SPINNING SOUTHWARD UPDATE 5/10/2009 - This is the latest trailer release since the original more than two years ago. Since that time, I have completed the film, incorporating new original music and animation, and am currently shopping the film around for screenings and distribution. If you have any questions about the film or if you are interested in screening the film in your city, please contact Nateon Ajello at nateon@melloajello.com, and check back to SpinningSouthward.com for the latest updates! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Spinning Southward Documentary premiere was a huge success! We packed the house at the Hunter Global Legacy center with 200 plus people, then had to turn people away at the door and do a second showing at 10:30 (making it a very late night). f you are interested in screening the film in your city, please contact Nateon Ajello at nateon@melloajello.com, and check back to SpinningSouthward.com for the latest updates! Article about the screening and the ride in the local newspaper: "SR Grad Turns Bike Trek Into Documentary" SPINNING SOUTHWARD - CONTINUING THE FIGHT THE RIDE MAY BE OVER BUT OUR FIGHT CONTINUES! THROUGH YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SURPASS OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL OF $50,000. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL BRAIN TUMOR SOCIETY, WE ESTABLISHED A $75,000 MEDICAL RESEARCH GRANT TO HONOR OUR MOTHER AND ALL THE BRAVE INDIVDUALS AND FAMILIES FACING BRAIN TUMORS WITH COURAGE AND CONTINUED HOPE. THANK YOU ALL. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR WORK & THE NATIONAL BRAIN TUMOR SOCIETY BY MAKING A DONATION.

The Idea In 2002, my brother Mike and I began to talk about an epic, tip to tail, bicycle trip spanning the length of the Americas. At the time, however, our geographic separation and respective professional endeavors would force us to shelve our dream ride and hope for more accommodating circumstances. Two years later, that opportunity presented itself in the fall of 2004 when our lives converged in the mountains of Colorado. Over the course of our stay in Colorado, my brother and I began laying the groundwork for a bicycle trip that would take us from the far northern shores of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southern most city in the world. On July 26, 2005, having cleared all financial and logistical hurdles, we will start pedaling on the long road south.

The Motivation
The motivation for our trip is a reflection of our life-long ambitions to explore new places, to make meaningful connections with other people and cultures, and to test the boundaries of our physical endurance and mental resolve. These ambitions are inspired by the enduring spirit of our late mother, Jean, herself an accomplished world traveler who always supported and encouraged our explorations of the world. We dedicate this trip to her memory.

The Cause In 1996, our mother Jean was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor that took her life in the winter of the same year. To honor our mother's lasting legacy and help those confronting the same illness that eventually took her life, Spinning Southward has partnered with Racing Ahead, a program created by the National Brain Tumor Foundation that celebrates the passion of cyclists, runners and other athletes. NBTF is a non-profit organization dedicated to innovative brain tumor research and patient care. We are committed to raising both financial support and awareness for the NBTF through our nine-month, 15,000-mile ride across 13 countries. We hope that our ride will inspire you to join us in support of this worthy cause through a contribution to Jean's Journey.