And with the 2008 Owasippe Reservation Director, Chris Townsend:

Russell Road is such a familiar route that it added greatly in the culmination of the 9 days of treking.  Along the way he was met with many familiar faces.

One of the most welcome sights along the route:

The group with grew as he walked:

The support he’s received thrughout the trek has been truly moving but the sight that welcomed him as he approached the road to Camp Wolverine and then the Ad Center left few people with dry eyes:

The finish of the trek, a journey of 9 days and 187 miles:

Saturday started out looking like rain was a definite possibility.

Hopefully tomorrow, there will be final pictures and thoughts.

His route for the day is as follows: Link to Map

All that’s left now is the stretch of Russell Road from US-31 to Owasippe. Today’s trip took him up from Grand Haven and into Muskegon. He left Muskegon and headed out to US-31 where he stopped in order to make the final push tomorrow morning and report for his very first day on staff at Owasippe. His gear is loaded and will make it’s way up to join him for the rest of the summer.

Much of today was about anticipation and a sense of accomplishment with less than 20 miles planned for the day, it was the least he’s walked in a week now. But as any of us know when you know you’re close those last few miles seem to stretch out just a bit longer.

Upon arriving at his destination for the day he was whisked away to Whitehall for a traditional friday evening of Big John’s Pizza and Dog N Suds Root Beer. Not exactly a great menu plan for a diabetic, but a well deserved one after the feat he has come so close to accomplishing.

His cumulative total is 180 miles.

BIG JOHNS PIZZA

and

DOG N SUDS ROOT BEER

Bob Kurth’s walking journey from Chicago to Owasippe near Whitehall, Michigan  will be completed Saturday morning.  Saturday’s final 7 miles of the trek will begin on Russell Road at US-31 and conclude at the Owasippe Administration Center.  Expected arrival is anticipated at about noon or 1 PM tomorrow. 

EVERYONE IS INVITED TO JOIN BOB ON THE LAST LEG OF HIS TREK ON SATURDAY MORNING FROM WHATEVER POINT ON RUSSELL ROAD THEY WOULD FIND CONVENIENT AND WALKABLE FOR THEM!!!   Join Bob for the final mile from Russell and Holton-Whitehall Roads, the last three miles from along Russell Road in Lakewood Club or for the final half day from US-31 and Russell.  The start time on Saturday is anticipated for between 9:00 and 10:00 AM.

P.S. All times are Michigan(Eastern Time Zone) Time

He’ll be seizing the opportunity today and walking the following route: Link to Map

He left Holland behind, walked along the Lake Michigan Coast to Grand Haven and has crossed the Bridge over Spring Lake on US-31. For much of his walk today he was on a bike path and also crossed some nature reserves and paused to enjoy wetlands.

From my own experience, crossing the bridge in Grand Haven means I’m almost at Owasippe, that my journey is coming to an end. The same is true for G-Dawg’s Trek, he’s followed a similar path to the familiar one which so many have followed from Chicago to Twin Lake, but his experience is unlike any other. In the history of Owasippe, Scouts have come from the Chicago in nearly every way possible(boat, train, bus and car), but as far as we know this is the only time someone has made the trip on foot. It has taken much much longer than the four or five hours most of us take as we make the drive, yet in some ways it has passed very quickly. He still has another day of walking before he makes the final approach to Owasippe, I can only imagine the anticipation he’s feeling along with the sense of accomplishment of coming so far.

His cumulative total is 161 miles.

Lakeshore & Hidden Treasure:

The final leg of the journey will take place on Saturday, June 21st.  He’ll be ending his day tomorrow on the west side of US-31 at Russell Road and make the final seven mile trek in to the Owasippe Ad Center to report for Staff Week.  Anyone and everyone is welcome to come and cheer him on for the final leg of the journey as he completes the trek. 

More details soon as they become available! 

His wandering route for today: Link to Map

Today was another wonderful day for walking. He started off in Glenn, Michigan and walked along the Blue Star Highway, through Douglas and Saugatuck and on into Holland where he said goodbye to the Blue Star Highway and made his way across Lake Macatawa on River Street, finally ending his day at Douglas Avenue.

He has dedicated much of this trip to preparing himself for his first summer on staff at Owasippe. It has occured to him over and over how much this trip has been all about the spirit of scouting the support, comraderie, help he has received all along the way from so many people has reminded him of it. He talks about how many people have said this trip was an inspiration and he looks at so many of them as being his inspiration for working at Owasippe this summer and for deciding to take on this challenge of walking there.

He does have the scouting spirit all over him and I do believe more than a few scoutmaster minutes all prepared for future use.

His cumulative total is 139 miles.

Before making the final decision to make the trek, Bob met with and consulted with four incredible people at the University of Chicago Hospital, Dr. Steven White in Pulmonary Medicine, Dr. Lissa Sugeng in Cardiology, Dr. Suma Dronavalli in Endocrinology and Dr. Ann Zmuda in Podiatry/Endocrinology. Each of them supported the idea and helped him to prepare and each of them are responsible in some ways for helping to overcome that dire prediction made in 1943.

This trek would be a challenge for almost anyone, not to mention a 65 year old diabetic and asthma sufferer.

This is the story of just one of the places Bob has visited along the way, just one of the stories he’s heard and just one of the many memories he will carry with him when this is all over.

A picture of Bob with Carol, resident of Glenn Michigan, near the Pancake Town sign:

 

Here’s the link to today’s expected route: Link to Map

Today started out quite chilly and was absolutely wonderful for walking. Today’s trip was all on the Blue Star Highway and he traveled through numerous small towns which are scattered along the shores of Lake Michigan, towns with post offices the size of most people’s garages. He spent a lot of time thinking about the people who first picked these locations to settle and who they were and why they picked the spots they did. One town in particular that he noticed was Covert, it was established in 1856, four years before the start of the Civil War. He tried to imagine how truly uninhabited the area must have been and yet people picked to live there. Up and down the route to Owasippe we pass exits on 94 or 196 with the names of these small towns, but how much thought do we give to history behind them, or to the settlers who first came there or even earlier than that the native populations that first made their homes along the shores of Lake Michigan.

As he walked he wanted to learn more. He wanted to stop and see everything but if he stopped for everything that interested him he’d never get there. After 100s of times making this trip this trek has brought a whole new level of enjoyment in addition to the usual anticipation of arriving back at Owasippe.

His only visitor today was a butterfly who followed him for more than a city block.

His cumulative total is 116 miles.

Here’s a link to his route for the day Link to Map

His trip probably had the best weather of the four days so far. He continued up the Red Arrow Highway today through St. Joe and Benton Harbor. His trek took him very close to Lake Michigan once again this afternoon and also added in a few more hills than he had encountered so far and lot more hills than he encountered on his daily walks around Hyde Park. He also passed the world headquarters for Whirlpool which is located in Benton Harbor along Michigan Highway 63.

He lost his pedometer but continued on. He had to walk around a dear carcass but continued on.  His main thought at the end of the day was that he really was going to be able to complete this trek he started.  Sure he always believed he could, but this afternoon he really knew he could. 

His cumulative total is 93 miles. 

Ben and Bob talking earlier today:

He’s said over and over that the amount of support he receiving from and everyone and the interest this has generated just really tickles him. I asked him for reflections on Day 4 and that was what he said, I guess it must be true because that was the same thought he had at the quick check in this afternoon.

Not only does he appreciate the support he’s following the blog and truly enjoying all of the comments people are leaving.

Here’s Bob checking out the blog tonight at Panera Bread in St. Joe:

R.I.P. Pedometer you served Bob well:

Searching for a needle in a haystack or in this instance a pedometer in the bushes:

It is no where to be found, but up until it’s disappearance it recorded 59,870 steps on Day 1, 49,580 steps on Day 2, 48,147 steps on Day 3 and 18,900 steps by lunchtime on Day 4. In case you don’t like math, that adds up to A WHOLE LOT OF STEPS!

He’s got a new pedometer for tomorrow, but sadly the one he started off with and that was with him every step of the way is somewhere in the bushes around Benton Harbor.

In Bridgman:

And he’s off again:

Lunch time around Mile 7 in New Buffalo:

He would be the tiny little speck walking down the road:

With Ron and Marilyn Kulak who joined him for part of Day 3:

He’s off again. 

The javascript still isn’t working, so here’s the link to today’s route. Link to Map

His trip today started off with some bad weather, but quickly turned into an enjoyable day. He left Indiana and headed up into Michigan along Route 12 and then the Red Arrow Highway. He was joined for part of the trek by Marilyn and Ron Kulak.

He tells me that he saw 101 things today and was struck by just how many beautiful sights there are along the way. He feels like he appreciates the scenery in a way that you can’t when you’re driving. He found himself pausing sometimes just to take in the view. There are so many things we never see and it’s important to get out and walk sometimes so that you can see some of them instead of whizzing by.

His cumulative three day total is 71 miles.

Sidney was very involved in scouting in Chicago but also with Sea Scout in Michigan City where he had a home.

Sidney with Troop 1559 in 1974 at Camp Robert Crown at Owasippe:

Sidney and Bob at an OA Fellowship Weekend in 1976:

Sidney and his wife Jeanabelle at Owasippe in 1993:

I spent a large chunk of yesterday trying to learn enough javascript to be able to embed a static API map (makes your head hurt just thinking about it) and I still only get a broken image when I try to post the actual map. I’ll keep working on it, I don’t understand why I could post maps for a couple of days. But for now here’s the link to his route today. Click here for map

Most of his trip today was through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, a spot he’s visited often enough. There is a special significance to the area, in that the original legislation to protect the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was brought before the U.S. Senate by senator Paul Douglas of Illinois beginning in the 1950s.  Paul Douglas was well known to the Hyde Park community in 1950s and as a scout in the Area Bob helped to circulate the petition to save the dunes. 

Michigan City made up another portion of the trip and he was struck by the beauty of the area and amazed by the homes along the lakeshore.  He ended his day with a gorgeous sunset along the lakeshore. 

His cumulative two day total is 49 miles. 

Really seems to appeal to so many people in so many ways and it has made me think. 

It’s about firsts, but then it’s also about memories and history and something that is part of our past. 

Whether it’s blogging for the very first time, learning how to use wi-fi, preparing to be on the Owasippe staff for the very first time, or setting an amazing goal like walking 200 miles this trip means a lot to people who are closely involved. 

But it is also touching so many other people and their support is amazing.  I talked to Bob this morning and he seemed surprised at just how many people are showing so much interest in his trek and are checking in with the blog or calling or sending emails. 

Last night all he could talk about was memories and how this trek is starting to mean so much more than when he originally conceived the idea to walk to Owasippe. 

Many people when originally told about this idea reacted with surprise or amazement or just came right out and said he was crazy.  But everyone is supporting the idea in their own way, cheering him on, pledging money, making suggestions, bringing strawberries and so many other things I can’t even list them all. 

It truly is a journey for us all.

With his niece, Ellen:

With his trek support, wife and chief worrying officer (CWO):

Here’s a map of today’s route (Once again you can click the map to get a better picture)

***For some reason I can’t embed the map right now, please follow this link to see his route for the day and hopefully I’ll get the map up soon.*** Link to Map

As seen by Satellite:

His trek today took him through the south side of Chicago where he left course a bit to walk through the park at Rainbow Beach a location very familiar from his youth, yet not familiar at all because it’s grown and changed over the years.  He was struck by how well maintained it was and just how lovely that stretch of park is along our lakeshore. 

From there the trek headed into Indiana and parts of Indiana that are very close, yet very unfamiliar.  The enormity of the BP refinery in Whiting.  He remarked that he was gawking like a tourist in East Chicago and Hammond.

The Gary Chicago Airport was yet another sight along the way and to him seemed completely empty and unused, but also seemed to take forever to pass by.

The path also took him past many of the abandoned and shuttered steel plants that once employed so many people in that region.  So much of it is very sad to see.  In Gary which again has many sad sights, he saw buildings that are familiar sights from the Indiana Toll Road on those many trips to Owasippe from a very different perspective.

The last few miles took him along Dunes Highway and he actually finished a total of about 26.5 miles today. 

You can see the BP refinery in Whiting in background:

Park time during the lunch break:

Leaving home:

Seeing him off:

And he’s off:

Today’s route should go something like this(Click on the map for a view of the entire route for the day):

***edit 6/17/08 The link to the Herald Article won’t be valid once they post the new edition, so I’ve attached a PDF of page 3 of the Hyde Park Herald from June 11th.  Herald Article