Western PA student bikes 1,200 miles to Texas for World Cup match
By Felicity Taylor
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PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — Yuto Sato, a Gannon University student from Japan, biked 1,200 miles from Pittsburgh’s South Side to Arlington, Texas, over the course of a month to watch his favorite soccer team compete in the World Cup.
“I have summer vacation now. I have the time, so I will try something big,” Sato said.
Sato, who just completed his first year at Gannon in Erie, is a passionate soccer fan. When he learned his favorite team was heading to Texas for the World Cup, he decided to turn the trip into an adventure.
On May 13, Sato bought a new bike at Unison Bike Lab in Pittsburgh’s South Side, loaded it with bags and a Japanese flag, and began his journey.
“I make like 50 or, 50 miles a day each day,” Sato said. “Tired sometimes, but yeah, it was fun.”
Traveling through the heartland of the United States, Sato visited several states for the first time. Each night, he used Facebook to connect with local community groups, through which he found new friends and places to stay.
“I joined the, local community group, and … then somebody and many people at least was, you know, they offered me you can call my home and. Yeah, just the, the the. Yeah. People. So nice,” Sato said.
Sato arrived at the stadium in Arlington just in time for Japan’s first match on Sunday.
“We play with Netherlands. Yeah. They are so strong. Yeah. So not. Yeah. Japan are strong, though, so I think good game. Yeah. It’s going to be good game. So I’m so excited,” Sato said.
After one month, 1,200 miles, and six flat tires, Sato is now resting and looking forward to the big game. Reflecting on his journey, he expressed pride in his accomplishment and gratitude for the connections he made along the way. He plans to head to Florida at the end of the summer with one of the friends he made during his trip, adding another state to his bucket list.
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