KSMU - Springfield, Missouri - Monday, May 10, 2010

Bicyclist Goes for His Dream

Written by Michele Skalicky Monday, 10 May 2010

http://ksmu.org/content/view/6582/66/


Ari Gold is attempting something that very few people would ever think of trying. The Chicago native stopped in Springfield recently to share his story. KSMU’s Michele Skalicky has more…

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Imagine leaving nearly everything you own behind and setting off on a journey around the world—on a bicycle. To most, it’s an impossible dream, but one man decided to do just that.
Ari Gold set out from Las Vegas September 1st, 2009. So far, he’s taking his time making his way across the U.S.…

"I'm going around the west edge of the Great Lakes, through Ottowa, Montreal, Quebec to St. John and St. John in Newfoundland is on the southeast tip and from there I plan to meet with sailors on the docks and get to know them and say, 'this is what I want to do and this is...let me work my way across on your ship and teach me things and get to know me and let me share in your lives.'"

He doesn’t have any timeline—he plans to travel as many years as he needs to in order to complete his journey. Once he’s journeyed across the US, Gold plans to travel thru Canada, then thru every part of Europe and from there, he’ll head to the Orient. He also plans to bike thru Australia, New Zealand, New Gineau, Indonesia, Tasmania and Japan.
Gold is originally from Chicago and lived ten years in Las Vegas. When he found himself divorced and unemployed, he decided to go for his dreams…

"Somebody pointed out this was an opportunity for me, and I also had seen that and 'what do I want to do? Where do I want to go?' Between jobs is the best time to take a vacation and to do some major goal of yourself for yourself, and what's the one thing that I really want to do in this life that I haven't done yet? I want to see the world."

But it’s not all about fulfilling his dreams…

"I saw all these people that were afraid and sad feeling hopeless and helpless that their jobs were--that some rug was being pulled out from under them, either divorce or their house being--they couldn't afford their house or they'd lost their job or they'd lost their business and what could I do to help them? I feel like I'm Johnny Appleseed spreading inspiration and smiles."

While Gold doesn’t necessarily see himself as courageous, he knows he’s doing something few people would be brave enough to attempt…

"'Courage is not the absence of fear but the realization that there is something more important.' That I steal from Ambrose Redmoon. And I do feel that, at the same time I must be courageous because I'm doing something and I'm terrified doing it. You know, people think, 'you're so without fear.' Oh no, oh no."

Gold works where he can, and people help him along the way with food and shelter...

"There's a lot of wonderful people out there that my sense of--I value humanity and my faith in humanity and good people all along the way, and I find that the poorest of people are often the most generous."

Gold lives off food stamps, too, and someone once told him he should put a sign on his bike that reads “your tax dollars at work…”

"But let's see someone else inspire thousands of people for $200 a month, and I feel like what I'm doing is a good thing."

Gold’s bike is loaded down—he had it modified to hold his things. Right now he’s in Tecumseh in southwest Missouri to volunteer his time building tree houses during the Villages in the Sky Festival.
He’s chronicling his journey by keeping a blog at biketoaustralia.blogspot.com.
For KSMU News, I’m Michele Skalicky.