Sleepless Til Seattle from Missoula

In Routes and Mapping, we regularly respond to questions that arrive via the online Contact Us link available on the Adventure Cycling website. In December 2010, it was through this form that I received a note from Graham in Scotland who was preparing to ride across the U.S. with his friend, Pauline.

It was a fairly straightforward opening series of questions: Should we ride the Northern Tier or TransAmerica route? Which direction should we ride, east to west or west to east? What about prevailing winds? I answered his questions and moved on to the next task needing my attention. And then he wrote back, what about panniers? Should I consider using a trailer? Our correspondence continued for the next couple of months as his planning proceeded.

Generally, this is where the conversations end -- I rarely hear back on how the trip went. It was a little bit different this time around with Graham and Pauline. Along the way, Graham had shared with me that he was a filmmaker and he intended to record their trip in a video diary with the possibility of making a full length film at the end. His blog title "Sleepless Til Seattle" intrigued me and I added it to my list of trips I wanted to follow virtually through the summer.

As time permitted, I checked in on Sleepless Til Seattle occasionally to see where they were and how they were doing. I thoroughly enjoyed Graham's video clips and learned a lot about the people and history found along the Northern Tier.

Surprising to me, I heard from Graham directly now and again. Often he'd have a little tidbit to share about services and teasers for the latest video diary entry. In fact, his eloquently worded email and video piece on conditions near Williston, North Dakota, proved to be the tipping point in favor of us significantly moving the Northern Tier Route as far from the active oil and gas exploration occurring there as possible. (More information to come on that topic.)

In early October, I received a hand written note from Graham and Pauline. They had finished their journey from Boston, Massachusetts, to Seattle, Washington, and their happy faces beamed back at me that it had been a success.

Today has Graham back in Scotland and Pauline is pedaling her bicycle in New Zealand -- following her vision of an around the world journey. I continue to be in touch with Graham as he begins putting together the Sleepless Til Seattle film. He is even more inspired to share his experience, "We set out with pre-conceived ideas of America, its people and its culture, based on little more than a lifetime of watching American movies and reading the biased reporting of the press. What we discovered as we pushed west was a country with a generous heart, a can-do spirit and a people that showed us how easy it is to be kind."

To get a taste of the experience of the Sleepless Til Seattle duo, be sure to check out the video diaries Graham made from the road.

As in many a great venture, capital is required to get things started and keep it going. An IndieGoGo campaign has been created to support the film making process. They have an initial fundraising goal of $18,000 by April 1. If you would like to help bring this story to the big screen, you can donate via their IndieGoGo page.

Graham has a post on his blog outlining the project and campaign. If you wish to keep current with the progress of the film, you can follow them on Twitter (@bostontoseattle) or check in on their Sleepless Til Seattle Facebook page.

Top photo: Graham and Pauline preparing to leave from historic Boston, Massachusetts.
Middle photo: Graham in action filming the ride of Sleepless Til Seattle.
Bottom photo: In Seattle, Graham and Pauline at the finish of their journey.


All photos from paulinesymaniak's Flickr photostream Flickr.

Graphic courtesy of Graham Kitchner.

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GEOPOINTS BULLETIN is written by Jennifer 'Jenn' Milyko, an Adventure Cycling cartographer, and appears weekly, highlighting curious facts, figures, and persons from Adventure Cycling's Route Network with tips and hints for personal route creation thrown in for good measure. She also wants to remind you that map corrections and comments are always welcome via the online Map Correction Form.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/01/sleepless-til-seattle-from-missoula.html

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