Knowing your weakness and limitations only makes you stronger Feb. 21, 2009 Austin, TX Well folks, I have finally found my limitations. I will first start off where I left of last time, but if you want a real story hang in there because last night I almost died. Severe dehydration is fatal – so Feb. 21 was a gorgeous day in Austin and I said my goodbyes to Rachel the house leader and got her email. Elliot gave me the location to a hole in the wall taco place which was amazing. I also had cactus for the first time with eggs and it was amazing like slimy green peppers. For some reason I went into the place next door to look around and the most amazing thing happened. I found the double stuffed skittles I had been searching for since before Pensacola (where I had found them in the smallest gas station in the world). This led me to thinking that they were everywhere, so I passed on buying them. Well, as you can tell, I was wrong. Yet in an even smaller grocery store there they laid. It was very exciting and the clerk thought I was mad! I had to wait for Amy to get home, so I had plenty of time to waste. I headed to a coffee shop near an ice cream place that was supposed to be amazing and had a few cups. It was nice too because they were also a bakery, so I could get refills. This is a gesture I feel all coffee shops should implement since coffee is cheap but one task at a time. I also had this crazy lady ask me if I would go around and ask … [Read more...]

Feb. 15, 2009 Austin, Texas Austin might be one of the youngest and active cities in the United States! It has an air of youth that one can’t help but love. Even those that one might not call young are out and playing with the most youthful people. There is a strong outdoor, artist, musical, hippy, and just plan fun scene everywhere. I truly can say that if I had any desire to stay in one place right now, this would be on the top of my list. I arrived in town on the 15th as I said earlier. Sam and Karen were nice enough to bring me in by car, and Sara and Brett got my bike to REI-Austin for a life saving operation. I spent Sunday, the 15th to Wednesday, the 18th with Sara and Brett and had a blast while my bike was getting fixed. They were just getting used to their newest member of the family, Bo, an eight week old puppy that was just too cute. Feb. 17, 2009 Austin, Texas Tuesday the 17th we went and got my bike back from REI, which luckily cost me just under one hundred dollars. The chain was replaced, everything was oiled, and all the cables were changed. The bike really needed it all and I could instantly feel a difference in the ride. Feb. 18, 2009 Austin, Texas Today, Sara dropped me off by a park which showed me the beauty that is Austin for the first time. Sara and Brett lived in the North West area which is almost like a beautiful hilly suburb, but the park that she dropped me off at was right in the city. There I was in eighty … [Read more...]

Turning 26 where everything is bigger‏ February 6-13, 2009 From: Michael Galardi (michaelgalardi@gmail.com) Sent: Fri 2/13/09 2:12 PM To: Karen Pinson (pinsonline@hotmail.com) Feb 7, 2009                                    Welsh, Louisiana This morning Darlene Kyle cooked an awesome breakfast of free-range chicken eggs, thick sliced bacon, sausage patties, and biscuits with milk. I had accepted an invitation to a real Cajun wedding in New Iberia, so we started packing and my packing turned out to be a stop at the Wal-Mart on the way. Before we left, I did have the daunting task of shaving after a month with a “leg” razor which took forever. After that hour and just a few missed spots and cuts we were off. We jumped in the car to head down deeper into Cajun Country for the wedding of Adele Bonnet and Ryan Montegut in New Iberia. Our first stop was Wal-Mart where I picked up some slip on shoes and pair of black dickies. Next, we stopped and ate some lunch at a delicious oyster restaurant and then made our way to the hotel. Even though I was a little tired we explored New Iberia and even went to the Tabasco Island. After about four cups of coffee to wake up I got dressed for the wedding and started meeting everyone in the hotel and then we left for the event. The wedding ceremony was short, but very beautiful and then we were out to the party. I can tell that this is where real … [Read more...]

Breaking News: My bike has a stroke, but with a little love will have a full recovery Feb. 14, 2009 Huntsville, Texas As just as my new found love for turning 26 comes and goes and a new sense of freedom is born, I decided to stay one more day in Huntsville. Feb 14th I decided to stay with Yash’s friend, Vi, who is a super sweet and smart lady. We went and saw “He’s not that into you” and if you want my honest opinion, it was not that great or at least could’ve been so much better. We talked about life and the need for equality and how two extremes can just keep the other alive. We then finished the night off with some Kat Williams who is just too funny and has a real message like the late great George Carlin. Oh, I almost forgot that the house that I toured with all the recycled materials and the bone theme burned to the ground. I was the last to see the amazing house before it collapsed in the flames. The builder just laughed and said that from those ashes they would rise again! Oh, how I wish more would look at life like this. I set my alarm and went to sleep. Feb. 15, 2009 Huntsville, Texas to Austin, Texas I was up by seven and out the door by eight on the way to Austin, Texas, which I hoped to be in by Monday. The day was beautiful and the Texas landscape was amazing. I thought of Texas as tumbleweeds and oil rigs, but in its mass there  are some great places. I made it to Brenham, Texas when the stars aligned and my … [Read more...]

January 27, 2009 / New Orleans, LA  to Baton Rouge to Lafayette to Welsh, LA  February 6, 2009 / Welsh, LA Short journal version Jan 27th stayed with Bennett (a guy I knew from Atlanta)/ went to see Rebirth at the Maple Leaf saw Frenchy painting/Jan 28th did my interview for April for her show, the Donny Brooks Show/ walked through Tulane/ went to The Boot to look for an old friend- not there/went to Bennett’s friends place / Jan 29th left New Orleans stopped at Bicycle World in Jefferson, LA/ these guys rock and best shop around/ gave me new tire and spokes plus rocken water bottle/ had cop scare me to death pretending to shoot me with his radar gun – not cool Mr. cop/ on Hwy. 61 met Skip Potts who is walking across America/ we had lunch and talked/ both of us filmed each other/ Skip teaches me about the importance of a sign/ bike past Ben Early’s house/ we went to Sammy’s where they have crawfish/ Jan 30th Baton Rouge, Louisiana has the best food in this country so far/ bought a waterproof Olympus camera/ went to Wal-Mart to make first “jolly” sign/ Ben drops a cup of tea on his lap top it gets fried/ Jan 31st drive around LSU campus/ LSU has very big stadium over 90,000 fans/ watched Ben’s friends fix a mower with no idea on how to fix a mower/ Corey my sister’s friend wants to do art based on the ride can’t wait/ go to Ben’s to cook buffalo ribs and pork on a Green Egg grill/ Feb 1st Super Bowl night/ eat … [Read more...]

Words cannot express how thankful I am for all the incredible people that have opened their hearts and homes to me since January 1st, 2009. I want to thank Waldies for their awesome Original Comfy Clogs, Beige Brand Marketing LLC, P.T.S. Screen Printing, REI’s awesome Navara Randonee bicycle, CouchSurfing, and so many others. Some that have helped I will never actually know, but believe me, something good will happen to all of you!  Back to my rambling…. February 7, 2009- Welsh, Louisiana (The land has been basically flat because I’m riding close to the Gulf Coastal Plain and the weather has been mild most of the time – I’m feeling strong physically) Right now I am writing this entry from Welsh, LA – the location of a real American dream. I am on a farm with good, strong, hard working Americans. They love their land because it is this land that feeds them and their families. I will come back to this in a moment, but I need to backtrack a little. January 30th – Baton Rouge, Louisiana It was a simple day, but I did accomplish one great task. I must thank the one who gave me the idea – Skip Potts. I went to Wal-Mart and finally bought an Olympus waterproof/shockproof digital camera and made a fun sign for my back on the bike –– “www.jollygreenicemachine.com biking the lower 48 states helping the kids”. I am hanging here at Ben Early’s house until after the Super Bowl and then moving on to stay … [Read more...]

The “Jolly Geography” project is an educational tool for children of all ages to experience a country that unfortunately in this day and age is sometimes viewed as unsafe. Through my bike trip, I take kids through the country at a pace where they can experience things that they  cannot learn in the school setting. I would like to demonstrate the value of the great opportunities and random kindness of others not often learned in the school environment. Through the wacky journey I hope to inspire and teach that it is ok to go after what you believe in, to live your dreams, and to keep communication open from child to parent. Through a healthy imagination a healthy reality is born. It is like a TV program that encourages the child to stop watching it and make their own show. The ride goes through changes in environment, yet stops long enough to keep the children interested in cool places to see and visit in every state. In the near future I hope to expand the program to not only educate through the ride but to also physically come and talk with different groups and educate. It is our responsibility as adults to teach and nurture the pure simplest thoughts of children. All the problems of the world will fall into their hands one day and the ride strives to demonstrate there is also true joy and fun in the world. Hopefully, this project will reduce the stress, pressure, and hopelessness some children feel. It is amazing how many kids I have already met … [Read more...]