Sometimes Parker Lavender has to take it one day at a time, or 100 yards at a time, or even one step at a time. If he thinks too much about his mission, he could easily become overwhelmed. Lavender is on a five-year journey to walk the perimeter of the United States.
“How far I go today is all I need to worry about,” he said. “I take it one day at a time.”
He began the 14,000-mile journey in July from his home in Harbor Springs, MI, to create awareness for homelessness in hopes that he will create a ripple effect of kindness and everyone helping each other.
“I want to give everyone permission to become friends again,” he said. “We can all make this an incredible place if we just work at it.”
Lavender stopped in Marquette last week and stayed …show more content…
He purchased a backpack and started walking in his hiking boots.
Walking around the U.S. was something Lavender said he knew he had to do.
“I wasn’t afraid to walk. I was afraid of sitting in a cubical for the next 30 years of my life,” he said.
So far he has walked about 203 miles with only the clothes on his back while carrying a 75-pound backpack. He claims he never trained for the trip and has not had one blister on his feet.
Even as his body is holding up, Lavender still has to keep his mind in check. It gets lonely out there walking hundreds of miles by himself, he said.
“I have to not think about the next town, but where I am right now,” he said. “Sometimes I have to stop and listen to the wind. I have to look 100 yards behind me and 100 yards in front of me and realize I’m not in either of those places, but I’m right where I am at.”
As long as Lavender averages walking 10 miles per day he should finish his goal in five years. However, Lavender doesn’t mind stopping for a few days in towns along the way when he’s offered a place to stay.
“I don’t care if it takes me 10 years,” he said. “I’m going to have an incredible
“How far I go today is all I need to worry about,” he said. “I take it one day at a time.”
He began the 14,000-mile journey in July from his home in Harbor Springs, MI, to create awareness for homelessness in hopes that he will create a ripple effect of kindness and everyone helping each other.
“I want to give everyone permission to become friends again,” he said. “We can all make this an incredible place if we just work at it.”
Lavender stopped in Marquette last week and stayed …show more content…
He purchased a backpack and started walking in his hiking boots.
Walking around the U.S. was something Lavender said he knew he had to do.
“I wasn’t afraid to walk. I was afraid of sitting in a cubical for the next 30 years of my life,” he said.
So far he has walked about 203 miles with only the clothes on his back while carrying a 75-pound backpack. He claims he never trained for the trip and has not had one blister on his feet.
Even as his body is holding up, Lavender still has to keep his mind in check. It gets lonely out there walking hundreds of miles by himself, he said.
“I have to not think about the next town, but where I am right now,” he said. “Sometimes I have to stop and listen to the wind. I have to look 100 yards behind me and 100 yards in front of me and realize I’m not in either of those places, but I’m right where I am at.”
As long as Lavender averages walking 10 miles per day he should finish his goal in five years. However, Lavender doesn’t mind stopping for a few days in towns along the way when he’s offered a place to stay.
“I don’t care if it takes me 10 years,” he said. “I’m going to have an incredible