WOTBA's Walking News Digest: Walking Stories from the Chinese Snowstorm, Walking for 911-related Illnesses, and the Discovery of Shoes

This just in from the English edition of the People's Daily Online from China: Many individuals, stranded in the recent heavy snowstorms, ended up walking home or setting out on foot in search of loved ones. One young man, Du Dengyong, walked 16 hours to rescue his girlfriend who was trapped in a bus. He lost contact when her cell phone died, and he didn't find her. He is determined to resume the search and told the reporter he would crawl if necessary. See more at "When the going gets tough, the tough get ... walking."

William Rhoden writes in today's NYT of former New York Giants star George Martin's trek across the country to raise awareness of the health needs of the September 11 rescue and recovery workers. Martin is walking 20-30 miles a day to raise money to donate to the hospital systems treating the workers. Since he began in September Martin has walked 1600 miles. He said that the wind in Oklahoma was kind of rough. Wind come sweepin' down the plains - Yes, I have heard of that. See more at Miles to Go Before Martin Finishes Journey by William C. Rhoden.

Discovery News sends word of the origin of footwear - "People started wearing shoes around 40,000 years ago, according to a study on recently excavated small toe bones that belonged to an individual from China who apparently loved shoes." A fascinating article, because it explains that barefoot people use more of their middle toes than those wearing shoes. Shoe wearers rely on the big toe to get them moving forward. Also, be advised that there's an argument about whether Neanderthals wore shoes or not. See more at Earliest Shoe-Wearers Revealed by Toe Bones by Jennifer Viegas.

Image: Eadweard Muybridge.