Out Of The Wild: An Alaskan's Adventure To Find America

My name is John. I was born and raised in Alaska. I have been hearing how the American Dream is no longer possible for my generation; how the pursuit of a college education will leave my peers and me in crippling debt; and America is no longer the beacon of hope it once was. Too many of my generation believe what they are hearing. I am not going to surrender to such news.

I believe what made America great in the past can make it great again. I know many small business owners that are living their American Dream right now. I have heard these people talk about their dreams. They work harder than anyone I know every minute of every day. These are dreamers that act on their dreams. I want to chase my dream in the same way. My personal motto is, “Risk much, forgive much, and gain much”. I want to pursue a career in film. I want to chase my dream too.

I need to see more of this country to better understand my homeland. I want to meet the people who make this country work. Upon graduation from high school I am riding my bicycle 6,000 miles from Kodiak, Alaska to Key West, Florida to find my America. I am not going on this tour just to ride my bike. My plan is to document the people I meet that have put their dreams to work. I will interview them in their environment and interview the people they serve.

Using my bicycle, a tent, and a camera I will tell this story in a documentary I call “Finding My America”. I will begin in my hometown of Kodiak, Alaska on May 22, 2012. I am partnering with small businesses that will sponsor this trip. I am working with many Subway restaurant owners who are sponsoring me in exchange for a commercial I will make and post on the Internet.

When my trip is complete, I want to share what I learn with everyone. Look for the finished documentary in the late fall of 2012. The blog will serve as a behind the scenes update to chronicle my grand adventure. I am accepting financial support from anyone interested in inspiring my generation to embrace the hard work of bringing America back to a new era of greatness. I hope to tell the stories of the real American dream. I hope to raise enough money to pay for college without student loans. Help me tell this American story. Together we can be the difference.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

457 Bike Miles Logged

John's america Bike tour began by logging about 40 miles riding my bike on Kodiak Island.  The miles logged in Homer, Homer-Soldotna, Soldotna-Kenai-Soldotna, Soldotna-Sterling, Sterling-Cooper Landing, Summit Lake, Girdwood, Birdcreek, Anchorage, Exploring Anchorage, Bellingham exploration, Bellingham to Maple Falls, and finally Maple Fall to Sedro-Wooley total 457 so far.  I have many more to go.  Now that I look at it that way the miles are going by too fast.


5 comments:

Debbie Adamson said...

If there is any chance you are going to be any where close to Walla Walla, WA. Let me know @ writefromtheheart@hotmail.com or my Full Sail University email: DebbieAdamson@fullsail.edu. I'd love to bring you a sub sandwich and we have a subway here in this one-horse town we call Wally World. We can even put you up for the night. My house is too small but I'm sure my mom will make room in her big house. You're an inspiration - keep peddling. LOL

Unknown said...

Hello John,

My name is Kevin Tighe and I am a student intern at the Center for the Study of the American Dream at Xavier University. I would love to interview you for the Center's American Dream Video Archive, which is a collection of video interviews highlighting Americans and their American Dream stories. I think your trip would be excellent for this project. Plus, I think what you're doing is awesome and inspiring. We are located in Cincinnati, which appears to be close to your predetermined path. We are willing and able to meet you anywhere for this interview as well so that you don't have to stray from your trail. They are brief interviews--only 10-20 minutes. We don't want to interrupt your trip beyond that. Please let me know if you're interested and how I can contact you. My email is tighek@xavier.edu and phone number is (414) 416-8304. Hopefully you can help out a fellow student working on a video project. Best of luck to you!

-Kevin

kodiakbiker said...

I'll see what I can do :)

Kodiak Kid said...

If you need a place to stay near Sammamish WA, we would be happy to lodge you. We lived in Kodiak for 5 years and just moved down last fall.

Jill

Unknown said...

John,
Greetings from Hamilton,MT. I was told about your trip and am just checking out the blog. Very cool stuff and the project is a great idea. Mrs. Carrasco and I would extend an invitation for a hot shower, comfortable bed, or whatever else you may need if your close to Hamilton (45 miles south of Missoula). A good contact is carrascofamily10@gmail.com. Best of luck.