34 and counting!

This is not my age but how many days I have left before I embark on this adventure. It’s been 8 months in the making and it’s all falling into place.

I have made some big changes.

Unfortunately my good friend LaRo will not be going with Coop and I.

He has been on the road for the past couple of years and needs to get back to the grind he can only find in NYC. Before he left on the Appalachion Trail, I told him if he finds what he is looking for or decides not to go it is fine by me. When I first came up with this idea it was just for Coop and me, so now we are right where it first started: a man and his dog on a Rickshaw.

Due to the fact that I have lost a traveling partner and my camera man I will be doing all of the filming myself. So instead of it being me and Coop traveling around this country of ours it will be “where is Cooper now”. I think it will be good. Less dialogue, but good.

Because I am filming this all myself I have decided to change the design of the Rick. All the white fiberglass shell is now gone. I have built a frame out of plywood and 2x2 and 2x4. I will then cover it with either Plexiglas or a ploy-canvass; this will house all of our gear and give Cooper a larger seat. It is going to be a little heavier but it will be more practical. The top portion is going to be framed out with PVC piping and covered with a removable tinted vinyl that will be in sections so we can have the top on and not the sides and front and back and so on. With the PVC piping I’ll be able to set up the camera with the clamp and mount anywhere and on the frame of the bike.

I still plan on talking to people and filming it. I’m not going to go and chase people down, I feel that people will be drawn to us. It's not everyday you see something like this. Basically I'm just going to find out peoples opinions of this country of ours, i.e... War, money, politics. Blah blah blah.

The route I am taking is one that a friend recommended. It is from the Adventure Cycling Association, www.adventurecycling.org these guys have been mapping out the US for the past 30 years and have done close to 40,000 miles. It will take me thru a lot of the back roads that don't have a lot of traffic. Due to the fact that these maps have been going people on bikes are welcomed and taken care. It will be nice to ride thru 'real America' as my grandpa used to call it. The maps are great. They are in sections, so for me to get from NY to GA it is 3 different maps. They are made of thin plastic so they are weather resistant and they tell you where bike shops are and where there is free camping and so on. My friend who showed me the light with these maps is Piper Watson www.piperwatson.com . She is an amazing photographer and she lives right outside of DC. We met at the 5 boro and exchanged info. She is very experienced in biking long distances. She calls or sends emails letting me know what to checkout to help me. In one of our first conversations she told me that she was planning a similar trip down the east coast to Houston TX this fall. And it has worked out that she plans on leaving DC around the same time that I will be riding through there in mid-Oct. She is also taking her dog but has opted for a trailer made for dogs to be pulled behind her bike. We have decided we will try to travel together as much as possible. Her mission is to go to non-kill animal shelters and train the staff for free how to take better pictures of the animals to increase the chances of adoption. I am sure she will be moving at a quicker pace than me but from my experience it all evens out in the long run.

As far as supplies go we are doing alright. All I really need for surivial is a tent, but that will be coming from LaRo when he gets back. As far as film/photo gear we have 1 mini DV camcorder that Sunnie is letting me use, LaRos camera is dead. and for digital camara I have a older Sony Cybershot. I’m sure as we get closer I will have to buy a few things, like extra batteries, and chargers and a ton of the mini DV tapes. As far as sponsorships go there are none. I am currently trying to work with AT&T on my phone but that is still up in the air. So it looks like we will be rolling out with a couple grand that should last us until January. I’m honestly not to worried about anything. Things have really fallen into place over the last 8 months and I’m sure they will continue to do so for the next 13. Til next time, Peace Out.

The Coon-Bear...

...is alive and thriving in the woods of Pennsylvania. Carlos and I headed out to PA to meet up with Gnarly and his hiking buddy Blue-Eyes for a couple nights of camping and relaxing.

These two thru-hikers met right out side Blacksburg VA, where Blue-eyes is from, and Gnarly ended up hanging with him and his family for a couple days of food, booze, and shotguns. When we picked them up in Slateington PA they had walked 1,300 miles and have 900 ahead. The first night we sat around nursing a 1/2 gal. of Jameson and talking of adventures on the trail, and how kind people are to travelers. Gnarly ashured me that America is a caring and giving nation.

The next day we went over to the disc golf course to throw some plastic. It was C-los, Gnarly, and Blue-eyes first time at the sport. The course up there is great, front 9 big open bombers with a couple of deep woods, over the creek type shots and the back 9 is all deep woods, and button hooks. Everyone did really good and Coop ran around like a lion on the hunt.

After that we headed over to Hickory Run Lake, it's a huge lake and we were the only ones out there. There is a stone dam that Cooper plopped down in to cool off, it was such a good idea we decided to do the same that was refreshing!

Then we headed up to Boulder Field to go toss some rocks. This place is awsome, millions of years ago it was a solid slab of rock and over time with all the freezing and thawing of the glacier boulders formed of all different sizes. Its as large of two football fields. We made a rock tower so if you go out there see if it still stands.

We had some good grub I know the hikers liked it, better than soup and noodles! It was good to sit and relax in the big woods and talk to the guys. We played Hearts and Cribage, and drank a lot.

After we broke down camp we drove the hikers back to Slatington, PA so they could start up where they left off. No shortcuts or skiped miles with these guys! They are going to be at Bear Mountin in upstate NY in a week or so, when they get there I'm going to go and pick them up and bring them back to Queens for a couple days. Blue-eyes has never been to the city so on one of the days we are going to take a bike ride around and thru NYC. We are going to go over the Brooklyn Bridge into the city and ride free thru the streets of the Zoo York. Of course Coop and I will be on the Rickshaw filming and taking pics so check back in a couple of weeks.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Coop and I took a ride today over to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. It was about 6 miles from my house so this was a nice light ride. Really nice over there.

Can't wait to go over here for the U.S. Open .

The only problem I had with it was there was no Corona. I was thirsty.

VIDEO

So I finally got the footage from the 5 Boro up. Couple of things. Carlos did the filming and we weren't able to get him a pass to ride in the event so he was stuck on the sidelines, so therefor there is not a lot of me at all in this. But there is a lot of great footage and it was hard to decide what to keep. So we sped everything up and put it all on there to the Beastie Boys, An Open Letter to NYC off of their The 5 Boroughs CD. And as of right now if you click on the video it well come up as an error. If you click on the You Tube logo at the bottom of the strip of clips you can watch directly on my channel on You Tube. So please enjoy and don't watch over and over because it might make you throw up.

Sean

P.S. Thanks C-Los for putting this all together for me.

June 13-14

I brought the Rickshaw into the city via C-los's truck to check out the Subway Series (go Yankees), and cruised around 161st and River avenue, talking to various people along the way. I had a small setback when I broke a pedal on the McCombs Dam Bridge, which subsequently forced me to walk the Rickshaw to the doorstep of the new Yankee Stadium. To deal with my broken pedal, I was forced to pull the Rickshaw up on the curb and onto the sidewalk, in order to not block road traffic. I talked to a group of interested police officers, who reacted in amazement as I explained the plans for my journey. Our conversation was then broken up by a hard nosed commander, who went berserk, that the men in his command had not given me a ticket for having the Rickshaw parked on the sidewalk. He ORDERED one of his men to give me a ticket. I argued and pleaded my case, explaining that I had to deal with the broken pedal, and didn't want to block traffic, but none of it impressed the commander, who continued to shout at everything around him. As the officer wrote me the ticket, I could tell on his face, that he thought it was bullshit, but he was just following orders. I guess the city really needs my 35$! I was able to procure another pedal from a bike shop about five blocks away, and was back on the road in no time, but my time at the Stadium was done. I rode back into the city and made my way uptown, where I found a garage that let me put the Rickshaw to bed for the night.

The next day, I took the Shaw down to the "Big Apple BBQ," at Madison Square Park, I rode around awhile, but the long lines prevented me from trying any of the food (epic fail!)

So then we scrambled over to Pinch & S'mac, this was the last spot that I was a Chef at. I love this food. If your in the city or here on a visit this is a place to go. Its on 81st and Columbus.

I then made my way to the Bike Path that runs along the West Side, and I was smooth sailing along the "bicycle super highway", as I cruised uptown, I was joined by a fellow Rickshaw operator that was out for a nice Sunday ride. His name is J.C and he works the downtown circuit.

While we were riding and talking I really didn't focus on the road ahead and was surprised how easy it was to go up the hills on the west side when not thinking about them, I'm glad I'll have a traveling partner to ride with to make the time go by.

I could sense an approaching tide, that grew as the streets went from double digits, to triple digits. The music blared louder and louder, as massive throngs of Puerto Ricans partied and danced by the Hudson River, boys chasing girls, men chasing women, all happening as I weaved slowly through the crowds of celebrating Puerto Ricans. They were most certainly in charge here! Celebrating in the shadows of the George Washington Bridge.

The weekend trip turned out to be a

successful one, the Yankees won the series (Thanks Castillo), I'm learning more and more about my Rickshaw, and most importantly, I didn't get arrested.

FROM KRISTIN

I recived this the other day. It makes me feel great that I have inspired someone like this. I hope I have inspired all of you in one way or another. Everyone should have an adventure no matter how big or small. You have to have love to do what you want. Go out and get it no matter what, I am.

I wanted to write and say thanks.

Back in March you were at Piper's Kilt for St. Patrick's Day
The bar was packed
We were three, drinking some Guinness
As we were talking a hand nudged it's way into our conversation, slowly pushing a piece of paper.
We took the paper and read it.
Rickshaw what?
America huh?
Then we met you. When we asked you why you said,
"In this economy, might as well have some fun."

What you may not have realized was 5 minutes prior to your marketing campaign I had been crying. Stupidly... uncontrollably..embarrassingly in a bar...over a beer. I was planning a big change in my life and I was confused and scared. Your comment, in that moment, fit so perfectly with what my friends and I were talking about that a part of my decision crystallized and came clear...a sign I guess...that my decisions were good.

It's funny the way our lives work. We make decisions and go with them and trust and pray that they are good and hopefully beautiful. But I think it's important to thank the people that help us along the way. Our friends, our families, our students, and teachers, and even strangers.

So thanks Sean - for sharing a bit of your light in a bar over a beer

Kristin

So busy

Well, here it is: a short run down of what's happened since the last post.
LaRo hit the trail on Easter weekend. I haven't heard from him, but I have faith he is fine and loving it all. I sent a couple of disposable cameras with him in hopes that he will capture the beauty of the hills.
Cooper and I rode in the Five Boro Bike Tour at the beginning of May. It rained pretty much all day and I didn't get a chance to cover the top, so we were pretty soaked. My friend and producer Carlos (a.k.a. C-Los) helped me out a lot that weekend getting everything loaded up in my neighbor's truck, filming, and all sorts of stuff. It was a great ride. Cooper ran over half of it that day. The tour itself is 44 miles through all five boroughs, but because of where we parked the truck we did 51 miles. Cooper is a trooper; he had a blast. There are a couple of people I would like to thank: Leon, my neighbor, for letting me use his pickup; C-Los for his help with everything that day and everything else for this project; the man who gave me a windbreaker on the BQE when I was feeling very defeated and ready to call it quits, but the dry, warm windbreaker helped a lot; the nice ladies who gave me water and chocolate, much needed and much thanks; and to everyone out there that day riding or watching. The words of encouragement and all the "how cools" really made our legs move. Oh, and don't worry about Cooper. He is in better shape than most of you, and he gets plenty of rest.
I went home for a week in the middle of May for my niece's high school graduation. It was amazing to see because it seems like just yesterday when my mom was pulling me out of my 6th grade class to go see her at the hospital. It was nice to see all my family and really talk to them about my adventure. It was clear to them that I am serious about this. I feel they can see the change in me from last year when they saw me, and I think it all has something to do with having Cooper now. My sister even said if I would have gotten a dog a long time ago I probably would have saved myself a couple of marriages. Thanks, Nessa.


At the end of May I was flown down to Texas by C-Los' family. C-Los got a beautiful Ford F-150 extended cab pickup truck from his folks, and they wanted me to help him drive it up to the city. I flew into San Antonio on Saturday afternoon and slept in the backseat while C-Los and his dad drove us back to Corpus Christi where they are from. Took a shower, then jumped in the truck and swung by K-Rod's (C-Los' girl) folks' place to pick her up. Sat by the pool, sipping on cervezas and eating nachos.

Then we rolled over to the island to hit up Sushi Bar (http://www.sushibar.tv/). Holy shit, this place was amazing. The food was great and the people that work there were great. This place needs to be in the LES within a year because it is hot. Hip-hop lil' homies comic book sushi joint. After a killer meal we went out to a couple bars and did so many big TX shots that I blacked out! Yikes! The next morning C-Los' madre hooked us up with some fresh tortillas and barbacoa tacos. So good, and just what I needed.

After breakfast we went to the beach with K-Rod and her friend, Leslie. It was great to play in the waves in the Gulf of Mexico, which was a first for me. The sand was so nice and soft, the water was really warm, and you could walk out at least 50 yards.

After the beach we headed back to the Rodriguez family home for a BBQ pool party. "Papa Rod" has a restaurant-style smoker, so this is really TX-style BBQ: four big beef ribs and three pork ribs smoked f

or more than three hours. There was also potatoe salad two ways, bean and chorizo soup,and lots more. While the ribs were cooking we had shrimp and avocado dip, pico, mango salsa, fajitas, and lots of beer. Mix in a pool with music and you have an authentic TX-style BBQ party. People came and went, and the party went on. Any chance I got to talk about the adventure, I took it. I've gotten into the habit of carrying around a pocket full of flyers and handing them out to anyone. People in TX are excited to see us this winter. As the party died down around midnight I decided I was going to sleep poolside in the hammock for the night. It was a good sleep other than getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.
After returning to C-Los' house we showered and got packed up to hit the road. C-Los started out and drove us out of TX. Once we were in Louisiana I started to drive. I have never driven in LA and it was cool driving through the swamps on the elevated roads for miles and miles. We took turns throughout the day and night, and after 30-plus hours of driving we arrived back in Zoo York City.

Since then I've been riding and going through all the pics that I've taken over the past couple months. Now we are having camera problems—we have hours of footage, but are lacking the means of loading them onto the computer. My brother John is working on logos of some companies that I would like to ask for sponsorship. It's getting done, but there is still a long road ahead.

Because it takes me about 3 days to put one of these post together things change. I talk to LaRo yesterday. He is in VA "having a good ol time" he plans on being in PA in a couple weeks and wants us to go out and see him and camp with him for a couple days.

Since the flat...

. . . and the crank arm, things have really fallen into place. The flat is being fixed by Stan’s No Tube System. This is going to save us hundreds of dollars now, and even more down the road. Check out the website (http://www.notubes.com/tubeless_about.php) to see all the cool things they’re doing. And the crank arm is being supplied by Profiles. (http://www.profileracing.com/). It turns out that I’m a beast on the pedals, and just bent the living hell out of that arm. These arms are guaranteed for life, and they are on the high-end side of the bicycle-racing scene. So THANK YOU, STAN’S AND PROFILE. You show that people are interested in what we are doing, and your kindness and support pushes us.

LaRo (this is Pierre’s new nickname, and I hope you all call him that from here on out!) got back to NYC from New Hampshire on April 2^nd. I picked him up in Chinatown where he was sitting on his lawn chair along Canal St. having a smoke. It’s good to have my friend here talking face-to-face and working on the Rickshaws. The first couple of days we spent catching up with friends in The Heights, and then we did a full day of work down at Racer’s Edge on Sunday. We had planned to film all the work on the second Rick in a couple of days, but as it played out, the parts we needed didn’t come in and the weather has not been kind to us at all. But we did get as much done as possible, and finally on Wednesday the new cranks from Profile came in, so we headed down there to put them on the first Rick so we could take it for a spin. I’m going to push the keyboard over to LaRo so he can put down his first experience on this fine machine. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Pierre LaRochelle.

Yo, yo, yo! How is everyone breathing? I go by LaRo. I also go by Gnarley Rudyard as of right now. I’m about to enter the woods, y’all! On the Appalachian Trail everyone that is a “Thru Hiker” takes that unusual opportunity to name themselves. If you don’t have friends giving you a handle then you need to give yourself one, don’t you think? Anyways, I’m passing through New York and getting the grind on. Zippety-Zap, I have been cleaning up the spots of rust that had grown on the Rickshaw that was in the “Rickshaw Graveyard” from where Sean picked up a pair of these badass three-wheel notions. Apparently the wife of “Artie Rickshaw” was tired of looking at the Rickshaws catching a bad case of the rusts. Just like so many other folks, this guy had no idea what he could do with the dead notions in his yard. The frame was taken apart and it was handed to “The Man” Gerald at the Racer’s Edge to get the tack welding on the way. It was nothing but a good time as we took the chance to ride Sean’s Rickshaw with the Canon XL1s blinking the red record light, telling us that this would find the utmost appreciation when we were aged gray and telling the grandkids that we use to live in a time when there was only a DVD player. Who knows what the kids will be playing with when we’re in the later years, right? It was just as expected; nothing but a good time. People were being themselves and calling out to us as we passed on by. At one point a man walking into a bodega stopped to call out to us, “It’s nice to see people doing what they want.” It was too strange as he first said it because we were both in the New York mindset that this man was being a douche, but after he kept on with the insistent point of just that: “It’s nice to see people doing what they want, doing their own thing. For real!” We smiled and told him with our smiles that we were now on his level. It was an important moment to see that someone was getting it even if at first we didn’t believe him. That’s what got me jazzed as we kept on pedaling down the road. It’s important to listen to people and trust that they’re not telling you some kind of a New York lie. Anyways, we kept on keeping on and I put the first marks into the back right wheel. I took a turn about in the Brooklyn road and caught the curbside crackle. I tried to gloss over my mishap by pointing out that it was, what do they call it, “Christened?” I did let him know that, “It takes a wide turn.” “No, shit!” “No shit” was his very blunt response. These three-wheeled notions are quite the design and it was the first day on one of them. They are pretty incredible, and only getting better with each day of effort being put forth. I can’t emphasize enough how much people have been responding to this idea. People are in! Come along and keep up with us because this is going to be a trip to be in on: “Ten thousand miles and just a year!”

The first day is always the hardest . . .

. . . I hope. So I get up at 5:30 a.m. on Friday, excited for the big day. It’s the day I get to ride the first Rickshaw home from the Racer’s Edge. I decide to ride my bike down to the shop so I won't have to leave my car down there. I put together a route to and from the shop, avoiding all major roads through Brooklyn and Queens. It’s just shy of 10 miles one way. After eating some bacon and eggs, I get my gear together and head out for the shop.
It's a nice morning, around 55 degrees outside, and I am loving the ride. Not too much traffic, sun’s a shining, and I’m going to pick up my baby. I show up to Racer’s Edge at about 10:30 a.m. and get to it. I start doing as much as I can on my own because I know the shop is going to be a mad house today, and Gerald has already called in a couple more guys to come in and help out. Three guys are in the back working nonstop on all the bikes that keep coming in. Gerald and his dad are busy working up front on the floor with Gerald coming in the back to help out his guys and answer my questions. I had been hoping when I showed up to be out of there and on the road by 1 p.m., and when 3 p.m. rolls around I have to really get Gerald to stop what he's doing and get the last little bit done that I need his help with. It takes all my self control (which isn't much) to keep myself from telling off his customers, who look all upset having to wait a half hour to get a flat fixed when I have been waiting for a month to get this thing out the door and on the road.
So we set up the new handle bars and put the gears together, and he checks over my work. After we move the thing out the door, I take it around the block a couple of times to make sure its riding okay. Then I go inside and tell everyone later, and I’m on the road. I’m so excited when I pull up to the first traffic light. It turns green and I roll out into traffic. I’m picking up speed, changing gears and getting comfortable in the seat. I hear people on the front steps and on the side walk yelling out, laughing and screaming, and mostly saying, “What the hell is that thing?” I stop and talk to people and let them know what it is. I ride the frame home because we didn’t get a chance to put the seat and cover on it.
After about six miles something is wrong with my pedal, so I pull over to the side and take a look at it. The arm that is on the crank is slightly bent. This is one of the parts we didn't replace. Well, now we need to. It’s not too bad, so I take off and get about half a block away when I realize I have a flat tire. GREAT! So now I am walking with this giant “Big Wheels” through Queens. It’s starting to get dark and I’ve lost my directions, which serves as preparation since we won’t have directions during most of the trip, just a general direction of where we need to go.
The terrain through Brooklyn is pretty flat, so I’m able to cruise through the streets, but walking through Queens seems to be all uphill. I just keep walking and pushing this 100-pound-plus beast all through Queens. I even see a guy dump car coolant into the street, so I call the cops on him. This isn’t something I usually do, but when I see some ignorant fool pour toxic waste in the street, then screw him. He deserves to have the cops knock on his door and mess with him. Enough said.
The whole way home, when I would get to the top of the hills I would get on the Rick and lean away from the flat, riding it down on two wheels. My first ride and I’m already doing tricks on this beauty. After walking for about two hours I get home, and my calves are on fire from pushing the Rick around. But as I walk it into the garage I have a huge smile on my face, because those first six miles were great, and the the last three weren’t that bad either. Only like 20,000 more to go!

Long Road Ahead

So today I decided its time to ride. I have only gone twice this year and it was only for 15 min or so. Today I went for a solid hour. For the first ten I had Cooper with me. He just wanted to take off at a full sprint, way to hard to control the situation with him almost pulling me down the street. So we worked on a nice steady pace. I think with a couple more rides he will get the hang of it. Maybe we will go to the woods this weekend and ride free!
As for the next 50 min it was hard pushing though the streets of Queens, up and down hills, avoiding angry commuters trying to get home, and just watching life grind on around me. I pushed hard until my legs burned, and my lungs about burst. It felt good. But it made me realize I have been doing a whole lot of nothing this winter. With my job I spend a lot of time in the car or at my house, my only form of exercise was when I would take Cooper for a walk. What happened to me I used to be on the go all the time and now I have turned into a lazy unmotivated blob. But no more! I am riding, I'm setting the pace, the dream of this project is coming true everyday. When I talk to people about this adventure they think I'm crazy, but think it is a great idea. It makes me smile and a energy surges through me. It makes me push harder on the bike and on this adventure.

A little about Sean, Cooper, and Pierre

This is a little bio on the three of us.
Sean Robinson was born in England and grew up in "The Tall Corn State": Iowa. After High School he joined the US Army and worked as a cook. For five years, he had an amazing experience traveling the world. In April '02 he went back home to spend time with his family. In 2004, Sean and three of his best friends moved to NYC. He attended culinary school and worked in some of the best restaurants in Manhattan. After working in such a stressful environment as a chef for four years, Sean made a drastic change in his profession. He got a job managing Pet Haven, a pet crematory. This allowed him more time to spend with friends, especially his best friend, Cooper.

Cooper is a rescue pitbull from a park in upper Manhattan. He was found on a rainy night when he was about 6 months old with a heavy chain and lock around his neck. A local pet shop owner and her groomer took Cooper in and found him a home in upstate New York. He was living the good life, running around but lacked the discipline he deserved and needed. He was pulled from the farm and was fostered by a dog walker who worked with him daily for months. Then in July 2008 Sean adopted Cooper. He now enjoys spending time at the disc golf courses, slobbering on tennis balls, camping, and pulling Sean on his skateboard.

Pierre Larochelle was born in New England and grew up in the "Live Free or Die" state. Back in Ninety-Eight he moved to 1864 67th Street over in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. He developed into a bartending, card loving, cigarette smoker that eventually ventured out to Las Vegas, Nevada in one of those cold winter months of 2008. Out in the desert, in one of those warm mirages, he spent three months living with the heathens before finding an eight foot bicycle that some guy didn't want; apparently. After sprucing the bike up he took it on the road for a journey of some kind. It took him thru the deserts of Nevada and Southern California on into the beaches of Santa Monica and Venice. Before returning back to New York he took the bicycle a little bit further; out of curiousity. It led him to San Diego and on down into Tijuana. Once in Tijuana he kept on going. He pedaled all the way along the Pacific Coast of Mexico passing through every town along the way, hopping from beach to beach, all the way to Salina Cruz, Oaxaca. With more interest in living, rather than dying he put the bike down and headed back to New York. He is currently on the Appalachian Trail for another journey of some kind and plans to be back in New York for the Rickshaw Adventure in August.