These Boots Are Made For Walking Part 2:
The Greatest Birthday Party in the History of Mankind

Washington, DC | July 2-5, 2026 | America's 250th Anniversary

   First, thank you. Hundreds of you messaged me after Part 1 of this blog. You were with me in spirit, and I felt every single one of you. Now let me tell you what happened when we got there.

I'll be honest—I brought those boots prepared to kick some dissident in the rump if necessary. But here's what I discovered: I have never, in my entire life, been surrounded by so many people who simply adore their country.

Not one ugly comment. Not one divisive shirt or sign. Just pure camaraderie and jubilation at this milestone. I met people from all over the country and all over the world. Just like those who came for the FIFA World Cup and got to see how great America really is—by going there, not by listening to the news and social media vomit—I can tell you that this country is deeply loved, supported, and defended by so many of us.

I can't emphasize this enough: It was overflowing with fellow Americans. Pure and simple. Not THIS type of American or THAT type of American. Not red or blue. Not left or right. Just thankful Americans who deeply love this country.

THURSDAY, JULY 2: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

We arrived in Washington, DC and headed straight to the Great American State Fair on the National Mall. A 16-day celebration featuring all 50 states, a 110-foot Ferris wheel, rodeos, concerts, and pure American spirit.

I wandered into the Innovation tent and found myself in front of a sign that read 'America: A 250-Year Conversation.' A young woman from Hillsdale College approached me and asked if she could interview me about my thoughts on America.

Hillsdale! I've loved them for years! Of course I said yes. Must have been the boots that caught her attention.

Getting interviewed by Hillsdale College at the Innovation tent—must have been the boots!

 

About an hour later, Mike and I got to don powdered wigs and Revolutionary War coats and SIGN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ourselves! Two veterans, 250 years after the original signers pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. We added our names to the dream.

Two veterans signing the Declaration of Independence—250 years later!

 

Governor Shapiro almost made Pennsylvania a no-show. THE BIRTHPLACE OF OUR NATION! He said no businesses wanted to participate. But Senators McCormick and Fetterman—a Republican and a Democrat—said 'Not on our watch!' They put out the call, and Pennsylvania showed UP.

Because this isn't about politics. It's about AMERICA. And we had UTZ chips to prove it!

The Pennsylvania banner flying proud!

 

The Pennsylvania booth—historic flags and pure patriotism!

 

The Liberty Bell replica—'Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land!'

 

UTZ chips—nothing more Pennsylvania than that!

 

And believe it or not, there were states who said NO. Their booths sat empty. It's called the UNITED States. The people in those states love this country—their leadership failed them.

We came out of the PA booth and I just had to do the Tremendous Kick in front of that 110-foot Ferris wheel! The Capitol dome in the background, my eagle boots in the air, and let me tell you about the heat...

The Tremendous Kick! Eagle boots, Ferris wheel, Capitol dome—AMERICA!

 

The actual temperature was 102°F. The heat index? 117°F. They closed the Mall from 2-5 PM daily because it was dangerous. The media said 'no one was there.' Really? When the heat index is 117°, no one stands in a field! Except ME—in my boots!

Here's my little secret: I sit in an infrared sauna three times a week—165°F for 50 minutes. The Mall felt COOL to me!

102°F, feels like 117°F—and these boots kept walking!

 

 

FRIDAY, JULY 3: SACRED GROUND

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

Everyone must go there. EVERYONE.

For a bibliophile publisher, the National Archives was HEAVEN. This isn't just a museum—it's a SANCTUARY. It houses the original Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Magna Carta from the 1200s, and ALL the correspondence of what happened and by whom.

The written word. PRESERVED. Just like the Bible preserves the history of God's relationship with mankind, the Archives preserves the history of mankind's pursuit of freedom.

I stood there, tears in my eyes, looking at the actual signatures of the men who risked EVERYTHING for this experiment called America. I GOT TO SEE IT IN PERSON!

The National Archives Rotunda—the temple of American democracy

 

Standing before the founding documents of our nation—250 years of freedom!

 

Fun fact from a lady at the Archives: The Declaration wasn't actually signed on July 4th! The vote for independence was July 2nd. July 4th was when they adopted the final wording. Most signatures came on August 2nd, 1776. John Adams thought we'd celebrate July 2nd forever—he was off by two days!

DINNER AT ZAYTINYA

Friday evening we dined at Zaytinya—José Andrés' Mediterranean masterpiece. We ordered the Chef's Tasting Menu: about a dozen dishes of Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese cuisines. Grilled octopus. Falafel on hummus with heirloom tomatoes. Lamb. Roasted vegetables. And totally keto-friendly options! This is what America's 250th birthday weekend TASTES like.

Zaytinya by José Andrés—Mediterranean magic in the heart of DC!

 

THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT ILLUMINATION

After dinner, we walked to the Washington Monument. And there it was—lit up like I'd never seen before. Stars and stripes projected 555 feet into the sky. Washington Crossing the Delaware, larger than life. The same 18-minute projection I saw on New Year's Eve that made me say 'I MUST be there.' And six months later... I WAS there. Standing on the Mall. In my boots. Watching history illuminate the night sky.

The Washington Monument wrapped in stars and stripes!

 

Washington Crossing the Delaware—projected 555 feet tall!

 

The Ferris wheel at night with the Capitol dome glowing—pure magic!

 

 

SATURDAY, JULY 4: AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY

THE MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE

Thank God we did the Mall on Thursday and Friday! By Saturday, there were hundreds of thousands of people there—you couldn't have gotten in to see anything. But we walked right into the Museum of the Bible. Another MUST see!

I saw the Dead Sea Scrolls. The oldest recorded copy of the Ten Commandments. The Torah. I learned how the Bible was put together, translated, preserved—and about those who gave their LIVES for it.

Just like at the National Archives—those who gave their lives to birth our nation—most of it driven by the pursuit of religious freedom from oppression!

The Dead Sea Scrolls—ancient words, preserved for millennia!

 

Moses the Lawgiver—'Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!'

 

And then I turned a corner... and there it was. The ORIGINAL painting of Washington praying at Valley Forge. That painting hung in my father's office. It hangs in homes across America. And I got to see it IN PERSON.

Tears streamed down my face.

The Prayer at Valley Forge—the same painting that hung in my father's office

 

 

THE WATERGATE ROOFTOP—FIREWORKS!

And now for the grand finale. While hundreds of thousands packed the Mall, we headed to the Watergate Hotel for their VIP rooftop reception. Panoramic views. Premium open bar. The Washington Monument glowing in the distance. And the largest fireworks display in American history about to begin.

Off to the Watergate! Red dress, white cowboy hat, and eagle boots ready to celebrate!

 

And then I met her—my boot sister! Another patriot in eagle boots on the Watergate rooftop! What are the odds? We didn't plan it. We just both showed up in the same spirit. THAT'S what this weekend was about—finding your people.

Boot sisters! Two patriots, two pairs of eagle boots, one incredible night!

 

Rooftop celebration with LED wing dancers—pure magic!

 

A toast to America—250 years of freedom!

 

850,000 fireworks. 10 launch sites. 40 minutes of pure American glory lighting up the sky over the Washington Monument. The largest fireworks display in the history of the world.

THE LIBRARY OF WHAT'S RIGHT

My father, Charlie 'Tremendous' Jones, used to say: 'I could write a book about what's wrong with America, but I could write a LIBRARY about what's right.'

This weekend? I walked through that library. And it was FULL.

The written Word of God at the Museum of the Bible. The written words of the Founders at the National Archives. Both preserved. Both protected. Both the foundation of everything we celebrated that weekend.

250 years. The longest-running continuous system of government in the history of mankind. Same Constitution. Same dream. Still standing.

And these boots? They walked every step of it.

God bless America. God bless the men and women who founded her. And God bless every single one of you who was there with me—in person or in spirit.

These boots were made for walking. And that's just what they did.