CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A 26-year-old man is on an epic journey across the country.

What You Need To Know

  • Holden Ringer is walking from Washington State to Washington D.C.
  • Ringer is raising money for America Walks, an organization dedicated to increasing walkability across the U.S.
  • So far, Ringer walked about 3,700 miles through 13 states since March 2023

Holden Ringer is walking coast to coast in hopes of educating cities about the importance of pedestrian and bicycle safety.

“So far, I’ve walked through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and now we’re in the Tar Heel state of North Carolina,” Ringer said as he walked along Independence Boulevard in Charlotte.

Ringer’s journey started about three years ago. He was studying for a college exam and instead of hitting the books, he found himself surfing the web about those who’d taken on a similar journey.

“There were never any plans that ‘oh I’m going to go do that’,” Ringer said. “Just seeds were planted in that moment.”

Fast forward several months later, Ringer started thinking more about it while he was visiting his parents in Texas.

“I went on a 20-mile walk around Dallas,” Ringer said. “And I just thought to myself, you know what, I can do this every single day for a year.”

In March 2023, Ringer set off on his journey starting in Washington State. And almost a year, 13 states and 3,700 miles later, Ringer is close to reaching Washington D.C.

“I wake up every single morning, very appreciative, and very thankful for this opportunity to do this,” Ringer said. “I get to meet lots of great and wonderful people and see interesting things. But every single day is an opportunity not to try and get killed by a car.”

Ringer says this cross-country voyage has opened his eyes to walkability issues across America. He often finds himself dodging distracted drivers and dealing with poorly maintained or disappearing sidewalks.

“Walkability is also just the ability to cross the street,” Ringer said. “And I don’t think we’re crossing [Independence Boulevard] anytime soon.”

It’s why he’s partnering with America Walks. He’s asking people to donate to the organization that’s dedicated to increasing walkability across the U.S. – including in North Carolina.

“Maybe they don’t donate to America Walks,” Ringer said. “But maybe they do go to a local meeting and try and advocate for more sidewalks and advice for more crosswalks.”

With a couple of hundred miles left to D.C., Ringer hopes his mission encourages other to be active and walk more. He also hopes it inspires other to speak out about safety concerns in their communities.

“I hope people would care about these issues because it could be you, or it could be a loved one that doesn’t make it home at night,” Ringer said.

Ringer says his journey isn’t over once he reaches Washington, D.C.

After spending some time in the nation’s capital, he plans to continue walking northeast to New Haven, Connecticut.