WITH THE STORY, YOU’LL SEE ONLY ON FOUR. I ASKED YOU A SIMPLE QUESTION WHY BIKE TO TEXAS IF YOU COULD FLY OR DRIVE? HIS ANSWER WAS SIMPLE WHY NOT? I SAW. OH YEAH, I HAVE A TIME. SO YEAH, I WANT TO TRY SOMETHING BIG. YUTO SATO JUST FINISHED UP HIS FIRST YEAR AT GANNON UNIVERSITY UP IN ERIE. THE JAPAN NATIVE IS A BIG SOCCER FAN, SO WHEN HE FOUND OUT HIS TEAM WAS HEADED TO TEXAS, WE’RE GOING TO BE CHAMPION THIS YEAR. HE THOUGHT HE’D TURN THE TRIP INTO AN ADVENTURE. HE BOUGHT A BRAND NEW BIKE AT UNISON BIKE LAB ON PITTSBURGH’S SOUTH SIDE, AND TOOK OFF ON MAY 13TH. LOADED UP WITH BAGS AND A JAPANESE FLAG. I’M A LIKE, OH, 50 OR 60 MILES A DAY. INSTEAD. SOMETIMES, YEAH. YEAH, IT’S FUN DOCUMENTING THE 1200 MILE TRIP THROUGH THE HEARTLAND, HIS FIRST TIME TO EVERY STATE HE VISITED ALONG THE WAY. AND EVERY NIGHT HE USED FACEBOOK TO MAKE A NEW FRIEND AND FIND A PLACE TO CRASH. I JOINED. A LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUP, AND I THOUGHT, YEAH, THEN SOMEBODY AND MANY PEOPLE RESPONDED AND YEAH, THEY ALL FOLLOW ME. YOU CAN COME BACK HOME. AND YEAH, JUST BE HERE. HERE. YEAH. PEOPLE ARE NICE TO. FINALLY ARRIVED TO THE STADIUM IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS, JUST IN TIME FOR JAPAN’S FIRST MATCH ON SUNDAY. WE PRAY THIS. NETHERLANDS. YEAH, THEY ARE SO STRONG. WE ARE SO. BUT JAPAN IS ALSO STRONG. SO SO I THINK GOOD GAME. YEAH. IT’S GONNA BE A GOOD GAME. SO I’M SO EXCITED. ONE MONTH, 1200 MILES IN SIX FLAT TIRES LATER, YUTO IS RESTING. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BIG GAME AND LOOKING BACK ON THE FRIENDS HE MADE ALONG THE WAY. I’M SO PROUD OF ME. YEAH, I’VE DONE THIS TRAVEL AND MEET MANY PEOPLE AND YEAH, GOOD. FRIENDS FOREVER. YEAH, YUTO SAYS. HE MADE SUCH GREAT FRIENDS ON HIS JOURNEY THAT HE’S EVEN HEADED TO FLORIDA AT THE END OF THE SUMMER WITH ONE OF THOSE NEW CONNECTIONS. THAT’
Western Pennsylvania college student bikes 1,200 miles to Texas for World Cup match
Yuto Sato, a Gannon University student from Japan, biked 1,200 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Arlington, Texas, over the course of a month to watch his favorite soccer team compete in the World Cup. “I have summer vacation now. I have the time, so I will try something big,” Sato said. Sato, who just completed his first year at Gannon in Erie, is a passionate soccer fan. When he learned his favorite team was heading to Texas for the World Cup, he decided to turn the trip into an adventure. On May 13, Sato bought a new bike at Unison Bike Lab in Pittsburgh’s South Side, loaded it with bags and a Japanese flag, and began his journey. “I make like 50 or, 50 miles a day each day,” Sato said. “Tired sometimes, but yeah, it was fun.” Traveling through the heartland of the United States, Sato visited several states for the first time. Each night, he used Facebook to connect with local community groups, through which he found new friends and places to stay. “I joined the local community group, and … then somebody and many people at least was, you know, they offered me you can call my home and. Yeah, just the, the the. Yeah. People. So nice,” Sato said. Sato arrived at the stadium in Arlington just in time for Japan’s first match on Sunday. “We play with Netherlands. Yeah. They are so strong. Yeah. So not. Yeah. Japan are strong, though, so I think good game. Yeah. It’s going to be good game. So I’m so excited,” Sato said. After one month, 1,200 miles, and six flat tires, Sato is now resting and looking forward to the big game. Reflecting on his journey, he expressed pride in his accomplishment and gratitude for the connections he made along the way. He plans to head to Florida at the end of the summer with one of the friends he made during his trip, adding another state to his bucket list.
Yuto Sato, a Gannon University student from Japan, biked 1,200 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Arlington, Texas, over the course of a month to watch his favorite soccer team compete in the World Cup.
“I have summer vacation now. I have the time, so I will try something big,” Sato said.
Sato, who just completed his first year at Gannon in Erie, is a passionate soccer fan. When he learned his favorite team was heading to Texas for the World Cup, he decided to turn the trip into an adventure.
On May 13, Sato bought a new bike at Unison Bike Lab in Pittsburgh’s South Side, loaded it with bags and a Japanese flag, and began his journey.
“I make like 50 or, 50 miles a day each day,” Sato said. “Tired sometimes, but yeah, it was fun.”
Traveling through the heartland of the United States, Sato visited several states for the first time. Each night, he used Facebook to connect with local community groups, through which he found new friends and places to stay.
“I joined the local community group, and … then somebody and many people at least was, you know, they offered me you can call my home and. Yeah, just the, the the. Yeah. People. So nice,” Sato said.
Sato arrived at the stadium in Arlington just in time for Japan’s first match on Sunday.
“We play with Netherlands. Yeah. They are so strong. Yeah. So not. Yeah. Japan are strong, though, so I think good game. Yeah. It’s going to be good game. So I’m so excited,” Sato said.
After one month, 1,200 miles, and six flat tires, Sato is now resting and looking forward to the big game. Reflecting on his journey, he expressed pride in his accomplishment and gratitude for the connections he made along the way. He plans to head to Florida at the end of the summer with one of the friends he made during his trip, adding another state to his bucket list.
