We reviewed Josh’s “600 Miles to Goat” not too long ago and gave it the praise it deserved. It was heart warming, it was comical and it was a great blue print for others to get creative and think of ways to help raise funds for the animals who’s lives we CAN have an impact on. When I heard that Josh was getting ready to go back out on the road, with a bunch of other bike riding pals, I wanted to help spread the word and hopefully get them a couple extra donations (every little bit counts people!). So, this is Mr. Josh Hooten giving you the inside scoop about this upcoming bike fundraiser (complete with DIO references and an endorsement of House music? RLY? WTF?). Enjoy!

You are getting back on the bike to fundraise for animals. Your butt is mad at you! What’s the details this time around? Where is the money going? Who is riding with you?

This ride is the second edition of The Three Sanctuary Century. Last year we did this ride from Portland to Out To Pasture and then on to Lighthouse Farm Animal Sanctuary. The third sanctuary is in Mississippi and is In Defense of Animals’ Project Hope. We don’t ride to that one because we’re lightweights, but we do give them a third of the money we raise. The ride is a century, which is 100 miles (unless you’re in my crew and I get you lost and you end up doing 106 miles.) We are still getting our riders together but so far the doomriders are Eric Phelps and Matt Rossell from IDA, Lisa George, Laura Jane Jones-Hernandez, Julie White Hernandez, Megan McClellan, me (Indigo Montoya), Dan Harrison, Christy Hawkins, and Dave Woodard. We’ll be picking up a few more who can’t resist the siren song of hurt ass.

Ruby’s bike riding prowess is all the rave around the monkey bars. Will she be accompanying you at all this ride?

I’m sure she’d love to give it a shot. She loves to ride bikes and for a five and a half year old, she certainly logs more miles than a lot of adults I know, even ones who ride bikes. But she is also a real sleepyhead and we’ll be on the road long before she even wakes up. She’ll meet us along the way with Clif bars though, and hang out with the animals at the sanctuaries. She’s vegan and loves animals.

Vegans try really really hard not to intentionally kill or exploit animals, but sanctuaries actually save lives. In your estimation, how important is it to support animal sanctuaries and the people who run them?

Having been to a handful of sanctuaries and having the pleasure of knowing some people who run them/work at them/volunteer at them I’m of the opinion that sanctuaries are the best outreach tool we have. You just can’t deny the power of meeting an animal. Very few are the people who can meet an animal, hear their stories, and continue to not show concern for their lives. Maybe they go vegan, maybe they go vegetarian, maybe they think about the lives of animals they eat for the first time ever. All of it is progress on a personal level and absolutely worth our support. And the more people we can get to actually meet animals, the more vegans we’re going to get. So I whole heartedly support sanctuaries and the hard work they do.

What will be in the walkman as you train?

Well, as you know, a tiny apparition of DIO lives on my right shoulder and sings in my ear often enough for friends and family to recommend I get help, so I will certainly hear my share of Holy Diver and Last In Line as I get ready for this. I always find Ted Leo cassettes to be a big help when I’m digging deep for whatever you dig deep for to ride your bike a long way. I’ve recently started spinning classes and the soundtrack is generally House music, so there’s that. Luckily I don’t hate House music like most people.

Are there any plans to chronicle this trip a – la “600 Miles to Goat”?

I’m sure I’ll write something about it, yeah. 600 Miles to Goat was actually Issue Two of my zine, Revolution Summer and I’ll probably write this ride up for issue 3. I like writing about bike rides because I like reading about bike rides and there isn’t enough of that stuff out there, and what I’ve found tends to be heavy on the “After 90 miles I was so happy to find that burger joint! i ate two huge steak burgers….”

Since your last bike fundraiser, what are some things you are going to do differently?

I’m going to put a go kart engine and drive train on my bike so I don’t have to pedal so damn much. I’m going to try get more donuts on my training table, I really didn’t eat many last time I trained for a ride. They are as nutritionally beneficial as kale and taste better, so….you know….

The economy seems worse than when I last did major fundraising so I’m probably going to have to get creative with how I get money out of people. As you can imagine, this road leads straight to the gutter so expect offers/threats of nude photos and the like to try and coax donations out of folks.

Other than that, not much. I’m not a very fast rider, I’m not very competitive. I just like the work and the scenery so I’m just going to ride and have fun.

Any interesting stops along the way?

Well, nothing like the vibrator museum when I rode down the coast to California raising money for Farm Sanctuary. But this is a lovely route, we did it last year, so I’m excited to see it again. The two best stops are going to be Out To Pasture in Estacada and then Lighthouse Farm Animal Sanctuary. Mostly Lighthouse, because I don’t have to ride home.