Tuesday March 19 , 2024
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Blog The Walk

This blog will follow Art's experiences as he walks across America on The Walk of Life. You can share your support for him or talk about your dedications to your loved ones that you have lost or are fighting some illness. Please leave comments and words of encouragement!

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  • Fare well, Russ Schlappi.

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    Russ you were an inspiration to me and many.  It was an honour for me to carry you throughout The Walk.  Fare thee well, my friend, fare thee well.

    Jun 24 Tags: Untagged
  • the final??? walking day...walking day #193...Sunday, April 14,2013

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    well Well WELL!!!…after 10 months on the road, 44 elapsed weeks (40 actual walking weeks) and 193 walking days, The Walk of Life was walked to the southernmost point in the continental United States of America.

     

    Accompanied by the primary honoree, Jonathan Werner, first and best support vehicle driver, my mother, Joni Bund, my final support vehicle driver, Valerie Shafer and many dear friends,  at approximately 2:42 PM Eastern time I placed my hand on the buoy and brought to an official close the walking portion of the trip known as The Walk of Life.

     

    When all was said and done I covered 4,082.2 miles (6,584.1936 km's), taken 8,007,698 steps and picked up $89.75 in other people's lost or discarded money.  It took me 193 walking days, 40 actual calendar weeks of walking and roughly nine months.

     

    As I reflect over the trip I have a very difficult time getting my brain around what I just did.  The individual components (each walking day) seem real enough and I recall each day but the totality of the trip is very hard to comprehend.

     

    Regardless of my inability to get my brain around what was done, it was done.  It was done to honor people with diabetes, specifically my son, Jonathan, to honer people whose lives have been impacted by cancer, specifically my nephew, Ross Werner and my mother's husband, Cec Bund and to honor and support the current and past members of Canada's military and those of the United States of America.

     

    Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for my drivers, Joan Bund, Jim Doran, Victor Werner and Valerie Shafer,  for without their efforts this trip would not have been possible.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!!!

     

    Jun 09 Tags: Untagged
  • Walking Day #192...Thursday, April 4, 2013...mile marker ZERO!!!...all over BUT the party!!!

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    22.2 miles

    Apr 05 Tags: Untagged
  • Walking Day #191, Wednesday, April 3, 2013

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    27.1 miles (43.7097 km's)…54,991 steps…$0.91 in loose change (no paper money today!)…findings for the day: 1 car/boat/motor homing washing sponge (in wrapper), 2 quarters, 3 dimes and 11 pennies…wildlife sighted: several iguanas of various sizes, several Key deer (all small!!)

     

    Today I walked to honor "Joe", born in 1925 and a WWII veteran.  After Pearl Harbor he and his father enlisted together.  Joe is a new neighbor at my new home (for a week) at the Fishing Lodge.  I also walked to honor another new neighbor, Barb, a cancer survivor.  Very best wishes to both of you and Joe, thank you for your service.

     

    The weather cooperated in assisting me to active my goal of making it across the Seven Mile Bridge in that it was hot to start with and only got hotter as the day wore on.  It took me 1 hour and 55 minutes to make the 6.9 mile (11.1290 km's) span.  Crossing the bridge was like some roads I took across central Montana or South Dakota except here I had water on both sides, there it was grain fields.

     

    One interesting experience of the day happened just after I got off "the" bridge.  Through my $4.00 ear plugs (welcome to the Keys!!!) I heard my name.  Two young woman were walking in my direction asking if I was the guy walking from British Columbia.  As it turns out Cristina and Ann are friends with Meredith Greenwood in New Hampshire down here on spring break.  Thank was VERY cool!  A few picks later and best wishes all around and I was on my way again.

     

    At days end we stopped just a wee bit south of mile marker 22 on Cudjoe Key.  Tomorrow, after breakfast with friends, it will be on the Key West and mile marker ZERO!!!  After today 22 miles will seem like a walk in the park!  Dinner at The Wharf was pretty tasty as was the conversation with our server, Sue, an ultra-runner and Ben the bartender the cyclist.  Life is so very full of adventures, all we have to do it reach out and grab them.  Seize the day, as Robin Williams so eloquently put it in Dead Poets Society.

     

    See ya'll in Key West on the 14th.  CHEERS!!!

    Apr 05 Tags: Untagged
  • Walking Day #190...Sunday, March 31, 2013

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    26.1 miles (42.0968 km's)…52,913 steps…$2.64 in coins AND paper money salvaged…findings for the day: 2 United States one dollar bills, 2 quarters, 1 dime and 4 pennies…wildlife sighted: several iguanas of varying sizes from body of about 24" to little guys

     

    Today we started just north of mile marker 74 and finished at mile marker 49.  The walk today was dedicated to a WWII veteran, Tom Baker, who was a paratrooper on D-Day and    Greg, an Army veteran from Desert Storm.  Thank you, gentlemen, for your service and best wishes to you.  It appears that after today there will be just two walking days left (not including the final few miles on April 14).  Best wishes to Marine, Kenny Montgomery from Akron, Ohio who had the misfortune of having his motor home break down mid-span of one of the bridges.  I attempted to get to the base of the seven mile (6.9) bridge but fell short by about 2 1/2 miles. I wanted to hit that bridge first thing in the day before all the water, juice and other liquids made their way through my system.  Mid span turning into mid stream, not so good!  Tomorrow will be a day off and then Tuesday a moving day down to Big Pine Key to the Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge.  See ya'll in Key West on the 14th for the finale!  Cheers!!!

     

    Apr 05 Tags: Untagged
  • Show all entries from The Walk Blog

The Beginning

This is for blogs about experiences before the first step was taken.

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  • new "official" date

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    At this point it looks like Monday the 4th in the afternoon (Pacific time) will be the official first step...it happens to be my eldest grandson's (Chance) 16th birthday...I will find a suitable spot in Whistler for the kick-off (step-off)...stay tuned and I am sure a clip will find its way to YouTube...love 'n kisses to all

    Jun 02 Tags: Untagged
  • getting close!!!

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    It appears that things are on track to take the first step next Tuesday or Wednesday!!!...WOW after a year of plotting (not much planning!!!) here I am...I suppose at this point the most important thing that I have learned is..."get out of the way and let life happen"...more to come on that...Sunday I will pick up my first AND most appropriate pilot car driver, (No Mom you DON'T have to drive the motor home!!!) and head for Vancouver which will be the base-camp for about a week or so...when all else failed my 80 year old mother (OK 70!!!) chose to start if NOT finish this journey with me as my very first pilot car driver, complete with safety sign and flashing lights...thanks Mom, a number of people owe you one!!!

    Jun 01 Tags: Untagged
  • before the beginning

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    Here we have the consummate techno-rube getting ready to blog his way from Whistler BC to Key West FL...the "web-master" has been kind enough to teach me how to access this so I can keep ya'll informed as to what is going on...as they used to say on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson "More to Come"!!!

    May 29 Tags: Untagged
  • Show all entries from The Beginning