Since April 21, Dean Troutman, 84, has walked 500 miles across Illinois. Only 200 more to go.

After his wife, Peggy, died in 2010, Troutman purchased property to house a new park in his home of Princeville, Ill. he planned to build in her honor. Troutman Park was almost finished when he ran out of funds for playground equipment. So he came up with an idea: trek 700 miles across the Prairie State to raise the rest of the money.

From his home, Troutman headed as far south as Benton, 260 miles away. Now, he’s circling his way back north until he returns to Princeville on July 6.

Troutman walks by himself. He pushes a cart that contains some of his survival gear and wears a backpack that stores an 8-by-10 portrait of Peggy.

“I said when I left, ‘Well, I’m not sure if I can do this alone, but if I got her with me, I know I’ll make it,” Troutman said. “So I carry that picture with me.”

Every morning Troutman walks to the next town on his 60-town list. He urges drivers in the area to honk their horns if they happen to pass by. 

He typically rests for the night in fire houses, but has also slept in church halls and city halls. He spent a few nights outside.

Troutman confesses that he doesn’t know much about Facebook. But he does know that he has thousands of people checking the Troutman’s Trek page to see his progress.

Even with 500 miles behind him, he’s still feeling energized.

“I feel like I did when I left,” Troutman said. “I can’t tell the difference. No aches. No pains or anything yet.”

Troutman said his family wasn’t sure he could endure 700 miles because of his age.

“They said, ‘You’re too old to be doing that,'” Troutman said. “I said, ‘You’re only as old as you feel. Age is just a number.'”

“Right at first, they didn’t think I should try it,” Troutman said. “But they’re all behind it now.”

One recent obstacle has been the weather.

“The weather has been kind of miserable the last week or 10 days,” Troutman said. “Fortunately, I’ve been able to make it from town to town without any downpours.”

Troutman said his wife would be pleased if she knew he was dedicating a park to her. She would be worried about him on his trek across the state though, he said.

But Troutman sees no reason to worry. He’s been having a great time. And he’s so far raised $25,000 via individual PayPal donations.

“It’s been beyond my expectations,” Troutman said. “I knew it would be exciting and that I’d meet a lot of nice people. But it’s been beyond that.”

Stan Polanski writes for the Effingham (Ill.) Daily News.