50-Mile Kennedy Walk

Again, congratulations to everyone who walked on Saturday February 9, 2013 in honor of one of the most spectacular feats of endurance and perseverance by a US politician.

We now announce our annual reprisal of the original Kennedy Walk on 8 and 9 February, 2014 and request your input, especially on support and whether to include an optional competitive aspect or two. 

We also announce a special JFK Memorial Walk on 22-23 November. The tentative route starts at Roosevelt Island and uses the Greenway - Mt. Vernon Trail. We have permission to be at the JFK Eternal Flame at 2pm, exactly 50 years after JFK's assasination.   

 We are also developing an annual Robin Holland 50-Mile Memorial March for late September early October. If you are interested in similar events in the Washington DC area including VA and MD, you are invited to sign up for the email here and join DC FreeWalkers.org.    If you are interested in similar events in the Washington DC area including VA and MD, you are invited to sign up for the email here and join DC FreeWalkers.org.     

If you are interested in such events in the Washington DC area, including VA and MD, you are invited to join DC FreeWalkers.org.  Or c ontact Kenedy Walk co-leaders, Ray Smith or Paul Kiczek. We'd really like your involvement and ideas to further shape our events and make them successfull. We'd really like your involvement and ideas to further shape our events and make them successfull. We'd really like your involvement and ideas to further shape our events and make them successfull.  

We'd really like your involvement and ideas to further shape our events and make them successfull. "Walk on."  

50-MKW Summary - Walking with Bobby

Distant Thoughts | Walking with Bobby Kennedy - Here's a post-event wrap up of the experience of creating this walk and how it rolled out. Its a story of inspiration, perspiration and a little luck from the spirit of the Kennedy's.

Brief Background on the Walk

On February 9, 1963, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy walked from Great Falls, Maryland to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The journey was initialized by his brother, President John F. Kennedy, who had reiterated an earlier 50 mile military walking challenge of President Teddy Roosevelt.

Bobby, ever the spark plug in an active administration, decided to take the challenge himself, long before the troops. So, three days after the initial idea was set in motion, the Attorney General set out with his staff on the most natural long trail in the area, the C&O Canal Towpath, and headed north to Harper's Ferry. It was more than they bargained for, and only one would make the distance. In dress Oxford shoes, no less. Guess who?

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Celebrating the Can-do Spirit of 1963 in 2013

We welcomed a group of 30+ long distance walkers and recreated this historic walk on Saturday, February 9, 2013 - exactly 50 years to the day when Bobby walked his famous 50 miles. There were Oxford dress shoes, office attire and many carrying "big sticks". It's fair to say the Kennedy spirit was palpably in the air!

That walk and a thirst for physical challenge led to a popular, short-lived U.S. fad walking extreme distances of up to 50 miles in 1963. 80 kilometer marches also resulted then in Europe and continue today. The "50-mile Walk" is yet a testament to fitness, endurance and determination. You may choose to join us next time, walk your own long distance walk elsewhere, or just follow along on this website as we get ready to again fulfill the challenge here and in Europe this spring and summer. Sign up for our email and stay tuned.