended Up Finding Himself a New

http://people.com ^ | March 19, 1979 | Patricia Newman

[daniel1212]

Peter Jenkins was of the Watergate generation, a cynic who picked up his college diploma and a 75-pound backpack and set off, as he puts it, “to give this country one last chance.” Now more than five years and 4,750 miles later, he is a believer. “I have America in every cell of my body,” he exults, “and I could feel God everywhere.”..

By the time Jenkins reached the Mississippi he was no longer a vegetarian. A poor mountain man in Virginia, who offered Jenkins a lamb chop, had made him feel foolish about his no-meat diet. Once a “hyper environmentalist” he now is pro-oil. “It’s that activity that makes the country strong,” he explains. “America would shut down without it.”..

Paradoxically, just as Jenkins’ self-reliance peaked, he walked into a revival meeting in Mobile, Ala. and found himself “humbled before God.”...

After a while I realized I was torturing Barbara. Women just aren’t as suited to this as men.” Feminists might disagree but not Barbara, 30....

Many of their newfound friends, whom Jenkins refers to as “my American heroes,” flew to Oregon for the couple’s final day on the road. They included ranchers, housewives and an Oregon preacher who had guided the Jenkinses over the Cascades in 30-below-zero weathe

But that last day in Florence, Oreg. danger and pain were forgotten. With their Good Samaritans cheering, the couple stormed the dunes and rushed into the churning Pacific surf.

[Robert DeLong]

Apparently it took a few lot more steps after leaving Virginia, where the old mountain man fed him the pork chop, to realize the error of his ways. 8>)

[foreverfree]

I read both of the NatGeo articles and both of the books during my college days (for leisure, not study) in the early '80s. Good adventure and good articles and books. God bless Peter, Barbara and their offspring.

ff

[Tucker39]

Including the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Redcitizen]

Getting saved makes it a worthwhile trip.

[Robert DeLong]

Apparently he used that walk to find his career as a writer also, since I see he has more than 2 nooks that he has written.

So apparently that decision to take a long walk worked out well for him. 8>)

Sadly I never read much until later in life. I read juut books I needed to read, except for Lolita, LOL.

[boop]

I read this book many years ago.

Really a page turner.

He is treated kindly by many people, but terribly by others.

A couple of things I recall:

He was run off the road by some idiot and nearly died.

He was absolutely starving and some driver threw a Dairy Queen bag at his feet that contained several BBQ sandwiches, which he eagerly ate. (Made me crave some DQ!)

He ends up being taken in by a black family and goes to a Christian revival, which changed him forever.

His account of this is both very funny, and touching.

A real story of redemption and faith.

[Bryan24]

A Walk Across America and The Walk West. I have read both.

Both should be required reading for all Americans.

[daniel1212]

I read this book many years ago. Really a page turner. He is treated kindly by many people, but terribly by others. A couple of things I recall: He was run off the road by some idiot and nearly died. He was absolutely starving and some driver threw a Dairy Queen bag at his feet that contained several BBQ sandwiches, which he eagerly ate. (Made me crave some DQ!) He ends up being taken in by a black family and goes to a Christian revival, which changed him forever. His account of this is both very funny, and touching. A real story of redemption and faith.

Thanks. Good summation.

[daniel1212]

A Walk Across America and The Walk West. I have read both. Both should be required reading for all Americans.

Among some others liberals reject.