Instead of searching for a job after graduating from the University of Texas in May 2006, Woodrow Landfair chose to embark on a cross-country journey with little more than the clothes on his back and his motorcycle.
Landfair, a writer and self-described expeditionary, will be speaking at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Texas Café about his year-long, 48-state expedition.
Landfair said after he graduated from college with a creative writing degree, he had no money to his name, but knew he wanted to travel.
"I had no money after graduation, so my friend gave me his car to sell, and I sold it for $3,000," he said. "I left Texas and headed to New York City to get a job."
The funds Landfair earned from selling the vehicle were enough to live off of until November 2006, he said.
"I basically went everywhere I saw a help-wanted sign," Landfair said of his adventure. "I was a door-to-door salesman for about three weeks until I got another job in a hotel restaurant."
He said he was promoted to be a server and bartender at the hotel, but he lived in two different New York homeless shelters over a three-month period to save money.
"It was a lot of work, but I saved $3,500," he said.
The homeless shelters inspired Landfair to organize the Dollar and a Dream Award program, which will bestow a cash award of $3,000 on the individual who submits the best idea for the use of the money.
He encourages anyone who is interested in entering his Dollar and a Dream Award program to apply on his Web site, www.woodrowlandfair.com. The entries must be received by July 31, and the winner will be announced September 30.
In the meantime, Landfair continues to travel the nation by motorcycle; he is slated to stop in more than 80 cities to share stories from his travels and answer audience questions.
Travis Tolley, a freshman political science major from Lubbock, said he has mixed reactions about Landfair's journey.
"It is a little crazy, but it's a cool thing that he is doing," Tolley said.
"I think it would be so cool to be yourself with just you and the open road and not have to worry about bills," said Tina El Charif, a senior business management major from Houston. "I think it is cool someone is doing this because I know I would if I could."
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