Fear not, he’ll be back with the spring, but this may be the last week you’ll see Ice Cream James pedaling around Buffalo until then.
I ran into him a few nights ago (without my camera, so upfront apology for the cell phone pic in which his head looks suspiciously like a creamsicle) while he was cruising down Allen Street, enjoying a raspberry fruit bar. He said he had a hitch on his truck and was getting ready to head out, but he wasn’t sure where to.
“I was going to go to Arizona,” James said, “but people are telling me it’s like one long Sheridan Drive everywhere you go. That doesn’t sound so good.”
We suggested a bicycle town, like Davis California, but when he found out there were a lot of plazas in the bargain, it didn’t sound good to James either. Then there’s Old Sacramento. It seems he’d like to be somewhere where the terrain is relatively flat, the weather is warm enough for people to want ice cream, and streetscapes present interest in the form of beautiful architecture and greenery. Charleston, SC? Texas?
At any rate, we suggested that he may want to check permitting requirements before he goes anywhere, as he’s well familiar with the headache that can pose to a street vendor.
When we asked where he’d stay and whether he had a network of buddies across the country, James said he was going to rely on couchsurfing.com, which is basically hostel living in private homes.
“Okaaaay,” we said, thinking that in regard to certain city policies as well as sleeping arrangements, James is definitely one to fly by the seat of his pants.
“That’s the great thing,” James chirped. “I don’t really have to have a plan. I’m just going to see what happens.”
We tried to extract a promise that he’d do occasional updates from the road or at least keep a blog we could check into now and then. He’s thinking about it. Wherever he goes, maybe James’ host homes will supply the wifi he needs to stay connected to his fans back here. In the meanwhile, if you know of a town that meets any of his criteria, throw a suggestion out there.
Bon voyage, James. See you next spring.