Three men have been walking cross country for 205 days with their sneakers, an American flag and a stroller full of supplies. Tuesday they were working their way from Bayfield to Durango along U.S. Highway 160.
If you’re wondering why, it all has to do with raising money for cancer research.
George Crawford, Michael Ross and Drew Babcock are walking across America to raise money for the Livestrong Cancer Foundation. Their journey began April 21 in Danbury, Conn., with the goal of ending in Huntington Beach, Calif. They figured they’d be done by now.
“We were expecting this to take about six months,” said Ross. “We haven’t gone the straightest route.”
As of Tuesday, it’s been nearly seven months, and they’re nearly three-quarters of the way there. Their revised plan on arriving at their final destination is sometime in January, Crawford said.
Along the way, the crew has met plenty of hospitable people. Ninety percent of the days they’ve knocked on random doors, and residents were willing to let the men camp in their yards, Ross said.
“In the Midwest, people blew us over with kindness,” Ross said.
Crawford, Ross and Babcock travel about 16 to 24 miles a day, they said. Crawford and Ross graduated as high school classmates in 2012 in Connecticut. After learning of the cause, Babcock joined them in Chicago.
Monday, the group spent the night under a bridge in Bayfield.
“It was one of the warmest sleeps in a while,” said Ross.
Crawford and Ross took on the journey as a way to kill time and travel before their ship date for the Marine Corps. They were looking forward to the experience, Ross said.
Also, the cause was too close to the heart for the three men to pass up.
“We’ve all had cancer affect someone in our family,” Crawford said.
At the time of Tuesday’s interview, the three were walking westbound along Highway 160. At 11:30 a.m., they were around the Dry Creek area.
“We are trying to make it to Durango tonight (Tuesday),” Crawford said.
The men have enjoyed their time in Colorado.
“Colorado has been an improvement from our recent days through the country,” Ross said.
vguthrie@durangoherald.com
To help
For more information on the walkers and how to make a donation to cancer research through the Livestrong Foundation, visit www.walkingforacure2013.com.
