I just didn’t want to run a marathon…
Click the link if you’d like to donate: http://www.justgiving.com/WinstonWolfrider
Starting in Spring 2014, I will be trekking over 4000 miles, across the United States on a budget of $1500 (£1K).
I’m hoping to raise money for various nature and conservation charities. In doing so, I will be travelling via at least 10 well known, natural places of interest and in keeping with my ecological, sustainable approach, I will be travelling without using a train or plane. On my budget, I won’t be able to purchase a vehicle or fuel for the trip and therein lies the challenge.
Let’s make one thing clear. I’m not a tree-hugging, anti-meat eating, alternative-lifestyled, eco-busybody living on the bread line with a negative view of the establishment. I’m all for progression and being at the top of the food chain. I do however believe that with the power we yield, we have responsibility to treat life – all life – with respect. We humans should promote a healthy balance between consumption and regeneration and make sure we live sustainably with every living organism around us. I firmly grasp that it’s a global responsibility, resting on every individual – without exception.
I rarely will be outspoken about the passions I stand for; conservatively understanding that not everything is black and white. However, irrespective of challenges and modernisation, we all have a part to play whether we like it or not.
I have three simple aims:
1) Fundraise for nature conservation and causes which I believe in
2) Develop awareness (some of which will undoubtedly be my own) of those causes
3) Kick-start a lifestyle which furthers the aims above (admittedly, I’m also doing this challenge for my own personal growth)
I have no idea how long it will take and to quote Tolkein;
“The road goes on and on down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone, and I must follow, if I can, pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say.”
I can however, find out.
My challenge and goal, as ridiculous as it sounds, came about because I simply would hate to and have stubbornly declined an invite to attempt to run the London Marathon. I remain respectful of all marathon runners and charity fundraisers but to put it politely, it’s just not my thing. I therefore, flippantly decided to throw up a few ideas to replace my lack of enthusiasm, with a different type of personal strain. With so much of the world at war and being unable to travel across some other continents quite so easily (certainly as a first challenge), I noticed less than a hundred people have walked across America. I decided to do it differently. Instead of laying down solely a physical challenge (of which it will undoubtedly be), I decided to restrict the ‘throw-away’, consumable nature of which so many of us have become accustomed to, therefore budgeting myself to an amount which, hopefully will get me out of trouble should I need it but won’t allow me to take advantage of luxuries which we often take for granted. Nature doesn’t have luxuries which we’ve designed for ourselves and sometimes I think we’d be somewhat more understanding, patient and healthier if we remembered this a more often. In short, we can learn from “the animals”.
I hope I have your support and you enjoy my little stroll…
Click the link if you’d like to donate: http://www.justgiving.com/WinstonWolfrider
winstonwolfrider
Ben Winston 