Gym Cracks By Jim June 30, 2003 WALK ACROSS NEBRASKA Plans are coming together for a tour of the Cornhusker State...on foot By Jim (Babe) Berryman MissingNebraska.com Western Nebraska Frank Morrison served as Nebraska's governor during 1961-67. During this period of time Governor Morrison made several trips to Greeley to visit his wife's relatives. The Governor's wife, Maxine, was a Greeley native. During one of these Greeley visits, I had the opportunity to talk with the governor. In this conversation I mentioned my interest in walking across Nebraska. Several days later I received a letter from Governor Morrison's office. He encouraged me to make the trip across Nebraska on foot. Walking across Nebraska has always been in the back of my mind. But when would I find the time to make such a trip? I had run a marathon, a distance of 26-miles and 385-yards. In training for the marathon, I would run six to nine miles on weekdays and then take a long run (usually 16-20 miles) on weekends. Since I averaged seven-minutes, 30-second miles, a workout would take one to three hours. Now I've retired a second time. Thus I should have the time to devote to this effort. This week a cardiologist gave me the green light to pursue the Nebraska walk. How does a person prepare for a 240-mile walk. I can't locate a lot of research on long-distance walking so I have designed a plan of my own. During the month of June I have walked from four to 20 miles a day, most days in double digits. This mileage will be increased weekly. A tentative date has been set for this walk--on or about August 3. I have approximately five weeks to get in long-distance walking condition. United States Weather Bureau personnel informed me the prevailing winds in Nebraska are southerly during the month of August. Thus I will start my walk on the Kansas border south of Red Cloud. Highway #281 is the path I will follow. In addition to Red Cloud, Highway #281 will take me through Blue Hill, Hastings, Doniphan, Grand Island, St. Paul, O'Neill, Spencer and of course my home town of Greeley. How long will the walk take? I hope to average 30-miles a day, which would make this an eight-day adventure. A 35-mile a day effort would require seven days to finish this walk. Conversely, a 25-mile a day jaunt would require nine plus days to find myself on the South Dakota border. I hope to finish the trip in eight days, but maybe it will take additional days. The number of days is not important, finishing this walk is. My wife has purchased me a cell phone and I have a Go-Lite sleeping bag in my backpack. I intend to walk early morning hours and in the evening, resting during the heat of the day. When I finish this walk, Governor Morrison will be among the first to be notified. Feedback Previous Gym Cracks: 06-20-03: No Stress Stress Test Gym Cracks By Jim 06-11-03: Crazy Horse 'Fun' Gym Cracks By Jim 05-31-03: Friends For Life Gym Cracks By Jim 05-19-03: Spurs And Cubs Gym Cracks By Jim 04-29-03: L.A. Delay Gym Cracks By Jim 04-16-03: What's In A Nickname? Gym Cracks By Jim 03-28-03: More March Madness Gym Cracks By Jim 03-14-03: March To Remember Gym Cracks By Jim 03-07-03: Tall & Tough Gym Cracks By Jim 02-26-03: Zingerland Gym Cracks By Jim 02-19-03: Cuss The Bus Gym Cracks By Jim 02-09-03: Ratings And Recruiting Gym Cracks By Jim 01-31-03: Hoops Elite Gym Cracks By Jim 01-24-03: Nebraska's Super Connection Gym Cracks By Jim 01-15-03: Hometown Hits Big Time Gym Cracks By Jim 2002 12-30-02: Count The Numbers Gym Cracks By Jim 12-18-02: Cream Of Coaching Crop Gym Cracks By Jim 11-28-02: The Big Picture Gym Cracks By Jim 11-18-02: 2 For 2 Gym Cracks By Jim 10-25-02: Sweet On Switzer Gym Cracks By Jim 10-17-02: Best Time Year Gym Cracks By Jim 10-11-02: Odds And Ends Gym Cracks By Jim 10-04-02: The Rating Game Gym Cracks By Jim 09-22-02: Fans Panned Gym Cracks By Jim 09-12-02: World Herald Calling Gym Cracks 09-05-02: Bit By Baseball Bug Gym Cracks 08-29-02: Caring Coaches Gym Cracks 08-22-02: Nebraska "Storm" Hits Colorado Gym Cracks 08-15-02: Cubs Win, Wallet Drained Gym Cracks 08-08-02: To Coors For Cubs Gym Cracks 07-25-02: Major League Madness Gym Cracks 07-18-02: Nebraskans In The Majors Gym Cracks 07-11-02: Kile Death Sheds Light Gym Cracks 07-04-02: Couch Potato Parking Gym Cracks 06-23-02: Top 10 Nebraska High School Nicknames Gym Cracks 06-06-02: Better In The 50s Gym Cracks 05-30-02: Dangerfield of Nebraska Gym Cracks 05-16-02: Baseball Sneak Aways Gym Cracks