Deep Gratitude

For the gift of walking and for all the amazing support we've received along the way

Tuesday, June 23

We had a very late start today. Emails, deadlines, delay after delay and then an almost 90-minute drive to our starting point. We began walking at almost 2:30 in the afternoon; the hottest part of the day. We planned to walk about 13 miles, so it’s going to be a late night. It feels like everyone is a little frustrated and it’s no surprise that nerves will become a bit frayed after we’ve walked such a great distance over the past seven weeks. And though we are all human and subject to emotional highs and lows, I’m impressed and grateful for how well the whole team gets along and works well together for our common goals that highlight the history of the Underground Railroad. It’s no surprise that this pilgrimage is both exhausting and exhilarating. We’re all doing our best and it shows.

We stopped at a sandwich shop for a quick dinner and got back to Mike and Mattie’s around 9:00. After showering and settling in for the night, we all received a text from Tony around 10:30. Hey team. I just found this on my leg. It survived the shower I took and appears to be a tick but isn’t moving. Double check yourselves. I guess that’s why they have these warning signs posted… (and, to put everyone’s mind at rest, no more tics were discovered for the rest of our walk, and Tony had no negative consequences from his encounter with this one)

I want to pause here and highlight just how much Lynda Davis is doing for all of us on this pilgrimage. She, Venetia Bailey (both leaders within Coming to the Table) and Giavanni Washington (Program Manager for CTTT) invested untold numbers of volunteer hours over the past year in partnership with #FreedomWalk2026, with Lynda and Venetia coordinating the various community activation events all along the way. Venetia has joined us almost every weekend for the activations, which we really appreciate. Giavanni joined us early on and will be with us again when we cross into Canada. Lynda has been with us on the trail almost the entire way. She has driven us to where we start walking each day. She typically joins us for the first three miles, or so, and then turns back to her car and drives to where we finish up to then drive us back to our base station for sleep. Then she does the same thing day after day after day. We’ve had quite a bit of time just the two of us and have deepened our long-standing friendship, which I cherish. My gratitude for Lynda is off the charts.

CLICK HERE to watch a brief Relive video of our walk on June 23.

Wednesday, June 24

After getting back to Mattie and Mike’s home around 9 o’clock last night, I ended up getting a very good night’s sleep of about eight hours. Waking this morning I went out on the back deck and talked with Mike for a while. He spoke about the strong credibility we have for making this journey. I spoke about how much higher my respect for Harriet Tubman has become as I learn more and more about what she faced. We spoke about how incredible it was for Freedom Seekers, leaving the only world they knew to head into extreme danger for a world they had no idea about, what they would face, who they would talk to, and who they would trust along the way, where they would end up, who they would end up with. Their bravery is truly remarkable.

Mattie made us a wonderful breakfast of oatmeal with blueberries, raisins and bananas and toast. We’re truly being spoiled here by her and Mike, who are about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

The conversation over breakfast was deep and profound. We spoke about autistic people having connections to thoughts and ideas and people beyond our understanding; about moments when we received some sort of enlightenment beyond anything we were seeking or anticipating. Is someone speaking to us from beyond the veil? I wondered aloud if our ancestors who caused so much harm are encouraging us to do what we can to repair the harm that they caused.

Each of us shared moments in our lives when we have felt something outside of us impacting us in profound ways. We are feeling this connection with Harriet Tubman along #FreedomWalk2026. My respect and high regard for her have grown tremendously as we continue to walk and learn more about all she faced. Mike shared what he and I had spoken about earlier, about all the Freedom Seekers leaving behind a life they knew well, even though it was horrible, for the complete unknown and extreme danger. Harriet Tubman had visions and communications from beyond that are attributed to the head injury she suffered at the hands of her former enslaver.

This breakfast is one of those moments for me where I’m overwhelmed by the information coming into me. Our conversation reminds me of Michael Newton’s book about our lives between lives, on both sides of the “veil” between this world and the next – Journey of Souls.

As Mattie pointed out just before we left, how wonderful it is to have a group of people that can tune into each other as closely as we did this morning. Amen. It’s definitely easier to connect in deep conversation in this home with these curious and engaging hosts.

We got started walking today a little before 11:30. The timing feels much better, as we should have no problem getting back in time for dinner with Mattie and Mike.

I’m also modifying the words to that great old Willie Nelson song:

On the road again

Just can’t wait to get on the road again

The life I love is walking trails with my friends

And I can’t wait to get on the road again

I watched as a couple of red winged blackbirds appeared to be following me as I walked along the road. They flew near me from tree to tree for about fifty yards. Also saw way too many mosquitos! We stopped for lunch along the river a little after 1 o’clock and watched a bald eagle chasing another bird for a few minutes. Not sure what was going on, but it was pretty exciting!

Today is definitely a day for listening to birds. We’re walking along the road rather than the canal trail, which we have learned stops and starts along the way, and today’s road is quite rural with forested areas on both sides when we aren’t next to farms that are growing corn or soybeans, and the birds are singing to us so beautifully. It’s peaceful and lovely. The birds are wonderful companions.

We passed a barn that was being renovated by group of Mennonite men. About a mile further down the road, I hear clip-clopping coming up behind me and there’s a horse pulling a wagon with two Mennonite men in it. We wave to each other as they pass. This must be a regular mode of transportation as we pass a couple street signs with pictures of a horse and buggy to alert drivers.

And it feels more peaceful, walking here. Sure, there’s not as much traffic and the birds are singing regularly, but being in Mennonite country, one of the peace churches (along with the Quakers, Amish and Brethren), and having attended a lot of classes at Eastern Mennonite University over the past 20 years in connection with Coming to the Table principles (Restorative Justice, Strategies for Trauma Awareness & Resilience, and Circle Process, among others), elicits calm in me.

Today is definitely nature day. We walk through a national nature preserve, and the bird songs are everywhere. Such pleasant company.

Toward the end of our walk today, Matthew narrated from memory another story for me, The Clown of God. It was a lovely story as we walk along this peaceful road toward our destination. Perhaps we will find a ball of gold at the end of our journey. I told him I looked forward to his next story, but he confirmed that he only memorized two; this one and The Velveteen Rabbit. Matthew made two very good choices for books to memorize!

CLICK HERE to watch a brief Relive video of our walk on June 24.

Thursday, June 25

The two companion walkers who were scheduled to join us today ended up, deciding not to do so. Perhaps they looked at the weather forecast. It’s supposed to rain a fair amount today and tomorrow. So, Tony, Matthew and I began walking by ourselves at 11 AM from Clyde, New York, where we stopped yesterday. Though it is early in the season, I did find a few delicious blackberries that had already ripened.

After we stopped for lunch under a covered set of picnic tables in a park to give us a break from the rain, we’re back on the trail and passed a couple of guys who are riding bikes from Syracuse to Buffalo. They offered us a delicious cookie that they bought from an Amish woman. We continue to meet kind and friendly people along the way.

We also passed a few houses that were definitely not welcoming. One must’ve had twenty-five “NO TRESPASSING” signs attached to the side of the house facing the trail. The next one had a big sign out front with capital red letters spelling “GO HOME!” This one also had no trespassing signs and another sign that said you are on camera. As we walked by an alarm went off apparently letting the owners know there are walkers nearby. I wonder how they sleep? The next house we passed had a sign, also in capital letters, that spelled out “F-OFF.” Matthew and I wondered what leads some people towards this aggressive bunker mentality. Abusive childhood? Something else? We can never know without talking with people.

The rain really began to pour. We are definitely getting soaked today. Then I encountered a giant heron. It took off as I approached and then landed on a big branch in the canal 100 yards on. The third time I did this I filmed THIS VIDEO of it taking off flying. And it’s just kept happening for almost a mile. So entertaining.

Contemplating what Harriet Tubman and other Freedom Seekers faced, they couldn’t stop at Dunkin’ Donuts to get out of the rain, as we did. Matthew suggested they may have preferred walking in the rain because people would be less likely to follow them and the dogs would have a much rougher time tracing them. We think about the Freedom Seekers a lot. My respect and awe for what they did continues to grow.

The hot Chai Tea really felt good going down. I finally put my rain pants on. My shorts are already soaked in front, so it won’t help that but maybe it’ll keep the back of my shorts from getting even wetter and it’ll keep me a little warmer. The forecast didn’t call for this much rain today, but it sure changed.

Lynda, Matthew and I got back to Mattie and Mike’s home shortly after 6 PM. Tony stayed at a hotel again to have solo time for writing and other Menare.org deadlines. Mattie made Matthew, Kip, Lynda and me a wonderful dinner of soup and salad and fresh bread and fresh cherries. And, once again, it was the conversation that was so powerful and meaningful. These conversations over meals have all been wonderful. Tonight was particularly so. Mike asked how this walk compared with walking the Camino, which both Matthew and I have done. He’s done the Norte and I’ve done the Frances and the Portuguese routes. There are similarities and there are differences as well. Particularly walking the Camino solo is a lot different than this. There are so many people involved in #FreedomWalk2026: planning and coordinating housing, meals, transportation, companion walkers, tours, activations, that there is more complication and some stress and anxiety, and some people get along with each other better than others. One of the things that the two “walks” have in common is the importance of being present and staying mindful and being grateful for each team member’s contributions to this pilgrimage.

We also talked about the history of the Eric Canal, the Underground Railroad and abolition movements, and how any inconveniences we may face, like walking in the rain, is absolutely nothing compared to what Freedom Seekers faced. One of the interesting parallels is the importance of trusting others. Here we are moving into someone’s home that we don’t know, and they don’t know us and we all just trust it will work out well. Our trust of each other is important, but literally nothing compared to the trust that Freedom Seekers had to have of people all along the way. Acquiring food, a place to stay, help moving North and staying safe. We are so grateful for Mattie and Mike. Not just for their hospitality and warmth, but for their commitment to justice and truth telling and equality. They are kind, wise, caring and thoughtful.

CLICK HERE to watch a brief Relive video of our walk on June 25.