“I’m meeting all these amazing people that are so friendly and warm. Everyone seems excited about what we’re doing.”
Ryan Van Duzer
Updated 22:51, October the 18th, 2007
Out of mom’s basement
Biking East Coast, Ryan Van Duzer experiencing ‘Life at 15 mph’
BOSTON. Ryan Van Duzer, known as “Duzer” to friends, has never had a driver’s license. The 28-year-old from Boulder, Colo. bikes to work. He also bikes on dates. After finishing his two-year Peace Corps service in 2005, Duzer biked from La Esperanza, Honduras to Boulder.
Still not satisfied, Duzer decided to bike the entire United States east coast.
Beginning on Oct. 1, Van Duzer and two friends, Scott Upshur, 24 and Evan Barr, 24, began a 2,000 mile trip from Maine to Florida, documenting it all by video, touring major cities and small towns along the way, including Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
Duzer had several motivations for the biking adventure, which he humorously explains in the first video on his blog titled, “Life at 15 mph.” Not only does Duzer hope to turn his footage into his own TV travel show, he also hopes to move out of his current home, a.k.a “mom’s basement” where he saved up money to travel.
“I live in my mom’s basement, and that’s a little bit sad,” Duzer confesses on his first video. “I’m a little bit too old to be living in my mom’s basement. So, no offense to my mom, I love her dearly, but I need to leave.”
Packing lightly is essential when biking more than 70 miles a day, Duzer told Metro in an interview. In addition to a video camera and laptop for blogging purposes, Duzer carries a small trailer attached to his bike containing only the basics: a tent, sleeping bag, a change of socks and most important, deodorant.
For meals, Duzer says he’s living on peanut butter and jelly on tortillas — and lots of doughnuts.
“Having fun is most important,” says Duzer, explaining the rules of the trip. The goal is to reach Key West by Nov. 20, carrying everything they need with them and biking the whole way down.
One goal, Duzer says, is trying not to stay in hotels or spend lots of money. The bikers have been knocking on stranger’s doors and asking to camp out in their backyards, where they often benefit from free meals.
Duzer says he is pleased with the hospitality every stranger has shown.
“I’m meeting all these amazing people that are so friendly and warm. Everyone seems excited about what we’re doing,” Duzer said.
Two weeks into their biking adventure, Duzer admits there are some drawbacks.
“Your ass hurts constantly. Everything gets kinda numb.”
The blog, entitled “Life at 15 MPH,” can be viewed at 
duzer.wordpress.com or duzertv.com.