Update, 27 November 2019: Since filing this report, Buddhistdoor Global has learned that Gregory Filson has decided not to continue his journey for the time being after encountering mechanical problems. Filson states:

I regret to say that the ride is over. The bike has survived close to 10,000 miles, but mechanical failures (specifically the wheels) and the rapid approach of winter have put an end to this effort. The upside is that I have had the unexpected opportunity to take shelter with my relatives. Fear not!! The Monk will ride again!!

Zen Buddhist monk Gregory Filson is riding across the United States in a combined effort to connect with the land of his birth and to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease. The monk took off on 10 September from the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC, and his journey is predicted to come to a close in San Francisco. He has so far traveled as far as Springfield, Illinois, where he is staying with relatives while he manages equipment issues and considers his next moves.

It marks the second cross-country bicycle journey the monk has embarked on. “Last year, I rode from San Francisco to Washington, DC, via the famous Route 50,” Filson told Buddhistdoor Global. “I had a lot of time to work through my feelings as I crossed the high desert through Nevada and Utah, over the Rocky Mountains via Trail Ridge Road, and on through the Heartland to the steps of the US Capitol Reflecting Pool.”

Having recently lost his father to Alzheimer’s disease, Filson decided to complete the journey he had begun the previous year, naming his endeavor “Completing the Circle.” Part of his aim is to raise awareness for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. He is taking a southern route across the country and plans to cycle from Illinois through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California.