02-17-2012
01-11-2012
Rickshaw trek brings California man through Seguin
Allie Stevens and his dog Roxy take a break in Seguin during their walk across the country. Stevens is setting out to reach a world record for walking from his hometown of Oceanside, CA to Miami, FL. His journey involves more than just walking. The former U.S. Marine is sending out a message of appreciating those towns and cities located along the way.
By Cindy Aguirre-Herrera
(Seguin) -- They call him “the Rickshaw man with a message.” Most of us have already seen Allie Stevens around town pulling the rickshaw that has been his home on the road for the last and a half years. Stevens is destined to capture another world record for walking has another 1,800 miles until he reaches his destination of Miami, FL.
Stevens, a retired Vietnam vet, set out on his goal in 2009 from his hometown Oceanside, CA.
Although he works toward reaching the east coast, it's the message that Stevens hopes to pass along the way that he says is even more important than gaining the world record for walking.
"The reason is to show the world that America is still the best country in the world, and that God is so strong in this country. By the things that I've been through on this walk, I'm showing the world how strong it is and how beautiful the people are in the country no matter what the government does. It's the people that are wonderful here. The small towns are the backbones of this country. I'm walking all the back roads so people can see how wonderful these small towns are. They need to get off these highways and stop and go to every one of these small towns, see the history and talk to the people," said Stevens.
Stevens, who started off the trip with only 10-cents, says it's the people and their generosity that really has inspired him along the way. He says while he doesn't ask directly for sponsors, it's the people who have embraced his journey and who are helping make this trek a reality.
"I'm walking all the way, and that rickshaw weighs 400 pounds. We don't have money, so to speak or sponsors, so we sleep in tents and we cook and everything on the rickshaw. We take little breaks. It doesn't matter about the weather. Sometimes people do get us a hotel room every now and then or their backyard - like this place that we just left in La Vernia. Reuben (Garcia) from the Taste of Chicago gave us a back house to sleep in for about a week or two," said Stevens.
If more folks learned to slow down their life and appreciate the beauty of their own hometowns and those of others, then he says they too would be just as impressed.
"I don't worry about healthcare because I stay healthy walking. I don't worry about gas. I don't worry about oil. I don't worry about the environment because I'm part of it and people need to slow down and be part of the environment and see how wonderful the country is so they can take care of it. If you have disabilities, well then you can get a free ride on my rickshaw," said Stevens.
From Seguin, Stevens will continue east on Alternate 90 through Houston, Louisiana and Mississippi. Those wishing to follow Stevens on his journey are encouraged to check out his website at www.rickshawroadtrip.com.
By Cindy Aguirre-Herrera
(Seguin) -- They call him “the Rickshaw man with a message.” Most of us have already seen Allie Stevens around town pulling the rickshaw that has been his home on the road for the last and a half years. Stevens is destined to capture another world record for walking has another 1,800 miles until he reaches his destination of Miami, FL.
Stevens, a retired Vietnam vet, set out on his goal in 2009 from his hometown Oceanside, CA.
Although he works toward reaching the east coast, it's the message that Stevens hopes to pass along the way that he says is even more important than gaining the world record for walking.
"The reason is to show the world that America is still the best country in the world, and that God is so strong in this country. By the things that I've been through on this walk, I'm showing the world how strong it is and how beautiful the people are in the country no matter what the government does. It's the people that are wonderful here. The small towns are the backbones of this country. I'm walking all the back roads so people can see how wonderful these small towns are. They need to get off these highways and stop and go to every one of these small towns, see the history and talk to the people," said Stevens.
Stevens, who started off the trip with only 10-cents, says it's the people and their generosity that really has inspired him along the way. He says while he doesn't ask directly for sponsors, it's the people who have embraced his journey and who are helping make this trek a reality.
"I'm walking all the way, and that rickshaw weighs 400 pounds. We don't have money, so to speak or sponsors, so we sleep in tents and we cook and everything on the rickshaw. We take little breaks. It doesn't matter about the weather. Sometimes people do get us a hotel room every now and then or their backyard - like this place that we just left in La Vernia. Reuben (Garcia) from the Taste of Chicago gave us a back house to sleep in for about a week or two," said Stevens.
If more folks learned to slow down their life and appreciate the beauty of their own hometowns and those of others, then he says they too would be just as impressed.
"I don't worry about healthcare because I stay healthy walking. I don't worry about gas. I don't worry about oil. I don't worry about the environment because I'm part of it and people need to slow down and be part of the environment and see how wonderful the country is so they can take care of it. If you have disabilities, well then you can get a free ride on my rickshaw," said Stevens.
From Seguin, Stevens will continue east on Alternate 90 through Houston, Louisiana and Mississippi. Those wishing to follow Stevens on his journey are encouraged to check out his website at www.rickshawroadtrip.com.
Terrell County News
SANDERSON – Small towns are the “backbone of America” but you can’t tell that when you “zoom right through.”
That’s the opinion of Allie Stevens of Oceanside, CA, near San Diego and he’s seen a lot of them along the way from the Oceanside Pier at his hometown to Miami, FL.
Stevens, 57, is walking across America pulling a 400-pound rickshaw containing all his supplies, mementos from cities and towns he has visited and his pet dog Roxy.
Along the way, he hopes to set a new world record.
He passed through Sanderson over the weekend on his third attempt and he has been at this walk since Sept. 13, 2009.
An earlier attempt from Oceanside to Las Vegas, NV, was interrupted when passersby injured him by throwing bottles at him.
Another ended near Tomb-stone, AZ, when a town marshal struck him with a car going 60 miles per hour.
He was not seriously injured in either incident.
On this trip, the formerly homeless Vietnam veteran was attacked by four javelinas about eight miles west of Sanderson.
He fought them off with a stick he got from Boquillas, Coah., near Big Bend and Roxy bit one of the peccaries.
He also has had to contend with snakes, cougars and other wildlife as he walks anywhere from 10 to 25 miles per day.
He spent five months in El Paso when the searing desert heat got so bad, it burned Roxy’s paws and melted parts of the rickshaw, including tires.
At Marfa, he took part in two parades and delivered pizza while staying with the owner of a pizzeria.
He saw Big Bend on a side trip by car while staying at Marathon.
“Small towns are the backbone of the country,” he repeated. “But people don’t realize that. They need to slow down and stop.”
He said he has met some of the nicest, most interesting people in small towns and he prefers roads like US Highway 90 to interstate highways.
“On the Interstate, there are eight towns between El Paso and San Antonio,” he said. “This way, there are 19.”
Stevens served in the US Marine Corps from 1972 to 1977, serving in Vietnam and Cambodia.
He saw atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge, the Communist rulers of Kampuchea.
“I would rather be in real combat,” he said “They were sick people.”
Stevens’ role in the Marines was returning prisoners of war and “missing in action.”
The POWs were easy to find because they usually were in groups but many MIAs “didn’t want to be found.”
They fought against being returned to their units and some even joined the other side. One of them shot him.
“I think they call that ‘friendly’ fire,” he said.
Stevens said he fought in the war because that was his job but he did not agree with the reason the US was in it.
“No one [around the world] likes us,” he said. “It’s not us but the government is making us look real bad.
“I fought for my country so I should be able to walk across it,” he said.
He said more American’s should walk to “stay healthy, save gas and see the country.”
You can see the country from a speeding car, he said, but by walking he really sees the towns as he passes through and gets to know the people in them.
“The beauty [in small towns] is awesome,” he said. “If you just ride through, you don’t see what’s there.
“This is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life,” he said. “But it’s also the best thing I have done. It’s been an awesome journey.”
RICKSHAW RIDE – Allie Stevens of Oceanside, CA, stopped in Sanderson last week, pulling his 400-pound rickshaw on a trek from his hometown to Miami, FL. His dog Roxy, a part dingo and part pit bull, prefers to ride while Stevens walks. The rig was parked over the weekend at the Desert Air Motel.
Marfa Public Radio KRTS / Interview
If you would like to listen to the interview then click on the link below to get to it. Then download the file to your computer. Due to the file size it couldn't be posted on this site directly.
There is quite a bit written on the web about Allie. Right here we put all the links, Newspaper stories and TV clips we will find in time, so you can sit back and have a good time reading while you surf through the pages.
Interview with The Lisa D. Show on KHRO
Broken Link
The abc video can't be watched at this time. The link is broken and I am trying to contact the station, asking them to send me a copy so I can put it back on this site. As soon as I do have a copy, if I can get one, I will repost it.
- Webmaster -
- Webmaster -
The Deming Headlight News
'The Rickshaw Man'Vietnam veteran seeks record for trek across AmericaBy Kevin Buey Headlight StaffPosted: 03/08/2010 08:03:18 PM MST
Allie Stevens, 57, a Vietnam veteran, is walking cross-country... (Matt Robinson/Headlight Photo)Many roads pass through Deming and Luna County. Seemingly, someone on a mission to meet a goal is always passing through the community.
Among the latest is Allie Stevens, 57, a Vietnam veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, on his third attempt to walk from the West Coast to the East Coast. He's accompanied by his dog, Roxy.
Prior tries were halted by accidents, when Stevens was hit by vehicles - one in Arizona, another in Nevada. In neither did he sustain a serious injury. Nor did the disruption halt him. He just started again.
While some ride, a few drive and others run on their cross-country course, Stevens is pulling a rickshaw. You'll find his trip documented atwww.rickshawroadtrip.com.
"I decided to go for a world record," he says of setting the first world record for long-distance rickshaw pulling. He wants a spot in the Guinness Book of Records.
Stevens was born in Riverside, Calif., and raised in Monrovia, Calif. He now lives in Oceanside, Calif., where he's a common sight on the quarter-mile Oceanside Pier- when not on the road trying to set a record.
"It started three years ago, almost four years ago," he said, "giving people rides down the pier. I'm known as Rickshaw Man, everybody calls me The Rickshaw Man."
Given the world's fast pace, Stevens says it would be nice if people found time to enjoy the country.
"I'd like to get people to slow down," he said. "It's a a beautiful place. I'm walking all across the country, to the little towns I come across. Little towns are the backbone of this country. I want to prove it by showing people what it is."
He says folks should take pictures and e-mail them to his webmaster, his girlfriend, Ulli, in Germany, to be posted on the his site.
Stevens' latest cross-country try began last September. His stops include large cities - San Diego and Tucson, for example - but he's been to El Centro, Calif., then Arizona's Ajo, Why and San Simon, and New Mexico's Animas, Lordsburg and Deming. Akela and Las Cruces were straight ahead. He was at Savoy Truck Stop on Thursday morning, and in downtown Deming by 1 p.m., pulling a rickshaw that weighs 350 pounds, given the equipment he carries. There are clothes, provisions and camping gear. Stickers, signs and license plates adorn the rickshaw.
Stevens walks the backroads, avoiding busy interstates and other heavily traveled roads, when possible. You find the small cities and towns that way, he explains. He has no pedometer to track mileage.
"I don't have a map or compass," he said. "I just ask the locals. I do have a GPS tracking device."
Check the Web site for his location.
People are very friendly, he said.
"They like what I'm doing," he said of those with whom he speaks. "They think this is a great thing, to be able to walk across the country and see what a great, beautiful place it is. I've had a beautiful response, from everybody."
Stevens stops now and then to recharge himself. He spent three weeks in Tucson, He's stayed as long as a week in other places, when the weather was bad. He planned to stay around Deming until Sunday.
In San Simon, he encountered Al Slusser, 71, from Cottonwood, Ariz., who's on his own cross-country jaunt. They walked together for a while.
"I'm just looking forward to seeing all of America," Stevens says. "I just keep going until I see something I like. Then I stop. If I don't like it, I don't stop."
He's encountered no problems from people, but livestock and wildlife are another story. A cougar had him scurrying to safety on the Indian reservation, just before Ajo. A bull nearly got him as he rested in an open area just before reaching Tucson. A javalina, near Ajo, tried to attack him.
A gunnery sergeant in the USMC (1971-77), Stevens did two tours of Vietnam, and also was sent to Germany, Indonesia and the Orient.
He carries a laptop on his rickshaw, also, to check messages daily and keeps in contact with his Ulli, in Stuttgart. He answers e-mails from people who visit his site.
While those he meets on the road have been supportive, his family looked a bit askance at him.
"'You're absolutely nuts,' is the first thing that came out," Stevens said. "But they all back me on it. It's a great thing. I get e-mails every day.
"I'm giving myself 18 months to complete this. If it goes over that, it goes over. I just want to visit America. I want people to take pictures and post them on the Web site. That way, they get interactive."
He lives off donations, he said, and as the calendar moves towards spring, he welcomes it.
"I love warm weather," he said.
When he hits Texas, he'll walk toward San Antonio, then to Corpus Christi and follow the ocean along the Gulf Coast to Florida.
"I'll get my fishing pole out," he said of reaching the ocean. "I'm hoping to live off the land."
Kevin Buey can be reached at kbuey@demingheadlight.com.
Allie Stevens, 57, a Vietnam veteran, is walking cross-country... (Matt Robinson/Headlight Photo)Many roads pass through Deming and Luna County. Seemingly, someone on a mission to meet a goal is always passing through the community.
Among the latest is Allie Stevens, 57, a Vietnam veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, on his third attempt to walk from the West Coast to the East Coast. He's accompanied by his dog, Roxy.
Prior tries were halted by accidents, when Stevens was hit by vehicles - one in Arizona, another in Nevada. In neither did he sustain a serious injury. Nor did the disruption halt him. He just started again.
While some ride, a few drive and others run on their cross-country course, Stevens is pulling a rickshaw. You'll find his trip documented atwww.rickshawroadtrip.com.
"I decided to go for a world record," he says of setting the first world record for long-distance rickshaw pulling. He wants a spot in the Guinness Book of Records.
Stevens was born in Riverside, Calif., and raised in Monrovia, Calif. He now lives in Oceanside, Calif., where he's a common sight on the quarter-mile Oceanside Pier- when not on the road trying to set a record.
"It started three years ago, almost four years ago," he said, "giving people rides down the pier. I'm known as Rickshaw Man, everybody calls me The Rickshaw Man."
Given the world's fast pace, Stevens says it would be nice if people found time to enjoy the country.
"I'd like to get people to slow down," he said. "It's a a beautiful place. I'm walking all across the country, to the little towns I come across. Little towns are the backbone of this country. I want to prove it by showing people what it is."
He says folks should take pictures and e-mail them to his webmaster, his girlfriend, Ulli, in Germany, to be posted on the his site.
Stevens' latest cross-country try began last September. His stops include large cities - San Diego and Tucson, for example - but he's been to El Centro, Calif., then Arizona's Ajo, Why and San Simon, and New Mexico's Animas, Lordsburg and Deming. Akela and Las Cruces were straight ahead. He was at Savoy Truck Stop on Thursday morning, and in downtown Deming by 1 p.m., pulling a rickshaw that weighs 350 pounds, given the equipment he carries. There are clothes, provisions and camping gear. Stickers, signs and license plates adorn the rickshaw.
Stevens walks the backroads, avoiding busy interstates and other heavily traveled roads, when possible. You find the small cities and towns that way, he explains. He has no pedometer to track mileage.
"I don't have a map or compass," he said. "I just ask the locals. I do have a GPS tracking device."
Check the Web site for his location.
People are very friendly, he said.
"They like what I'm doing," he said of those with whom he speaks. "They think this is a great thing, to be able to walk across the country and see what a great, beautiful place it is. I've had a beautiful response, from everybody."
Stevens stops now and then to recharge himself. He spent three weeks in Tucson, He's stayed as long as a week in other places, when the weather was bad. He planned to stay around Deming until Sunday.
In San Simon, he encountered Al Slusser, 71, from Cottonwood, Ariz., who's on his own cross-country jaunt. They walked together for a while.
"I'm just looking forward to seeing all of America," Stevens says. "I just keep going until I see something I like. Then I stop. If I don't like it, I don't stop."
He's encountered no problems from people, but livestock and wildlife are another story. A cougar had him scurrying to safety on the Indian reservation, just before Ajo. A bull nearly got him as he rested in an open area just before reaching Tucson. A javalina, near Ajo, tried to attack him.
A gunnery sergeant in the USMC (1971-77), Stevens did two tours of Vietnam, and also was sent to Germany, Indonesia and the Orient.
He carries a laptop on his rickshaw, also, to check messages daily and keeps in contact with his Ulli, in Stuttgart. He answers e-mails from people who visit his site.
While those he meets on the road have been supportive, his family looked a bit askance at him.
"'You're absolutely nuts,' is the first thing that came out," Stevens said. "But they all back me on it. It's a great thing. I get e-mails every day.
"I'm giving myself 18 months to complete this. If it goes over that, it goes over. I just want to visit America. I want people to take pictures and post them on the Web site. That way, they get interactive."
He lives off donations, he said, and as the calendar moves towards spring, he welcomes it.
"I love warm weather," he said.
When he hits Texas, he'll walk toward San Antonio, then to Corpus Christi and follow the ocean along the Gulf Coast to Florida.
"I'll get my fishing pole out," he said of reaching the ocean. "I'm hoping to live off the land."
Kevin Buey can be reached at kbuey@demingheadlight.com.
Two Wheeled Tramping Vet
Article by Tim “Buzzy” Bussey
Photos by Buzzy and “Mad Mike” Mccready
Orginally published in Cycle Source Magazine, WWW.CYCLESOURCE.COM
As I pulled into the parking lot of the new burger joint in town I noticed a middle aged couple with two wheels hauling camping gear and two dogs. Southern Arizona attracts many travelers escaping the freezing cold of winter so a couple traveling by two wheels usually just blend into the scenery. That was not the case this time. This couples two wheels weren’t attached to the frame of a motorcycle no they were attached to a Rickshaw.
A man pulling a woman in a rickshaw might be a common sight in Southeast Asia but here in Southern Arizona it’s rather unusual to say the least so I walked up, introduced myself and asked the age old question; “what’s up with the rickshaw man?”
Allie is a friendly guy and was happy to let me know what he was up to. Like a lot of American’s these days Allie was out of work and homeless back in early 2007. Rather than roll over and give up Allie showed up in Oceanside, California and soon made friends with local business owners on the Oceanside pier.
With help from the local people Allie soon scraped together enough money to pursue his dream of establishing the first world’s record for long distance travel by Rickshaw. Well as the story goes Allie rode the train to Pasadena to pick up a rickshaw when he befriended an elderly couple who had missed their bus going to East LA. Allie offered them a ride in his new rickshaw and while hauling the couple home he realized that people needed to get out of the confinement of cars and experience nature out in the open.
Once Allie got back to Oceanside he began to offer free rides on the pier to anyone interested. Allie and his rickshaw soon became a local attraction and while the rides were free people often would give Allie a donation for his service. Allie said that he just wanted to give something back to the city that had been so helpful to him when he was in need.
In February of 2007 Allie completed a 360 mile walk pulling his rickshaw from Oceanside to Las Vegas in eight days. On Veterans’ Day 2008 Allie said good-bye to his friends in Oceanside and began a journey that he plans to complete in Mimi Florida in 18 to 24 months.
Allie is a Vietnam Vet and whenever he comes across fellow Vets in need of help he does what he can. In Phoenix he gave away his sleeping bag to a homeless man. Allie shares donations that people give him along the way with homeless Vets and others he meets on his walk across America.
Allie wants to let the US government know that it is destroying our faith in our system. Allie believes that the government should ask what the people need and then produce it, not put us off and cater to the special interest groups. Right on! Brother.
In Arizona Allie met Cheryl. Cheryl had been out of work and unable to find a job for several months when she invited Allie to share a bowl of chicken soup with her. Having nothing else to do and no jobs in sight Cheryl said yes when Allie asked her to go with him on his adventure.
Man this cat just blew me away with his positive outlook on life. When many others would just give up and pull out a cardboard sign begging for a handout this guy goes out on the road with nothing believing that it’s still a beautiful world and that good people with always be there to lend a helping hand.
As I rode home that day I realized that I was no longer worried if I was going to be laid-off from my job and lose my house and possessions. Let them take it. Allie reminded me of something that we often forget in our pointless pursuit of security and material wealth. They can take what you have in your pocket but not what you have in your heart. Others can imprison your body but only you can imprison your spirit.
During the signing of the Declaration of Independence Ben Franklin said “We must all hang together, gentlemen...else, we shall most assuredly hang separately”. In these troubling times we are all facing Allie and countless others like him are living proof that the American spirit which was born of adversity and struggle over 200 years ago is still alive and walking proudly all across this land of ours and that no government, foreign or domestic, can crush our spirit or take our freedom.
Allies’ adventure is being tracked on his web-site www.rickshawroadtrip.com . An internet company called GPSit supplied a tracking device and online mapping system that shows Allie and his rickshaws’ location in real time from the rickshaw road trip web page. So check it out and if you see he’s in your area take a ride out to say hello to a Vet who brings to life the words, “Live Free or Die”.
Article by Tim “Buzzy” Bussey
Photos by Buzzy and “Mad Mike” Mccready
Orginally published in Cycle Source Magazine, WWW.CYCLESOURCE.COM
As I pulled into the parking lot of the new burger joint in town I noticed a middle aged couple with two wheels hauling camping gear and two dogs. Southern Arizona attracts many travelers escaping the freezing cold of winter so a couple traveling by two wheels usually just blend into the scenery. That was not the case this time. This couples two wheels weren’t attached to the frame of a motorcycle no they were attached to a Rickshaw.
A man pulling a woman in a rickshaw might be a common sight in Southeast Asia but here in Southern Arizona it’s rather unusual to say the least so I walked up, introduced myself and asked the age old question; “what’s up with the rickshaw man?”
Allie is a friendly guy and was happy to let me know what he was up to. Like a lot of American’s these days Allie was out of work and homeless back in early 2007. Rather than roll over and give up Allie showed up in Oceanside, California and soon made friends with local business owners on the Oceanside pier.
With help from the local people Allie soon scraped together enough money to pursue his dream of establishing the first world’s record for long distance travel by Rickshaw. Well as the story goes Allie rode the train to Pasadena to pick up a rickshaw when he befriended an elderly couple who had missed their bus going to East LA. Allie offered them a ride in his new rickshaw and while hauling the couple home he realized that people needed to get out of the confinement of cars and experience nature out in the open.
Once Allie got back to Oceanside he began to offer free rides on the pier to anyone interested. Allie and his rickshaw soon became a local attraction and while the rides were free people often would give Allie a donation for his service. Allie said that he just wanted to give something back to the city that had been so helpful to him when he was in need.
In February of 2007 Allie completed a 360 mile walk pulling his rickshaw from Oceanside to Las Vegas in eight days. On Veterans’ Day 2008 Allie said good-bye to his friends in Oceanside and began a journey that he plans to complete in Mimi Florida in 18 to 24 months.
Allie is a Vietnam Vet and whenever he comes across fellow Vets in need of help he does what he can. In Phoenix he gave away his sleeping bag to a homeless man. Allie shares donations that people give him along the way with homeless Vets and others he meets on his walk across America.
Allie wants to let the US government know that it is destroying our faith in our system. Allie believes that the government should ask what the people need and then produce it, not put us off and cater to the special interest groups. Right on! Brother.
In Arizona Allie met Cheryl. Cheryl had been out of work and unable to find a job for several months when she invited Allie to share a bowl of chicken soup with her. Having nothing else to do and no jobs in sight Cheryl said yes when Allie asked her to go with him on his adventure.
Man this cat just blew me away with his positive outlook on life. When many others would just give up and pull out a cardboard sign begging for a handout this guy goes out on the road with nothing believing that it’s still a beautiful world and that good people with always be there to lend a helping hand.
As I rode home that day I realized that I was no longer worried if I was going to be laid-off from my job and lose my house and possessions. Let them take it. Allie reminded me of something that we often forget in our pointless pursuit of security and material wealth. They can take what you have in your pocket but not what you have in your heart. Others can imprison your body but only you can imprison your spirit.
During the signing of the Declaration of Independence Ben Franklin said “We must all hang together, gentlemen...else, we shall most assuredly hang separately”. In these troubling times we are all facing Allie and countless others like him are living proof that the American spirit which was born of adversity and struggle over 200 years ago is still alive and walking proudly all across this land of ours and that no government, foreign or domestic, can crush our spirit or take our freedom.
Allies’ adventure is being tracked on his web-site www.rickshawroadtrip.com . An internet company called GPSit supplied a tracking device and online mapping system that shows Allie and his rickshaws’ location in real time from the rickshaw road trip web page. So check it out and if you see he’s in your area take a ride out to say hello to a Vet who brings to life the words, “Live Free or Die”.
"Rickshaw man" prepares for cross-country trek
OCEANSIDE ---- Allie Stevens is a familiar face around downtown Oceanside, offering visitors and friends free rides in an aluminum rickshaw that he pulls up and down the Oceanside Pier.
Now, the self-proclaimed "Rickshaw Man" is gearing up for a new adventure ---- pulling his rig from Oceanside to the East Coast.
The 56-year-old Stevens already attempted the trek once, but in January, after three months on the road, he was struck by a car in Tombstone, Ariz.
He said Thursday that he has recuperated from his injuries and is training to pick up where he left off. On Veteran's Day, he plans to drive back to Tombstone, then continue his rickshaw trip all the way to Miami.
Stevens said he plans to travel about 20 miles a day and estimates the 2,000-mile trek will take about two years.
Stevens said pulling people up and down the pier or around downtown Oceanside every day helps him keep in shape. He doesn't charge for rides, but welcomes donations, which he said have helped him pay his bills and fund his quest for a world record for the longest trip with a rickshaw.
"I don't care how big and fat, rich or poor you are," he said. "You can ride this rickshaw."
Stevens came to Oceanside three years ago after working for years as a limo driver in Las Vegas. He said he picked the city because he wanted a change from the desert landscape.
"I saw this sign that said Oceanside and I figured that's got to be on the ocean," he said.
At first, Stevens was homeless and living under the pier, he said. He came up with the idea to start giving rickshaw rides after seeing a rig at a swap meet. Donations from local businesses helped him get off the street and into a motor home after only a few months.
People love "The Rickshaw Man" because he brings fun and publicity to the pier area, said Jason Schmidt, general manager of Ruby's, a restaurant at the end of the pier.
"They definitely get a kick out of it," he said. "They've never seen anything like that before in their life."
Stevens said he is so in love with Oceanside that he wants to bring attention to the city and its local businesses as he treks across the country. He has put stickers all over his rickshaw to promote local businesses on the road and said he welcomes more.
In 2007, he started his first long-distance rickshaw trip, planning to walk 360 miles from Oceanside to Las Vegas.
That trip also ended poorly. He had to stop after making it less than half way to his destination when someone threw a bottle at him from a passing car that injured his back.
Though he doesn't have a regular schedule for giving rickshaw rides on the pier, Stevens said he's usually out there if the weather is nice. It's a thrill to meet so many new people, he said, adding that he typically gets about 50 to 65 passengers a day.
"It's so much fun because I never know who I'm going to pick up or where I'm going to go," he said.
Now, the self-proclaimed "Rickshaw Man" is gearing up for a new adventure ---- pulling his rig from Oceanside to the East Coast.
The 56-year-old Stevens already attempted the trek once, but in January, after three months on the road, he was struck by a car in Tombstone, Ariz.
He said Thursday that he has recuperated from his injuries and is training to pick up where he left off. On Veteran's Day, he plans to drive back to Tombstone, then continue his rickshaw trip all the way to Miami.
Stevens said he plans to travel about 20 miles a day and estimates the 2,000-mile trek will take about two years.
Stevens said pulling people up and down the pier or around downtown Oceanside every day helps him keep in shape. He doesn't charge for rides, but welcomes donations, which he said have helped him pay his bills and fund his quest for a world record for the longest trip with a rickshaw.
"I don't care how big and fat, rich or poor you are," he said. "You can ride this rickshaw."
Stevens came to Oceanside three years ago after working for years as a limo driver in Las Vegas. He said he picked the city because he wanted a change from the desert landscape.
"I saw this sign that said Oceanside and I figured that's got to be on the ocean," he said.
At first, Stevens was homeless and living under the pier, he said. He came up with the idea to start giving rickshaw rides after seeing a rig at a swap meet. Donations from local businesses helped him get off the street and into a motor home after only a few months.
People love "The Rickshaw Man" because he brings fun and publicity to the pier area, said Jason Schmidt, general manager of Ruby's, a restaurant at the end of the pier.
"They definitely get a kick out of it," he said. "They've never seen anything like that before in their life."
Stevens said he is so in love with Oceanside that he wants to bring attention to the city and its local businesses as he treks across the country. He has put stickers all over his rickshaw to promote local businesses on the road and said he welcomes more.
In 2007, he started his first long-distance rickshaw trip, planning to walk 360 miles from Oceanside to Las Vegas.
That trip also ended poorly. He had to stop after making it less than half way to his destination when someone threw a bottle at him from a passing car that injured his back.
Though he doesn't have a regular schedule for giving rickshaw rides on the pier, Stevens said he's usually out there if the weather is nice. It's a thrill to meet so many new people, he said, adding that he typically gets about 50 to 65 passengers a day.
"It's so much fun because I never know who I'm going to pick up or where I'm going to go," he said.
Famous Rickshaw Road Trip Hits Tombstone (02/05/09)
By Samantha Nicholas
The Tombstone News
When Barrack Obama was nominated for President, it gave the inspiration to Allie to walk across the United States. Allie left from his home in Oceanside, CA on Veteran’s Day and has been walking ever since with the Rickshaw.
He is walking from Oceanside, California to Miami, Florida which is 3,942 miles with very little supplies and only accepting donations. Allie will be going for a Guinness World Record for the longest Rickshaw travel in history and he plans to be walking for 18-24 months. Allie states “when Obama got nominated, he gave me the inspiration to walk across this country and to show the government how great the people are in this country and that we are still behind them, but we want them to also be behind us.” “If Obama can do something like being the President, then I can walk across this country.”
He is sponsored by GPSit, a GPS tracking company and he has a GPS attached to the Rickshaw so that people can keep track of every stop he makes.
On January 31st, the Rickshaw road trip was traveling down Highway 80 towards Tombstone to make a stop and see the sites when he was struck by a vehicle. The accident ruined the Rickshaw and most of his belongings. Currently he is waylaid in Tombstone while waiting for a new one.
Allie stated, “I really want to thank the City of Tombstone and the people of Tombstone for their greatness and support. Tombstone is great; I am going to leave here and continue the trip to Miami once I have the new Rickshaw. “I am walking from Corpus Christi, TX all the way to Florida because I want to talk to the people that lost their homes due to the hurricanes and storms and let them know that they are not forgotten.”
You can go to the Rickshaw website and see where he is at the time, see photos of the area and while you are there, you can also make a donation. The website is www.rickshawroadtrip.com.
The Tombstone News wishes best of luck on his journey to Miami, FL.
The Tombstone News
When Barrack Obama was nominated for President, it gave the inspiration to Allie to walk across the United States. Allie left from his home in Oceanside, CA on Veteran’s Day and has been walking ever since with the Rickshaw.
He is walking from Oceanside, California to Miami, Florida which is 3,942 miles with very little supplies and only accepting donations. Allie will be going for a Guinness World Record for the longest Rickshaw travel in history and he plans to be walking for 18-24 months. Allie states “when Obama got nominated, he gave me the inspiration to walk across this country and to show the government how great the people are in this country and that we are still behind them, but we want them to also be behind us.” “If Obama can do something like being the President, then I can walk across this country.”
He is sponsored by GPSit, a GPS tracking company and he has a GPS attached to the Rickshaw so that people can keep track of every stop he makes.
On January 31st, the Rickshaw road trip was traveling down Highway 80 towards Tombstone to make a stop and see the sites when he was struck by a vehicle. The accident ruined the Rickshaw and most of his belongings. Currently he is waylaid in Tombstone while waiting for a new one.
Allie stated, “I really want to thank the City of Tombstone and the people of Tombstone for their greatness and support. Tombstone is great; I am going to leave here and continue the trip to Miami once I have the new Rickshaw. “I am walking from Corpus Christi, TX all the way to Florida because I want to talk to the people that lost their homes due to the hurricanes and storms and let them know that they are not forgotten.”
You can go to the Rickshaw website and see where he is at the time, see photos of the area and while you are there, you can also make a donation. The website is www.rickshawroadtrip.com.
The Tombstone News wishes best of luck on his journey to Miami, FL.
Oceanside man plans to pull rickshaw from Oceanside to Vegas (2/13/2007)
Allie Stevens, 54, pulls his rickshaw along Pechanga Parkway in Temecula on Monday morning. Stevens is pulling his rickshaw from Oceanside to Las Vegas in hopes of establishing a record for long-distance rickshaw travel. His journey, which began at the Oceanside Municipal Pier on Saturday morning, will consist of 360 miles in all. Stevens, an Oceanside resident, is accompanied by friend Fred Fohl and Fohl's dog, Indy, and hope to arrive in Las Vegas by Feb. 21.
Stevens said he is attempting the feat in hopes of raising public awareness for the city of Oceanside and hopes people can follow his example of slowing down their daily lives long enough to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.
"America is such a beautiful place," he said. "People just need to slow down, get out of their cars and walk a little, take in all of this beauty out here."
The public is invited to follow Stevens' journey by visiting his Web site frequently and by using the GPSit tracking service. John Fuhrmann, who owns Enviro-Bike in Oceanside, is also helping Stevens on his journey and donations are still welcome to help Stevens realize his dream.
Stevens said he is attempting the feat in hopes of raising public awareness for the city of Oceanside and hopes people can follow his example of slowing down their daily lives long enough to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.
"America is such a beautiful place," he said. "People just need to slow down, get out of their cars and walk a little, take in all of this beauty out here."
The public is invited to follow Stevens' journey by visiting his Web site frequently and by using the GPSit tracking service. John Fuhrmann, who owns Enviro-Bike in Oceanside, is also helping Stevens on his journey and donations are still welcome to help Stevens realize his dream.
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