While many are familiar with the term "Electric Cowboy," thanks to a franchise of western-themed nightclubs, one man from Switzerland is recharging the phrase with his e-bike campaign.
Harry Fryer, founder of Electric Cowboy Media and Blaise Electric, a company that specializes in aftermarket parts for e-bikes, is riding an e-bike from New York City to Los Angeles, with stops in Little Rock and Hot Springs early next week.
Aimed at garnering more exposure for e-mobility, Fryer is one of the few to make such a trip on an e-bike, and the first to do so on a fat tire style e-bike. Calling it The Outlaw Tour, Fryer's trip will also benefit two charities, UNICEF, which provides hospitals, schools and more to children in need around the world and the Movember Foundation dealing with men's health.
Currently in Brownsville, Tennessee, Fryer said he expects to ride into Little Rock on Sunday and stay until the next day, arriving at Alliance Rubber Company, 210 Carpenter Dam Road, in Hot Springs, around midday on Tuesday.
Apprehensive of the tornadoes, he said he looks forward to seeing Arkansas again.
"Every state has had its moments," he said. "Some are more quiet and barren than others."
Fryer's favorite places have been Tennessee and Kentucky. An avid fan of cowboys, bourbon and all things Americana, he said the title of Electric Cowboy is more than just a gimmick to him, but is "deep-rooted." While in Tennessee, he was able to visit his brother and sister-in-law who live in Nashville, one of his favorite cities.
His 3,869-mile trip will not be his first visit to The Natural State, as he visited Alliance Rubber in May 2021 to see a friend who works there en route to Nashville from California. He says while the state is beautiful, it also presents a challenge as the hills and the wind are "testing."
He said this last road trip in a Ford Mustang is what kindled his love for the American West and the mythos of the pioneers who traveled to Oregon and California in generations past. He pondered what the modern-day equivalent would be as the horse was replaced by the combustion car leading him to try to replace the combustion car with an electric bike.
"It's extremely green, very beautiful," Fryer said. "Not good for an e-bike, but great scenery though."
Riding motorcycles since the age of eight, Fryer is making his 90-day trip on a Super 73 with an average speed of around 20 mph.
"It's weird being on the road peddling and not being able to go 100 mph," he said. "Kind of humbling."
Expecting two tire changes and 500 charging hours on the journey, Fryer is showcasing the practicality of this means of transportation, using only household wall sockets. Most often, he uses the outlets at coffee shops to juice up his ride, he said.
"Wall plugs are your best friend," he said. "I have a new appreciation for wall plugs."
Engaging with a community online and offline, he is making stops at several electric bike and motorcycle shops along the way while keeping fans in the loop on Instagram. To support the cause, Fryer has set up three tiers of sponsorship at $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000.
Crossing the Mississippi River soon, he will head to Dallas, Austin, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Los Angeles after making his stops in Little Rock and Hot Springs.
For more information, visit https://www.electriccowboymedia.com/the-outlaw-tour-1.