notforsale

On Saturday, few probably noticed that Paul Rodriguez (pictured) rode his bicycle into town, then across the Astoria Bridge into Washington. The Ear would not have known either, if not alerted by Daniel Edwards.

Paul is a man on a mission. “Ever since losing my brother … I’ve become an advocate against all forms of brain cancer,” Paul wrote. His brother, Phil, had just started living the Hollywood dream, and had been accepted into the Writers Guild of America, when he was diagnosed with glioblastoma. He died in 2010. “It made me realize that if something like this could take Phil down,” Paul wrote, “it can take anyone down.”

The day before Phil died, Paul told him that he’d make sure people know about brain cancer, even if he had to bicycle from Florida to California. Which is exactly what he did. He went back to Florida after the funeral, sold his house and cars, got a good bike, and hit the road to talk to people and meet with brain cancer patients. He’s ridden from Florida up the West Coast, from Florida to Maine, and now he’s repeating the West Coast journey, once again heading for Canada.

Paul doesn’t recommend a specific brain cancer charity, but mentioned that a few of his supporters donate to www.nickileach.org, which gives financial assistance to young adults (18-30) who have cancer. If you’d like to help him in his efforts to get the word out, you can donate at www.gofundme.com/mmulpo, and you can follow his adventures on his Facebook page, “The Mission: cycling for brain cancer awareness,” at http://tinyurl.com/glioride

This trip has been tough. The weather is getting ugly, and his bike, camera, phone and clothes were stolen in Los Angeles. Thankfully, the biking community came to his rescue, and helped him get new equipment and another bike, which he’s thinking of naming “Rolling Nightmare.”

Even so, he’s determined to keep spreading the word, and is already thinking about his next trip. “I’ve touched a lot of people, and they touch me,” he told the Ear. “I’m a hobo on a bike.”

— Elleda Wilson