Day 56. Mile total: 1,100. 

Mike Bassett Sr. pushed his jogging cart across 11000 South on 700 East in Sandy. 

Having started about 3:30 a.m., he left Millcreek, walking 700 East through Murray and Midvale. Draper was his destination for the day, which he would reach by noon. It was a short day for him, only 15 miles, compared to the day before when he walked through Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake or other days when he averages 20 to 25 miles.

 Bassett, who grew up in Logan and once lived in Salt Lake City, is walking across America. He started at Cape Meares Lighthouse, 12 miles west of Tillamook, Oregon on the Pacific Coast and will walk to the Atlantic Coast, perhaps to Harbour Town Lighthouse in Hilton Head, South Carolina—his route is still unfolding as he walks.

“I have no agenda; I don’t care how long it takes me,” he said, adding he thinks he will be done by the holiday season. “I’m looking at heading on a more southern route by Texarkana, Texas because from what I’ve read, they’ll have milder temperatures come this fall.”

Soon after Bassett set out on June 1, he encountered three days of downpours in Oregon’s coastal mountain range, followed by every day nearing or bettering 100 degrees by the time he was in Sandy on July 26.

“It’s been baptism by fire. I start out my day early, trying to beat the heat,” he said.

Bassett worked in the automotive business for more than 40 years. He was once the general manager of Tim Dahle Nissan Southtowne in Sandy’s Auto Mall. Then, he moved 15 years ago to the Los Angeles area to continue working in the industry.

“Most people have a good reason why they walk the country. I really don’t. I had an office job for 40 years. Every time I went anywhere, I’d go to big cities and stay in nice hotels, but I’ve never seen this country. So, I just decided I would walk it,” he said.

Walking the country was never Bassett’s goal.

“It’s never been anything I dreamed of doing, but I knew after I finished my master’s degree in May from John Hopkins University, I wanted to do something epic. At first, I thought I’d climb Mount Everest, but the reason I moved from Utah is I don’t like the cold—and there’s snow on Everest. So, I decided not to do that,” he said. “Then I started watching YouTube videos about people who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail and that led me to a guy who walked across the United States. When I decided to do it, I didn’t think I’d make it. I still not sure I’ll make it, but I know I can walk to the next city, the next mile marker or the next telephone pole. So, I just keep doing that over and over. I just keep going.”

The 60 year old’s walk has taken him to visit his family and friends as he often ventures on the back roads and highways of the country. Some nights, he finds a motel—“I’m not roughing it as I could; I want to enjoy this, too, and a motel means a shower, free breakfast and internet”—but he can go five days camping in disperse lands and eating rehydrated food. 

Bassett’s converted cart can weigh up to 100 pounds, often with three gallons or more of water, which he drinks from his bright pink Ozark Trail water bottle. He has a second water bottle he uses for coffee. His wardrobe is simple—two long-sleeved quick-drying Jolly Gear shirts with hoods (one purple, one blue), two pairs of identical pants, four pairs of Darn Tough socks (he wears two at a time) and his black HOKA Ones shoes—“They work well because I walk on a lot of roads, and there’s rocks so having that extra sole helps quite a bit.”

Inside the zippered jogging cart, he packs rain gear, bug spray, sunscreen, first aid kit, pepper spray, a warm hat, a head net for mosquitoes, a headlamp, a camp stove, coffee, powdered milk, granola, prepared meals, a GPS, a tent, a chair, a sleeping bag and a recently purchased pillow. He also carries a solar charger, two battery power packs, headphones and a phone where he downloads books (recently by Stephen King, JK Rowling and others adventure tales, such as Peter Jenkins’ “Walk Across America”) to read when it gets too hot to walk. He also uses them to document his adventures on his OregontoCarolina Instagram account.

“My plan was to walk about 15 miles per day and then take some days off. Well, there’s nothing to do in some areas, so I just keep walking. I planned about $3,500 per month, but it’s probably closer to $5,000 because I do stay in motels,” he said. “I got everything I own in the world right here in this cart except for my diplomas, which my son has. I flew from graduation to his house so he could take me to the coast. So, I am very free. When I finish, maybe I’ll do some research or maybe I’ll do some writing.”

Bassett was on his third pair of HOKAs in Utah, having them mailed to him at certain destinations. 

“They last me about 500 miles, and I’m estimating my route will be 3,700 miles. I’ve changed my route at least 20 times based on water, food, places to stay. I don’t set out to see a certain thing or visit a state or national park. If it’s within 20 feet, I’ll go see it. I was going through Twin Falls, Idaho and Shoshone Falls was five miles away and I didn’t see it. I’m not walking five miles out of my way. I have no desire to walk extra steps,” he said, adding the only plans he has are to visit his grandchildren for their birthdays.

Having walked about 10 miles per day for six months leading up to his journey, Bassett is thankful his only ailment so far has been chapped lips.

“I have not had a single blister. I’ve been lucky. I try to wear my sunscreen, but I do get burnt sometimes on my legs and my back in my hands because I push this cart,” he said. 

Cooling off means “I run through sprinklers whenever I possibly can” and “eating ice cream. That’s the nice thing about burning five 6,000 calories a day; I can eat whatever I want,” he added.

Bassett isn’t worried much about dangers, saying he can use common sense for most situations. What scares him more is people driving and texting and not paying attention as well as dogs that are unsecured. 

“If I am ever king in the world, there’ll be bike paths everywhere. There will be shoulders on every road because some roads have the white line and then it’s a drop off. About 90% of the people will move over and give you some room, it’s the others I need to worry about,” he said.

What makes him sad is to see beer bottles, vape pens and dirty diapers thrown alongside the roadside.

“This beautiful landscape has garbage everywhere. It’s pointless,” Bassett said.

The good outweighs the bad on his journey.

“I’m having a blast walking across the country. My favorite thing is meeting people and being able to share my journey,” he said. “As a car dealer, I drove and owned a lot of cars. When you drive across the country, you go so fast you don’t see things. Even going down 700 East, I’ve noticed things. I lived here for 20 years and now I’m noticing things I’ve never seen before.”

From the coast, Bassett walked to the base of Mt. Hood then onto the remote Warm Springs Reservation. 

He has tales of how at first, people looked at him strangely, thinking he was homeless until a friend from St. George mailed him signs, “Walk Across America,” which decorate the front and side of his cart. He is grateful a National Park Service employee, who he once sold trucks to, gave him a National Park Service hat to shade him along with a utility knife to use on the journey.

Bassett’s favorite makeshift campsite thus far was along the Snake River in Idaho, and he said semitruck drivers surprised him, often slowing down to hand him bottles of water.

He remembers the kindness of a 17-year-old boy who literally ran after him across the barren fields somewhere between Malta, Idaho and Snowville, Utah to give him some MREs (meals ready to eat) and water.

“I was amazed someone put that much effort into doing something. The generosity of people is overwhelming and has been this entire journey,” Bassett said, adding he doesn’t accept monetary donations, but water, popsicles and energy bars. “A guy in a dump truck yesterday stopped to give me water. We talked for probably 20 minutes. People are curious as to what drives a person to walk across the country. For me, it’s more of my own journey. I’ve lived a different life, traveling to fancy places. Now I’m alongside the road in the dirt with mice.”

After he pushed his cart to Draper, Bassett ventured on toward Provo and then to Duchesne, Utah, where he encountered one-mile of road construction—with no shoulder. Understanding the desire for a continuous walk, the supportive foreman followed him in a truck with his lights flashing, while the road crew cheered and patient motorists waved.

Bassett got caught in another storm—and luckily, took shelter in an unlocked snowplow station. A motorist concerned for his well-being at an 8,020-foot summit called highway patrol; the officer gave him water and checked on him.

Often the encounters turn into people who follow his journey on his Instagram account. There Bassett has answered questions from explaining he wears his rain suit when he does laundry at a motel to how he has a traveling mailbox service that opens his mail, scans and emails them and follows his instructions to shred a document or deposit a check.

Bassett expects somewhere in Kansas will be his halfway point, and he looks forward to the flat plains after climbing Colorado’s Rockies.

Mike Bassett is walking across America, having started at Oregon’s Cape Meares Lighthouse, which he had tattooed on his arm. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

“I tattooed my arm when I started with Cape Meares lighthouse. When I finish, I’ll do my other arm with the lighthouse at Hilton Head,” he said. “Dad, Grandpa, student, car guy—those are the labels I’ve choose to put on myself. Now I’d add walker too.”