Byron and Julia Moats are extremely determined people. Setting out from San Diego on Jan. 27, the Napa couple covered a staggering 2,585 miles of the American landscape on foot in a fundraiser to fight diabetes.

They made the journey with Byron Moats' brother and sister-in-law -- Wyatt and Margie Moats -- former Napans who now live in Providence Village, Texas.

Byron and Julia Moats' two cats, Sir Hides-a-Lot and Baby Jane, also came along for the trip, temporarily taking up residence in the Moats' motor home.

The journey took the group through parts of California, Arizona, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Along the way, the foursome collected at least $2,000 in donations for the American Diabetes Association -- Julia Moats said with the exception of her sister-in-law, all of the walkers are diabetic.

Byron Moats, 65, said completing the hike required planning and goal-setting. "We had a goal of 16 miles each day and most of the time we made that. We originally had a goal of 20."

The long trek ended at Tybee Island, Ga., on Oct. 29 and Byron and Julia Moats returned to Napa on Nov. 7, he said.

Byron Moats, who said the most challenging thing about the long walk was "working through the pain," added that approximately one month before leaving Napa, he injured his hamstring. His physical therapist advised him not to proceed with the cross-country trek.

In spite of his injury, Moats soldiered on, shedding 27 pounds over the course of the walk. The other three walkers also lost a significant amount of body weight during the trip -- Julia Moats dropped 30 pounds, Wyatt Moats is 42 pounds slimmer and Margie Moats is 40 pounds lighter.

Along with the health benefits of the walk came medical issues. In spite of the group's efforts to stay well-hydrated, both Wyatt and Margie Moats suffered bouts of dehydration that landed them in the hospital more than once, said Julia Moats. The walkers also battled blisters. "We found out Byron's blisters were caused by too much ibuprofen," said Julia Moats. After cutting down on ibuprofen dosages, she said, the blisters subsided.

Byron Moats said his sister-in-law also suffered ongoing symptoms of gastritis -- an inflammation of the stomach lining -- during the walk. Although the condition didn't warrant a trip to the hospital, he said, the walkers tried to cut down on fatty meals to help alleviate her condition.

Another health problem cropped up on Feb. 18, when Byron Moats suffered an attack of pancreatitis. The condition landed him at a hospital in Blythe, on the California-Arizona border, but he said it didn't keep him down for long. Three days later, Moats laced up his walking shoes and hit the road.

The group encountered a few other snags, including three flat tires and a faulty motor home generator.

As you might guess, the foursome earned their share of recognition during the course of their daily walks. Julia Moats said Americans are generous and helped out whenever they could. "There's just so much that people did for us that we didn't really ask for. It's just kind of mind-boggling."

In March, she said, the group got a warm welcome from some students in Arizona. "We were greeted by the High Desert Middle School students in Globe, Arizona. The vice principal said he wanted to have his students encourage us on. ... The kids had to walk two miles to get an idea of what a long-distance walk is like."

Another show of support involved a newspaper editor in Swainsborough, Ga., she said. He took the group to dinner and booked them for a free two-room overnight stay at his bed and breakfast -- a welcome change from sleeping in a 24-foot motor home.

The walkers encountered more generosity in New Mexico, she added. "A man stopped just before Easter, where we had stopped for our lunch and rest period. He handed us an envelope with $50 in it and told us to go have Easter dinner on him," she said.

Julia Moats, 64, said the experiences moved her. "People are absolutely marvelous in our country. They were generous and hospitable and we had no bad contacts at all. We loved the people!"