Pedaling for Peace

On April 15, 2012 I started riding my bicycle cross-country from Jacksonville, Florida in voluntary support of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF) and the work of author and Peace Leadership Director for the NAPF, Paul K. Chappell. By July 4th, I had covered over 1300 miles to just west of Luling, Texas where a major mechanical failure brought this first stage of my cross-country journey to an end. After storing my bicycle and trailer with my aunt and uncle in Weatherford, Texas, I flew from Dallas to Santa Barbara, California to attend the NAPF First Annual Peace Leadership Summer Workshop. I then lived and worked in Santa Barbara for several more months before I returned to Jacksonville and sold off the rest of my possessions that I could to help fund a continuation of my journey. Starting June 8, 2013 and ending August 9, 2013, I rode from Weatherford, through 400 miles of the central Texas hill country, including Austin, Texas, back to Luling. It was at this point that a friend of mine invited me to work for a brief period in Pennsylvania before flying me back to Santa Barbara where I continued volunteering for the NAPF as well as for the Santa Barbara Bike Coalition. As of August 9th, 2014 I began"Stage III" of my cross-country adventure, this time heading south from Santa Barbara to San Diego and then east to El Paso, TX. It was there that illness, winter weather, and diminishing resources brought that leg of my journey to an end. After staying with another friend in Columbus, GA for several months, I moved "back home" to Kentucky to stay with my dad for a while and build a better "resource base" for future endeavors including review and further tracking and primitive survival skills training at Tom Brown, Jr's Tracker School , and a possible longer tour of the east coast, northern tier, and north west coast back down to Santa Barbara, CA.


Friday, May 31, 2013

Final Update from Dallas, TX

After a month now in North Dallas it looks like I am finally going to be heading to Weatherford this coming Monday, June 3rd! I will be there just long enough to do a little maintenance on my bicycle and pack whatever I can before getting on the road.

I will have to admit, I'm probably feeling a little more intimidated about this half of my journey more so than the first half for several reasons: A) It is already June in Texas and I know it will only be getting hotter over the next three months or so, including going through New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California. B) The long stretch through southern Texas feels really intimidating right now, more so than any of the territory I have previously covered. My general plan is to do as much riding in the early morning and late afternoon-evening hours, and figure out a way to take shelter during the hottest part of the day. C) I kind of do know better now what I am getting myself into with the ongoing logistical, fundraising, practical, and physical challenges. When I started the trip last summer, I was a bit more naive about all of it, and sometimes, ignorance Is bliss! Nevertheless, I feel I have to give it my best shot, one way or another, no matter how anxious or intimidated I might feel right now.

I will say this though, there have been a few positive changes in the last year that might make things ever so slightly easier: A) I'm a little more comfortable with this blog platform now, uploading pictures, etc., so I should be able to post updates more regularly. B) There have been a few changes to the Couch Surfing and Warm Showers websites/platforms that might make them a little easier to use as well. C) I've also gotten some new apps for plotting my path so we'll see how that works out for me. And D) I do have all of that prior experience under my belt and hopefully I will continue to improve on some of the "standard operating procedures" I have already developed.

Finally, I know I have So Much To Look Forward To - both with all of the people I will get to meet during my journey and with the new friends I have waiting for me back in Santa Barbara, CA. I know my dopamine levels will be well sustained anticipating those rewards.

I want to say Thanks! again to everyone who has been supporting me and those who have been patient with me as I have been patient with my own evolving circumstances. However...it looks like this "transition time" is coming to a close, and I will soon be on the road once again!

Until my Next Update...Peace Be With You All!

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