 "Photo: Courtesy of HSU News and Information")
Editor's note: The following feature story was written by Jocelyn Orr, student writer for HSU News and Information. Orr is a former Lumberjack staff writer.
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Seth Powell walks along Southern California's coast bearing only his backpack. His mission is to travel roughly 1,000 miles on foot to reach Humboldt State University in time for the first day of classes, Aug. 25. Each day he walks 20 miles carrying his pack in the California summer heat. So far, Powell has only ridden public transportation and accepted rides a handful of times. As long as the car was already heading north, he says, but the bulk of the journey will be on foot.
On Monday, July 7, friends, family, and supporters will join Powell as he crosses the Golden Gate Bridge at 7:00 p.m. People will begin gathering for the bridge crossing at 4:00 p.m. Powell is scheduled to speak, before the bridge crossing, at the amphitheater between the Fort Point Mine Depot and the West Bluff Picnic Area in Golden Gate.
Powell says "walking up the California Coast provides the perfect opportunity to slowly shift my life from San Diego to the forests of Humboldt. One step, one breath at a time."
"This is my service," Powell adds. "This pilgrimage affirms my dedication to help heal the wounds of humanity and mend our relationship to the earth."
Powell draws the inspiration for his journey from John Francis's book "Planetwalker: How to Change your World One Step at a Time," a gift Powell received for high school graduation. After reading about Francis's 22-year walk around the Americas, Powell realized he had talked enough and now "needed to walk the walk." After a few conversations with Francis he felt ready to hoof it to Humboldt State. The two have plans to meet in Point Reyes and spend a few days walking up the coast together.
Powell embarked on May 23 and spent his first day walking with his father, Allen Ray Powell. "Seth is inspiring me," says his father.
Once at Humboldt State, the 20-year-old transfer student will begin his academic adventure - creating his own major that combines environmental science with deep ecology - a branch of philosophy that looks at humankind's relationship with the natural environment.
Along the way Powell has found support. He says, "My big pack and I seem to attract some attention, so I have been meeting some friendly folks." A man in a grocery store recognized Powell as "the guy walking up the coast." A family from Idaho invited him into its campsite for dinner. So far, Powell's found, "people see something in me that sparks a seed in them." Change starts with individuals and it grows to groups and communities, he says.
Staying in homes, campsites and hotels along the way, Powell says he is trying not to ask for things like food, shelter, or rides but instead stay open to the possibilities.
"This is my own pilgrimage and I've got to do what feels right for me. So I'm going to attempt to travel leaving as light an imprint as I can - without killing myself."
To find out more about Powell's Pilgrimage visit www.mindfulroots.com or www.mindfulroots.blogspot.com. For more information about the July 7 Golden Gate Bridge Crossing contact Allen Ray Powell (925) 977-1865, arpowell@holy-flame.net.
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