2015 has been an exciting year for the Moyers. I got a chance to help raise money and awareness for MS by running (and walking/hiking/crawling) from St. Stephen New Brunswick Canada to Key West Florida. It was humbling experience to say the least. Over 2300 miles, 15 States, two countries and the District of Columbia. I met thousands of people and saw amazing sights in fantastic cities and towns all along the east coast of North America. During my trip I began to re-evaluate my life in ways that I could never have imagined when I first decided to embark on this endeavor. Laurie, of course, has continued to face her MS diagnosis with grace and determination. She is an inspiration to me and everyone she meets. Despite the curve-balls that continued to come her way she not only took on her own issues head on in 2015, but also held down the fort for me while I was on walkabout.

Now that I have settled back into my home in the George School community, and have had some time to recover, I have re-committed to becoming an example of hope and confidence of better things to come for Laurie and I….and for the world we live in. There are many challenges facing our world, both at the macro and micro levels. To face these challenges we all need to be better to each other. We need to HELP each other. We need to see each other with fresh eyes. We need to take time to listen to each other so that we can address the underlying issues that keep us from experiencing true peace in our own homes and all around the world.

I learned on my trip that we are not alone. I met people all along my journey who were fighting their own battles with diseases like MS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Cancer, and HIV. I also met people challenged with mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction. I saw the VERY VERY rich in their homes and communities, and the VERY VERY poor in their communities with no homes at all. I talked with fishermen and waitresses….although we learned this year that those names are outdated and sexist, and I interacted with hundreds of convenience store clerks who were just trying to get through their shifts. I met with with people working three jobs who felt poor, and people with no job who felt rich.

After a significant period of reflection it has become clear to me that I should write a book about my experiences in 2015. Many, many people have asked about the details of my trip, and have encouraged me to share the “lessons learned” as well as the highlight moments along the way. To that end, I am asking those of you who met me along the way to share your stories of our interactions on this page (and pictures if you have them) to help me tell the tale.

So as 2015 comes to a close I would like to once again thank EVERYONE on earth for making this year the best year it could be, and encourage everyone to join me in making 2016 even BETTER 🙂

TTFN,
Stephen “Forrest” Moyer

WOW!!!!!
I am super humbled at the outpouring of love and support that has flooded in over the last 48 hours. I am so thankful on this day before Thanksgiving for all the DONATIONS and well wishes from friends old and new.
When I arrived at the “Southern Most Point” (pics of that arrival are all over the place) people from all over the world were asking to be in pictures with me and very supportive of our cause. I am super happy, but exhausted so I will post more later….including my “new look”!
Although we have met our target fundraising goal please keep the donations coming. If you haven’t made a donation it’s not too late to help “finish MS”….and thanks again to my family, friends, the George School community, and especially my fantastic wife Laurie.
TTFN
Stephen “Forrest” Moyer 🙂

For those of you who have been quietly thinking to yourselves “Stephen’s in paradise and having fun, and I’m not, so I’m not donating anything to MS”…this post is for you. With only a few days left in my 2300 mile 137 day journey there remained only one significant challange, The Seven Mile Bridge. What added to the excitment of the challenge was that the weather was threatening to change (as it has been all week). The crossing of the bridge started just fine however with a mix of clouds and sun and a steady stream of vehicular traffic passing me. When the big trucks pass the gust of wind forces me to compensate, but that is normal and I am used to it…in this situation however the stakes are higher than usual because if I lose my balance and tumble off the road here it is certain death as there is no chance to swim to shore from a few miles out…at least not for me.
Despite the added danger level I made it to the halfway point and the peak of the bridge without incident and was even enjoying the beauty of the cloud formations fighting it out overhead…and then as I passed the halfway point it was as if a light switch was thrown and all hell broke loose. It got visibly darker and Lightening began to strike, with its accompanying thunder. A wave of rain swept over me forcing me to put in my rain poncho. And then the serious winds started. For the next three miles I was leaning into 40 MPH winds and spitting rain while watching lighting strikes draw ever closer. “None of this was in the brochure” I thought to myself. For what seemed like an eternity I trudged onward looking for glimers of hope that I would make it accross the bridge safely. Then, faintly, I bagan to make out what looked like land in the distance, and the skies bagan to brighten on the horizon. Sure enough, as I finished six and a half miles the sun peaked out as if to congratulate me and reward me for my perseverance. I made it accross the seven mile bridge!…and lived to tell the tale!
So those of you who have been holding out these last 135 days thinking “he’s never going to make it” or “I’ll donate if he finishes…which he won’t” this is your time to rise up and help “bridge” the remaining fundraising goal for this journey…because I cant be stopped now. I have a date with destiny in Key west in two days come rain or shine 🙂

The Florida Keys are amazing! An assortment of islands dotted throughout the southern tip of Florida that serve as a tropical home for U.S. residents who want tropical weather, but dislike traveling abroad. I can’t believe I have been on this earth for over half a century and never visited until now.
The last few days I have been making my way southwest towards Key West passing through Key Largo, Plantation Key, Windley Key, Long Key, Duck Key…you get the picture, lots of keys, and each one has its own character and history.
On Thursday night I stayed in Plantation Key at the Conch On Inn. On Friday I was outdoors at the Long Key State Park. With two 20 mile days in I set myself up for a treat on Saturday! After a 10 mile morning I arrived at the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key. the Wisniewski clan had arranged for me to interact with some of the dolphins before heading to stay at their home in Marathon Key for the night. Erika Wisniewski has worked at the center for a number of years and was a fabulous host. I had a great time and learned a lot about dolphins.

On Sunday it was off to the Bahia Honda Key and another beautiful state park, but in order to get there I needed to cross the historic Seven Mile Bridge….which is exactly what the name implies…more on that in my next post.
TTFN
Stephen “Forrest” Moyer 🙂

After a good night’s sleep on Monday it was back to the roads for another day of straight travel towards Florida City. Although my feet continue to ache I tried to increase the mix of running to hiking in an effort to shorten the amount of time I am on my feet….with mixed results. I stayed at the Best Western Motel on Tuesday night because its situated on the southern tip of Florida City and would set me up well for the long desolate trip to Key Largo on Wednesday.
I knew that the strech of road from Florida City to Key Largo was largely through parkland (part of the Everglades National Park), but I figured that there would at least be a rest stop with a picnic table or two somewhere along the 20 mile “entranceway to the Keys”….I was wrong.
I was smart enough though to pack an extra liter of water for the trip, and I rationed it throughout the day as the sun beat down with only occasional breaks from stray clouds. There were lots of cars passing in both directions, but I was a bit surpised that I didnt see any other pedestrians or cyclists throughout the day. In fact, my only interaction with any living thing was with this fellow sun worshiper

After traveling just under 20 miles without a break I arrived in Key Largo and set up shop in a motel next to a marina….complete with a Tiki Bar and restaurant just accross from my room. 🙂
Today I begin the last week of my Journey! As I look out my window this morning I cant help but feel thankful for all the people who have helped make this crazy trip possible. I am hoping that this last week will inspire those of you who have been following me, but not yet contributed to the cause, to consider making a donation to the MS Society so that we can finally “finish MS”

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/