The Cupcake Boy

by Scott Stoll with Amy Belle Elementary

The Cupcake Boy is the story about a boy who makes the most beautiful and tasty cupcakes in the world; however, the villagers take the boy for granted. So disheartened, he leaves his home wondering: “Why should I bake cupcakes for a world that doesn’t love me?” In many ways it is a sequel to “Falling Uphill: The Secret of Life” because it is the story about coming home again.

Also seen in this month’s edition of Natural Awakenings available online or at your favorite Milwaukee-area health food store. I know what you are thinking—cupcakes can be healthy too, especially if they are made with love.

Coincidentally, this issues features Milwaukee’s prominent citizen Will Allen and his organization Growing Power and Milwaukee’s only urban farm, which advocates the “good food revolution”. I’ll be speaking at Growing Power’s Fall Conference about my school book project and how students can illustrate the next book about eco-friendly subjects like local food, water conservation and more.

Article in the Waukesha Freeman by Sarah Pryor about bike to work week. It is going to be cheesy, but I’d like to quote myself, because I do believe it is important for every community, and a bit funny that she included the last sentence. “Waukesha is  a growing hub of biking opportunities, and it is important for local businesses to realize the opportunities available for bike tourism,” said Bike Alliance member Scott Stoll. “People who bike spend more money on food than drivers do on gas, so why not eat food rather than burn gas? It even tastes better.”

Thanks to the Waukesha Bike Alliance members for their support of the bicycle community. I had no idea that somethings, like installing a bicycle rack, was so difficult! It’s important to remember that their are a lot of dedicated people making life better for all of us.

Watch my segment with Outdoor Wisconsin on Milwaukee Public Television. It begins at minute 9:00, and the crew did a great job filming, interviewing and editing. Thanks!

It was almost a year ago, the crew filmed me riding around Kohler-Andrae State Park for 3 hours. I was getting tired as I was still wearing my winter coat, and was running low on blood sugar. (A “winter coat” is what us Wisconsinites call those 10-20 extra pounds we gain over the holidays.) The interview only lasted about 15 minutes.

Since this filmed I have also ridden a bicycle across Wisconsin, from coast to coast, the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan.

The Making of “Cayendo Hacia Arriba: El Secreto De La Vida”

Here is the fifth and final and my favorite video from my trip to Argentina as the Cultural Ambassador. Here we have the real Ambassador to Argentina, Vilma Martinez, and the Deputy Ambassador, Jefferson Brown, along with the women who made it all happen, Shannon Farrell, Press Attaché, distributing the books to all the kids in 12 schools. The embassy gave away about 2000 books to kids that have never owned a book.

I love minute 1:44. I would have never imagined that my cultural exchange program would involve cheeseheads. The Argentina children called me: “the man with the head of cheese”. Also notable is minute 0:24 which shows the books coming off the printing press.

The Making of “Cayendo Hacia Arriba: El Secreto De La Vida”

I had the time of my life in Argentina as the Cultural Ambassador with the US Department of State. We worked with 12 schools to create the Spanish edition of “Falling Uphill: The Secret of Life”. I visited some underprivileged schools, an orphanage for HIV+ children, bicycled through Buenos Aires in their city “bicicleteada” with the Secretary of Transportation, and much more. Rather than write 10,000 words to describe this honor, perhaps it is easier to just watch the movies of my trip below.

The first video is about my trip the Chaco and Corrientes, back where I got stuck in the mud so long ago. The second video is about the making of the book at a school for deaf children. The third video was one of my favorite days at an extremely poor community know as “Fort Apache”. The fourth video is about the “bicicleteada”. And the last video is a TV interview partially in English.

Here I am sharing my story with an elementary school in Corrientes, Argentina, the same place I got stuck in the mud for 5 days. This is Escuela Bernardino Rivadavia, just one of 14 schools I visited. Read the before and after story in the Diario Epoca.

Once again I have applied to be a roommate at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Above you see what would be my bedroom. I also imagine my bicycle, the bicycle that went around the world, occupying a very important corner, along with some maps and photos. I considered my journey as an empirical study of the meaning of life. I had theory: If life means something, I should be able to find it somehow somewhere.

I can’t express how much a dream it would be to live day and night for a month in the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and explore and report on all the amazing science, and, of course, being part of the experiment to see how this experience changes me and everyone I meet. I imagine it would be a great inspiration to people, just as my trip has already inspired so many people to live their dreams, like an 88 year old woman that decided to fly to Bhutan after reading my book.

Below is my application video. I didn’t have time to make a new video to emphasize my love for science. But the Chicago Sun Times liked this video enough to showcase it on their website during the last round.

World traveler came home to fulfillment

This is a great story about my trip around the world, coming home, and how this all evolved into working with local schools to illustrate children’s books.

Thanks to Laurel Walker for doing such a thorough job, and to help build our local community by spreading change. I also had a big big surprise to see that I made the cover of the online edition. I had many teachers tell me that it was a win for the education system during these troubled times of protests in the State Capitol. Also, see the fun photo gallery by Kristyna Wentz-Graff.

PS. The original full-page story about my trip around the world in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is no longer accessible :(

I had another great interview on WPR’s Larry Meiller program. We talked a little about my trip around the world on a bicycle, and a lot about working with Poplar Creek Elementary school to illustrate the new book Falling Uphill: The Secret of Life.

Listen to the interview. Please note: teacher Kate Krzysik’s interview in the beginning of the show, and Associate Principal Larry Lueck’s interview minute 20:52.

Also Listen to my favorite interview the first time I was on Larry’s show, which is all about the trip.

Thanks to WPR for helping to sow the seeds of the school book project at many more schools.

• Outdoor Wisconsin (PBS). Coming soon.
• The New York Times and the NYT slide show
• The San Francisco Chronicle
• Santa Maria Times
• The San Diego Tribune
• Korean Daily Economic
• The Milwaukee Journal. (This is one of my favorite favorites; and, unfortunately, this story has just been archived.) However, the follow-up story is currently available. JSOnline.

Unfortunately many of my favorites stories aren’t available, like my story in:

• The Cape Argus, Cape Town South Africa
• Momentum Magazine, Vancouver, Canada
• The San Francisco Examiner
• The Waukesha Freeman.
• And more.

Update: Despite my video being briefly showcased on the Chicago Sun Times website and my overwhelming (quite literally) desire to do this, I’m sad and a bit surprised (along with my friends) to say that I didn’t make it to the next round….

Here is video application to be a roommate at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.

I can’t express how much a dream it would be to live day and night for a month in the museum, and explore and report on all the amazing science. And, I would love to make a display of my bicycle and photos and all the discoveries I made while cycling around the world. And, of course, be part of the experiment to see how this experience changes me and everyone I meet. Wish me luck and stay tuned to vote.

My photo is on this wall somewhere:

As a post world tour honor, me and my bike got to occupy first, second and third place on the podium at the Downer Classic race at the Tour of America’s Dairyland. I also had the chance to share my story with the crowd.

I’ve always been impressed that many world-class cyclists and teams that don’t qualify for the Tour de France come to Wisconsin for our excellent race series also including Super Week starting soon.

Why are this man’s legs so strong?

Update: My story in the acclaimed Milwaukee Magazine  was on the newsstands in March and was a sweet summary of my trip. Wish I had a professional photographer following me around the world. Can you guess what that white stuff is? BTW, how did I get beat for the cover by a piece of pizza?

Photo courtesy of © Dan Zaitz

Today’s interview is with Scott Stoll, author of the book Falling Uphill, founder of the adventure travel community The Argonauts, and perpetual traveler.  He’s currently cycling around the world.  Yes, cycling – as in on a bicycle. Read more….

Head on over to BikeRumor.com for a nice little blurb about Falling Uphill and a generally interesting bicycle site.

Plus read about the bike that sold for 1.3 million dollars.