Day 5 - July 1 - Su nday
The weather was once again good. All the walkers seemed quite strong, particularly Dorjee Tso. Considering that the past few days she was suffering with severe blisters on both feet, it was amazing she led the walkers all day long. We joked with her about what she took or ate to become so strong! The walkers covered 15.1 miles today.

In the evening, we made our way to the Quakers’ Friends Meeting House in Trenton, NJ. The House is located in the heart of downtown Trenton. It was built in 1739. During the Revolutionary War, the House provided shelter for the British Dragoons and Continental soldiers. George Clymer, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, is buried in the graveyard attached to the House. In December 1776, George Washington made a surprise visit to the House. During his stay, he developed a plan that eventually led to the overthrow of the British during the revolutionary war. Of course, this resulted in the formation of the United States.

Members of this Friends House treated us to a delicious dinner. Following dinner, we presented a program about Tibet. At the onset of the program, five of the teens shared their reasons for walking. Those in attendance had many good questions and were extremely supportive of our effort.

When we arrived at the House, a couple of the Quakers told us Trenton was a very dangerous place, particularly the area around the House. We were told to lock all the doors, close the windows, and not go out until the morning. In fact, one of the Quakers called the local police to let them know we were staying in the House and to ask for protection. Throughout the entire evening, a police squad car circled the house. This was the first time we had police protection overnight. None of the walkers, however, seemed concerned about the neighborhood.

Earlier, on route to the House through Trenton, however, we did notice many abandoned and run down buildings and little life on the streets. Interestingly, while Trenton is the capitol of New Jersey, there were few restaurants downtown and only one hotel!