Yard-Man to Ride Lawn Mower Across Nation

Market Wire, 20050229

One cross-country trip on his Yard-Man lawn mower apparently wasn't enough for Brad Hauter.

Hauter, who set a Guinness Book World Record with his 1999 trek cross-country on a lawnmower, will hit the road next week to break his personal 4,000+ mile record while raising awareness for the Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup.

The 37-year-old college soccer coach and father of 4-year-old twins from Indiana was the first person to complete a trans-continental trip on a lawnmower. On March 19, Hauter will board his Yard-Man by MTD(TM) to become the first person to do it twice. Hauter will travel more than 5,000 miles starting in San Francisco and finishing in New York City in June.

In order to top his 1999 mark, Yard-Man will spend the next four months on his mower.

Traveling an average speed of 10 mph, Hauter will mow from San Francisco through Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Albuquerque. From New Mexico, the cross-country ride heads east through San Antonio; Dallas; Houston; Bentonville, Ark.; Martin, Tenn.; Memphis; Atlanta; Charlotte; Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; and Philadelphia.

The route will culminate in New York City's Battery Park, where Hauter will present the Keep America Beautiful donations he has collected in route.

Hauter hopes to raise $200,000.

In addition to raising funds, Yard-Man will stop in cities across America to help volunteers beautify parks, vacant lots and playgrounds. Interested volunteers can log-on to www.yardman.com to get involved.

Commemorative T-shirts will also be available for $12 at www.yardman.com. Proceeds from each shirt will benefit Keep America Beautiful.

To purchase a T-shirt, simply log onto www.yardman.com.