A cup of coffee on the go for Jeff Laybolt on Thursday morning.
It’s cold on the road, and Laybolt still has a long way to go.
The former Edmonton man has been living on the road for almost a year, pushing a stroller with everything he needs as he walks across Canada.
“My whole life is in a bag,” he told Global News.
Laybolt has been keeping a daily video journal of his journey. Thursday was day 279.
And in that time, Laybolt has learned a lot about the true north strong and free.
“They all got their little charms, their own little interesting sites to see,” he said of Canadian places.
Of Canadian residents, he said “super helpful, super generous, super kind people.”
Out on the road, Laybolt is counting on that Canuck kindness, because his cross-country path has another purpose.
“I’m hiking across the country, from Halifax to Victoria, to raise awareness and funds for diabetes,” said Laybolt.
It’s a call to action born from his mother’s diagnosis with the disease.
“It’s the fastest growing disease on the planet,” he said.
And now Laybolt is laying it all on the line.
“I quit my job in January and left,” said Laybolt, who is looking to raise $10,000 for diabetes research.
He is hoping to arrive in Victoria on Jan. 4.
If you are interested in making donation to diabetes to help him with his goal, you can find him online with a simple search.