 In early 1979, Ted was living and working in the Hermosa Beach Animal Hospital in Hermosa Beach, California.One evening, while practicing roller skating, he had the idea that he would like to roller skate across the United States to protest the 1979 energy crisis that was causing long gasoline lines and gas rationing in 1979.He contacted KZLA Radio in Los Angeles, then an adult contemporary format station, and told them about his idea.