Take the challenge

ELLEDA WILSON - The Daily Astorian
Gary Benedict approaches the Washington shore after crossing the Astoria-Megler Bridge on foot.

Posted: Friday, August 8, 2008 12:00 am

By Elleda Wilson
Editorial Assistant

Last Thursday, the Ear got a phone call from Gary Benedict, pictured above, 73, who, at the time of the call, was walking to Astoria from Cannon Beach, and would be walking across the Astoria-Megler Bridge Saturday morning on his way to Canada.

Steve Carter of the Oregon Department of Transportation arranged for a special permit for Benedict to walk across the bridge, where pedestrians are normally forbidden. The Ear met Benedict on the Washington side to find out what is going on.

It turns out Benedict lives in a suburb of Denver, and he got tired of sitting at a computer all day. He is concerned because young people these days don't seem to respect their elders, and he wanted to prove that elderly people "can do things." So he decided to walk from Mexico to Canada.

On April 4, he touched the metal fence at the Mexican border from the California side, and started walking. He has no sponsors, and is doing this with the help of his business partner of 23 years, Sandy Cummings, who drives the recreational vehicle they stay in at night. She picks him up when he's done walking for the day, then drops him off at the same spot the next morning.

He carries a card on him "like a first-grader" with Cummings' cell phone number so someone can call her in case of an emergency. So far, he says, he hasn't met anyone who "wasn't nice." Benedict is on his third pair of shoes, and covers 15 to 22 miles a day. He expects to reach the Canadian border around the end of August. Then, he said with a smile, he'll just go home.

The can-do man's mission on this border to border trek is to inspire older people to walk more. "No matter what your health is - beer belly or TV tush - take my challenge and pick a road or street near you on a nice day and start walking. Hopefully, the street is straight. Walk for up to 20 minutes, or as much as you can take.

"Do not look back while you're walking. When you stop walking, turn around and look back. You'll be surprised at how far you came. It's symbolic of what you can do."

Reprinted with permission of The Daily Astorian of Astoria, Oregon.