The Life's-Too-Short Tour

www.lifestooshorttour.net

I am a 43-year-old guy in NYC who is about to embark on a solo transcontinental bicycle trek. The tour begins May 20, 2009, going from NYC to Santa Cruz, Cali.

I have dreamed about such a trek all my life, but always put if off, waiting for the "best time." Thing is, that best time never came and the dream stayed on the back burner all these years.

But all that changed in April, 2009, when my cousin Rich died suddenly. He was 44, we were close. Rich had suffered from a brain tumor when he was a teen, and had subsequent operations and treatments, and it is what took him from us. The loss caused me to question the very foundations of my life. Why was I always too busy to visit him? Was anything I ever did worth not seeing him?

Hence the Life's Too Short Tour. Whenever anyone asks why I'm biking across the country I will say "because life's too short." I am hoping this journey will give me the time I need to get my head straight after this great loss.The tour is being documented at my blog.

As part of the trek, I encourage donations to American Brain Tumor Association, to aid research for cure and care. I set a modest and attainable goal of $4,000 ($1 for each mile of the trek) which I hope we can raise by the time I reach the Pacific Ocean. Donations are given to ABTA in memory of Rich Risley.