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A coast-to-coast traveler set out on foot through the San Gabriel Valley on Wednesday, August 28, accompanied by a companion 60 years his senior.
Ranger Kielak, 26, began his journey on March 10 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Kielak and 86-year-old Joan Virginia Allen left a hotel in Baldwin Park around 6:30 a.m. and traveled the 9-mile route to the Sheraton Hotel in San Gabriel in about four hours.
Kielak, a holistic success coach, was inspired by the stories of others walking the country. He met Allen, another life coach, during a coaching training.
Allen, a retired elder law and estate planning attorney, has always remained active and, at age 60, promised her husband, Willis Allen, that they would live healthy, active and productive lives until age 120.
Two years ago, the couple hiked to Vernal and Nevada Falls in Yosemite National Park after her husband underwent hip surgery in 2020. On the way down, a 77-year-old man asked how old Willis Allen was and said he thought this would be his last hike, but seeing the couple inspired him to keep going.
Allen founded Dynamic Aging 4 Life Magazine, an online publication that provides a platform for seniors to share their stories of dynamic aging. Allen will write about her experiences on the walk for her magazine.
Allen said the interaction in Yosemite National Park clarified her magazine’s goal and why she wanted to join Kielak. When she heard about Kielak’s plan, Allen, who lives in Ventura County, asked if she wanted to join once he arrived in California.
“That’s why I wanted to share Ranger’s story because what he does is so inspiring and I wanted to tell it from a personal perspective and from the perspective of someone who is 60 years older,” Allen said.
Kielak’s “hero’s journey,” as Allen called it, traversed 10 states and covered more than 2,500 miles. Before the trip, Kielak had never run more than the 13.1 miles of a half marathon in a day and had never traveled cross-country.
“I’ve had deeper conversations with people who just stopped to see what I was doing than with some friends.” – Roger Kielak
From his unique perspective, he experienced the country primarily through the people he met along the way.
“There are good people out there,” Kielak said.
He told stories of homeless people offering him food, water and good conversation. A first responder from South Carolina who survived severe burns gave Kielak bracelets that read “Still breathing. Still fighting” and “Never give up.”
In Arkansas, Kielak said, about 20 people stopped him along a 15-mile stretch to offer him help and support.
“I’ve had deeper conversations with people who just stopped to see what I was doing than with some of my friends,” Kielak said. “It’s just so interesting the messages you get along the way.”
Kielak grew up in Chilcoot, California, a town of about 300 people half an hour northwest of Reno, Nevada. He now lives in Modesto and has chosen three charities to raise money for during his walk.
He was a member of the Future Farmers of America for four years and earned his FFA degree. Donations to Kielak go toward the FFA scholarship program.
Bigger Than the Trail is a running and walking group that raises money to provide free mental health and therapy services. Kielak said he struggled with mental health issues in college and running helped him through a dark time.
The Hospice Promise Foundation helps ease the financial pressure on families whose loved ones are in hospice care.
In 2020, Kielak’s grandfather passed away from Alzheimer’s disease and was cared for by Grace Hospice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Kielak made a point to plan a stop in the Tulsa area during his trip.
“When I remember things from my life, I want them to be memorable at the end of the day and not what everyone else remembers,” Kielak said.
Kielak is scheduled to end his journey on Saturday, August 31, at Will Rogers State Beach.
To donate and for more information visit withinrangecoaching.com.
