This most-unusual school year started in a most-unexpected fashion, when we were joined at The Wheel’s first chicken-fried steak lunch by a fit young trekker making his way from Delaware to California. And now, a happy update: Keith Doubman, who began his journey May 17, on Feb. 22 posted a pic of his trail-weary boots in the Pacific sands.

After heading south from Mount Oread, Doubman turned west at Ottawa on a route that took him through Council Grove, Pawnee Rock, Cimarron, Garden City and Lakin, then crossing into Colorado at Coolidge. In Colorado, Doubman visited Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Golden before heading up and over the Rockies and across vast expanses of Utah and Nevada desert. Then came Las Vegas and westward ho to Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Francisco.

“I wanted to do something challenging,” Doubman told Kansas Alumnibefore digging into a burger and ice-cold beer, “and I’m just so grateful for my health.”

Doubman is using his journey to raise money for cancer research; donations can be made via links on his Instagram and TikTok pages, @KCDAdventure, where his complete photography and video archives, including the people and places he visited across Kansas, are still available.

Rock Chalk, Keith, and we’re glad you made KU part of your incredible journey.

—By Chris Lazzarino