Walking Across America in My 90th Year

Doris Hoddock a.k.a. "Granny D", age 90, had a passion last year. Perhaps you have heard her story. She walked across the nation (over 3000 miles) in 14 months to call attention to the need for campaign finance reform. On Feb. 29, 2000, 90-year-old Doris Haddock entered Washington D.C. like a conquering hero, proceeded to the Capitol with an entourage of 2200. She got the idea when a friend had heard her complain that government was no longer responsive to the citizens, but rather to the large-money contributors. “What are you going to do about it?” her friend asked. This journey was somewhat in the way of an answer.

Doris walked across the desert, over mountains, through sandstorms and snowstorms. All sorts of people, rich and poor, community activists and small business people, vegetarians and cattle ranchers, and even a few politicians, joined in to walk with her and give her shelter. But only Doris walked the whole way. If she took a break or traveled to someone’s home for the evening, she always returned to where she had left off. (Technically, she didn’t walk the whole way because she was forced by weather to ski the last hundred miles along the towpath of the C&O canal.)

Doris has always been an active, outdoor person, hiking and climbing and skiing in her native New Hampshire. She trained by walking 10 miles a day (her travel pace) and carrying a 25 pound pack. Did this journey ruin her health, you ask. Not exactly. A doctor pronounced that her arthritis and emphysema (though not her back) were improved and it was as though she was 20 years younger at the end than at the start!

by Carol Glasscock, MS,PT