Dave Kunst - Walk around the world 1970-74 - Part 2

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By Davy Crockett

This is the second part of the Dave Kunst story. Read/Listen/Watch to Part 1 here.

Dave Kunst, originally from Minnesota, now from California, claims that he was “the first person verified to have completed circling the entire land mass of the earth on foot.” Kunst’s 1970-74 walk has historic importance for the modern-era of ultra-distance walking. I believe that Konstantin Rengarten was actually the first in 1894-1898 (See Part 3). I will show that Kunts’ “verified” claim is dubious, but his amazing walk did happen, and the story is fascinating and exciting. But at what cost to those who believed in him? With the end just days away, everything seemly fell apart.

In 1970, Dave Kunst of Waseca, Minnesota, started a walk around the world with his brother John. Part 1 of this story covered their travels east to New York, by plane to Portugal, and then on foot with a mule to Afghanistan where John was shot and killed by bandits. Dave was wounded and returned to Minnesota to recover in November 1972.

Dave felt strongly that the walk should be continued, and he deeply wanted to get back on the road to experience an exciting and free life, without family, job, or financial obligations. He said, “The walk will definitely go on. I want to keep the ball rolling. I will be back to finish what my brother and I started so he will not have died for nothing.”

Plans to resume the walk

In January 1973, only three months since he had been shot in the chest, Dave Kunst announced that he would resume his walk in March 1973 with his brother Pete. They would travel back to Afghanistan and resume the walk from the mountain pass where their brother John was killed. Dave said, “Pete’s wife was reluctant before, but now she is in favor of it.” Pete said, “It’s too important to all of us to abandon this idea now. My wife understands this, especially since John gave his life for it. We have to finish the job.”

Dave’s wife, Jan, was not as sure. She had mixed emotions about him again leaving her alone to raise their young children. She said, “I knew he really wanted to do it. I told him if he had to go, to go and get it over with before the kids are teenagers. I’m scared for him to go back there, but it doesn’t seem to bother him.” His reply to her worries appeared to be rather harsh. “Well that’s a typical reaction of a lot of people. That’s really the difference in individuals. Adventurers don’t think of things like that. Columbus – if he’d thought of that, he wouldn’t have discovered America. Definitely, she’s right, but if I sat here and thought about that. I’d be miserable as hell here.”

Dave’s brother, Pete Kunst, 28, of Santa Ana, California, was a former marine who served in the Vietnam war. He was a stock clerk at Data Technology Corp. He was married to Nancy with four children. He didn’t originally join his two brothers because his wife was expecting in 1970. Dave said, “We kind of decided, the three of us, that if one of us dropped out, Pete was going to finish.” Pete said, “I knew one way or another, I was going to go.” Pete had joined Dave and John on the walk in 1970 for three days when they were in Pennsylvania, but now he was going to join full-time.

They estimated that to complete the walk, it would take them at least another year. Pete took out a $2,000 loan to help Nancy support the family while he was gone and she also worked as a secretary. Friends helped to raise money for their air fare back to Afghanistan.

The two made preparations both in California and in Minnesota to drum up support. they met with Hubert Humphrey before they left, again collecting a letter of introduction and securing his support. They involved UNICEF as part of their walk. UNICEF did not endorse their effort, but was happy to receive any donations they brought in. For the first two and a half years of the walk, the only verified donation amount was just $3,000. But having an association with the charity, helped open doors to get room and board from sympathetic people they would meet in the towns all over the world. With this scheme that could travel without paying for almost anything. Like globetrotters 70 years earlier, they could travel and have adventure for free! Pete worked with UNICEF officials in California to gain their favor and also received support from California Governor Ronald Reagan. The two made it clear that neither of them were in a position to finance their walk and sought for others to pay for it. They also received the support from the governor of Minnesota.

On March 1, 1973, Dave and Pete departed from Minneapolis by plane to resume the walk. They were careful with the press to always emphasize that they were doing this for UNICEF. But to Dave, the primary motivation was for a personal adventure, to be the first to walk around the world, achieve fame, and to get rich by writing a book. Willie Make-It II, the mule Dave walked with from Portugal, was still in Kabul Afganistan, waiting for them.

The start in Afghanistan with ceremony and speeches

The two restarted the walk on March 26, 1973 from the exact location where John had lost his life. The American Embassy provided transportation to the restart point for Dave, Pete, the mule and the cart. Eight Afghan policemen with two motor cycles and two jeeps provided protection for the Kunst brothers until they reached the Pakistan border. The event was covered by media across the world.

Pakistan

In Pakistan, they were accompanied by armed tribal guards called the Khyber Khasadar, who guided them over Khyber Pass. It was said in a Pakistani paper that the Kunst brothers were the first non-Asians to walk “to and through” the pass. The Pakistani Tribal Prince walking with up toe the top of of the pass.

They were guided to the border town of Peshawar, Pakistan. There, they were special guests of the town’s commissioner. At Islamabad, Pakistan, the two rested for more than a week. Dave wrote, “I gave a talk to a group of young Pakistani men. They all seemed to want to know what Americans felt about the Pakistani prisoners of war in India and why the U.S. didn’t help Pakistan in the war.” He found the young people there to be very politically minded

At Lahore, Pakistan, it was very hot when they arrived. The tourist bureau kindly greeted the brothers when they entered the city with about a dozen cokes in a bucket of ice and water for their mule.

Pakistan National Assembly building in Islamabad

They stayed with American Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan for about a month trying to get permission to walk across China. They wished that the U.S. government would help. But Presidential foreign affairs adviser, Henry Kissinger felt the U.S. government should stay of it. “It might raise questions in Chinese minds about the independent efforts of these American boys.”

By the end April they were invited to the Chinese Embassy where they were officially denied permission to walk across China. But the two did receive visas for traveling through India.

India

They crossed the border into India and visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar. There, they had to walk barefoot through a small ditch of water to cleanse their feet before entering the compound. Willie Make-It II had to stay outside the walls that encircled the sacred place.

In June, 1973, after another 300 miles, they reached New Delhi. They had covered about 800 miles since they had resumed their trip three months earlier for an average of about nine miles per day. They had taken many days off and stopped in New Delhi for a couple weeks.

Dave and Pete knew that the next 900 miles to Calcutta would be dangerous through the very populated country with many gangs and bandits. They were concerned about the seasonal monsoons that would soon arrive with heavy rains causing roads to be closed. The truck traffic was massive so they had to walk in the mud alongside the main pavement.

About India, Dave said, “It is the most unpleasant country we’ve seen. People drove us crazy, the monsoons soaked us and India’s governmental bureaucracy burdened us. Pete got sick from the food and our mule developed sores from poor diet and the hot, damp climate.” Because of Pete’s sickness, he did not walk much of the way to Calcutta. He hitched rides to leapfrog ahead of Dave. It makes you wonder if Dave also used this approach during times when he was ill. It is a distinct possibility and a good reason to be skeptical if the entire walk was legitimate. Since there was no true verification taking place by witnesses, we will never know.

Dave and Pete arrived at Calcutta on the east coast of India in late August, 1973. They knew China and Berma wouldn’t let them cross their counties and southeast Asia was war-torn. Dave’s plan to walk as straight as possible across the world came to an end. But using Australia as an alternative seemed to make sense and is allowed in modern-day recognized walks around the world. So, they made plans to head to Australia, but still had hopes to do some walking later in Hong Kong.

After more than a month’s delay because of custom problems and a dock strike, they bid goodbye to their faithful mule Willie Make-It II, who could not make the trip to Australia. Dave and Pete continued, bound for Perth, Australia to continue their walk on that continent. Since resuming the walk, they had covered about 1,800 miles in about five months.

Australia

On September 26, 1973, they flew into Bangkok, Thailand, and the next day flew to Singapore. There, they were further delayed because the Russian ship carrying their wagon was delayed. They finally arrived to Perth in mid-November. Dave said, “We first have to find a replacement for Willie Make-It. We’ve been offered a mule from a station 620 miles north of Perth, but we’ve got a problem getting it to Perth.” They received wonderful hospitality in Perth. The mule arrived from Northern Australia and was presented to the Kunst brothers by the Australian Tourist Commission.

Ron Moorland helped the brothers pull the wagon to the Perth Police stables.

The cart finally arrived. In December 1973, they were still in Perth, making preparations, Dave wrote, “We are looking forward to nature at its rugged best, with temperatures of 120 during the day and 40 at night. The main thing we are worried about are the flies. They are thick, always getting in your eyes, ears, mouth and nose.”

After more than a month in Perth, they finally resumed their trip in mid-December with the new mule. “He has been a pack mule in northern Australia for six years and the last two years he’s been running wild with a herd of horses. At the moment, he won’t even let us hitch our wagon to him. We’re also having a little trouble with Willie wearing out the tips of his hind hooves.”

One brother, probably Pete riding in the cart taking this picture

By late February 1974, they had covered about 900 miles in Australia. The mule was doing better. They said the people in Australia had been very kind to them, supplying them with food and shelter and even clothing when they needed it along the way. A curious picture was taken in Australia showing one of the brothers walking and the other on the cart, taking the picture. Did they take turns riding on the cart? Again, despite Dave’s later claim, no validation was taking place to make sure this was not happening.

On March 7, 1974, they entered Ceduna, Australia after walking 252 miles of dirt road across the Nullabor Plain. Pete was suffering from leg and foot problems and decided to give up the walk at Ceduna and return home to California. Dave said, “He has done all and more than I asked of him and this will always be a Kunst brothers’ world walk.” Dave believed he could pick up the pace to 35 miles per day if the mule could keep up.

Dave would not be alone. A few months later, he very publicly told details how he had not been a faithful husband on his trek during those walking years. He had the company of many women, especially when they would stop for a few weeks. While waiting in Perth, Australia, he met a young school teacher, Jenni Samuel, ten years his junior, originally from Berma. They fell in love and lived together. Jenni did not know he was married. Dave wasn’t writing personal letters to his wife back in Minnesota. He only sent her the notes from his journal which she faithfully typed up for him.

About a month later, the mule died from colic outside of Port Augusta, South Australia. Dave expected to get a horse to pull the wagon the rest of the way to Sydney. But instead Jenni came out to pull the cart with her car which they named “Will She Makeit.” Jenni drove 3 to 4 miles per hour while Dave walked alongside. Without a mule and a brother along the way, with easy transportation nearby, did Dave start taking rides with Jenni? His pace continued to be consistent.

Driving the car at a speed that Dave could walk, burned out two clutches. It frustrated Jenni, because driving so slow was boring. She wanted to drive ahead and wait, leapfrogging. But Dave insisted the car with the cart had to be alongside him, or he would be just another guy walking.

There was more criticism expressed in editorials about his walk. One animal lover wrote, “I was upset to read that his third mule had died. I don’t know how beneficial his walk will be for UNICEF, but I am terrible opposed to his doing this at the expense of any animals.” Dave’s mother replied in the newspaper, “Our boys appreciated all three mules and took very good car of them. The mules were regularly checked by veterinarians, had their daily ration of oats, hay and water and were rested during the day, especially during the very warm weather.”

Dave arrived in Sydney, Australia where he prepared to fly to Los Angeles. He said, “I’m so close to the finish now, it’s getting like I want to run. I just want to get back to where it started in Waseca, Minnesota and run around the spot for 15 minutes then jump and shout, ‘I did it.’ I’ve gained so much from these four years. Yes, I lost a brother, but at least he was happy doing what he was doing. I’ve come to believe when your time is up, it’s up. The trip gave me a lot of faith in humanity, but I think it’s made me harder, more cynical in a way. I’ll never take things like air conditioning and hot showers and toilet paper for granted again. I started the walk as an idealist, but now I’m practical.” What about Jenni? He hated to leave her and wished he could turn right around and walk back to Perth with her, but he knew he would come back for her

California

When Dave landed in Los Angeles, California, his wife Jan, children, and parents were at the airport to greet him which didn’t please him. He admitted that he was very cold to his wife, Jan, and that now “she was to me as much a stranger as anyone I might meet on the walk. What I wanted, I did tell her, was for us to be friends, just friends.” He wanted his own life. His daughter could tell that he was never coming back to the family. While staying with his brother Pete in Santa Ana, he took Jan to a bar, told her that he wouldn’t be coming back to her when he finished the walk. She cried hard with a broken heart. His focus was only on himself.

Dave didn’t want to take a mule with him the rest of the way back to Minnesota, but his brother Pete talked him into it, saying that it “would be good for your image.” Pete was wise about public relations. The Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce provided him a mule that had retired from Knotts Berry Farm. On July 28, 1974, he started walking east again from Newport Beach, California. The mule only lasted two days and refused to cross an intersection. Many people tried to help including a policeman who inched his car forward behind the mule. It kicked out a headlight. Dave continued without the mule, and only carried a small backpack, initially with just one canteen.

Without the mule and others around, Dave’s pace dramatically picked up to about 35 miles per day across the extremely hot Mojave Desert, through Las Vegas and to southern Utah. He carried very little water. The hot temperatures were well above 100 degrees. Like other “around the world walkers” before him, it is possible that as the finish approached, he may have resorted to taking rides through this difficult hot stretch. One must be skeptical. Surprisingly, no news stories were found for this stretch or published witness reports until near Mesquite, Nevada. His book written later did include stories along this stretch. I tend to give him the benefit of the doubt and trust that he walked. But the point is that there is no good verification that he walked every step. Without a wise brother along, he was no longer walking for the children of UNICEF, but for himself and the fame he hoped to see follow him. The sign on his back was “World Walk” with no mention of UNICEF.

Utah

Dave was seen walking up the narrow Virgin River Gorge to St. George, Utah. He chatted with police and other visitors. “He has suggested a friendly wave would be much more safe than stopping to visit along the highways.”

He kept in close touch with Jenni, calling her collect often, running up a $500 phone bill. Jenni wrote letters to him every day delivered to post offices.

Near Cedar City, Utah, Dave said he was traveling on the freeway. “I was walking along, minding my own business when all of a sudden two police cars pulled up on either side of me with their lights on. Two men jumped out of the car, one with a gun, and shouted at me to put my hands above my head and they were serious. I felt like running even though I didn’t know what was going on.” It turned out that a gas station had just been robbed nearby and a passing truck driver told authorities that Dave matched the description. “I tried to tell them who I was and finally I showed them a telegram from Senator Humphrey. They were embarrassed and they radioed ahead to authorities to tell them I was not the man they were looking for.” But despite the advance warning, he was still stopped four more times. He said, “This was the most exciting thing that has happened to me since the shooting in Afghanistan.”

At Salina, Utah, the Chamber of Commerce met with him. He purchased a flashlight to help him watch out for snakes. He had given away his sleeping bag and other items because they became too heavy. He said he was averaging 35-40 miles per day. The Commerce bought him a steak dinner and provided lodging.

Once he entered Colorado, the police forbid him to continue to walk on the Interstate due to a state law the forbid pedestrian use. He was not happy about that because it would add any miles. The Colorado governor’s office was sympathetic, “but didn’t feel they could make the exception.” Dave eventually chose to ignore the law and hoped he wouldn’t be bothered again.

As he reached the top of the Rockies in Colorado, he said, “It is all downhill now. It was an experience, an education. No money could buy it.” Why did he do it? “The challenge was there. I had two legs and I thought I could do it. The challenge is over now and if I can’t get from Denver to Minnesota, I’m in trouble.” He walked through the Eisenhower Tunnel, west of Denver and was told by the police that he was the first person allowed to do it on foot. They were worried about the carbon-monoxide in the tunnel so they stopped all the traffic while he walked through and turned up the fans.

One night he was walking along the interstate and it was very cold. “I stopped at a rest stop for a few hours sleep but it was too cold. I went into the men’s bathroom and kept punching that button on the electric hand dryer until the place warmed up. Now who else would think of that?”

As he walked through Colorado, on network TV, they played his recorded interview on the Tomorrow Show, a late-night program. Near Denver, walking in 90 degree heat he said, “I’m anxious, really anxious now. I see the end in sight. I have about 1,000 miles left to go. I don’t think I’d ever do it again, although it has been a wonderful experience. It has been pretty tough. It really was enjoyable walking through the clean, crisp mountain country in Colorado. Everything was so green. The trip would have been a cinch if it had all been like that.”

Nebraska

In Nebraska Dave said the people were friendly and hospitable. “Some of them have asked me if I wanted a ride. When I turn them down, they think I’m nuts.” He was still averaging about 35 miles per day.

One reporter witnessed him walking toward Lincoln, Nebraska. “I found Kunst striding down Interstate 180, his lanky frame eating up distance at a surprising rate. Once he stopped, Kunst rummaged through a blue knapsack bearing the words, ‘World Walker’ to find newspaper clippings and letters from dignitaries. He said, ‘I can do 40 miles a day and push for 50.’” At Lincoln he visited with the governor, was awarded a key to the city, and stayed in the Lincoln Hilton for free. “Kunst said he has slept on picnic tables, in restrooms, in tents, in a mule-drawn wagon, and in a bullring.”

Family at home

As Dave approached closer to home, Jan Kunst was interviewed for a local story. She did her best to portray that they were a happy family, showed her continued support for Dave, and expressed that she had been fine with the walk. Of Dave she said, “It’s really crazy when you think about how he always had to drive the three blocks to the post office. I wouldn’t have stopped him for a minute. It was something he had to do. Every once in a while, older people will say something like, ‘Isn’t it terrible that he just abandoned you like that?’ And I say, ‘No, it’s not.’ Most people who don’t think the walk was a good idea don’t mention it now when they talk with me. They know how I feel.”

But there were clues in here interview that it had been hard on her. “It’s not something I’d do, but I’m not him. We’re different people and we think differently. He needed to do it, so it was good for him to go ahead with it.” It was clear that Dave had not shared much personally with her about the walk, or even about the shooting.

The article stated, “But nobody kids anybody. Kunst’s absence has changed the family dramatically. Friends and relatives say Jan has become more independent, more self-reliant, since her husband left.’” She said, “I know I can support the family now. I was kind of scared about getting a job and it took me about six months after Dave left before I found the job with the gas company. The job is great. I like being with people and it gets me out of the house.”

She said, “Sometimes people ask me, ‘What do you think about him being away from you so long, you know, what with all those women all over the world? And I really can’t answer. It’s something you try not to think about, I mean you can’t help thinking about it sometimes, but you try not to. Dave, says you just can’t worry about every little thing, and I think that’s right. Still, sometimes . . . .”

She pretended that she expected him to return to the family. “It won’t be easy for any of us. We’ll all have to readjust. We’ve all changed some and we’ll have to find out how much, and what to do about it. Things will be a little mixed up for a while I think.”

Dave’s huge public relations blunder

Still in Nebraska, without his brother with him to talk some sense into him, Dave made the biggest public relations blunder of his entire walk. Perhaps he had read the article about his wife and it angered him. Dave did a very detailed controversial interview with Warren Wolfe of the Minneapolis Tribune. Wolfe walked with Dave for two days and then published a long article in the Minneapolis Tribune on September 22, 1974. Parts of it were republished in newspapers all over the country with brutal headlines. This article certainly torpedoed Dave’s future opportunities nationwide for sponsorships, speaking engagements, and likely tens of thousands of dollars.

Dave revealed his true colors just days before thousands of people planned to celebrate his finish. Clearly, he was tired of hiding behind the false, clean persona he had been putting forth for four years.

He said, “I’m a social deviate, a radical, an oddball, even a little crazy. I don’t fit into anybody’s pattern and never will. I feel a little uneasy about ending the trip. My home has been where I hang my hat, and I like that feeling. I’m not ending the trip to become domesticated. I’ve learned a lot about myself. I know that I’m not going to waste time doing things I don’t like anymore, like trying to make a marriage work when there’s nothing to work with.”

Wolfe wrote, “He can talk for hours about himself and freely admits that.” Dave said, “I’ve got an ego as big as they come. I love the attention I get from the press and television and from people who’ve heard about me and stopped to talk.” He added, “And, let’s face it. I’m not a priest. I’ve known a lot of women all over the world, and it didn’t always end with a handshake. I’m not bragging. Sex is a natural part of life. Going without for 4 ½ years would be unnatural.”

He went public on his feelings about his wife causing huge embarrassment to her and the rest of the family. “She is a good mother, and she would make a great wife for a guy who likes to come home every day after work to a nice, quiet meal and a nice quiet life. We haven’t seen eye to eye on most things since long before the walk. I asked her for a divorce a couple of years before I left. She didn’t want to give me one, and I guess that’s OK if she wants it like that. I don’t plan on getting married again anyway. But I’m not going to be spending too much time at home.”

He had strong feelings about the countries that contained the people who had sacrificed and supported his walk with room, board, and money. He said, “I’ve never seen so many ignorant people in my life. You can really appreciate our education system when you see people in some other countries. They are really stupid. Part of it is lack of education, but part of it is their cultural heritage. They need more self-confidence. We take a lot of crap from a lot of crummy little countries. We’re the most powerful nation on earth and we ought to act like it. We don’t need to give aid to countries that don’t want to help us.”

He next trashed the people of his hometown of Waseca who had been so proud of him and helped support him financially. “There are some real good people in Waseca and there are some awfully small people there.” He railed on the men who would go down to the bars and complain about their lives. He said, “those guys don’t have the guts to do what is best for them,” which was to leave their wife and children just as he did. “I really hate the guy who says he wouldn’t go because his wife wouldn’t let him.” He also took a swipe at organized religion, because they told people what to do and what to believe. He believed it didn’t matter what you did in life because everyone made it to heaven equally.

His greed showed as he stated that he was in the market to write a book and wanted a $10,000 advance plus royalties. “It’s not going to be a travelogue. It’ll be more about what I learned and thought as I traveled. I want to tell what I think about people, people I like and some I don’t. I want to write about my attitudes, my parents, my family, people I know, all the things that have gone together to make me what I am now.” He reflected on why he really did the walk. The true reason was to be feed his ego, to be the first one to walk around the world. “To take something the seems impossible and to go ahead and do it, not matter what. If you can walk around the world, then you can do anything.”

Initial Reaction

When the article came out, Dave read it in Omaha, Nebraska and was very pleased with it. He loved it and wrote, “Finally someone has written down what I think about things.” He knew it made him sound like a terrible person, but he liked that. He liked to shake people up. “I stood there in the drug store in the middle of Omaha, grinning like crazy, reading sections of the article over and over again to myself. There I was on page one as big as life. It sure made me feel good.”

His blunt and controversial statements in Nebraska about his wife, marriage, and foreigners shocked and angered many people in his hometown of Waseca, Minnesota. Plans started to shift away from an extravagant homecoming celebration. Influential leaders and companies quickly decided to boycott what was supposed to be a huge homecoming celebration, including a parade and casting Dave’s footprint into a plaque. Dozens of protesting phone calls were received by the Chamber of Commerce in just two hours.

Some people just could not believe that Dave said such things and he was tracked down in Iowa. He doubled down on his words and was angry over the phone. After all his hometown had done for him, he foolishly trash-talked the town further. “There have been towns I’ve walked through that have been better to me than Waseca. It is using the celebration for personal gain and not for my benefit.”

Jan Kunst was asked about Dave’s brash comments. She was highly embarrassed and at first declined to say much except for, “The children didn’t know about my marital problems until they read it in the newspaper. I still love him. I’ll stick by him if he wants to stay married” She criticized the newspaper for printing the article.

But Jan’s life was now in turmoil because of Dave’s selfish public rebuke. She said, “I never thought he would make a public issue out of our marriage. Everybody is up in arms in Waseca now. They’ve canceled a car he was going to have. Even if they go ahead with the homecoming, I doubt that many people would be there. I’m not sure I would. It hurts, what he said about other women, but I still love him. If he wants to try again, I’m willing. I just can’t understand why he ruined everything so close to the end of it.” His mother living nearby in Iowa was also deeply hurt by his words.

Impact at Waseca

The vice president of the Chamber of Commerce said, “I’m just a little sick. Where do we go from here? We’ve got our tail in a crack now. The business people have voiced shock and the residents anger. The kid did do something, but to take such a slap at his wife, the church, and the community. . . “

Hal Greenwood, president of Midwest Federal Saving and Loan Association, and president of UNICEF in Minneapolis, who had significantly helped finance Dave’s trip, said, “Dave is not not the vision of he guy I first saw about five years ago. I was sincerely dedicated to him. Now I’m disturbed and disillusioned. I’m withdrawing my identification with him.” That shocked Dave, because Greenwood had been his biggest backer. “To have him think that a few remarks of mine made the whole walk meaningless makes me feel terrible.”

One resident said what many felt. “I had misgivings about him leaving his wife and kids and going around the world in the first place. All this reconfirms my original thoughts.” The owner of the original Willie Make-It had been planning to give the mule to Dave as a homecoming present. He withdrew that offer.

It was said, “To his angered home-towners, he started out with flag waving four years ago and is coming back thumbing his nose.”

The backlash was fierce and quick. An Associated Press article about the controversy went nationwide. Towns on his route home, cancelled welcomes. The Waseca Chamber of Commerce was convinced by their president, Oather Troldauhl, to take the high road. They voted to “honor the completion of the walk, but not Dave Kunst’s ideals.” He took them outside of town to see a billboard, and instructed someone to add, “And You Too, Dave” Troldauhl said to the Chamber of Commerce, “Let’s forgive critical statements about Waseca by Kunst for the greater good of Waseca. Let’s support Kunst’s wife Jan, and his brother, John, who was slain by bandits while accompanying his brother on the marathon walk.”

The mayor announced that he would refuse to participate in the homecoming celebration.

Another town in Minnesota editorialized, “You wouldn’t imagine that anyone with much common sense and decency would jeopardize the benefits of the UNICEF organization by some deliberately provocative and unnecessary remarks. Except possibly for some vicarious satisfaction for himself, he had nothing to gain from his rude remarks. He’s handled his homecoming like a clod.”

Others still supported him. “I admire Kunst for both his walk and his candor. It is a man of rare quality to make the statements he did. He chose to be frank and honest.” Another wrote, “How many of us would even consider a walk around the world, much less do it? David might not go to church, but as far as I’m concerned, he’s quite a man.” And, “Harrah for Dave Kunst. He has the guts to speak his mind and tell it the way he sees it.” Finally, “David Kunst should be respected, admired and accepted by all, if only for his achievement.”

Dave felt no remorse, and from the road in Iowa, said the flap was unimportant and that he would like to finish in Waseca at 3 a.m. when nobody would be around. Various reporters came out to walk with him and tried to clarify his story.

Approaching Waseca

Ten miles to go. Brother Pete in the background.

Dave entered Minnesota and was due to arrive in Waseca at 1:30 p.m. on October 6, 1974. His brother Pete came out to walk the stretch along with the original mule, Willie Make-it. Dave said, “Two Kunst brothers started this trip and we said two Kunst brothers would finish it.” Pete was seen weeping for at the mention of his slain brother.

Clusters of people started to line Main Street. A banner was put over head across the street that said, “Welcome home Dave.” Many visitors came in from other towns. “About a mile away, outside of town, another crowd gathered, eager to catch a first glimpse of Kunst as he arrived at the outskirts on foot and nearing the end of his epic journey. The was a measure of anxiety in the air. It was said that many stayed away in protest. Until the very moment he arrived, Dave Kunst’s comments were the talk of the town and on the top of nearly everyone’s mind.”

Those out to watch him walk in were asked what they thought. “I think a great many were upset about his comments.” Were people still angry? “I don’t think they are angry anymore. It was just the shock of what he said. A lot of people have forgiven him.”

When Kunst arrived at the outskirts of now, no evidence of anger or protest could be seen. A group of about 200 well-wishers crowded around him to start a hero’s welcome home. Traffic was backed up about a quarter mile to get in town. A police escort led the way ahead of Dave with lights flashing. The crowd started walking the final mile.

Asked about his feelings as he walked, Dave said, “This is great, I feel like I’m one of the crowd.” Asked again why he did the walk he responded, “Someone couldn’t do this walk unless they liked it. I mean, I’m a little crazy. No one has ever done it before in this day in age. That amazed me. I think it is fantastic.”

Church bells clanged as he entered the town. People were standing in doorways, curious and watching. Some were smiling and waving. The crowd grew. Flags waved and the high school band played the national anthem. Dave’s children joined him, but Jan did not. It was rumored that she was somewhere back in the crowd.

The finish

“Finally the crowd came to rest in front of the Waseca Cinema and the speech-making began. When it was announced the mayor had boycotted the event, there were some boos. One after another the speakers honored Kunst with expressions of pride and gratitude.”

It was later reported, “Dave Kunst strode into his hometown Saturday afternoon to a tumultuous welcome from an estimated 5,000 people who swarmed around him seeking autographs, or just a touch from the only man who has walked around the world. The crowd lining the streets left little doubt. Whatever Dave Kunst’s personal views, he was Waseca’s hero.”

Dave again told well-wishers that his walk was for himself and that walking for UNICEF was secondarily. Local UNICEF officials said that so far they had only collected $4,000. “During the celebration, Kunst’s first mule, Willie Make-It and Kunst’s last pair of shoes were auctions with the proceeds going to UNICEF.” They netted $460.

At a press conference, Dave said, “There are good and little people in Waseca, just like in every other town. But right now it looks to me like there’s a lot of big people in Waseca.” He talked for about 45 minutes and received applause and laughter. He did say some kind things about his wife, Jan. “She’s done a hell of a job. I don’t think I understand her. I’m sure she doesn’t understand me.” He said her domestication and his liberal ways caused mutual resentment.

Four hours later he slipped out of town to his parents’ home in Clear Lake, Iowa for several weeks. After that he intended to go elsewhere. He said, “I never intended to stay here in Waseca. The article gave me a whole lot of freedom because now I don’t have to Mickey Mouse around about where my wife and I are. Everybody knows where I stand and where we stand.”

Aftermath

The following week Dave visited a Minneapolis lawyer, consulting about business angles to capitalize on the walk. His main focus was to start writing his book. “If I had my choice to have one million dollars now, provided I gave up the privilege of writing a book, I’d turned down the money.” He made some radio and television appearances and had several network shows were claimed to be in the works. He rejected about 50 requests to speak schools, clubs, or church groups. He still had no intentions to return home to Waseca and his family. He estimated that he had only to spent $2,500 of his own money over the four and a half years. Without help, he estimated it would have cost him about $25,000, likely gross underestimate.

In mid-October, 1974, Dave appeared on a television show in New York City but then didn’t appear publicly for awhile. He went to Pete’s home in California. A month later, his children received letters from him telling them to “help their mother, keep up with their school studies and to be good.” He said he was concentrating on writing his book. He reminded them that “we’re free to go where we wish and to be what we are.” He said that people who make their own rules get special pleasure out doing something well, even if only for themselves.”

Time magazine included his story in November 1974. Dave said he went to California to write his book, but that was not true. Secretly he went to Australia for a year, living with Jenni, writing his book as she continued to teach school. He then brought Jenni back with him to California. He vowed that he would never again get a 9-5 job. Jenni provided support.

A year after finishing his walk, in 1975, he was said he was nearly finished with his book.. “I found it wasn’t so easy to write a book as I anticipated.” He had not seen his kids for a year and hoped to soon return for a visit to Minnesota. He also planned to put together a color slide presentation and tour the country. “I’ve been out of touch with the news media for about one year because I felt the World Walk too important to me.” No one seemed to be clamoring to hear from him.

The years following the walk

In January 1976, apparently still without a job, Dave was looking for a cheap way to take a trip back to Minnesota using someone else’s car, still trying to use his celebrity status for favors. He also announced that he wanted to do a drive around the world for the 1976 bicentennial but could not find a sponsor.

With some contacts, Dave successfully got his walk included the Guinness Book of World records as being the first to walk around the world. In later years, it was discovered that George M. Schilling was likely the first (which he was not, see Part 3).

Dave’s entry was later changed to the first “verified” walk around the world. That was absolutely false, because there was no independent verification along the way making sure he walked every step. There were many sections along the way where it could have been cheated. I choose to believe he really accomplished the walk, but claiming that it was independently verified was not true, other than the meager efforts Guinness did before accepting it into their book. His walk was no more “independently verified” than Konstantin Rengarten’s 1894-98 walk which was more of a straight-line walk around the world.

In 1976 Dave finally divorced Jan. He still railed publicly against marriage, but the next month, out of the public spotlight, he married Jenni in Michigan while visiting the person who introduced the two in Australia. She suggested that they go get married and they did in a simple private ceremony.

In May 1977, a reporter found Dave working a newspaper route in Costa Mesa, California, delivering 400 newspapers and living with Jenni. He said, “I’ve got to admit it, I just enjoy having my name in the paper,” His dream of getting lots of cash to write his book did not come together like he hoped. He had written a massive 500,000 word book, but the writing was forced and stilted. He sent the manuscript to Doubleday, but they were not interested. He was also rejected by Reader’s Digest.

Without the millions he hoped for, he was working his paper route and as a caretaker for an apartment building. He was frustrated with his inability to cash in on his adventure and still couldn’t understand that he had killed those opportunities himself.

He hoped for a TV movie with Clint Eastwood playing his role. That didn’t get any traction. He finally was trying to find a better way to support himself and was taking real estate and business courses at a junior college. At age, 38, he said, “I haven’t grown up yet, and I like that. My personal opinion is that most people in this world are gutless.” He again railed against organized life, religion, and marriage. He didn’t mention that he had remarried. He still was very down on Waseca, Minnesota and the criticism that he received for leaving his family to go on the walk. He criticized their way of life and he still hoped to publish a book. “Those people are living their lives and I’m living my life, and it really doesn’t matter.”

The Man who Walked Around the World Book

In 1978, Dave found a writer from Maine who started helping him rewrite is book down to 50,000 words. He was pleased with the progress and hoped to make a million dollars on the book and become famous. He had enrolled in night school to learn basics of good writing, including vocabulary and grammar. He said, “I’m going to be a writer come hell or high water.”

Finally, in July 1979, Dave’s book was published as The Man who Walked Around the World. The reviews were poor. While interesting, the timeline and flashbacks are very hard to follow and confusing especially to those who had never heard of his walk before. One paragraph would be about an experience in 1973, and without warning, the next paragraph would be about something in 1970. The reader becomes puzzled.

The book told a tale of a man with a big ego enjoying himself greatly on his trip. He boasted and told of his exploits with many women and with not remorse, wrote about his lack of kindness toward his wife who had taken care of his children back home. He told many stories that never were covered in the newspaper stories, some very interesting. I chose not to include those stories in this history and refer the reader to his book. Toward the end, he reprinted the entire controversial article published near the end of his walk. He was still very proud of every word and had no regrets. While out of print, used versions of his book can still be obtained.

A reviewer in Minnesota wrote, “After just enduring 33 pages, I have given up. Life is simply too short to waste any more time on such nonsense. He went on to point out many strange statements in the book. No, Dave did not make his million dollars on the book but he was able to go on a book tour and get on radio shows.

Lectures

At age 45, in 1985, Dave kept his story alive by spending much of his time telling his story and giving slide presentations to school children, college students, and other groups, mostly in Southern California, with the message, “You can do it!’ To Dave’s credit, his tale stayed consistent, was not embellished, and inspired many.

In 1987, he still managing an apartment in Costa Mesa, and doing many presentations. He started calling himself “Earthwalker,” which had been put on his brother John’s gravestone. “It’s all about empowering yourself. It’s a message of self-esteem and about believing in yourself when no one else does. Everyone has something inside them that they want to do, and it’s different for different people. If you have passion and determination, you can do anything.”

In 1994, Dave returned to Waseca to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his walk, but said, “not too many townspeople showed up.” In 1996 he was honored to be able to carry the Olympic torch for a segment in California of its journey to the Atlanta Games.

In 2002, the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul put together an exhibit to honor his walk. It included the Turkish wagon the Kunst brothers used on their journey. He was still pleased that he never went back to and 9-5 job since his walk.

In 2004, the Kunst brothers’ birthplace, and childhood home, Caledonia, put up a wonderful sign recognizing their feat. Both Dave and Pete came out for the unveiling. In 2013, HBO announced that they would be making a movie of the walk. A script was written, but HBO management changed and project shelved.

In 2020, Dave Kunst, 80 and Jenni, 70 were living on Balboa Island in Newport Beach, California. They were well-respected members of the community. Pete was 75 and living in College Station, Texas. Jan Kunst was 81 and still living in Waseca, Minnesota.

Dave Kunst followed a dream. After closely examining his walk, I feel confident that he really did it. He achieved an enormous goal and endurance accomplishment. He demonstrated in the modern era that walking around the world was possible.

Read all parts:

Sources:

The La Crosse Tribune (Wisconsin), Jun 28, 1970, Oct 23, 30-31, Nov 12, 1972, Jan 4, Feb 5, 1973, Jul 24, 1974, Aug 15,16, 1974
Traverse City Record-Eagle (Michigan), Jun 1, 1970
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), May 24, Jun 26, Oct 14, 1970, Jan 29, Feb 12, Apr 2, Jun 20, Oct 27, 1971, October 23, 1972, Feb 22, Mar 1, Apr 2, 1973,Jun 3, 1973, Jan 2, Jun 7, Sep 15, 22,24,26 Oct 5,6 1974, Oct 28, 1979
The Winona Daily News (Minnesota), Jun 24, 28, Nov 8, Dec 22, 1970, Apr 5, 1971, Aug 24, 1972, Mar 5, Sep 13, 1973, May 2, 1974, Jun 19, Aug 28, 1974, Jun 14, 2004
Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisconsin), Jul 4, 1970, Feb 29, 1972
The Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin), Jul 9, 1970
The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois), Jul 16, 1970
The Courier-News (Bridgewater, New Jersey), Jul 22, 1970
The Times (Munster, Indiana), Jul 24, 1970
The Evening Review (East Liverpool, Ohio), Aug 17, 1970, Jun 3, 1971, Feb 10, 1972
Pittsburgh Press (Pennsylvania), Aug 18, 1970
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), Aug 19, 1970
The Ligonier Echo (Pennsylvania), Aug 26, 1970
Public Opinion (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania), Sep 1, 1970
The Morning Herald (Haberstown, Maryland), Sep 2, 1970
Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), Sep 5, 1970
The Central New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), Oct 1, 1970
The Bismarck Tribune (North Dakota), Oct 14, 1970
Daily News (New York City), Oct 8, 1970
The La Crosse Tribune (Wisconsin), Nov 7, 1970
The Daily Tribune (Wisconsin Rapids), Dec 4, 1970
The Baltimore Sun (Maryland), Dec 9, 1970
Orlando Evening Star (Florida), Dec 10, 1970
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times (Texas), Feb 1, 1971
The Minneapolis Star (Minnesota), Apr 22, 1971, Dec 4, 1972, Jul 12, 1973, Sep 24,28, Oct 5, 1974, May 5, 1977
Vidette-Messenger of Porter County (Valparaiso, Indiana), Jun 3, 1971
Kingsport Times (Tennessee), Jun 9, 1971
The Star Press (Muncie, Indiana), Jul 25, 1971
Des Moines Tribune (Iowa), Aug 3, 1971
Argus-Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), Oct 28, 1971, Jul 13, 1973
Fond Du Lac Commonwealth Reporter (Wisconsin), Nov 18, 1971
Wilmington News-Journal (Ohio), Feb 10, 1972
The Cloud Times (Saint Cloud, Minnesota), Mar 14, 1972, Apr 30, Jul 3, 1973, Feb 25, 1974, Sep 4, Oct 7, 1974, Ot 2, 1975
Waukesha Daily Freeman (Wisconsin), Oct 24, 1972
The Journal Times (Racine, Wisconsin), Oct 25, 1972
Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa), Nov 7, 1972
The Honolulu Advertiser (Hawaii), Feb 12, 1973
The Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minnesota), Apr 28, 1973
Ames Daily Tribune (Iowa), May 14, 1973
Wausau Daily Herald (Wisconsin), Sep 13, 1973
The Tampa Times (Florida), Sep 27, 1973
The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), Nov 18, 1973
The Des Moines Register (Iowa), Dec 14, 1973, Jul 20, 1974
Globe-Gazette (Mason City, Iowa), Jan 17, 1974
The PIoneeer (Bemidji, Minnesota), Mar 15, 1974
Independent (Long Beach, California), Apr 16, 1974
Times-Advocate (Escondido, California), Jul 23, 1974
The Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minnesota), Jul 29, 1974
The Gunnison Valley News (Utah), Aug 22, 1974
The Salina Sun (Utah), Aug 22, 1974
The Daily Spectrum (Utah), Aug 22, 1974
Greeley Daily Tribune (Colorado), Aug 31, 1974
Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio), Aug 31, 1974
The Lincoln Star (Nebraska), Sep 20, 1974
The Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minnesota), Sep 26, Nov 29, 1974
The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana), Dec 3, 1794
Waukesha Daily Freeman (Wisconsin), Oct 8, 1974
The Los Angeles Times (California), Jan 11, 1976, Jun 25, 1978, Aug 1, 1984
Tallahassee Democrat, (Florida), August 19, 1978
Calgary Herald (Canada), Aug 31, 2002
David Kunst and Clinton Trowbridge, The Man Who Walked Around the World

45: Dave Kunst – Walk Around the World – Part 2

By Davy Crockett

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