Empty seat no waiting: Help Dom & Ernie!

My good friend adventure filmmaker Dominic Gill is in a tight spot and he needs your help. Just when he was about to embark upon another epic transcontinental bicycle trip his partner Ernie Greenwald has taken ill. The 76-year-old cancer patient suffered a bout of pneumonia after a round of chemotherapy  and simply can not peddle along the 4,000-mile journey as planned from California to New York. But Dom still hopes to make the ride. And in the classic fashion of his award-winning film of the same title he hopes to find a few people across America to “Take A Seat” and cycle their way across the country in Ernie’s place. There’s only one catch. You have to be disabled.

• Do you or a friend have a disability that prevents you from getting outdoors as much as they would like? (These could be people in a very early stage of cancer, amputees, older persons who find it difficult to exercise, blind people or those suffering from breathing difficulties etc.)
• Do you live anywhere approximately on our route from West to East across the States?
• Would you be excited about the prospect of taking part in a cross country bike tour on an ultra comfortable tandem bicycle?
• Would you be happy to talk to a camera on the bicycle (not a big intimidating one, just a small one wielded by Dom on the back!)
• Would you be prepared to camp if all equipment was provided by way of a support vehicle (that can also be used to travel should a problem arise).

If the answer is yes to all of the above, Dominic would love to hear from you!! Being fit or strong is not necessary (Dom can take up the slack), but being prepared to cycle for between 2 and 20 days (depending on the leg of the journey – see green pins on this interactive route map) and being up for the challenge is. The Dom and Ernie team is currently sourcing funding to ensure the riders have return travel to their start point or home.

You may have listened to the Joy Trip Project interview with Dominic earlier this year:click here>> http://joytripproject.org/2010/02/16/take-a-seat-2/ He’s not only a true adventurer, but he’s a funny guy with a great sense of humor and just an all around wonderful human being. It would be a shame for him to make this next ride. This journey (with an almost confirmed departure date of Wed July 3rd 2010) has the potential not only to make an incredible story, but to provide an inspirational example to those who are striving to get out and achieve something in the face of adversity.

We are all hoping that Ernie, the inspiration behind this project, will be well enough to undertake a stage of this journey, but for the time being will be relieved as and when he makes a full and speedy recovery. In the mean time, help us find others willing to give adventure bicycle touring a try – no previous experience necessary! Get in touch with Dom today! Send an email to domgill@hotmail.com