Day 106 Journal

WE MADE IT

We got to Vancouver! It was a gentle (but long) walk into the University of British Columbia where there was a fantastic reception and presentation organized by the clubs here in Vancouver.

I can't tell you what a relief it is to be finished - it's been a long and tiring trip, not just because of the walking but also the constant moving about from home to home, living out of the back of our jeep.

Well there is lots to say but I will keep this short.

Firstly I want to say what an incredible effort Clare King has added to this project. She has made an enormous sacrifice to come out and do this and she has done an excellent job in making sure everything went smoothly. Without Clare there is no chance that this project would ever have happened, so thanks Clare - you were amazing.

Thanks also go to the countless other people who have contributed to this project. We have interacted with hundreds and hundreds of people who have shown enthusiasm and support to us, keeping us going when times were tough. Thanks to you all.

We are in Vancouver having a bit of R&R now! I'll drop some updates in due course and will detail a final fundraising total when we have it.

If anyone still wants to donate, please do. Every penny counts, so help support the cause.

Take care and more soon.
N

Day 105 Journal

O Canada

Starting from Ferndale, I was joined by none other than Michael Wagner, former president of CotoRancho Rotary who has flown up here for the finale! Having met me at the Mexico/USA border on Day 1, it was fitting that Mike was going to walk with me to Canada!

We enjoyed a warm walk through the final stretch of the USA, eventually arriving at the Peace Arch border crossing where we were met by a group of local Rotarians and TV crew.

It was great to make that single step from the USA to Canada, where it really felt like a significant achievement to have walked all the way here from Mexico! It feels amazing to be here!

We had to go through Canadian immigration and undergo a mini-interrogation by a particularly unplesant border official who seemed very interested in knowing my bank balance?!? Well, we made it through regardless and finished up a short way into British Columbia.

Tomorrow is the final stretch - what a feeling that will be! We will be finishing at the University of British Columbia tomorrow at 1400 local time. Then it will be time to celebrate.

And well done to West Ham United who made today even more exciting by getting off to the best possible start!

More soon. Take care,
N

Day 104 Journal

I can smell Canada

Well this was the last full day of walking in the USA! It was an uneventful day of walking, finishing just north of Bellingham.

Tomorrow I will cross the border (I hope they let me in!) which will be an amazing feeling I'm sure. Hard to believe that there are but two days left to walk! We are getting excited!

Well, more tomorrow. Have a good weekend and COME ON YOU HAMMERS!!!

N

Day 103 Journal

Another Day

Well, very little to say about today other than that it involved another 28 miles of walking, leaving just three days to go until the bitter end! It was a cool, cloudy day as I walked through some nice green countryside here in Northern Washington.

Not much more to say today! See you soon.
N

Day 101 and 102 Journals

Rain

Well, another two days done, and only 4 to go now until the end!

Yesterday was a very hot and dusty walk, leaving the urban sprawl of Seattle and heading into more rural areas. It was a nice enough walk though, and for a special treat my Mother, who has arrived here to be with us for the grand finale, came out to walk with me for the last couple of miles. It’s always nice to have some company for the last part of each day, and she kept up with me without any problems!

Today it rained finally! After the impeccable weather we have had thus far, we finally had a bit of rain so I got to don my exciting wet weather gear! The rain was far from severe and only lasted for the early part of the day, but it was rain nonetheless!

Well, it’s another day gone, and it actually breezed by rather quickly! We’re almost there.

More soon
N

Day 100 Journal

Seattle

A busy day today, starting with a live TV interview which was fun, then a walk right through downtown Seattle which was beautiful, particularly on this wonderfully sunny day.

After another live TV interview in town, I marched North along the very busy Highway 99 out of town for the rest of the day. It was an unspectacular yet pleasant walk with little incident.

We are staying in Edmonds, overlooking the Puget Sound, upon which we first stayed last week in Olympia.

Well, there are now but 6 days to go and there is even a little excitement building in the normally sombre West Coast Walk team bus. Without accommodation and media to worry about for next week, Clare, the formidable Directeur Sportif, can concentrate on the dilemma of what party dress to wear for Sunday's after-walk party!

More soon of course.
Take care
N

Day 97, 98 and 99 Journals

The Last Week

A couple of interesting days walking, through Tacoma and into West Seattle, along the Puget Sound for some of the time.

We are staying in West Seattle, enjoying a magnificent view of the city from our lodging!

The rest day was on Sunday this week in order to accommodate some media engagements on Monday.

It was not really much of a rest day, we had lots of Rotary events to attend, but we got to see the Blue Angels flight display team performing over Seattle as part of the Seafair weekend.

So the last week begins tomorrow – this time next week it will all be over! There are a lot of miles to get done between now and then, but I think I can start to see the faint glimmer of light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel.

More soon

N