Crossing Indiana with Jane as she Goes AWOL (American Walk of Life)
By Trudy Schoneman
Meeting Jane near the Cincinnati Airport began a week long journey across the state of Indiana. Jane has a variety of friends and family members who are meeting her in a different state each week supporting her by driving the RV or hiking or biking with her from Delaware to San Francisco and on to La Honda. Since I researched Indiana, selected the path and made the campground reservations, I decided to cycle Indiana with Jane.
Jane on the Cardinal Greenway
Hiking and biking on the Cardinal Greenway kept us on a beautiful, flat trail with green bushes and trees on each side providing a little shade. It is also a habitat for the cardinal (yes, the beautiful red bird) flying across the path from tree to tree in front of us. Such beauty to behold!
Jane talks with everyone along the path, at the campground, the grocery store and laundry mat. Her goal is to inspire, motivate and encourage older people to keep on moving and younger people to start to move and live their dreams. She lets each child select an AWOL pencil with an inspiring message and some special adults receive an AWOL t-shirt. Jane’s energy, excitement and enthusiasm for life are contagious and exude out of her 24/7! She immediately connects with people and interviews them, videoing it all and posts it on Facebook (JanesGoneAWOL) and/or her YouTube channel (Janes Gone AWOL). What an education to hear what people think and feel across America!
Wrapping inspirational messages on pencils
Did we encounter any hardships? Well, the heat and humidity, which were both in the 90’s caused us to rise early and cycle just as the morning light appeared. The first night we had no RV air conditioning so we stayed in a hotel and had it fixed the next day. Did you know that Indiana has large mosquitos? I brought my healthy insect repellent, but soon switched to Jane’s with deet. We survived it all and had a grand time doing it!
Jane is currently crossing Nebraska. Be sure to welcome her home to La Honda on August 31!
Trudy and Jane on the 4th of July
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