Gadling

Wan Lee is not someone you easily forget.

This 26-year-old native of Seoul, Korea, has spent the last nine months circling the United States aboard a Honda Ruckus, a 50 cc scooter with a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour.

Over the course of his trip, Wan has become a Ruckus legend thanks to the website TotalRuckus, a forum for owners of the Honda scooter. When Wan’s camera fell off a bridge into Georgia’s Savannah River, it was TotalRuckus members who pooled some funds to buy Wan a new one. When Wan updates the site with his newest travel plans, it’s TotalRuckus members who volunteer to open their homes to him, offering him a warm bed or couch in place of Wan’s usual resting place, the Great Outdoors.

After initially arriving in North Carolina, where his aunt lives, Wan wanted to purchase a motorcycle to make the trip. But eventually he opted for the Ruckus because (in most states) the 50cc vehicle doesn’t require a license plate. Wan also didn’t need to buy insurance for his $2,000 scooter because– Wan says, and who am I to argue– it’s not required by law.

Because his scooter only goes 40 mph, Wan sticks mostly to side roads rather than interstates, though he’s been known to ride on the shoulder of highways for longer stretches than most of us would consider sane. When asked if he’s had much contact with the police, Wan says, “Every time. I was stopped by a cop in Seattle, Washington, and he asks me, ‘Where are you from?’ I say, ‘North Carolina,’ and he runs to grab his camera to take a picture.”

Wan started his journey from North Carolina by riding to Florida, then all across the South and West until he reached Los Angeles. One gets the impression that the only reason he stopped– like that of Forrest Gump in his epic run across the US– was that there was no more land. So he rode north to Seattle and back across the West, visiting big cities like Las Vegas and Phoenix, as well as more small towns than the average American will see in a lifetime.

Wan says this epic trip was inspired by Rolf Potts’ book Vagabonding, which stresses the importance of slow, deliberate world travel. Just a week ago, Wan had the opportunity to visit Rolf at his Kansas home, and they fished, had a few beers, and did some work on Rolf’s farm. Because I write for Rolf’s blog, he pointed Wan in my direction, and a couple days later Wan visited me in St. Louis for a night.

After arriving at my house at 7:00 pm, Wan entertained my family and friends with stories of sleeping under a pool table in a Mobile, Alabama bar while the enormous bar-owner chugged suds, chatting with the police every few days, and drinking more beer than he ever imagined.

Wan was every bit as adventurous and inspirational as you’d think– definitely the wrong person to talk to if you’re trying to settle in to a stationary, “normal” life at home. It’s obvious he’s enjoying his trip, imperfections and all, and it seems the main reason he’s heading back to Korea in July is because his visa is going to expire. He’s not terribly excited with the prospect of entering the “working world” in Korea, and instead he’s focused on finding a way to make a living while he travels.

For those who have never taken extended time off to travel, Wan’s story is the perfect inspiration to cut the knot of your life and make it happen. And for those of us fortunate enough to have traveled for a while, we can see in Wan a little piece of ourselves.

Here’s Part 1 of Wan’s trip. Here’s Part 2. Here’s some photos of Wan and Rolf Potts. Here’s a Youtube compilation of his pics from North Carolina to Texas.