Saturday, April 13, 2013

Flight Delays Lead To An African Proper Walk

Work occasionally takes me to places other than the office. My travels include Philly; Nashville, Tennessee; New York; and Richmond, Virginia. I enjoy these short excursions as a way to get out of the office and talk to our customers and prospects about what concerns them in finding new customers.

While the places are fun to go to and clients and vendors interesting to hang out with and get to know, it's really the people in the airport who I find the most fascinating. Most recently, I came across Michael Farley at the Richmond National Airport during a flight delay. And while I only spoke to him for 15 minutes, he inspired me to think about a future bucket list endeavor: the Proper Walk. A 10-day, 150 mile trek across Africa.

Farley, who grew up in Iowa and still frequently visits his mom in Dubuque, came up with idea and has spearheaded the Proper Walks. The money raised goes towards the Makindu Children's Program. You can read on Farley's story and the effort by going here.

I've run a marathon and several halfs. I've also raised money for lots of walks. It's tough, especially when you're doing both. Naturally I asked him what it's like to walk 150 miles in 10 days? "It was hard. The terrain was steep at times and flat in others," he said. But Farley went on to say people who embark on this journey are never the same when they return. And I believe him. 

If you're interested in the proper walk, it will set you back $10,000. But Farley says they assist those who are fundraising with speaking engagements, the very reason for his particular travel day. 

Mt. Kilimanjaro is on my list of must dos before I die. So what's the harm in a 10-day walk across Africa to boot? Camels accompany you and there's beverages too. After all, it's for the kids!