Ellington

When Laura Crawford and Russ Roca quit their day jobs to bike around the country, they had only one requirement: As long as they were having fun, they would continue to travel.

Eleven months later, the two partners from Long Beach, Calif., have cycled 5,800 miles through California, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Louisiana. To document their journey, they started The Path Less Pedaled, a website that includes blogs, photographs and ways for others to support their endeavor.

Tomorrow, Crawford and Roca will give a presentation about their project to the public at the Jackson Community Design Center downtown.

Crawford, 30, is a professional metal smith and Roca, 32, is a freelance photographer who sold or gave away all of their belongings to travel across the United States on bicycles.

"Our trip is an exploration of different areas," Crawford says. "Bikes are a away to go to small towns, slow down, and see what life is like in other places in our country."

The partners have spent the last year camping or staying with friends as they ride from town to town. They are also putting their artistry skills to use. Roca has continued to freelance for various publications, and Crawford sells her handmade jewelry through etsy.com.

When Crawford and Roca crossed the Louisiana state line into Vicksburg this week, they discovered that there wasn't a way to legally enter the state because the Highway 80 bridge has been closed to traffic, and bikers are not allowed on the Interstate 20 bridge. But after they explained their circumstance to the Delta, La., mayor Robert Ott, he arranged for a marshall to escort them across the bridge.

"So many of the people we've met are kind and generous," Crawford said. "The majority of people are interested and happy to help. ... We've had a lot of amazing interactions. and I think being on a bicycle helps facilitate that."

The Path Less Pedaled presentation is Wednesday, June 2, at the Jackson Community Design Center located at the Mississippi State University School of Architecture (509 E. Capitol St.) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event, sponsored by the Jackson Bike Advocates, is free and open to the public.

The author of this article, JFP News Editor Lacey McLaughlin, is a member of the Jackson Bike Advocates.