This Is Highland Park
Posted: 2012-01-24 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffOk, the holidays took over and I haven’t updated in a while… it’s time I got back into posting my photos. I walked into Highland Park, November 16th. It was a cold, rainy, gray day, but today was one of the two times during my trip that a stranger remembered my walk from 2008. So that was pretty neat.
Oh, and thanks to Adriane and Skip for hosting me the previous night in Woodbridge. CouchSurfing is a wonderful thing!
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Metuchen, NJ
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffSerenaded (yes, they sang to me) by a couple of old drinking buddies on Main Street, Metuchen. In fact, their crooning was so good I called Jen to listen in.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
This is where it happened
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffOk guys, this isn’t an easy story for me tell but it’s an important part of the walk(s). I just want to put the basic facts out there and never discuss it again.
*Please don’t comment on this post.*
This photo is of a railroad tracks in Metuchen, New Jersey. Here the highspeed train (from Newark to Philadelphia I guess?) runs adjacent to Highway 27.
As I was passing by on Tuesday afternoon, on the other side of the fence was an Amtrak crew working on the rails.
A minute after I passed by them, one of the men collapsed. I told a worker nearby I was an EMT and he said they might need me. I dropped my pack, sprinted back to the the gate, and then to the victim. I couldn’t find a pulse and began CPR. A few minutes later the ambulance and police arrived. They attached an AED, shocked the patient, boarded him and loaded him in the ambulance. With nothing else for me to do, I took my pack and continued down the road.
The three things to know about this story…
1. I took off my watch to take a pulse and in the confusion, left it on the ground. It wasn’t a particularly expensive watch, but besides my wallet, that was the last physical object to have accomapnied me all 4700 miles of my walk (the last thing before that was my Red Sox hat, which I left in Jen’s parents’ car in Connecticut).
2. While I was running I did something to my left ankle. It would hurt to put pressure on or take pressure off, from that night in New Jersey all the way to Washington.
3. I learned from an intrepid reporter (who made phone calls, tracked leads, and pushed the HIPAA line for days) that Mike didn’t make it. He died an hour after arriving at the ER. It was just a week before Thanksgiving.
If there was one thing I could change about the walk(s), this would be it.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Casey in Elizabeth
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffWhile I was eating a late lunch at the Chinese buffet near Elizabeth, I got a phone call from my friend Casey from home. She was driving to Washington, D.C. and was presently passing by where I was in New Jersey. I gave her the address where I was eating and she stopped by for a visit. It was neat to see a familiar face from Worcester (or Auburn, to be exact).
By the way, that’s not really The Great Wall of China behind us, it’s only a picture.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Downtown Elizabeth
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffDowntown Elizabeth, NJ. Ummmm…. I wish I had something more to say about it.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Elizabeth!
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffYay! Back in Elizabeth, NJ. It had been threatening to rain all day, but who would’ve thought in mid-November I’d still be walking in just a T-shirt?
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Newark Pt 3
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffBob signs the book in Newark. Bob runs a regular route for a scrap yard, and he passed me a few times that morning, honking each time he passed.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Newark Part 2
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffMonday night (11/14) I stayed with my friend Elyse, whom I had not seen since freshman year at Northeastern – so about sixteen years ago (I think that might be the record for the friend I hadn’t seen in the longest time). While waiting for her to pick me up at Penn Station (very cool place if you’re into old train stations), I got a few more messages. Now that I’m looking at this photo again… is that a flasher in the background?
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Welcome to Newark!
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffYup, downtown Newark. I try not to pick on the stereotypes of certain cities too much, but just to the left of this sign was a group of a dozen or so 50 gallon chemical drums. Random.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Newark
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffCrossing the bridge into Newark. Normally, for traffic reasons, I would try to finish walking as it got dark, usually around 5pm in mid- November. But I with sidewalks and streetlights, so I the days I ended within a city I could walk a few hours later, wrapping up around 7 or 8.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Hackensack River
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffA view of the Hackensack River from the Pulaski Skyway (Route 1).
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Union City, NJ
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffWhile waiting for his son to be dismissed from school, this father writes his message to the president.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Abbott Boulevard
Posted: 2011-12-07 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffSomeone in Fort Lee, NJ, has a good sense of humor….
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Welcome to New Jersey
Posted: 2011-11-29 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffOK, this weekend gets a little confusing, staying with three different friends in two states, but here’s how it played out: Friday night I stayed with Dalia and Mike in New Rochelle, NY. Saturday morning Dalia walked with me through the Bronx, then she returned home and I walked the last few miles over the George Washington Bridge and stopped once I got into the very first town town in New Jersey, Fort Lee. I waited in Fort Lee until Moe picked me up Saturday night, and drove me (and Lauren, Steph and Scotty) back over the GW into Manhattan where we had reservations to see the World Trade Center Memorial). After dinner I crashed at Moe’s house in Yorktown Heights. Sunday morning, my “day off,” we went out for breakfast, Moe took me to the train station and I returned to Manhattan to collect messages from Occupy Wall Street. Later that evening I met with Cristina and we went for dinner at a Mexican restaurant in the Financial District. Cristina helped me get back to the subway, then I switched to a bus to cross the George Washington Bridge to Ft. Lee, New Jersey. My buddy Josh from Northeastern picked me up in Fort Lee, I stayed with him overnight, and came back to Fort Lee the next (Monday) morning. The bus let me off exactly where I had ended on Saturday night, and from there I began walking. whew!!
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Union City
Posted: 2011-11-29 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffWriting a message to the president from Union City, NJ.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Notes from OWS
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffAnother sample message from Occupy Wall Street.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Notes from OWS
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffA sample message from Occupy Wall Street.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Cristina Pt 2
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffCristina signs the book at dinner.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Cristina
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffAfter leaving Zucotti Park I met up with Cristina, a friend from Northeastern Univ whom I had not seen in quite a few years. On our quest for a place to eat dinner, we walked down Wall Street, which was barricaded and fortified.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 11
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffWhat are the occupiers protesting? this laminated poster hung on the fence shows America’s massive income inequality.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 10
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffAnother pic from Occupy Wall Street. Besides the kitchen, the media tent, and the power generators I described earlier, there was also a large library tent, a General Assembly area, a drum circle, a meditation area, a pet care spot, and a women’s health space. After seeing this community in action, it was a little sad to think all this – the books, the medicine, the generator, the tents – ended up bulldozed and in a giant dumpster when the police cleared the park a few nights later.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 9
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffA longtime occupier signs her message to the president. Of the messages I received, about half were from self-descibed occupiers and half were from “tourists” who came down the the encampment on Sunday afternoon just to check it out.
The tents behind her were the sleeping area… it was pretty chock a block in there. I couldn’t see how they could even fit another tent and still preserve the walking paths. In fact, I overheard a few guys discussing where a newcomer could sleep, and they decided underneath a folding table “for the night.”
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 8
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffThe medical tent, fully stocked with supplies and medicine and staffed with volunteer R.N’s. I talked with man on the right, a firefighter, who helped to set up the tent during the first week. Some of the issues he had treated included hypothermia, a broken leg, diabetic emergencies, and drug overdoses, though it should be noted that not all patients were actual occupiers, but could have been locals who just walked in (or were brought in) for free medical care.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 7
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffThe kitchen tent was the center of the Occupy Wall Street encampment. Though officially it only provided food for the occupiers, it didn’t discriminate, also dishing out hot meals for the homeless, tourists, and anyone who asked.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 6
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffA formal discussion group at OWS. The topic of this session was “Are corporations people?”
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 4
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffThe large blue tent just to the right of this sign was the “headquarters,” a couple of occupiers working on laptops disseminating info to the media and social media. Although I can’t help but note the Orwellian irony of some organizers in the tent using their computers, which were powered by other people behind the tent pedalling the generator.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 3
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffVolunteers pedalling these two bikes ran a generator, which powered lights, cell phones, and laptops. True green energy – very cool. (I was there from the mid-afternoon to evening, so sorry this is kind of dark (hence the demon eyes)).
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 3
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffSunday afternoon (Nov 13) was my “day off” but my project for the day was to collect messages at Occupy Wall Street. I figured these folks would have lots to say to the president.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 2
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffHeading into the city towards the Financial District I had to switch trains at Grand Central. I’ve always liked big old train stations.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Walk to The White House, Week Three
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffOn Saturday night we came back to Moe’s house (where I finally got to watch a few episodes of Boardwalk Empire). Sunday morning (Nov 13th) marked two weeks I had been on the road. We went out to breakfast and then Moe dropped me off at the train station to head back into NYC. Here Moe, me, Lauren, an overly-enthused-looking Farley, and Steph before I leave (thanks to Scotty for taking the pic).
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
OWS 1
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffAfter we left the WTC Memorial, Moe, Lauren, Steph, Scotty and I walked over a few blocks to Zucotti Park to check out the Occupy Wall Street encampment. While walking around I started a conversation with Rita, who, when she learned I had walked across America, told me that 25 years ago was part of the 5,000-person Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament, from March 1st to Nov. 15 1986. It’s not every day you randomly meet another cross-country walker!
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
WTC 8
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffAnother photo of the rose.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
WTC 7
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffIn 2001 I was serving in AmeriCorps and Moe and was one of my teammates. After the 9/11 attack, Moe and I were part of a larger contingent that were sent back east to help the Red Cross. I felt very fortunate that ten years later we could see the new Memorial with her, less than a month after it opened.
Here, a white rose was inserted into one of the victim’s names.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
WTC 4
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffAlong the edge of the pool are carved names of the victims of the September 11th attacks. Around one pool are the names of the civilians killed, around the other are the names of the rescue workers.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
WTC 3
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffA view from the corner of the pool.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
WTC 2
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffOne of the two pools at the World Trade Center Memorial.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
WTC Memorial Pt 1
Posted: 2011-11-25 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffThe evening (Nov 12) I crossed the GW Bridge, I met Moe, Lauren, Steph, and Scotty picked me up in Ft. Lee and we drove back into the city to see the new World Trade Center Memorial.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
One more from New Rochelle
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffWhile staying at Dalia’s, another mutual friend from Northeastern, Jill, was in the city for business. She came up to New Rochelle for dinner on Friday night. Jill and I hadn’t seen eachother since Bill Clinton was in office, so it was really nice to see her. Jill works in Washington, so she gave me some good advice as to what to expect when I got there. By the way, the awesomest thing in this photo is Mike’s needlepoint of Spock in the background.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
GW Pt 6
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffAnd the bridge is long: just shy of 1.5 miles. Strangely, there is only a relatively low fence separating the pedestrian path from the water below. I thought there would be at least a high chain link fence along the side. Instead, there are many sign posted on the path with phone numbers for suicide counseling.
The most dangerous part of the bridge is bicyclists, who treat the pedestrian path as their own full-speed race strip.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
GW Pt 5
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffLooking down from the GW Bridge (this thing is high!!)
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
GW Pt 4
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments Off… and the New Jersey side of the Hudson River.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
GW Pt 2
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffThe New York side of the Hudson River…
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
GW Pt 3
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffBoth sides of the Hudson River…
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
The GW
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffFirst glimpse of the George Washington Bridge… now I if I can just figure out how to get onto it…
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
One last message
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffOne last message for the president as I get ready to cross over the George Washington Bridge.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Dalia
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffAfter guiding me halfway through the Bronx, Dalia said her adioses and departed at the subway station. I hadn’t seen Dalia in a few years, so it was cool to stay with her for the last few nights and walk with her for the morning. She and Mike regularly walk in the 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer, so she had good stories, advice on routes, and showed me a pretty useful quad stretch.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Fordham University
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffSerendipitously (did I spell that correctly?), I learned my route would take my past the campus of Fordham University. My older cousin Stan, who’s like a brother to me, attended Fordham from 1986 to 1990. During my junior high years, from when I was ten to about thirteen, I came down here four or five times a year for move-ins, move-outs, visits and holiday pickups. My last trip here was in spring 1990, when he graduated. Unfortunately I couldn’t explore the campus because I had to get to the GW Bridge before dark, but it was good to be back in the area.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Tino’s Pt 2
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffAlso at Tino’s was a TIME magazine signed by Barack Obama. I’ll have to ask him about this the next time I see him.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Tino’s Pt 1
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffDalia and I stopped for lunch at Tino’s on Alfred Street in the Italian neighborhood. A few of the patrons there spotted the sign on my backpack and wrote their message to the president.
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
Yup, we’re definitely there…
Posted: 2011-11-20 Filed under: Uncategorized Comments OffDefinitely in the Bronx. Across the street from here is the Bronx Zoo, which I remember visitng when I was about eleven (I’ll tell you more about that later).
- Posted using MobyPicture.com
