Bob Collins
James Dobson, 32, set out to ride his recumbent bicycle from New Hampshire to San Diego on what he called his “Positive Vibes Tour.” His goal? Raise money to help kids with cancer.
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MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
Tag: Across America attempts
We have a fondness for people who try to travel from one end of the country to the other just because they can. Take Scott Schlepp, of Ashley, N.D., who bought a couple of draft horses to get a better view of things. This is his view: Posted by Scott Schlepp on Friday, August 10, Read more →
Shamus Evans, 11, has cerebral palsy and the spirit of a runner. His dad, Shawn, 39, is a runner with the power of a father’s love.
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Shawn and Shamus Evans rolled into Minneapolis today enroute to Lake Charles, Louisiana.
They left Moorhead last week with the aim of running along the Mississippi River to support Ainsley’s Angels of America, providing running chairs to children along the way.
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If you expected Bekah and Derrick Quirin to give up on the Appalachian Trail after a few days, forget it Read more →
Bekah and Derrick Quirin intend to walk the entire 2,200-mile trail starting next week with their 1-year-old baby. They figure it might even be easier than staying home. Read more →
Last year, Rahawa Haile, a writer in Oakland, became one of the very few black women to attempt to hike the entire trail. And her interview with Atlas Obscura today is a must-read for people who’ve thought about discovering America by hiking the trail.
Be careful what you wish for; you might find it. Read more →
We’ve always had a special place in this space for people who walk away from whatever chains tie them to the daily routine and walk or kayak or bike across America, often in search of it or themselves.
Perhaps we’re being too romantic because the story of Mark Baumer is frightening. Read more →
More than a year ago, Hanna Elshoff, 72 left Chatfield, Minn., and started pedaling a solar-powered trike around the country.
She’s still going, we learned today. Read more →
A Navy vet who claims to be the first American to swim the entire length of the Mississippi River is wrong, a Minnesota man insists.
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In his swim to honor the sacrifice of Gold Star families, Chris Ring swam 2,350 miles through 10 states. He’s the first American swimmer to accomplish the feat, and only the second human to do so. Read more →
It seemed like only yesterday that Navy vet Chris Ring jumped into the little creek known as the Mississippi River in Itasca and headed south. Read more →
It’s been five months since Chris Ring jumped into Lake Itasca and started swimming. He’s been swimming most every day since. Read more →
It’s an old story that the New York Times has done a masterful job telling this week. Boy gets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy loses job and balloons to nearly 600 pounds. Boy hears the Proclaimers’ hit “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” on the radio. Boy decides to bike across America to win girl’s heart back again. Boy gets girl. Maybe. Read more →
That band of young people who rolled through Minnesota a few weeks ago, stopping along the way on their cross-country trip from Baltimore to help people fighting cancer?
They made it to the Pacific Ocean today. Read more →