Robert Barnes, left, and his son Noah Barnes, right, walk down a street Monday afternoon in Castle Rock as they journey across the United States.
Robert Barnes, right, waves at oncoming cars as his son Noah Barnes, left, walks with him down a street Monday afternoon in Castle Rock as they journey across the United States.
Robert Barnes, left, controls a drone while his son Noah Barnes, right, climbs a small hill Monday afternoon in Castle Rock. They use the drone to take videos during their journey across the United States.
Noah Barnes, right, hands his father Robert Barnes, left, a drone Monday afternoon in Castle Rock. They use the drone to take videos during their journey across the United States.
Robert Barnes, left, and his son Noah Barnes, right, walk down a street Monday afternoon in Castle Rock as they journey across the United States.
Noah Barnes has lived nearly all of his 11 years as a diabetic.
Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 16 months old, Barnes has become incredibly adept at dealing with the inconveniences of the affliction in the interim, including the need for regular insulin shots and a chemistry-like approach to nutrition.
Last year, though, Barnes, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, decided that instead of simply passively managing his disease, he wanted to actively work toward attaining a cure. Barnes’ decision to take a stand ultimately turned into taking a hike, and now he and his parental support crew are on the homestretch of a roughly 4,000-mile cross country journey to raise funds for diabetes research that is set to end in Blaine on Dec. 9.
On Monday, Noah and his father, Robert Barnes, spent the daylight hours walking Westside Highway from Kelso to Vader. The walking men were in good spirits as they made their way through Castle Rock, at least partially due to the sunny weather that decided to make an appearance following a barrage of typically dreary Pacific Northwest days.
“The worst day is cold, wet and rainy, 24/7,” said Noah.
The uncommonly inspired 11-year-old amended his declaration only slightly after his father reminded him of the four days they spent walking through snow at more than 6,000 feet of elevation as they crossed the Blue and Wallowa mountain ranges in eastern Oregon.
“This probably would have been his favorite part of the country, but then it turned cold,” noted Robert. “He was really looking forward to all the mountains and the green.”
Unsympathetic weather is not the only challenge for the Barnes boys as they hoof it from one end of the country to the other. They also have to actively manage Noah’s diabetes during their travels. With a roadside insulin test kit and a stroller packed with various snacks, Robert and Noah are able to keep his rapidly fluctuating insulin levels within the target range no matter where they are along the way.
Rural country has been the kindest to the Barnes’ along the way. Just north of the 4-Corners junction on Monday, two separate women stopped to offer their support to Noah within a matter of minutes. One woman, Emily Hodgson, of Castle Rock, said she immediately looked up Noah’s cause after passing him and his father on the shoulder of Westside Highway. After learning about his cause, she turned around in order to donate the money in her pocket and pose for a photo with Noah.
Robert noted that he and Noah were stopped by at least five supporters in Castle Rockalone.
“That was very common as far as rural support,” said Robert. “The smaller areas are the ones that are the most supportive.”
Before hitting the road, Noah’s parents sold their home in Fort Lauderdale in order to help support their son’s mission. Noah’s mother, Joanne, performs support duties by day, traveling ahead by car, and helps to create some semblance of normalcy at the end of each long day.
“There’s a lot of days where we don’t know where we’re going to stay,” said Robert, who expressed his gratitude to Joanne for compiling the logistics of the trip while he and Noah play the part of wayfarers for a cause along the roadside.
Robert noted that the family has even kept up with Noah’s studies during the trip thanks to a homeschool program. Noah said that his “researching” skills have really developed thanks to the home-away-from-homeschool program, and noted that his history studies have already reached a 12th grade level. However, Noah is also a normal 11-year old, and as such, he is an unabashed Star Wars buff who enjoys playing Minecraft on the computer whenever his studies, travels and philanthropy allow.
Robert noted that the original route was supposed to take the family from the Atlantic Ocean at Key West, Florida, to Noah’s cousins’ home in Olympia. Eventually, the route was extended all the way to Blaine at the Canadian border, but the accommodating serendipity of their extensive travels have conspired to put the family right on pace to be in Olympia with family for Thanksgiving.
“There’s been a lot of stuff that’s just worked out perfect like that. You couldn’t have planned it any better if you tried,” said Robert.
Robert listed vehicles and dogs as the top two dangers along the way. As a precaution, both father and son wear reflective green vests while Robert pushes a stroller outfitted with a flashing bike light for safety. Robert also carries an air horn, which he has successfully employed to fend off charging dogs.
“In this area people pay close attention because there’s people on bikes on the side of the road all the time. It’s when you get close to bigger cities and close to suburban traffic where it really gets dangerous,” said Robert.
According to Joanne Barnes, once the journey is complete Noah will be the youngest person to have walked across America since records were first kept in 1909. Barnes added that roughly 10 percent of Americans, or about 30 million people, are currently afflicted with diabetes.
"If not cured by 2050, American Diabetes Association predicts over 100 million Americans will have diabetes (33 percent of the U.S. population),” wrote Joanne Barnes in an email.
While Noah Barnes has Type 1 diabetes, which is not as common as Type 2 in the United States, that variation of the disease is increasing in frequency.
“It’s a smaller percentage of the population,” explained Robert Barnes. “The problem is, it was about a half a million people 10 years ago around the time Noah was diagnosed, and now they’re saying it’s 1.5 million. But who knows, even getting reliable numbers is a challenge.”
The Barnes’ have set up a 501(c)(3) nonprofit known as Noah’s March Foundation in order to handle the donations. After covering trip-related expenses, the family plans to donate the money toward diabetes research.
“It’s been a good experience because, in my opinion, it’s kind of brought people together. Plus, it’s been pretty fun,” said Noah.
To donate, or to find additional information about Noah’s March, go online to www.noahsmarchfoundation.org/.
