Photo by Matt Stensland
David Muniz pushes his shopping cart Friday along U.S. Highway 40 on Rabbit Ears Pass.
Homeless man's journey taking him to Steamboat
David Muniz left Greeley last month and hit Rabbit Ears Pass this afternoon
Updated July 2, 2010 at 11:44 p.m.
Video
Final leg
Homeless man David Muniz finishes his journey from Greeley to Steamboat Springs pushing his shopping cart.
Rabbit Ears Pass — The things David Muniz carries in his shopping cart and in his pockets as he travels through the Colorado mountains are a testament to the generosity of strangers. The fact that Muniz is pushing a shopping cart through the Colorado mountains is more a testament to his determination.
Muniz, who is homeless, left Greeley on June 22 on his way to Steamboat Springs. By Friday afternoon he was on Rabbit Ears Pass, 13 miles from the edge of town.
Starting at 7:30 or 8 a.m., Muniz walks all day, pushing the shopping cart with a sign that says “Walking for the Homeless.”
Muniz explains that inside the cart he has his tent, a fishing pole, firewood and bundles of granola bars donated by passers-by. Strangers also have helped him make the sign that goes on the outside of his cart and have donated money to him as he passes from town to town.
But Muniz is even more animated when he talks about the people he has met along the way.
“Man, I met so many people,” he said. “I’ve got so many friends now.”
As he took a break to talk near mile marker 149, on U.S. Highway 40, he showed off the small black notebook where he has been chronicling the people he has met and the donations he has received. Even as he stood there, a car pulled over ahead of him and Kendra Chandler, of Windsor, walked back to give him a granola bar. She said she read about him in the Windsor newspaper and wanted to contribute.
In Muniz’s journal he also keeps a record of where he has slept and the major events of his trip, including a bear encounter at a campground. He said he had his knife ready when the bear pressed against the outside of his tent, but the bear wandered off to a trash can instead.
Muniz said he heard a voice warning him before the bear approached, the same voice that started him on his journey. Four times now a woman’s voice has spoken to him, he said, and it told him, “Go on your journey. Find d….” and it trails off before he can hear more.
“It feels like you can feel her breath in my ear,” he said.
Muniz said he wonders if it is the voice of an angel telling him to find his destiny. Whatever — whoever — the voice belongs to, Muniz said he’s happy he took its advice to start his journey. He said he expects to end the trip in Steamboat, which was his home for five years ending in 2001. He used to work at Walmart and City Market, he said, and he hopes to find work again. His daughter lives in Craig, he said, and he’s happy to return to Steamboat.
“I wish I could keep going, but I like Steamboat,” he said. “I like the mountains.”
At the pace he was moving Friday afternoon, it was likely that he arrived in Steamboat by nightfall.
Comments
brian ferguson 2 years, 10 months ago
Welcome back David :)
sledneck 2 years, 10 months ago
You "have so many friends now"? Really? and still homeless? Wonderful bunch of "friends".
A womans voice spoke to me last week too. It said "get off your sorry..."
oldskoolstmbt 2 years, 10 months ago
this is awesome.....sledneck, please, let a positive story stay that way.
mmjPatient22 2 years, 10 months ago
...positive story?
I mean no disrespect to the man himself. However, I fail to see the positive side of a man carrying around the sum of his personal belongings in a shopping cart and living off of granola bars that people have given to him along his journey. Don't get me wrong. I sure hope he finds work. And maybe Lift-Up can add a little more positive perspective to the bottom line?
oldskoolstmbt 2 years, 10 months ago
here is a man that is HEARING and DANCING to his own beat of a drum, kind of like you mmj with your vaporizer..... he embraces simple acts of compassion as friendship....he has a calling and a purpose and has acted on it with a great attitude....sorry you fail to see the positive.
oldskoolstmbt 2 years, 10 months ago
his sign says "walking FOR the homeless", not "walking BECAUSE i'm homeless"
mmjPatient22 2 years, 10 months ago
True. The sign he has says exactly that. But did you catch the paragraph that reads something to the effect of; "Muniz, who is homeless, left Greeley on June 22 on his way to Steamboat Springs. By Friday afternoon he was on Rabbit Ears Pass, 13 miles from the edge of town," ?
I think you're reading me the wrong way. I'm not dogging on the guy or ragging on what he has chosen to do, or even making any sort of a remark about his attitude. But since we're on the subject, I think his attitude is great. He seems incredibly optimistic for his present circumstance(s). All I'm saying is that, wouldn't it be a little more positive if he wasn't homeless and living off of granola bars? But if that's your definition of positive circumstances, well....I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. I'm all for camping and I'm very capable of finding my own means and living off of the land, even for extended periods of time. If that's what this guy is all about, then more power to him! I just happen to prefer living in more permanent lodging that offers a little more peace of mind when I find myself thinking about bears, other wildlife and the elements. Mind you, this is Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We've been known to accumulate copious amounts of snow from time to time and our temperatures dip WELL below zero for way too long enough of a period for me to want to endure it in a tent.
But maybe you're onto something? Maybe if I wasn't all hopped up on all this devil's lettuce, I'd be clear headed enough to view a diet of granola bars and whatever I could pull out of the river, combined with homeless life in NW Colorado as a positive thing? (insert grain of salt here)
oldskoolstmbt 2 years, 10 months ago
i give up you win...it always comes down to you defending (even tho i didn't attack it) your mmj use no matter the topic...it has grown tiresome....
oldskoolstmbt 2 years, 10 months ago
PS~ i was refering to what his sign said in respect for the reason he was doing this....i'm sure he has passed up many rides...just like i'm sure he has given up places to live along the way because his destination is steamboat (this was directed more at sledneck)..
Jeff Kibler 2 years, 10 months ago
Give the guy some credit. He's not drunk or strung out and passed out in the gutter. He decided to do something, set a goal and achieved that goal. Isn't that what independence is all about?
littleacres 2 years, 10 months ago
I agree with Jeff. It doesn't matter what the story is about on here these days.....some people just have to complain about it!!
mmjPatient22 2 years, 10 months ago
oldskool- Man, you must be smoking some REALLY good stuff, because this comment is the first time that I've mentioned cannabis yet on this comment board. And I dare you to prove otherwise. I think you're giving up because you've got nothing better to say.
Most of you have a problem with me because my screen name has "mmj" in it, not because of what I say. You automatically have a problem with what I say because of the representation that the comment is coming from. Wouldn't want to be caught agreeing with a marijuana user, would we?
And where in the hell do you pretentious a-holes get off anyway? I haven't ripped on this guy in any respect and I truly do wish him the best of luck. If he wants to go for a big long walk, awesome! I hope it went really well and I hope that he successfully achieved all of the goals that he had set for himself. That is all very positive stuff.
However, I refuse to just blindly pull the wool over my own eyes by acknowledging that the whole story is all positive. Homelessness is not a positive thing on my mind. At least not when compared to the alternative(s). Now...don't misconstrue this as me condemning him for his homeless condition. I'm just against homelessness, not the homeless. Are you honestly trying to argue that it's more positive for him to be without a home, than with a home?
mmjPatient22 2 years, 10 months ago
Wow. Maybe it's me that's got the good stuff after all? I forgot about the "devil's lettuce" comment above. Go figure.
The big picture here is, I can barely comment on an article(on anything) without one of you chasing me down and giving me my daily ration of $#!+ about cannabis being my choice for medicine. YOU were the one that originally got started on the cannabis topic for this comment board. I don't chase any of you around on these comment boards(anymore) and I mostly leave a lot of things alone. I don't even have a favorite person to debate with on here(although, me and aichempty have been known to single each other out every once in a while). But if you start up the cannabis talk with me, I hope you're prepared to finish it. I'm not likely to back down to a debate about cannabis. I'm sure you caught some of the marathon comment board that went over 550 comments, right?
But maybe you think you've got some moral high-ground or righteousness on your side or something? Maybe you can actually defend the war on cannabis and those that choose to use it?
sledneck 2 years, 10 months ago
What are you people smokin? How is homelessness "awesome"????????
In America there is nothing positive about being homeless. Nor is there any excuse for it. There is nothing to this story but the Steamboat "pile-it" telling me this is kool. Homelessness in America is a mental disease. It is not "awesome" no matter how you spin it.
There is one truth to this story... In this case, as most others, homelessness appears to be a CHOICE. As such it requires NO taxpayer assistance. For this reason alone I salute him. Let freedom ring in every shopping cart.
God bless America.
mmjPatient22 2 years, 10 months ago
Yeah, it's like they're saying, "Steamboat Springs. It's so great that even homeless people want to live here!"
John Fielding 2 years, 10 months ago
.mmj, it might be the way you say it.
Well Dave made it to town, and as he was pushing his cart up 12th st toward the college we were cooking out so he got invited over for a plate of ribs and potato salad. Said he was looking for a place to pitch his tent (close to the pavement because of the shopping cart), so I offered him a cot in the kids tepee.
Seems like a good guy, he is happy to have arrived. I hope he gets some rest, our Great Pyrenees who guards the chickens keeps barking at him. Wants to go to a Christian church tomorrow early, then the parade.
If anyone can give him a place to stay, he has offered to work without pay, wants to stay here but we have two young boys from foster care and need to be very careful to keep the influences positive, he swears and drinks a little too much for our household standard.
So send me a note via the private message system if you want to give him a break, says he's only thinking of the next couple of weeks right now.
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John Fielding 2 years, 10 months ago
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btw , our household standard is near zero, so many will not find his manner objectionable.
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Cooke 2 years, 10 months ago
Very noble of you John. happy 4th, your generosity makes me smile.
John Fielding 2 years, 10 months ago
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I'm not sure how it came to be so, but this is half a dozen times in as many years I've come into this situation. One is still here, almost a month now since I found her stranded in the rain on highway 40 by the airport.
One stayed a year and a half on and off between jail time but was asked not to come back as he would not stick to a sobriety program and the house rules do not allow substance abuse.
I guess foster kids come in all ages.
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aichempty 2 years, 10 months ago
Shopping carts cost $150 to $200 when purchased in quantity.
Of course, the wheels on this one are worn out now, so it's not worth that much.
If this was somebody's "lost" bicycle, people would be going ape-$#!+.
aichempty 2 years, 10 months ago
Shopping carts cost $150 to $200 when purchased in quantity.
Of course, the wheels on this one are worn out now, so it's not worth that much.
If this was somebody's "lost" bicycle, people would be going ape-$#!+.
sledneck 2 years, 10 months ago
I found a lost bicycle just last week... under my truck.
kathy foos 2 years, 10 months ago
If he is a citizen than maybe mental health opportunitys could be offered?Something is not right about the shopping cart trip,he did it for the homeless,Which homeless?Himself?I hope that people dont start a fad on this one,We will need to add shopping cart lanes on the interstate.Did he pay for that cart before he took off with it?Did he drive that rig on the interstate?Isnt panhandleing illegal anymore?
Matthew Stoddard 2 years, 10 months ago
1) Where does it say anywhere in the article that he either is or is not a citizen? Why does that matter? I didn't see that being brought up when that white guy was carrying the cross thru the mountains last year. Is it only because he seems to be of hispanic origin? Is that what was meant by "Mexico is looking for a few good men,"? I just can't understand why that wasn't said about the guy with the cross. He did come from Texas, which is closer to the Mexico border than Greeley.
2) Where does it imply he needs a mental health opportunity? Is it just because he believes a higher power has been looking over him, giving him warnings? Sounds almost Christian, to me personally.
3) Where does this article or anyone who has come in contact with him say that he was panhandling? The article says that people stopped to offer him stuff, not that he was trying to stop people in order to ask them for things. People just offering things is akin to panhandling? His sign only seemed to say "Walking for the Homeless," not "Gimme stuff because I'm homeless." Maybe the person who gave him a granola bar should be prosecuted since she was the one who offered.
4) Why does it matter which homeless he is making this journey for or about? If you must know, the voice that has been leading him told me last night that the homeless in question is that one guy with no legs and only 3 fingers, who sits on that one corner across from the deli in that one city, a little ways from Steamboat. I hope that eases your mind.
Was this article changed at some point where all these "clues" were censored? Are all the people who posted about how this man kept trying coerce them to give him money being deleted? I was hoping I could see these things so I, too, could jump to a conclusion about how evil this man just might be.
oldskoolstmbt 2 years, 10 months ago
thank you matt....some people have the NEED to get their negative two cents in, regardless the topic..since you have spoken, how long will it take to hear from seeuski on this one?:)LOL aich/sun~ some grocery/dept stores give away their 'retired' carts..just sayin'
Matthew Stoddard 2 years, 10 months ago
yvb- What bait? I just asked a question based on a no-knowledge couple of posts. Your response is indicative of why there are people boycotting the AZ law because they think of racial profiling and your statement seems to support that. As for him to "keep walking," he seems to make a better overall impression for himself for having some type of conviction to accomplish a goal instead of just saying "It'll never work!!!" At least he has the guts to do something more than just talk.
oldskool- seeuski is lining up with the other extremists to kiss the feet of Pope Rove. A slobbering love affair, I believe Bernie Goldberg calls it. (See? I even kept myself from making an allusion about lining up in a circular manner! Good for me!)
oldskoolstmbt 2 years, 10 months ago
hahahahaha.......aahahahaha!
Matthew Stoddard 2 years, 10 months ago
Maybe I'm not a complete capitalist, in the traditional sense, but I've done what capitalists do: fight to thrive, whatever the drive. While I haven't become a millionaire- far from it ever happening- I get by and have no excessive needs. It keeps me happy! It always seems to me that the people who worry about one side or another don't have the imagination to adapt and overcome by trying to incorporate ideas from others instead of just being obstinate for the sake of being obstinate.
This is why there is no interest in the Tea Party for me. It's all about what you can't do instead of exploring possibilities of combining the policies for the better of the country and show we stand as one nation, in my opinion. While the AZ law was a show that the Feds weren't doing enough, it was a message of futility. Forgive me for asking, but don't officers on all levels still have the right to enforce Federal law when it's being broken, since Federal law trumps state law? (Also the argument against medical marijuana, but that's another subject. Some people who laud that chestnut about one forget that on the other level.)
And I'm sure you can get a wonderful response from Mr. Muniz should you meet him and ask his status. Let me know, because like I said on the Rove thread, I'd like to be there with a camera for Facebook!
John Fielding 2 years, 10 months ago
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So, does anyone know what has happened to Dave? He left my place a week ago, his old boss at Wal Mart had said he could return to work there.
While here he talked about a notion to walk through the lower 48 to raise awareness, but the job offer and being close to his daughter in Craig sounded better.
Good luck Dave, wherever you are.
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Beavers 2 years, 9 months ago
the cross turns into a walmart shopping cart? praise da lord!
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