Holden Minor Ringer treks coast to coast: Visits Petersburg, 14th state on journey

On the first day I cruised Reddit, a social media platform, I came across a post that caused my Social Butterfly wings to flutter with excitement. A young man who was on a trek across America announced he would stop in Petersburg for the night. I immediately tracked his phone number down and reached out to him.

Twenty-six-year-old Holden Minor Ringer, a 2021 Emory University graduate, is on a mighty quest to walk from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. He began his journey in La Push, Washington on March 8 last year and made it to Petersburg, Virginia on February 29. Before reaching the Old Dominion, he had already made his way through 13 states: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

Why take this cross-country journey by foot? Ringer is on a mission to raise awareness and money for America Walks, a national pedestrian organization who advocates for walkable communities. A bike crash is one experience which influenced his decision to take on such a crazy endeavor. In his selfies, he makes a hand gesture that has a special meaning.

"I got in a bike crash back when I was living in Everett, Washington. I severed the nerve in my hand so that I had to get surgery. I can feel these fingers and I can move them but it's like they're never going to be the same," Ringer shared.

On his way to participate in the AmeriCorps Vista program, Ringer skidded out down a hill that he had been biking on for two weeks.

"That's where the painted bike lane was. That's where the city of Everett was saying this is where you should be biking. It was wet. I was like trying to slow down so that I like would have control but also like trying to go fast for the cars behind me because I didn't want to inconvenience them," Ringer said. "I remember thinking at the hospital afterward, 'What could I have done differently?' But, in the weeks and months to come, I was thinking to myself, 'Well, like that was the route that the city told me to take. That's where they put the bike lane.' It started to click this thing in my head. Why aren't our communities walkable? Why aren't our communities bikable?"

Instead of studying for an exam in May of 2021 at Emory in Atlanta, Georgia, Ringer opted to procrastinate. He Googled "what it would be like to walk across America" which caused the seed to be planted. In December of 2021, he went on a 20-mile walk around Dallas where his parents reside. He thought, "You know, I can do this every single day for a year." It took him a year to plot and plan his course of action. After he finishes, he will have walked 4,500 miles with two momentous stops: Washington D.C. and New Haven, Connecticut. Before he hit the road, he sold his car and belongings.

"You can plan and be prepared, but, at the same time, you don't know what to expect. You must be adaptable. This is an unsupported journey — no team," Ringer said.

Tombstone House: Ringer checks out iconic Petersburg landmark

Ringer has an open invitation for anyone who would like to join him on his adventure. After he walked 28 miles from McKenney, where he popped a tent for the night, we met at the iconic Tombstone House. The private residence is located on Youngs Road in Petersburg.

In 1934, 2,200 government-issued, marble tombstones that previously topped the Union soldiers’ graves in Poplar Lawn Cemetery were used to construct the unique home, walkway and chimney. The soldiers all died at the end of the Civil War in the siege of Petersburg. During the Great Depression, to save money on mowing and maintenance costs, the city decided to cut the tombstones in half and lay the engraved halves on the graves. Oswald Young purchased the lower halves at an auction and repurposed them for his home, according to an article contributed by JeffM at atlasobscura.com.

Before we made our way down Boydton Plank Road, Halifax Street, South Market Street and West Old Street to get to Old Towne, Ringer introduced me to his sidekick Smiley, a Chariot Cougar 1 jogging stroller. "If you are remotely thinking about walking across America, choose a jogging stroller or cart over the backpack, you’ll thank me later," Ringer suggested. "A stroller also serves as a great car repellent."

We walked, talked and took in the sites for over three miles. On foot, I noticed things for the first time like a cutout of General A.P. Hill which stood at the foot of a Confederate flag, beautiful stained-glass windows and just how difficult a quest like Ringer's can be due to people being glued to their cell phones while driving.

"Cars are the most dangerous thing I deal with every single day. It would be great if we would build more walkable infrastructure so people would have alternatives to driving around and people aren't in danger just getting around the community," Ringer said.

Progress-Index interview: Ringer's journey from coast to coast

On that Thursday afternoon, I bundled up because it was chilly. Meanwhile, Ringer was comfortable wearing shorts. He was also sporting a bright, yellow East Coast Greenway vest. During our journey together, I picked his brain.

What is the friendliest city Ringer has visited?

"Whatever city I'm going to next. I love all of my children. It's tough to rank the generosity."

Has Ringer sustained any injuries on his journey?

"About 30-40 days in, I got some bad plantar fasciitis in Central Oregon, and I also had a left knee issue. I'm always hurting, because I walk 25-32 miles a day."

Has Ringer ever felt like he was in danger?

"Besides danger from cars, cars and cars, I encountered a guy holding a machete in North Carolina. I said howdy to him, but I was more focused on the cars."

Where will Ringer, now homeless, reside after his journey is over?

"Find a community that I want to invest in. I plan to go back to Seattle for a while since I like it there. Maybe Durham, St. Louis, Denver, there are a lot of places I could call home. I plan to write a book, and I may even go to law school."

Would Ringer like to become a politician?

"I may venture into politics to advocate for things I care about. I want to build something. It's important to have something tangible, to be able to say... I helped build this organization, bus lane, bike lane."

What does Smiley hold for Ringer to eat and drink?

"I've eaten 25 different flavors of Pop-Tarts. I love canned pear halves in juice, not slices and not in syrup. They're ideal because they are a snack and a drink. I also eat mint chocolate Cliff bars for the caffeine. I have water and world-renowned Tall Bois [24-ounce Twisted Tea, a hard-seltzer] to drink. I'm a sweet girlie, what can I say. I don't like beer."

What foods did Ringer try for the first time?

"Rocky mountain oysters in Colorado and fried silkworms in Kansas City which taste better than they sound. Food blogger Lisa Nguyen took me to some of the hottest Kansas City barbecue spots. I can’t say that I typically eat red meat, but when in Rome you eat like the Romans."

Where does Ringer sleep at night?

"I look for places that are covered. I've slept in airplane hangars, churches, hotels, a city hall and under bridges and picnic shelters, anything from six-million dollar homes to goat farms. Friends, friends of friends, relatives and strangers have offered me shelter."

Petersburg rolls red carpet out for Holden Minor Ringer

The first site Ringer and I stopped to admire in Old Towne was the iconic, octagonal-shaped Farmers Market building which has been around since 1879. Then, we popped into the gallery at Petersburg Area Art League across the street. Punctual as can be, Petersburg Mayor Samuel Parham stopped by to welcome Ringer to the greatest American city in the country. A lively conversation ensued. Parham asked Ringer why he decided upon this journey.

"The short answer is... it seemed like a fun thing to do, and I get to meet nice people such as yourself. I didn't know I would get to wake up this morning and get to meet a mayor, but it's just part of the adventure," Ringer responded. "What's been so great about this walk is getting to see so many great cities over the course of the walk and just being welcomed with such open arms."

"While you're young, have all that energy and no obligations, this is such a great way to explore and see our beautiful country. I just commend you for going out here and walking across here bringing a lot of knowledge back to what we can do better to be more of a walkable community. It's something we strive for here in Petersburg," Parham said. "This is always a place we want you to come and return back to, and we're happy to be hosting you here today."

Parham, the first mayor Ringer met after visiting 14 states, removed his city of Petersburg pin, pinned it on the tourist, and shook his hand. "You be safe out there, and if there's anything we can do for you, just reach out to us. We look forward to seeing you again." Ringer was overwhelmed with joy.

Petersburg welcomes tourist traveling by foot with open arms

Fans of Petersburg, Bill Nicholson and Dale and Linda Pittman, sponsored Ringer's stay at the Pittman's historic inn, Strawberry Hill on Hinton Street. After his daily walk with Linda, Pittman met Ringer and me at his beautifully restored mansion dating to 1792. Up to that leg of his walk, the architectural jewel on Hinton Street was the oldest structure Ringer had slept in. In the Barksdale Suite, the strangers became quick friends and swapped stories. Ringer shared details of his life and what led him on his quest, and Pittman shared Petersburg's history.

"You can choose any room you wish, but, if it was me who walked all those miles, I'd choose the one with the whirlpool upstairs," Pittman said. "Linda provides nibbles in the morning, scones she makes and vegan cookies made by Cindy and Bob Jenkins on High Street. There's yogurt, water, espresso and real half and half."

Holden requested an hour to rest and ready himself to hit the town for dinner. I walked to the Oyster Society restaurant to take in its gothic revival-style, Victorian era decor. I enjoyed a specialty cocktail while I visited with Chef Ernie LaBrecque. I love how the conversationalist speaks his mind.

Ringer was treated to The Brickhouse Run courtesy of Nicholson and the pub's owners, Drew and Johanna Phelan. He ordered a dinner special: blackened yellowfin tuna, chipotle sweet potato mash, grilled zucchini, pineapple salsa and sriracha aioli. He raved over it. I ordered the Petersburger made with sharp cheddar, bacon, onion jam, lettuce and pub sauce. I will definitely order it again.

The following morning, Kathleen McCay-Stanley, owner of Old Towne's Alibi, spotted Ringer headed down North Sycamore Street and offered him a bite to eat. He only had time for a Coke since he was on his way to Richmond where he spent five nights. On March 10, he finally made it to the nation's capital where he plans to depart from around April 3.

Walk 2 Washington: Holden Minor Ringer's walk across America

Ringer's original goal was to walk from Washington state to Washington, D.C., however, he decided to continue and end in New York at the Atlantic Ocean. From there, he will walk to New Haven to visit his maternal grandparents' memorial site. This length of the journey will be private. He believes it will be a fitting end to his walk.

"Part of the reason I was able to do this walk was because I had inherited some money from my grandparents, and it feels like a good way to honor them in this way," Ringer said. "Maybe I’ll bring them a Tall Boi."

Ringer doesn't think they, the late Norine and Ed Toole, would have wanted him to take on such an arduous walk, but he hopes they can be proud of what he accomplished.

"Something I am confident about is that the walk has given me a deeper perspective on America, people, myself, what I want out of life and many other topics," Ringer wrote in his blog. "It’s my belief that this perspective will continue to serve me for the rest of my life as I labor and toil to make the world around me a better place."

Follow Ringer's journey @walk2washington on Instagram and Facebook or visit walk2washington.com. Read this story at progress-index.com to view my gallery and Facebook live with Ringer and Parham.

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Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly, an award-winning columnist, is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index voted the 2022 Tri-Cities Best of the Best Social Media Personality. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at khiggins@progress-index.com, follow @KHiggins_PI on X and @socialbutterflykristi on Instagram.

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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg: City welcomes man walking across America with open arms