Couple making cross-country documentary get ripped off in Eugene
EUGENE, Ore. -- A bike theft in downtown Eugene has left one couple from out of town looking for another way to finish their cross-country tour.
The bike was more than just a way to get around town: it was crucial for a cross country documentary.
"It was our home for two and a half months, and now we're like, 'OK so what do we do now?' " says Melissa Henige.
Since June, Henige and Andy Davis have basically lived on two wheels. They left their home in Indiana, hopped on bikes and set off across country.
"We wanted to do a bike tour," Davis said. "We wanted to make a documentary about what's going on across the U.S. with sustainability, so we thought we can do it all on the same time and took off to do it."
But when they got to Eugene on Saturday and stopped at a coffee shop to update their blog, they hit a bump in the road.
"We had a cable through both of our front tires, and through the frame, but then they just came along and snipped it," said Davis. "I mean it was within 15 to 20 minutes that the bike was there, the trailers were there, everything was there. But 15 minutes later, nothing," says Henige.
Hengie's clothes, their camping gear,and her bike that had trudged through six states vanished.
Davis' bike was un-touched.
"It's integral to the trip," Davis said. "We have both the bikes, and quickly going through the ramifications, we just lost our mode of transportation and half our stuff. It's pretty wild."
And to top it all off? Eugene was one of the last legs of their trip. The next stop was going to be San Francisco, where the couple were planning on getting married.
They're not letting this disappearing act dampen their wedding or the sustainability project.
"We feel good about what's going on in the country, and along the route. We just had one person who chose to do something that wasn't so great," said Davis.
The two are still planning on making it to recite their vows, and do have the video equipment to finish their project.
Eugene police said they don't have any leads on the case yet, but anyone with information can contact the owners of the bike through their blog:
