Northeast - Please read! Japanese cyclo-tourist needs your help in upper New York state!

Hey everybody;

First of all, I was wrong, our brother is in Erie, PA. So with that said...

215 days ago I met Harato Tokudome, a Japanese cyclist, on my commute home in Southern California. He was two days out of LAX... just starting on a quest to pedal the word PEACE across the entire U.S. Check out his website here http://tokudome8810.petit.cc/grape1/ (he's hauling a laptop with him to maintain it!) It's in Japanese and needs online translation, and even once translated his prose is difficult to decipher. But the pictures alone show the tremendous trip he has taken so far.

I am trying to get as many Bike Forum readers to see this because Harato needs help. He was struck by a car, spent some time in the hospital and is now hold up at a rescue mission. Unfortunately, I can't even tell which town for sure. But someone in upper New York state might. Hell, he might even be in your town! If that's the case, maybe you could help him out. From what I can tell, his friends and family back in Tokyo are 50/50 split on whether he should cut and run, fly home, or find some way to complete his mission. If he wants to go on, it would be great if some fellow bikers could help him accomplish that.

Thanks for looking. Hit me back. DanO

Are you trying to find him??? I'm in NJ but I do spend a lot of time hiking and climbing in NY State, catskills, ADKs, etc... I can't check out that website cause it's blocked (and I don't read japanese anyway) but are you trying to find out where he is? Do you have any info at all??? I think that would be a good start if you're trying to find people to help out.

Jay

Like Jay said, if you're looking for him, and you say he is at a mission, then he is at the Erie PA city Mission, just going by the photos. All I did was google the name and found a few pictures of the place. Try posting something in the Great Lakes Forum.

Like Jay said, if you're looking for him, and you say he is at a mission, then he is at the Erie PA city Mission, just going by the photos. All I did was google the name and found a few pictures of the place. Try posting something in the Great Lakes Forum.

Yea. You did exactly what I should have done before posting. I was hasty, didn't do my homework, and the result was a vague and ineffective attempt to try and get someone in the area with the means to consider helping him get back on the road... if that's even what he wants at this point. Perhaps I'll try the Great Lakes forum. Thanks for taking the time to do what you did.

DanO

Erie newspaper story dated 11/19 here:

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...WS02/311199889

I spoke with Harato by phone today. I am glad to report that he is soon to be fully recovered and back in the saddle. He has been helped by someone who speaks fluent Japanese as well as English, in dealing with the insurance company of the person who hit him. At least he will be buying a new bicycle and supplies to finish his journey. I told him they owe him more than that, but at least he has no permanent injuries. The little guy has a LOT of guts getting back on the bike with 1500 miles left to go... on the east coast... in December.

Please forgive my multiple postings. And thanks for everyone who responded, especially paulrad9, who actually was the one who found where Harato was.

DanO