United States Expedition, Anyone?

[Zenroad]

Greetings from sunny Florida, everyone.

I know this is a long way off, but I'm putting out some feelers now, so that you have plenty of time to plan ahead.

I'll be leaving Jacksonville Beach, Florida, on the morning May 11, 2014 (weather and health permitting), heading for Los Angeles, California. I expect to be on the road for about four months (about 4500 miles). From LA, I'm going to fly on to Tokyo, Japan, and continue the ride to Kyoto, where my wife and I have a very small house. Possibly 500 miles in Japan. I welcome any riding companions. If you've never seen the US, now is your chance. You only live once. Go for it!

My projected route can be found on my website at www.tohokuforward.org. Also some other information on there (about me, what this is about, and why I'm doing it). My planned route is not a straight east-to-west shot. Lots of zigzagging. Pit stops all across the country as I drop in on friends and one relative. And some serious climbs out west in the Rocky Mountains.

Any takers?

 

[Somebuddy]

That is one fantastic journey that you are heading out on. Are the fixed U.S. checkpoints all family and friends homes? How long do you plan it will take to get from Florida to California? Have you done a journey of this length before? Do you have a crazyguyonabike.com page? I have read over your website and think it is great. How do you plan to get people to donate? Is it just word of mouth or what?

 

[Zenroad]

That is one fantastic journey that you are heading out on. Are the fixed U.S. checkpoints all family and friends homes? How long do you plan it will take to get from Florida to California? Have you done a journey of this length before? Do you have a crazyguyonabike.com page? I have read over your website and think it is great. How do you plan to get people to donate? Is it just word of mouth or what?

Thanks for the interest, Somebuddy.

Yes, friends and ONE family member (brother in Boise) all the way. There will also be occasional strangers who are JET alumni like me. JET stands for Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program. There are over 55,000 of us worldwide, mostly Americans, many from UK, and we help other alum whenever we get the chance.

Florida to Cali should about 3-4 months.

I've toured long but never this long. And never across an international border. But I've ridden a lot in Japan, as I've lived there twice.

I hope that a lot of people who learn of my project (like YOU!) tell as many people as possible. I have a 1+2 hope in my head: for each ONE that learns of it, I hope they tell TWO others--one friend and one family member. My real hope and expectation is that most donors (including the 1+2) come from the JET alum community worldwide. For being so far flung, we are a fairly tight group. There's a saying: Once a JET, always a JET.

What about you? How's your touring experience? Have you ever longed to see the U.S.? It's a big, diverse land. I've seen a lot of it. I'm from the east, and when I get out west I'm overcome by a surreal feeling. The landscape out there is mind-blowing. I lived in Arizona when I was a kid. Loved it.

I mentioned a couple of days ago in another post that I've long had the desire to tour the UK. I was a lit major in university, and I sort of fell in love with your Lake DIstrict. Long live Coleridge and Wordsworth! My father's family was from Ireland. I'd love to see it all. But I learned from American Werewolf in London that I should "beware the moors." Spooky stuff!

Feel free to email me via my website. My address is listed in there somewhere. Thanks again, Somebuddy. Spread the word!!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Interesting site...nice route...hmmm

 

[Zenroad]

Interesting site...nice route...hmmm

Thank you! Come on. Smell the roses!