a crowd of incredible family members, host families, Kiva staff and supporters join us at the coast!
Greetings!
(If your visiting this site for the first time, please scroll below or use the ‘Post History’ bar on the right to follow all 290 + posts, videos and pictures of our on-foot journey across the USA)
I completed the cross-country walk on November 13th, 2010 in San Francisco, CA after starting in Lewes, DE on March 1st of 2010. This 3,030 mile trek was life changing and will forever be a teacher in my midst. Moving 3MPH across the USA ignited a profound trust in the goodness of ‘American’ people …and most of all strangers. I miss the open, unpredictable and ever-changing road.
I’m working – slowly – on a project that will continue building various on-foot narratives. Feel free to visit Walk2Connect where I’m hoping to create multi-day walks helping individuals and groups re-connect with their surroundings, others and themselves.
Hope this reaches ALL of you well!!!
Cheers for now,
Jonathon & Kanoa
Also, if you are inspired to walk around/through your town, city, state or even the USA raising awareness for Kiva.org please contact me at: kivawalk@gmail.com. It would be fun to continue building our lending team and on-foot outreach for a great organization!
Hope this reaches you well in the last few days of 2010. WHAT a year! I wanted to share my personal blog link that will hold occasional updates, thoughts and adventures as life moves ahead… as well as a goofy video just taken of Kanoa!
A typical afternoon - writing - existing - dreaming - reflecting - and 'napping' for Kanoa
It’s been well over a month now since I stopped walking 15+ miles a day. This transition continues to serve excitement for what is ahead and great longings for what was. I nailed a large map of the USA directly behind my computer on a very blank white wall. There are various moments where I catch myself dreaming of the ‘on-foot ways’ and tracing the tiny spits of ink resembling streets, highways and noted towns/cities across the 14 states ‘we’ walked through. My mind is continually molding, shaping and kneading hopeful paths – my ‘what’s next?’. Sooner than later – finances will be stretched too far and the pressure to find consistent work will cave in. Ohhh, Jonathon – How can I maximize this time? How can I make this next brief chapter a true ‘dreaming room’ for continuing to move raw purpose and authentic passion in my everyday life? These are some of my questions.
It is SO good to have incredible friends and family. I am very thankful.
May ALL of you who read this – have a VERY Happy Holiday!
Cheers,
Jonathon & Kanoa
A few links of interest:
CLICK HERE for a great write-up in hometown newspaper (Greater Park Hill Community – Denver, CO)
Visit Ahkun’s (Kiva entrepreneur marketplace in Cambodia) newly updated website!
Team Tia around the Globe: this is a beautiful story – definitely worth a few minutes of your time. CLICK HERE to join her lending team – and – CLICK HERE to learn more about Tia and family!
Luke Robinson and his fuzzy butts (Hudson & Murphy) completed a 2,000 + mile trek for dog and people cancer in June of 2010. Luke has become a good friend and his pup – Murphy – is facing tough times in battling his personal fight against cancer. CLICK HERE for their website – CLICK HERE to support!
Our beautifully comfortable setting here at the Gifford family cabin in Frisco, CO - getting some gooood writing done - and of course Kanoa loves it up here...
Winter wonderland up here... loving it...
There is SO much to be thankful for as I type away capturing many intimate details from our cross-country walk. The snow is SO bright and warm in its appearance. I find myself frequently staring off into the Rockies from the back deck pretending I’m curled over a bag of almonds on the shoulder of the road. Most of ‘our’ breaks consist of going for walks outside into the rich Rocky Mountain air as it carries strong scents of pine and floating snow. My body and spirit are rebelling against our new ‘stationary’ life; however, there are times of great peace as well. I am surrounded by incredible friends and family and there is a steady anticipation for what might be next – what that is – WHO knows – but I am hopeful to find balance and stay true to the many lessons learned on the road.
Thank you Gifford family in Westminster, CO for gifting me w/6 days in your Frisco, CO cabin to unwind, write and reflect on this life-changing journey.
Here are some additional pictures from our final weekend!
Final event on Saturday, November 13th at the Sports Basement Presidio in San Francisco, CA
Pictured here at Kiva headquarters with Kiva President Premal Shah & Co-Founder/Director Matt Flannery - thanks for ALL that you do!!!
I also wanted to share some photos of my first actual visit to a domestic business owner in the US that has received a loan from Kiva. We were invited to get a haircut from Georgia at her salon in San Francisco, CA called Pretty Pretty Collective (PPC). Georgia received a loan from Kiva through the local San Francisco, CA Micro-Finance Institution (MFI) – Opportunity Fund. Before the haircut I met with two employees of Opportunity Fund for a cocktail to talk all-things ‘walking across the USA’ & domestic micro-finance. It was SUCH a great time getting to know them and to then have them join us for the haircut. This was a fantastic experience and I am hopeful that our investment and added knowledge/interest in micro-finance will provide more and more opportunities for entrepreneurs and start-ups like Georgia!
Getting a haircut from domestic Kiva borrower in San Francisco!
CLICK HERE for Kiva’s Blog post on our final days! CLICK HERE for a great video from Kiva Fellows around the world – THANKS YOU ALL!!!
My first full day in Denver. Had a 4 mile walk this morning and became VERY aware of how peaceful and good it will be for me to make this ‘act’ as habitual as possible. I tuned up my bike as well and will work hard to keep things simple…
Bike picture w/plug for The Bike Depot – a local Non-Profit doing great things w/bikes!
I wanted to share a post that will go into the Kiva blog as a summary to our event:
“Two years ago I started dreaming of this adventure. I deeply wrestled in making the decision and whether or not I’d have what it takes to see it through. There is nothing more exhilarating than knowing I made a dream of this magnitude, a reality. The daily pressure and hard work in pushing myself physically, mentally and emotionally was exhausting; however the fruit from these efforts are unimaginable. This journey has trained my mind – heart – and body to live more freely… more at peace… and to be more intentional w/less. I hope that I can channel and hold strong to the values and lessons learned. Hundreds of friends, family, hosts and supporters are the true heroes and I will be forever thankful. Our celebration last Saturday was an amazing intersection of supporters from near and far. We walked, we laughed and we learned from one another as we marched to the beautiful sun covered Pacific Ocean. I was so happy to share the completion of our 3,000 mile trek w/hard working Kiva staff and far traveled family and friends. It was truly unforgettable. Walking has become a living – breathing – world of peace in my life and I look forward to where we will go next, even it it’s to the store only a few miles away…
Thank you for all your HEART behind our journey and Kiva’s global mission.”
A great shot of us at the beach on Saturday finishing the walk by Jen Glazer… so good
Great picture by Bob Harris - catching the adrenaline before we dove into the Pacific Ocean - completing our 3,030 mile cross-country walk!!!!!
1,270 miles – San Francisco, CA – Denver, CO (via car)
We are home…
Two very close people in my life drove (both ways w/Kanoa!!) to join us as we hit the Pacific Ocean. THANK YOU Mark Ray & Benjamin Purner – LOVE you both!!!
Exhausted – joyful – aching back – smelly feet – a confused dog – and a whole lot of processing and unknowns ahead. I will be taking the rest of today and most of the week to unwind; however, will work on making a couple ‘final’ videos SOON.
Again, THANK YOU beautiful people for all of your support and good wishes along the way – we honestly couldn’t have done this w/out you.
A wiped out Kanoa during our 20 hour car ride…
Kanoa - ahhh, such a good dog. THANK YOU to the Walker-Krohn family of Littleton, CO & all my friends/family who helped to take him while we finished! - SO glad he could be there for the last day...
I opened the door to my temporary room and sat down looking at the floor. Mind spinning. I turned my head and began to stare at my cart w/a smile as ‘she’ shined in ALL of her glorious simplicity – and then quickly frowned at the 3 cardboard boxes full of choices: clothes, shoes, computer – STUFF. ugggg… balance is soon to come!
Video from our final steps into Sports Basement (after beach). I wasn’t able to get a video of me at the beach – so will wait to get one taken from many friends/family who captured it!!!
Video from the walk through the city before the beach (Thanks Ben!):
INCREDIBLE day of walking through the city as we finished our walk across the USA - THANK YOU to all who came out to support us!
SOOO much fun - a day of perfect weather in San Fran for our final walk!
12 miles today – 3030 miles total!
Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA – Ocean Beach – Sports Basement, Presidio, CA
One of the best days of my life.
An amazing walk w/family, friends, host families & Kiva people. A beautiful walk through the city and into the beach. The emotions of finishing the walk and splashing into the Pacific Ocean were & are ALL over the place. Still working through the VERY bittersweet ending leading to a new beginning of ‘lifestyle’ – pace – and direction. I am SO thankful to have finished healthy and to have been surrounded by such incredible support…
I am limited w/my time on a computer, as I am heading back to Denver today. I will update the site w/photos & videos of our last few days as SOON as I can!
THANK THANK THANK YOU to everyone who IS a part of this journey – it has truly been life-changing.
THANK YOU Jackie & Chuck for hosting us this weekend!
Please see the pages listed above and the sidebar below to navigate this website. All video/photo/journal updates will be posted on the left. Please note that we finished our 8 month 3,030 mile cross-country trek on November 13th, 2010 in San Francisco, CA!
Recent videos, pictures and posts can be traced below:
From Beginning to Finish! (POST HISTORY) – Over 100 videos!
Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe. (About Kiva)
Please note that I am not taking financial donations for Kiva Microfunds, as my #1 goal in supporting Kiva is education & encouraging people to join as members.
Total Members : 500 Total Loan Amount : 530075 USD
Kiva Walk T-shirts by Kiva entrepreneurs!
CLICK HERE or on PICTURE to check out our SOFT COTTON T-shirts and/or to browse Ahkun.org - a marketplace for Kiva entrepreneurs! ***For XL & XXL please email Anh Thu Nguyen for special orders!
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Disclaimer
Please note that the Kiva Walk website is operated and monitored by Jonathon Stalls, not Kiva.org. Kiva (Kiva Microfunds, LLC) and Kiva Walk are two separate entities, and any transactions made through Kiva Walk--financial and non-financial--are not affiliated with Kiva (Kiva Microfunds, LLC).
