U.S. man Sam Green and his dog, Taylor Ham, left from one of their favorite walking spots by the beach in Sandy Hook on May 14, and began walking west. 

Two-and-a-half months — and more than 500 miles (800 km) later — they are still going.

Green, 32, and his dog, are part-way through a walk across America. Their adventure is helping Green, an avid hiker, fulfill a lifelong dream of walking across the country.

The dog walks “a mile or two” a day, but most often she’s pushed along the way by Green in a jogger-stroller for dogs. He’s outfitted the stroller with three rechargeable fans to keep her cool.

It’s also serving as a unique fundraiser for Just Believe Inc., a New Jersey-based charity that operates a local Code Blue shelter for the homeless, and is fundraising to build “Jeff’s Camp,” a shelter for homeless veterans.

Green’s aim is to try to raise US$25,000 by the time he reaches Los Angeles, in mid- to late October, about a 3,000- mile total distance. So far, his GoFundMe campaign has brought in close to US$5,300.

“The dog and I are slowly making our way west,” Green said in a recent interview as he walked along a road outside Dayton, Ohio. “One step at a time, we are getting there.”

Green has also used the top of a shoe rack he got at Walmart and secured it to the top of the cart. That holds his clothes, a food bag, which contains three to four days of food, and his electronics, including a camp light, laptop and phone.

He has three tripods attached to his cart, which is topped by an American flag and an umbrella, and posts updates on his YouTube channel Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

He said they walk a minimum of 15 miles a day, “unless it’s a really bad day, really mountainous,” and they have detoured from direct routes for sightseeing.

The farthest they have gone in one day: 35 miles.

Paul Hulse, president and chief executive officer of Just Believe, said Green’s walk has inspired him and the many volunteers who work with the organization.

“The coolest part for us is, it’s such an inspiration for us,” Hulse said. “I have volunteers that have been doing this for six years, seven years. When you see someone doing something like that, it makes you work so much harder. It’s just awesome.”

(SD-Agencies)