Gump Suzuki pulling a rickshaw down a long, empty desert highway

Route 66 at 100 • Winter 2026–27

SOLO CHALLENGER

One man. One rickshaw.
All of Route 66.
Three months to finish.

Nov 11, 2026: Chicago → Feb 3, 2027: Santa Monica/about 2,350 mi (3,775 km)

  • One rickshaw
  • Solo
  • No full rest days
  • Winter crossing
--
Days
--
Hours
--
Min

Until the start in Chicago, Nov 11, 2026

Join the supporters group How to cheer

The Mission

Challenge rules

Simple rules.
One epic road.

Mission FileRoute 66 / 2026–2027
Mission
Cover Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica — about 2,350 miles (3,775 km).
Time Limit
Within three months. Start 11/11/2026, finish 2/3/2027 (85 days)
Vehicle
One rickshaw — a two-wheeled passenger cart — pulled entirely by Gump.
Challenger
Gump Suzuki, traveling solo.
Season
Midwinter, traveling west across the United States from Illinois to California, November to February.
Rule
No full rest days. About 29 miles (46–47 km) a day. The last day: about 62 miles (100 km) in 24 hours.
Record
Gump is attempting to set a new Guinness World Records title. The attempt is under review and has not been certified.

On November 11, 2026 — the 100th anniversary of Route 66's designation — Gump Suzuki set out from Chicago, pulling a rickshaw toward Santa Monica Pier.

How Hard

By the numbers

How hard
is it?

29mi/day

More than a marathon, every day

Farther than a marathon (26.2 mi), pulling a rickshaw, day after day.

~90marathons

Nearly 90 marathons

About 2,350 miles — the equivalent of nearly 90 marathons — in three months.

0days

No full rest days

Even on recovery days, he keeps moving forward.

62mi

62 miles on the final day

About 2.4 marathons in the last 24 hours.

3zones

Three time zones

Central, Mountain and Pacific — eight states, setting his watch back twice.

6,900ft

A winter climb

Flagstaff, Arizona, sits at about 6,900 feet (2,100 m), where snow and ice are possible in January.

Distances and days are planned figures from the route plan (ver. 1, Sep 2, 2026) and may change with weather, road conditions and safety decisions.

The Route

Chicago → Santa Monica

Six challenges
along the way.

Eight states, three time zones and about 2,350 miles in winter — from the cold Midwest and open plains to a New Year's crossing of the Continental Divide, high-elevation roads, the Mojave Desert and one final 24-hour push.

Map of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica across eight states Illinois Missouri Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona California ILMOKSOKTXNMAZCA ChicagoSpringfieldSt. LouisSpringfield, MOJoplinTulsaOklahoma CityAmarilloTucumcariSanta RosaAlbuquerqueGallupFlagstaffSeligmanKingmanNeedlesBarstowSanta MonicaChicagoSt. LouisTulsaAmarilloSanta RosaAlbuquerqueFlagstaffSanta Monica START 2026.11.11 GOAL 2027.02.03
  • Route 66 (planned route)
  • The eight states
  • ● Major cities on the route

Challenge 01

DAY 1–20Nov 11–30~535 mi

West through
the cold Midwest

Illinois / Missouri

Starting from Chicago on Route 66's 100th birthday and heading west through the cold Midwest in November, across the Mississippi.

Challenge 02

DAY 22–45Dec 2–25~640 mi

Endless
prairie roads

Kansas / Oklahoma / Texas

Endless prairie roads where the scenery barely changes for weeks. Christmas comes on the road.

Challenge 03

DAY 46–61Dec 26 – Jan 10~430 mi

New Year on the road,
and the Divide

New Mexico

Traveling through the New Year, past Albuquerque and across the Continental Divide — with a rickshaw.

Challenge 04

DAY 62–67Jan 11–16~175 mi

Flagstaff
in winter

Arizona

Snow and ice are possible at higher elevations in January as he makes his way toward Flagstaff, about 6,900 feet above sea level.

Challenge 05

DAY 75–81Jan 24–30~205 mi

The long
Mojave

California

Across the Colorado River into the Mojave, where towns and services can be far apart.

Final Challenge

DAY 85Feb 3, 202762 mi

62 miles in
the last 24 hours

Santa Monica Pier

The final planned 62 miles in 24 hours, finishing at Santa Monica Pier.

  • Illinois
  • Missouri
  • Kansas
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas
  • New Mexico
  • Arizona
  • California

The schedule may change with weather, road conditions and safety decisions.

Why

Why he takes it on

Why take
it on?

Established in 1926, Route 66 turns 100 in 2026. Generations of travelers followed it west, earning it the name "the Mother Road."

For Gump Suzuki, this is his third time on Route 66. Last time, he crossed the United States — 5,100 km (about 3,170 miles) — on foot. This time, in the winter of the centennial, he has given himself a deadline of three months, and he is doing it alone.

Gump hopes that pushing his own limits will inspire someone else to try something new — while sharing the road's history and character with the world.

This isn't about danger or heroics. It's about doing something ridiculously fun that only comes around once in a hundred years. That's all.

The fun of taking on a challenge —
and the courage to take the first step.
Gump Suzuki resting beside his rickshaw in the desert at dusk
Gump Suzuki — Solo Challenger

Who is Gump Suzuki

The Challenger

A lifetime
on the road.

Gump is a Japanese adventurer who has traveled about 21,700 miles (35,000 km) across some 30 countries while pulling a rickshaw. Route 66 is the next chapter in a much longer journey.

5,100km
USA Crossing

Completed on his last crossing

10M+
Views

Views of his last finish video

1.3M
Followers

Followers across social media

35,000km
Total Distance

About 30 countries

50+
Screenings

Film screenings in Japan

100+
Talks

Talks and lectures

Guinness World Records™ / December 2025 — certified

Farthest distance pulling a rickshaw carrying a passenger in 24 hours — 129.733 km (80.6 miles)

On December 4–5, 2025, at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo, he pulled a passenger in a rickshaw for 24 hours. Guinness World Records certified the achievement in December 2025.

See Red Bull Japan's post

How to Cheer

2 ways to ride along

Be part of
the journey.

You don't have to be on Route 66 to ride along.

01 — Join the Group

Join the supporters group.

Facebook group (free)

Daily updates from the road, photos and the people he meets. Ask questions, leave a message, cheer him on.

Posts are mostly in English; Japanese is welcome too.

Join on Facebook

02 — Follow and Share

Follow and share.

Instagram / YouTube / TikTok

Follow Gump on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, and share his posts. Every share helps.

On the Road

Safety first

If you see Gump
on the road

A wave or a cheer means a lot. To keep him and everyone else safe, please:

  • Don't post his live location. Share photos after he has moved on, without exact places or times.
  • Don't follow him or travel alongside him unless it has been arranged in advance.
  • If you're driving, stop only in a legal, safe place away from traffic before you take photos.
  • Please don't hand him food, drinks or gifts while he is moving. If he has stopped safely, ask first — he may not be able to carry extra items.
  • Let him keep going. He has many miles to cover each day; short greetings are best.

Supported by

FAQ

Questions

Is he really pulling a rickshaw the whole way?
Yes. Gump pulls a rickshaw, a two-wheeled cart built to carry a person, on foot from Chicago to Santa Monica.
Where is he now?
For his safety, we don't share his real-time location. The "Now on the road" section shows completed days, and the supporters group shares updates from the road.
Can I run or walk with him?
For safety, please don't join him on the road unless it has been arranged in advance.
Is this an official Route 66 Centennial event?
It is an independent project by JustForFun Inc. Collaboration with official centennial programs is under discussion.
Is he setting a Guinness World Records title?
Gump is attempting to set a new Guinness World Records title. The attempt is under review and has not been certified.
Media inquiries

Notes

  • Dates, distances and the route on this page are planned figures from the route plan (ver. 1, Sep 2, 2026) and may change, or the journey may be stopped, because of weather, road conditions or safety decisions.
  • Some photos on this page were taken on previous journeys or are illustrative.
  • This site uses Google Analytics (Google tag) to understand how it is used. Information about your visit is sent to Google through cookies and similar technologies.
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