This past Memorial Day, Seth & I were driving along the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area and appropriately enough came across this young man walking along the highway with an American Flag sticking out of his backpack. This iconic image was so appropriate to the day that I had to stop and ask to make his portrait. What I learned is that this was no ordinary backpacker, but a man with a mission. Allen Mullins was on his way by foot to Albany, New York. Allen is determined to walk to all the state capitals in the lower 48 over the next three years to raise awareness for the way the government is treating our veterans returning from Americas wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was fortunate to catch Allen on a day when he wasn't wearing his superman suit. This is Allen's second walk for the troops, his first walk carried him 5000 miles across the south and east. Allen seemed tired and hungry to me. In a way, like the fragile and fractured troops for which he is walking... Happy 4th of July.
When we met Allen he was hoping to find a McDonald's nearby. It was actually much further up the road than he anticipated, but I didn't want to break it to him. Watching this YouTube video of him, you get the sense that this must be what Allen subsists on for his fuel.
