GENUINE World Kindness Tour!

[URAwesome]

They've added a route map, which looks like he's still aiming to hit almost every state, including Alaska (in December?). The section of Michigan he's going through isn't bad... just not the best the state has to offer. The route follows a lot of Interstates, which I hope is just a general plan, and not literally how he intends to get from place to place, because riding a Buddy 125 on those... won't be very awesome.

Hey TVB,

That map is a rough outline of my trip so that people can get an idea of where I'm going. I won't be taking interstates and I actually have a 150. Genuine made it red for me!

[URAwesome]

^would not a 170i been more appropriate a "travel" buddy what with its fuel injection making attitudes and cold starts irrelevant, and lending extra oomph for hill climbing and extra top speed for that occasional highway?

Bud 125 is a fine scoot, just saying for a trek like this a 170i might reach ideal for some situations the 125 could struggle with

Hey JHScoot,

Idk how a 170 would do but My Buddy is a 150 an has been taking care of business so far. This things is AWESOME!

[URAwesome]

:shrug: The scoot he's riding is Flash Red, so unless Genuine set him up with a custom model, it's a 125.

Its definitely a custom 150!

[URAwesome]

well good going for genuine even if all this kindness comes without FI and more motor

Thanks JHScoot. Lets hear it for Genuine!

[URAwesome]

I am a bit concerned for Kemys safety here. Is he riding with another person/people for the trek? If he's a novice rider this could be very difficult. Did I hear Alaska in Dec.? I'll place some confidence with Phil on this and assume some precautions have been thought/taken care of.

Thanks for the concern Raiderfn311.

I'm new to the scooter game but I'm a natural lol
And no I didn't say anything about Alaska in December, someone just mentioned it above.

[URAwesome]

...

Again, no Rhode Island! How many times have I seen the little map of "states visited" and it features 49 states, missing Rhode Island. I mean, c'mon, if you can get Hawaii, you could detour through CT enough to at least cross the border. We have quahogs, Del's, Autocrat and New York System. What more can a man on an awesome tour need?!

Kemy, you got a place to stay and people who can fix up the bike. Come to little Rhody...we need some hugs!

Hey Siobhan!
You've totally convinced me to visit Rhode Island lol

This map is meant to give people an idea of where I'm going but there will be some changes like me visiting Tennessee and Rhode Island. See you soon

[URAwesome]

oh come now is RI even a State?

i mean, really now

Come on no JHScoot

[skully93]

nice! Well, as you get closer to CO, I'll keep watch. We have a lot of genuine scooters here and a very good scoot crowd, I'm sure some would love to say hi.

[URAwesome]

Right now it looks like he's going to Cuba. Kemy, IT'S THE OTHER WAY!

I had to head south to go to Key West Syd

[URAwesome]

Wellll.... it looks like Richmond is getting passed over in favor of DC and... Blacksburg??

Damn Techies.

VT is WAY too far... but maybe we'll ride up to DC to see him... did this map come with appromixmated eta's?

Hey LunaP
Please remember that the map is a rough outline. I'll be posting eta's as soon as I figure them out.

[URAwesome]

Right now it looks like he's going to Cuba. Kemy, IT'S THE OTHER WAY!

Relax. If you zoom in, you'll see that he's not in the Caribbean, he's in Key West.

I am a bit concerned for Kemys safety here. Is he riding with another person/people for the trek? If he's a novice rider this could be very difficult.

He's riding solo, except when people join him. His inexperience worries me too. On the other hand, I was a noob with only about 2000 miles behind me when I set out on my first not-just-overnight road trip. He'll get experienced pretty quick. He has to. And by the time he finishes the route shown, he'll have more miles behind him than I've racked up in three years.

Did I hear Alaska in Dec.? I'll place some confidence with Phil on this and assume some precautions have been thought/taken care of.

I'm assuming "Alaska in December" because the FAQ says that's when he aims to finish, and the line crossing from N.Dakota to Saskatchewan seems to be headed there. His route starting at southern latitudes and crisscrossing slowly northward means he'll be spending the coldest months in the warm zone, which is good, but somewhere around the intersection of the 49th parallel and Thanksgiving, riding a scooter stops being fun. Our friend from Miami might not fully appreciate that, but yes, I'd hope that our friend from Chicago does.

Thanks for clearing those things up TVB!

In terms of my end date, that is still TBD because I don't want people quoting me on something that will change (like my start date or the current map) lol. But I won't be scootin anywhere in the snow that's for sure!

[URAwesome]

Well, looks like he'll hit Denver....whee!

[URAwesome]

Dude, he's totally passing Phoenix, but hitting Tucson it seems. Hopefully he makes good time and doesn't get caught in the Rockies in the late spring/early summer. The rain could play hell with a new rider even if temps are kind. But, I suppose it's the only chance he'll have of avoiding the heat here. At least he's avoiding some of the Reservations... but he's got to be careful around 4 corners and the towns up there. Some of those places are NOT safe out there. Although, he's missing some of the BEST riding and the nicest parts of AZ up by Prescott and Sedona

If anyone else from Arizona is riding down to Tucson for a meetup, I'd be up for a trek.

Hey neotrotsky Ill be in Arizona pretty soon. Just sent you a PM. Lets coordinate a meet up.

[URAwesome]

Dude, he's totally passing Phoenix, but hitting Tucson it seems. Hopefully he makes good time and doesn't get caught in the Rockies in the late spring/early summer. The rain could play hell with a new rider even if temps are kind. But, I suppose it's the only chance he'll have of avoiding the heat here. At least he's avoiding some of the Reservations... but he's got to be careful around 4 corners and the towns up there. Some of those places are NOT safe out there. Although, he's missing some of the BEST riding and the nicest parts of AZ up by Prescott and Sedona

If anyone else from Arizona is riding down to Tucson for a meetup, I'd be up for a trek.

I was a little worried myself about him crossing the rockies on a scoot... not that I know what I'm talking about, because I have never crossed a mountain range on a scooter, and I have never crossed the rockies except to wave at them from an airplane... but it seems like an intimidating concept.

Yea it does but lets see what happens

[URAwesome]

...

It's kinda tough to see exact route on this map. I thought the plan was to go through every state capital. The squiggly line goes no where near Harrisburg or Albany to name two........ Philadelphia and New York City aren't capitals. And yes, skipping two states altogether.

I KABarash,

I'm no longer going trying to visit all the state capitals and this map is a rough outline of my route.

Where are you?

[URAwesome]

^would not a 170i been more appropriate a "travel" buddy what with its fuel injection making attitudes and cold starts irrelevant, and lending extra oomph for hill climbing and extra top speed for that occasional highway?

Bud 125 is a fine scoot, just saying for a trek like this a 170i might reach ideal for some situations the 125 could struggle with

But a simpler carb'd engine will be much easier to work on or have work done on in the middle of nowhere, which is a good thing on a trip like this. However, since Genuine is officially supporting the trip, I'm guessing they could get him support within a few days anywhere he might break down so it may not be as much of an issue.

Regarding altitude, since moving to Colorado (5400 ft) from Florida (9 ft), my scooter hasn't had any adjustment and runs great. I haven't had it in to the shop yet but I was told by Sportique that the stock jetting works fine for this altitude. It may not be the best but, other than experiencing what I would assume is a normal slowing down going up steep hills, the performance here is the same as it was there!

Hey thanks for the input Jmazza!

I don't think the elevation will effect the performance much but I am coordinating all my locations with Genuine to ensure that My Buddy is ready for every road we travel

[URAwesome]

^would not a 170i been more appropriate a "travel" buddy what with its fuel injection making attitudes and cold starts irrelevant, and lending extra oomph for hill climbing and extra top speed for that occasional highway?

Bud 125 is a fine scoot, just saying for a trek like this a 170i might reach ideal for some situations the 125 could struggle with

But a simpler carb'd engine will be much easier to work on or have work done on in the middle of nowhere, which is a good thing on a trip like this. However, since Genuine is officially supporting the trip, I'm guessing they could get him support within a few days anywhere he might break down so it may not be as much of an issue.

Regarding altitude, since moving to Colorado (5400 ft) from Florida (9 ft), my scooter hasn't had any adjustment and runs great. I haven't had it in to the shop yet but I was told by Sportique that the stock jetting works fine for this altitude. It may not be the best but, other than experiencing what I would assume is a normal slowing down going up steep hills, the performance here is the same as it was there!

We had this debate back and forth in his original thread. While a 170i is just plain a better machine for the job, it's lack of a carb and kickstart make it not very ideal for being in mechanical trouble in the middle of nowhere (read: when Luna's battery got stolen... 200lb scooter-shaped paperweight). There's also I think a batch of 170's out there that have and engine light glitch running for a few minutes at higher speeds, and that wouldn't have served him well at all. I do wish he'd gotten a 150 though, going this kind of a distance the biggest displacement possible just seems most helpful, no? But the red looks good on him

My Buddy is a custom150!!

[URAwesome]

I do wish he'd gotten a 150 though, going this kind of a distance the biggest displacement possible just seems most helpful, no? But the red looks good on him

That's another hot debate around here...

What's the debate? Red definitely looks great on me

[URAwesome]

Glad he ended up really doing this, and I hope all goes well for him. I remember him talking about hitting Albany, NY in the original thread, and I warned him about being up here this time of year (though it has been a rather mild winter so far) as a beginner. If he does make it to the Albany/Saratoga region, I have a spare bed, plenty of food, and two dogs that just love having company!

Thanks AWinn6889 I'll let you know when I work out my plans for NY!!

[URAwesome]

I do wish he'd gotten a 150 though, going this kind of a distance the biggest displacement possible just seems most helpful, no?

A 125 is plenty.
http://www.peacescooter.com/

Agreed! Plus I have a 150

[URAwesome]

^would not a 170i been more appropriate a "travel" buddy what with its fuel injection making attitudes and cold starts irrelevant, and lending extra oomph for hill climbing and extra top speed for that occasional highway?

Bud 125 is a fine scoot, just saying for a trek like this a 170i might reach ideal for some situations the 125 could struggle with

But a simpler carb'd engine will be much easier to work on or have work done on in the middle of nowhere, which is a good thing on a trip like this. However, since Genuine is officially supporting the trip, I'm guessing they could get him support within a few days anywhere he might break down so it may not be as much of an issue.

Regarding altitude, since moving to Colorado (5400 ft) from Florida (9 ft), my scooter hasn't had any adjustment and runs great. I haven't had it in to the shop yet but I was told by Sportique that the stock jetting works fine for this altitude. It may not be the best but, other than experiencing what I would assume is a normal slowing down going up steep hills, the performance here is the same as it was there!

awesome. should be a good trip, then. someone in the major news media should do a peice on this. this is the best thing since "track pete"

i think a young woman was also doing something a couple years ago sponsored by Genuine. a "world peace" or hunger thing of some sort? not sure if she wrapped it up, however

Thanks JHScoot! I do hope that someone in the media picks up this story. Either way I'll keep on spreading the love though

[URAwesome]

Suppose Kemy'll strap on as much camping and scoot gear as TrackPete? That was some load.

Hey PeteH,

I tried that and it didn't work out for me. So I left behind everything I didn't really need and am riding around with my bag on my back which is working out pretty well

[URAwesome]

i think a young woman was also doing something a couple years ago sponsored by Genuine. a "world peace" or hunger thing of some sort? not sure if she wrapped it up, however

:ahem:

http://www.peacescooter.com/

[URAwesome]

Situations, be damned. I wish him a very safe and successful journey.

Thank you very much JohnnyScoots!!

[URAwesome]

I do wish he'd gotten a 150 though, going this kind of a distance the biggest displacement possible just seems most helpful, no?

A 125 is plenty.
http://www.peacescooter.com/

She lives here in RVA! Upsetting debacle with the Peace Buddy getting stolen a while ago. She got it back, though!

Glad he ended up really doing this, and I hope all goes well for him. I remember him talking about hitting Albany, NY in the original thread, and I warned him about being up here this time of year (though it has been a rather mild winter so far) as a beginner. If he does make it to the Albany/Saratoga region, I have a spare bed, plenty of food, and two dogs that just love having company!

AWINN where have you beeeeeeen? Hi

I didn't know her scooter got stolen but I'm glad she got it back though!

[URAwesome]

I do wish he'd gotten a 150 though, going this kind of a distance the biggest displacement possible just seems most helpful, no?

A 125 is plenty.
http://www.peacescooter.com/

Yup. There isnt THAT much difference in performance. On a different note, I would feel better about this trip if Kemy were riding with a seasoned rider this journey.

I'm working on my seasoning

[URAwesome]

If he can pull this off it would be AWESOME !!!!
I drove from Dallas, TX to Port Charlotte , FL and I told myself I will never do it again and that was in an SUV.
On a scooter, that's either ambitious or just crazy.

I will be keeping my eye on this journey.

All the respect to ya...

Hey Flexx75,

I've road tripped from Carmel, Indiana to Las Vegas, Nevada before and it was really fun and so far road tripping on a scooter is even more fun so I wholeheartedly believe that I'll be able to scoot all over the US!

[URAwesome]

I drove from Dallas, TX to Port Charlotte , FL and I told myself I will never do it again and that was in an SUV.

That was your mistake.
I've driven my car from home to the north shore of Michigan, and it was a long, boring ordeal. A few years ago I did it on my scooter, and it was a great time (and I'm doing it again). It's the difference between making a trip just to get there, and taking a journey for the sake of traveling there.

Agreed!

[URAwesome]

Kemy has finally made it out of Florida (it's a long state ) and arrived in Nawlins: http://genuinekindnesstour.com/where/

Thanks for posting the update TVB!!

[URAwesome]

He stopped in Alabama and met a guy named Buddy....

Seeing this emoticon makes it so much funnier!

[URAwesome]

nice! Well, as you get closer to CO, I'll keep watch. We have a lot of genuine scooters here and a very good scoot crowd, I'm sure some would love to say hi.

Awesome. Thanks!

[DanielPerrin]

oh come now is RI even a State?

i mean, really now

That all depends how you measure a state. RI has a larger population than Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaksa, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming. I guess a large open space could be called a state, but I would consider someplace where people live a state as long as states can also be large open spaces with more livestock and farms than people.

[TVB]

That all depends how you measure a state. RI has a larger population than Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaksa, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming. I guess a large open space could be called a state, but I would consider someplace where people live a state as long as states can also be large open spaces with more livestock and farms than people.

So is it even an island?

[DanielPerrin]

That all depends how you measure a state. RI has a larger population than Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaksa, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming. I guess a large open space could be called a state, but I would consider someplace where people live a state as long as states can also be large open spaces with more livestock and farms than people.

So is it even an island?

RI's official name is the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Two colonies merged to become the state, and one was called Rhode Island Colony. So RI itself is not an island, but there are islands as part of the state.

[Edit]: The easiest way to remember what states are around Rhode Island is that it is in the armpit of Massachusetts, and to the east of Connecticut.

[TVB]

RI's official name is the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Two colonies merged to become the state, and one was called Rhode Island Colony. So RI itself is not an island, but there are islands as part of the state.

I actually knew that.

[Edit]: The easiest way to remember what states are around Rhode Island is that it is in the armpit of Massachusetts, and to the east of Connecticut.

Are there really lots of Americans who don't know that?

[theflash784]

Sadly there are people in the USA that think New Mexico is another country! So its not surprising some people don't know where RI is.

[DanielPerrin]

Last weekend we were trying to explain to Oklahomans that we moved from New England / Rhode Island. We were asked if the girls had dual citizenship (England and US). We were asked, "What island? Long Island?"

I can't say how many US citizens don't know things like the geography of their country, but we have certainly found many who seem pretty unfamiliar.

[Edit]: I do think it's interesting that the smallest state in the country has a higher population than the largest state (Alaska).

[Raiderfn311]

I am a bit concerned for Kemys safety here. Is he riding with another person/people for the trek? If he's a novice rider this could be very difficult. Did I hear Alaska in Dec.? I'll place some confidence with Phil on this and assume some precautions have been thought/taken care of.

Thanks for the concern Raiderfn311.

I'm new to the scooter game but I'm a natural lol
And no I didn't say anything about Alaska in December, someone just mentioned it above.

Alaska in December would take huge brass balls. Kind of like climbing Everest. Im still trippin out on the red 150. Phil must have taken quite a liking to you.

[xTomBx]

So, our place in SW Michigan is roughly on your map. How do we become a stop? We even have a nice Genuine dealer nearby.

[URAwesome]

I am a bit concerned for Kemys safety here. Is he riding with another person/people for the trek? If he's a novice rider this could be very difficult. Did I hear Alaska in Dec.? I'll place some confidence with Phil on this and assume some precautions have been thought/taken care of.

Thanks for the concern Raiderfn311.

I'm new to the scooter game but I'm a natural lol
And no I didn't say anything about Alaska in December, someone just mentioned it above.

Alaska in December would take huge brass balls. Kind of like climbing Everest. Im still trippin out on the red 150. Phil must have taken quite a liking to you.

Yea Alaska in December would be beyond cold and is totally not in my plans. lol

I'm still tripping on the Red 150 too. Phil has totally embraced the ideals of the tour and has become great friend over the past few months.

[URAwesome]

So, our place in SW Michigan is roughly on your map. How do we become a stop? We even have a nice Genuine dealer nearby.

Hey xTomBx!

Where do you live in SW Michigan?

I don't know where or when I'll be in Michigan but I'll add you to my contact list and let you know when I figure those stops. You can also PM your contact info if you'd like.

[skully93]

It's been a couple weeks and the tour is progressing nicely!

Seeing that it might not be long before Kemmy makes his way through CO, I thought I'd post it here and send a note:

There are a few of us here that would like to meet up if possible! We also have some great vegan eats here in Denver. Even though I am omnivorous again these days, I do love some good vegan food.

at the very least I hope to offer a hug and a vegan meal!

Keep it up.

[TVB]

I get a kick out of the fact that the upcoming stops on his calendar read a bit like the lyrics to "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66".

[black sunshine]

looking at the Google agenda thingie - no Atlanta?!

[rkcoker]

The calendar shows he'll be in Dallas on the 11th. Do you DFW types know where?

[ericalm]

The calendar shows he'll be in Dallas on the 11th. Do you DFW types know where?

He checks in on this thread occasionally, but try sending him a PM or reaching him via Facebook or Tumblr.

[URAwesome]

After visiting 22 states and 2 countries, I've has made it back to Miami and we (U R Awesome Inc.) are proud to announce that our 2012 World Kindness Tour was an AWESOME success thanks to scooterist like YOU!!

Now that I'm not traveling so much, I finally have time to reply on the message boards and thank you all for your support. I really couldn't have done this tour with out you guys and gals. From the advice to the words of encouragement and jokes I appreciate every bit of effort each of you have put into this journey.

Obviously the tour's route changed tremendously and even ended sooner than I originally planned but I think it worked out exactly as it needed to. I'm very grateful for the opportunities that The Genuine Scooter Company and Modern Buddy created during this adventure. This trip truly changed my life in more ways than I can express. Experiencing so much kindness from people like yourselves has inspired me to take my life & profession to the level.

My and U R Awesome's mission remains to spread the ideals of love, compassion, and awesomeness throughout the world, in order to help people discover and maximize their potential while empowering them to do the same for others. However, we have shifted our focus from Relief Drives and 1-for-1 t-shirts to accomplishing our mission by empowering youth through dialogue and action.

From here on out, we will be utilizing our resources to present seminars at schools and community centers around the world to help youth embrace their awesomeness while empowering them to be kinder to themselves, others and the environment!

So, if you thought we were awesome before, wait to see what we have in store for our 2013 World Kindness Tour. That’s right, were keeping the kindness in motion and plan to do things way bigger than we’ve done in the past!

Please stay tuned to our Site http://URAwesome.org and Facebook Page http://Facebook.com/URAwesomeInc for more updates as we get closer to 2012 and prepare yourself for a whole ‘nother year of AWESOMENESS!

Again, I/We would like to extend a very special THANK YOU to every single one of you out there who helped us make our 2012 tour possible especially the Genuine Scooter Company. We greatly appreciate all of your support and look forward to seeing you in 2013 if not sooner.

PS. Let me know if you are interested in helping us connect to schools in your area.