Man on mission to walk perimeter of U.S.

Sometimes Randy Montgomery has to take it one day at a time, or 100 yards at a time, or even one step at a time.

If he thinks too much about his mission, he could easily become overwhelmed. Montgomery is on a five-year journey to walk the perimeter of the United States.

“How far I go today is all I need to worry about,” he said. “I take it one day at a time.”

He began the 14,000 mile journey in July from his home in Mount Shasta, Calif., to create a prayer circle in hopes that he will create a ripple effect of kindness and everyone helping each other.

“I want to give everyone permission to become friends again,” he said. “We can all make this an incredible place if we just work at it.”

Montgomery stopped in Whitefish last week and stayed through the Thanksgiving holiday. He expected to head out on Highway 2 along the Hi-Line of Montana this week.

He didn’t have to walk to Whitefish, but a visit here 20 years ago to ski prompted him to walk the 15 miles out of his way from Kalispell.

“Whitefish is very beautiful,” he said. “The people here are so friendly and nice.”

At age 62, Montgomery literally walked away from his life to begin this journey. He left the house he built himself and gave away his logging truck. He purchased a backpack and started walking in his cowboy boots.

“I had the American dream and I walked away,” he said.

After reading Mark Batterson’s book, “The Circle Maker,” he knew he wanted to create his own circle of the country. Montgomery says he hadn’t been to church in 40 years, but when Batterson describes the power of prayer circles, including the legend of Honi the Circle Maker, who was bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge inside it until God answered his prayer for rain.

Walking around the U.S. was something Montgomery said he knew he had to do.

“I wasn’t afraid to walk. I was afraid of sitting in a log truck for the next five years,” he said. “I’m not afraid of where I’m going.”

So far he has walked about 1,500 miles with only the clothes on his back while carrying a 75-pound backpack.

He claims he never trained for the trip and has not had one blister on his feet. However, his journey hasn’t been without its challenges.

Only a few miles into his walk, he started feeling pain in his hips so severe he had to stop in a park and rest on a bench. He began to cry asking himself what he was going to do.

“I knew I had a good message I wanted to put out in the world,” he said.

Looking out at the ocean he decided to pray, realizing God is “the greatest healer of all.”

Montgomery said he walked 27 miles that day, 25 miles the next day and has never felt a hint of pain in his hips since.

Even as his body has gotten into shape, Montgomery still has to keep his mind in check. It gets lonely out there walking hundreds of miles by himself, he said.

“I have to not think about the next town, but where I am right now,” he said. “Sometimes I have to stop and listen to the wind. I have to look 100 yards behind me and 100 yards in front of me and realize I’m not in either of those places, but I’m right where I am at.”

As long as Montgomery averages walking 10 miles per day he should finish his goal in five years. However, Montgomery doesn’t mind stopping for a few days in towns along the way when he’s offered a place to stay.

“I don’t care if it takes me 10 years,” he said. “I’ve had an incredible journey.”

He remains steadfast in his goal to create a miracle for “everybody to start helping one another.”

“I don’t hope I’ll make this walk,” he said. “I know I’m going to make this walk.”

To help fund his journey, Montgomery is selling T-shirts and taking donations on his website, www.circlemakerrandymontgomery.com. To follow his progress, visit the Randy Montgomery the Circle Maker page on Facebook.