Boards for Bairns (Walk across America)

Guest speaker was Nathan Graham. Nathan is a remarkable young man who had always harboured an ambition to be the first Scottish person to walk across America and in 2022 he achieved that although he admitted that he could not verify his first Scot claim. 

Nathan walked 3200 miles from Santa Monica on the Pacific Ocean through 13 states to, after 154 days reach Long Beach and the Atlantic. 

Only two or three people per year successfully complete this and Nathan did this unsupported meaning he carried his own supplies.

Nathan’s training required doing as much walking as possible walking ten to twelve miles every day. At first an Esta allowed him 90 days in the United States during which he covered 1700 miles before he returned to complete it on a B2 visa.

Nathan flew out on 1st April 2022 to San Francisco. Although he went with a planned route Nathan quickly reverted to using Google maps. His kit however included a GPS device which was necessary had he required to send an SOS. Other items he planned to carry was a tent, a blow up mat which lasted one night and a sleeping bag which would have been fine for summer. It fell way short of what was needed for cold nights.

Nathan walked through Los Angeles. The first day’s 19 miles took him as far as a hostel, next day he made the suburbs, the following outskirts. He averaged 19 miles per day for five days until Fontana where he took first rest day. 

Nathan was soon able to increase his daily mileage to 25-30 miles per day.  He crossed Route 66, travelled through the Mohave desert, walked a lot of freeways but also rough tracks. He visited Angels Barber shop on Route 66, skirted the Grand Canyon and recalled his stories of meeting very kind locals.

The first half completed 19th June and he broke his journey to fly back from Albuquerque when he heard his grandfather was going to die.  The second half of the walk weather was below 8 every night but he was accompanied by his father Roddy. 

Nathan felt that experiences shared with people you care most about mean the most and he was delighted that his father was able to be on the second leg of the trek.

Nathan completed the walk on 13th December at Long Beach. He raised £6500 for Boards for Bairns, £1500 from friends and family and a further £5000 through social media including TikTok. 

The club’s formal vote of thanks was given by Mark Todd.