‘It’s a terrible idea and it’s really hard’ - Comedian becomes the first person to cover the US coast-to-coast on a BMX bike

Most people train to ride across the United States. They spend many months preparing and thousands of dollars on gear to comfortably tackle the 5,000-kilometre journey. But Sebastian Fowler isn't like most people. The 31-year-old stand-up comedian is currently making his way from San Diego, California, to New York City, New York, on his BMX bike. He’s not in it for the bragging rights, the fitness or the self-discovery. He’s pedalling the 3,333 miles as part of a cross-country comedy tour. And while he’s at it, he’s raising funds for get more kids on BMX bikes.

“You might laugh at this,” Fowler said. “But when I thought about riding across America, I figured it was about 3,000 miles. So, I rode my bike downtown from my house in Ocean Beach to downtown San Diego. That was about 10 miles. And I thought, if I do that 300 times, that’s the whole trip. And that’s the mentality I went into this with.”

On 25 February 2025, Fowler departed Ocean Beach in San Diego on his Sunday Odyssey BMX bike, wearing Vans Slip-On Damn Daniel Sk8 Pros, and began pedalling east along Interstate 8. Spinning with 25 x 9 gearing on a 20-inch BMX bike loaded with 27 kilograms of gear, it was slow going.

“No one’s ever done this trip on a BMX bike. No one’s ever gone coast to coast [on a BMX bike]. And there’s a good reason for that—because it’s a terrible idea and it’s really hard,” Fowler says.

His friends bet against him, creating a pool of more than $1,000 that he wouldn’t last.

Fowler was determined to prove them wrong. He pedalled into New York City on May 15, after 80 days and 3,333 miles. In doing so, he may just have become the first person to cover the United States coast-to-coast on a BMX bike. He's certainly the first comedian to undertake a nationwide comedy tour by bicycle.

Mindset is key

“I’ve definitely surpassed what I figured was possible in my own head…on the second day I realised I was in it to win it. There’s no going back,” Fowler reflects. “And then every day I’ve continued that journey. It’s just like—you’re a little bit closer. I’ve been telling the same joke for about 25 years now, but it’s never made more sense. It says: Have you ever heard about the guy who swam halfway across the lake… but he got tired and swam back? And I love that joke.”

Fowler was determined to achieve his goal: to live his dream of being a comedian performing sets across the country.

“I’ve been watching Joe Rogan for a long time and he always said, if you want to be a comic, you have to hit the road and test your jokes in front of people who don’t know you. And so I figured I wanted to do a tour,” Fowler explained. “I have a bicycle and I have a crazy mindset, and I thought, I’ll ride my bike to Kill Tony.”

Kill Tony is a live comedy podcast and show that takes place at Joe Rogan’s comedy club, The Comedy Mothership, in Austin, Texas, every Monday night. Over 200 amateur comedians sign up for a chance to perform one minute of comedy in front of a live audience and a celebrity panel. This was Fowler’s sixth time signing up for the show—the last five times, he was unsuccessful.

With a goal of reaching Austin by 31 March, Fowler began ramping up his daily distance, going from an average of 60 kilometres per day to 100 to 160 kilometres.

For every bad, there is good

On the night of 30 March, Fowler still had around 150 kilometres to go. He decided to ride through the night along a back road in Texas. But he realised he wasn’t alone. Four pairs of green eyes tracked him from the roadside—mountain lions, a North American cyclist’s worst nightmare.

“I pulled my knife out and just started screaming like a madman. I unlocked this primal sense in myself that I didn’t know existed. But I was also terrified, because I knew once the bike light and my headlamp died…their eyes are a lot better than mine. So, I called the cops.”

On the phone, the officer tried to calm Fowler down so he wouldn’t seem like prey. They sent two squad cars to escort him to a secure location: a 7-Eleven convenience store five kilometres away.

“I got there and it was super late at night. I had no data on my phone, so I couldn’t look up a place to stay. I was just scared and I still had 70 miles to get to Austin. And I thought, I’m already at a 7-Eleven. It’s pretty safe. I’ll sleep behind this dumpster.”

Travelling completely self-supported, Fowler has slept in tunnels, ditches and rest areas on the side of highways. Sleeping behind a dumpster, away from mountain lions, didn’t seem all that bad in comparison.

The next day, Fowler rode 110 kilometres and made it to Austin just in time to sign up for Kill Tony. He didn’t know if he’d get selected but to his surprise, this time, he was.

“It was probably one of the greatest days of my life,” Fowler recalls. Not only did he get to perform comedy on his favourite show, the episode also aired on Netflix.

Find a Greater Motivation

Since leaving San Diego, Fowler has performed in Phoenix, Tucson, Austin and Nashville. His final stop of his tour will be at New York City's The Stand.

“I don’t really know what I’m doing, to be honest. I’m just trying one pedal at a time, one mile at a time, one thing at a time,” Fowler says. “And I’ve been looking back at how far I’ve already travelled, and it’s kind of flabbergasting, because… I don’t know. It’s all just kind of a blur.”

While the original motivation for Fowler’s coast-to-coast trip was, admittedly, rooted in personal ambition, the journey quickly became about something greater: to spread the joy of biking with those who may not have access to bikes. Before leaving San Diego, he created a GoFundMe page with the goal of raising enough money to purchase 100 Sunday BMX bikes for kids.

"When I was 14, my Dad passed away and without [my] BMX bike, there isn't a chance I would be the man I am today," Fowler shared on his GoFundMe page, explaining that the bike gave him the ability to express himself in his own way.

“I just had this idea that if I could get some bikes for some kids, it would change their idea of what’s possible,” Fowler explains. “Every time I was able to get a new bicycle, it was kind of game-changing, and that led to all the opportunities I’ve had since.”

Making the trip about something bigger also gave him purpose and motivation to keep going.

Fowler reached his destination after 80 days, having crossed 11 states and covered 3,333 miles. But his journey is not done yet, fundraising continues on his GoFundMe page. In addition to making people laugh, Fowler hopes his journey inspires others to chase after their own goals, too, no matter how crazy they may seem.

“Never let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. If you have an idea and give 110% to that idea—and believe in it with all your heart—then anything is possible. There’s nothing you can’t do. And I’m a firm 100% believer in that.”