P

at Crawford is big on exercise—really big. In 2007, he walked 1,000 miles from Jacksonville to Washington, D.C., and in 2009, he bicycled 2,200 miles from Pensacola to Ontario, Canada. One reason for his epic excursions: to promote awareness of public radio in general and WUWF in particular.

    His exploits raised money for the station, but Crawford himself benefited too. He did much of his walking along Highway 17, a once-popular road rendered obsolete by the Interstate. He made a point of eating lunch at mom-and-pop restaurants, visiting with locals and hearing their stories. “It was a very powerful experience,” he says. 

    The bicycle ride retraced parts of the Underground Railroad, the route taken by American slaves as they fled toward freedom in Canada—a compelling history lesson Crawford shared with WUWF listeners as he called in daily with updates on his travels.