BEDFORD — A man with a restless soul and a sturdy pair of shoes passed quietly through Bedford this week, pausing at IGA for ice before continuing a trek that most people wouldn’t even dream of attempting.
Tim Hickle, who calls himself the Nomad Drifter, is walking from the northernmost point of the continental United States — Angle Inlet, Minnesota — all the way to the southernmost point in Key West, Florida. His journey will cover thousands of miles and take about 240 days.
“I’m about 108, 110 days in right now,” Hickle said. “I should make it no problem, barring any sort of catastrophic event. I’m definitely halfway, both in miles and in timeline.”
The idea began as a retirement project. After a 40-year career as a buyer in the construction industry, Hickle’s wife made it clear he couldn’t simply stop and sit around. “She was right,” he admitted. “I needed a mission.”
He found inspiration online from a man who walked Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. That sparked his interest in long-distance walking, where he discovered hundreds trek from coast to coast each year. But a north-to-south route? That was rare. “When I started my research, I thought nobody had done it,” he said. “Since then, I’ve learned that at least one other person did it, but he went from south to north.”
Hickle set out from the tiny Northwest Angle in Minnesota — a chimney of land that juts into Canada and marks the farthest north point in the lower 48 — and has been heading south ever since. His gear is simple but effective: a camper cart that breaks down into three pieces and fits into a pickup truck. His son drove him to the start point, and when Hickle reaches Key West, a ride home will be waiting.
Though many adventurers use their journeys to raise funds, Hickle isn’t asking for donations for himself. “I don’t need the money,” he said. “If I needed the money, I could have stayed working.” Instead, his website lists a few charities for those who want to support good causes along the way.
Born in 1964 and raised in a Chicago suburb, Hickle has long carried what he calls a “Gypsy soul.” He’s explored all 50 states and made Colorado his home since 1985, but the pull to wander never left him. Now, with retirement at hand, he’s seizing the chance to carve his own path across America.
For updates on his journey, visit his website: nomad-drifter.com.
