Holden Ringer says that procrastination inspired him walk across the entire United States. In an attempt to avoid studying, he started researching what it'd be like to make the cross-country trek, and months later, after a spontaneous 20 mile walk, he decided, "This is something I could do every single day."
So he made it happen. Ringer started his walk from La Push, Washington, to Washington, D.C. in March, and arrived in Kansas City over the weekend.
The initial inspiration may have been a little random, but Ringer has found purpose, too. Along the way, he's raising money and awareness for America Walks, a nationwide pedestrian advocacy organization.
The simple fact that he's walking across the country is inherently advocacy, Ringer told KCUR's Up To Date.
"The most dangerous thing I deal with is cars. I think around 8,000 people die every single year in pedestrian fatalities," Ringer said. "It's just something we kind of bat an eye at instead of saying, 'Well, maybe we should build a safer world, a less car dependent place.'"
Ringer is documenting his journey on Instagram and Facebook, and at walk2washington.com.
- Holden Ringer, pedestrian and advocate
