The formerly fat man walking

If I were to be in New York City this afternoon, I'd figure out a way to meander on down to the George Washington Bridge about 5:30 to check out Steve Vaught. You've got to hand it to a guy who says he's going to walk across the country, then does. His journey has been chronicled on a Web site, www.TheFatManWalking.com. This week, several elements on the site, such as photos and a trip journal, were removed because heavy traffic on the site was slowing things down. The full site is supposed to be back up later in the week.
A former lanky teen and muscular marine, Vaught decided to do something to bring himself out of depression - caused by weight gain and guilt over an accident - after his weight topped off at 410. He decided to walk it off, and left San Diego in April 2005. Today he'll arrive in New York, 100 pounds trimmer, and 180 degrees around in the "peace of mind" department.
He said he hopes his story will be inspirational to others.
I hope so too. There's nothing like a good, brisk walk to give a person some good meditation time and to fight the battle of the bulge. In our area, there are plenty of parks and other public recreation sites with paths carved through them. My favorite place is the boardwalk for walking or jogging, but jaunts through the woods are pretty marvelous too.