61 Larry Johnson

In 1961 Mr. Johnson took a 50-mile hike when President Kennedy was promoting them for health and fitness. It follows logically that on August 9 at 6:10 a.m. a hybrid car (you can walk 61 miles on a gallon or more of good water, but it takes a hybrid to go that far faster on a gallon) will deliver Johnson to the 61 bus on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis by the light rail station which connects to the Mall of America. After all, the Mall area is where the Twins played when they arrived here in 1961. It's where the 50-mile hike originated because Johnson's dad bought part of a farm near the Mall in 1948 and built the house they grew up in with about $610 in borrowed money. 1961 is also the year Roger Maris of the Yankees hit 61 home runs.

The 61 bus will take him to Larpenteur and Arcade in St. Paul where he will begin hiking north on Highway 61, the road that follows the Mississippi all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. At 6:10 that evening, Johnson will walk into Lindstrom, Minnesota where his grandfather and uncle, both veterans, are buried. At 5:15pm, a contingent of veterans and supporters will gather at Vilhelm Moberg Park in Chisago City and join the last 2 miles of the walk into Lindstrom for a service at the Veteran's Memorial. Family and friends will celebrate that evening at the DINNERBEL, a fine Lindstrom restaurant whose dining hall was managed at the end of World War I by Johnson's grandmother. Reservations for 7 need to be called in to the Dinnerbel.

The second day and conclusion of the walk will originate in Taylors Falls, cross the BRIDGE into Wisconsin, and drop south to touch Highway 35 in Osceola, Wisconsin, just because the original walk (done in one day) came back up the bed of 35W the year it was being built. Originally Johnson intended to give himself permission to take two days, saying, "Well, it's further, and I'm a lot older." Now it's just a 2-day plan, heading from 35, over the BRIDGE into Minnesota. He will then walk far enough to bring the total miles to 58, at which point the 61 bus or a roughly 61 m.p.g. car will get him to the east end of the Lake Street BRIDGE (the Sri Chinmoy Peace BRIDGE). Individuals making any donation to the Peace Garden are invited to join the last 3 miles of the walk over the BRIDGE to the 5-8pm Family Fun Night at MIDTOWN GLOBAL MARKET in the old Sears building on E Lake St and Chicago Avenue.

Johnson, part of KEY OF SEE STORYTELLERS, will donate a storytelling assembly to a school of choice from anyone donating $610 to either cause and a full day of storytelling to anyone making a donation of $6100.

For more information on OPERATION AMERICA CARES, go to www.OperationAmericaCares.org or call Greg Scott at 651-260-1051 or email GregScott@InfraSupport.com. Donations to OAC in the amount of $.61, $6.10, $61, $610, $6100, or $61,000 may be mailed to 3968 Westbury Way, Eagan MN 55123.

Print donation form (.pdf) HERE

For more information on the PEACE GARDEN PROJECT, call 612-230-6434 or email mlerman@minneapolisparks.org. Donations in increments of $.61 to $61,000 as above may be made to PEACE GARDEN PROJECT and mailed to Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, 3800 Bryant Ave S, Mpls MN 55409.

Print donation form (.pdf) HERE

For more information on the entire project or to have Larry Johnson talk to your group about 61 and the issues associated with it, call 612-747-3904 or email 61@iam.mn