There are the James Bond-types who exude an all-knowing manliness and a been-there, done-that attitude. Others like Tobey MacGuire's “Spider Man” hide their power behind the façade of a self-effacing nerd.
There are high-profile heroes like climber, adventurer and filmmaker David Breashears, and the inspirational heroes such as Martin Luther King, in whose honor schools and banks shut down and Al Gore, whose green campaign makes headlines every day.
Then there are the strong, silent - well, maybe not silent - types like this week's Doer, no. 419, Michael “Hawkeye” “Bomber” Johnson, who eschews the trappings of leading-manliness for simply getting the job done. Hawkeye - he got the handle in college because of a close resemblance to Donald Sutherland's character in “Mash” - has no axe to grind, no point to drive home, no portfolio and, until recently, no clear agenda: He simply puts one foot in front of the other and starts walking.
In past, the hikes were about the path, not the destination. Today, Johnson's meanderings include a goal: raising funds for the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program.
On Friday, TASP holds its annual fundraiser - 6-11 p.m. at the Sheridan Opera House - including a silent and live auction and dancing to the sounds of the Anders Brothers Band.
The sexiest auction items include a heli-skiing trip; two days at a fishing/riding camp in Creed; a three-night stay in a condo on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, with airfare; a weekend at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel; and a set visit on Fox's Emmy/Golden Globe Award-winning show .”
TASP is a nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of people with disabilities; greater self-awareness, self-esteem and self-confidence are byproducts of its program. TASP trumps traditional therapies for helping challenged individuals move forward with their lives. For many, the TASP experience is transformational.
Former director Colleen Trout moved to town in 1991. She joined Bill Glasscock, who founded and ran the adaptive program through ski school. Together they established TASP as a nonprofit in 1995. Nowadays, Colleen has given up her administrative responsibilities to return to her first love, instructing, working part-time for TASP and part-time for Challenge Aspen.
Her former job is now divided in two. Courtney Stuecheli is TASP's new executive director, in charge of business, including fundraising. Ryan Keyes is the ski program manager, running everything on the hill. Nan Darkis is TASP's development director and Jan Newell is in charge of the office.
TASP participants include young people and adults, ranging in age from 4 to 84, who are physically and/or mentally challenged.
“Last year, 23 different school groups from the region (Montrose, Ridgway, Olathe, Cortez and the Four Corners region), plus the Arizona School for the Blind and Deaf and St. Michael's Navajo School all participated in the program,” said Stuecheli. “More than 100 regional school-aged students ski with TASP in an on-going winter program.”
This year, TASP continued its unique and highly successful Disability Awareness Program, including over 60 fifth, sixth and seventh graders from two local schools, as well as young people from Juvenile Diversion.
For Johnson, the initiative is a “win-win.”
“The other day I was in town and a busload of fifth-graders who had just done the Awareness Program saw my TASP jacket and cheered,” he said. “The kids are wonderful to work with, and they really get what we are doing. Their tribute let me know the initiative is a win-win.”
During the 2005/2006 ski season, over 100 volunteers contributed 5,600 hours of service to TASP.
Said Stuecheli, “To date in the 2006/2007 season, we have recruited and trained over 90 on-snow volunteers who assisted our 37 instructors - Hawkeye is one - with over 3,330 volunteer hours.”
“More volunteers are welcome,” she added.
TASP offers scholarships and is on track to offer $27,000 in assistance by the end of the season. It also trains athletes for the Special Olympics.
“We are training 13 individuals, up from four skiers just two years ago,” Stuecheli said. “Team TASP will compete at the Colorado State Games at Copper Mountain.”
TASP will host its first Special Olympics Colorado Regional Family Day on March 31. Students and their families from the entire Western Slope are participating.
TASP has received its first-ever Federal grant, a one-year award to provide adaptive sports services to men and women wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We will host two winter and two summer programs,” Stuecheli said.
Added Johnson, ”I recently taught snowboarding to two war vets, one with a prosthetic leg and the other minus an arm. Both men seemed to totally accept what happened to them. What they wanted was to learn a new skill and get on with their journey.”
Speaking of journeys.
According to his Web site, gohawkeye.com, Johnson is a Triple Crown long-distance hiker. Growing up in Maine, he discovered the Appalachian Trail in 1968 and was “amazed that I could take a left and walk to Georgia.”
While working at a corrections facility in Connecticut, he began hiking the Appalachian Trail in sections to the north and south, completing the 900 miles. After retiring from the prison system in 1998, at age 42, he hiked 1,000 miles. Johnson finished the Appalachian Trail in 1999.
“That same year, I thru-hiked the 480-mile Colorado Trail and made Telluride my home base,” he said.
Johnson was just getting warmed up.
In 2000, he thru-hiked the 2,750-mile Pacific Crest Trail. In 2001, he returned to the Appalachian Trail, completing it for a second time. In 2002, he traveled to Australia and New Zealand for six months, hiking the Overland Track and the wilds of Australia.
“Like Australia, New Zealand has many interesting hikes, including the Heapy Track in the south and the 90-mile Beach Track on the North Island,” Johnson said.
Johnson made a thru-hike attempt of the 3,000-mile-long Continental Divide Trail, but got turned back by weather after completing 2,800 miles.
In 2004, he returned to where he had left off, finishing the remaining miles to achieve the Triple Crown of long-distance hiking.
“I especially like hiking long trails a second time, and it's my goal to complete the Big Three again to become a double Triple Crowner,” Johnson said. “I am one-third of the way there.”
Talk about walking your talk.
Johnson's next hike begins in late April, when he sets out on a 3,000-mile, five-month backpacking trip again on the Continental Divide Trail, traveling from Mexico to Canada to raise money for TASP.
“I am doing what we hikers call a flip flop, starting out in the boot hills of New Mexico smack dab in the middle of nowhere,” Johnson said. “I will hike north to Telluride and arrive just in time for the Bluegrass Festival in late June. I will then rejoin the trail at the Canadian border in Montana and hike south back to Telluride, arriving just in time for Blues & Brews in mid-September. I am hoping to raise money for TASP by having people give pledges/mile or simply donating directly.”
What motivates Johnson to champion TASP should inspire us all.
“As a result of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, a Navajo boy I have worked with could communicate only by pointing to a picture in a book that hung around his neck,” Johnson said. “Generally after one or two ‘runs' on the Magic Carpet, he would point to the symbol for ‘rest.' One day, he surprised me by pointing to the symbol for ‘ski.' He wanted another round. I felt triumphant. Having worked in the prison system for 20 years, you learn to cherish the small victories. Same goes for TASP. TASP also teaches you to think out of the box, to find ways to help people who can't easily help themselves. Your reward is seeing their smiling faces. At times, it gets rough on my hikes. On one trip it rained 23 days straight. Through TASP, I have learned to embrace my discomfort: I have my arms and legs and do not have to live with constant pain. An occasional ache or bruise serves to remind me how lucky I am.”
Johnson was a solo act for years. Now he has a partner, personal trainer and yoga instructor Deb C.
“I met Deb in 2003 on her birthday,” Johnson recalled. “She and her friends dress up for big events. The first time I saw her, she was wearing a leopard skin pillbox hat, right out of the Dylan song, with gloves to match. She was a vision and what's more, she was interested in my hikes. Deb may not have clocked as many miles, but she shares the passion. And like me, she's a Navy brat. Other women I have met over the years considered me a bad prospect because I was gone five months of the year. Not my Deb.”
Johnson and Deb bought a condo together in 2005.
“Life with Deb is never dull: she's so talented and upbeat. The past four years have flown by,” Johnson said. “And for my hikes, she prepares kick-ass care packages filled with healthy treats.”
For further information about TASP's party and ways to donate through Johnson or directly, see Bottom Line.
Time in Town: Eight winters, three summers
Age/Place of Birth: 54/Memphis, Tenn.
Marital Status: Spoken for
Philosophy of Life: All things in moderation, including moderation.
Favorite Books: “A Walk in the Woods” by Bill Bryson, “Undaunted Courage” by William Ambrose and “Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien
Favorite Movies: “Cool Hand Luke,” “Jeremiah Johnson,” “Cat Ballou,” “Pirates of the Caribbean”
Favorite Music/Musicians: Any live music and Bruce Springsteen
Favorite Retreat: A to Z Trees, Moab
A Really Perfect Day: Blue sky powder morning, first chair on Lift 4 to last chair on Lift 7 at 4 p.m., then relaxing at home with Deb, dreaming about tomorrow.
Favorite Hangouts: Skiers' Union or Cornerhouse tavern
Most Influenced By: My mother, Alice H. Johnson, “A.J.” At 82, she still figure skates.
Favorite Childhood Memory: Traveling across the country between Navy bases in a VW bus, camping all the way
Friends in School Thought: I needed a nickname
If I Could Be Someone/Something Else: Explorer William Clark of Lewis and Clark/a redtail hawk
Person I'd Like Most to Meet: Ernest Shackleton or Kit Carson
Actor Who Would Play Me: Clint Viebrock or Donald Sutherland
When I Grow Up I Want to Be: Peter Pan
I Would Almost Never: Eat sushi or turn down a beer
The Art Part or How I Got Here From There: I was born in Memphis into a Navy family. I am the second child of seven and the oldest boy. My parents met in the Navy, where my father was a chief petty officer and spent a 23-year career.
My family moved all the time: Memphis to San Diego to Rhode Island to Brunswick, Maine, and Williamsburg, Va. Wherever we went, we traveled in a mini-bus and always camped out in Navy surplus.
My father is George Robert Johnson. I got my sense of humor from him. My mother is Alice Louise Hart Johnson. She grew up in a two-room house in Briggsdale, Colo., during the Depression. If that didn't stop her, nothing would - or did.
At 82, my mother still figure-skates. She was also a swimming instructor and a big quilter. She loves country line dancing, played the keyboard and basically never rests. Around my mom, there was no loafing.
I remember when I competed on the swimming team, she would become so excited she nearly fell in the water.
Wherever we settled, our backyard became a skating pond. We would lay down a piece of plastic, fasten the edges with logs and put down layers of ice with a hose. My family enjoyed playing hockey together. In 1966, we moved back to Maine for good.
In school, I was an average student, but I was on the swim team, played football, played clarinet and sax in the band. To this day, I carry a recorder on the trail.
Let's just say my parents and I did not see eye to eye about the Vietnam War. I attended Central Connecticut State College in New Britain, putting myself through by doing odd jobs. I majored in sociology and minored in psychology.
When I graduated in 1975, unemployment was high and gas lines were long. I tested for a state job and got a call from the Department of Corrections.
It was an open door anyway.
My first experience was at the prison in Litchfield, which had been built in 1845. I retired from the prison system 20 years later in 1995. For 15 of my years in corrections, I worked with young men in a maximum-security facility. The boys, who were 17-21, were there for everything from car theft to murder.
In Cheshire, Conn., I maintained my own garden behind the building. At the Manson Youth Institute, I started an a cappella singing group, a rap contest, and a break-dancing program. With the boys, there was a lot of interaction. With the adult men, there was none. Over the years, there were some pretty dicey moments, including a number of near-riot situations.
As I matured in the system, I became part of the Critical Incident Stress Response Team, which was activated to diffuse trouble. My team consisted of a psychotherapist, a clergyman and two peer counselors, one of whom was me.
When I retired at age 42, I took a four-month road trip, mountain biking everywhere I stopped. I came through Telluride and enjoyed a few beers at the Buck.
Later in the 1990s, I began my walkabouts. In 1998, for example, I went down to Georgia, started out at Springer Mountain and walked for two months up to Waynesborough, Va.
I love the freedom of hiking. Everything you need is on your back. Telluride was home base and in 1999, I worked as a ticket checker on the mountain for a pass. That is the year I learned about TASP. In 2004, I discovered summers in town and experienced my first Bluegrass Festival and my first Jazz Celebration. I volunteered for Mountainfilm, wine fest and film fest. I bought a mountain bike and spend about 100 days every summer riding.
That winter, I became a TASP instructor and I continue to volunteer as a blind guide.
Favorite Article of Clothing: Novelty print shirts
What I Can't Bear To Throw Out: National Geographic magazines
Last Purchase: Ticket to Bluegrass
Greatest Indulgence: Walking 2,000-3,000 miles in five and a half months.
Most Prized Possession: My ski pass
Weirdest Artifact/Collectible I've Accumulated Over Time: Pirate clothing and accessories
Favorite/Least Favorite Word/Phrase: Lets do that again/ Whatever
Fitness Routine: Lots of hiking, mountain biking, skiing and snowboarding, and I live with a personal trainer, who is now teaching pole dancing.
Accomplishment I am Most Proud Of: Earning the triple crown of long distance hiking.
Wildest Dream: Traveling in time
Biggest Challenge: Finding enough time in a day
Bottom Line: TASP's annual fundraiser will be held Friday from 6-11 p.m. at the Sheridan Opera House and includes a silent and live auction and dancing to the sounds of the Anders Brothers Band. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $35 through tellurideticket.com. At the doors, the price is $40.
Donations may also be made directly to TASP via check or credit card. Mail goes to TASP, P.O. Box 2254, Telluride, CO 81435 or call 728-3524. All donations are tax deductible.
To support Johnson's hike for TASP, visit www.gohawkeye.com and click on the donation button.
