Associated Press - October 21, 2009 7:44 AM ET

DES PLAINES, Ill. (AP) - Seventy-1-year-old Emory Duick believes life doesn't end after retirement, and the Des Plaines resident decided to get off his couch and walk Route 66 to prove it.

Duick headed out on June 2 from Des Plaines and so far has trekked about 1,300 miles of the 2,448-mile stretch of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif.

He says he wants to encourage senior citizens to be more active.

Duick's daughter, Lauren, took seven months off work as an occupational therapist to accompany her father. She cheers him on and drives his support vehicle.

Duick walks 10 miles a day. He's worn out three pairs of sneakers and is working on a fourth.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.