“The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” 

-John Bingham

I’ve reached my final stop on this journey: The Parthenon in Connecticut. The Parthenon was started in 1985 and has won awards such as “best diner” and “best breakfast”. This diner was my favorite; they had delicious pancakes and an espresso latte iced coffee that gave me some much needed energy.  While there I recognized someone who I has seen at Tops Diner in New Jersey! We shared information on our journeys with each other and even had a chance to meet the owner of the diner. These are some napkin rollers from the diner.  

My favorite part of the journey was discovering how to live in a way that I was not accustomed to before. It has been a true experience learning how to focus on other things in life rather than what I was used to. This trip has given value to things such as nature and I’ve begun to see the importance of getting out and experiencing different things, regardless of whether they seem difficult. I have experienced things that I will never forget and met some amazing people along the way. This journey is one I will never forget and inspires me to take risks such as this again.

“Struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not demanding more from yourself - expanding and learning as you go - you're choosing a numb existence. You're denying yourself an extraordinary trip.”

-Dean Karnazes

Getting to Poughkeepsie where I am staying overnight was relatively easy with no problems in regards to directions or the journey itself. It seems to have gotten easier to travel as I am now; I've gotten used to this way of living. My journey so far has made me realize that it is unnecessary to rely on material items so much, or even other people. Traveling the way I am has allowed me to discover my potential and power as an independent individual.

While in Poughkeepsie, I  stopped at the nearby home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I was able to take a tour of the house and learn tons of interesting facts. The grounds were very beautiful and the house is actually where FDR delivered his speech after winning the presidential election. The house also has had many interesting guests in the past, such as Winston Churchill. I toured the house with a group of people and a tour guide who I discovered is friends with my grandparents. I then learned that she had met me once when I was younger and visiting my grandparents! We arranged to meet up after the tour so she could show me around the town. This encounter is just one of many I've had so far on the trip where almost complete strangers have been welcoming and made my journey so much easier.
I was able to get an FDR "bullet pencil" as a souvenir:

Postcard:
Hi Mom! I’m currently in Poughkeepsie, New York, making my way to Connecticut. I have seen some amazing things so far in my journey. The other day I went the Catskills and I even passed by the house you used to live in. I've met some great people on the way and hope to stay in touch with them. It’s amazing how an experience like this can make you realize how easy it is to lose sight of the important things in life. Not been so focused on technology and material items has allowed me to read books and enjoy my surroundings. I learned to appreciate the environment, the human body and what it is capable of, and most significant, those who are important to me. Can’t wait to see you soon and tell you more about my trip!

-Anna

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us”.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I was nervous in the morning because it looked like it could storm late on, but it turned into a beautiful day. I've been tired lately and it’s been tough finding places to fully restock on the necessary liquids and energy items. Sometimes I feel as if I’m in the middle of nowhere and so far away from everything. It’s times like this, though, that enable me to reflect on my life and appreciate more. My journey so far has taught me to look inside of myself to discover things about life and how I should live it. I've learned to value things I hadn't previously and feel at peace with being in the nature. That being said, I was ecstatic to reach my second diner destination in Roscoe, New York.

It was difficult to chose something from the menu because there were so many options, and I was so very hungry. The french toast I ordered was 1.5 inches thick! I learned a lot about the diner through talking to the waiter, Carrie. Apparently in 2010 the negotiation meetings for Darrelle Revis, the Jets player, were held at Roscoe. Carrie has worked there for 20 years now and seen all types of people; from locals to businessmen to hitchhikers. She told me some stories about her time as a waitress and how it has taught her to never judge people because everyone is going through different things in their lives. I bought a water bottle from the diner as a souvenir.

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today I made a stop at the Catskills in New York. It was very beautiful there and made me take a minute to appreciate my surroundings. The park is full of trails, rivers, and streams as well as mountains. The views from the mountains and trails are truly special and unlike anything I've seen before. The most unique aspect of the park is its natural beauty. It brings a sense of serenity to the surrounding towns and enables people to escape from typical life.  While there, I learned that the first Christmas trees came from the Catskills when a farmer brought evergreens into New York City and sold them. I brought a leaf with me and kept it in my bag so I can have something to always remind me of the natural beauty there is in the world.

Something very interesting happened while I was walking along one of the trails: I saw a black bear! Over 1500 black bears are in the Catskills and I was luck enough to come across one. I’m not sure if you can call it lucky because at the time I wasn't feeling so lucky, but now I appreciate the experience. Seeing that bear is something I never would have been able to experience without travel and a change of scenery. It was very eye opening for me because it made me realize how one can experience such different things depending on one’s surroundings and how they chose to live their life.

"Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson  

It is the first day of my new journey and I have decided to begin by giving myself a new name; doing so will allow me to forget about my current life and focus more on living as a different person, in a different way, through a different perspective. The name I have chosen is Annie Felix. This is a play on my first name, which is somewhat similar, and also a   of the name Allyson Felix. Allyson is a runner whom I admire for her strength and work ethic. On this trip I would like to develop as a person and work towards becoming a hard working and motivated person.

Although I am still in New Jersey, the sights I have seen are very different from my hometown where I left from. So far I have had a chance to run through different towns and experience things I never would have come across elsewhere. Everyone I have met on the road has been generous and welcoming with any questions or directions I am in need of.

I reached my first destination, Tops Diner in East Newark, New Jersey, in the evening of my first day on this new journey. While running here I had an interesting encounter with a dog that followed me for a few miles. It was nice to have a companion for some time after being left with only myself and the environment. While enjoying my burger at Tops Diner, I learned that over 15000 people come to the diner each week! The food was much needed after my long travels and was worth the trip.

I have always wanted to escape the material world and current way I live. With the opportunity to spend my time doing something meaningful and having this in mind, I’ve decided to take two and a half weeks to break free from the stressful and scheduled way I live now. I am planning on starting here in New Jersey and going through New York as well as Connecticut; all on foot. In order to hit the stops I have planned out, I will be running 18 miles a day and visiting the best diners in each state along the way.

My inspiration for this trip mainly comes from my desire to see how you can live on a minimal amount of items, not depending on things too much. I hope to discover how to live without unnecessary things and focus more on my surroundings. Growing up in such a technology based aged and consumer society, it can be easy to get lost in all of it and forget about the world itself. I want to explore, visit new places, and combine my love of breakfast food, running, and travel.

To prepare for this journey I have been training and building up my strength in order to be in adequate physical condition. I have purchased all the necessary equipment and made a plan of how my budget of $850 will be distributed throughout my trip. This was not too difficult as I am traveling with a minimal amount of items. I set aside money for places I researched ahead of time to stay overnight that would provide me with opportunities to sleep and shower. By giving myself a set amount of money for meals, shelter, entertainment, and exploring, I feel confident in my plan.

8:00 am	Run session 1
9:00 am	Breakfast
11:45 am	2 HR free
1:45 pm	Run session 2
2:45 pm	Lunch
3:30 pm	2 HR free
5:30	Run session 3
6:30	Dinner
7:15	2 HR free
10:15	Bed

Works Cited

Works Cited

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Catskill Mountainkeeper. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. <http://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/fun-facts-about-the-catskills/>.

Frack Free Catskills. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. <http://frackfreecatskills.org/>.

Genovese, Peter. “Tops Diner in East Newark named ‘most famous’ restaurant in New Jersey.” nj.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nj.com%2Fentertainment%2Findex.ssf%2F2015%2F01%2Ftops_diner_in_east_newark_named_most_iconic_restaurant_in_new_jersey.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFvyWYYSkf2A33YBC8A8erLBjTkig>.

Living Hope Community Church. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. <http://livinghopefoxlake.com/multimedia-archive/van-ee-traveling-testimony-3914/>.

The Parthenon Diner. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. <http://parthenondiner.com/page/938-Home>.

“Quotes About Transcendentalism.” Goodreads. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. <http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/transcendentalism>.

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Smith, Theresa. “A most wonderful time of the year.” The Woodstock Inn on the Millstream. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. <http://www.woodstock-inn-ny.com/wonderful-time-year/>.

Time Passages Nostalgia. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015. <http://www.timepassagesnostalgia.com/&pm=0&searchkeywords=Franklin+D.+Roosevelt&sin=8289>.