connecting*the*dots

Vladimir Yarets Alexeevich is on a mission that he can’t tell you about. He’s both deaf and mute, but don’t think for a moment that stops him from reaching out and touching your soul with his story.

I met him at a vista point above the Golden Gate Bridge last Sunday. Apparently, he’s been traveling the globe on his bike since 2000, trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most distance traveled on motorcycle by a deaf mute. Yeah, their categories are awesome. Vladimir showed me where he’s already been and it’s pretty much the entire globe (including all 50 states). He’s about to head to Hawaii then Australia and Japan to wrap up.

The guy had me rolling on the ground when he mimed his 2003 crash experience. He pointed to his replacement bike (a BMW) and then clicked his heels together, threw his right arm up with a flat hand extended and made a serious face (pretending to be a Nazi). Then he points to his ride and throws up his two thumbs and grins.

Fuckin’ A.

He pointed to a laminated card that said that donations get him around the world, so I peeled off $10 and shook it into his hand. I’m now living vicariously through the guy. When I got home yesterday, I Googled him and found an old article about Vlad, two years into his journey.

How this hasn’t become a movie, I have no idea.