A Walk Across America - Chapters 29-30

Peter was headed toward New Orleans.  He is a different man now.  He now understands the reason for this walk and I think it's great how God worked in his life.  Once Peter arrived in New Orleans he needed a place to stay so he could write for National Gegraphic.  He remembered someone he had met at the revival who lived at seminary and he found the man's number and called him.  The man arranged for him a place to stay and that is where Peter met his future wife.  My favorite part of this chapter is how God worked in their relationship when Barbara prayed for a sign from God so she would know whether to go with Peter or stay.  God gave them a clear, unquestionable sign.  Peter had known all along that they should be together but he was doubtful that God would give a sign.  We should never doubt God.  He can do anything.  Also, when we are struggling with decisions in our life we should turn to God for answers.  I think it is great that Peter walked across America.  I think God had a plan for him from the very beginning.  I love the fact that he wrote so much about Alabama and what a wonderful state we live in because so many people across the country think of us as country bumpkins.  I think the lession I learned from this book is that we shouldn't form opinions about people or places before we study them for ourselves.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 27-28

Peter made it to Mobile and stopped at a diner.  Someone paid for his food but he never found out who it was.  He loved the city of Mobile.  He loved that they built buildings around nature instead of cutting down the trees to build.  He got a job as a "tree surgeon".  He loved taking care of the old trees.  He made friends at his job.   He met a guy who played the guitar for money and was invited to stay with him while he was in Mobile. I think it's neat how Peter dreaded walking through Alabama but did it any way only to find out that Alabama was one of  his favorite states.
Peter was planning on going to a party but kept noticing billboards for a revival.  He decided to go to the revival to see what it was all about.  He sat right in front of the stage because he wanted to get good pictures.  He never expected what was going to happen.  He met God that night.  He asked Jesus to be Lord of his life.  He finally found what he had been searching for.  I love the way he explained this experience because if someone reads this book that doesn't know Christ, he shares it in a way that they could understand and hopefully come to know Him.   You can tell through his words that his experience was real.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 25-26

Peter learned that walking without Cooper made him long to be around people more.  When he got to Montgomery he called some friends of the McGuires who let him stay with them.  Peter walked to the Capitol and finally got in to see Governor Wallace.  He was impressed that Governor Wallace knew all about him and appreciated what he was doing.  Governor Wallace even offered to pay for the rest of his trip but Peter refused.  He wanted to work his way across America too.  He left Montgomery and went to Selma.  He met a black man that owned a cotton gin and shared lunch with him.  He was totally amazed by Alabama.  This makes me proud to be from Alabama. 
Peter met M.C. Jenkins at a post office in Orrville, Alabama.  Mr. Jenkins invited Peter to stay with him because it was so cold.  Peter agreed and Mr, Jenkins spent the evening telling Peter all about his life.  Peter loved listening to his stories.  They invited him to stay and work on the farm for awhile.  Peter stayed with the Jenkins for two weeks and became part of the family.  He went into a small ghost town where he thought nothing existed and found a new family.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 23-24

As painful as it was to leave Homer's Mountain and Smokey Hollow, I bet leaving the Farm without Cooper was the hardest thing Peter has ever done.  He must really be a strong person to be able to do this.  Now he will be walking alone.  Peter did not want to walk across Alabama because he had heard horrible things about the state.  He was really afraid.  Once he was in Alabama a truck with a family in it pulled over and asked him if he wanted to join them for dinner.  While at their house he saw Governor Wallace on TV and decided he would walk to Montgomery to visit with him.  He looked up someone he had met that lived in Sheffield, Alabama and they invited him to stay with them.  The father was a doctor and wouldn't let Peter leave because he had a bad cough.  He had walking pneumonia.  I am amazed at how Peter keeps pushing himself.  Peter learned about Southern hospitality.  He was totally amazed by Alabama.  It wasn't anything like people had told him.  He learned alot about the Civil War and also that Alabama's favorite subject is football. 
Peter was in Shelby County in a phone booth talking to his family when someone drove up and took his backpack.  There were four drunnk men in a truck and they threatened  Peter.  He was very afraid and I would have been too.  When he told him he worked for a magazine and was walking across America they seemed to believe him and even offered him a beer.  They finally let him go but Peter hid in the woods off the road and they kept driving by looking for him.  I wouldn't have slept all night either.  The next day when Peter was walking the man drove up and apologized to him.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 21-22

Peter and Cooper took a walk in the woods to spend some time together.  Cooper didn't like the farm.  Peter and Cooper came up on a German Shepherd who tried to attack Cooper and Peter.  Cooper jumped in front of Cooper to protect Peter.  He went crazy to protect Peter.  Peter kicked the shepherd off of Cooper and the shepherd suddenly became friendly. 
Peter decided to tell the Farm people that they would be leaving soon.  On the way to work Cooper got hit by a water truck.  Peter didn't believe Cooper would be hurt because he believed Cooper would live forever.  He listened for a heartbeat but he could not hear one.  They took him to the clinic and the dentist told Peter and Cooper was dead.  Peter dug a hole for Cooper and his friend on the farm, Jones helped him.  The farmers were nice to Peter and tried to get him to stay but he wanted to leave more than ever.  He left nine days later.  I think I would have had to go home after loosing Cooper.  He loved Cooper so much and they were so close.  The walk would be so lonely now and Cooper was his companion and best friend.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 19-20

Peter felt alot of pain leaving Smokey Hollow because he grew to love his new family.  They crossed into Georgia and someone told him about a farm that he should go visit that was 300 miles out of the way.  He decided they needed to see it and turned to go toward Tennesse.  Peter must really be curious about this place to walk 300 miles out of the way.  Peter and Cooper passed by some people having a picnic and they invited him for a coke.  He saw them drinking water from a jug and wanted some but when he took a drink it wasn't water, it was moonshine.  This made his walk a little harder that afternoon.  I would be scared to drink after strangers.  They stopped at a gas station and Cooper got in a fight with a Great Dane.  Both dogs were equally strong and good fighters.  It must have been hard for Peter to watch Cooper fight and not step in.  The dogs gave  up because neither was stronger.  The Great Dane owner wanted to buy Cooper and fight him in dog fights.  Peter wouldn't sell him, not even for a million dollars.  He really loves his dog.  I would sell my dog for a million dollars! 
Peter and Cooper made it to the farm.  The farm was 2000 acres and the people lived in tents.  They helped with the farming and helped raise each others kids.  They had their babies on the farm.  There were a lot of pregnant women on the farm.  They were very religious. They belived that everyone was God.  They believed that they were all one and they should not compete for food or housing or individuality. They had meditation on Sunday.  They would sit cross-legged and chant.  They believed that God disappears every time you look for him.  This is all so strange to me.  Why would someone worship a  God that disappears?  I believe God created us to be individuals and to worship him and be dependent on him, not some professor from a university.  Before Peter left he researched the Farm and who the people were that live on the Farm.  He discovered that most of them had no religious belief and decided that they came to the Farm looking for religion.  Peter thought that maybe he was looking for his God too.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 17-18

Peter and Cooper went for a walk to enjoy Spring.  Peter trained so hard for his walk across America and I wonder if he is getting out of shape by not walking all day.  I know he is working hard at the saw mill but he was conditioned to walk 35 miles a day.  I wonder how he will start back on his walk.  Will he just start walking or have to train again?  During their walk through the wild flowers he heard Eric calling him.  He ran home and took shelter because a big storm was coming.  He said the tornado sounded like a locomotive.  It didn't hit their home but when things calmed down they took a ride and saw a lot of devistation.  People died and many lost their homes.  Ranger Baptist Church, a white church, lost their church building and joined the black people at Mount Zion  Baptist.  Everyone worshiped together and didn't seem to notice skin color.  The black people took up an offering to give to the white people to help rebuild their church.  The tragedy brought the people together and brought out the goodness in them.
Peter was getting ready to leave Smokey Hollow.  Zach was the first person in his family to graduate high school and Peter encouraged him to go to college.  At first he thought it could never happen but he did go to college on a basketball scholarship.  Peter had raised enough money to leave and his family was coming for a visit before he started walking again.  Mary cooked a huge feast for his family and Peter learned that she had used the money she needed for her medicine to buy the food.  She even blacked out from not having her medicine.  She really loves Peter to make that kind of sacrifice for his family.  They had a big feast and surprised Peter with a birthday cake a week before his birthday.  As his black and white family sang to him he noticed Eric was crying.  Leaving was hard for him because he had truly found a new family.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 15-16

Peter noticed that the parties in Smoky Hollow got a little wild on the weekends.  There was even gunfire.  He was afraid and I would have been too.  He tried to stay out of the way.  He went to Preacher's house for dinner.  It was nice for him to get away with Cooper.  Before the weekend was over a rumor had been started that Peter was a secret agent sent to spy on the bootleggers because federal agents had come to shut down the bootleggers.  Frank, Jr., Mary's boyfriend. said that the bootleggers were planning to come kill him.   This must have scared Peter because of what happened in the last town.  Peter assured them that he was not an agent and they promised to protect him because he is family now.  I wonder if it will be hard for Peter to leave because he has become a part of this family. 
The rumor of Peter being a undercover agent spread to his wor place and he noticed that people treated him differently.  Once the secret agents left town things got back to normal.  Peter was in the grocery store with Mary and her monther and he heard a woman comment about the white man with the nigger woman.  He had forgotten that he was white.  He didn't notice the color of his skin or their skin, he noticed what was inside.  He loved them for who they were not what color they were.  Peter noticed that his family struggled to put food on the table while others outside of Smokey Hollow grew their own food.  He came up with the idea to build a pig pen so they could raise pigs and have them for food.  Pau Pau pitched in and they made pig pins and by fall had a lot of pork for the family.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 13-14

Peter made it to Andrews but he was cautious because of his bad experience at the last town.  He approached some black boys playing basketball.  I'm kind of surprised that he did this because he was scared of them.  Sometimes you have to press on even when you are afraid.  They were a little rough but nice to him and asked him to camp with them.  He did even though he wasn't sure about it.  They had a good time and shared a bunch of laughs.  It was nice that they accepted him even though he was different.  One of the boys named Eric invited him home to eat.  Peter met Eric's mother, Mary, who was real quiet and made Peter nervous.  When she decided to speak she told Peter that she knew God had sent him to their house and he was supposed to live with them.  Peter declined and she told him not to question God.  Peter accepted the invitation and was glad to have a home so he could look for a job.  Peter is now living in a completely different culture than the one he grew up and completely different from how Homer lived.  I wonder how he will fit in.  Eric's mom told Peter that he would have to go to church with them on Sunday.  He loved their church and the energy he felt.  He loved that everyone was accepting of him.  Mary's father, Smokey, took him aside and told Peter that would be sitting beside him every Sunday.  Peter remembered church when he was young and thought it was boring.  There was nothing boring about this church.  It was exciting and alive.
Peter got a job at the saw mill and got up early to walk to work.  The work was very hard and by the end of the day he had never felt so tired.  Luckily the next day Preacher, who works with him, passed by and offered him a ride.  Preacher said Peter could ride with him every day.  Preacher told Peter about some bad accidents at the saw mill and Peter noticed missing fingers on many of the men.  Then he saw a bad accident almost happen.  Lemm, who had been drinking, forgot to sharpen the blade and it spit out a log and flew through the air.  It would have killed Lemm if it had hit him.  Peter knew he had to be very careful but he needed the money and had to keep working.  Peter made $85 and could by food for his new family and save some for the walk.  I think it is nice that Peter wants to give back to his new family. 

A Walk Across America - Chapters 11-12

When Scott left Peter to go back home I bet Peter felt kind of sad.  It must have been nice to have someone to talk to.  Peter started feeling bad and found a shelter.  The weather turned bad and Peter was getting sick.  He got into his sleeping bag where he stayed for four days.  He was too sick to walk.  Cooper stayed by his side.  He was too sick to do anything but he still managed to feed Cooper his dog biscuits.  Once Peter got enough strength to get back down the mountain he went to a diner.  He learned that a lot of people had been sick with the flu and had even died.  He realized how close he had come to death.  Peter moved on to Robbinsville, North Carolina where he needed to get a job because he was out of money.  He met a police officer who invited him to stay at his house.  Before he knew it rumors were going around town that he was a drug dealer.  He was not welcome in this town and knew he had to leave quick.  He called home and asked his parents to send money.  He had to stay over the weekend to wait for his money.   He was confronted by some men in an unmarked police car.  They threatened to hang him if he didn't get out of town.  Luckily his money came the next day and he could leave.  This makes me realize that you shouldn't believe everything you hear.  You should get to know people and form opinions for yourself. 

A Walk Across America - Chapters 9-10

After miserable days of walking Peter and Cooper decided to stay in a hotel.  Each had their own bed.  Peter realized that Christmas was coming and  he was going to be alone.  This seemed to make him sad and he remembered a friend in a nearby town.  They went to visit the friend but didn't feel welcome to stay for Christmas.  Peter and Cooper climbed to the top of a mountain and spend Christmas alone.  This made me sad and it seems that it bothered Peter a little becuase he called his brother and arranged for him to meet up with Peter and Cooper to walk with them.  Peter and Scott hiked up a mountain without any trails and got lost.  They got mad at each other and argued some.  I guess that is why Peter likes to travel alone.  They finally made it to the top and it was worth all the fuss.    Peter and Scott were walking and Cooper was way ahead.  Peter has taught Cooper not to fight so Peter was surprised when he got into a fight with six other dogs.  It must have been awful for Peter to watch Cooper fight with those dogs.  He didn't have a way to break up the fight,.  I was surprised that Cooper won the fight.  Peter thinks the dark, black shadow was coming out in him and he may be right.  I wounder what exactly the dark, black shadow was.  Whatever it was, it must have been vicious.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 7-8

I was surprised that Homer asked Peter to live with him and take his house when he dies.  Homer must have felt a special bond to Peter.   Even though Peter declined his offer, Homer felt sure that Peter would return one day.  He made Peter promise to only show the pictures of him to people Peter grew up with.  Peter and Homer felt a special bond.  They both loved nature and didn't feel alone even when they were alone.  I like the code that Peter created for his daily journal even though it is confusing.  If I were to find his journal, I would never be able to break his code.  I am impressed that Peter always carries snacks for Cooper but not for himself.  He puts Cooper's feelings before his own.  It made me sad when Cooper went to the farm house porch and wouldn't come off because he didn't feel like he could go any further.  If I were Peter I would have knocked on the front door and asked for help.  I would have been afraid that Cooper was dying.  I couldn't believe they ate fifteen burgers.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 5-6

As Peter and Cooper were walking the weather started turning bad.  The snow started falling and had to find a place to sleep and get warm.  Peter bought some new boots because his Converse tennis shoes were not holding up to the cold weather and rough roads.  On Thanksgiving day Peter went into a store and bought Cooper 3 pounds of hamburger and got himself some apples, sweet potatoes, cranberries and chestnuts.  They had Thanksgiving feast over a campfire.  Peter loved their meal.  I enjoy turkey and dressing on Thanksgiving.  I cannot imagine spending Thanksgiving alone in the woods with my dog.  That would make me sad.  I wonder why his family didn't join him and celebrate Thanksgiving on the road wtih him.  I thought it was funny when  Cooper woke up and found all the snow outside the tent and wanted to play so bad that he tore the tent down.  He is a very smart dog.  Peter and Cooper had to walk through bad weather.  They began to wonder if they would make it.  They were weak from lack of food and really began to doubt themselves when a man in a van pulled up and gave them some apples.  I would have asked the man for a ride to the nearst hotel instead of the apples.  Peter is really determined to make this walk because he could have had comfort if he had only asked.  When Peter and Cooper reached Chattham Hill, a school teacher invited them to stay at his house overnight.  This is strange to me.  I'm not sure I would invite a total stranger to spend the night or be willing to spend the night in a total stranger's house.  It seems to work for Peter though.  When the school teacher told Peter about Homer, he was determined to see him, even if it meant going miles out of his way,.  It surprised me that old man Homer could bounce up the mountain with a thirty-five pound sack on his back and Peter could barely keep up with him.  Homer was a strong old man.  Homer and Peter seemed to have something in common even though Homer grew up in the mountains and Peter grew up in a well-to-do family.  They bonded quickly.  Homer even invioted Peter to stay and I was surprised that Peter actually considered it.  The invitation touched him but he knew he had to keep walking.  Peter told Homer he would return one day and I believe he will.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 3-4

Peter and Cooper began their walk.  I think it is neat that people came out to see them off and even walk with them for a little while.  I like that Cooper's dog friends came to say goodbye too.  I like the way that Cooper plays hide-and-seek with Peter.  I am sometimes amazed by how smart dogs can be.  Cooper wasn't too smart to go sniffing around a porcupine though.  A man stopped to help him and spent most of his lunch hour helping pull quills from Cooper.  The kindness of this man seemed to surprise Peter.  I think Peter will learn that there are many good people in our country during his walk.  I thought it was funny when Peter was camping out that night and heard the scary  noise.  He seem to be so afraid.  Cooper must have been very tired not to have heard the noise.  I don't know how Peter ever feel asleep after being so scared.  Cooper and Peter made it to Washington.  I cannot imagine walking 475 miles in sixteen days!  Peter said that the walk to Washington was easy.  Peter and Cooper visited National Geographic Magazine while in Washing to tell them about their walk and to ask for a camera so they could take pictures along the way.  They got a camera and spent the night with one of the National Geographic employees.  Peter doesn't seem to mind staying with strangers.  Peter's family came to see him off. Peter was glad when his family left him alone and it was just he and Cooper.  He doesn't like being around people very much.

A Walk Across America - Chapters 1-2

My first impression of Peter Jenkins is that he is a nature lover because he is walking across America. He must love to be outdoors.  I thought that he was walking across America because he loved his country and wanted to experience everything about it.  That was not the case.  He grew up in the 1960's and seems to be a hippy who is anti-American.  He was searching for something to fill the hollow space inside him.  He was unhappy with his country politically.  He was anti-war and disagreed with the government so much that he thought it would be best to leave the country.  When his friend suggested that he truly learn about his country before he leave, he decided that to walk across the country would be a good idea.  I think the relationship Peter has with his dog is neat.  I like the story about when Cooper saved Peter from being bitten by a copperhead snake.  Peter seems to have a negative attitude about our country and the people that live here.  When he was in the country store and was about to leave he was surprised that the strangers in the store seemed concerned about him and didn't want him to go out into the blizzard.  He was touched that each one gave him something, either money, food or just kind words.  He seemed surprised at the compassion the strangers showed him.