The walk will be supporting and raising funds for Bitcoin for Children, www.bitcoinforchildren.com.
Bitcoin is all about the future, and there is no better investment in our future than our children. ALL of them. There can be no social or financial revolution or even change without supporting, planning, and caring for the children who will live in the world that we create.
In that cause, all BTC donated for the walk that is not used directly for the walk will be donated to Bitcoin for Children.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Saturday, March 29, 2014
More progress
Good things happening in the bitcoin world, and it makes the walk easier.
Thank to gyft.com, certain hotel and motel stays can be purchased with bitcoin. This is a good thing and solves about 1/3 of the lodging problem.
As I have noted before, I am not at all adverse to camping on the side of roads if I need to. That is fine for the long expanses, but there are problems:
Doing in so in Cities is probably frowned upon. Vagrancy laws apply here, and that isn't even mentioned the basic safety issues.
I am sure that the law enforcement agencies that cover the highways would not appreciate a tent on the side of the road. That won't necessarily stop me in rural areas, but it is certainly something to consider.
Campgrounds and hostels have several advantages, most importantly meeting and talking with more people. Not to mention that they are cheaper than hotels. I would prefer these options whenever possible.
The 'possible' part comes into play here.
Between my own funds and donated funds, I want to be as frugal as possible. I have contacted a bitcoin-related charity that I believe strongly in, and while I can't give specifics, any bitcoin I have left after the walk will go to that charity. The more I raise, the less I spend, the more I have left, the more goes to a worthy cause.
Hopefully I will have more details on this soon.
Thank to gyft.com, certain hotel and motel stays can be purchased with bitcoin. This is a good thing and solves about 1/3 of the lodging problem.
As I have noted before, I am not at all adverse to camping on the side of roads if I need to. That is fine for the long expanses, but there are problems:
Doing in so in Cities is probably frowned upon. Vagrancy laws apply here, and that isn't even mentioned the basic safety issues.
I am sure that the law enforcement agencies that cover the highways would not appreciate a tent on the side of the road. That won't necessarily stop me in rural areas, but it is certainly something to consider.
Campgrounds and hostels have several advantages, most importantly meeting and talking with more people. Not to mention that they are cheaper than hotels. I would prefer these options whenever possible.
The 'possible' part comes into play here.
Between my own funds and donated funds, I want to be as frugal as possible. I have contacted a bitcoin-related charity that I believe strongly in, and while I can't give specifics, any bitcoin I have left after the walk will go to that charity. The more I raise, the less I spend, the more I have left, the more goes to a worthy cause.
Hopefully I will have more details on this soon.
Friday, March 28, 2014
"No one can walk 1500 miles!"
As conversations go, there are days when the walk comes up a lot, and days when it doesn't come up at all. And then there are the days like today when I am on the phone talking about the walk and talking to local businesses about taking bitcoin.
I got a lot of skeptical looks, which is to be expected. One man stopped short of calling me a liar and looked at me like I was crazy. And then there was that one lady. "No one can walk 1500 miles!"
Well yes, actually. People can, and many, many have walked farther.
I can understand completely that most people haven't heard of the Peace Pilgrim, Nate Damm, Peter Jenkins, or the hundreds (I think) of others who have walked from coast to coast.
What I can't understand is that people have no conception of travel before cars, or apparently that they think that travel didn't happen before cars.
I can only be amazed. And not in a good way.
I got a lot of skeptical looks, which is to be expected. One man stopped short of calling me a liar and looked at me like I was crazy. And then there was that one lady. "No one can walk 1500 miles!"
Well yes, actually. People can, and many, many have walked farther.
I can understand completely that most people haven't heard of the Peace Pilgrim, Nate Damm, Peter Jenkins, or the hundreds (I think) of others who have walked from coast to coast.
What I can't understand is that people have no conception of travel before cars, or apparently that they think that travel didn't happen before cars.
I can only be amazed. And not in a good way.
One year from today
One year from today I will be in San Diego and will start walking north.
I imagine that day over and over. I imagine talking with the bitcoiners in many cities and town. I imagine talking with store owners and vendors to convince them that bitcoin is a good payment option.
I also imagine long hours and days walking alone. I imagine the beautiful California vistas and the hills I will need to crest.
I imagine being away from my family, long phone or skype session, and hoping they are charting my progress and proud of me. Or at least tolerant.
I'll be posting more about my motivations and reasons. I'm still wrapping my head around some of them. Some of them I have already written about here. The bitcoin part is easy, or at least it is on the surface.
The walking part, well, isn't. My reasons are as clear in my head and emotions as a summer sunset, but articulating them isn't as easy.
Part of it is adventure. Part is pilgrimage. Part of it is connecting with myself and environment, urban and rural. Part is meeting people of good will, and navigating those who aren't. Part is time to myself and part is meeting new people. Part is mourning the past and part is celebrating the future.
It is all of that and more.
365 days and counting.
I imagine that day over and over. I imagine talking with the bitcoiners in many cities and town. I imagine talking with store owners and vendors to convince them that bitcoin is a good payment option.
I also imagine long hours and days walking alone. I imagine the beautiful California vistas and the hills I will need to crest.
I imagine being away from my family, long phone or skype session, and hoping they are charting my progress and proud of me. Or at least tolerant.
I'll be posting more about my motivations and reasons. I'm still wrapping my head around some of them. Some of them I have already written about here. The bitcoin part is easy, or at least it is on the surface.
The walking part, well, isn't. My reasons are as clear in my head and emotions as a summer sunset, but articulating them isn't as easy.
Part of it is adventure. Part is pilgrimage. Part of it is connecting with myself and environment, urban and rural. Part is meeting people of good will, and navigating those who aren't. Part is time to myself and part is meeting new people. Part is mourning the past and part is celebrating the future.
It is all of that and more.
365 days and counting.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Heh heh heh
I've spent the last few days compiling lists and contacts to request sponsorship for the walk.
The few companies I have contacted thus far have yielded no replies. Pretty much expected. They've got to think I'm a crackpot. After all, walking 1500 miles? On bitcoin? This guy has to be completely nuts.
Yup. Guilty as charged.
The few companies I have contacted thus far have yielded no replies. Pretty much expected. They've got to think I'm a crackpot. After all, walking 1500 miles? On bitcoin? This guy has to be completely nuts.
Yup. Guilty as charged.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Politics
For the last week or so I have been actively resisting saying anything about politics. I wanted to keep this blog about the walk and nothing else. Some part of me wanted the purity of the project to preserved.
I have my personal reasons for this. For most of my life I have been the odd man out. I have been beaten for my beliefs. I have been persecuted, shunned, penalized. My family does not speak to me because of my beliefs. My 'friends' have turned their backs on me.
I am a child of the 80s, of that slim generation caught between the Baby Boomers and the so-called Generation X. I belong to neither. I sometimes envy my children and the current generation for being able to be more open about their beliefs with less persecution and pain than I had, even though their pain is still considerable.
What are my beliefs that are so heretical?
That ALL people deserve respect and care regardless of any other consideration. That ALL children should be cared for, provided with food, water, education to their capacities, and most of all they must be loved.
That no religion has a monopoly on truth. That art and science enrich our lives. That no class, ancestry, or gender of people inherently deserves praise or condemnation for accident of birth.
Social justice is not limited to one gender or another, and so I cannot be feminist. All genders must be protected equally and there MUST be a level playing ground.
We are one species, and so I cannot promote one so-called race above another. ALL people must be accorded the same respect.
Love cannot be limited by gender, religious belief, social mores, and most especially by law.
That it is the responsibility of each of us to make our communities, environs, and the world itself better for our having been in it. That our children should enjoy better than we were given and that they in turn bear that responsibility for theirs.
We can no longer afford to be selfish, nor enthocentric in any of their forms. We never really could.
Why have I been condemned for these beliefs? Because there is no 'ism' or 'ist' label that does not violate them. We are all guilty. I am condemned because I expect people to at least attempt to rise to the greatness and wisdom that we could hold instead of descending into material or self-righteous comfort. I expect people to do the work to make things better for ALL instead of promoting their own limited views, interests, and comforts.
I may be expecting too much from us, but it is easily within grasp.
If only we would reach for it.
I have my personal reasons for this. For most of my life I have been the odd man out. I have been beaten for my beliefs. I have been persecuted, shunned, penalized. My family does not speak to me because of my beliefs. My 'friends' have turned their backs on me.
I am a child of the 80s, of that slim generation caught between the Baby Boomers and the so-called Generation X. I belong to neither. I sometimes envy my children and the current generation for being able to be more open about their beliefs with less persecution and pain than I had, even though their pain is still considerable.
What are my beliefs that are so heretical?
That ALL people deserve respect and care regardless of any other consideration. That ALL children should be cared for, provided with food, water, education to their capacities, and most of all they must be loved.
That no religion has a monopoly on truth. That art and science enrich our lives. That no class, ancestry, or gender of people inherently deserves praise or condemnation for accident of birth.
Social justice is not limited to one gender or another, and so I cannot be feminist. All genders must be protected equally and there MUST be a level playing ground.
We are one species, and so I cannot promote one so-called race above another. ALL people must be accorded the same respect.
Love cannot be limited by gender, religious belief, social mores, and most especially by law.
That it is the responsibility of each of us to make our communities, environs, and the world itself better for our having been in it. That our children should enjoy better than we were given and that they in turn bear that responsibility for theirs.
We can no longer afford to be selfish, nor enthocentric in any of their forms. We never really could.
Why have I been condemned for these beliefs? Because there is no 'ism' or 'ist' label that does not violate them. We are all guilty. I am condemned because I expect people to at least attempt to rise to the greatness and wisdom that we could hold instead of descending into material or self-righteous comfort. I expect people to do the work to make things better for ALL instead of promoting their own limited views, interests, and comforts.
I may be expecting too much from us, but it is easily within grasp.
If only we would reach for it.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Today's challenge has been all about lodging for the walk.
I've written about it here before, but the route isn't going to give many opportunities for roadside camping (in LA? No way!), state campgrounds don't take bitcoin, and few hotels do. I have found that hotels.cheapflights.com can book hotels, but that makes the costs for the trip go up. Assuming $80 a night for 100 nights, given that hotels are available at every step of the way, that is a lowball figure of $8,000. I need to find ways to trim that down.
I've written about it here before, but the route isn't going to give many opportunities for roadside camping (in LA? No way!), state campgrounds don't take bitcoin, and few hotels do. I have found that hotels.cheapflights.com can book hotels, but that makes the costs for the trip go up. Assuming $80 a night for 100 nights, given that hotels are available at every step of the way, that is a lowball figure of $8,000. I need to find ways to trim that down.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Whew...
What a busy weekend.
Walking, family drama, walking, unpleasant bits of my past rearing up, walking, family birthday plans, walking, reorganizing the walk, walking, getting domain and hosting, walking...
This is a birthday/anniversary/holiday week in my household, so my posts may be infrequent but be assured that I am still busy behind the scenes.
I have obtained and am working on a website to support the walk, which also means that I am learning Wordpress as quickly as I possibly can in order to get it up and running. It dioesn't seem to have a steep learning curve, but I do need to take the time to use it effectively.
True to my pledge of bitcoin only, the site is hosted with bitcoinwebhosting.net and will be up on the ledger as soon as I write it.
Walking, family drama, walking, unpleasant bits of my past rearing up, walking, family birthday plans, walking, reorganizing the walk, walking, getting domain and hosting, walking...
This is a birthday/anniversary/holiday week in my household, so my posts may be infrequent but be assured that I am still busy behind the scenes.
I have obtained and am working on a website to support the walk, which also means that I am learning Wordpress as quickly as I possibly can in order to get it up and running. It dioesn't seem to have a steep learning curve, but I do need to take the time to use it effectively.
True to my pledge of bitcoin only, the site is hosted with bitcoinwebhosting.net and will be up on the ledger as soon as I write it.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
BitcoinStarter!
Bitcoinstarter.com Has approved the walk for crowdfunding at https://bitcoinstarter.com/projects/614
I'm doing a happy dance about it, but it is only a start. A very good start, bot only a start nonetheless. Much work to be done, but what GOOD work it is.
I'm doing a happy dance about it, but it is only a start. A very good start, bot only a start nonetheless. Much work to be done, but what GOOD work it is.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
WHY?!?!?!?!
Because I want my children and grandchildren to live in a better world than the one I was given, and I want better people to live in it.
So what does that have to do with walking and bitcoin? In my twisted little head, a lot.
I am about to turn 46. Possibly mid-life crisis time. Possibly disillusionment. Possibly frustration. Possibly all of the above.
I am in an idealist in a selfish, self-absorbed, and narcissistic society. I fell in that gap in between the Boomers and GenX and am neither one. My formative years were framed by the moon landing and Star Trek on one side, assassinations and Watergate on the other.
Such promise and potential wasted. Instead we got Disco, Miami Vice and a culture of excesses that we continue to pay for. Even worse, some of the worst aspects and attitudes from that era live on.
And the talk. So much talking that nothing gets done. The 60s had the protests and the marches and what did we get? Occupy. Well-intentioned, but fundamentally flawed and a let-down beyond measure.
I'm jaded. I know I am. In year after year of war after war, of propaganda that masquerades as news, of watching person after person choose personal advantage over higher ideals, I am just sick to death of it.
I want to believe again.
Let's put aside the wonderful technologies and possibilities of the Bitcoin protocols and what bitcoins can do for the world. Instead, look at the people. The people involved in bitcoin are making things happen. Are reaching out to each other in incredible ways. They are producing new ways of thinking, of caring, of business.
So I want to walk. I want to spend time with myself, but also meet many people who whether they know it or not, whether they will ever know it are shaping the future and bestowing hope.
This journey for me represents a bridge. A bridge between what was and what should have been, and what could, can, and should be. It is a rite of passage that leaves the old where it should remain and gives birth to the new from its ashes.
You, the reader, and you the bitcoin community show me hope.
So I want to walk toward that future where my children and theirs will have that better world.
That's why.
So what does that have to do with walking and bitcoin? In my twisted little head, a lot.
 |
| Berkely Breathed's Bloom County |
I am in an idealist in a selfish, self-absorbed, and narcissistic society. I fell in that gap in between the Boomers and GenX and am neither one. My formative years were framed by the moon landing and Star Trek on one side, assassinations and Watergate on the other.
Such promise and potential wasted. Instead we got Disco, Miami Vice and a culture of excesses that we continue to pay for. Even worse, some of the worst aspects and attitudes from that era live on.
And the talk. So much talking that nothing gets done. The 60s had the protests and the marches and what did we get? Occupy. Well-intentioned, but fundamentally flawed and a let-down beyond measure.
I'm jaded. I know I am. In year after year of war after war, of propaganda that masquerades as news, of watching person after person choose personal advantage over higher ideals, I am just sick to death of it.
I want to believe again.
Let's put aside the wonderful technologies and possibilities of the Bitcoin protocols and what bitcoins can do for the world. Instead, look at the people. The people involved in bitcoin are making things happen. Are reaching out to each other in incredible ways. They are producing new ways of thinking, of caring, of business.
So I want to walk. I want to spend time with myself, but also meet many people who whether they know it or not, whether they will ever know it are shaping the future and bestowing hope.
This journey for me represents a bridge. A bridge between what was and what should have been, and what could, can, and should be. It is a rite of passage that leaves the old where it should remain and gives birth to the new from its ashes.
You, the reader, and you the bitcoin community show me hope.
So I want to walk toward that future where my children and theirs will have that better world.
That's why.
Today is more writing, more reaching out, more walking. The major post of the day will be after I'm done walking, but I feel like writing a blurb, so why not?
I am excited about the potential of some of the new apps that are in development. airbitz.co looks promising and may make the walk easier, at least on the purchasing side. A Yelp-style directory of local bitcoin businesses along the way would help.
I am also reaching out to businesses to sponsor the walk in both large and small ways. If I am going to go into Mom&Pop stores and ask them to take bitcoin, then I am going to need printed material to show them, not just the app on my phone. That has to come from somewhere, and it makes sense for companies to provide their own representation so that they can speak for themselves instead of relying on my sole opinion.
I am excited about the potential of some of the new apps that are in development. airbitz.co looks promising and may make the walk easier, at least on the purchasing side. A Yelp-style directory of local bitcoin businesses along the way would help.
I am also reaching out to businesses to sponsor the walk in both large and small ways. If I am going to go into Mom&Pop stores and ask them to take bitcoin, then I am going to need printed material to show them, not just the app on my phone. That has to come from somewhere, and it makes sense for companies to provide their own representation so that they can speak for themselves instead of relying on my sole opinion.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Developments
This weekend has been full of contradictions and was completely normal. I walked, but I didn't. New things in the world of bitcoin and people are still the same. Things didn't happen and did.
Living in the Pacific Northwest one expects rain. What one doesn't expect is the pressure changes. It's usually subtle enough that most people don't notice it. If you pay attention to the moods of those around you though, it becomes obvious. This was zombie weekend. Very little got accomplished and eevryone was moving veeeeery... veeeeery... slooooooly....
Including myself. On such days it is very easy to sit in front of the computer. And I did. I wrote emails, continued to evaluate the route, found out about Gyft and Pounce (more on these later), and since my sons were talking about it and the expansion coming out, I played Diablo III. Bad move on my part. Recreational, yes. Productive? No.
The costs of the trip have gone down a little bit thanks to gyft.com now accepting bitcoin. Many things that I thought were going to have to be purchased from REI can now be purchased from Target. That brings the prep and equipment costs down to $1,500 instead of $5,000. Coinbase just announced a relationship with the Pounce app, with which one can purportedly scan and purchase directly off ads and circulars. Lord and Taylors is specifically listed, but the 'and other major retailers' is what interests me. I'll have to wait and see. Since I'll be waiting for an android version of the app anyway, I'm not stressing about it too much.
The major concern is still lodging. Because of that I am leaning toward the coastal route instead of the inland route. It is about 20 miles longer than the inland route, but the scenery will probably be better (important on a 30 day walk) and there will be less time in between towns, although the towns will be smaller.
Beyond that, I am keeping up with the changes in the world of bitcoin. Every now and then I think about the fact that in a year's time when I am pulling together everything and getting ready to depart things could be completely different than they are now. The best that I can do is plan now with what exists and adapt for different - and hopefully better - conditions when they occur.
Living in the Pacific Northwest one expects rain. What one doesn't expect is the pressure changes. It's usually subtle enough that most people don't notice it. If you pay attention to the moods of those around you though, it becomes obvious. This was zombie weekend. Very little got accomplished and eevryone was moving veeeeery... veeeeery... slooooooly....
Including myself. On such days it is very easy to sit in front of the computer. And I did. I wrote emails, continued to evaluate the route, found out about Gyft and Pounce (more on these later), and since my sons were talking about it and the expansion coming out, I played Diablo III. Bad move on my part. Recreational, yes. Productive? No.
The costs of the trip have gone down a little bit thanks to gyft.com now accepting bitcoin. Many things that I thought were going to have to be purchased from REI can now be purchased from Target. That brings the prep and equipment costs down to $1,500 instead of $5,000. Coinbase just announced a relationship with the Pounce app, with which one can purportedly scan and purchase directly off ads and circulars. Lord and Taylors is specifically listed, but the 'and other major retailers' is what interests me. I'll have to wait and see. Since I'll be waiting for an android version of the app anyway, I'm not stressing about it too much.
The major concern is still lodging. Because of that I am leaning toward the coastal route instead of the inland route. It is about 20 miles longer than the inland route, but the scenery will probably be better (important on a 30 day walk) and there will be less time in between towns, although the towns will be smaller.
Beyond that, I am keeping up with the changes in the world of bitcoin. Every now and then I think about the fact that in a year's time when I am pulling together everything and getting ready to depart things could be completely different than they are now. The best that I can do is plan now with what exists and adapt for different - and hopefully better - conditions when they occur.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Such Friday. Wow.
Following the developing Dorian/Satoshi story has me shaking my head today. Poor guy.
I am still stuck on the route decision from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Coastal and inland both have advantages and disadvantages, each for different reasons. I am not only looking at the map, but also the business listings on Bitscan.com, and trying to assess how those three to four weeks would go on each route.
In the meantime I have been advertising a bit and letting people know about the project. The walk has been accepted on startjoin.com - https://www.startjoin.com/bitcoinwalk - although I am still waiting for approval on bitcoinstarter.
I have also put up a few inquiries for Bitcoin meetups.
So the standstill isn't a standstill even though it feels like it with my lack of route progress today.
Or perhaps it is just that with everything going on in the world, how many military conflicts and how many people are dying over them, the American press managed to chase a retired guy across Los Angeles due to mistaken identity.
Truth is stranger than fiction. You just can't make this stuff up and if you tried no one would believe it.
I am still stuck on the route decision from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Coastal and inland both have advantages and disadvantages, each for different reasons. I am not only looking at the map, but also the business listings on Bitscan.com, and trying to assess how those three to four weeks would go on each route.
In the meantime I have been advertising a bit and letting people know about the project. The walk has been accepted on startjoin.com - https://www.startjoin.com/bitcoinwalk - although I am still waiting for approval on bitcoinstarter.
I have also put up a few inquiries for Bitcoin meetups.
So the standstill isn't a standstill even though it feels like it with my lack of route progress today.
Or perhaps it is just that with everything going on in the world, how many military conflicts and how many people are dying over them, the American press managed to chase a retired guy across Los Angeles due to mistaken identity.
Truth is stranger than fiction. You just can't make this stuff up and if you tried no one would believe it.
Day 6 plan
Back to the 15 mile a day format, but decision to be made.
As you can see from the Google Map, the going is good, but there isn't much lodging available right in that area. I am hoping that the Los Angeles area Bitcoin Community can help me out there with information about hostels or other options.
Camping is out of the question through this part of the trip. I can only imagine what the law enforcement in LA would have to say about me camping in the 'good' areas, and I am too fond of my skin to try and camp in the 'bad' ones. That means a hard roof and a door.
Also at this point is a choice in routes between Los Angeles and San Francisco. I can shadow the I-5 through Bakersfield and Fresno, then back west to San Francisco (477 miles), or instead go up the coast through Oxnard, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz (489 miles).
I'm not sure that even though the inland I-5 route is shorter that it will be any easier. The 'grapevine' route rises in elevation and that alone will slow me down a bit. Also, the more populated the area, the more expensive it will be.
On the other hand, the coastal route will have its ups and downs, but be more level for longer (close to sea level), cheaper accommodations where camping is available, but smaller communities where I am assuming the thought of Bitcoin will be less pleasing to the merchants I will need to purchase from. The more populated beach communities will be more tourist oriented, and the motels available will be more expensive.
This is not a casual decision, either. The distance between LA and SF will be about 30 days of the walk. Roughly a third of the total mileage. Back tracking and going the other way won't be possible.
Decisions, decisions...
As you can see from the Google Map, the going is good, but there isn't much lodging available right in that area. I am hoping that the Los Angeles area Bitcoin Community can help me out there with information about hostels or other options.
Camping is out of the question through this part of the trip. I can only imagine what the law enforcement in LA would have to say about me camping in the 'good' areas, and I am too fond of my skin to try and camp in the 'bad' ones. That means a hard roof and a door.
Also at this point is a choice in routes between Los Angeles and San Francisco. I can shadow the I-5 through Bakersfield and Fresno, then back west to San Francisco (477 miles), or instead go up the coast through Oxnard, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz (489 miles).
I'm not sure that even though the inland I-5 route is shorter that it will be any easier. The 'grapevine' route rises in elevation and that alone will slow me down a bit. Also, the more populated the area, the more expensive it will be.
On the other hand, the coastal route will have its ups and downs, but be more level for longer (close to sea level), cheaper accommodations where camping is available, but smaller communities where I am assuming the thought of Bitcoin will be less pleasing to the merchants I will need to purchase from. The more populated beach communities will be more tourist oriented, and the motels available will be more expensive.
This is not a casual decision, either. The distance between LA and SF will be about 30 days of the walk. Roughly a third of the total mileage. Back tracking and going the other way won't be possible.
Decisions, decisions...
Day 5 plan
Day 5 will be happy and bittersweet for me. I will be walking through Laguna Beach, the site of many happy times when I was stationed at MCAS El Toro waaaaaay back when I was stationed there. If all goes according to plan I may be able to stop there, but not for long as I will still have many miles to cover.
The '15 mile a day' rule may not be possible here.
At around the 11 mile mark there is camping at Crystal Cove State Park. The fifteen mile mark stops a few miles shy of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, and there doesn't seem to be good camping near there.
Costa Mesa hits at around the 18 mile mark, and I'm thinking it may be a good idea to get a hotel room there if possible. After two nights camping and three days walking I will probably be more than grateful for a shower and bed.
The route pictured clocks in at just under 20 miles for the day. I'm going with that estimate. Here I sit my my chair comfortable while I am making plans for the road, but I anticipate that I would rather cover the extra ground and end in comfort than end the day early.
The '15 mile a day' rule may not be possible here.
At around the 11 mile mark there is camping at Crystal Cove State Park. The fifteen mile mark stops a few miles shy of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, and there doesn't seem to be good camping near there.Costa Mesa hits at around the 18 mile mark, and I'm thinking it may be a good idea to get a hotel room there if possible. After two nights camping and three days walking I will probably be more than grateful for a shower and bed.
The route pictured clocks in at just under 20 miles for the day. I'm going with that estimate. Here I sit my my chair comfortable while I am making plans for the road, but I anticipate that I would rather cover the extra ground and end in comfort than end the day early.
Day 4 plan
Day 4 will have another hurdle, although anticipated: Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
It is about 18 miles through it, but only with I-5, so no walking. I could go around it, but that would add about 4 days of travel, and not necessarily easy travel at that.
I'm thinking the best option is 'cheat' to arrange a ride through. There are things that I will argue with the government about, but I am not just about to try and trespass on a Marine Base.
That having been said, it is about 7.8 miles from South Carlsbad Beach to the southern edge of Camp Pandleton. From the Northern edge, another 7.3 miles would put me at Doheny State Beach, where there is camping, again for $35. Same problems, but possible nonetheless.
It is about 18 miles through it, but only with I-5, so no walking. I could go around it, but that would add about 4 days of travel, and not necessarily easy travel at that.
I'm thinking the best option is 'cheat' to arrange a ride through. There are things that I will argue with the government about, but I am not just about to try and trespass on a Marine Base.
That having been said, it is about 7.8 miles from South Carlsbad Beach to the southern edge of Camp Pandleton. From the Northern edge, another 7.3 miles would put me at Doheny State Beach, where there is camping, again for $35. Same problems, but possible nonetheless.
Day 3 plan
Day 3 looks like a nice walk through some preserved wilderness and the beach for the rest of the way to the campground at South Carlsbad State Beach.
That illustrates a major problem of this trip. The fee for this park is $35 a night. Far less expensive than a hotel, and more appropriate for my purposes, goal, and message, but how do I pay the State of California in Bitcoin? Convince someone to pay in cash in exchange for Bitcoin?
Also, the check-in time for this campground is 2PM, and the website and brochure specify that there are no exceptions, so I'll need to get the 15.6 miles in before 2 if I am going to stay there.
Problems, problems, problems.
That illustrates a major problem of this trip. The fee for this park is $35 a night. Far less expensive than a hotel, and more appropriate for my purposes, goal, and message, but how do I pay the State of California in Bitcoin? Convince someone to pay in cash in exchange for Bitcoin?
Also, the check-in time for this campground is 2PM, and the website and brochure specify that there are no exceptions, so I'll need to get the 15.6 miles in before 2 if I am going to stay there.
Problems, problems, problems.
Day 2 plan
It looks like Day 2 will be ghosting the I-5 on surface streets, and end up on the northern edge of UC San Diego just before entering the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.It doesn't look like there is camping at Torrey Pines, so I'll have to look for Lodging near or on campus.
If any San Diegans are willing to help out, the only time I have ever been in San Diego was the 13 weeks I spent at MCRD, so I'm not sure that it counts. If you have any helpful suggestions on a better walking route, I would certainly appreciate it.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Walking is free, man
I told some people on an exchange chat room about the walk today. There wasn't much feedback, but then I didn't expect much. The group that frequent this site are mostly traders and miners. What little social commentary is posted is usually the utopian, 'won't it be great once everyone is using Bitcoin and fiat currency is a thing of the past' variety.
One comment from a guy on the forum that I like and tend to respect was, "Walking is free, man."
Well, it is. Kind of. If my goal was simply to walk this blog wouldn't be here and I wouldn't expect anyone to care about it.
I have my personal reasons and goals for the walk. I am upfront about that.
When it comes to Bitcoin, or any alternative currency, it isn't worth much if it isn't used. There have to be people spending it, AND the businesses that take it.
With bank services, that is an easy thing. The bank hires sales people to push its new merchant services. They convince business owners to use those services, and the fees make the bank money. That is how credit and debit card services became widespread and why different companies compete for the lowest fees.
Now there are companies like Coinbase and Bitpay that are doing that, and the more businesses they convince, the more bitcoin gets exchanged, driving the value up. For the most part though, the word isn't going to be spread by salesmen out to make money for the bank. The word is going to be spread by you and me.
Most of the people in the mainstream don't know what Bitcoin is, and most of the information out there lately has been doom and gloom, MtGox, 'Bitcoin=terrorism and crime' type of misinformation that we expect from the press.
I want to change that. Sitting here blogging will only convince the converted. If a nice, friendly guy comes walking in from the highway talking about Bitcoin and asking to use it comes in, that may change a few minds, and more people may use it. If a bunch of friendly people get together for the purpose of promoting Bitcoin, that changes the image.
I love to walk and want to do long distances. I love Bitcoin and its future and want to promote it. The two go together in this. I'm backing my belief with action. Putting my money where my mouth is... or would that be Bitcoin where my feet are?
I'm asking others to help and support this project because I believe in it enough to walk over 1,500 miles. I hope others believe in it enough to help.
One comment from a guy on the forum that I like and tend to respect was, "Walking is free, man."
Well, it is. Kind of. If my goal was simply to walk this blog wouldn't be here and I wouldn't expect anyone to care about it.
I have my personal reasons and goals for the walk. I am upfront about that.
When it comes to Bitcoin, or any alternative currency, it isn't worth much if it isn't used. There have to be people spending it, AND the businesses that take it.
With bank services, that is an easy thing. The bank hires sales people to push its new merchant services. They convince business owners to use those services, and the fees make the bank money. That is how credit and debit card services became widespread and why different companies compete for the lowest fees.
Now there are companies like Coinbase and Bitpay that are doing that, and the more businesses they convince, the more bitcoin gets exchanged, driving the value up. For the most part though, the word isn't going to be spread by salesmen out to make money for the bank. The word is going to be spread by you and me.
Most of the people in the mainstream don't know what Bitcoin is, and most of the information out there lately has been doom and gloom, MtGox, 'Bitcoin=terrorism and crime' type of misinformation that we expect from the press.
I want to change that. Sitting here blogging will only convince the converted. If a nice, friendly guy comes walking in from the highway talking about Bitcoin and asking to use it comes in, that may change a few minds, and more people may use it. If a bunch of friendly people get together for the purpose of promoting Bitcoin, that changes the image.
I love to walk and want to do long distances. I love Bitcoin and its future and want to promote it. The two go together in this. I'm backing my belief with action. Putting my money where my mouth is... or would that be Bitcoin where my feet are?
I'm asking others to help and support this project because I believe in it enough to walk over 1,500 miles. I hope others believe in it enough to help.
First donation!
After two and a half miles I was calmer and ready to start heading back. One the way I realized that this was good training and five miles was a respectable distance to start with considering that once the big walk starts next year I'm aiming for fifteen. I finished, sat on my front porch for a celebratory cigarette (I know, I know, don't bug me about it) and got ready to start working on blog, route, planning, etc.
The first thing I saw was a .02 BTC donation. What a wonderful surprise. Thank you to the person who did it. Not only for the coins, but for helping turn my mood around.
Day 1 Plan
Because of Camp Pendleton I have thought about starting on the north side of the Camp in San Clemente. That does circumvent the problem, but it completely cuts off San Diego and I am not sure I am willing to do that. Given that, what better place to start the journey than the border?Fifteen miles from the border leaves off near downtown San Diego's Gaslamp District. A quick google search shows several hostels in the area, so there are good prospects for that night.
Looks like a good start.
Coins
I just submitted the walk as a project to bitcoinstarter.com. Hopefully it will get approved soon.
The primary thought I have had about doing the walk as 'Bitcoin only' is that if that is going to be true, then all of the equipment should be purchased with Bitcoin or I am cheating. I will be promoting the use of Bitcoin after all, so how can I be walking in shoes that were purchased with dollars?
A future post will have a list of equipment and supplies I will need, as well as projected road expenses, but my rough estimates say that I will need a minimum of 15 Bitcoins for the trip, and that may be underestimating.
For instance, most people would think of needing a tent and sleeping bag, or shoes. Trail food makes sense. What many would not think of is a cart. Nearly every account I have read from people who have done long distance or cross country walks say that a cart saves stress on ankles, knees, and back. They allow you to carry much more in terms of supplies (think of how much water weighs and how long it can be between stops) more easily. I have seen everything from converted baby strollers to custom carts made for such ventures.
Now factor in the Bitcoin purchase. Egifter.com now takes Bitcoins, which is a huge boon for the walk, and one of the gift cards it carries is REI, so I can purchase REI giftcards with Bitcoin and then spend those to get geared up for the trip. Perfect. Or is it? Certainly REI carries much of what I will need. On the other hand, REI prices are not as low as Walmart. That is one factor that increases the costs involved.
Another is the location I will be walking. My plans as of now consist of taking the Pacific Coast Highway, either Route 1 or Route 101 primarily from San Diego to Aberdeen, and over to Seattle after that. There will be long stretches of Forest and parks, but the vast majority of the route is populated or heavily patrolled. Pulling off to the side of the road and pitching a tent out of sight may not be an option. I want to do this in as low-cost way as possible, but hostels, motels, and state campgrounds cost and they most liekly will not be able to take Bitcoin. All of this adds time, expense, and stress.
So the bottom line is that need to fund raise. Or Bitcoin raise, in this case.
Yes, please donate. The help will certainly be appreciated.
13F4HKnwqX7Y93yetr7YrkyypxFVbNPMrt
The primary thought I have had about doing the walk as 'Bitcoin only' is that if that is going to be true, then all of the equipment should be purchased with Bitcoin or I am cheating. I will be promoting the use of Bitcoin after all, so how can I be walking in shoes that were purchased with dollars?
A future post will have a list of equipment and supplies I will need, as well as projected road expenses, but my rough estimates say that I will need a minimum of 15 Bitcoins for the trip, and that may be underestimating.
For instance, most people would think of needing a tent and sleeping bag, or shoes. Trail food makes sense. What many would not think of is a cart. Nearly every account I have read from people who have done long distance or cross country walks say that a cart saves stress on ankles, knees, and back. They allow you to carry much more in terms of supplies (think of how much water weighs and how long it can be between stops) more easily. I have seen everything from converted baby strollers to custom carts made for such ventures.
Now factor in the Bitcoin purchase. Egifter.com now takes Bitcoins, which is a huge boon for the walk, and one of the gift cards it carries is REI, so I can purchase REI giftcards with Bitcoin and then spend those to get geared up for the trip. Perfect. Or is it? Certainly REI carries much of what I will need. On the other hand, REI prices are not as low as Walmart. That is one factor that increases the costs involved.
Another is the location I will be walking. My plans as of now consist of taking the Pacific Coast Highway, either Route 1 or Route 101 primarily from San Diego to Aberdeen, and over to Seattle after that. There will be long stretches of Forest and parks, but the vast majority of the route is populated or heavily patrolled. Pulling off to the side of the road and pitching a tent out of sight may not be an option. I want to do this in as low-cost way as possible, but hostels, motels, and state campgrounds cost and they most liekly will not be able to take Bitcoin. All of this adds time, expense, and stress.
So the bottom line is that need to fund raise. Or Bitcoin raise, in this case.
Yes, please donate. The help will certainly be appreciated.
13F4HKnwqX7Y93yetr7YrkyypxFVbNPMrt
The Walk is ON!
So this is it. A little over a year from now I will be starting a new adventure: Walking from San Diego to Seattle using only Bitcoin instead of US Currency.
I have been wanting to do a walk like this for a very long time, and consider this training for a coast-to-coast walk in a few years. The scenery flies by when you drive a route, and the miles go by quickly. Walking gives you the chance to see and appreciate more. It means that you meet new people, and are hopefully enriched from the experience.
I have been following several walkers for a few years, most especially Nate Damm. If you get the chance, follow the blog of his trip, read his book, or watch his Claremont TED talk here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zy3ixLKIUU
When I first mentioned my desire to walk across the country to my best friend, he put a label to the experience I am seeking that I had not yet thought of: pilgrimage.
I have served this country in the military and I have deeply studied its history, but I have seen very little of it outside of flying or driving. I not only want to see it, but to experience it. I want to meet the people and encounter the best in them. I need to know not what we think and say we are, but what we actually are. I want to have faith in not only what we are, but what we could and should be. To know that regardless of any distinction of party, belief, faith, or ancestry, that we have greatness within us if we would only reach for it.
How does Bitcoin factor in to this? The Bitcoin enthusiasts will understand, I think. Bitcoin is a kind of new frontier. It levels the playing ground a bit, or at the very least makes the financial frontier a little more fair. It is new frontiers and new possibilities, and I am sure that we have only scratched its surface.
Just like exploring America and its people, I want to meet and encourage the people who are and will continue to make the future of Bitcoin possible.
What a wonderful adventure this will be.
I have been wanting to do a walk like this for a very long time, and consider this training for a coast-to-coast walk in a few years. The scenery flies by when you drive a route, and the miles go by quickly. Walking gives you the chance to see and appreciate more. It means that you meet new people, and are hopefully enriched from the experience.
I have been following several walkers for a few years, most especially Nate Damm. If you get the chance, follow the blog of his trip, read his book, or watch his Claremont TED talk here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zy3ixLKIUU
When I first mentioned my desire to walk across the country to my best friend, he put a label to the experience I am seeking that I had not yet thought of: pilgrimage.
I have served this country in the military and I have deeply studied its history, but I have seen very little of it outside of flying or driving. I not only want to see it, but to experience it. I want to meet the people and encounter the best in them. I need to know not what we think and say we are, but what we actually are. I want to have faith in not only what we are, but what we could and should be. To know that regardless of any distinction of party, belief, faith, or ancestry, that we have greatness within us if we would only reach for it.
How does Bitcoin factor in to this? The Bitcoin enthusiasts will understand, I think. Bitcoin is a kind of new frontier. It levels the playing ground a bit, or at the very least makes the financial frontier a little more fair. It is new frontiers and new possibilities, and I am sure that we have only scratched its surface.
Just like exploring America and its people, I want to meet and encourage the people who are and will continue to make the future of Bitcoin possible.
What a wonderful adventure this will be.
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