Sea to Shining Sea Sea to Shining Sea

From Parkersburg, WV, the American Discovery Trail crosses the Ohio River and enters the state of Ohio. For much of its trajectory through this, the fourth state on the ADT's westward progression, the ADT shares the way with the Buckeye Trail, a 1400-mile loop trail that is one of the finest long-distance trails in the country. This episode explores the richness of that trail, bringing together Don Burrell, the ADT's state coordinator for Ohio and Kentucky, with Byron Guy, the supervisor of the Old Man's Cave section of the Buckeye Trail. They share many highlights from the way--from Hocking Hills, to Serpent's Mound, to Skyline Chili. The episode concludes with a detour to Betty Campbell at the Rankin House in Ripley, Ohio, to learn about the Underground Railroad's legacy in the state, a subject that can be explored in greater detail when the ADT passes through Cincinnati, where Freedom House is located.

Why walk across the whole USA? There are many reasons, but a strikingly large percentage of people walking the American Discovery Trail are driven by a greater cause, striving to raise funds or awareness in support of something of personal relevance. This episode explores that topic with two ADT walkers. Dee Fournier (deegoesfromtrialtotrail.com), one of the most recent people to complete the ADT, devoted her walk to raising awareness about domestic violence, while Robin Grapa (somanymiles.wordpress.com), one of the earliest ADT finishers, was focused on aplastic anemia and MDS. They describe how the cause shaped their experience and reflect on the impact they made.

As the American Discovery Trail crosses the Potomac into West Virginia, it leaves behind the flat, easy walking of Delaware and Maryland, finding its ways into hill country. The most rugged--and also, arguably, the most sublime--stretch of the ADT east of the Rockies looms in Dolly Sods. In this episode, the ADT's State Co-Coordinator for West Virginia, Sharon Weekley, describes the route through her state, from the Potomac to the Ohio. She is followed by Gerald D. Swick, an author and journalist with a deep understanding of the West Virginian history. In a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss natural resources, the Civil War, labor battles, lion leash laws, and at least a dozen other topics. Montani semper liberi!

The American Discovery Trail's approach through Maryland and Washington DC tells a history of American transportation. After following minor roads and--by necessity--taking a car over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, the route leads a traveler past Annapolis's naval base, Bowie's rail hub, College Park's airport (the oldest continuously operating one in the world), and the C&O Canal. And that's certainly not the extent of the history, in a state that was marked by early religious persecution, caught in the middle of the Civil War, and home to a capitol that reshaped its priorities. This episode features interviews with the ADT State Coordinators for Maryland and Washington DC, Peter Schoettle and Donna Loop respectively, along with Alexander Lothstein, the School Programs Manager for the Maryland Historical Society. Beyond DC, Donna also describes her experience as a part of the ADT's trail-blazing four-person FAT team, along with Brian Stark, Stacy Leach Campbell, and Don Dickinson.

The American Discovery Trail links California to Delaware, but for most through-hikers, Delaware marks their starting point, near the small town of Lewes. This episode takes a close look at the ADT in Delaware, featuring interviews with Terry Shuchart, who discusses her experience section-hiking the route through the state, and Denise Clemons, author of A Culinary History of Southern Delaware and Lewes, Delaware - Historical Highlights and Walking Tour.

The American Discovery Trail is the first coast-to-coast walking and biking route across the USA, cobbling together established trail networks, local roads, and occasional highways to lead travelers across the country. In this first episode, I speak with Eric Seaborg, one of the route's co-founders and the current president of the ADT Society, about the ADT's origins. Then, I'm joined by Marcia and Ken Powers (Gottawalk), the first through-hikers of the ADT, who share stories from their months on the road.