“Happy Feet across the USA”

American Discovery Trail & You
Chapter 1 — Jan. 5, 1997

Why are we doing this?
Chapter 2 — Jan. 10, 1997

High ground of West Virginia
Chapter 3 — Jan. 14, 1997

What have we been doing lately?
Chapter 4 — Feb. 13, 1997

Off we go!
Chapter 5 — March 6, 1997

On the trail
Chapter 6 — March 7, 1997

Flood of hospitality on the Buckeye Trail
Chapter 7 — March 19, 1997

Here we go again — The send off
Chapter 9 — March 31, 1997

Those big wheels keep on rollin’
Chapter 10 — April 3, 1997

Roller coaster of emotions
Chapter 11 — April 7, 1997

Time to go, Ohio
Chapter 12 — April 12, 1997

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News releases, updates, etc.

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4-1-97 ... Bill and Laurie Foot will enter West Virginia today on their journey along the ADT. They took a day off yesterday at a Bed and Breakfast near Williamsport. Said the C & O Canal bike ride was “wonderful.” —Reese


3-29-97 ... Bill and Laurie spent Friday night in Harpers Ferry and plan to be in Williamsport tonight. Said riding the C & O was wonderful. Did 53 miles yesterday. —Reese Lukei, ADT National Coordinator


3-26-97 ... Bill and Laurie got a GRAND send-off for their journey on the ADT. After a few brief comments from Congressman Michael Castle, Susan Moreschel from Delaware State Parks and me, Congressman Castle accompanied Bill and Laurie and others on bicycles provided by Jim Ippolito, our Delaware ADT coordinator. There were three TV crews there as well as newspapers and radio. We heard later from Bob Fletcher, our Maryland Eastern Shore coordinator, that an interview Bill gave was broadcast at noon over Maryland Public Radio. Bill was so pumped up that I thought we were going to have to put an anchor on him to slow him down.

We left Cape Henlopen after lots and lots of photos and TV crews trying to stay ahead of us. We had lunch in Milton, Del., where Jim Ippolito and friend Larry Wunderlin left us and I left the bike I was riding at Jim’s friend’s house. I followed them in my car from there. At the DE/MD line we had a few sprinkles. Stopped in Denton, Md., for a snack and arrived at Tuckahoe State Park at 5 p.m. and found the shelter a Boy Scout had built as his Eagle project just for those traveling the ADT.

GUESS WHAT!! Billy Staples, the Scout, was there waiting for us. AND, also at the shelter was Bill Powells, AT ’95, who had left Cape Henlopen on Sunday to backpack the ADT. Soon joining us was Bob Fletcher who mapped the Eastern Shore of the Maryland section of the ADT. WHAT A PARTY!! That’s it for now. Wish you ALL had been there. —Reese Lukei, ADT National Coordinator


3-21-97 ... Congressman Mike Castle will join Bill and Laurie Foot at Cape Henlopen on Tuesday, March 25, as the Happy Feet begin their cross-country bike/hike of the American Discovery Trail. Actually Bill and Laurie have already completed part of the ADT. They hiked 210 miles of the southern Ohio section (the Buckeye Trail) earlier this month and declared that they had a “fabulous trip” but the hills of southern Ohio were tougher than they had expected.

The Happy Feet will be gathering data for us about the route and issuing weekly reports which can be read on-line at the Backpacker homepage on America Online (as well as right here!). Also joining Bill and Laurie at Cape Henlopen will be Delaware state and local officials. Come join in the festivities. Bring your bicycle and ride part of the ADT. —Reese Lukei, ADT National Coordinator


3-15-97 ... Bill called me today and advised that he and Laurie have completed the 210-mile Buckeye Trail and are near Peebles, Ohio. They will spend the weekend with friends in northern Ohio and will return to Lynchburg on Monday night. Chapter 7 of their ADT odyssey will be posted by Wednesday of next week.
Way to go, Feet! —Pete, “Brokenspoke”

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