FORT WORTH -- Three generations of a Georgia family can sum up their cross-country trek in three statistics: 1,000 miles, 21 pairs of shoes and countless cases of water.
Todd Gouge, 42, said he invited his father and son to join him on the 2,500-mile journey from Tybee Island, Ga., to San Diego to regain control of his life and improve his health. When his work as a contractor dried up during the housing crash, he weighed 435 pounds and felt "defeated.""In order for extreme change to occur, I needed to make some extreme actions," Todd Gouge said. "Circumstances don't have to control your actions. I want to tell people, 'You don't have to be stuck where you are!'"Todd Gouge and his son, Colin Gouge, 21, set off on the walk Jan. 16. Todd's dad, Tom Gouge, 62, a retired electronics teacher, drives the supply van stocked with blister remedies.On Saturday, the trio took pictures of Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. On Monday, they walked along Lancaster Avenue before turning onto Camp Bowie Boulevard. They hope to wrap up their trek in September, but they're a little behind schedule.At first, they could only walk about five miles per day. Now, since they've lost weight -- Todd thinks he's lost about 50 pounds -- and gotten in somewhat better shape, they're up to a 15-mile-a-day pace.Money is tight, so they sleep in the van in Walmart parking lots and at campgrounds. Applebee's restaurants have treated them to hot meals. And when they want to clean up, they walk into local gyms, tell their story and ask to use the showers.They sometimes shoot video of the people they encounter and plan to make a documentary. Along the way, folks following the quest at www.toddzillawalks.com and on Facebook have donated toward their expenses and left messages of support. Some Facebook followers joined them as they walked from Mesquite to Dallas.It hasn't been easy.Todd Gouge posted on Facebook on Sunday: "pain is quickly becoming my normal state of being!!"And on Monday: "like walking with a railroad spike through my foot."And they're bracing for the desert heat in New Mexico and Arizona. But mostly, they're enjoying one another's company and meeting people."I just want to be a part of something worthwhile, have an adventure," Colin Gouge said. "A lot of people pass up opportunities with their family and all of the sudden, they're gone."Jessamy Brown, 817-390-7326Twitter: @jessamybrownHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
