2023walkusa - Army Vet Walking Across USA

My name is Matt Dyer. 

I am walking the four corners of the United States. 5,871 miles. My journey began in my hometown of Windham, Maine and it will continue 1,683 miles to Miami, Florida; 2,818 miles to San Diego, California; and 1,370 miles to Olympia, Washington. To my knowledge, no one has ever done this route before! If they have it's not documented on the internet. 

My cause is to be the best. To meet the good people of America and tell their stories. To reach my maximum potential as an individual. Before social media, why do you think people did things like this? It wasn't to "Raise Awareness" or garner attention. In 1924, when George Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, he replied, "because it's there."

I'm challenging myself. My cause is to exercise, unplug and be in nature, test the limits of my body. To have resiliency and the mental toughness to never tap-out and do something never done before. I am the ultimate competitor, and my body, mentally and physically, is my number one competition. 

I have been through a lot in life. Growing up with two disabled parents and becoming independent at a young age, spending 10 years working in the Army and the Intelligence Community, 2 years in Afghanistan, losing my wife to suicide in May 2017, losing my father to Liver Disease at 58 years old, and taking care of my mentally and physically disabled mother my entire adult life. These life experiences molded me into the type of man I needed to be to do such a journey. 

I am sharing my journey for one, to prove I did it; two, to inspire people to do something outside of their comfort zone; and three, for self exploration. I am clearing my head and taking it all in. The people I am meeting are making a lifelong impact on me. If you are too old or have physical limitations, you can live this journey vicariously through me. I am sharing my personal story along the way because my unique experiences can help people

My target date of completion for the entire walk is July 6th, 2024. That day will be the 5th anniversary of my dad's death. The walk is 5,871 total miles. I will be the first and only person to ever complete this route continuously, with the unique twist that I'm sleeping outdoors camping-style 95% of the time. 

My phone bill to take amazing pictures and be safe on the road, my cart to pull all of my necessities, my very large caloric intake to maintain weight, the new boots, and the hotels can all get pretty expensive. These are the things I would be using the donation money for Join me as I do the unfathomable! Thank you for your support!