BIG NEWS

Dear Interweb,

One year ago today, I left Brooklyn and cycled the long way around the country (about 12,317ish miles). A few weeks ago, I got to St. Louis, dropped my bike/gear at my sister's house and flew to NYC for a wedding some job interviews. I got offered a job (a great one, too). It starts next week. I'm going to take it.

What does that mean? Am I quitting? Is this over? Am I really going to sell out like that?

No, no and yes.

I'm taking the job. It's an amazing opportunity. I'm not quitting this project, though. The whole "biking cross country" part of the project is on hold for a while, but Drawing America by Bike is more than a singular bike tour. This endeavor was not aimed at an athletic/competitive goal, but a artistic one. This is a fact-finding mission for a graphic novel and the bicycle was (almost) incidentally the best vehicle for the journey.

I still have a lot of ground to cover. St. Louis, Louisville, Ohio, Detroit, DC, the rest of New England. I will be resuming the Tour d'Amurica in summer 2012. Until then, I have a lot of work to make that I didn't get to while on the road and I'll start working of a graphic novel of my adventures

Isn't this cheating?

I'm not an athlete nor did I ever claim to be. My project is to not only draw America, but to physically make a line throughout the country. Rarely do I make drawings with one continuous line. Unless you're doing a blind contour drawing, you usually pick up your pencil once in a while and take a look at what you've done and make some more lines somewhere else on the page. Right now, I'm picking up my pencil (bike) for a minute, but I'm not finished.

What about the postcards? If you donated for a postcard didn't get it yet, I'll send you double your donation in postcards. They'll be really cool, too.

I'll still be posting stories/drawings from my travels, plus various bike/art related things, so keep following the project! Thank you guys so much, this project could not have taken off without all the support from family, friends and total strangers. See ya soon.

Your unprodigal son,

Eric C

P.S. I'm still on the hunt for a sublet for a couple months until I get settled (in or around NYC). If you hear of anything, lemme know!

prints for sale!

some folks i've met in my travels.

'face-america' 8"x10" signed + editioned archival prints for sale! i'm trying raise $ to take a couple days off the bike and fly to a friend's wedding. paypal $20 ($25 non-USA) to drawingamericabybike@gmail.com​, shipping included, just click on the 'donate' button to your right>>

you know you want one...plus tuesday is my birthday :)

FAQ's answered- I hate exercising, yes and I don't know.

I meet a ton of people and get a lot of emails. I get a lot of questions. A lot of the same questions. In fact, you probably couldn't ask a question I haven't heard. Here some answers:

Why are you doing this?
-It's complicated, but basically I had trouble finding reliable work NYC, I was somewhat miserable, I needed a change, I wanted to see the country and I had nothing else going on.

Do you get tired?
-Yes. When I do, I take a break.

How far do you ride a day?
-It depends on where I'm going. Somewhere between 60-120 miles. Any less, and it's probably because I'm going to see something. I started out low, not more than 50-60 miles a day for the first month or so. The physical strain is over, but the mental challenge never ends.

Does your butt get sore?
-No, not really. If you have a good saddle and your bike is fit right to you and you wear bike shorts and you know how to sit on a bike, you should be fine. Too many people "sit" on their saddle. The saddle is more of a balancing mechanism, not a seat. Your weight should be on you handlebars and pedals more. If your butt hurts, adjust your weight or switch into a higher gear (it will make your legs work more, pick your butt up and straighten your back). I have big legs and a pretty slim upper body, so I'm kind of ideally built for bikes.

What do you do when it rains?
-Ride through it. Unless it's really cold. Or lightning, in the plains I was kinda the tallest thing out there (plus I'm on a steel bike)...not a good idea

Do you get bored?
-Yes. I'm usually on my bike for 8-12 hours when I'm riding. I don't listen to music/audio books when I ride because I want to listen to my bike/for cars. I talk to myself a bit. Make up dumb songs. Invent/Play games. Count things. A few times a day, I play the count-1000-pedal-strokes game. That takes up a little time. I keep a sharpie with me and if I see something or have an idea for a drawing, I jot a note on my arm and will work on it later. I have to keep my head in a good place (or a preoccupied, at least). If I let bad thoughts get in my head, my whole day/drive will be ruined.

How do you pay for this?
-No trust funds, no sugar mamas, no corporate sponsors. This is a totally independent project paid for by real people who get real art from me. If someone sends me $5, I'll mail them a postcard of some of my art from the road. I sell some t-shirts, too. I pick up some freelance illustration where/when I can, as well. I've also used the website Kickstarter.com for some fundraising. My costs are minimal, just food, bike parts and my phone bill. Send me some love! There's a link to the right of this post!

Favorite Place?
-I have a top 3 list. I don't know if these are the best cities in America, but I enjoyed them thoroughly. I've had a lot of fun in other places, but mostly because of the people.
*Asheville, NC- cool small arts town, downtown has very strong and local businesses
*New Orleans, LA- this city has character and a lot of pride, it's have some rebuilding pains, but is fun. Good art, good food, good people (they like to drink there a bit, too).
*Albuquerque-Flat city in the desert next to a giant mountain. Art, bikes and local brews. Close to Santa Fe, but a little slower/more laid back.
*Denver- Bikes, art, mountains, easy to get around.
*Eugene,OR- i don't know if Eugene was a favorite place, but I snapped my framed just outside of town and some generous folks really helped me out and got me back on the road. i had a good time there :)

i think that's more than 3. whatever.

Solo?
-Yeah, I've met people and rode with them for half a day or an hour or so. It's nice to have someone to talk to, but going alone makes certain things easier. When I get lost, I can only blame myself. If I call myself a moron, it's a lot easier to forgive myself. But if anyone wants to come with, come on, just keep up!

You're a pro, right?
-No, I'm still an amateur. This is my first bike tour (never even took a week trip before). I was a pretty serious commuter for years, I started bike commuting in first grade. When I moved to NYC and the subway fares went up, so I started riding pretty much everywhere between my 3-4 jobs and would put in about 30-40 miles a day. But I'm bad a sports. I don't even watch them, really. I'm not very competitive and I hate exercising. This isn't exercising, this is travelling. I have real goals at the end of my ride, like food, water and shelter (if i'm lucky).

Where do you sleep?
-Outside. I camp usually, unless I'm in a city, then I stay with friends, family or blog followers. Or I see if I can find a host on Couchsurfing.org or warmshowers.org.

What about all the thieves, psychos, rapists, murderers, pirates, ninjas, killer clowns, bad drivers, gypsies, mexican gangs, meth addicts, wild animals, crazy rednecks out there? Are ya packin' heat?
-No, no heat. I have a pocketknife the size of a nail file. I've yet to run into dangerous characters. I'm a white male, so statistically it's safer for me, but common sense/street smarts go a long way, too. I think the media hypes up violence too much. As for wild animals, I pee around my campsite to mark my territory (nothing has gotten into my granola yet).

What's the craziest thing you've ever seen?
A bicycle gang in Tennessee. I only tell that story in person. For now, it's too good to write down.

Do you get lonely?
-Yes. I meet people almost everyday, but I end up having the same conversations with them. This exact conversation. I'm thinking of making a pamphlet to hand out to people, but then again, that might be rude. I have a few friends I talk to on the phone/online, and I get to see familiar folks along the way.

You don't post that much to this blog. What's up?
-The blogging app on my phone isn't the best. I post more to http://facebook.com/drawingamericabybike. It's easier and faster. You don't have to be a member of facebook to check out the page. You can also follow me at http://twitter.com/drawingbiking

What's next?
-I don't know. Going back to NYC for a while maybe. I want to do a comic book/graphic novel about life on a bike across America. Know a publisher? Know anyone hiring? Tell them to email me. I have various skills. If I don't have something figured out soon, I guess I'm staying on my bike.

Improvise

When I started this trip, I noticed very quickly that a lot of folks are improvising to make ends meet right now. Here's a few things I've seen in the last 7 months that have stuck out in my mind.

In Baltimore, I stayed with some musicians who lived in a large warehouse space. They've installed sound equiptment, a stage and some skateboard ramps. They host concerts and events to pay their rent.

Ben, a Greensboro musician didn't have a place to stay for a while, so he built a shack out of old windows/found materials. I stayed in it for a couple nights, it was very cozy.

A craggy, old biker-hobo I met in Florida had an ingenious handlebar and rear rack setup.

I couchsurfed with some freegans/dumpster divers in LA. One of them works at Trader Joe's, so they always know when the good stuff is being pitched. The US throws away about half of the food it produces because of too much inventory.

Here's a small garden I spotted. It was planted in a shaded area, but got plenty of sunlight with strategic mirror placement.

I've had more than my fair share of MacGuyver-isms. Since I'm riding sans-insurance, I had to give myself stitches back in November. It's just like sewing on a button...into your arm.

When traveling, you're able to spot your own kind pretty easily. I've met train-hoppers, hitch-hikers, other bikers and hobos of all sorts. Living life on the road is an alternative to lack of options in the "real" world. Some I meet are biding their time until things turn around, some are running away or searching for something, but most just live day to day, not worrying about anything out of earshot. The improvised life is the only life for them.

Critter Recap

Riding across America on a bike allows me to see wildlife in a very different way. I’m much quieter and slower than a car, so it’s common for me to spot a furry creature snacking on something off the side of the road or follow a bird flying the same direction for a mile or so before it glides out of sight. Almost every time I pass horses on a farm, they trot close to the fence and gallop along with me for a while. I don’t know if they think I’m another horse or just want to keep and eye on me.

I see a lot of roadkill, too.

A fellow biker in Florida summed it up with the phrase “cars are coffins, for people and for animals.” It’s sounds harsh, but it’s true. Almost everyone has known someone killed or seriously injured in an accident. The highways are dotted with roadside memorials and littered with the flattened corpses of animals. In America, cars are a way of life, so there’s almost no way around it. Please drive safely.

Dozens of times a day, I see a constant reminders of how dangerous the roads are. One fateful day, while riding to Greensboro, I was saved by a street-pizza’d rabbit after falling off my bike. Landing face-first into this guy saved me a few stitches/dental appointments.

I’ve seen a few road waffles that have made me look twice, like an alligator snapping turtle I saw in Maryland (I didn’t know they went that far North):

Seeing this one in Central Texas had me puzzled for hours:

This guy was cute:

Bugs happen.

I don’t know how many I’ve dug out of my beard or incidentally swallowed.

Oh, and then there’s dogs.

I get chased by dogs constantly. If you walk into your local bike shop, you’ll probably find some cans of pepper spray/dog repellant available. I have never been in a situation where I felt that stuff was necessary. Dogs chase bicycles, runners and postal employees because they are strangers entering the dog’s territory. Most dogs will bark and chase, but won’t bite. They’re just excited and want you to know that they are there. By continuing to ride or run faster after the dog barks/chases, you’re reinforcing their habits. I don’t speed up, I’ve found that most dogs respond to a calm and assertive “No!” or stop at their property line anyway. If you’re chased by the same dogs on a regular route, you have a responsibility to talk the owner. It’s for the safety of everyone, you and the dog.

Actually, there was one time I might have used that spray stuff. One time in a thousand. While riding from Newport, TN to Knoxville, a huge hound dog appeared in my mirror. He was kinda far back, but hauling ass. Within seconds he was a little too close for comfort. He didn’t respond to “No!” and didn’t have a leash or collar on. He didn’t stop at a property line (wherever the hell that was) and didn’t get tired…for 4 miles. I finally lost him on a hill, good thing I wasn’t going the other way.

What do I eat?

EVERYTHING.

On an average day, I ride between 75 and 100 miles. Because of this I eat. I eat a lot. Usually around 6,000 calories a day. I often feel like I can eat anything.

Sometimes, I do.

At a party I ended up at in Philly, I started chatting with a fellow artist there. They pulled a watermelon out of thin air and gave it to me.

I was excited about the offering, but it soon became too much of a burden to carry (literally). I ate the whole thing for breakfast the next day.

Space is limited on the bike. I live off of small things I can get at grocery stores or gas stations. Sometimes the selection is limited.

I’ve been cooking a little bit on the road. Natalie, a train hopper/bicycle traveller I met in Greensboro, showed me how to make this simple stove out of two aluminum cans. It took me a little while to perfect, but it works great. You can find various instructions online, just google “penny alcohol stove."

When riding, it’s necessary to eat something every hour to keep my energy level up. I’ve developed a few snacks on my own that are quick and easy. Here’s one that works great, I still don’t know what to call it.

I’m a big fan of MRE’s (military rations). I have a lot of friends/family in the service, so that helps. Thanks guys :)

Eating out is a rarity, but if I can find a cheap all-you-can-eat buffet, I jump on it. I especially like visiting friends who go to/work at colleges. Their cafeterias are supreme. While visiting my friend/former boss Aziz at ASU in Phoenix, this was my lunch one day:

I’m also a pancake monster. Often when crashing someone, I make a big batch of pancakes for them before I leave (I eat a lot of them). If you’re along the way and put me up for a night/feed me, I’ll make some hearty flapjacks from scratch with my SECRET RECIPE. They’re bonafide.

I’ve learned to pinch pennies till boogers pop out of Abe Lincoln’s nose, but food is still my biggest expense. I usually get by on a few dollars a day or sometimes less. If I reach my funding goal, I’ll be eating a little heartier and healthier. If you have any advice, I’m all ears.

In my mini comic series “Killing Time and Space,” I have an entire volume dedicated to food on the road. It’s filled with recipes, detailed stove instructions, dumpster diving tips and a couple short stories. Kickstarter backers who pledge $10 or more will receive one volume of their choice! Snapshots coming soon!

Click on the Kickstarter link on the right to find out how to support the trip!

Oh, and here’s a sandwich drawing.

Greetings from the West Coast and What is Express Car Wash?

I’ve made it through the desert and am taking a little time of in LA. I just hit 7200 miles yesterday! Last week in San Diego, I visited my cousin Tyler and his wife Marisa who just had their first child (congrats guys) and met up with a friend I haven’t seen since elementary school. I also met Bob Bandhauer and his wife. He’s the author of Turbo Bob’s Bicycle Blog. He writes reviews of e-bikes, folding bikes, vintage Schwinns and various other things bicycle.

I’m also doing a fundraiser on Kickstarter. It’s a neat website which promotes creative projects all over the globe. Funds will help me get some much need bike repairs, health insurance and finish the journey up the coast and back East. The only catch with the website is that I must reach my funding goal of $3000 by April 24. If not, I don’t get the money (no one who donates will be charged if this is the case). So if you like the project, tell your friends. All donations of $5 get a free postcard from the road. Donations of higher denominations get bigger rewards, such as mini-comics, original artwork, t-shirts (coming soon) and more. Check it out, keep my wheels rolling :)

Oh, and what is “Express Car Wash” from the last post? It’s an accident. It was supposed to be a post for another blog I have. You know how every once in a while, someone says something and another person says “that would be a great band name.” Well, that’s my other blog. It’s called Band Names for a Buck. For a dollar, people buy any band name on there…or just steal it. I guess it should be a twitter, but whatever.

http://bandnamesforabuck.blogspot.com

express car wash

this guy made the blog

Joshua Tree Drawings

Location:Morongo Rd,Twentynine Palms,United States

Blythe Intaglios

While riding from Blythe to Joshua Tree, I passed the Blythe Intaglios. Early natives made these large earth drawings by moving different colored rocks into various animal shapes and decorative lines. The images are so large, you might be standing in one and not know it. They are meant to be viewed from the sky.

A railroad runs parallel to Hwy 62 near the Blythe Intaglios. Alongside the tracks are dozens of names, initials and messages made by travellers spelled out with the black, soot covered gravel from the rail ties and laid upon the cleaner, light gray gravel on the side.

T-shirts!

Hey folks,
I just made a zazzle account and will be selling some t-shirts and other things on there of some artwork. Check it out, proceeds help keep me fed/on the road, just click the link below!

http://www.zazzle.com/drawingbiking

Captain America

I've met a lot of interesting people on the road. Allen Mullins is one of them. As I was going into a coffee shop in Austin, I noticed him at a table outside. He's hard to miss. Allen was wearing a Captain America costume and had his head down on the table. Next to him was a backpack with sleeping bag, a large American... flag and a small, black puppy. I had to talk to him.

I walked up and asked if he was on the road. He gave me a piece of paper which detailed his mission. I didn't read it and just told him I was on the road, too. He perked up. We started talking. For the last 2 years, he's been walking around America dressed like this to honor American Troops and to raise awareness for injured veterans. He doesn't have a website or anything, just a big cardboard sign he straps to his backpack as he walks. He hopes to start a foundation one day to help veterans.

Allen said he has already walked 5000 miles and has made a commitment to walk around the country in his costume for the next 10 years. He said he gets some strange looks, but finds larger cities and VFW's welcoming and friendly, as he is sustaining himself on the kindness of strangers. His puppy, named "Justice," was given to him by a veteran who is a breeds dogs (specifically mutts).

Allen also has a Superman costume he wears as well. You can find a lot of video/press about him, just google "Allen Mullins Captain America" or "Allen Mullins Superman." He can also be contacted at supermanwalking@gmail.com

Road/street Memorials

Cardboard Signs

I've met/seen a lot of people using cardboard signs. They use these signs to communicate a need, desire or dream. Some are selling things, some are asking for things and some are just trying to get somewhere. People have a lot of names for these sign holders; hitch-hikers, hobos, bums and beggars.

Here are some signs I've seen.

Ingenious improvisations

I met a craggy, old biker/hobo on my way to Jupiter, FL. He had been wandering around for years and testified that he wasn't homeless because he didn't need a home. He lived off the land, off his wits and his $300/month army pension. His bicycle was a dual suspension mountain bike from Walmart. Since he couldn't find a rack, he wedged the fork of another bike into a hole in the frame near the seatpost (see below). He created a handlebar extension system so he could recline while he rode. The right side consisted of on bar end attached near the center of the handlebars and another attached to it. The left side used an old wheelie-cooler handle that was tied on with a shoelace (see below).






He loves riding through Florida because "it's flat as a turd."

Location:NE 57th St,Miami,United States

What do I do when I ride my bike?

I'm usually on my bike for 6-9 hours a day. A lot of people ask me how I keep myself from getting bored. I do get bored. I can't listen to music because I have to listen for cars. I can't draw while I ride (yet). I get very bored.

Usually, I talk to myself, either out loud or in my head. Once in a while, I sing. I make up stupid little songs about roadkill or girls in Brooklyn or food. Sometimes, I run out of things to talk about. I zone out. I try to erase my mind. Trying think about nothing is really hard. Inevitably, that chore gives me something something to mull over. It's can be a vicious cycle.

I'm thinking of getting a harmonica.

why am I doing this?

A lot of people ask me why I'm doing this trip. It's kind of more complicated than I can put into words (let alone type on a phone), but I'll try.

About a year ago, I was in a bad place. I was working half a dozen jobs at a time, none of them going anywhere. Freelance/temp work, odd jobs and teaching for some unstable non-profits while scouring craigslist daily. After not getting paid for a month of work at one gig, I started to realize my life in Brooklyn was not sustainable. Financially, I didn't have control of my life. Also, I was drinking too much and watched myself care less and less about anything. Things had to change. I had to change, otherwise I'd probably throw myself off a bridge or something. Being reliant on a conventional "job" or on anyone else wasn't working. I decided I was going to get the hell out of New York. I was going to get rid of all of my possessions and ride off into the sunset. My thinking was that if I couldn't figure something out on the road, at least I'd go out in a ball of fire.

So far, I've met a lot of people who have felt the same pinch by disaster/recession/whatever and who have been improvising as well, like Tennesseans who are still rebuilding from the flood that happened there this summer (overshadowed in the news by the oil spill). There's also Ben, a musician in Greensboro who built a shack out of old windows to live in. I'm hoping to make a book/body of work about the people I'm meeting who are making due/improvising when life hands them lemons.

Cat Portal

I have been staying at a friend's place. One night, we heard a cat meowing near the kitchen. She said that her stovetop fan shared an outside vent with her neighbor's and the cat was nextdoor. Much to our surprise, the cat was in her apartment, specifically her pantry.

There was a cat in her apartment.

It was like magic. Like the cat came through a portal or wormhole or something.

A few drawings