Mike and Julie Pearson on the road. Mike Pearson joked that if any married couples need counseling, they should try a cross-country walk. You learn a lot about your spouse, he said. Courtesy photo

Mike Pearson on the road. Courtesy photo

On Nov. 13, the husband and wife team completed an eight month, 3,000-mile trek from Port Hueneme, Calif., to South Beach, New York. They took this coast-to-coast journey to raise awareness and support for the homeless. Mike explained they are working to establish a ranch to shelter those who are homeless as well as assist them to get off the streets permanently.

The whole adventure started with a decision to follow a dream. Mike said, “God gave me this (idea) in a dream.” Three factors confirmed that he should put this idea into motion. The first was after hearing what her husband dreamt, Julie did not say, “Have a good time.” She responded, “When do we leave?”

The second confirmation was the Pearsons were able to be in a stronger financial situation by fully paying off loans on their cars and motorcycle. The final factor was after suffering from asthma most of his life, Mike was cured.

So on Feb. 20, Mike and Julie began their trek in California. They each carried two gaming carts that were modified with three, all-rubber wheels. The carts were heaped with all the necessities including 143 pounds of water. Mike said their route varied and took them through 15 states including Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio and New Jersey.

They did the entire journey on foot – there was no other form of transportation. “It’s a very long walk,” Mike said, adding he went through eight pairs of shoes and Julie went through four.

A typical day on the road would be getting up when the sun rose. They would pack up their campsite and begin walking. Mike said they walked between three to five miles before taking a break. They walked about 15 miles each day. They would call it day about an hour before the sun set so they could cook dinner.

Mike said they also slept in some unusual places. Once it was between some bushes and a wall in a neighborhood. Another time it was in a strawberry patch, and then an orchard and once they made their camp behind a Dollar General store. A few times they rested at what Mike described as “really disgusting hotels.”

Julie Pearson cooking dinner. Courtesy photo

Their trek garnered a lot of interest in drivers and people they met on the road. “A lot of people would stop and ask if we needed a ride,” Mike said. They would also offer food and invite the Pearsons to stay at their homes for the night or accompany them to church. A few times the police would stop them due to reports that described everything from a young child and an adult waking on the road to two old people pushing carts alongside the road.

The Pearsons’ walk also attracted a lot of attention in social media. Mike said their Facebook page, Walk 3,000 Miles in Their Shoes, has 10,000 followers and received more than 1,000 likes.

Inquisitive individuals were not the only ones the Pearsons encountered on the road. They also met a number of homeless individuals. Mike said they ran into two men in Albuquerque who were rifling through a garbage can at a McDonalds, hoping to find some food. Mike said he and his wife treated the two men to a real meal and explained the purpose behind their walk. “They were really excited about the ranch,” Mike said. Listening to their story and about how they suffer from schizophrenia, he said, “that experience was probably the strongest (one) … as we were walking.”

“It’s people like that that we really like to help out.”

Friends Mike and Julie Pearson made while on their 3,000 mile walk. Courtesy photo

The Pearsons’ walk spread awareness on the issue of homelessness. Mike said the homeless are often called the invisible people because many do not give the homeless a lot attention. People dismiss the homeless as those who made the decision not to find a job and live on the streets when really it could be a number of factors such as mental illness, he said. Plus, “it is such a hard thing for people to get off the streets,” Mike said. 

Not having an address or contact information or clean clothes make finding or retaining a job difficult. Mike and Judy experienced first-hand the stigma the homeless receive. Mike said a few hotels turned them away because employees assumed they were homeless. Despite those situations, Mike said the cross country trek introduced them to a large number of caring, generous people.

“One of the things I think both of us gained is the knowledge that there are so many great people out there who want to help,” Mike said.

In fact, during their trek, Mike and Julie received more than $11,000 in donations for the ranch. Mike explained the ranch will be self-sufficient; gardens will be grown and livestock raised. Additionally, micro-homes will be built. The residents will be hands-on in the ranch’s operations – they will build micro-homes as well as learn skills that will be valuable in different jobs such as hospitality and mechanic industries.

When they leave the ranch, they will take the micro-home they constructed with them “so they will never again be homeless.” Even outside the ranch, Mike said support will be given in the form of mentors.

Although the trek is completed, the Pearsons are still following their dream. Work continues to raise funds for the ranch. “We’re still a long way from our goal but we’ll get there,” Mike said.

To learn more about the ranch or donate, visit the Pearson’s Facebook page, Walk 3000 Miles in Their Shoes.