Avery Seuter Rides from Maine to Florida
In the fall of 2022, Avery Seuter set off from Wells, Maine on his unicycle. His plan that first day was far different than what materialized five months later. After an excess of 150 days in the saddle, riding 2,398 miles on the East Coast Greenway (ECG), and having endured a variety of demanding weather, Avery found himself crossing the finish line in Key West, Florida.
The 1A team stumbled across Avery’s story thanks to the support and accolades of the ECG. So in awe of this young man and his pursuit, we sat down with Avery to learn more about this incredible feat.
Avery, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. What inspired this journey?
“I didn’t intend on riding to Key West (he laughs). My original plan was to ride from Wells to Boston. I had everything I needed in a pannier; a few changes of clothing, a little food, and some camping gear. Navigation was simple. I planned on taking the Greenway trail, utilizing the ECG maps found on their website (www.greenway.org). When I arrived in Boston 20 days later, I thought, why not keep going.”
Most people would never consider a trek on a unicycle, not to mention even a road cycle. Why did you choose to go 1,700 miles with a single wheel?
“Trust me, I heard that joke in every state along the way. ‘Hey man, where’s your other wheel?’ I started unicycling in 2018. At first it was just a challenge. Then it became my mode of transportation to get to school or work. I never worried about the unicycle because I knew no one wanted to steal it (laughs again). Eventually I heard about Ed Pratt, who was unicycling around the world and thought a long-distance ride would be a neat challenge.”
When you arrived in Boston, you had achieved your goal. Yet, you didn’t stop there. Were you prepared to continue riding?
“Because I was only planning on riding to Boston, I really wasn’t equipped for a ride fifteen times in length. Unlike most cyclists on a long ride, I didn’t have a support vehicle. I was fumbling with my phone and ECG maps for navigation (take note cyclists: there is no handlebar on a unicycle). But I couldn’t resist the excitement of riding on. Both of my parents were Merchant Marines, and during tours of duty, had made friends with fellow pilots along the Eastern seaboard. Many of these family friends heard about my adventure and offered to let me stay with them as needed. Although I never had a support team beside me, there were plenty of people who supported my dream in other ways. Eventually I did have to purchase a GPS, but I never strayed from the ECG.”
Did you have any favorite memories, experiences or places along the route?
“When I would tell people what I was up to, everyone was so supportive. There are lots of great people out on the trail. My favorite place was probably the rail trail in Cape Cod. It’s gorgeous, and of course, my timing was perfect to be passing through the Cape in early fall.
I was born in Jacksonville, Florida, so it was fun to ride through my birthplace. When I was growing up in southeastern Florida, there was talk about a trail being built on old railways. In fact, the proposed plan was to go on the backside of my school yard. And now here I was some fifteen years later riding on the ECG through Jacksonville.
Another special moment was riding with my Mother between Baltimore and Washington, DC. She flew down to meet me and we spent nearly a week riding, chatting and sharing the experience together. I will never forget that time.”
What feelings or emotions did you have when you finally reached Key West?
I had envisioned the finish line during my ride. I thought it would be fun to dismount off the back of the unicycle – It looks so much smoother. So I practiced the move for days leading up to the finish.
As I approached the finish line in Key West I was definitely overwhelmed. There were lots of people there to greet me; family, friends, ECG staff, and those who had heard about my trip. When I crossed the finish line, I totally forgot about my formal dismount. I even forgot to catch my unicycle as I jumped off. I just let it fall down and hugged my parents.
About the East Coast Greenway. The East Coast Greenway connects 15 states and 450 cities and towns for 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida. The organization is fostering a safe walking and biking route through the country’s most populated corridor. Those interested in learning more about the East Coast Greenway, or ways one can donate to help grow the greenway for our recreational enjoyment, please visit www.greenway.org.
