Newswise — It's about 1,700 miles from Los Angeles to New Orleans as the crow flies, but likely a lot longer the way Greg Thurnher plans to travel on his trek to raise awareness about the Big Easy's comeback from Katrina and its continued appeal as a college town.
In his first venture as a newly minted graduate of Tulane University's Business School, Thurnher will set out from L.A. on May 20 in a souped-up golf cart that was inspired by his undergrad senior project, making multiple stops along I-10 to stage mini-Mardi Gras parades with a contingent of 10 Tulane students and alumni. Thirteen days later, the good-times golf cart rolls into the Crescent City.
"Learning, living, and growing at Tulane clearly defined what I now know as my life. I can't imagine attending any other university, in any other city," Thurnher says. "I am troubled that others may forgo the benefits of a Tulane education and a life in New Orleans based on misperceptions about what's going on there. So I hope this trip will underscore how much a recent graduate believes in the city and how wonderful it was for me to be part of its comeback as a student. Being there and contributing to its recovery is a great experience."
Thurnher says that, while some New Orleans neighborhoods are still struggling, no one should miss a chance to experience what is still the country's most unique city.
After receiving his MBA degree on May 19 from Tulane, Thurnher will fly from New Orleans to L.A., his childhood home. The next day, he will board his golf cart and wend his way through the Southwest, veer off to Houston, where he works now, and finally arrive back in New Orleans June 1. He plans numerous stops along the way, where he and his team of supporters will parade through town throwing Mardi Gras beads to promote the Big Easy's ongoing vitality and joie de vivre. Thurnher has dubbed his trip BIG EASY GO.
Jack in the Box restaurants is sponsoring Thurnher's odyssey, providing him and his fellow travelers with food and Mardi Gras-style throws throughout the length of their trip.
Big Easy Go will depart from Los Angeles on May 20, 2007 and arrive in New Orleans on June 1. Along the way they are planning overnight stops in:
San Diego, California: 5/20Yuma, Arizona: 5/21Tempe, Arizona: 5/22Tucson, Arizona: 5/23Las Cruces, New Mexico: 5/24Fort Stockton, Texas: 5/25Kerrville, Texas: 5/26San Antonio, Texas: 5/27Austin, Texas: 5/28Houston, Texas: 5/29Beaumont, Texas: 5/30Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 5/31New Orleans, Louisiana: 6/1
RSS