Veteran stops at Quality Inn on walk across America

BARSTOW • Army Veteran Michael Weber will be leaving Barstow today for his 111th day of walking across America, after spending two complimentary nights at Barstow’s Quality Inn.

Weber is walking approximately 2,400 miles across America for the March of Dimes and is hoping to raise awareness for premature babies. 

Since he began his walk in Huntington, W.Va., on July 7, Weber has not spent a single night in the tent he carries on his back. Instead, families and hotels have offered him complimentary rooms all across America.

“It’s been a remarkable journey,” Weber said. “God has been with me.”

Weber walked every step of the journey, mostly on highways, until he reached California. He accepted a ride in a truck across the Mojave Desert, however, in the interest of his health.

“I’ve spent the last two to three years in Iraq. I’ve done my desert time,” Weber said. “I didn’t want to do overtime.”

According to Weber, he hit rock bottom after returning home from Iraq earlier this year. During this time, he remembered a premature baby he had seen on his flight back from Iraq and decided to walk across the country for the March of Dimes.

Weber is planning to spend the three days walking to Los Angeles and then head home to West Virginia, where he is expecting a warm welcome.

“I may not have walked the farthest or the fastest, but I’m the sexiest man that ever walked across the country,” Weber said, laughing.

While his journey will be over, Weber plans to stay dedicated to the March of Dimes.

“Maybe I can make a difference in another child’s life,” Weber said.

More information and ways to donate can be found at www.MikesMarch.com.