The Real Estate Seen…By Bike

ou might have seen him alongside of a road near you this week- steadily pedaling his bicycle, equipped with a couple saddle bags, a tent and two pairs of clothes. He appears at first glance to be just any weekend warrior with a road bike, but there is much  more to this traveler. I had the pleasure of striking up a friendship this week with Darren O’Donnell, a traveler from Washington State, who made his way out to DC/Baltimore as a stop on an incredible summer trip. He embarked on April 29th from Seattle’s Safeco Field and has thus far crossed off 18 of his planned 30 stops. His goal? To visit and attend a game at all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums. His only mode of transportation- his sturdy bike.
Darren watched the Nationals on Wednesday and the Orioles on Friday. The next stop is New York City to see the Mets and Yankees, followed by a trek across the border to Toronto’s Skydome. He has averaged 100 miles per day and by ESPN.com’s estimation he’s burning 4,000 calories a day in the process. The feat, when completed (in St. Louis on September 25th) will make Darren only the third person to complete such a trip. When finished, he’ll also be the fastest and youngest to do so.

His reasons for the trip are numerous- love of baseball, an appreciation for the diverse landscapes of America, but also, Darren is a fervent advocate of the conservation, smart growth and sustainable forms of transportation (like bikes). He will readily talk at length on any one of these topics, and if his trip can bring any attention to his quiet causes, then he will be happy. Darren has already logged 8,000 miles and has another 4,000 to go. He has no sponsors and no travel partners- just a bike, an iphone, and an interesting tale to tell.

Follow Darren’s progress on Facebook here.