Yes And Travel

What you’re about to hear may sound a little crazy, mainly because it’s crazy. Starting this September, I plan to ride my bicycle from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean and then turn around and ride back.  After that?  I dunno.  I suspect I’ll be a bit peckish so maybe a nice Caprese salad. Hi, I’m Mike Connor.  I got into long distance bike touring for all of the obvious reasons: Clif bars, poison ivy, sleeping outside on the cold hard ground, etc.  On this ride, however, there’s a new motivation: to encourage people to use silly voices and make funny faces. With twenty years of improv comedy experience horked into my cranium, I’ll be cycling across the country offering workshops to help people who may never even have dreamed of getting in front of an audience realize that their inner smartass is just waiting to hatch from it’s egg of opportunity knocking on the door of the vernal sunrise… That metaphor kinda got away from me. The point is, I’ll be going coast-to-coast offering free improv workshops for non-profits, schools, theaters, churches, camps, libraries, basically anyone doing good work in their communities. If you run an organization thats doing good, I will teach your staff or your students as a team-building activity, or I'll teach some of your organization’s generous donors as a fund-raising effort.  We could have a performance where the new improvisers show off their skills for an audience.  Heck if you’ve got a guitar I could borrow, I'll even sing a few bawdy tunes and spin a few implausible yarns and create a whole evening of comedy.  We can work together to benefit your group’s cause through humor. I've been performing improv comedy since I was 17 years old. In 2005, I helped found The N Crowd, L.L.C. which has been described by the Broad Street Review as "local favorites" of the Philly comedy scene as well as being named Best Comedy in the city by the Philadelphia A-List not once, but five times. The Hoppers Hit the Road, a full length musical I wrote and directed prompted the Philadelphia Inquirer to label it a "classic". Not to mention, I've spent the last seven years making the kiddos laugh as the full-time Theater Coordinator at Please Touch Museum, the children's museum of Philadelphia. Now I want to take the theatrical skills I've honed over the years and share them with groups who are trying to help. Some weirdo riding his bike across the continent teaching folks how to be funny is not something that you come across every day, even in this modern age of the twitters and the Ryan Goslings. So if you think this is the kind of positivity, adventure, and whimsy that the world needs more of, please consider donating. I am pulling this off on a shoe-string budget and every dollar you can offer will be used to keep this unique ride going with necessities like bike maintenance, campground fees, and of course, food. If you’re a do-gooder located relatively close to my projected route and would like a free improv class for your organization, or if you just want to follow along with this crazy adventure, you can connect with me on Facebook at "Yes And Travel" or on Twitter and Instagram by following @yes_and_travel. Thank you in advance for your generosity and support.