Ray Goodman is on the walk of his life. When finished, the Philadelphian will have seen 20 national landmarks, supported two national nonprofit groups and set the Guinness Book of World Records for distance walking.

Goodman, 38, expects to walk 13,000 miles and hopes to raise $3 million each for the Sierra Club and the American Cancer Society by July 2011. These lofty goals would be enough to inspire anyone, yet it is his introduction to the people of rural America that has fueled his desire to keep walking.

In his own city of brotherly love, he admits to a feeling of fearfulness.

"There's an impression of a boogie man around every corner," he said.

But through his hike across United States thus far, he has witnessed an astonishing amount of kindness from strangers and viewed a treasure trove of natural beauty that many Americans will never take the opportunity to experience.

"America is filled with the most wonderful people on the planet," Goodman said.

A court judgment enforcement officer, Goodman would go to people's homes - who were usually poor -- to take away their cars, their furnishings, even their homes.

He said he did his job efficiently, without a thought about the consequences to the family or individuals for what they would do without a car, beds or even their homes.

When he would walk into the courtrooms, a wave of recognition would go through the room. "They called me the grim reaper," he said.

This trek was something that he thought about after his father's cancer-caused death and an epiphany during a Bible study.

The class was studying Luke 18 when a quote by Jesus to a rich ruler resonated within him: "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Jesus then instructs the ruler to sell everything he has, give it to the poor, then follow Jesus and he will have his treasure in heaven.

"That quote hit home with me," he said.

Goodman sold everything he owned and gave it to the poor. He gave his home to a domestic abuse shelter that leveraged it to establish another shelter.

"I raised $100,000 without taking my first step," he said.

In April, Goodman began his walk carrying a 60-pound pack, no cell phone, no electronic mapping system and a few other rules. "I can only camp in my tent on legal camp areas and I'm not allowed to ask anyone for anything," he said.

Even if he hasn't eaten all day, he can't ask for a glass of water or a candy bar.

"I'm completely dependent upon the kindness of strangers," Goodman said.

He's already traveled through Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska and now South Dakota with plans to view the Badlands, Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial.

In a few days, he'll head west to Yellowstone in Wyoming and then on to Utah's Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon before heading south toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

He hopes to finish his trek after seeing the redwood forests, Crater Lake, the Columbia River Gorge, the Little Missouri Grasslands, Cave of the Mounds, Niagara Falls, Sandstone Falls, the Great Smoky Mountains and the Everglades.

He posts photographs, journal entries and videos to his Facebook site, "Ray's Sierra Club Hike," from public libraries.

"I hope to introduce people to these wondrous sites of nature. If you come onto the Web site, I promise you will see something wonderful," he said.

Contact Jomay Steen at jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com or 394-8418.