(UPI) A life-size teddy bear on a quest to walk the more than 400 miles from Los Angeles to San Francisco said his journey has been fraught with obstacles -- including a brief run-in with the law.

Jesse Lasios, 33, who goes by the name Bearsun when he dons his teddy bear costume, said he had no goal in mind when he decided to take Bearsun for the long walk between the California cities.

"I'm like a puppy, I guess. I just see something, and I chase after it," Larios told CNN. He said the walk sounded like a fun adventure.

Larios, who successfully ran a marathon in 2020 while dressed as Bearsun, was approached by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department during his walk on Tuesday.

"This was a bear-y unique situation. You may have seen a large teddy bear walking through town. One of our deputies got to meet the individual inside the bear & learned his goal is to complete a walk from Los Angeles to San Francisco. We wish him the best of luck on his adventure," the sheriff's office tweeted.

Larios said the deputy only wanted to make sure he was safe and hydrated.

He said other obstacles, such as road closures and unexpectedly difficult terrain, have caused delays that pushed his expected arrival date in San Francisco back from April 17 to April 21.

Larios said he is spending his nights camping, and is asking supporters on GoFundMe to help him with food and other costs. He said any surplus money from the crowdfunding effort will go toward creating an upgraded Bearsun suit.

Larios said his goal as Bearsun is simple: to spread joy.

"This is what I want to do. I just want to run marathons in my bear suit," he said. It makes other people happy, too, and I'm all about laughter and smiles.

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