Stephen King: The Long Walk^®: Spectator Guide

1979 Spectator Guide for The 23rd Annual Long Walk^®

Call 800-LNG-WALK for tickets, questions and information.
Buy tickets for reserved areas now before they are sold out!

Information:

* Space is reserved on the front-lines for relatives and loved-ones of walkers.
  If a walker has reserved space for you, call the 800 number to get your tickets.

* Miles 0 to 10: Cordoned-off.
* Miles 11 to 99: Locals only.
* Miles 100 to 105: Admittance to the Century Club 100-Mile Point viewing area is by reservation only.
* Miles 105 to Oldtown are open to the public free.
* Oldtown and beyond is by reservation only.
* 24-hour TV coverage starts in Oldtown.
* The Long Walk® will begin May 1 but spectators are not allowed to watch the start of The Long Walk®.
  It is not televised so that the walkers can concentrate and find their pace.
* Check the map for ...
    - non-spectator areas that are cordoned off
    - areas that allow spectators and special vantage points for more crowded areas. Times shown on map are estimates and can change.
    - parking areas
    - restaurants
    - viewing areas
    - special seating for ticket-holders
    - booths to purchase special seating
    - portable toilets
* Call the 800 number for ...
    - weather report for walkers
    - list of tickets given so far
    - radio stations to follow news coverage
    - the route
    - estimated time to next viewing area
    - find the status of a certain walker
    - place your bets
* The following vantage points are by reservation only. No refunds given if walk does not make it to your reserved vantage point.
    1. Century Club - the 100-mile mark
    2. Augusta
    3. Chelsea
    3. Boston
    4. Pawtucket
    5. Providence
* Be sure to get there early to get a good seat. Check the map for expected crowd density for the different viewing areas.
  Try to view in a less populated area.
* After the last walker has passed, you may proceed to the next viewing point.
  See directions provided for best routes between viewing areas.
* Park only in designated areas. Any vehicles illegally parked will be towed.
* If you know a walker, you can ask them for a pass. Each walker can authorize up to five passes for
  friends and family to get a front-row seat in certain designated friends-and-family areas.
* You can have bodily contact with a walker on the shoulder, if they initiate the contact.
* If there is a barrier like a wall, restraining rope, tape, guardrails, etc., you must stay on the
  spectator-side, even if you cannot reach the road or shoulder.
* Keep the walker's timer in mind. If you distract them, they may not notice their timer going to zero, and they will receive a ticket.
* Obey the police. They are there to protect you.
* Spectators who go onto the road will be arrested and could be given an interference-ticket if they interfere with walkers.
* Spectators can touch the walkers as they pass but cannot grab or injure the walkers in any way.
* Spectators may not throw anything at walkers.
* A spectator that interferes with a walker's progress may receive an interference-ticket whether they are on the road or not.
* A spectator who drives on a section of the route that has been cordoned-off will receive a ticket.
* Spectators can only enter the road BEFORE the lead-halftrack with red-flags passes and AFTER the last-halftrack with green-flags passes.
* Spectators that enter the road on a section of the route that has been cordoned-off, but do not interfere with a walker,
  will be fined one-month of their gross monthly income.
* Truck drivers with high-priority loads must understand the published route, detours, and estimated pass times.
* Fireworks are forbidden, including sparklers. Confetti and other trash can catch fire.
* Pass times can vary from estimates. Call 800 number for updates.
* Keep pets on leash. Animals that come into the road, will be shot.
* Children under five years old must be kept on leash.
* Children who venture onto the road as The Long Walk® passes,
  will be returned to the side of the road for their safety, and the safety of the walkers.
* Parents who allow their children to wander onto the road, will be fined one-month of their gross monthly income.
* Dangers of viewing The Long Walk®
    - being shot by a soldier who is shooting at a walker trying to escape into the crowd
    - being shot by a walker that attacks a soldier, taking their carbine rifle
    - being hit by a bullet ricochet
    - being trampled by spectators running for something discarded by a walker
    - being trampled by spectators trying to follow the walkers
    - being trampled by spectators fighting
    - being pushed under the halftrack by a spectator
    - being attacked by a crazed walker
    - getting an interference-ticket for interfering with a walker's progress for any reason, even accidentally or against your will
    - hearing loss from fireworks set off near you
    - shrapnel from a home-made bomb set off by a spectator or a grenade taken from a soldier
* Don't be as insensitive as a wood-tick! Don't litter! Deposit your trash in receptacles.
* DO NOT try to move with the walkers! This can cause people to get trampled. dozens of people die each year from getting trampled.
  About twenty-five people died last year.
* Spectators cannot offer any kind of aid or assistance, including food, drink or medical assistance.
* If a walker attempts to run into the crowd, it is OK to push them back into the road to save their life.
* If a walker does run into the crowd, the spectators run the risk of getting shot as the soldiers attempt to give the walker their ticket.
  The best advice is to move away when a walker attempts to leave the road. Do not attempt to capture, or you could be shot by accident.
* Obstructing a soldier for any reason will result in a spectator-ticket.

Be Prepared:

* Weather can change very quickly, so be prepared for cold or hot weather, including rain and hail. Bring a coat and an umbrella.
* Bring a fold-out chair
* Check the map for portable toilets
* Bring a map
* Bring some food and drink. Most viewing areas will sell food and drink.
* Wear a hat to shield your head, face and neck
* Wear sun glasses
* Put on sunscreen
* Viewing times are estimates based on an average speed of 4.5 mph
* Call the 800 number for updated estimates arrival times for the next major viewing area


The History of The Long Walk®

"May we never forget the horrors of war"

The Long Walk began in 1947, two years World War II ended in 1945,
as a way to remember the horrors of war and honor those who died through the
recreation of the German Death March which lasted 4 days back in Dec of 1947.
Walkers who fell behind were not shot, but simply removed from the competition.
It became a deadly competition after the destruction of the German nuclear base in Santiago in 1953, the German's
retaliated with an air-blitz of the American East Coast which lead to many American prisoners.
Prisoners were made to walk non-stop from the prisoner camp in Van Buren, MN to their base in Boston, MA.
Roughly 900 prisoners started but only one prisoner, Richard Harrington, was able to walk the full distance.
Dozens did escape. Men leading the pack, were able to slip into the Hainesville Woods
during a heavy snow-storm, when visibility made it impossible to see the Vanguard.
The Germans did not have the advanced technology that we enjoy today in 1979.

A halftrack followed the group at 3 mph.
Prisoners were made to march in rows of 10.
If prisoners fell behind the halftrack, they were shot.
If prisoners tried to escape by running off the road, they were shot.
If prisoners tried to attack the German soldiers, they were shot.

The Long Walk has become the national past-time, with TV coverage and billions bet every year.
Originally there was no money or prize, and any male of military-age could volunteer.

The tradition of the Vanguard was in honor of those men leading the pack who escaped.
The tradition remains, and boys still surge ahead to lead the pack in the Vanguard,
even though the faster walkers tend to burn out earlier.
Statistics shows that the slower walkers at the back of the pack tend to win.
But boys surge ahead thinking it gives them a psychological advantage to be leading.
They also avoid seeing most of the death that happens behind them.

1957: The low speed cutoff was 2 mph and there was a finish line in Boston.
The Long Walk would end before Boston if there was only one walker left.
Those who fell behind the pace-car traveling at 2 mph,
took their own lives by swallowing a suicide-pill that gave them a painless death.
It was the same suicide-pill developed by NASA and used by the crew of the first moon-landing
of Apollo 11 in 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin crashed into the west-crater boulder-field,
after the lander's flight-computer malfunctioned and failed to surrender manual-control.
About 10% of the walkers would opt-out of suicide when the time came.
There was no prize, except for their lives if they survived.
55 men volunteered for the first Long Walk and 4 made it to Boston.
The entire walk was televised live.

1958: Long Walk® Corporation was formed.
To increase attendance, they offered a cash-prize of $99,999.99, and legal gambling was setup to fund the prize money.
LWC also increased the low speed cutoff to 3 mph, to be more in line with history.
To increase realism to match history, each walker carried a gun and shot themselves if they fell behind the pace-car.
They were instructed on the proper technique, so their death would be quick, painless and permanent.
About 25% of the walkers would opt-out of suicide when the time came.
It was televised live from Caribou on.
There was only 1 survivor since none made it to Boston.
No walk to present day has made it to Boston since increasing low-speed cut-off 3 mph.


1966: The Long Walk® was becoming an international phenomenon and accredited for improving the Gross National Product and improving the economy.
The government took control of the Long Walk® Corporation, and it became the Department of The Long Walk, under the control of the Squads.
Execution of walkers was also now handled by the soldiers to be more in line with history.
There would be no opt-outs which was more in line with the horrors of war, which was the point of the Long Walk.
It was televised live from the Hainesville Woods at the 90-mile mark to remember those men who escaped.
7 members of the Vanguard tried to recreate the escape but were unsuccessful.

1968: DoTLW increased the prize money to $999,9999.99, just one penny short of one-million, since millionaires are no longer allowed.
The numbers of volunteers each year had dropped below fifty, so they instituted a voluntary National Lottery to pick 50 boys between
the ages of 15 and 17. 25 Prime-Walkers, 25 Backups. Allowing those with second thoughts to backout, narrowed the field down to those with more commitment.
It was televised live starting from the 100-mile mark.

1970: DoTLW increased low speed cutoff to 4 mph and expanded the age range to be from 14 to 18.
The lottery now selected 100 names from the drum, 50 Prime-Walkers and 50 Backups.
A physical and mental test was added to filter out the weak. It became a source of pride if previous records were broken for example
the longest a full complement of walkers has walked, the highest complement of walkers to reach 100-mile mark, and the longest distance
traveled. Boys were chosen based on their ability to go beyond the walkers from the previous years.

1971: DoTLW expanded the age range to be from 13 to 18.
The lottery now selected 200 names from the drum. 100 Prime-Walkers and 100 Backups.

1974: The finish line in Boston was removed since it's believed to be an impossible finish line.
The route was extended to the very end of Route 1 in Key West, Florida. This is the new finish line which is humanly impossible reach given the constraints.
The Vegas Gambling commission still allows people to place bets on the walk reaching the old Boston finish line with 1000 to 1 odds.

1978: Besides the money, the winner also gets a prize. They can have whatever they want for the rest of their life.

Trivia:

* Two billion dollars gets bet on The Long Walk® every year.
* Only six Long Walks in history have ended over the state line in New Hampshire.
* Only one Long Walk has crossed the state line into Massachusetts. That was seventeen years ago. The experts say this distance will never be beat.
* No long walks have made it to Boston.
* The longest distance a full complement of walkers has ever covered is seven and three-quarters miles.
* The shortest distance a full complement of walkers has ever covered is zero miles when a walker froze at the start last year.
* The largest complement of walkers to reach 100 miles since they increased the number of walkers to 100 in 1971, is 61 that same year.
* The only boy to finish The Long Walk® from Maine was Reggie Cotter, nineteen years ago.
* Reggie cotter hemorrhaged in one eye and finished The Long Walk® half-blind.
* Reggie Cotter died a week after winning the Walk from a blood clot on his brain.
* Lisbon Street in Lewiston was renamed to Cotter Memorial Avenue.
* There is only one boy from Maine this year: Raymond Garraty #47, 73rd out of the drum.
* Most winners of the Long-Walk die within a year.
* The walk stops on average about once every eleven years due to washed out bridges.
* The longest a walk was stopped was for five hours while the bridge was repaired. In that case, the bridge was destroyed by an anti-walk group in protest.
* Most long-walks last five days, but a few have finished after four days, and one lasted three days, twenty-seven years ago.
* The record for highest backouts was also the shortest walk, twenty-seven years ago. All 100 Prime-Walkers backed and nineteen backups, backed out,
  so the walk that year only had 81 backups. It's the only year there were less than 100 in The Long Walk®,
  except of course for the first Long Walk which only had 50.
* The walkers ages range from 13 to 18.
* Most boys in the age range apply (about 20 million), but only 1 in 50 passes the physical, mental and essay test, leaving 40,000 for the lottery.
* 200 are selected randomly from the lottery during the TV spectacular where the Major randomly chooses the names from a large drum.
* Walkers do not know if they are Prime-Walkers or Backups until they get the call May 31, the day before The Long Walk®.
* If they are one of the chosen 200, they can backout on April 15 and April 31 by calling the 800 number.
* If they are 18 years old, and backout, they get squaded.
* Most of the boys that backout are married.
* Brothers have been on different Long Walks, but never at the same time.
  This year we have the Quochytewa brothers from New Mexico whose nicknames are Joe and Mike.
  They are Backups 7 and 8, and 5th and 197th out of the drum.
* 10 walkers backout each year on average.
* 5 backouts gets squaded each year on average.
* This year, 12 backed out. 7 were Prime-Walkers and 5 were Backups.
* Soldiers on The Long Walk® are chosen from those who got squaded for backing out.
* Soldiers are trained to show no emotion.
* The heavier walkers tend to get their ticket before the lighter walkers, but this year the Vegas odds-on favorite is Fredrick Scramm,
  who weighs about 280 pounds, but scored highest on the fitness test, and regularly enjoys walking long distances.
* Walkers can verbally insult and verbally threaten soldiers and spectators,
  but cannot commit any acts of aggression against anyone, or they will receive a violation-warning.
* Walkers who kill anyone are given their ticket.
* There are 6 walkers from Rhode Island which is the highest number from Rhode Island in the history of The Long Walk®.
  Usually there are no walkers from Rhode Island because of its small size.
* There are also 6 walkers from Texas, which ties the record from seventeen years ago. Usually there are 4 or 5 walkers from Texas due to its size.
* There are no walkers from California, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee.
* There are 17 boys named Peter.
* There are 10 boys with the last name Foster.
* There are 2 boys named Peter Foster.
* There are 2 boys with last name Baker.
* There are 2 boys with last name Wayne.
* About forty spectators die each year from various causes like being trampled by the crowd, run over by the halftrack,
  ricochet from bullet from soldier, bombs set off by protestors, and so on. Know the risks! Stay aware! Stay safe!

This year's walkers:

  1 Aaronson, Wendell (Dell) - age 15 from Wisconsin (Backup 10)
  2 Abraham, Tommy (Lincoln) - age 17 from Michigan
  3 Baker, Arthur (Art) - age 16 from Louisiana (Backup 2)
  4 Baker, James (Jimmy) - age 15 from Nevada (Backup 4)
  5 Barkovitch, Gary (Barker) - age 17 from District of Columbia
  6 Begay, Henry (Heni) - age 15 from Alaska (no English)
  7 Curley, Seth (Curles) - age 14 from Kansas
  8 Davidson, William (Bill) - age 17 from Ohio
  9 Ewing, Carl (Chas) - age 15 from Texas (Backup 5)
 10 Fanning, Toby (Tobe) - age 16 from North Dakota
 11 Fechter, Bobby (Bob) - age 16 from Vermont
 12 Fenter, Saul (Sully) - age 14 from Washington
 13 Fenum, Roger (Ro) - age 16 from Colorado
 14 Field, Charlie (Chuck) - age 15 from Pennsylvania
 15 Fielder, George (Geordie) - age 18 from Michigan
 16 Fields, Lewis (Lew) - age 14 from West Virginia
 17 Flavin, Peter (Repeater) - age 14 from Arkansas
 18 Flores, Jose (Jojo) - age 14 from South Dakota
 19 Floyd, Giovanni (Gio) - age 16 from Washington
 20 Fogel, Haas (Dude) - age 17 from Kansas
 21 Forester, Harvey (Harv) - age 17 from Idaho
 22 Foster, Darrell (Darry) - age 14 from California
 23 Foster, Alan (Al) - age 15 from North Dakota
 24 Foster, Solan (Sol) - age 16 from Florida
 25 Foster, Thomas (Tom) - age 15 from Oregon
 26 Foster, Peter (Peter) - age 17 from New York
 27 Foster, Peter (Pumpkin eater) - age 18 from Rhode Island
 28 Foster, Bobby (Bob) - age 16 from Indiana
 29 Foster, Joseph (Joe) - age 15 from Oklahoma
 30 Foster, Patrick (Pat) - age 14 from Texas
 31 Foster, Percy (Fost) - age 13 from Mississippi
 32 Fothergill, Peter (Gills) - age 17 from Idaho
 33 Foti, Valentino (Val) - age 14 from Rhode Island
 34 Fotre, Jason (Jay) - age 15 from Delaware
 35 Fottrel, Scott (Scoot) - age 16 from Arkansas
 36 Foulkes, Eric (Rick) - age 16 from Texas
 37 Foveaux, Kirby (Kirbin) - age 16 from Texas
 38 Fowler, Alexander (Alex) - age 14 from South Dakota
 39 Fox, Peter (Pete) - age 14 from New Jersey
 40 Fubuku, Atshuya (Shu) - age 15 from Wyoming (no English)
 41 Fucci, Vincent (Vin) - age 15 from Pennsylvania
 42 Fudge, Eugene (Gene) - age 15 from Massachusetts
 43 Fufkin, Peter (Pete) - age 17 from New Jersey
 44 Fulcher, Bryant (Brant) - age 13 from Minnesota
 45 Gadaffi, Amanuel (Aman) - age 18 from Kentucky (no English)
 46 Gallant, Peter (Peter Pan) - age 16 from West Virginia
 47 Garraty, Raymond (Ray) - age 16 from Maine
 48 Gribble, Samuel (bullet-head) - age 14 from Connecticut
 49 Harkness, Tracy (Trace) - age 15 from Alabama (Backup 6)
 50 Hawksworth, Steven (Steve) - age 14 from New Hampshire
 51 Henderson, Peter (Pep) - age 16 from Virginia
 52 Hernandez, Alejandro (Alex) - age 17 from South Dakota (no English)
 53 Hill, Gregory (Greg) - age 17 from Missouri
 54 Hough, William (Bill) - age 17 from Alabama
 55 Hughes, Peter (Pete) - age 14 from Kentucky
 56 Jensen, Leroy (Lee) - age 16 from Virginia
 57 Johnson, David (Dave) - age 13 from Wisconsin
 58 Kealoha, Peter (Petey) - age 15 from Hawaii
 59 Klingerman, Richard (Dickie) - age 15 from Minnesota
 60 Larson, Kevin (Kevo) - age 15 from New Hampshire
 61 McVries, Peter (Petie) - age 18 from New Jersey (Backup 12)
 62 Miller, Glenn (Miller time) - age 18 from Rhode Island
 63 Milligan, Thomas (Gills) - age 15 from Vermont
 64 Morgan, Frank (Franky) - age 17 from Iowa
 65 Morris, Robert (Bob) - age 13 from Indiana
 66 Morrison, Peter (Pan Man) - age 18 from Wisconsin
 67 Murphy, Brendan (Bren) - age 16 from New York
 68 Nash, Anthony (Tony) - age 14 from North Dakota
 69 Nelson, Dean (Deanosauraus) - age 14 from Oregon
 70 Olson, Henry (Hank) - age 17 from Massachusetts
 71 Pablo, Pablo (Pablo) - age 17 from Georgia
 72 Pancake, Peter (Flapjack) - age 17 from Alaska
 73 Parker, Collie (Parker) - age 18 from Illinois (Backup 3)
 74 Pastor, Bruce (Batman) - age 15 from Pennsylvania
 75 Pearson, Peter (Pete) - age 14 from Texas (Backup 11)
 76 Quentin, Tracy (Tray) - age 15 from Oklahoma
 77 Quince, Harold (Harry) - age 16 from Rhode Island
 78 Quochytewa, Cha'akmongwi (Joe) - age 17 from New Mexico (Backup 7) (no English)
 79 Quochytewa, Masichuvio (Mike) - age 18 from New Mexico (Backup 8) (no English)
 80 Rank, Stephen (Rank) - age 14 from Hawaii
 81 Raphael, Peter (Pete) - age 15 from Idaho
 82 Rashad, Moses (Moz) - age 16 from California
 83 Rattigan, Karl (Ratman) - age 16 from Texas
 84 Santana, Pablo (Pabs) - age 16 from New Mexico
 85 Scramm, Fredrick (Freddy) - age 16 from Arizona (odds on Vegas favorite)
 86 Sledge, Bobby (Bob) - age 17 from Florida
 87 Smith, Peter (two-meter Peter) - age 15 from Illinois
 88 Stebbins, Bartholomew (Bart) - age 17 from Missouri (Backup 1)
 89 Stevens, Charles (Charlie) - age 14 from Rhode Island
 90 Toland, Jake (Jakie) - age 15 from West Virginia
 91 Travin, Todd (Fox) - age 16 from Arizona
 92 Tressler, Peter (T.P.) - age 16 from Kansas
 93 Tubbins, Tommy (Tub) - age 16 from Arkansas
 94 Wayne, Jonathan (Jon) - age 17 from New Hampshire
 95 Wayne, Stephen (Steve) - age 14 from Rhode Island
 96 Waynes, Johnny (John) - age 15 from Michigan
 97 Wayman, Marty (Mojito) - age 17 from Wyoming
 98 Yannick, Noah (Nanoo) - age 17 from Utah (Backup 9)
 99 Young, Bobby (Booby) - age 13 from New Mexico
100 Zuck, Felix (Fefe) - age 16 from Delaware

Backups:

 1. Stebbins, Bartholomew
 2. Baker, Arthur
 3. Parker, Collie
 4. Baker, James
 5. Ewing, Carl
 6. Harkness, Tracy
 7. Quochytewa, Cha'akmongwi
 8. Quochytewa, Masichuvio
 9. Yannick, Noah
10. Aaronson, Wendell
11. Pearson, Peter
12. McVries, Peter

Count by age:

Age 13 - 5
Age 14 - 19
Age 15 - 23
Age 16 - 24
Age 17 - 21
Age 18 - 8

Count for each of the 51 states:

1. Alabama 2
 2. Alaska 2
 3. Arizona 2
 4. Arkansas 3
 5. California 2
 6. Colorado 1
 7. Connecticut 1
 8. Delaware 2
 9. District of Columbia 1
10. Florida 2
11. Georgia 1
12. Idaho 3
13. Hawaii 2
14. Illinois 2
15. Indiana 2
16. Iowa 1
17. Kansas 3
18. Kentucky 2
19. Louisiana 1
20. Maine 1
21. Maryland 0
22. Massachusetts 2
23. Michigan 3
24. Minnesota 2
25. Mississippi 1
26. Missouri 2
27. Montana 0
28. Nebraska 0
29. Nevada 1
30. New Hampshire 3
31. New Jersey 3
32. New Mexico 4
33. New York 2
34. North Carolina 0
35. North Dakota 3
36. Ohio 1
37. Oklahoma 2
38. Oregon 2
39. Pennsylvania 3
40. Rhode Island 6
41. South Carolina 0
42. South Dakota 3
43. Tennessee 0
44. Texas 6
45. Utah 1
46. Vermont 2
47. Virginia 2
48. Washington 2
49. West Virginia 3
50. Wisconsin 3
51. Wyoming 2