Finnegan prepares for tough stretch after putting walk on pause

The Rockville Centre man who began a quest to walk across the United States in March will continue perhaps the toughest part of his trek after a weeklong homecoming.

Daniel Finnegan, 24, who embarked from Long Beach on March 1 with his friend, Abby Bongaarts, also 24, of St. Louis Park, Minn., put his journey to San Francisco on pause for his sister’s wedding last weekend at the Lawrence Yacht and Country Club.

The walking buddies arranged for Bongaarts’ friend to pick them up in Kansas and drive them to Denver, where Finnegan caught a flight back home on June 6 for the family celebration. He was set to fly back on Tuesday to Denver, where another friend was going to bring he and Bongaarts back to the exact location they left off at in Colby, Kansas.

Planning to reach the city by the bay in mid-September, Finnegan said he and Bongaarts would soon endure the toughest part of the trip. He added that he expects to reach the Rocky Mountains in less than two weeks, where they will take U.S. Route 24 through Colorado Springs.

From there, the desert and the Sierra Nevada follow. “That’s the area that gives me the most pause of the country,” Finnegan said of the desert, adding that they would have to be smart about conserving food and water during the several days between each town. “It’s its own challenge. It’s unique in its own way.”

The two decided to embark on the cross-country walk — a longtime dream of Bongaarts — in hopes of meeting people and exchanging stories while raising money for JOIN, a charity that focuses on helping the homeless. They became friends when they lived as community mates in Gresham, Ore., and both volunteered at AmeriCorps and Jesuit Volunteer Corps NW before working at JOIN.

When the Herald checked in with Finnegan last month, he and Bongaarts were in Illinois. Finnegan said that since then, they have been averaging more than 20 miles per day, but it varies, as they plan to finish each day in a town. When done walking, they normally approach a house and ask the owners if they can pitch a tent on their property for the night.

People have been gracious during their journey, Finnegan said, as some who see the sign on their supply cart, which says “Walking Across America,” stop to give them food and water. A woman stopped them in Manhattan, Kansas, he recalled, and invited them to her home, where they stayed for a couple days during bad weather. They spent Memorial Day there, where they golfed and explored the area with local veterans.

One of the most noteworthy challenges of late, Finnegan said, had nothing to do with the late-spring heat or being 1,600 miles from home. Rather, getting measured for a tuxedo for the wedding was a unique predicament while traveling on foot.

“That was kind of tricky figuring out where a tailor would be, when I needed to get it in by and the fact that I’ve lost 15 pounds or so,” Finnegan said. “Luckily [the tuxedo] worked out and it still fit.”

He eventually found a place to be fitted in Decatur, Illinois. “I just rolled in and hadn’t showered at that point in like three days or four days,” Finnegan explained. “I definitely stood out amongst the people getting measured for prom and for weddings.”

Finnegan said that in about a month, he hopes to have an exact date of arrival in San Francisco, so he can invite friends and family to celebrate with him and Bongaarts upon completing the journey. For now, from Rockville Centre back to Kansas, the reprieve from walking, spent with loved ones, is over.

“It was supposed to be a recharge,” Finnegan said of the trip home, as his raspy voice turned to a chuckle. “I think my battery’s a little drained. It was a lot of fun.”