Walk of a lifetime

Setting out with a 75-pound backpack, the clothes on his back, a smartphone and a solar-powered phone charger, Randy Montgomery, 62, of Mount Shasta, California, began his journey - walking 14,500 miles around the perimeter of the United States of America.

He arrived in Havre Sunday after passing through Chester.

Montgomery said the book "The Circle Maker" by Mark Batterson inspired him to start this journey.

"I was kind of in a low spot in my life, and somebody came by my house and said, 'Here, I have a book you gotta read' and I said, 'Well don't even leave it because I haven't read a book in 40 years,'" he said.

Montgomery ended up opening the book. He said it was about the power of prayer and prayer circles.

He bought a backpack and left town a week and a half later.

"I closed the book and said, 'Well, you know what? I am going to do (a trip) around the United States in order to create something beautiful,'" he said.

His goal is to open up the eyes of the people and make the world a better place. He wants everyone to "wake up and become friends."

"If we all start becoming friends and helping one another, all those hard things, obstacles - would slowly disappear. We can all make this a beautiful place," he said. "The perfect time may never come to do all of the things you want to do - so that's why I just took off walking."

Montgomery, a former logging truck driver, started his trek July 1 in Arcata, California.

"That's where I started because I'm doing the perimeter. I wanted to (begin) on the outside, to include everybody in my circle," he said.

Montgomery said he misses his family and that he left behind his two sons and his dog.

"You don't know what it's like once you step out of the box," he added.

Montgomery documents his travels on his Facebook page. He uploads photographs he takes with his phone and writes various posts. He also keeps a journal of his travels.

In order to fund his journey, Montgomery sells T-shirts on his website. He also has a PayPal account, where his followers donate various amounts of cash.

Montgomery said a lot of people believe his journey is dangerous.

"I'm scared of sitting in my life, doing the same thing for the next five years and never gaining anything," he added.

Montgomery said every time he faces hardships, such as large summits, he turns to God.

"Anytime I get in a hard spot, I ask God to help me walk this walk," he said.

Montgomery also said he underestimated the country and that incredible things have happened "one right after another."

"Every town I go into, it's incredible. The people that are on my Facebook are so inspired by what I'm doing - they say when I come to a town, call them," he said. "People will open up their homes to me, give me places to stay."

Montgomery said his journey is bringing the values of family and friendship to the United States.

"It's creating a great ripple effect all around the country," he added.

Personal growth played a huge role in Montgomery deciding to make the journey.

"I was tired of growing on the outside. I wanted to grow on the inside," he said. "We let our comfort zone guide us through this world - we never step out of it. Until you step out of your comfort zone and do things that you don't normally do and you experience whatever it is that you come across, then that's growing - that's growing inside."

Montgomery sleeps in his tent on the side of roads and sometimes in motels. He said not knowing what will come next makes him stronger every day.

"Every day I don't know where I'm going to stay, I don't know where I'm going to sleep - I don't know what I'm going to do for food. But it all falls into place, and it all works," he added.

Montgomery's birthday is Thursday and he plans to stay in the Havre area to celebrate. He said he will be heading east once he leaves the area.

"I really don't want to know what's ahead of me. ... I live my life one day at a time," he said.

Montgomery also said he is interested in having someone write a book about his journey, using his personal journal as a reference.

For more information on Montgomery's trip, visit http://www.circlemakerrandymontgomery.com or call 1-530-918-9862.

To check out more photos of Montgomery's journey, visit the December 9, 2014 section at http://www.havredailynews.com/photos.