Overall this was an outstanding week. Walked 6/7 days (finally took a rest day after three weeks) and the smallest day was 20 miles. I made some impressive contacts, and came close to getting to speak at a conference but the chips never fell the right way to allow that to happen. I was only in Utah for a short time but everyone has been phenomenal. Even the 567 state troopers who’ve pulled over to me have been awesome.
As usual, awayyyyyu we go!
Day 148- I covered 20 miles from the Best Western I had last week to the Park City FD station 35. I asked if they had room to let me camp they said they were going to do me one better and let me use a spare bedroom. Park City is a beautiful little town. They even cooked dinner and allowed me to eat with the guys, they were super welcoming, and we had a lot of great conversation. It kills me how these guys who literally go into burning buildings can say they look up to me because they don’t think they could do what I’m doing. Gained about 800 feet of elevation this day as well but it was fairly gradual.
Day 149- I left Park City and wasn’t ready for a 600 foot climb within 2-3 miles a day my legs got SMOKED quick. A highway patrolman pulled over to talk to me and informed me that I need to take frontage roads if they’re there, but since the road that was there only went another mile I could continue even though I was “breaking the law”. After the immediate climb I began to descend the 2400 feet or so into Salt Lake City. I was contacted by Representative Steve Eliason, who’s passed over 40 mental health and suicide prevention bills and acts. He was attending an “End the Stigma” conference in Snowbird, Utah and tried to see if they could shoehorn me in to speak but it never came to fruition. But he would help me out in other ways. He got me hooked up with Salt Lake City FD Station 3 and they let me crash in their community room. I had to forage for my own dinner this time though. Also stopped at REI and picked up a new tent as mine was tearing at the seams and the netting had holes. A classmate and his wife reimbursed me for the cost of it. Covered 21 miles this day, and I earned every one of them lol.
Day 150- Today saw me traverse the entirety of SLC and get to Lake Point. It wasn’t a bad walk but stopping for all the traffic lights was a buzzkill. Steve Eliason put me in contact with Jon Gossett, who runs a suicide prevention foundation out of Tooele, UT called “Life’s Worth Living Foundation”. Jon used his connections to get the Comfort Inn and Suites, who sponsor his podcast (which I’ll be doing an interview on Sunday night) to donate a room.
Day 151-On the 151st day he resteth. I paid for a second night at the hotel and they gave me a discounted rate, and also gave me friends and family code to use later if I need a room.
Day 152- Beautiful, flat walk today. Covered 26 miles from the hotel to a random salt flat area on a frontage road. Jon Gossett met me in the road with a salad, a sub (for lunch and dinner), we shot a live video on his FB page, then his foundation made a generous donation to me. He also went out of his way to get people to volunteer to bring me food as I traversed the 100 miles of nothingness from Lake Point to West Wendover, NV (where Jon used his connections again and got me a room donated at the Wendover Nugget Hotel and Casino).
Day 153-After a good nights rest in the new tent, I proceeded to cover 25ish miles and met up with Michael Vanderplas. He’s an Amazon best selling author and he brought me BBQ for dinner. He’s done a lot of work as a nurse in psych units, does a lot of speaking and we had some really good conversation. He also reminded me of an older Harry Miller or even a current Nick Mangold. Just a large man with long hair. We’re going to try to get together later in the walk and post walk and see what we can come up with. He also gave me a copy of his book, “Stay Strong” and a donation to the walk funds. Met his wife who just finished her third round Of chemo fighting breast cancer as well. She’s Brazilian and wants to Interview me potentially for a Brazilian news type of thing.
Day 154- Covered another 25 ish (distance is hard to gauge in the middle of nowhere). Another beautifully flat walk. Currently camped out in the Salt Flats. Debbie, a friend of Jon’s brought me a subway sub for lunch, with chips and cookie, donated, and we talked about her losing her son two years ago to suicide. We also discussed how she’s gone on to find purpose after losing him, and how helping with Jons foundations work she can help others in the same boat. I also just had dinner dropped off by some Members of a Facebook group called “Make the Change in Tooele County” so I’m currently bashing McDonalds cheeseburgers in my tent, 50 feet off I-80. Does life get much better?
I spent a LOT of time bemoaning all the time I lost in Wyoming, the rest days I lost, the mileage I wasn’t making. It really had me frustrated. But now, if I hadn’t had those hiccups, I may not have met all of these absolutely phenomenal people the last few days. Tomorrow I’ll hit Nevada and as much as I want to hit the tables and play poker, I will abstain. Going to clean up, do some laundry, hopefully have decent enough signal to watch the Niners\Falcons in the morning, then gorge myself at the hotel, do a podcast and plan the next few days through NV. Plus anytime rammer jammer alabammer loses my day is better.
I want to sincerely thank everyone who follows along on any of the socials, who comment here, who’ve bought shirts, donated or just follow along. I’m really hoping to take the “Hall Across The Country” brand (I guess it’s that) and go bigger post walk. Not sure how, but I feel like my purpose in this world has been given to me. Im Here to help. However I can.
Love yall,
Joe
Go Bucks!
