For most people, skateboarding is a pastime to get outside and decompress. For Trevor Parker, it has become something much bigger: a cross-country odyssey fueled by grit, generosity, and a mission to give back.
He set out from the Peace Arch at the Canadian border above Blaine, Wash., with his sights loosely set on Tijuana. “I had mapped out a couple routes with daily plans,” he admits, “but that pretty quickly went out the window.” Instead, his journey has unfolded one week (and often one conversation) at a time. What started as a 100-day plan has stretched into a months-long adventure that he expects to finish in mid-November. Though, as he puts it, “it’s definitely about the journey more than the destination.”
The seed for this adventure was planted nearly 15 years ago when Parker first heard about cyclists making similar treks across the country. But it wasn’t until skater Chad Caruso set a cross-country record that he began to see it as a real possibility. Further inspired by other skaters’ social media journeys, he committed by posting his own “Day 1” video to hold himself accountable. Every day since, he’s shared updates, building a community along the way.
And that community has proven to be invaluable. From strangers offering food and water to new friends opening their homes, Parker says the kindness he’s experienced has been constant. “Whenever I’ve needed someone or something, the universe has provided,” he says.
But the journey is about more than just personal growth. Trevor is skating to raise funds for two causes close to his heart: the Eddy House, which supports homeless youth in Reno, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He connects both to his own story of a rough upbringing that could have gone differently, and family losses to cancer. “The most important part to me is contributing to people making tangible efforts to better the lives of children,” he says.
Through his efforts, Parker hopes to show readers that no dream is too big to chase. “I wasn’t in the physical condition to do this when I started,” he admits. “[But] I stopped listening to my excuses and got to work.”
And now, he’s inviting the community to join him. Every like, comment, and contribution helps push him closer to the finish line. Supporters can follow his daily updates on social media, share his story, and donate to the Eddy House or St. Jude to help him reach his $10,000 goal for each organization.
“Support begets support,” Parker says. “The more love I feel from my community, the more impact I can make.”