United States of America eSeries: Come along on a journey!

April 17, 2021

So much depends on perspective. Whether you're coming or going depends on what direction you look. One person's greeting is another's farewell. And the longest, most meaningful journeys don't have to take you across the world — they don't have to take you anywhere at all. This week, we'll meet a few remarkable people on their own journeys, and you'll find that how they get there, and where they started, is just as important to the story as where they end up.

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Our favorites this week

Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week

From castle to castle
It's more than 2,500 miles from Disneyland in Southern California to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Don Muchow ran them all. Muchow, 59, has been long distance running for years to raise awareness for Type 1 diabetes, which he has lived with since 1972. Originally, he was just planning to run across the country, but decided the two iconic spots would make good goal posts. He started in February 2020, and had planned to finish by May. But the pandemic hit, and he had to make some starts and stops to stay safe. Finally, on April 5 this year, he made it to Disney World where he was greeted by cheering park staff who loaded him up with balloons, souvenirs and a very well-deserved Mickey ice cream cone. He kept going after that, running two more days to reach the Atlantic Ocean and truly complete his coast-to-coast mission.

On the trail again
I'm fairly certain everyone on the East Coast has, at some point, dreamed of hiking the Appalachian Trail. The trail is considered the longest hiking footpath in the world, spanning 14 states and nearly 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. It's a tall order for anyone, but Dan Schoenthal is bound and determined to do it. Schoenthal, 56, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015. Despite the challenges of the disease, he took to heart his doctor's advice that staying active was just as important as any other part of his health regimen. He did the first 300 miles of the journey last year, and started back up again this April. While he's excited to work toward a yearslong dream, and keep his body moving, Schoenthal is also raising awareness of the disease and funds for the Parkinson's Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving care for those with Parkinson's and finding a cure.

Bear with it
Listen, sometimes a journey doesn't even need a specific purpose to be meaningful. Sometimes, you just want to get in a giant bear suit and stroll. Or at least, you do if you're Bearsun. Bearsun is a (surprise) giant bear mascot inhabited by Jesse Larios, a 33-year-old California native. Earlier this April, Larios decided he was going to suit up, for no particular reason, and walk the 400 miles from Los Angeles to San Francisco. This isn't the first long jaunt for the rotund, top-heavy bear character. Bearsun also completed an entire marathon, which sounds like an extremely sweaty, disorienting ordeal. "I'm like a puppy, I guess. I just see something, and I chase after it," Larios said. So far, Bearsun has encountered a few challenges (for one, his unwieldy bear body isn't well-suited for rocky terrain). But he's determined to finish — not for a cause or a message, just for the fun of it.

Raise a glass to...

Noura Al-Matrooshi, who just became the United Arab Emirates' first female astronaut. Al-Matrooshi and fellow astronaut Mohammed Al-Mulla were chosen out of 4,000 candidates to join the country's space program, and will train with NASA for future space exploration. "The nation gave me unforgettable moments today," Al-Matrooshi tweeted after she was selected. "I aim to work hard to script historical moments and achievements that will be etched forever in the memory of our people."

A bright idea

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have turned spider webs into music. The project is incredibly cool, and the result is, well … about as eerie to listen to as spider webs are to look at. The team worked with Berlin-based artist Tomás Saraceno to take two-dimensional laser scans of a spider web as a spider was weaving it. They then converted that to a 3D model, and Buehler compared the web to a stringed instrument that changes as the structure becomes more complex. Spiders rely a lot on vibration as they move. So in a way, this growing, resonating web mimics how spiders view the world. Since spiders are also able to build their webs with very little support, taking a closer look on how they build could help create better 3D printing techniques.

You gotta see this

It is absolutely essential you direct all of your attention and love for a moment to Clarence, the first Official Police Comfort dog in the US. The fluffy, 160-pound St. Bernard roamed the halls of Congress this week, providing support and lighthearted moments for legislators, staff and other Hill denizens who have seen plenty of heartache in the last few months. Clarence and his handler, Lt. William Gordon, have been on hand in the aftermath of some of the country's worst tragedies, include Sandy Hook, the Las Vegas shootings, and the Boston Marathon bombing. Clarence's latest assignment on the Hill shows there is at least one thing we can agree on in these divided times: There's nothing quite like the comfort and love of a very good dog.

Heroes among us

On April 15, 2013 — eight years ago this week — Heather Abbott's life was upended when she was injured in the Boston Marathon Bombing. She faced an agonizing decision: Life with a lifetime of pain, or have her left leg amputated below the knee. She chose the latter, and learned quickly about the often prohibitively high cost of prosthetics. Specialized prostheses can range from tens of thousands to more than $100,000, and aren't always covered by insurance. Abbott was lucky, and through donations, was able to acquire different prostheses that allow her to walk in high heels, run and even paddleboard. But she wanted others have the same opportunities. "It is frustrating to see people who can't have what they need to live the life they want just because money's an obstacle," she says. In December 2014, she created the Heather Abbott Foundation. Since then, her organization has raised more than $1 million and helped provide customized prosthetic devices to more than 42 amputees across the US, so they can play sports, stay active, and yes, wear high heels.

Wanna get away?

For the first time ever, visitors will be able to freely explore the expansive gardens of Buckingham Palace this summer. The palace provides guided tours, but this year, Queen Elizabeth II has decided to allow a more self-guided approach. The public will be able to take in rare flora and fauna, along with primroses, bluebells, magnolias, mulberry trees, flowering bushes and historic landscape design details dating back to the 1820s when, on King George IV's instruction, Buckingham House first became a palace. The public can also stroll through a rose garden, pass by a placid lake, and marvel at a massive 500-foot herbaceous border, shown here. The view will be especially poignant given the passing of Britain's Prince Philip, who is being laid to rest today.

Who knew?

What's an astronaut's favorite bread? No, it's not a joke. It's more a matter of anti-gravity. According to NASA, tortillas are preferred over other breads, because they don't leave crumbs floating around in a weightless environment. Since the astronauts don't have the luxury of a fully stocked pantry on the space station, their favorite uses of a tortilla lean toward simple sandwiches like peanut butter and jelly, burritos, and burger wraps. So, if you want to eat like an astronaut, grab a tortilla, raid your pantry and go to town!

Impact your world

Get ready for National Volunteer Week! Since the pandemic has presented myriad staffing and financing challenges for charitable causes around the world, non-profits are using this year's celebration, which runs April 18 through 24, to ramp up support. Don't know where to start? This article has some inspiration, including more information on these can't miss ideas:

Thank a volunteer with a note, phone call or social media post
Donate to your local food banks or anti-hunger initiatives, which are in high demand as the pandemic has contributed to hunger crises.
Volunteer virtually to tutor, mentor, or man support hotlines.

Rec of the week

Brought to you by CNN Underscored

Are Lululemon leggings worth it? Absolutely. Here's why

We rounded up 10 staffers (who wear a range of sizes) to put more than a dozen pairs of leggings to the test. After weeks of testing, Lululemon's Align Pant was crowned the best workout leggings.

Shameless animal video

There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now.

Congratulations to the Brevard Zoo, who just welcomed its first baby sloth in two years! The little cub doesn't have a name or a gender yet, but has already discovered the most important thing in life: being warm and cozy. (Click here to view)