After the spectacular Cataviña desert, I spotted a lone figure in the distance. Holy shit! I’m whining about driving and here’s a cyclist braving the traffic and loneliness and inhospitable elements out in the middle of nowhere.
I pulled over and so did he and we bonded immediately. He was full of good humor.
Fujimoto Tatsuhiko had recently ridden the full length of Alaska, then from New York to LA on Highway 66 (yah!), and was on his way to Los Cabos, thence ferry to Mazatlan, south to Argentina.
So far about 10,000 miles.
The doll was his “girlfriend,” a Japanese cycling effigy.
Bike is a 7-year-old steel Surly Long Haul Tracker, which he loves. How about that, all you guys with $10K carbon fiber state-of-art bikes and hi-tech camping gear?
He has no sponsors, saves money from his job as a nurse, and then takes off.
He is from Amora, Japan.
Kinda reminded my of Armand Basset, road wanderer / buddha encountered in the Nevada outback, shown on the last page of our book Shelter.
More info by googling “Fujimoto” “Tatsuhiko” “bicycle”
Godspeed to you Lloyd! The butcher shop (Harris’ Ranch) on Highway 5 is my favorite stop on the highway. Most people don’t get it. It smells a hella lot better these days.
Congratulations to Fujimoto Tatsuhiko……. Compared to size of Japan, this “ride” must be huge….hope he blogs about it all, writes up/keeps pics and notes.
Glad you posted about him, Lloyd. It is nice and encouraging to see what determination can accomplish and how often it is determination which takes you far, not sponsors etc !!!
I love my Surly Disc Trucker Lloyd, heavy before you even start putting kit on it, but you know you’re going to get there!! Martin from Cornwall, England.