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Bearsun is walking from L.A. to New York, and you can track him

A person in a bear costume stands on the unpaved shoulder of a remote highway
This photo of Bearsun, on his way from Los Angeles to New York City, was taken in the Apple Valley area.
(Alexsis Torres)
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Last week, a life-sized teddy bear walked out of Little Toyko.

Jesse Larios created the Bearsun character — a Japanese anime-style teddy bear that has more than 71,000 followers on Instagram.

In April, Larios made headlines when he embarked on a two-week trek, walking from Los Angeles to San Francisco while collecting donations for charity.

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Now, Larios is donning his Bearsun costume and walking to New York, with plans to raise more money.

On Tuesday morning, he was somewhere between Victorville and Barstow, according to the tracking app iSharing.

Man — and bear — have been braving sweltering temperatures, but Larios has been buoyed by fans and supporters who stop to pose for photos along the way.

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Like he did on his San Francisco walk, Larios is keeping Bearsun’s Instagram followers in the loop, posting frequent updates about his new journey. On Monday evening, he shared a video of the sun setting in the high desert near Apple Valley.

“It was awesome.... I got to meet a bunch of the residents here at Apple Valley,” he says in the video. “Another great day in the new adventure here.

“I’m not going to stop walking until I get to Barstow,” he says in his sunset dispatch.

Who is this costumed man? The Times has been unable to reach Larios, amid his current trek, to find out more. But in April he told CNN he was a California native, 33, and worked for a company that sold health insurance plans — not a bad thing to have when walking cross-country in record-setting heat while wearing a giant bear costume.

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Larios’ latest trek will encompass more than 2,700 miles. By comparison, his walk to San Francisco was closer to 400 miles.

He aims to raise money for at least five organizations, including the Autism Society of America and the National Breast Cancer Foundation, according to his website. A GoFundMe account dedicated to autism support has already raised more than $6,000.

Responses to Larios’ journey on social media range from admiration to apprehension as he treks so far during the middle of a record heat wave.

“I am excited to watch you on this journey,” one Instagram user with the handle @alexamarieleach commented on Bearsun’s sunset video. “I can’t imagine doing this, but the story you’ll forever get to tell will be legendary! Safe travels & of course stay hydrated!! Sending all the best positive vibes your way!”

“I love this but I am super worried for you! This is super dangerous! Please be safe!” another Instagram user commented on the same video.

San Bernardino County residents may catch a glimpse of Larios on Tuesday as he continues his sojourn across the state.

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“Barstow, you guys are next,” he says in his latest video.

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