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VIRGINIA BEACH — Traveling 3,000 miles across the country on four wheels is a big deal, but if those wheels are attached to a skateboard deck, it’s one heck of a ride.
Skateboarder Chad Caruso left Venice Skatepark in California March 24 on his skateboard and will arrive between 3 and 5 p.m. Friday at 31st Street Park in Virginia Beach.
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His mission: To raise awareness about substance abuse and addiction.
By completing the cross-country trip in less than two months, Caruso, a resident of Long Island, New York, is on track to set a world record. No such trip on a skateboard is currently logged with Guinness World Records. He will also meet another personal goal: To be in Virginia Beach in time for the Jackalope action sports festival taking place June 2-4.
The free festival will feature demonstrations by world-renowned skateboarders, including Tony Hawk, boulderers and base jumpers leaping from the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel. Skimboarding, freestyle motocross and beach volleyball competitions will also be held.
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Caruso, 36, has been sober for six years, and skateboarding has kept him out of trouble, he said in an interview that he posted online.
Throughout the trip, he’s been documenting his experiences on his Instagram page with photos of the scenery and the people he meets along the way. As he traveled through Arizona, Texas and Arkansas, he shared pictures of his worn out shoes, wheels and ankles, which led to a side trip to an urgent care facility.
Caruso also posts the day’s duration, distance, ascent and total distance to date. On Wednesday — Day 55 — he was in Emporia and had skated a total of 3,051 miles. He sleeps in hotels.
Caruso’s journey is a fundraiser, too. He had raised $43,935 as of Thursday morning. His goal is $45,000. He plans to donate 25% to Natural High, a California-based drug prevention nonprofit that inspires and empowers youth to find their natural high and develop skills to live well. The rest of the money has been used to cover food, hotels and other expenses during the nearly two-month trip.
“The goal of this fundraiser is to highlight the importance of having something passionate in your life to focus on,” Caruso wrote on his GoFundMe page.
Upon completion, Caruso will be a Guinness World Record holder for the fastest crossing of America on a manually powered skateboard for a male, according to the city.
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com