About The Valley: Life on a Bicycle
Description: A travelers perspective of La Junta... An interview with a man traveling the country by bicycle. (Press Play to Watch a Video from Justins YouTube Channel)
About The Valley: Life on a Bicycle - Interview with Justin at The Copper Kitchen in La Junta.
Listen to the Podcast Interview Here:
A Road More Traveled
By: Adrian Hart
After traveling over 13,000 miles by bicycle, Justin Heriot made a second stop in Southeast Colorado's Junction Town - La Junta.
An elementary teacher from Connecticut returned to Colorado years later in pursuit of his personal American Dream.
Heriot said after his first trip across the country by bicycle he enjoyed the lifestyle so much that he continued traveling the country by bicycle.
He said it was rare that he needed money, usually only for bicycle repairs and necessities, and when he did he was always willing to earn it as a opposed to accepting a handout.
Stangers regularly give him food, even with his vegetarian diet, Heriot said he eats well and keeps what he doesn't eat so he can donate it at shelters and homeless outreach efforts made by organizations like the local Peer House, which is ran by Southeast Health Group.
He said that his travel experiences included working on farms and close encounters with livestock such as those at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, which have inspired him to have a fresh dream to pursue, the lifestyle of a farmer.
After several stops where Heriot plans on learning construction skills through volunteering along with more agricultural lessons, he said he would like to find a wife and settle down to work the land.
When asked about his initial inspiration for his cross country journey, Heriot replied that he didn't want to sit in traffic four hours a day, and didn't want to live the rat race of working to pay bills.
The initial bike ride to California was an escape from the trappings of modern living and a pursuit of freedom on the open road, that grew into a love for community, self-independence and even love of a rural lifestyle.
It is a rarity to meet someone committed to service to their neighbors let alone some one giving such servitude to absolute strangers inexchange for food they plan to give away to someone who "needs it more."
Friday afternoon Heriot departed La Junta via US Hwy 50 and could be seen passing through Rocky Ford, but not before delivering gifts to people who provided shelter while he was in town, including dropping off his extra food at the Peer House.
He said some day he plans to return to La Junta to visit and after his travels he wants to settledown to raise his own food particularly peanuts so he can make his own peanut butter.
His arrival included fasting for four and a half days while riding over 250 miles through Kansas and into Southeast Colorado. Heriot first found comfort, good company, and food at Bent’s Old Fort, but the communities kindness continued. Several local churches and giving individuals provided places for him to stay and meals to eat, which helped him recover from his fast and prepare for the next leg of his journey.
Heriot made numerous comments about the kindness of the people of Southeast Colorado, particularly of his friend Phyllis, who led him to locals willing to share meals and shelter inexchange for tales of freedom on the road or help cleaning up messes no one wanted to touch.
Below you can find a link to Justin Heriot's Journal chronicling his pursuit of his personal American Dream, and much like it's author, it too is free.
When asked if he plans to continue writing about his travels and the people and places along the roadside, Heriot said his ending is open, so he can return to writing when the time is right.
You can Read Justin's book: To Reflect Upon The Moon, "One Young Man's Journal of Finding Home, Love, and Peace." at this link:
http://ridelionheart.blogspot.com
We hope when the time is right Justin adds a chapter on La Junta...
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