Safety Precautions

Surface: Paved roads (possible snow/ice/slush, narrow shoulders)

Avoid high-traffic roads – We are prioritizing secondary roads and avoiding all Interstates and major Highways.

To Ensure walkability – we are prioritizing shoulders and sidewalks as much as possible. For the stretches that no sidewalk or shoulder is available we will “leap frog” where only one or 2 walkers will continue until sidewalks/shoulders are once again available.

Terrain – For the most part there are only mild elevation changes along the route, with the exception of Day ____________.

Daily Walks (what to expect) – We plan to walk 2 – 2 ½ hours in the morning, take a break and walk 2 -2 ½ hours in the afternoon depending on the day.

Travel Hours – To maximize safety traveling hours we will plan to start after the morning rush hour and before dark and the evening rush hour.

Visibility – Wear bright and/or reflective gear, keep in mind that lower winter light and winter weather conditions can reduce your visibility to drivers. And this is especially the case on curves and hills where drivers have less visibility.

Weather Considerations

Temperatures will most likely range from near freezing to low 50’s. Be prepared for long exposure to the cold.
Gear & Clothing: Layering is important.
It is recommended that ideally Base Moisture-wicking (wool or synthetic) clothing is worn, with a Mid insulating layer / down coat and an Outer Waterproof/windproof shell. Cotton can make you colder if it gets wet or sweaty.

Essentials:

Warm and waterproof boots, Wool socks + backup Hand and foot warmers if you are prone to having cold hands or feet. Hats, neck scarves and Gloves are also a must.
A backpack or “day” pack that you can comfortably carry a few supplies in
Put dry, extra socks and hats and gloves in plastic bags (like gallons ziplocks or bread bags) in your backpack.
Food & water: High-calorie, easily digested foods. Hydrate despite the cold.
Walking on roads is legal in PA if no sidewalks are available, walk facing traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles..

Training:

Many of us are not as young as we would like to admit. If you intend to March prepare your body for Long mileage on hard surfaces by starting with 1 or 2 miles per day and pacing your self to build up to longer distances.

The above is intended just as guidelines to be safe. Know your fitness level and do not take any chances. Your health and well being are of utmost importance.

Daily Walk Intro

With the primary focus to keep all participants and volunteers as safe as possible the logistics of long-distance marches are necessarily complex.

While we seek to broaden participation to all supporters by allowing part-day walkers, we strongly encourage anyone not walking the full daily march route on any specific day, to start off with us in the morning 10:00am start place.

While the daily routes will be broken into morning and afternoon “legs”, due to the different paces of walkers and the potential for inclement weather, we cannot guarantee the mid-day time and place of the afternoon segment of the walk.

We will do our best to arrange for support vehicles to pick up participants who can’t make or commit to the full daily distance. But to do so, we require all participants to sign up on the website to inform us of your plans so our marshals and volunteers can manage your request.

Breaking in new footwear is absolutely essential

Breaking in new footwear is absolutely essential to avoid blisters, discomfort, and injury.

Recommended Break-In Period

You should give yourself at least 2 to 4 weeks to break in new footwear, depending on:

Type of footwear: Hiking boots generally take longer to break in than trail runners or walking shoes.
Material: Leather boots need more time than synthetic ones.

Break-In Strategy

Here’s a gradual plan you can follow:

Week 1: Wear the shoes around the house or for short errands (30–60 minutes).
Week 2: Go on walks (2–5 miles), ideally on paved roads as the planned walk.
Week 3: Increase daily distance, checking for any pressure points or discomfort.

Tips

Use the same type of socks and insoles if you plan to walk multiple days.
Monitor for hot spots and treat them early (e.g., with moleskin or tape).
Consider rotating footwear if possible, especially if you’re walking over multiple days.

Know Your Pedestrian Rights and Responsibilities

In Pennsylvania, the rules for pedestrians when there are no sidewalks are spelled out in Title 75, Section 3544 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code. Here’s the breakdown:

§ 3544. Pedestrians walking along or on highway.

(a) Mandatory use of available sidewalk.–Where a sidewalk is provided and its use is practicable, it is unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway.

(b) Absence of sidewalk.–Where a sidewalk is not available, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall walk only on a shoulder as far as practicable from the edge of the roadway.

(c) Absence of sidewalk and shoulder.–Where neither a sidewalk nor a shoulder is available, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall walk as near as practicable to an outside edge of the roadway and, if on a two-way roadway, shall walk only on the left side of the roadway.

(d) Right-of-way to vehicles.–Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, any pedestrian upon a roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.