The Start of the Journey April 2005 – Oceanside, CA
In the beginning of this journey my wife April wrote most of the journals; some where things that I told her and some where her own. If I have never thanked her for the tireless support I do so now.
4/10/05 - 9 miles - Today was the start day. I met up with Dave and Heather from Adventure16, and 10NEWS was there to see me off. Adventure16 was really great. They helped me fit the pack and find the perfect shoes, plus they showed up two hours early to help me out. Those guys are awesome and if you happen to stop by let them know that you read about them on this site.
Once all that was done I was on my way. The pack became an issue really quickly because of the extra padding that I have on me. I needed to adjust it several times before it sat correctly. It actually took about three miles before I finally got it right. After that I hardly noticed the pack.
I walked nine miles today from Adventure16 to Mission and College. I hope to get to I15 tomorrow. After that I turn North and head to Temecula. Starting out is definitely the hardest part. First, it takes a while to really get warmed up and secondly, because your head is still busy with thoughts of things going on in the real world.
I think that it will take a few days to get into a good walking rhythm and then to focus on my inner thoughts. - Steve
4/11/05 - 10 miles - Steve fell today. He has nasty looking wounds on his arm and leg. Check the picture page. Steve thinks it's cool. He ran out of water at mile 9 and said that not having water at regular intervals definitely affects your pace, even though he had over a gallon today. I am sure he won't make that mistake again. A couple of people yelled obscenities. Some kids threw a big gulp cup at him. At least they missed. But more importantly, most people yelled out encouraging remarks. It has really kept him upbeat despite the pain and discomfort. The occasional ***hole doesn't have any affect. Steve says he is probably getting payback from things he did when he was a young ignoramus anyway.
Today's big event was the development of a huge blister on his heel and as usual he wanted the picture to be posted on the pictures page. -April
4/12/05 - Rested - Well I was sidelined today because of the blister on my heel. One of the things that I am trying to learn is to take better care of myself. So even though I had not planned on having a day off until Saturday, I decided that the blister needed to heal a bit before I continued. I did not want it to be a bigger problem later. The other discovery of the day was that a small spider had taken up residence in my left ear. What is the deal with my left side anyway? I have the blister on the left foot, the scrapes on the left leg and arm and now a passenger in my left ear. Well I got the squatter out and cleaned the bejeesuss out of my ear, of course.
Creepy as it was I have actually had worse invaders when out in the field. If you were in the infantry then you know what I mean. If not, then just ask someone who was. There is some creepy stuff out there but it is all part of the program.
I have been getting some really nice emails and I truly appreciate them. It really is motivating to know that people want to see me succeed. So I will try my best to keep the journal posted for everyone to show my appreciation.
Tomorrow morning I will be calling in from the road to Ruggy and Chris on the Brand X radio show on 91X. They wanted me to give them an update on the progress so please tune in to the show and check it out. - Steve
4/14/05 - 5 miles - Today was a bit of a let down. First I was having a hard time with the blister on my heel and then the frame of my pack broke into two pieces. It was not the frames fault though. It is a great pack but I think that I overloaded it and when I was putting it down the lower frame bent and cracked. After several days it finally just snapped.
I was in the middle of nowhere when it happened and if this were any other time I would have been very pissed and discouraged. However, I tried to make the best of the situation and place the pack in the best position that I could and carry on. I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to carry the pack this way for 6-7 miles before I could address the problem. So I just got back onto the road and kept on going. Then out of nowhere, like the Calvary, Doug from Adventure 16 pulls over in front of me and stops. I must admit I was surprised. . . and relieved. He had come out to find me so that he could help me with my shoes (remember the blister? Well I do!).
So after quick inspection Doug determined that the frame was shot and had to be replaced. So he took me all the way back to A16 and replaced the pack without any hesitation at all. In fact he repacked the new one for me, swapped some of my heavier equipment for newer and lighter stuff, eliminating 16 lbs. He got the pack loaded and refitted and it wears even better that before. Those guys are awesome!
Oh yeah, he fixed my shoe and even doctored up the blister. I don't feel it when I am walking at all now. Second skin and some medical tape is all that was needed and I can hardly tell that there is anything there.
Finally, Doug taught me to tie my shoes. I thought that I had this down but I was wrong. Using his way you can tie it tighter, it stays longer and comes loose with one tug.
My daughter Melanie is not very happy about the time that I am going to be gone so I have been trying to spend time with my family while I am still in San Diego county and this has worked out well. However, tomorrow will be the last time that we all can meet for lunch and I am not looking forward to having to say goodbye for six months. So in a way I am glad that all of the bugs are getting worked out while I am still within reasonable driving distance from home. It means that I have had more time with Melanie than I thought I would. Every down has an up!
Well tomorrow is another day and I hope to get through Temecula and prepare for my trip over the mountains. - Steve
4/15/05 - Back on the road again. 930 am and it is a beautiful day. This morning has been pretty uneventful except that I met two people on the way. First there was a guy who was checking his mail and wondering where I was headed. I told him and even gave him one of the cards that I made that explains what I am doing. I don't think he was convinced. Then I met Sarah Hammer from Temecula. She is a cyclist, and old 395 is where she practices. She emailed me yesterday and said that she would be keeping an eye out for me. So, she stopped and chatted for a couple of minutes. She was very nice, I just hope all my encounters will be nice. I continued on my way but I did see her again on her return trip. I finally made it up and over the hill leading into Temecula by late afternoon and started looking for a good place to camp. I came across an awesome site, but it was way too early to stop. Unfortunately there was not another nice place like that again for the rest of the day. Instead, I found an elevated field next to an all night taco shop. I found a reasonably good hiding spot there and dug in for the night. My feet are very sore and hot. I am relying mainly on my Reebok shoes because they fit the best, but it would be nice to be able to trade them out more often. Well, that is all for tonight.
4/16/05- I spoke with Steve this morning. He stopped for the night on a hilltop off of Old Town Front Street in Temecula. His total is up to about 32 miles right now. Already this morning though, he is up to Murrieta. I think he has also decided to take the route through Barstow instead of going through Palm Desert. Outside of the teenagers throwing rocks at his tent last night, he has had nothing but well-wishers. Now that his feet and pack are taken care of, I think he will start making some serious progress. I am hoping he can stop somewhere tomorrow for a weigh-in. Steve was interviewed today for the local paper here in Valley Center, The Roadrunner. The reporter came all the way to Murrieta to meet him. There are some mistakes in the article but overall it was good. Also channel10 KGTV News here in San Diego has posted coverage of Steve's journey on their site. Click here!
4/17/05 - AM Last night Carol Gauthier kindly offered to let me stay at her home in Murrieta. I am not very good at accepting help and actually sat under a tree for two hours convincing myself, before I was able to accept her offer. She and her roommate, Sara were very considerate and interested in the details of my journey and it's purpose and that made it much easier for me. On the photos page you will find pictures of them and also their neighbor Ally. To them I owe a great night's sleep and a wonderful breakfast. I sincerely appreciate their company and kind words. The world would be a better place with more people like them. I am working my way out of Murrieta today and following the route parallel to Interstate 215 north. I still have shoe issues, but my spirits are in better condition. Thanks again, Carol, Sara, and Ally.
4/17/05 - PM Got a new pair of skins today. Nike Air size 12. Awesome! I normally wear 11 but with the socks that I am wearing I decided that the 12's just fit better. It is funny how something that is normally a minor incident in one's life becomes epic when you are involved in something like this. I got going up Antelope road to Scott St where I had to camp out. I got a late start today and was only able to complete a few miles. There is always tomorrow. The camp site that I found was away from any businesses or homes so I felt pretty secure. However, I was still only able to sleep for 45-60 minutes at a time. You always have it your mind that someone is creeping up on you. I am sure that I will get more comfortable as time goes by . . . That is, when someone will probably sneak up on me. Oh hell now I've done it, scared myself. No not really, I find it pretty relaxing camping out. It is very free and unrestricted.
4/18/05 - Woke up this morning in a pretty relaxed state. It was very cold last night but I have an awesome sleeping bag and stayed very toasty all night. It looks as though it might be an overcast day toady. That might be good, because it will give my foot some time to cool down while walking.
Purged more non-essentials today and I believe that there is nothing left to purge. The pack is probably as light as it is going to get. I need to rethink how I am going to carry the extra water when I get to the more open areas. 8.3 lbs. per gallon adds up really fast out here.
My second toe on the right foot, right next to a blister is starting to swell now. I was seriously thinking that I might need to take a day off and let it recover but instead decided to stick it out and continue on to Sun City today.
For lunch I had my freeze dried Lasagna meal, Doug at A16 said that these meals were pretty good. Note to self, remember to take Doug out to eat at a nice Italian Restaurant as he has obviously never been. Well it isn't four star dining out here, but it is food and in that sense wasn't so bad. After lunch the sun came out and the day was perfect. Nice and warm with a cool breeze, now this is living.
Oh no! My plan to take Antelope all the way to Sun City went bust. Antelope is a dead end. I had two choices. One was to turn around and go back to find another route or I could jump the fence and walk on the freeway to Sun City. Neither sounded good because of the lost mileage and I am gravitationally challenged. It would be some trick to heave my big butt over that fence. I have learned so far though, that where there is a will, there is always a way. The fence along the freeway actually did not go all the way to the ground by an irrigation ditch and so I decided to go under, instead of over. It worked out great. I got to the freeway and only one mile to the next exit. As soon as I stepped on to the freeway there must have been an alarm at the Highway Patrol office because in the twenty minutes that it took me to walk to the exit, three CHP officers came by and gave me some hassle about getting off the freeway.
I then, found a library in Sun City and was able to email April to let her know I was still here. Then, I did a Mapquest search to find better directions for the rest of my walk to Cajon pass.
4/19/05- Steve stopped at the Sun City Library last night to send me an e-mail message. He is sounding kind of down. He has another blister and he is a little dejected about his progress so far. It is very difficult to judge his true condition without being able to speak with him on the telephone. It makes me sad to hear that he is having a hard time. Here is an excerpt from an e-mail message he sent to me.
"I feel pretty certain that I am going to be rained on today. So I took a chance and washed my shirt( oh my god, the junk that can out of it...) even though I have no way to dry it. I figured that if it does rain, at least I will be clean and wet. If it doesn't rain, I will eventually be clean and dry. Either way I have a clean shirt for a couple of days."
"I had a look at myself in the mirror today and it is shocking. The skin has lost its tension because of the overall weight loss and it looks like I am ill. Loose and jiggly. At least when you are fat you look . . . right!?! Well you know what I mean. Well, I have to go now. More road awaits. I am hoping to make it to the intersection of Nevada Ave and Ramona Expressway by nightfall." Also he had a nice conversation with a woman in Sun City who was walking her dog. They were Betty and Milo, Steve wanted to remember to say Hi to them.
4/20/05 - Made it to Perris today and was lucky enough to happen upon their library. There, I met Ben and his friend Katherine. Very nice coupe and really helpful with information about the next leg of the trip. I posted my daily email and found out that the Riverside Press-Enterprise wanted to do an interview. So, I made the arrangements for the reporter, Shannon Star, to meet me on the way. After the interview I made my way to the Ramona Expressway and found a place to camp. I was actually very tired and fell asleep before the sun set. For me that is difficult because I prefer it to be very dark when I sleep. I slept very well compared to other nights.
The only difficulty today was my clothes. My fancy hiking pants keep splitting up the middle. I have re-sewn them twice but they continue to rip open. When they do, I don't really have the luxury of stopping to change. So I wind up walking along with my keester hanging out. I am going to ditch these for some plain old regular shorts.
4/22/05 - I have been resting my feet all day today so that I can get back to putting some miles away. I have read quite a bit about blisters now and come to realize that I am not managing my feet properly. I have a new strategy and will start it tomorrow morning. First thing is, I have made a really smelly foot lubrication concoction from a recipe that I found on the internet. Here is the recipe for the goop if you are interested. Secondly, I have matched all of my socks to the shoe that they fit best. This will allow for the best fit and minimize friction, which is the main cause of blisters. So today I have been barefoot all day to allow the final blister to heal-up and be ready for some real hiking tomorrow.
Off to Riverside in the morning and after that I will really be making some time, because my route will more closely follow the interstate instead of meandering around small towns.
I spoke with my sister Leeann today and she was telling me that she has had a lot of positive feedback from her co-workers at Perkins Restaurant in Boardman, Ohio. Especially Abby who apparently is a big follower of my journey. I have to say that this kind of support means a great deal to me and really helps when I am doubting myself. So thanks to Abby and all of the people there at Perkins. . . does this mean that I get some free pie or something when I stop in there. My route goes right past them on Rt. 224 to my sister's house. I will definitely stop by there to say, "hi," . . .even if there is no pie.
For those who are interested in the details I have decided to add my timeframe sheet to the site. This is the plan that I have worked out to detail where I will be during what time. It is not fancy, it is simply an information sheet. Click here!
And finally I need to address a little guy named Chris that goes to school with my niece Rachel. Chris, she is my niece and she was telling the truth about me walking across the states, So there. : )
4/23/05 - The Press-Enterprise newspaper article was published about Steve's walk today. It was well done and very respectful. If you want to see it, here is the link. Click here!
Steve Wrote - " I had a tough time getting started again today. First, I lost my map through Riverside County and had to go back to the library and get it again. What an idiot! Who loses his map? That is so rookie. After getting started late, I decided that I would walk until 8 or 9 tonight to make up some miles. I normally start looking for a campsite between 5 and 6. I walked from Cajalco Expwy & Ramona Expwy up over the hill to the Air Force golf course on Van Buren. I also found that Mapquest is not always accurate. I had to cut across March ARB my road disappeared. Luckily, cutting across this place actually saved me some mileage.
On the way up here a truck pulled over to where I was and a couple of clowns jumped out and rushed me. No, literally Clowns! Rayito and Florecita were really excited, as clowns normally are, and wished me the best of luck, a couple of Semper Fi's, gave me a flashy smiling face necklace, and were off as fast as they had appeared.
I found a great place to camp tonight, and not a minute too soon. My leg is getting really achy and I didn't want to go much further. I found a nice spot next to The General Old golf course. I don't know whether I am allowed to here, but either way I am dug in. After getting camp set up I actually could not get comfortable and thought that I would be up all night, but I got a really good rest."
4/24/05 - Today was an eventful day for Steve! Many different people met up with him to offer encouragement including a retired Marine, a mother and her kids, and a scout group with friends. Check the photo page for his meeting with the scouts.
"Today my sons and I set out to find your husband Steve as he came through Riverside. At one point, he put down his backpack to put his rain slicker in it after the rain stopped and asked my kids to try to pick up the pack. We all tried, but couldn't. (My kids are 12, 11, and 6 and pretty big for their age.) I don't know how anyone could carry that pack for any distance. -Julie, Neko, Eric, and Daniel
Thanks to some local supporters, (Jolene, Rich, and Joey) he had a warm dry place to sleep and good conversation before checking in. Jolene sent this, "He's in our kitchen as I type this, chatting with my brother. He's showered, his clothes are in the washer, and he's icing his sore leg."
Steve Wrote - "I think that I must have slept with my knee bent at an awkward angle or something. After about a half mile though, I hardly noticed it anymore. I am glad that I am here in California while I get all of the kinks worked out but DAMN lets spread them out a bit. After a couple of miles I stopped at a Jack in the Box to get out of the rain for a bit and to get cleaned up. While there, I met two really nice people, Ty who works there, and Steve After talking for a while he told a customer about it and that guy looked me right in the face and said "you're not going to make it." just like that....Uh thanks!
After getting underway again, I turned onto Trautwein and had a really nice relaxing walk in the rain. I spoke with April when I found a phone and she told me that several people would be out looking for me today. I am looking forward to a little company onthe road.
Eventually, I was located by my first of several visitors. Julie and her three boys walked with me for quite a while. I was a nice addition to an already nice walk. To Julie, Eric, Niko and Daniel I say thanks for the company. That afternoon after my break, I was met by MadBob the retired Marine. He checked in on me to give some encouragement and to see whether I needed anything. For those of you who don't know much about the Marine Corps just understand that it truly is a brotherhood. That never leaves you, even after you have left. This is what they mean by "Once a Marine, Always a Marine."
After another few miles I ran into the Briggs family. They were awesome. Curtis, Vickie and the kids stayed with me for a while despite the traffic. They drove all the way up from Temecula to find me for a visit. We took pictures and the kids got grossed out by my blisters. They gave me a phone card so I can keep in touch with home and I appreciate their support. It is people like these that remind me that the world is a great place. The generosity and kindness of people have been overwhelming and both are making this trip much easier. Riverside County has really come alive. Cool place, cool people.
By the time I had met up with the Briggs my left knee had really fallen apart. It had been getting more sore all day. After the Briggs left I was limping pretty severely and it was starting to affect my hips. I decided I would take up an offer of a place to stay, but needed to find a telephone to make the call. Of course, that phone was a few miles away. I was really agonizing over the knee pain and starting to worry that I was doing some real damage.
Eventually I made it into downtown Riverside. After walking around for 30 minutes or so I finally found a payphone and called April to ell her what was going on. She called Rich and Jolene in Moreno Valley and Jolene sent her brother Joey to get me.
I arrived at Rich and Jolene's house and felt at ease before I even walked through the front door. Awesome people! I had an shower and then great conversation. Jolene is really funny and Joey is the "evil Hawaiian" with a wicked sense of humor. We stayed up until Rich came home from school. Rich was kind enough to check out my knee, which by that time, was just killing me. It did not seem to be seriously damaged and I thought a cold compress and a good sleep would fix it right up . . . I was wrong.
4/25/05 - 4/26/05 - When I woke up my knee was much worse. There is definitely something wrong in there. I did not mention it to my hosts, because I knew they would insist that I stay and I did not want to impose. Anyway, I thought that after I stretched it out a bit my knee would be better. Rich dropped me off downtown. After about a mile, it was obvious I was not going to be able to go too far. I made arrangements to stay with Mike and Susan at the Circle Inn in Pedley, CA. Susan is really into what I am doing and wants to be involved in it somehow. I stayed with them for two days while I rested the knee. They were very kind and helpful and I won't forget it. While I was there, Channel 25 news and the San Diego Union-Tribune came out to do interviews. April will post them to the site when the are published.
4/27/05 - My knee was feeling better this morning, though still a bit achy. It popped a couple of times this morning but I thought the popping might be good. It felt like the knee cap was out of place or something. I headed out for Etiwanda to go north, but mistakenly took Mission which took me west instead. After a mid-course correction, I wound up here, at the Ontario Mills mall. By the time I reached the mall, the pain in my knee was excruciating. After I made it here, I really started to get upset. Not because of the pain, but because I cannot face the possibility that I may have a serious injury and this trip might very well have ended for me tonight. I absolutely cannot fail at this, because to do so means that I am going to fail at living, fail my kids and my wife. I am sitting here waiting for April to come up from San Diego to get me so that I can go to the Doctor. I know there are doctors up here, but there is nowhere to camp and I have about $30 in my pocket.
If my knee is screwed up then I will have to finish this walk with a crutch because I cannot stop here. I cannot face failing here. I cannot believe that I may be looking at the end, stopped by something like this.
When I was a kid I had and accident involving a metal pipe that entered my knee while I was sliding in the yard. It lodged itself under my kneecap and had to be removed by a Doctor. I hope that this has nothing to do with my old injury. That would spell the end, I am sure.
All of this has changed my mind about a cell phone. April was pushed for one from the beginning, but I didn't think a phone was absolutely necessary. All of this drama is taking it's toll on her and I feel really bad about that.
I cannot put any pressure on the left leg at all now. I am stuck here until she arrives. It's about a two hour drive from San Diego.
There was just a car crash outside of the window here. A rollover hit and run. Someone is trapped in the car and I can do nothing to help him. I am sitting here with the others and not lending a hand. I don't know which is worse the knee or failing to help that guy.
How far can you hike on crutches with a backpack? How much does a crutch weigh? What am I going to do If I can't walk? I feel like a fool.
April finally picked me up. She tried to carry my backpack and I got pretty offended by that, so I carried it myself. On the way home she tried to make me feel better, but since I have pledged I would be honest in my journal, I have to admit that I cried. I feel horrible. I had to leave my pack in the van because I can't carry it any more.
4/28/05 - GOOD FREAKIN' NEWS - I have stretched and strained a lateral whosyamawhatsits tendon in my knee. It is not life threatening and will heal with some anti-inflammatory medicine (naprosyn) and everyone's old pal, Vicodin. The doctor said I could be back on the road in a week. (I am sure that he meant to say three days though.) I am taking the medicine and planning to get back to Ontario on Sunday. The Doctor said that the only issue is the pain and if I take the medicine with me, three days rest will probably be enough. I am relieved, I practically had one foot over the ledge worrying about not being able to complete the walk.
The damage was probably caused when I took that tumble in Oceanside. It was minor then, but not resting or stretching properly since, I have aggravated the original problem. The tendon swelled up and started to work my knee over. Well, there is another mistake I won't make again. In my haste and over-eagerness I have sacrificed my personal well-being. When will I learn? Today!
4/29/05 - Feeling much better this morning. I would really like to leave tomorrow, but I made a decision to rest until Sunday. Plus, I don't think April will let me go anyway, so enough said.
She was in a dark and nasty mood last night and I was really concerned, but as usual, I was as sensitive as a bull in a china shop. She finally did decide to talk to me about it after a while though, . . . at 430 am. I just got up to use the rest room and the next thing I know we were "talking". Well, she felt better after that I think, so it is ok that it was zero dark thirty, I guess.
Rest, rest, rest today. Sunday I am on the road! Had plenty of time to screw around with the website as you probably noticed. Let me know what you think about the improvements.
4/30/05 - The knee is feeling better today and I have decided that unless something drastic happens between now and then, that I am definitely going to get back on the road tomorrow.
I have established a yahoo group about this walk. I was thinking that it might be a good forum for people to voice their opinions, tell there stories or do whatever else they would like to. So please take a look. Thefatmanwalking Group
May 2005 in California
5/1/05 - I woke up this morning feeling great. My little monsters where using me as a pommel horse while engaged in a rather serious pillow fight. Melanie fell off the bed which was unusual because that is normally Marc's role. April was off somewhere keeping herself busy, as usual, and my knee was a little sore, but much better that before.
This is livin'! I can tell that this is going to be a great day for me.
April dropped me off at the Ontario Mills Mall, where I was picked up a few days before. I didn't want to tell her, but my leg was still bothering me a lot. I would rather walk just a few miles per day than sit at home getting weaker. As a result of continuing to walk though, my right leg is aching and swelling because I am compensating for the injury to my left.
Okay, so I'm getting hungry. I called April and it is 9:45 when I get off the phone. I head across the street to Jack-in-the Box and they won't let me in. They don't close until 10:00, but they must think I'm homeless and will cause trouble or something. So, I had to walk another half mile or so before I could find someplace else to get some food. I slept in an open field behind some stores close to Masi and Foothill in Ontario.
5/2/05 - I made it to Baseline and American today, but my leg is still bothering me. I have to stop and stretch it every 200-300 ft, so it's slowing me down considerably. I camped out next to the Heritage Community Park pool. I am really needing a shower now.
5/3/05 - Union Tribune published and article about Steve's walk this morning. To see it click here. Thank you very much to J. Harry Jones, a very nice guy and respectful author. Also, thank you to all the people that have sent us encouragement and offered to help.
From Steve: My leg is feeling a lot better today. I have "black toe" on both of my big toes now. That's a where your toe keeps hammering into the top of your shoe and causes pressure and build-up of blood under the toe. It was very painful until I was able to puncture the nail and bleed it out. I made it to Baseline and Citrus where I met someone from San Diego interested in the story. Later, Bill and Barbara Keys picked me up from Sierra and took me back to their home in San Bernadino. They are great people, were very kind, and corrected my route to include roads that will actually take me up the pass.
Later that night, John Fike came by the Keys home to drop off some of their product for me to try, Revv and ZealO2. Check out their site, here.
5/4/05 - Mighty 1090 completed a very successful radio interview with Steve this morning. They also volunteered to procure a cellular phone for Steve to keep in contact with the DJs. Tune in between 6 and 10am weekly for words from the road with Scott & BR. They will be sending a link to the interview on Mighty's web-site for those of you that missed it. We are very grateful, and I am very relieved. Thanks guys.
From Steve: Foot Efx volunteered some super shoes and custom-fitted inserts. I can't tell you what a difference it made. I waddled into their store, walking on the sides of my aching feet. By the time these guys were finished, my feet weren't an issue at all. My legs felt better, I was walking in a straight line, and I was assured not to have a problem with black toe again. Rick and everyone at the Redlands Foot Efx store were great and I can't tell you how much I appreciate the help. Additionally, they put me up in a hotel for the night.
5/5/05 - Another radio interview. Jeff and Jer on 100.7 Jack Radio in San Diego interviewed Steve this morning. They were very supportive of his journey and the reasons behind it. Here is a link to their site.
5/6/05 - Bill Keys has decided to walk with me over the next couple of days, maybe as far as over the Cajon Pass. I can't tell you how much I appreciate having a little company along the way. Bill narrowly avoided a heart attack a few months ago and started walking to get his heart healthy. I am honored to have his company for a short while.
5/7/05 - I don't know if it's the company (Bill is still walking with me) or having rested my leg well, but I am making some serious progress now. Well, compared to how far I was able to go just a few days ago.
5/8/05 - April has had some difficulty updating the website, because my brother-in-law Jeff, was in a car accident last weekend. So, my wife and kids are headed to Albuquerque, NM to help him out and visit, now that he's out of the hospital. Sorry about the delay. Anyway, I got to see them for lunch today. Everyone got to meet the Keys and it was nice to see the kids. More good news, I covered somewhere between 10 and 12 miles today. I feel great, excepting my feet. Bill and I had to remove our shoes to get through a stream. (I won't be following his directions from now on). Walking through the water and rocks tore our feet up, but there wasn't another way to the other side of the stream without backtracking miles and miles.
5/9/05 - Heavy rains and cold wind had me camped out most of the day today, but I did manage to get some more of those grueling uphill miles behind me.
5/10/05 - Steve did a radio interview at a Tucson station this morning along with another Jeff and Jer show. He said a convoy of Marines went past him and yelled stuff at him. I said, "Well, what kind of things did they yell?" He said, "You know, Marine stuff." So, if you're a Marine, I guess you know what kind of things would be yelled. I did confirm though, that it was a positive experience. No one yelled negative things. He accomplished 6-7 miles of Cajon Pass, although he said it felt like 20. He is just shy of the summit though, the rest is downhill.
He is suffering a little through the cold and wind up there at about 3200ft. Thank you to the U.S. Marine Corp for helping Steve through this. It means a great deal to him.
Steve says, "Bill walked with me again today. We started at Cajon Creek and 66. The road dead-ended so we had to climb up an embankment to get to the I-15 freeway. Here, I re-injured my knee. I checked into a hotel to take a day off to rest my leg and body." He mentioned that the staff at the Best Western Cajon Pass was generally very rude this is a well-known stop over for hikers and they even have a hikers sign in book which makes the general mood of the staff even stranger. The manager was especially unpleasant and seemed to enjoy seeing Steve in pain. He rested the following day. I think he has worked a day of rest into his schedule to let his body recover from so much walking.
5/11/05 - Steve tried to get some rest today. He made a couple of phone calls and caught up on what's happening with the kids. He may have overdone it or caught a virus, because he didn't get any sleep. He was nauseous with hot and cold flashes.
I should mention here that I received several nasty emails about the website. Apparently Steve and I owe the media and the public an apology for not updating the website in a timely manner and allowing it to exceed bandwidth. Well, I do apologize about the website. As I mentioned my brother was in a car accident. He was ejected from a vehicle during the accident and landed on the highway median. I didn't have access to the internet until we arrived at his house. It took us two days to get here. So sorry to inconvenience anyone who was planning their day around the journal page. Also, I am sorry about exceeding the bandwidth for the site. Truly, I had no expectation that so many people would be interested enough in Steve's story to require more than what we had. As soon as I found out, I asked about increasing the bandwidth and will try to keep a closer eye on it in the future.
5/12/05 - The biggest obstacle for Steve in this first part of the journey was the Cajon Pass. With a 6% grade, it is a huge accomplishment for him to achieve. The last leg of the Cajon Pass was walked today and he entered Hesperia. The lack of sleep from the previous night combined with the difficult walk today had it's consequences. After they crested the pass, Bill and Steve stopped to get some water and Steve vomited. He stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel courtesy of Larry from Airtrash.com.
5/13/05 - Today was an interesting day because I still am not feeling right and I was recognized and approached by people several times. Once, while I was getting water at an AM/PM a guy from Escondido happened to be getting gas there and asked if I was "that guy". He was really encouraging and got me off to a good start. But it got weirder. I was taking my midday break in a FFR (Fast food restaurant) when these two guys came in and sat in the booth next to me. One of the guys was telling the other about this Forrest Lump guy who was walking across the states to lose weight. The second guy did not believe him though. It was a surreal moment for me as you might imagine. I was reluctant to say anything to them, but I finally said that they were talking about me....they looked at me light I was hitting on them or something. After I gave them a "Steve was here" card and assured them that they were not my type I told them why I am doing this. Their reaction was not exciting and I felt sort of weird about it, but as they were leaving the restaurant one of them shouted. "Dude, your awesome!". I appreciated the sentiment, but was embarrassed by the looks it drew from the other patrons.
After getting on my way, a Hesperia Sheriff's Deputy pulled over and told me that he had just come from an accident and one of the people involved was out looking for me. He seemed to be tickled by the synchronicity. 6 degrees of separation from Steve kind of thing. Well there were several other "sightings" but none as interesting as these three. It was a notable day for me nonetheless. I got a hotel room today, because I am still feeling pretty bad and need "facilities".
5/14/05 - Dave the documentary guy stopped by and took me to breakfast today and that was a nice distraction from my normal mornings. We talked about this guy who was coming up to see me today. April called me and said that he owns a company in San Diego and is affiliated with John Fike from Revv. He told April that he wants to support the whole journey because he wants to make sure that I am able to make it to New York. It really sounds interesting and Dave wants to be their to tape the interaction.
Well, a guy from (name and company name withheld) came by with his PR person. They both were very dynamic and motivated people. The first thing that they did was put a cell phone on the table and said. "others promised to help you, but we deliver". He said that if I was agreeable, he would be willing to provide me with whatever I needed to get to New York. I have to admit that these guys are a blessing because this thing has been difficult for my family and me. But I was skeptical thinking, "what do these guys want from me for this help?" He said that he admires what I am doing and wants to help from a philanthropic standpoint. If I like the product they provide, then great we can talk about advertising on my site. But if I don't like i,t he still wants to be a part of my journey. I will say that I appreciate their interest in helping me and they have come at a great time.
April, her Mom and my children stopped by on the way back from Albuquerque and they got to meet (the potential sponsors). It was chaotic but very nice for everyone to meet. When they all had cleared out though, I was happy with the calm and quiet again. I don't understand why, but I am still feeling really sick. There are moments when I feel well, but not very often. I thought I had mild heat stroke when I got to the top of pass, but I'm thinking now I may be sick with something else.
June 2005 – still in California
6/1/05 - Yesterday, Dave (the documentary guy) went to visit Steve and get some material of him in the desert terrain. He brought Steve lots of packaged food and dry Gatorade mix. It seemed like a very eventful day. Steve covered a lot of ground. He walked about 4 miles in the morning and about 9-10 miles in the evening. He was trying to adjust to walking at night, but he said he was having a difficult time waking himself. As soon as the temperature was comfortable enough to get some real rest, it was time to start walking. So, he is going back to walking twice per day. He will walk early in the morning until it starts to get really hot, and then walk again late in the afternoon, until he begins to get very tired. When Steve got tired last night, Dave pulled his jeep to the side of the road and sunk to the tailgate into the sand. Apparently, the desert contains elephant-sized gophers, and as a result, trap unknowing travelers in their holes for later consumption. That's the rumor anyway.
6/4/05 - It was an eventful weekend. On Friday, a reporter from The North County Times went up to see Steve in Ludlow for an interview and some photos. As the reporter was preparing to leave and Steve was arranging his pack for travel, his pack broke. Yes, for the second time, he was completely stuck because his pack was almost immovable where the frame was broken. Luckily, the reporter was still there and offered to take Steve back to Barstow where he would have a chance of obtaining a replacement.
Apparently, there are no packs made that can tolerate the weight that Steve has been carrying. Through the desert, he has had to carry as much as 80 lbs., mostly water. The North County Times reporter, Gary, brought Steve's broken pack back down to Escondido and thankfully, Adventure 16 agreed to replace it . . . again. There were really only two options available to Steve that could solve his pack issues. 1) There is some sort of pull-along behind sled that could carry the extra weight . It would attach to the frame of his pack and it was inexpensive, but didn't look sturdy enough and cumbersome. 2) A few people have suggested a jogging stroller to carry the extra water. That seemed to be the only viable solution, so we replaced the pack and got a jogging stroller (thanks to a couple of real pals).
Steve wasn't too keen on the whole idea of pushing a stroller, but what choice did he have? He has to carry enough water to get him through two-three days of desert at a time. He can't put that weight in his pack, apparently it just can't cope with the weight. I dropped off his stuff in Barstow on Saturday evening and took him back to Ludlow on Sunday. He had an opportunity to visit with the kids and me for a while. I think it was the best visit we've had since he started this journey. Our family is actually being brought closer instead of farther apart. We are all making changes and sacrifices and when Steve has finished what he set out to accomplish, we will be a stronger and more cohesive family.
After repacking everything into his new backpack and organizing things, I think he felt a lot better about the walk ahead of him. It was interesting to hear some of his stories of the road that he was reminded of on the drive back from Barstow. He doesn't like saying goodbye to the family, but he is excited about what lies ahead.
Just one more thing . . . Several people have sent messages or made comments about how this 'pilgrimage' is an unfair burden on our family. Steve thought I should post this reply that I made to one of those messages, in case this is something you are concerned about.
Steve actually is not a success yet. He has taken steps to change his life for the better, but internally, he has not yet been able to make changes on the inside. He needs time, reflection, and duress to force himself into making the long term changes that will keep him around for his family in the long term. We have already been able to visit with him probably 7 or 8 times in the almost two months he has been away. We stayed with him a hotel once and had to bring him back to the house twice. While he was in San Diego County and Temecula, we had lunch with him nearly every day. I plan to visit him on Father's Day, he will be in Arizona by then and again, when he gets to Albuquerque where my brother lives. We will probably meet up with him in Ohio, (if we can swing it) him and his relatives. This will be a great adventure for the kids and when he has finished, my daughter will be very proud of him on many levels. It is difficult sometimes, but this is a necessary departure. If he were in the military again, we would go just as long sometimes without seeing him. At least, this is for our future. I am not worried about money. Like he said, "We can get more stuff". My daughter and son cannot get another father. He has my 100% support in this. I have known him since I was 14. We have been a couple for 10 years. I know what will happen if he comes home now. He hasn't found the answers yet and for those people that haven't suffered through the kinds of things that he has probably just wouldn't understand. It is because he has a responsibility to us that he is putting himself through this. We don't have a complete family. The kids miss out on having their dad involved in their lives more. Steve and I both grew up without our fathers and neither one of us want that for our children. What if he decided not to go after all. What if he decided to wait six months, and died of a heart attack in the meantime. There is no time like the present. We will do the best that we can and there are many people that succeed with less than what we have. We are strong and determined and that is what we have on our side. I don't mean to convince you. Some people just aren't going to get it. Alcoholics get it. People who have serious addictions understand the difficulty and the necessity for a mental "journey". The path is different for everyone, and for Steve, this is it. This is the thing that will work. I would rather say goodbye for 6 months than have him half here for the next 5 and have to say goodbye forever. I know he will work it out on the road. We don't have insurance or the money for surgery, besides that wouldn't fix his internal problems. He would be left with a mess of a body and a mess in his head. There are many people that climb mountains, hike, or bike dangerous territory with children at home. What Steve is doing isn't even really dangerous. It's just scary. He is smart enough not to do himself in and we are lucky enough to have plenty of support here at home. It is the hard part, the adversity that makes us stronger as a family. Thank you for your thoughts. I appreciate where you are coming from. This isn't my ideal life, but we don't get to choose. It is what it is, and we have to make the best of it. This is making the best of it. -April
6/7/05 - So far, the jogging stroller isn't working out so well. Steve's feet keep kicking the wheels and it's difficult to push without leaning forward a little. What Steve has decided to do is lighten his load. His generic equipment is heavy and bulky. His feet are iron-clad now, so the foot goop, tape, blister band-aids are all going. With some equipment revisions he can get his pack down to 40-45 lbs including food and water for three days. Thank you for the suggestions that were emailed, the experienced hikers have really helped us figure things out.
Some of the items he carries may not be necessary, so Adventure 16 is going to outfit his pack with more ideal gear. Kelty is looking into a pack that has a sturdier frame. If you should happen to need any outdoor equipment, check out A-16. These guys are really helpful and know their stuff. If you do, drop me a line and let me know which store you visited. It would be nice to know we helped them in some small way after all they have done for us.
I am still working on the web site to try to get it more organized and enable the maps. I will do my best. It may take a week or so to see any changes, but it's in progress. Steve ran out of battery juice, so I won't know where he is until he can get stuff recharged or someone meets up with him.
6/9/05 - Steve slept in the Amboy Post Office lobby last night. The employees were kind enough to recharge his equipment and introduce him to a couple of the local residents. Steve says, the desert must turn people crazy. There are a lot of nice people, but you can tell they've been 'touched'. I wonder how long it takes . . .
6/11/05 - Steve was about 50 miles from Needles today. He wanted me to give a special thanks to Janice and Francine from the Amboy Post Office. They kindly stored his discarded gear until Dave could come pick it up on his next visit out. We have been lucky enough to be able to communicate here and there when there is cell service. I am pleasantly surprised about the number of people that have volunteered to see him and bring supplies. Friday, Marcel Becker CEO of JCI Metal Products dropped off supplies and sandwich fixin's on his way to Vegas.
6/14/05 - Today Steve ran out of water in Essex. He started walking a little earlier than he usually does and as a result, used water more quickly. There is a tire shop in Essex that gave him some water and gave him a ride to the truck stop close by where he could refill and get some food. I didn't realize until today that he has only been eating Cliff Bars and the food volunteers have brought. He didn't have any fuel for his stove so he hasn't been able to eat any of those dehydrated meals he is carrying. He has a couple more blisters, I guess from working in some new shoes, and the site of his tick bite is a little infected. Other than that, still hot, still desolate. I think he is ready for a rest and no doubt, a shower.
6/16/05 - After Essex, Steve reviewed what lay ahead on route 66 and he decided to risk walking on the freeway for a stint. Apparently over the next 40 miles there is one building and it is abandoned. With a lack of resources on 66, he opted for the freeway I-40. Sometime on Wednesday, he was discovered and halted by law enforcement. He was threatened with jail or a ticket, but a Cal Trans guy, John, had been watching out for him. Luckily, John spotted Steve talking to the officer and offered to get him off the freeway. So, Steve is in Needles for a much needed break. He hasn't had a shower in at least a week. His blisters have become far worse and his shoe springs have broken through the soles again. I planned to meet him this weekend in Needles for Father's Day, but the shoe store's corporate office is in Las Vegas. He got there on Thursday night (shuttle), and the kids and I are just going to meet him there. His uncles live in Vegas, whom I have never met, and it will be nice for the kids to meet their cousins. Anyway, I will not be writing back until Monday. I am coming back Sunday afternoon, but I anticipate chaos when I get home. Until Monday . . .
6/20/05 - It was unbelievably hot in Needles. I was proud of Steve's accomplishments so far, but I must admit to having a new respect for what he's been through. Driving back home on the freeway (not the longer route 66), it occurred to me how much Steve has really been through. The ups and downs, the heat and lack of shade or resources, must have been daunting and grueling. Tuesday is supposed to be 115 degrees in Needles. I look forward to his climb into the higher elevations where there is a little more shade, and cooler temperatures.
The foot exam went well. Steve's feet are in good shape with the exception of his two recovering blisters, but those don't bother him now that they have healed a little. The Foot EFX team graciously hosted us at the Tuscany in Las Vegas and saw that Steve was outfitted into new shoes with a spare. With the temperatures that Steve is walking in and the miles he is traveling, Dr. Rehm (the podiatrist) recommended new shoes at least every two-three weeks.
The kids and I probably won't see Steve again until Albuquerque, so I hope this next leg goes quickly.
6/22/05 - The longest day of the year was a very hot one. Steve spent most of the day talking to people and hanging out in the library. Thank you to Cindy and Rick Lidster for bringing out fresh fruit and pleasant company. Also, Deputy Moyer, Deputy Bauer, and Sgt. Pitts of Needles. I have not been able to speak with him today, to find out how far he went last night, but of course, I will post when I can. He plans to take the N. 95 to a road that cuts over to Oatman and from there, head northwest to Kingman. From Kingman he can follow route 66, which runs parallel to the I-40 over to Williams and Flagstaff.
Finally in Arizona
6/23/05 - Steve isn't seeing the mileage he would like to. He is having a difficult time adjusting to the drastic change in temperature. It stays hot late into the night, so walking is extremely difficult, even then. It was 117 degrees yesterday (Wednesday), and probably close to 100 degrees again late into the night. He has decided to get up even earlier and start walking at around 4 a.m. or 4:30.
On the lighter side, he got to swim in the Colorado River. The water was cold and the current, strong. After getting his shirt wet, it was like air conditioning in his tent and he had a nice little cat-nap.
Special thanks to the kind folks at Southwest Cardiovascular Associates. They weighed Steve and let him rest for a bit out of the sun. Dr. Jacobsen and Tracy Goetz made particular effort to ensure Steve's comfort and reinforced his pocketbook. Please check out our supporter's page which includes a list of all the people who have helped out. Generous Americans have contributed time, their homes, food from their tables and their hard earned dollars to help Steve complete his aim. You all have my infinite gratitude and a special place in my heart.
6/25/05 - Today Steve is about 20 miles outside of Kingman. He is testing out his trekking poles up the mountain and reports a definite advantage in using them, although his hands are cramped. He is progressing up an incline now from sea level to 3600 feet. What an adventure! From the smallest little bugs on the ground to the foliage and mountains, Steve is seeing a part of America few of us have the opportunity to view. The world must seem like a different place. When we move to a new place, I always get this feeling of, "I am never going to get used to it here." I can't imagine feeling that every step you take is another unknown. Where are the grocery stores, gas stations, drug stores, restaurants? What is the best way to get from this intersection to the next major city? Where does one pitch a tent without being bothered or bothering anyone else? I envy that part of his journey.
6/26/05 - I forgot to mention yesterday that Steve got himself weighed at a doctor's office. His weight is at 358. We don't know exactly what weight he started at (somewhere around 400 lbs), but it appears he is losing about 4 pounds per week on average. He should be in Golden Valley, Arizona today. He climbed Union Pass over the last couple of days and says it was harder than Cajon Pass, although he got through it pretty quickly.
6/27/05 - Steve made it to Kingman today. He pushed himself, because there was nowhere for him to stop on the way. He ended up walking until about 3 p.m. He then crashed in the nearest hotel he came to. Kingman was another big milestone. I am thrilled he is doing so well and seems to be developing a great stride over the last several days. He is a lot stronger than he thinks. We all are.
6/28/05 - Steve stumbled again today on a tree root sticking out of the ground. Where this would normally not be an issue for him or anyone, the pack on his back makes him more top heavy. He fell onto his knees, but once there, the pack forced his head to hit the ground. I am afraid he is recovering from a significant knot on his head. He is okay, but a little slowed today. Tomorrow is another day. Once out of Kingman, there is another long stretch of nothing but tiny towns.
6/30/05 - Back to the middle of nowhere. I am not sure exactly where he is. Route 66 somewhere between Kingman and Hackberry. Steve mentioned by the way, that Kingman had the nicest people. Everyone was kind and welcoming.
July 2005 - Arizona
7/2/05 - I got a short text message from Steve early this morning that said he couldn't get cell service and he was in Hackberry. Hopefully, he will get better service as he nears Peach Springs and I can post more details.
7/3/05 - Early this morning, somewhere between the middle of nowhere and hell-and-gone, Steve Vaught calls his wife from a dance hall payphone. Boy, does that sound like something from the Twilight Zone! Really, that actually happened. He was a few miles from Truxton and hopes to be in Peach Springs, Arizona this evening sometime. Peach Springs is on the Hualapai Indian Reservation and marks the half-way point between Kingman and Seligman.
7/5/05 - So, yesterday I was on my way to my cousin's house for a 4th of July family gathering. I have been quite worried the last couple of days, because I haven't heard one word from Steve. I have called, sent text messages, he must be out of an area where he can get cell service. Surely, he would have run into some store by now from which he could call me. Steve finally calls, but he ran out of water on the 3rd and doesn't know what happened to Truxton (the next town with a store). He found a stream and filled up his jug, but it didn't last him as long as he needed it in the 102 degree heat. I made several phone calls, (I am immensely grateful that Verizon and Mighty 1090 gave me a phone as well as Steve), but the few stores in the Truxton, Hackberry, and Peach Springs area are either closed for the 4th or non-existent. I had to resort to calling local law enforcement. They kindly brought Steve some water and took him a few miles to the nearest resource, The Hualapai Lodge. He is resting there today, but is very pensive about leaving this evening. There is only one other place to stop between Peach Springs and Seligman, about 30 miles away. He is going to have to add at least another gallon of water to his pack, bringing it back up to about 75 lbs. Additionally, he will have no cell service for the next 30 miles. The pack is really weighing him down and impeding his progress. He is miserable and frustrated. He doesn't know what type of terrain or resources lie ahead of him, and when he thinks he does know, it turns out he's misinformed.
7/6/05 - He headed out of Peach Springs this morning instead of yesterday evening and hopes to make it to the Grand Canyon Caverns by this evening or Thursday morning. A Washington Post reporter met up with him today and told me he was in good spirits. I am glad for that. He really sounded wretched the last couple of days. Well, I will post an update when I have one again. He will call me when he gets to the Caverns.
7/7/05 - Steve called me at around 11:00 a.m. this morning. He said, guess where I am. I like riddles, so I said, "Where?" Seligman was his answer. I said, "How did you get there?" He replied rather indignantly that he walked. I expected there was some calamity that forced him to flag someone down in the night, but he walked about 25 miles over the last day and a half. He said it was so cold that he just couldn't sleep, so he walked. He passed the Grand Canyon Caverns about 11 p.m. and just kept going. I am so proud of him.
There is something I have been grappling with for a long time now, that I would like to discuss here. Shortly after this journey began, it was suggested that Steve should have an RV to ensure his security, health, and even survival at times. Originally, I did not think an RV is what he needed and rejected the idea, (although no one was offering). When Steve started this walk, he needed to find a rhythm, discover hunger, heat, cold, and even loneliness. He jokes that I want to see him tortured, and to a degree that is true. Steve needed to get really tired and really hungry to know how much rest he should get and how much food he should really eat.
At this point however, Steve is beginning to know what is good for him. He has walked at least 500 miles now and this is a good point to introduce consistently healthy food, an occasional rest in a bed, a handy shower when necessary, and emergency needs handled. Steve's load needs to be lightened. If he only needed to carry water and food for the day and maybe his tent for shade, we could get his pack down to about 40 pounds.
So, here is my request . . . If there is anyone that views this page or knows someone that has an RV, would you mind lending it out for a little while? Any amount of time would make all the difference. I know there are RV clubs and camping clubs out there that I am not familiar with. If anyone has influence with RV retailers and could put in a good word, I would sincerely appreciate the effort to help. Please send us an email at vaught1@gmail.com if you are able to help or have any ideas.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank again, those people that have helped along the way. You rekindle our faith in human kindness and compassion. - April
7/9/05 - Steve was distracted yesterday and almost stepped right on a rattlesnake. Of course, he will pay closer attention in the future. He only had about 5 hours of sleep over the last couple of nights, so he really wanted to get some rest during the day, but no luck. People were beginning to recognize him more frequently and he just didn't feel easy about sleeping during the day. He checked into a motel and finally got a good sleep last night. He feels excellent today, signed autographs (believe it or not) in the Chevron station, and he's on his way to Ash Fork. Seligman is a great little route 66 town.
7/10/05 - I have a lot to say today. This has been a whirlwind weekend and I will try to be quick, because it's almost midnight and I am super tired. First, let me tell you what Steve was up to today.
Steve headed out yesterday on his 23 mile leg to Ash Fork. I don't know how far he got, but his shoes were really beginning to bother his feet and he was a little worried about getting too far from Seligman where there are resources. Today, he started out early, but right away he realized he was going to have a lot of difficulty with his feet. His shoes are great when he first gets them, but for the miles Steve is traveling, he really needs something that can accommodate his weight plus the weight of his pack and last longer than 2 weeks. The springs begin to poke out of the bottom after that and really wreak havoc on his poor feet. He dumped everything he could out of his pack and hid it behind a little tree to pick up later when David from the documentary crew arrives. He wanted to get as far as he could, but both of his heels were bleeding with blisters from the mangled shoes. He attempted to use his knife to just cut a hole out of it or remove the springs, but he told me he considered just going barefoot. Eventually, he had to just stop and wait around for David to pick up the rest of his stuff and get someplace to clean up his feet and really examine them for serious damage. His feet are resting now in cool water, he took an anti-inflammatory, and poured hydrogen peroxide on it, and he reports they are feeling much better now. He was really quite ticked-off about the whole thing. He was feeling really great this morning except a little trouble with the heels and was ready to get to Ash Fork by evening. He is not going to make it tonight, he has to let his feet rest at least a day.
I am just going to be honest here, because that's just the kind of girl I am, as much trouble as it gets me into, I can only be me. The Today Show called on Friday and plans to do a live-by-satellite show including Steve and me on Tuesday morning. I suppose I didn't say so before, because I am really camera-shy and I'll be lucky if I have any hair left come Tuesday morning, I am so nervous. I sort of thought if the readers of the site didn't know, well maybe that's 100,000 people that won't see me on the tube. That's a bit selfish, I know. If you are interested in Steve's story you will probably want to see it, and well, heck what's another 100,000 compared to the millions that already watch it. Maybe I will pass out and I won't be able to do it after all. So, there it is. Today Show, Tuesday morning.
Finally, please forgive my delay in responding to emails over the next week. My computer is a complete piece of junk (It likes to turn itself off just before I finished the day's journal entry) and I am on dial up with 26.4 kbps at best. I have over 500 messages still left to answer from this weekend and I answer them all, (well, except the nasty ones). So, just know that if you send a message over the next couple of days, I will answer it as soon as I can. I don't mind the emails. I really enjoy reading about all the wonderful people who draw inspiration from Steve's journey. I like to save those real tear-jerkers for the email page, because sometimes you just feel like a good cry.
7/12/05 - Today of course, was the big interview. Steve and I both felt very strange about doing a live interview with a little voice in our ear. Not to mention, rising at 2:30 a.m. to do it. Who would have thought that it takes them 2 hours to get all their ducks in a row before they start the interview. For myself, I was literally asleep one minute before there was a knock at my door, and that was it. three cargo vans, 7 people (2 were on the documentary crew), and loads of equipment filed into the house. I had already dressed before I took a nap at about 12:30, so I didn't have any 'getting ready' to do.
Steve had the same issues, but of course wasn't nearly as nervous about it. After all that was wrapped up, Steve had to go get some new shoes, pants (ripped again), and look for suspenders (didn't find those). He did a few more interviews to get them out of the way for a while and next it's back to the middle of nowhere to resume where he left off. Monsoon season is here and one is expected in northeast Arizona this week. Steve looks forward to the clouds and drop in temperature. He is also climbing in elevation until he gets to Flagstaff. With the change in footwear and easier temperatures, we are hoping for better progress over the next week at least.
Just found out the website went down. Don't shoot the messenger. The host of my site has his servers housed with another company (like many providers) and that company did not warn him about the traffic volume on the site nearing it's max. He has received some hate mail, but it really isn't his fault. The server house should have sent him some sort of warning that it was being loaded down. I do apologize and so does he, but really, it couldn't be prevented. We had plenty of bandwidth still available and I could get more if I needed it. We had no idea there would be such a huge response to Steve's story. I am very happy to hear about all the lives that have been impacted in a positive way and all the people that are improving their lives just from hearing it.
7/15/05 - Steve should be in Williams this evening. There was a point at which route 66 wasn't there anymore, so he began to walk on I-40 again. He was stopped right away and told he had to get off, but if he obtained permission from the Arizona highway patrol, the officers wouldn't bother him. So, the next day, (today) having to wait for the office to open, he got the permission and is now following I-40. If anyone reading this happens to spot him or is looking for him, please don't stop on the highway. This should go without saying, but you endanger yourself and Steve if you stop.
Steve is just starting to approach some of his deep-seated internal issues and there were a couple of days where he was really struggling with his will about getting back into the desert to walk his path. I heard that it was 123 degrees in Needles today, and I am so glad he has passed the Mojave. It's still damn hot in Williams, but as the elevation increases going into Flagstaff, it will be easier for Steve to walk during more of the daylight hours.
7/17/05 - Steve got into Williams this morning. It took much longer than he had hoped and was more difficult than he expected, but he's there. Another 6% grade for about 10 miles, no resources on his side of the freeway, and a pack that only seems to increase in weight impedes progress and wears him down mentally. It's not a 3,300 mile survival trip. And he can hardly begin to make real progress given the current stresses. I am going to leave to be a support vehicle if we don't have an alternative this week. I will do my best to keep up regular updates while we are out there.
7/19/05 - I don't really know where Steve is today, somewhere outside of Williams on his way to Flagstaff. I had no idea that AOL was going to be putting Steve's story on their site. As a result, I have another 1400 messages in my inbox. I was still trying to catch up on last week's messages, so I'm afraid this is going to take me a while. Please have patience, I will get to them as soon as I can. I have been off-line all day, so I didn't even know about it until late this evening . . . couldn't do any damage control. Well, when I hear from Steve, I will post his location and condition.
7/22/05 - I am in Arizona now supporting Steve through Flagstaff and into the high desert region here. I won't be gone for more than a week, so anyone that has sent messages, I may not be responding before then, but I will read as many as I can.
As Steve was approaching Flagstaff a couple days ago, he was told he couldn't walk on the Freeway for security reasons, even though he had permission from the Department of Public Safety. He will be following route 66 now for a while until Winona where he will re-evaluate route plans at that point.
7/24/05 - Steve is in Winona today. Special thanks to his old schoolmate Dave Edel for coming all the way from Phoenix to say hi. Next stop, Twin Arrows . . .
7/26/05 - The kids and I are departing today. Give me a couple of days for another entry. Steve is just making his way back down in elevation into the lower desert.
7/28/05 - Steve is in Twin Arrows today. He has very poor cell service where he is now, so I didn't get a lot of details, but he is headed toward the Meteor Crater National Landmark. The temperatures are climbing as he descends again into the lower desert, so his time on the road is becoming more limited. He finds his evening walking hours shortened due to the heat and the light. Walking on the highway in the dark is not something I want him to be doing, so he may have to make some further adjustments to his waking schedule.
I wanted to mention also that I would love to answer all of the emails, but I don't think it is humanly possible. I have 1900 unread now, and it seems every time I answer one, three more come in. I will read them all, eventually, but apologize for not responding to all of them.
7/30/05 - Steve is doing well and in Winslow now. He has had some back trouble, but it is working itself out gradually and he plans to have it looked at while in Winslow. It's the big 40 for him tomorrow.
Something very important I need to say here to the limited number of people that need to hear it. Steve has enjoyed immensely meeting people from different parts of the country so far and is greatly encouraged by the kind comments people have on meeting him. That being said however, he has also come into contact with several people that want endorsements, sponsorship, multi-level-marketing involvement, and the occasional reporter or photographer digging for any little dirt that will sell a couple extra papers. If anyone with like intentions approaches Steve directly while he is trying to accomplish his goals, the answer to the request will be an unequivocal and resounding, "no". If you can't take "no" for an answer, you'll have to start.
Steve's privacy may have been compromised by the popularity of this journey, but nice guy that he is, he has taken up many hours out of his walk dealing with characters that have flown out or driven long distances to 'pitch' some 'deal'.
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