“Walk The Walk” Completing The Panhandle Portion Of The Trek

     Today is Day 4 of “Walk the Walk,” the day veterans Daryl Harrison of Thurston and Ken Hanel of West Point leave the Panhandle on their trek across the entire 432-miles of U-S Hwy 20 – the Nebraska Medal of Honor Highway.

     The 66-year old Harrison and 72-year old Hanel are using their trip to raise awareness of the highway designation and to raise money to install at least 6 highway name signs, including one near the Wyoming state line.

      Harrison and Hanel began their walk Tuesday at 5 AM at the state line and stayed that night in Crawford, Wednesday night in Hay Springs, and last night in Gordon. They started again this morning at 5:00 and will spend tonight in Cody.

     “Walk the Walk” will last 12 days, ending at a park in South Sioux City for the dedication of a Korean War Memorial a week from tomorrow. 

     The trip is divided into 6 mile segments, each dedicated to one of Nebraska’s 74 Medal of Honor recipients. One of today’s honorees is William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, recognized for his work as a scout with the U-S Calvary during the Plains Indian Wars.

     Cody’s medal was actually rescinded along with a number of others because he wasn’t an official member of the military, but special legislation restored it nearly a century later. 

      Members of the American Legion Riders motorcycle group will follow Harrison and Hanel to the program on the 22nd, but they’ll do it in one day. 

      They will leave Van Tassell, Wyo, at 7:00 AM on the 22nd and expected to arrive in South Sioux City by late afternoon. Their first gas and rest stop will be in Gordon around 8:45.