When are you leaving?
The start date is currently scheduled for May 1st, 2012. That could change depending on a few factors.

Where are you starting from?
In all likelihood, I will start in Austin, TX. There is a chance I will start in San Marcos, TX, where I currently live.

What does your route look like?
Like this.

How many miles is your route?
You can't exactly punch it into Google Maps, but from the best I can tell thus far, it should be approximately 35,000 miles total.

How long will it take?
Robby's Ride is expected to take about two years.

Have you done anything like this before?
Not exactly like it (and no one has), but yes.

Will you have a support crew?
I would like to have one. I'd rather not have a crew with me at all times; instead, I'd like to have a crew to meet up with at checkpoints. I think an ideal support team would be a film production company. However, if I don't get a support crew, I'm still going.

Will you be keeping a journal or making updates during your ride?
Absolutely! I'm not sure exactly how yet, but I'll make it happen, one way or the other. Ideally, I would essentially have a satellite smartphone (if that exists), so I could send updates no matter where I am in the world. Otherwise, I'll bring a camera or two and a journal, and I can always make updates at public libraries and the like.

What kind of boat are you using?
I get this one a lot. You can't exactly go into a store and buy a boat meant for pedaling across an ocean. Some folks in an organization called PedalTheOcean had a boat designed and constructed specifically for the purpose of traveling from Vancouver to Hawaii on human power, farther than either of my major ocean crossings. The boat is shaped like an oversized kayak, longer but thinner than a car, with a roof. Once inside, the hatches can be sealed watertight, so the boat can roll over entirely without letting water in.
This boat also comes with nearly every conceivable piece of equipment on it, and it is now for sale. I can't imagine a more ideal boat for Robby's Ride, and I have my sights set on it. Unfortunately, custom-designed boats are expensive. This one piece of equipment represents more than half of the cost associated with Robby's Ride, which is precisely why I am looking for a sponsor to pay for it.

What bike are you riding?
A steel-frame touring bike with 26" wheels is ideal for this kind of tour. Strong, reliable, and with common parts, so replacements are easy to come by. I currently have a bike similar to this, which I took on my most recent bike tour, but it unfortunately has several parts that are rare in foreign countries, and they cannot simply be traded out. For that reason, I will need a new bike. I have a particular bike in mind, but if a different suitable bike were donated, I would gladly ride it.

What other equipment needs do you have? How much will the ride cost?
The boat alone represents a very large part of the cost, more than half. Outside of the bike and boat, I'll need some money to cover food and lodging, as well as other travel costs, like shipping the boat between ports as I cover the land on the bike. There are also a few bike and camping supplies I need, but by and large, bicycle tours are remarkably cheap. In total, Robby's Ride should cost about $160,000. The boat is the difference-maker here.

How much of my donation will go towards the cost of the ride?
None! Robby's Ride is committed to giving all donations to charitable causes. The costs of the ride will be covered by corporate sponsors, who will in return receive benefits, including public appearances and visible presence on the boat, bike, etc. Donations from individuals are kept separate, and 100% goes to charity.

Why are you doing this?
Primarily because it's challenging and it's never been done before. I've always wanted to do something that made a mark on the world, and when I found out that no one had ever traveled around the world on human power alone, I immediately thought, "I could do that. In fact, I will. Why the hell not?"

What charity are you riding for?
Robby's Ride is not currently partnered with any charity, but would like to ride for a cause! Ideally, this charity would have an international footprint, affecting a large number of people all over the world, and would be willing to actively partner with Robby's Ride. Robby plans to do more than just ride a bike around the world; he would like to do work along the way and spread a message to make the world a better place.

How can I help?
You can donate online by clicking on the orange "Donate" button at the upper-right on every page on this site. For other ways to donate, visit the donate page. If you would like to sponsor Robby's Ride, or otherwise make a particularly large donation, I recommend visiting the sponsor page to learn about potential benefits.