NATCHEZ &045; Birthdays have become an extended holiday for Florida man Ernie Neupert &045;extended by nearly 300 days and more than 10,000 miles that is.

As a fundraiser for disease research and a sightseeing mission, Neupert has spent much of the last five years on a bicycle touring the country, including a Wednesday and Thursday stop in Natchez.

His first bike tour spurred by his 60th birthday was 8,038 miles to promote donations to the American Cancer Society.

Five years later, his 65th birthday celebration has him less than a month and four states into his second tour, to benefit the American Diabetes Association.

&uot;I’m having the time of my life,&uot; Neupert said at the Natchez Visitor Reception Center. &uot;No matter how tired I get, I’m having the time of my life.&uot;

A cancer survivor, who lost his first wife to cancer, Neupert made his first trip solo with all his supplies packed onto his bike.

This time around a few years of age and the family addition of his second wife Jean made it necessary to have a RV follow the bicycle.

Living on nothing but their Social Security checks, the Neuperts pooled money with Jean’s son to buy the RV. Her son drives the RV.

Social Security checks for the Neuperts bring in about $1,500 a month, $800 of which goes to gas for the RV.

The current cross-country and back trip is dedicated to Jean, who has diabetes.

The trio left their Florida home in mid-April and made it to Natchez Wednesday night. Neupert rides about 10 hours and 50 miles a day and spends his nights and breaks in the RV.

From here, the tour headed over the bridge to Louisiana straight over to Los Angeles, up to Washington, over to the Great Lakes and into Maine. From Maine, Neupert will head south again to Florida. He hopes to be home by Christmas.

&uot;I’m going to do it,&uot; he said. &uot;If I have to drag that bicycle on my hands and knees, I will do it.&uot;

Neupert said his main motivation is bringing awareness to the public about diabetes and inspiring others to live their dreams, no matter what they are.

&uot;If I can help influence one person not to give up on life, just to get over the little bumps in the road they think are obstacle courses, I’ve achieved my goal,&uot; he said.

Neupert, who started working at age 7, has dreamed of traveling the country by bike since childhood.

His tour, the Smiles Tour, has been officially endorsed by the American Diabetes Association. Neupert uses phone calls to newspapers and TV stations to get the word out, and presents everyone he meets with a pamphlet about his trip and making donations.

Neupert doesn’t accept any money on the road and requests that all donations be sent to the American Diabetes Association, 1101 N. Lake Destiny Road Suite 415, Maitland, FL, 32751. Donations can be marked in care of Uncle Sonny’s Bike-A-Thon.

The ADA can be contacted at 1-800-676-4065 ext. 3037.

&uot;We are out there trying to help save lives,&uot; he said.