Washington man goes for a walk … to Texas

Dreaming of a vacation? White sandy beaches, lush green forests, maybe an island getaway? Head to the airport and in hours almost any destination is possible.

When Tim Hatch decided he wanted to take a vacation and visit Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site in Texas, flying wasn’t an option; he thought he’d rather walk. So he bought himself a donkey and set off on foot…on July 6, 2005.

Hatch, age 53, and his seven-year-old companion Rosie, short for Rosa de la Cruz or Rose of the Cross (for the cross-marking on her back), are an eccentric pair. When he went out in search of a donkey, Rosie’s owner tried to discourage Hatch from buying her. “I knew I had to take her when the owner told me she wasn’t a good donkey,” Hatch says.

Their journey began in Entiat, Washington, and has taken them down through Oregon and California. Along the way they have run into delays. Rosie has gone through several pairs of shoes, finding food and water is sometimes difficult and, by Thanksgiving, Hatch had run out of money.

Without options, in Imperial Valley, California, Hatch decided to take a break and find himself a job. “I’ve had a million jobs,” Hatch says. Before his “vacation” he worked for a science lab in Washington, but he has also spent many summers as a firefighter.

In California Hatch worked for artist Leonard Knight, assisting on the Salvation Mountain Project. He also spent some time as a landscaper. He worked all through the winter until March 21, 2006, when he and Rosie finally put their walking shoes back on.

This leg of their journey has brought them into Arizona, through Yuma and Gila Bend and finally right here to Maricopa. Ignacio Gomez, who lives along the Maricopa/Casa-Grande Highway spotted them on the side of the road on Tuesday and offered Hatch and Rosie a place to rest.

Tim Hatch and Rosa de la Cruz take a rest break at the Maricopa home of Ignacio Gomez.

People like Gomez have made this trip much easier for Hatch, who says, “The people in Arizona have been extra nice.” Hatch has received over $400 in donations from big-hearted Arizonans. “People have been mostly nice everywhere,” he explains, “but once I crossed the Colorado River, it’s been like a whole other world.”

At an Arby’s in Yuma employees took up a collection and offered Hatch $80. The manager also bought him dinner. “I haven’t bought a single meal since I’ve been in Arizona,” he says gratefully.

Hatch is no stranger to travel; he has been to 25 different countries, naming Nicaragua, Algeria, India and Mexico as his favorite places. “Knowing how to speak Spanish has also made the trip easier,” Hatch claims, “and I speak a little French, too.”

Thursday morning Hatch and Rosie were back on the road, ready to cover their average of 15 miles a day again. “We spend anywhere from 8 -16 hours a day walking,” Hatch points out. “It depends on the length of the day.”

From here the pair will head through Casa Grande and down to Tucson. They follow the railroad tracks since following the Interstate is illegal. After Tucson they will head to Las Cruces, New Mexico. “I hope to be in New Mexico for my birthday on May 2,” Hatch adds.

“There isn’t much between Tucson and Las Cruces,” Gomez says. “They will have a hard time finding water.” But Hatch is nothing if not resourceful and now, with his quasi-celebrity status, surely people along the way will spot the man and his donkey and offer them water, food or a place to rest.

Hatch and Rosie have an entire web site dedicated to their journey, complete with journal entries from the road and a guest book for all the people who have spotted them along the way. You can also follow their progress as they get closer to their destination.

What next? Hatch says he isn’t sure, he just wants to get to Texas, and he’ll decide from there.