At the end of the 2024 conference, we challenged attendees to convert their reading and writing into miles, and to use those miles to complete a 5,517-mile cross-continent race before WIFYR 2025.
It starts at Poo Poo Point, Washington, and ends at Pee Pee Island, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Along the way, there are check-in stations at 34 places with middle-grade-tastic names, like Big Bottom, Washington, the beautifully named Knockemstiff, Ohio and Weweantic, Massachusetts.
The route is based on a story idea that Scott, a WIFYR assistant, is developing. (It's middle grade. Can you tell?)
Deadline: June 9, 2025
1. Read & Write
1 page read = 1 mile
Track every page you read in books for children: from picture book to young adult.
5,517 pages equates to about 22, 250-page middle grade books, or 172 picture books.
How It Works
7.25 words = 1 mile
Track your word count as you write. At a rate of one mile for every 7.25 words, the route equals almost exactly 40,000 words, about the length of many middle grade books.
2. Track Your Progress
Instructions: To edit, go to FILE > Make a copy
Save the copy to your personal Drive and add your pages read & word count.
3. Share with the WIFYR Community
Did you make it to Gentle Annie Gulch, ID? or Buttzville, ND?
We want to hear about it! And celebrate your wild success, of course.
Share your milestones on social media:
Make it to the end before June 9?
Expand the route by finding more giggle-worthy places and reading or writing your way to them. They’re everywhere. Believe us, we’ve looked!