Become a patron of Exploration!
Behind every great man is a great woman (although in the case of our unusual bike, my great woman is in front of me). Likewise, behind every great explorer was a generous patron. Columbus had a Spanish queen. Marco Polo had the Venetian oligarchy. Captain Cook had a British scientific society. Yuri Gagarin had a Soviet dictator.
But in this great land of unrivaled freedom, we allocate power in a different way than the aforementioned nations. Unlike the Spain of Columbus’ day or the USSR of Gagarin’s era, we are not governed by the whims of a single, power-crazed individual who listens to no one and pursues their will to the detriment of their country. At least not in theory. Nor are we ruled by an elite, wealthy class of merchants as was Polo’s Venice, whose business interests outweigh the concerns of the average person. Well, not on paper anyway.
No, these United States are a democracy! We vest power in the people, in the average Joe and Jane! So in accordance with this spirit of egalitarianism and democracy, and in keeping with our focus on the average rather than the extreme, both geographically and socio-economically, we endeavor to have our expedition funded by you, the common man!
Now believe us, this conviction has been difficult to adhere to. President Bush and the National Geographic Society have been calling incessantly, and several multi-national corporations have offered carte blanche support, but on principle we have declined their offers. Instead, we turn to you, our faithful reader, our fellow citizen. The very philosophy of this trip is to glory in the ordinary, and to give special attention to the overlooked middle: this trip is for all of you!
So, in stride with Lincoln, we endeavor to have our journey of the people, for the people, and (hopefully) by the people. We are the sojourners, and all of you are our co-journers. So please, join with us on this journey; become both our partners and our patrons! You can help in two ways:
- Become a member (for as little as $1) of the National Geographic Center Society, and have the center of a state named in your honor, and
- Offer your couch/guest bedroom/garage/yard/barn for us to stay in along the way! (Even the greatest of explorers appreciates a nice warm shower now and again.)
You guys rock! Good luck!