Get your skates on!
by Eloise Gibson
An Invercargill man is skateboarding across North America to raise awareness of a rare disease.
Rob Thomson will attempt the 6,500km journey next month to raise awareness of Lowe Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes physical and mental handicaps in boys.
The adventure will be nothing new for Mr Thomson, who has spent much of the past year cycling from Japan to Switzerland.
When he reached Switzerland, he sent his bicycle home and travelled by skateboard and ferry from Switzerland to England.
Mr Thomson plans to skateboard and sail all the way home to New Zealand over the next eight months.
On the way, he will attempt to beat the world long distance skateboard record by crossing North America.
The current long distance skateboard record of 5,832km was set by Dave Cornthwaite, who spent five months skateboarding across Australia.
Mr Thomson says he loves travelling by “human power” because of the raw connection with his surroundings.
He says if he travelled by car he would alienate himself from his surroundings.
He will begin his record attempt in September, after crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a yacht.
Click here to see a map of his proposed route.