Frank was in fine spirits this afternoon 20th April even though the weather was wet and he is now walking alone, since his walking companion Alex flew home a few days ago victim to his blisters! Frank had just checked into a motel in Athens, Ohio opposite a shopping mall 3 miles from the centre of town, on the main US50 route. The pair had taken 5 days to get across the Appalachian mountain range at an average of about 15 miles a day. Frank's own blisters have been beaten into submission apart from one! He had managed a record 24 miles today. His walking day usually starts at around 0830. He gets up at around 0630 to give himself time to drink plenty of coffee and eat doughnuts for breakfast. Despite this perhaps unhealthy diet he has already lost around a stone in weight due to the walking. Indeed, people who know Frank remember that on one of his previous walks in Spain he also lost quite a lot of weight in 3 weeks. He reckons it will take another three weeks just to get across Ohio, we hope maybe a little less now he is onto the flat!

Will have more news soon.