Greetings from the front lines of the Million Step March! We are officially on the road with this first of its kind cross-state walk, and the energy and enthusiasm at the kickoff was infectious.

First off, Kathy Higgins (the lovely and adventurous soul walking all 600 miles with me) did three days of media interviews gearing up for the big walk. The media here in Asheville really rallied around the march. We appeared on radio, TV and in newspapers such as the Asheville Citizen-Times.

After a special sneak peek warm-up event at the Biltmore Estate, we headed to downtown Asheville for the kickoff. Our mobile trucks served as a background and staging area - and all of it against the stunning background of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It really was a beautiful sight.

Mayor Bellamy joined Kathy and me on stage along with Asheville business people and community activists. We had a great crowd turn out including many from the "Ground Pounders Walking Club" as well as the "Lighten Up For Life" folks from Mission Hospitals. They all joined us for the two-mile walk through downtown Asheville.

In addition to our Million Step March trucks, four police escorts also led us out of town, causing some stunned local folks to yell out "Hey, what parade is this?" It really was quite a sight.

Once on the edge of town we took a water break and thanked the crowd. That's when it got real for Kathy and myself. We walked (with a small group of five people) an additional 10 miles through the scenic valley towards Black Mountain. 12 miles down... 588 to go! Many people at the kickoff seemed to ask if we really were walking the entire way to the Wilmington coast - so I'll say it again right here on the blog - Kathy and I are purists! We really are walking every step along the way to inspire the people of North Carolina. And you can too, right in your hometown. Login and join the march!

Posted by Gary Marino on April 2, 2008