I spoke at Cactus Shadows high school this week.
This was the senior class only (~400 students).
Keep in mind that this was a group of seniors a few days from graduation. They were very quiet and as I have heard before, someone said "I guarantee you they were listening"
The book is coming along slowly.
Someone had sent an email offering to help, but the email was accidentally deleted before I got to read it! :)
If you are still reading please try again!
On we go...

Something very good will come from this...

Greetings,
If any of the three of you are still reading this journal, let me know and I will start posting again! :)
I have been busy over the last few months working on "the book" and speaking. On the one year anniversary of our departure on Kevin's Last Walk, I spoke to over 5000 students at high schools, junior highs and a concert that NMK put on. I was the "warm up act"!

Let me know if anyone is still reading this!

Upon further review...I have decided to get a few of my thoughts down on paper...uh, sort of like a book or something...stay tuned.
If there are things that YOU think you would like to read about in this thing I will call a "book"...let me know!

something very good will come from this...

I guess it has been awhile since I did an update!

notMYkid is planning a 5 K walk on Feb 24th of next year. Try to pencil us in if you can! The plan is to make Kevin’s last walk an annual event. The event will be at Tempe town lake. We will start from Tempe Beach park.
Please understand if you show up we will only be walking 5 kilometers (3.1 miles)…not 1400!

Also, Cassandra is putting together a binder that will have poetry, photos, journal, letters we have received, newspaper articles, etc. The plan is to send it to various national media outlets to show them what sort of impact we believe we have had on folks we met along the way…stay tuned!
It is a big project, but I am sure she will get it done!

I have now had a chance to read some of the letters we received while we were away…all I can say is…well, very cool! It is very interesting to hear what the kids had to say. They will be part of what Cassandra is putting together.

Something tells me this journey is only beginning and the best is yet to come!

Something very good will come from this…

Below is a blog I found on the internet today. WOW!

Barry Adkins' 18-year-old son, Kevin, died from alcohol poisoning. The high school senior had a party one night, got drunk, fell asleep and never woke up again. The story would have ended there if Barry allowed it to.

He didn't.

Determined to spread awareness about alcohol abuse, Barry determined he would walk 1,400 miles from his home in Gilbert, Arizona to Kalispell, Montana. Carrying Kevin's ashes and a message for other kids, he set out on February 24 -- just two day's before his son would have celebrated his 20th birthday.

Barry's message is simple: what happened to Kevin can happen to anyone; the dangers of binge drinking and alcohol abuse are very real. The ashes he carries are proof.

When asked by a local reporter why he chose to do what he's doing, Barry responded, "Think about how you would think about it in five years if you didn't do it. And when you think about it that way, an opportunity like this, to try and make an impact on some kids, will never pass this way again. It just won't."

Those words pounded in my heart. I knew I had to see Barry Adkins for myself.

With camera in hand, I set out with my two daughters to trace the part of Barry's scheduled walk nearest our home. After driving the route twice, and finding no trace of Barry, I began to ask myself why I was doing what I was doing.

Within moments, I was able to focus on the truth: One of my own family members makes frequent, potentially life-threatening decisions. A year or so ago, after doing all I could, I turned to others for help. Most found it easy to ignore me and pretend my family member no longer existed. I eventually learned to cope with their painful silence and move forward, without holding onto grudges. However, on my darkest days, I am tempted to feel there is absolutely no one who cares and that the world is an ever darkening place filled to overflowing with apathy.

Barry helped change that perception.

Someone who has suffered great loss, he -- unlike so many others in our day -- chose to overcome his greif and help others. Now, each day, he chooses to be a light in the darkness as he endeavors to touch the hearts of those whom he hopes to save from a fate similar to Kevin's.

I plan to follow Barry and Kevin on their way to Montana on a website named Kevin's Last Walk. When they arrive in Kalispell, Barry will take his son's ashes to a place where Kevin experienced some of the happiest moments of his childhood. Kevin's dream to return there will be fulfilled.

Though I never got the opportunity to meet Barry, his story has rekindled my desire to live life in a way that will allow me to be a light in the darkness. I don't yet know how my family members story will turn out but I know I will never give up. I will hold fast to the same hope Barry ends his every journal entry with: something very good will come of this.



Not sure if this person ever caught up with us!

something very good will come from this...

Well…we have arrived safely back in Arizona!

As we drove back, Bev and I talked a lot about places we stopped and what the weather was like. I guess I will have to admit…it is hard for me to believe I walked all that distance!!

I did interviews yesterday on AZTV, KTAR and channel 3 here in Phoenix.

What happens from here is something I haven’t given a great deal of thought to…but I will tell you that Kevin’s Last Walk is probably just the beginning for me…sooo…stay tuned!
I have heard many people say that something very good has come from this…and I agree…but I also believe that many, many “something very goods” can come from this!

It feels very good to be sleeping in my own bed again…but I will be leaving again tomorrow for Hershey Pa.. I will be there until Friday night.

I will do journal updates on a much less frequent basis…I am guessing maybe once a week.


Something very good will come from this…

Well…it is official! I have completed this 1400 mile journey!
Today, along with ~200 other folks I made the final 3.5 mile journey to Majestic Valley arena…and most importantly we made it safely! There were many people who worked hard to make this happen…including several members of the Montana highway patrol and the Flathead county sheriff’s office. They did a great job of getting us all there safely and I am very thankful!

I have been asked several times what it feels like to finish such a journey…well, I am not sure it has hit me just yet…so…stay tuned!
I do find it amazing that I made it all the way without a single sick day or weather day!
I can’t tell you that the weather always cooperated (because it didn’t), but I will tell you for sure that when I needed it most…the wind was at my back.

Bev will tell you that I scared her several times during this journey…and I would say, I scared me sometimes! :)

I will close by saying that there are many people to thank…and I give thanks to the good lord…clearly it was in his plans to allow us to finish this journey safely and successfully!

Something very good will come from this…

Well…it is official…we have arrived in Kalispell!!! Today Cassandra walked the last 5 miles with me to the staging area for the finish on Sunday. We actually stopped in the parking lot of Lowes…strategically next to the Starbucks! We will walk 3 miles on Sunday to Majestic Valley arena…which is ~5 miles north of Kalispell…that’s right…an extra 5 miles…which SHOULD be a “piece of cake”!!
Did I mention that we have arrived in Kalispell?

In the last 3 days I have spoke 6 different times…which is plenty for me…I started doing some math and figured out that I have spoke at least 27 times just in Idaho and Montana…it is kinda hard to believe when I stand back and look at it!

Did I mention we have arrived in Kalispell?

Maybe I should put it a different way…if any one of the three of you know anyone who bet against me…well, you might want to let them know they need to prepare to cover their bet! I think I should make it just a tad clearer…WE HAVE ARRIVED IN KALISPELL!!
Trinity, Collin and Cassandra have also arrived and I guess you all know what that means…the road manager is very tired…something about chasing after grandkids!

Dang, not sure if I mentioned something you might find interesting…we have OFFICIALLY arrived in Kalispell!!

On another subject…my one and only uncle still claims to be troubled by my remarks…but maybe only some of the time…he didn’t seem to be to deeply troubled while he was working over a piece of cake and two different flavors of ice cream…uh, that’s what you get when you have the road manager dish up your dessert…I should know she did the same thing to me!!

Three more things I need to mention before I finish…We have arrived, we are here and we are, uh, well, IN KALISPELL!

Something very good will come from this...

Yesterday we finished just outside of Kalispell. We had our friends from Missouri along to provide entertainment…Jay and Cindy did a great job. Bev says that Cindy is already certified as a road manager…hmm, I don’t think my friend Bill graduated from road manager school quite as fast!

I am now getting very close to tying a bow in this…time for everyone to start asking how it feels, what are you going to do now, are you going continue speaking, do you think “something very good” has come from this…well…ya know, I don’t think I have had time to digest all of this…for me I have been on the inside looking out and the view for me has been very different. As far as I am concerned this has been one incredible, successful journey…how it will be seen by other folks is, well…up to them to decide.
I can say that this journey has given a number of people the chance to get involved and make a difference in a way they probably didn’t know they could…which, I consider to be “something very good”.

O.K, I have had time to digest a smidge more…Yup, it feels very, very, very, very fantabulous to be here…I am going to get right back to work…I am sure that Sunday will not be the last time I tell the story about what happened to Kevin… as for “something very good”…well…stay tuned!


On a more serious note…snow on the mountains here today! It is hard to believe that we did not have one “weather day” this entire journey…as I always say “I would rather be lucky than good any day!”

I am scheduled to speak seven times this week…so I will be busy!

Can anyone tell I need to get some sleep? :)

Something very good will come from this…

Short day today. I met a 89 year old man walking along on the trail we found. He was a photographer during WWII. He still gets around quite well. I thanked him for his service to our country.

Apparently, I may not have carefully thought through a few comments I made about an uncle of mine on May 23.
It has been pointed out to me that I only have one uncle which means that a person skilled in the art of deductive reasoning (which apparently he is) could figure out who I was referring to…so I have been asked to retract my remarks regarding his ability to “tell stories”…well, uhh, mmm…maybe I am not prepared to retract those remarks just yet…I will be forwarding these remarks to my legal staff…I have also asked for any documentation that might be available to shed more light on this “situation”. The problem here is that none of us have particularly good memories…and as time goes on…well, you get the drift! :)


Something very good will come from this…

It looks like my eyelids are fine…I didn’t find any pinholes…I will check again tonight! :)

Another warm day today…several people stopped to chat with us…it seems the media has done a great job of getting the word out!

Not much else to tell you about today…so here is one of my favorite quotes:
“To laugh often and much
to win the respect of intelligent people
and affection of children; to earn the
appreciation of honest critics and
endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty, to find the best
in others; to leave the world a bit
better, whether by a healthy child
a garden patch or redeemed
social condition; to know even
one life has breathed easier because
you have lived. This is to have
succeeded.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson or Bessie Stanley (depending on which website you trust)

A toast…to all who have helped to make this happen…you are a “success”

Something very good will come from this…

We have made it to Swan lake! I will get some pictures sent in very soon…we have taken a pile of them! The weather has been warm, but very nice…as long as it isn’t snowing and blowing I’m one happy camper!

I am pleased to report that my legs have returned from being AWOL…they had no right to leave without checking with me…but at least they have returned. The road manager doesn’t think they have returned…I just got a whiff of the barn…hmm, well, it is conceivable that she could be right…duh, what happily married man isn’t married to a woman that is always right?

I guess this is where the wittiness (sp? Word?) ends…it is way past time for me to check my eyelids for pinholes…I will keep everyone posted. :)

Something very good will come from this…

We had more visitors today…one guy caught me just as we got started…he told me he plans to attend the finish in Kalispell on the first of July…and that makes it…well…counting the first person… two people that have stopped to let us know they will be at the finish!!

Much warmer day today…high somewhere around 80 degrees. I am having some problems with the gps website…tomorrow is a day off so I will see if I can sort out what the problem is!! We are ~ 50 miles from Kalispell…which doesn’t sound like much…unless, of course, you are walking! :)

As of this writing, the plan is to get to the bridge over the Flathead river by Saturday night…the reason being that I will cross it ohh…sometime around dark thirty Sunday morning when the traffic is very light (hopefully!). The bridge is narrow and fairly long soo…well you get the drift! This route will allow us to cut ~5 miles off of the walk…and to be real honest (and I always am!)…I would probably swim that dagnab river to cut 5 miles off of the walk at this point...that's right, bust out those swimmin' trunks! :)

Dang…I am on a roll tonight!...but as one of the 3 readers said to his mother when she commented that I was “witty”…don’t give him too much credit…he has 6 hours to think this stuff up every day!! :)

Something very good will come from this…

We had more visitors today…one guy caught me just as we got started…he told me he plans to attend the finish in Kalispell on the first of July…and that makes it…well…counting the first person… two people that have stopped to let us know they will be at the finish!!

Much warmer day today…high somewhere around 80 degrees. I am having some problems with the gps website…tomorrow is a day off so I will see if I can sort out what the problem is!! We are ~ 50 miles from Kalispell…which doesn’t sound like much…unless, of course, you are walking! :)

As of this writing, the plan is to get to the bridge over the Flathead river by Saturday night…the reason being that I will cross it ohh…sometime around dark thirty Sunday morning when the traffic is very light (hopefully!). The bridge is narrow and fairly long soo…well you get the drift! This route will allow us to cut ~5 miles off of the walk…and to be real honest (and I always am!)…I would probably swim that dagnab river to cut 5 miles off of the walk at this point...that's right, bust out those swimmin' trunks! :)

Dang…I am on a roll tonight!...but as one of the 3 readers said to his mother when she commented that I was “witty”…don’t give him too much credit…he has 6 hours to think this stuff up every day!! :)

Something very good will come from this…

Down through the Swan we go…mostly cloudy today with rain part of the day.

We had a nice lady by the name of Barb who stopped by to visit with us today…she wanted to get a picture of Bev and I…and one of the truck!

I need to let the three of you (or is it six now?) know that the road manager informed me in a very stern voice a few days back that she ain’t no prairie girl! I will let the reader decide what that might have been about…I can only say that she had my undivided attention!

I read an editorial in the local paper that was published last Sunday…it was a great editorial that ended with the following:

“Adkins daily online journal entries close with the prophetic statement: “something very good will come from this…”
We think it already has.”

I really do appreciate it!

Something very good will come from this…maybe many, many, “something very goods”!

No journal or gps data no internet connection!!

Things went well…a few sprinkles but overall nice day! Norm and Kim (Norm and I went to high school together) came out to visit with us…Norm walked with me and provided the entertainment.

We also had more folks stop to chat and see what we were doing!

The scenery is nice down through here but the road is narrow so I do have to watch where I am going…none of this wandering down the road chasing butterflies!

Something very good will come from this…

Happy birthday Cassandra!! Not sure how old she is…but she is young enough to be my daughter…and as a matter of fact…she is!!

I am now walking down through the Swan valley…this is without a doubt the most scenic part of the journey. This valley has several tree lined lakes and nice mountains on both sides. It is VERY green right now!

The GPS unit lost its mind today…so no data will be posted!

Someone asked Bev the other day if I was stubborn…and she said…yes…ya know, that really hurts and not only that I deeply represent…uh, I mean, I resent all that it implies…but now that I think about it perhaps I am a little teny tiny bit stubborn, but I would submit a feller needs to be just a tad stubborn to walk this far!! :)

I really do appreciate all the emails and words of encouragement!

It looks like I will be a tad busy that last week…stay tuned!

Something very good will come from this…

We have made it on to highway 83! The weather today was very good…some rain toward the end but overall very nice!
This walk up through the Swan valley will be very scenic…I am looking forward to it for a number of reasons!
Today, for the first time I walked past a road sign for Kalispell…woo hoo uh, let me repeat myself WOO HOO!!!

We are just under 110 miles from Kalispell…we plan to take tomorrow off. That means that if the good lord is willin’ and the creek don’t rise we will drop below the magical…almost mystical…dare I say mythical (yes I dare) 100 mile mark on Friday!!

Let’s all hope the wind don’t blow out of the north…cuz if I get another wiff of the barn it could get ugly!

Something very good will come from this…

Another nice day today…except for the wind! The most annoying thing about a strong head wind is the howling of the wind in your ears…after several hours of it you just want to turn it off!! This part of Montana is very beautiful (and very green this time of year). This makes the walking that much easier!
Yesterday I spoke at a church in Helmville. I had a feeling I would be speaking somewhere nearby as several people had stopped to talk to us in the last few days.
I think it went very well!

Tomorrow we will make the turn on to highway 83 which will take us into the Flathead valley! As the 3 of you know, I have not spent a lot of time thinking about how much further it is to Kalispell…it was simply to far for me to consider…but today I did lift my head up long enough to get what I think was a whiff of the barn…if the wind is blowing the right way in the next week or so, that “old horse syndrome” might just kick in and if it does my advice for anyone in my way is to…uhh, please stand aside!! :) Until then…I will keep the hat pulled down low and tight!

Something very good will come from this…

More rain today! The good news is that it only rained for about half of the walk…so I did get some relief!
Several people stopped to chat with us today…one lady came out from her house and walked down to meet me and walk back with me. We had a nice chat…lots of questions!
One guy stopped on the road and backed up to me to see if I was alright…I was afraid he was going to cause an accident!

I politely asked the road manager to write the journal today…but she told me that I don’t want her to write it because she is still working on her “rebuttal”…ahh, c’mon, this is Montana now and most of the alleged incidents occurred in Utah and Idaho…besides, most folk around here will believe me since I was born and raised here! Most boys from Montana are pretty nice feller’s!

I have also been asked if I am some sort of athlete…well allow me to tell you about my athletic prowess…my bowling and golf scores are often interchangeable (typically ~110)!!

Something very good will come from this…

Well…it turns out I have access here at these nice folks home office! This place is very quiet and peaceful! Plenty of wild animals nearby including a skunk (maybe related to Pepe le pew?) who was hanging around way to close for me…I did look out the door before I walked out this morning!

Another very nice day here! I am walking down through a valley that is very lush and green with tree covered mountains on both sides!
I had my closest call so far with dogs…three of them came running out at the last second. I moved across the road to avoid them but they followed me…I had the pepper spray out with the safety off and they were well within striking range when their owner came out a hollerin’ at them to back off! The owner didn’t say anything to me…but he did give those dogs a piece of his mind!

Something very good will come from this…

My apologies for no journal last night…but the 3 of you might want to get used to it…we are staying at a place called the Homestead just outside of Ovando…it is an absolutely beautiful place…but communication is very limited! I would guess I will be updating the journal every 2-3 days.
Yesterday was a very nice day on the road…the weather was excellent for walking…temperature in the low 50’s with clouds and a light breeze. I guess it was mother nature’s way of making up for the day before!

Several people have asked me if I think I will be in shape by the time I get to Kalispell…dunno, but if I am not, we will always think I should have been!

Something very good will come from this…

New photos have been added!

Very challenging day today…up over McDonald pass with headwinds, snow and rain all day! Some might describe it as a miserable day…I would describe it as a day when mother nature had our full attention!

My cousin Patti walked with me today…good discussion…but as usual…what is said on the road stays on the road…unless of course I think I can use it in the journal!

We also had a good discussion at the community night last night…I believe it is important for everyone to remember that the “silent majority” is going to have to step up to make a change.
There is a quote that has been attributed to Martin Luther King (maybe I have already put this in my journal)

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter”.

Something very good will come from this…

Very full day today! I spoke to somewhere around 1000 students and adults today…probably close to 400 at a community event…the largest so far…great job Jori!

I also had a surprising conversation with a young lady at the community event…she claims to be a sixth person who is reading my journal…well I guess we will see what the tribunal ascertains regarding this issue…if it is found that there is indeed six people reading this journal, this will mean that we have doubled the number of people that read this journal in just 3 months! At this rate we will be competing with Grey’s Anatomy in uh, well…as soon as they go off the air and all the people that watch it are too old to work the remote control! :)

This is as witty as I can be at this hour of the day…entirely to late for a dude like me! :)

Something very good will come from this…

Yesterday was a much needed day of rest!

Today I started the climb up to McDonald pass…it will be the second and final crossing of the continental divide. I finished the day at ~4500 feet elevation…McDonald pass is ~7 miles ahead at 6300 feet…it should provide for an entertaining day!

We had several people stop to chat with us…one couple came out from their house and brought me an apple and a bottle of huckleberry soda! We chatted for quite awhile…they had lost their son at the age of 19 in a car accident many years ago.

One of the bicyclist’s that stopped by had lost her dad to a drunk driver many years ago…as I have said before…it seems everyone has a story!

The next 2 days are filled with speaking engagements and interviews, so I will not return to the road until Wednesday.

New photos should be posted Monday or Tuesday!

Something very good will come from this…

O.K…I believe we have gotten to the bottom of one of life’s great mysteries (well maybe I got to the bottom of this mystery awhile back)…I did do a journal last night…it is below the journal from the night before…here is the deal…it appears that the server that this journal resides on is on Eastern Daylight time…so if I put in a journal entry after 10:00 P.M. the date moves to the next day and I need to manually change it back…just one tiny problem…when I do a journal entry after 10:00 at night I am usually just a smidge tired and well…I miss it! Then when I add a journal entry the next day on time, it appends it to the bottom of the journal from the night before!

Several people stopped to chat with us today…all very nice and very supportive of our effort.
Lorelle and Pam walked for a few miles with me today…Pam claims to be a 5th reader of this journal…I don’t know…I am a tad suspicious that maybe she is really the secret 4th reader…I will continue to investigate this and when I ascertain the facts regarding this issue I will provide a complete and unbiased report…stay tuned! :)

Something very good will come from this…

Very busy day for us today…I set a PR (personal record) today for the most cities I have spoke in a single day! We were in 4 cities today…3 school presentations (~600 kids) and something called a “teaser” in Helena. I guess I have to admit…I hope I never break this record! By the way…I haven’t the foggiest notion what a “teaser” is…but I did stay at a holiday inn last night!
I also did an interview with one of the local TV stations tonight. It was rather interesting…after the interview the reporter wanted to follow me around for awhile…I told him I wanted to go get a bottle of water…so as we are walking through the crowd I found a young lady (5th grade) that had a bottle of water, so I asked her where she got it…and to our surprise she turned around and said “I will only tell you if you put me on TV!!!” She made the reporter get quite a bit of tape of her…all the while giving him a hard time about whether he would actually put her on TV! She did eventually show me where I could get the water!

We also got what I would call a fortuitous flat tire…we were lucky enough to get this flat tire in town…and a passer by asked if we needed help (with all of our luggage out of the car)…I told him we were o.k. and he pointed back up the street to a tire repair shop!
We were also very lucky that it happened near a gas station as the spare was…uh, well, you might say kinda flat!

So…another dull and uneventful day!

Also, I noticed today that the media page has been updated with several TV and newspaper interviews.
I will do my best to get a fresh set of photos sent in very soon…

Something very good will come from this…

Company for the road today! Lorelle and Tracy (sp?) came out and kept us company today…I hope we kept them entertained! We also had a visitor from the local NBC affiliate…Brian had interviewed me last night and came out to get “more tape” today!
He told us that he did put that young lady on TV…I sure am glad…cuz I wouldn’t want her to be huntin’ me down!!

I would also like to mention (and since this is my journal, I think I will!) the great job that Dan did getting us in to visit with the students in the Butte area…7 schools, 5 cities in 3 days…great job Dan!

I was asked today to provide a quote to be used in promotional material and I thought it worthwhile to share with the four of you…”when you lose a child, the most you can hope for is to make something very good come from the death of your child…and that is what I am doing”.

Something very good will come from this…

Yesterday was a fairly long day…thus the lack of an official entry in the journal…

But I did think about it…and here were my thoughts…
If any of you ever do much running or working out you know that some days when you get on the road you can feel that your legs are MIA (missing in action)…but you still grind it out…well…that is the best way to describe yesterday…grinding it out!

To make matters worse the weather took a decidedly nasty turn mid morning…very strong head wind with rain…a very gnarly combination!

Today I spoke at Dillon and Butte Central high schools…probably ~350 students.

We continue to get great feedback...below are a few excerpts from the notes we have received…

…Thank you a million times over for
taking the time to speak to our kids. As a parent we can warn our children
of the dangers of alcohol and drugs but the impact is not nearly the same as
someone with first hand experience of the serious consequences. I know God
has a plan for all of us. We are here to learn and share our experiences
with others. I truly believe you are doing exactly what God had planned for
you and your family. Kevin is okay and so proud you are hearing his message
. . . something good has come from this, something great. Thank you again
for caring about our children….



Here is another one…

….I cannot express in words how pleased I am about your passion, courage, love
and honor for your son Kevin. Turning this tragic event into a positive
learning experience for our youth, parents and staff has left a lasting
impression with us all…



It is this sort of feedback that keeps me going on days like yesterday!

Something very good will come from this…

Sarah and Ed have decided to return to Arizona. The decision to come on this walk was theirs and the decision to return to Arizona was theirs.
I really do appreciate all they have done for us! I can assure you they are in great walking shape!

I want to reassure everyone that we will press on to Kalispell!

I crossed the mighty Missouri today! The bridge was very narrow…I think it scared Bev more than it scared me. The radios from Mobile Phone sure came in handy! Bev was coaching me…letting me know what was coming…of course she has accused me of ignoring her warnings and going anyway…I don’t know why she makes these kind of accusations…I guess she will have to challenge the call and let the replay booth have a look at it!

I wrote another poem last night…it is a bit of work in process, but thought I would share it with the four of you!

I wish I could have been there with you


When you left on that bright warm day
To warm you when the wind and rain froze you
Every time you told the story about what happened to me

To see those kids who came up to thank you

To see your face when you met those people

When you’re your body ached and your feet were tired and sore

When you felt you couldn’t go any more

When you found out who your friends are

When you crossed that high mountain pass

To the land I now call mine

You were my son…you were

It was good to get back on the road again!
We had a nice chat with a gentleman by the name of Jay…he is riding his bike from southern Colorado to Jasper Alberta! We talked for a while about “the road”…he said that taking a trip like this changes your perspective of time and distance…amen brother!

The weather was very nice today. Tomorrow we will probably take a slight detour on a gravel road that will get us off of the main highway for ~18 miles. It won’t save any miles and it does have a few hills…but it does get me off of this stretch of road that has no shoulders and cars flying by at ~75 MPH…I had the closest call so far today with a vehicle…actually a big truck passing someone going the same direction I am…I think his mirror went over my head!...guess there are advantages to being short! :)

Something very good will come from this…

Bev and I have arrived back in Three Forks…no snow over the continental divide this time!
I spoke at two schools in Butte today…somewhere around 150 students.
At the first school the students had to sit on the gym floor for 45 minutes to listen to me…one of the teachers told me afterwards that the students were the quietest she had ever seen!

The speaking engagements page has been updated with most of the Montana dates…for those of you keeping score at home!

I was asked what I would say to Kevin today if I could say something to him…I told them I would say…I miss you very much.

Something very good will come from this…

I spoke today at Bigfork middle school and Swan River elementary school.
My cousin Shawn has a daughter by the name of Emily who attends Bigfork middle school. Emily introduced me at Bigfork middle school…you did a great job Emily…thanks!
Between the two schools I spoke to somewhere between 180 and 200 students.

Bev and I have arrived in Butte. Tomorrow I will speak at two more schools and then we will head back to Three Forks where Sarah and Ed are anxiously waiting to get back on the road! :) We will hit the road again on Saturday.

I have found that the principals of the schools I have spoke at have all been very caring and want what is best for their students…and that includes the 3 principals we met on this trip to Kalispell…keep up the good work guys!!

Something very good will come from this…

What is this world coming to? I know, there are certainties like death, taxes and certain people doing their daily journals that one hopes they can count on.! :)

We had dinner at my uncle’s house last night and it was very late when I remembered…uh, actually, I was reminded by the V.P. of the complaint department. :)

I have to say that my uncle (name purposely omitted in case of legal action) is very skilled in the art of story telling, taking things out of context and perhaps exaggerating things just a smidge…sure hope I can be as good as he is some day! :)

Today I did three radio, one TV and two newspaper interviews today. I also spoke at a Polson high school community night.
We will be at Bigfork middle school at 8:00 in the morning so that means I best get some shut eye!

Something very good will come from this…

Top 4 ways you know you are in Montana:
1. Yesterday the high was 80 degrees, tomorrow there is snow in the forecast!
2. Old pickup, 3 guys in the front wearing cowboy hats, and a dog in the back!
3. Dude, it’s green!
4. The antelope and cattle outnumber the people!

By the way…3 guys in a pickup wearing cowboy hats…which one is the real cowboy?

Today was much cooler…rain and hail the last ~2 hours! The air was very crisp and clean. We have dropped down to ~4100 feet in elevation. Most of the road today was very narrow with no shoulders…which was kinda scary, but the drivers were all very good…they would move way over or if traffic was coming the other way, they would slow down and then move over!
We crossed over the Jefferson River and now we are walking very near it.

Tomorrow we head for Kalispell for 2 days, then back to Butte for 1 day on Friday. Several speaking engagements and a few interviews…I will be sure to give a full report!!

The one in the middle is the real cowboy…cuz he don’t have to drive and he don’t hafta git out and git the gate! :)

Something very good will come from this…

Nice rolling hills, lots of clouds and no rain…at least not when we were walking!
Very nice day today…welcome relief from the bright sunshine! I would guess the high was in the low 60’s.
Sarah and Bev got as close as they probably ever will to a wild antelope today.
It seems that the antelope around here won’t jump a fence…they always go under it…not sure if that is true of all antelope! So these 2 antelope got separated from the rest of the herd that crossed the road ahead of Ed and I. We watched these 2 run along the road going back and forth for ~ two miles trying to find a way through the fence. We radioed Bev and Sarah and told them that there were 2 antelope headed there way…the antelope would turn and run back toward us and then run toward the chase vehicle…back and forth. Finally when we got close one went under the fence and the other one ran right in front of the chase vehicle…maybe 20 feet away…photos will be posted!

We have seen hundreds of antelope through this area…there may be more antelope than cattle around here!!

By the way…Bev says she is working on a rebuttal…so I need to lay low and be on my best behavior and hope she forgets…oh yea, I forgot, I’ve been told that most women never forget…hmm, maybe I need to move to plan B (as soon as I come up with it that is).

I may have recruited a fourth person to read this journal…but he told me I should try to make it interesting…not just a report on how far I walked each day…well, uh, O.K Ram, I will see what I can do to provide you with some entertainment! I realize that a man of your stature is not easily entertained, but I will do my best!

Something very good will come from this…

Nice climb today that was missed somehow in the scouting report. The hill wasn’t too big…somewhere around 800 feet of elevation gain. It was up one side and down the other! We climbed up out of the valley where Ennis sits. I hear that the fishing in this area is as good as it gets in the lower 48!

We had a steady tail wind most of the time which helped a great deal!

Sarah and I were rained on toward the end…we actually ran the last ¼ mile because I was worried that it may hail on us!
A truck actually pulled over in the rainstorm and asked us if we would like a ride somewhere…very nice of them!

“A wife and steady employment have ruined many a good duck hunter”

Something very good will come from this…

Technically, I slept until 7:15 this morning. I did have one minor noise disaster prior to that…I might have forgot to turn off the alarm clock on my phone…so I guess you know what happened at 5:30 this morning...oops!

I did my best to rest my legs and stay out of Bev’s way all day!
I did add another TV interview in Kalispell next week. It will be a very busy trip!

The weather forecast is for much cooler weather in the next few days…should be interesting!

Something very good will come from this…

We have arrived in Ennis!
There is a barber shop right on main street…so I decided to stop in and have them clean up this old hippie…it was sorely needed...besides, we are in Montana now and they might not take too kindly to an old hippie walking down the highway! :)
The walk today was nicer than yesterday…there were a few streams and trees today.

It was another very warm day here…somewhere around 80 degrees…man am I going to have a problem when we return to Phoenix in July!

Tomorrow will be a day off from walking! It will be my first day off in ~56 days!
I think Bev, Sarah and Ed are looking forward to it also! I can assure all three of you that I am absolutely positive I will sleep in…until at least 6:00 A.M.! Bev doesn’t think I will make it that late…I will be very, very, quiet when I wake up…and if I am not…well…we will always think I should have been! :)

Sarah shared some shocking, absolutely stunning news with me today…she thinks more people watch Grey’s Anatomy than read this journal…huh? You mean there are more than three people that watch Grey’s Anatomy? :)

Something very good will come from this…

New photos have been posted!
Today was not a particularly exciting walk…there, I said it! We descended into a very wide open valley…it is very flat here with grass on both sides. We can see beautiful mountains in the distance.
We did have a few folks stop and talk to us…one lady wanted to get a picture of Ed and I…hope I didn’t mess up the camera! :)

There are still a number (and I do mean quite a few) of stops that we are trying to get firmed up in Montana…and as usual, I mean the “royal we”. I know there are several people working hard to make it all happen. As we get things firmed up maybe we can get them posted on the website for everyone?

Today, Bev did growl several times at me. I think she should listen to the advice of our grand daughter Trinity, who told her “stop growling at pop pop, it could become a habit!”…I couldn’t have said it better! By the way, Bev keeps saying she is going to defend herself and write a rebuttal to all of these things…uh, well, I’m quaking in my boots. To be fair (for once) I have taken one or two things out of context or perhaps, maybe, possibly had a tiny, tiny case of selective memory :)

As always, the entire road crew is doing a fantabulous job keeping me moving!

Something very good will come from this…

Much warmer day today…and no headwind! We also had some nice clouds in the afternoon to give me a little bit of shade…I could use it, I managed to get wind/sun burned yesterday…it’s always something!!!
Sarah and I followed along the Madison river…beautiful river…the kind of river I could spend all day next to…uh, oh yea, I guess I did!
I can only describe the homes in this area as “high rent”…these are the kind of homes that if you have to ask the price…you can’t afford it! :)

We are sliding ahead just a little bit…Sarah and the road manager think it would be neat if we finish one day at the hotel…which is great except it means more miles…as the road manager said…it’s only .7 miles extra a day…what’s the big deal?...uh, nothing dear, just park the chase vehicle where I get to collapse..uh, I mean stop! :)

Also, I wanted to thank the “significant others” (Nancy, Joy and Judy) of the boys for giving them a “kitchen pass” for mothers day weekend…uh, or was this their gift to you? :)
Either way, I hope you had a happy mothers day!

Something very good will come from this…

Idaho in the rear view mirror!
Interesting day today…much cooler…I think the high was in the 50’s with a very strong headwind! This made it very interesting getting up over the continental divide and into Montana!
We peaked out at ~6900 feet elevation when we crossed the continental divide!

I have to say, even though I know it is symbolic…it does feel good to finally be in “big sky country”!!

Something very good will come from this…

The boys (Doug, Bill and John) made a return visit to us on the road…Doug and John accompanied Sarah and I for 6 miles. Bev says that Bill is gradgimatated (or maybe she has given up trying to train him) and now is an official road manager!
I have known these guys for over 25 years! Bill has always been on the cutting edge of technology…he was the first guy I knew that actually bought a VCR!

We did not quite make it to Montana today…it was bit further than I thought!

Tomorrow we will walk into Montana and also move our base to Ennis Montana.

Something very good will come from this…

Folks, it don’t get any better than this! The weather was very nice…big billowy white clouds, park like pine trees, big river flowing through the area…and Ed and I saw a cow moose standing in the river!

Now, back to the conspiracy issue…it turns out the conspiracy was more widespread than initially reported…it now includes my daughter Cassandra…it seems one of the conspirators told her what was going on…and she didn’t even tell her dear old dad!

There is a possibility that we will make the Montana/Idaho border tomorrow…not real sure of the distances, but we will see!

Since tomorrow is mother’s day, I thought I should tell a small story about my mom...I was in ~6th grade, living in Alaska. Mom and Dad had taken all 6 of us kids fishing somewhere in the interior of Alaska. It was a very windy morning and we were camped in a sandy area…I was the first kid up that morning and mom handed me some pancakes…as I started to eat them I noticed black specs in them that looked like pepper to me…I turned to mom and asked “why did you put pepper in the pancakes?”…to which she replied quietly and without moving her lips…”that’s not pepper it’s sand and you better not say one word to the other kids if you know what’s good for you”…well let’s just say I knew what was good for me! :)

My mom died ~6 years ago from Leukemia…I guess she is looking after Kevin now!

I miss them both very much.

Happy mothers day mom! Also happy mothers day to any mothers reading this…maybe the fourth person is a mother? :)

Something very good will come from this…

I know, I know, I know…I didn’t get the journal done last night! No excuses…I just need to suck it up…I don’t need any stinkin’ sleep anyway!
The past 4 days have been the busiest so far…4 TV interviews, two newspaper interviews, 10 presentations with ~1400 attendees, walked 40 miles…and uhh, that’s it…a partridge in a pear tree! Which begs the question…what is the partridge doing in the pear tree? :)

Yesterday I told Bev I was going to put on my yellow bandana and she said…why, is your hair getting in your eyes? :)

When I spoke at the Idaho Falls family intervention facility, one of the ladies said that I didn’t look anything like what she expected…she said she expected a big burly mountain man with a beard…hmm..well I guess a short scrawny bald dude will have to suffice! :)

A giant conspiracy has surfaced today…a conspiracy that has been in the works for some time now…a conspiracy that involved the road manager and 3 very good friends, a conspiracy that involved them showing up this morning on the road and surprising me!
Doug, Bill and John showed up at the first rest stop…as Sarah and I approached I could see we had company…which sounded good…but as I got closer I could see that one of them was leaned against the hood of my truck…something one wouldn’t expect from a complete stranger…then as we got even closer I could see that they were sitting in my chairs…what’s up with that?
Finally I saw who it was…Doug and John walked 11 miles with us while Bill went into intensive training to become a road manager some day…photos will be coming soon!

We made our way out of the Snake river basin and up into the mountains of northern Idaho…good sized hill for Doug and John to climb with us….somewhere around 1000 feet of elevation gain. We finished the day around 6300 feet!

Thanks boys!

Something very good will come from this…

I forgot one very important thing they brought with them...real lemonade....mmm good! I have always liked real lemonade...seems now it tastes even better!

Another long day...but very very good. We were at the Idaho Falls family recovery center for two presentations...I think it went well.

It is completely and totally (yup, 100%) past my bedtime...and those that know me know I need my beauty rest...desparately! :)

I am going to check my eyelids for pinholes...stay tuned :)

something very good will come from this...

Another “extended” day today!
The crowd at Blackfoot high school was the largest so far...somewhere between 1100 and 1200!
I also spoke at Fort Hall twice today.

I am often warned that the students may not be well behaved and I often hear the principal give the students a very stern talking too about behavior prior to introducing me…but I have to say, the students at all the schools have been very well behaved and very respectful…once again today, at Blackfoot with 1100 students in the room, you could hear a pin drop most of the time…except, of course at the end when the Q&A session started. It is funny how it works, it takes one student to be brave enough to ask a question in front of 1100 other students and then the flood gates open and I get tons of questions.

It is way, weigh, way past Mrs. Adkins’ little boys’ bedtime :)

Something very good will come from this…

Today we left the hotel at 8:15 A.M. and returned around 8:15 P.M…I guess we only had a “half day” today!
Four presentations, two TV interviews, 3.5 miles of walking and ~120 miles of driving…and oh yea that big dog with an attitude on the loose…while I’m no Dr. Doolittle I think he was making it abundantly clear that I am not on his Christmas card list! :)

Pop pop is a sleepy boy

Something very good will come from this…

Much nicer today…high was ~60 with big billowy clouds with great visibility. Many of the mountains in the area appear to have significant snow left. I also think we could see into Wyoming…not absolutely sure but I think we could see the Grand Tetons!

We are past Idaho Falls. We are trying to weave around highway 20…we are not sure if we can walk on it…it looks like a freeway, but not sure…if there is a fourth person reading this maybe they can tell me?

Breaking news…please consider this official written notice that there may not be a journal everyday this week…I will do my best, but as the schedule stands today I will be telling Kevin’s story 10 times between now and Thursday night…these folks here in Idaho know how to keep a feller outta mischief! Oh, and by the way…doing my best to keep moving north!

Something very good will come from this

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Another nice day of flat and straight…except for a couple of minor weather issues…like 32 degrees, snow and wind blowing in our face all day…I’m a tellin’ ya…that hot shower felt extraordinarily good today…no check that…it felt fantabulous! :)
The snow did not stick in the valley floor here, but it did cover the mountains nicely!

We made it into Idaho Falls today…the road is not exactly pedestrian friendly!

I did pass a milestone sometime in the last month that I thought was kinda neat…since Kevin’s death, I have shared the story about what happened to Kevin with over 10,000 students…the number now is ~11,000!

Something very good will come from this…

Much nicer day today…no wind!
This area is very flat…there are the neatest trees here…I heard they were a “black cottonwood”, but not sure on that…all I know is that there is a lot of them and they are huge…many of them have trunks that are 5-6 feet in diameter!!

This morning two nice ladies from Wappello school stopped by with brownies and milk for us…maybe we looked like we needed it? Their names are Toni and Brandy…thank you very much…they were wise enough to bring some cold milk with them…it’s tough to beat brownies and cold milk…mmm good…it don’t get much better than that!!

I have officially retired 3 pair of shoes…I used the new ones today and came to the conclusion that those old shoes are toast, history, shot, gone, kaput! I have decided they will be left with Kevin’s ashes in Montana…

Tomorrow we should make it to Idaho Falls.

Something very good will come from this…

Whitecaps in the bathtub today! We started out the morning at 38 degrees with average winds of around 30 MPH…which means it felt just a tad chilly!
Sarah said it was cold this morning and I said…yup, with the wind it does feel cold…to which she replied, no dad, it IS cold…uhh, well, I guess I can’t argue that one! :)

Today was about as flat and straight as we will ever see…which got me to thinkin’ about what lurks ahead…the mountains of northern Idaho and Montana along with two crossings of the continental divide!

We found out today that there was an article about the walk in a local newspaper. We discovered this at a small store on the Fort Hall Indian reservation. The lady there was kind enough to cut the article out of the paper for us.

Then, when we were almost off the reservation a reporter from another paper stopped to chat with us…we had to move behind her car for a windbreak so we could hear! While we were stopped someone from the Shoshone Bannock tribe smoke shop brought us out a few gifts…Buffalo jerky and water…very nice of them..thanks!

Next week is shaping up to be very busy, including a “community night” Monday night in Blackfoot and Thursday night in Idaho Falls. We will also be at two different high schools in Blackfoot. We are also trying to get something set up at Fort Hall next week…uhh, well, I mean the “royal we”…as in several other folks are trying to get it scheduled…all I do is the walking and talking! Megan at NotMYkid has been doing her best to shoe horn in what she can!
Something very good will come from this…

Warmest morning since Gilbert! I started out the morning in my long sleeve T shirt!

Nice walk through Pocatello!

Not that I have been paying close attention…but the cemetery here in Pocatello is the nicest one I have seen so far…pretty profound information to be posted in a journal…huh? It really was nice…many huge shade trees!

We also had a nice couple come up to visit with us…the lady said they saw us through the window of a restaurant, so she ate quickly and came out to see us…very nice folks…they called a local TV station…we shall see what happens!

I thought I would share one of the emails we received…

Today (May 02, 2007) my sister that lives in Pocatello Idaho gave me a call and
told me to rush to my computer. She started rambling check \'mykid.com\' I
did, daycare providers? Try \'notmykid.com\', Site coming soon. Search
\'Kevin\'s last walk\'. As I sat and read to her, we both were crying.
I wish I had the opportunity to highlight you in our community when you came
through. My sister will try, with such short notice, to take the opportunity
to stop by in Pocatello tonight.
We both came to the conclusion, with the recent passing of our grandfather
on Saturday morning, that things like this need to be presented to youth and
teenagers with no 'hiding' or 'non-talk' about the facts. We need to be
open and honest as our children ask question.
Thank you for your dedication to those schools you visit, and for the
countless hours of walking and teaching.
May God bless you on your journey as you find peace and solace. In times of deep sorrow, frustration, or what feelings you may have come upon you, remember thousands of angels are walking every step with you.
May you finish the journey with safety!



I really do appreciate all the feedback…thank you very much!

Something very good will come from this…

Too many loose dogs to keep track of today…but confrontation was avoided in all cases…maybe we are just lucky!?
Sarah and I did manage to get in almost 13 miles today…then we took of for Preston high school…~150 students that were very well behaved!
As I have said many times before…my favorite part of any presentation is when students come up afterwards and thank me…I may never know what “something very good” is, but I will do what I can to make it happen.
The principal said that he gauges students’ attention by how quiet they are…we believe we had their full attention!

I do have one small problem to share here…I am getting just a smidge tired of Cliff bars!
I just don’t know how many more I can eat…to that end, the road manager is out getting a few things that I can “supplement” the Cliff bars with…don’t get me wrong here…they are great nutrition and I have eaten very, very, very, very many of them!

Something very good will come from this…

Ed and I had what I would call…a close encounter with a couple of Dobermans with a bit of an attitude…all ended peacefully. The dogs appeared to be loose but they did not come across the road after us…a neighbor down the road said he thinks they have one of those “invisible fences”…hmm, not sure if he is correct…how does one determine if there is an “invisible fence” between you and a couple of dogs with attitude? :)


Another very warm day here…high in the low 80’s with not much wind today…felt very warm!
The road we are on has almost no traffic…which I am diggin’

Quote of the day: “I have it under control, don’t you worry your pretty little head about it…dear”
The word “dear” was used in such a tone to lead one to believe she may not have really meant to say “dear”. :)

O.K., for the 3 of you that read this…the first thing people ask when I talk to them is…how are you holding up?
Well, here is the update on me…big news here, easy… you may want to sit down for this breaking news…I am holding up fine…uhh, well guess maybe it wasn’t that big of a story…everyone that sat down can stand up to read the rest of this…feel like you are in church yet? :)
The truth is, don’t ready the rockin’ chair for me just yet cuz I ain’t ready for it …but I do occasionally contemplate a big shade tree, nice comfortable chair and a tall glass of lemonade when I finish this journey! :)

Something very good will come from this..

We have officially left Utah…moved to the Ramada hotel in Pocatello.

Today was another very warm day…high was in the low 80’s. We did have a slight breeze helping us most of the day. We are still in a very large valley with I-15 getting very close. The mountains still have some snow…but not much. Not much in the way of trees nearby…mostly pastures and farmland.

There is a country song that has some words that go something like this…”I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance”…I have learned that I don’t fear those mountains in the distance…but I do find myself wondering…am I going over those mountains or around them? :)

It is almost past my bedtime and my feet have not received the kind, loving, undivided attention they have come to expect…I guess I better get crackin’ if I want to go night night soon! :)

Something very good will come from this…

No gps information will be posted for today…I forgot to shut it off when I was through walking. We were most of the way back to town before I noticed it…so the data won’t make much sense…silly me! So my version of it is we did another 14 miles today. You may notice in my previous GPS data that I have been walking a little slower…believe it or not…this is by design. Being the sharp cookie that I am…after 750 miles I figured out that if I walk a little slower…maybe 1 minute a mile slower…that my feet don’t hurt…quite as much! I am tellin’ ya…nothin’, but nothin’ gets by this cat!! :)

We finished ~4 miles past the tiny town of Swan Valley.

At the 12 mile rest point there was a bunch of cowboys out doing what cowboys do…one of them was a sheriff’s deputy by the name of Ken Geddes (sp?). If I understand correctly, he helped set up our next speaking engagement in Preston Idaho! Ken brought us down and tried to feed us…but I was pretty filled up with Cytomax…very nice of him! They were branding the calves and uh, well…let’s just say they were going to have some very fresh rocky mountain oysters…yum, yum!! :)

We will be leaving Utah for good tomorrow…next hotel stop is in Pocatello Idaho.

Something very good will come from this…

This was our first full day in Idaho…the weather is starting to warm up!
Evidence of the weather warming up can be found in the exponential increase in Gatorade and Cytomax usage! Bev just went to a GNC store and bought out there Cytomax supply!
It would appear that I am going to have to retire some shoes soon…I have had 3 pair of shoes in the starting lineup since we left…and they are starting to look a tad worn!
I am not sure at this point what the retirement looks like for these shoes…I have 3 choices…throw them out (not too likely!), leave them with Kevin’s ashes, or retire them to the ring of honor (the rafters in my garage at home). :)
On that subject, I also have some socks that…well, uhh, maybe they have seen their better days…that bag balm is tough on socks!! :)
Not sure I have ever explained how the system works (as of today anyway). I re apply the bag balm every three miles, change shoes and socks at 6 or 9 miles depending on how I feel…and, oh yea, maybe how cold it is…my toes did get cold a few times!!!

If we have space to roll out a mat, I roll it out and lay down on the mat and stretch…also usually have Bev stretch me…I do need help! One more thing that I am not above doing on the mat…yup, that’s right, oh yea baby…taking a nice cat nap! :)

Nice article in the Standard Examiner today…except for the picture of the pudgy bald, short old dude…that’s right…visual proof I have not been under fed on this journey!
To read the article click on the media page on our website or go to: http://www.standard.net/live.php/news/102907/

Something very good will come from this…

The sign says “welcome to Idaho”…well…thanks! I am pleased to be here! :)
We have finally passed through Utah…after ~35 days we are finally through Utah! I wonder how long you have to be here to be a resident? :)

We only managed 6 miles today…but not to worry…we are still slightly ahead of schedule.

I spoke in Logan and Ben Lomond high school in Ogden today…somewhere around 350 students.
My thanks to Lanny and Megan for making this happen on very short notice. I think it went very well. Lanny also had some students play Amazing Grace with bag pipes and drums after my talk…thank you very very much…I am sure Kevin approved!
There was reporter from the Standard Examiner there…not sure when the article will run?
Lanny said he forwarded my “letter from heaven” to several other teachers.

A good friend of mine sent me the words to a Garth Brooks song I thought I would pass along…if we all do what we can, we can make a difference.

One hand
Reaches out
And pulls a lost soul from harm
While a thousand more go unspoken for
They say what good have you done
By saving just this one
It's like whispering a prayer
In the fury of a storm

And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know
That it will not change me

This heart
Still believes
The love and mercy still exist
While all the hatred rage and so many say
That love is all but pointless in madness such as this
It's like trying to stop a fire
With the moisture from a kiss
As long as one heart still holds on
Then hope is never really gone
What I do is so
This world will know
That it will not change me

Thanks Val!

Something very good will come from this…

We are finally on highway 91 headed for Pocatello! It took several meetings of the routing committee, hand written directions and well…let’s call it what it was…hand holding! :)
The highway sign says we are 75 miles from Pocatello.

Today at our first stop by a dairy one of the dairy truck drivers came out to talk to Bev and find out what we were up to. After Bev filled him in he told her about his 5 year old son that died ~20 years ago and he started tearing up. I have heard the wound scabs over, but never heals…as he told me…we should never have to bury our children…amen brother.

We also ran into some construction today. One of the construction workers asked how far we were walking, so I told him about what we were doing. He said “well I suppose you do have their attention walking this far”… well,… I suppose he is right!

Tomorrow will be a very busy day…we will do our best to get 6 or 7 miles in before we speak in Logan and then it is on to Ogden at 1:40.

I have already received a phone call because this journal is not up yet…no rest for the wicked!!! :))

Given the discussion with the dairy truck driver today, I wanted to close with one of my poems…

I hope
The idea for this poem came after I went to pick up Kevin’s ashes. I thought about all the things I had been through lately and thought…I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy!

I hope you never pick out your son’s casket
I hope you never have to tell your daughters that their brother is gone
I hope you never have to decide whether to cremate or bury your son
I hope you never have to pick the songs for your son’s memorial
I hope you never have to pick the pictures for your son’s memorial video
I hope you never have to go pick up your son’s ashes
I hope you never have to go pick up your son’s death certificates
I hope you never have to prepare to speak at your son’s memorial
I hope you never have to read your son’s obituary
I hope you hug your kids everyday

I hope you cherish every day you have with them
I hope what is important is now very clear
I hope you hold all who are dear very close to your heart
I hope you you find your joy and purpose in life
I hope you find a way to make your dreams come true


Something very good will come from this…

Quote of the day: I have the truck keys and the truck…ya wanna keep talkin’? :)

Ed and I got a nice break from the highway today. We found a dirt road short cut.

The weather is improving day by day…it is plenty warm enough already for us…high today was probably in the 60’s.

I renamed the road we were on today…Loose Dog Lane…way to many loose dogs for me! I have found that as long as I stay on the opposite side of the road from the dogs they don’t tend to cross the road…so far! :)

We are almost back to highway 91 just north of Logan.

The support crew (Sarah, Ed and Bev) seem to be holding up well and are all doing a great job keeping me moving!


Something very good will come from this…

Busy day today…I spoke at West high school in Salt Lake City and then beat feet up north to get in a few miles…I managed to get in ~10 miles today.
Channel 4 and 5 here in Salt Lake City showed up at West high school…I saw the news piece on channel 5, but not yet on channel 4!!

Toward the end of the day today, I had a good head wind and rain…all I would have needed was a wash cloth and I could have scratched washing my face off my list before I got to the hotel…maybe I otta throw in a wash cloth with those baby wipes?...then you could call me king multi-tasker! :)

Yesterday, Sarah and I saw something that I can safely say we had never seen before…and hopefully won’t see again…We were walking up highway 38 which is kinda rural and winding with not much of a shoulder in many places, which is usually O.K. because traffic is light when we saw this large RV coming our way at a pretty good clip…when the RV got closer it was obvious they were not going to move over…and there walking back and forth in front of the driver on the dashboard was a medium sized dog…Sarah and I went ahead and moved over for them!!!! :))

I want to thank those who have been writing in…your words of encouragement are very much appreciated…keep’m comin’!!
I have come to realize that there are so many powerful stories out there!

The next speaking engagement scheduled is in Logan on Thursday…we are trying to add one in Ogden on the same day…what will be, will be…I hope it works out!

Something very good will come from this…

Light rain most of the day today…high was in the mid 50’s with no wind…not bad!

I forgot to mention that yesterday Ed and I had a close call with a dog…I may have taken the safety off of the pepper spray…the dog came charging out of nowhere…gave the old ticker a jump! When the dog got close I decided to try option one…act like I was really glad to see him…and it worked!

There was an antique store where we stopped yesterday…surprisingly Bev went in to check it out! It turns out, the owner of the store lost her son to drugs and then suicide. She has spoke in several states about what happened to her son…oddly enough she told Bev that she finds it very therapeutic to tell the story about what happened to her son…hoping something good can come from it.
Today at our first rest point the cashier came out and told Bev about losing her daughter in a drunk driving accident…she was the drunk driver. She left 3 kids behind when she died.

As I have said before, everyone seems to have a story about how alcohol has impacted their lives…there has to be something that can be done.

Something very good will come from this…

Sit down, shut up and start eating! (low growling noise)…anonymous :)

I guess I was told! I can’t believe anyone would talk to a nice boy like me that way! :)

Great day today…big billowy clouds, blue sky, no wind, the sounds of folks mowing there grass, the smell of fresh cut grass (my favorite) and the faint smell of a fireplace…need I say more?

It has come to my attention that we are past the halfway point in this journey…the only comment I will make about that is that Kalispell is still far away…I will keep my hat pulled down low and tight, focus on the road ahead and worry about where I am at some point in the future.

Probably of more importance is the fact that at this moment my jacket is having its first look at the inside of a washing machine!...I know what at least two of you are thinking…c’mon it wasn’t THAT bad! :)

Something very good will come from this…

With all of the