George Walter, better known as Pilgrim George, walks March 30 at Holy Trinity Monastery off Bullcreek Road in Jefferson Township. Every May through August, Walter travels about 1,000 miles on foot to various places around the world. In recent years, Walter has been spending winter months at the monastery.

JEFFERSON TWP Many people dream about traveling the globe, but usually by sailboat, train or plane. Few consider such a trip on foot, wearing homemade sandals.

"No podiatrist would ever recommend these," said George Walter, more commonly known as Pilgrim George.

"I made them out of rubber tires in Alaska."

Even so, the swatches of discarded tread have assumed the shape of the pilgrim's feet, having born his weight for some 39,000 miles.

The 67-year-old disciple of Christ spends May through August traveling on foot, walking about 1,000 miles each season. Walter spends winter months as a poustinik, most recently at the Holy Trinity Monastery off Bullcreek Road.

The term poustinik derives from the Russian word poustinia, or "entry to the desert: a place one goes to reflect and pray."

Although the poustinik is much like a hermit, Walter points out the poustinik is more available to others, just as the desert's entrance is more accessible than the desert itself.

"The door to the poustinia is always open," he said, noting visitors are not uncommon.

Often, Walter's callers are people he has met during his many walks, which began in 1970.

By that time, the Glenshaw native already had attended seminary and was ordained a Roman Catholic deacon.

"I was a student, but I wasn't satisfied with the head knowledge," he recalled. "I needed to find what this was that was missing."

Although becoming a priest would offer security and status, Walter heard a more radical call.

"Jesus said take up your cross and follow me," he explained. "It's a walk of faith. I start out each (spring) without a penny."

Armed with devotion and a vow of celibacy, Walter began his first walk in Spain and ended in Jerusalem covering 4,000 miles in seven countries.A later route was more expansive, taking him from Pittsburgh to Mexico to California, where he stayed for three years before walking to Alaska. From there, Walter flew to Siberia his starting point for Jerusalem where he planned to arrive in the year 2000. Points along the way included India, where he boarded a plane for Rome."I flew to Rome to get to India from the west," he said, explaining it seemed prudent to avoid turbulent sites in the Middle East.The route included various parts of Eastern Europe as well as England, Wales and the Baltic countries. He arrived in Haifa, Israel, in 1999."I stayed there for 17 months, and in January 2001 flew back to Pennsylvania," Walter said."It took me 13 years to walk, and it took me 23 hours to fly."A world map in his modest dwelling is crowded with pins, marking those sites and many others visited.Although Walter's passport is enhanced with extra pages, many of his walks since 2001 have occurred in the United States.Along with the sandals, Walter wears a pair of socks that now resemble multi-colored booties, having been darned continually with scraps of yarn.The sandals, each weighing 2½ pounds, also require maintenance. Walter replaces the heels every 3,000 miles, and in 2001, he resoled them."It was getting to where I could feel the rocks in the center of my foot," he said.Clad in a patchwork denim robe, which also transforms through perpetual repair, Walter walks with a staff and Bible, carrying 45 pounds of gear on his back.The gear includes a sleeping bag and tent, even though Walter sometimes is housed by groups and individuals along the way. Planning to walk about 10 miles a day, he often writes ahead to churches along the route, which then can predict his arrival.Walter stops in local libraries to check e-mail, having acquired many friends who send greetings online. But he does not feel limited by temporary exchanges, saying he has enough company with the Holy Spirit, angels and saints."A pilgrim has no home on earth, but everywhere he feels at home," he said.Although Walter refrains from preaching the gospel along the way, curious people sometimes emerge, inviting conversation and offering provisions."People are always giving me their lunches or going to the grocery store and getting me food," he said.Despite his many welcoming friends, Walter also encounters hostile reactions, like hitting, name calling or throwing stones.Whatever ensues, Walter said he will keep walking, his only agenda to live an example of trust."I don't worry about being successful," he said. "I worry about being faithful."Faithfulness extends to his months as a poustinik, when Walter writes a synopsis of each season's journey. At present, 30-some binders are shelved at his dwelling at the monastery, which document his life from birth.When not writing, Walter spends time praying, receiving visitors and attending breakfast with the Byzantine monastery's three resident monks."We're glad to have him here," said Abbot Leo Schlosser, elected superior at Holy Trinity."He comes down to morning prayers, except on Wednesdays and Fridays when he fasts and stays in his hermitage."With the monastery population shrinking from 20 in 1970, Schlosser said the site can easily accommodate Walter, whom the monks have known for many years. Schlosser said Walter helps fulfill the monastery's original purpose: to minister to visiting Catholics."We told him he was welcome to stay here as long as he needed a place to stay, and we are very happy to have him," said Schlosser."He's definitely a man of prayer."

George Walter spends winter months as a poustinik. The term poustinik derives from the Russian word poustinia, or "entry to the desert: a place one goes to reflect and pray." Although the poustinik is much like a hermit, Walter said poustiniks are more available to others.