Japanese biker, 80, set to complete coast-to-coast journey across the US
By Bryan Ke
A senior Japanese man has embarked on the journey of a lifetime, biking from San Diego to New York City while making friends and memories along the way.
Key points:
- Eiichi Ichikawa, an 80-year-old biker from Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture, recently made a week-long stopover in Black, Alabama, to rest.
- Ichikawa left for Atlanta on Wednesday as he continues his journey to New York City.
- He plans to fly back to Japan after reaching his destination.
The details:
- The journey from San Diego to New York City covers a distance of about 2,759 miles (4,440 kilometers).
- Ichikawa lodged with the Strickland family in Alabama, where he spent his birthday and took part in celebrating the homeowners’ wedding anniversary.
- Recalling how they came across the octogenarian, Rachelle Strickland told WDHN:
“He came up sweating profusely, tired and he came up to my husband and said, ‘Please. Rest. Water. Please.’ So from then on, we gave him a glass of water and something to eat and he got to tell his story. We realized that Eiichi is a very special man.”
- While Ichikawa is headed back for Japan after his journey, he plans to return to the Stricklands next year to spend time with them for a month.
- Ichikawa began his cross-country adventure in March and has already explored the southern half of the U.S. He shares moments from his journey and interactions with locals on Facebook and Instagram.
- This is not Ichikawa’s first time in the U.S., however. His first long biking adventure happened in 2016 when he biked from New York to Chicago. He returned in 2019 for another adventure from Seattle to Manhattan.
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