Project America Run

Soon after I decided to walk across Illinois, I heard about a group of wounded veterans who were riding their bikes across the United States to show support for our troops. I had visions of a group of slim, fit veterans flying down the road past an old, bent, somewhat chubby guy who is trudging down the roadside. These guys had wonderful sponsorship from State Farm Insurance, and a local State Farm agent was along for the ride. These guys passed through Champaign a few weeks ago.
Kudos to the Convoy of Heroes, who are riding on the Sea to Shining Sea bike ride from Oakland, California, to Virginia Beach, Virginia, about 92 days for sea to sea.
Tonight when I called my 95-year-old mom, she read me an article from a northwestern Illinois newspaper, the Prairie Advocate. Mike Ehredt, a former Illinois resident and veteran, is running across the United States, planting a flag each mile of the way in honor of a fallen U.S. service member. He’s apparently pushing a jogger-stroller, and he’s staying each night with a different host family. [I’m staying one night with a host family.] Donations go to support the fund for Honoring Our Veterans, an organization that works to better the lives of wounded warriors.
He’s ending his walk at Rockland, Maine. You can read Mike’s blog at http://projectamericarun.wordpress.com/, or you can read more about the walk at http://www.projectamericarun.com/Donate3.htm. I salute Mike for his creative and very meaningful run across the United States.
An acquaintance of mine of Army days in Germany told me that, when he was in Colorado recently, he read about a man who was walking across Colorado with a big dog. His mission was to highlight certain conditions our soldiers are enduring.
In short, my walk is neither sponsored, nor sanctioned by anyone. If I get tired walking, I just might hop on my bicycle and make up a few miles. It’s my walk, and, do or die, I’ll likely do it my way. Of course my idea is not at all an original idea. But I’m sure I’ll meet some fascinating fellow Americans and have some interesting adventures (and probably smell fairly badly by noon most days).