Meet the Riders
Below are a brief bio and other information on each of the riders, as well as their personal reasons for participating in the journey.
See a video compilation of comments from the riders on why they’re doing this ride, and why they care about climate change.
The Riders
Isaac Alderfer
Isaac Alderfer is the events coordinator for the Climate Ride. A junior, environmental science major at Eastern Mennonite University, Isaac was the CSCS ambassador for his campus this year. That experience helped him discover his passion for facilitating engagement around climate issues.
Isaac competes in cross country and track at EMU, is involved in researching stream water quality with one of his professors and is a barista at a coffee shop. In his free time, Isaac likes to spend time outside, often accompanied by a camera, binoculars or a notebook. “I really love anything that happens in the mountains, woods, or on the water,” he said.
Isaac, who grew up in Broadway, Virginia, wanted to join the climate ride because biking across the country had been on his bucket list for a long time and because “having the chance to do that while also advocating for action and policy changes for the climate is an incredible opportunity I couldn’t turn down.”
When thinking about climate change, Isaac said: “I love wildlife and appreciating delicate balancing acts in nature, and the thought of those unraveling and even disappearing is where I feel some of the most pain.” He finds hope in the words of Author Robin Wall Kimmerer: “I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”
Isaac Andreas
Isaac Andreas is a junior at Eastern Mennonite University studying math and computer science. Isaac grew up in Chicago and North Newton, Kansas and has spent time living in Guatemala, Spain and Israel/Palestine as well. But numbers and traveling aren’t his only passions. He also enjoys creating ceramics, riding scooters, dumpster diving, eating peanut butter, playing frisbee and asking questions.
Isaac said he wanted to join the climate ride because “I saw what kinds of people were applying for it and I wanted to be more like them.”
When thinking about climate change, he said, “My biggest concern is how disproportionately climate change affects the poor.” Isaac is a proponent of effective altruism, which means he searches out solutions that have the potential to make the biggest positive impact with a given amount of resources, and puts his energy and resources into them.
A quote by Shantideva, an 8th-century philosopher from India, gives Isaac hope in the face of climate change: “If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?”
Toby Bartlett
Toby Bartlett is a junior kinesiology major at Fresno Pacific University. Toby, who grew up in Fresno, loves being active. He competes in pole vault and javelin in track and also enjoys surfing, biking, weight lifting, doing yoga, meditating, sky diving and cliff jumping. He hopes to become a physical therapist one day.
Toby, was drawn to the Climate Ride because, he said, “I have a huge heart for the planet and the environment.” He also looks forward to the resilience he will gain from completing such an endeavor. “When I’m finally in DC and I have all those miles behind me, I know I’ll be able to accomplish anything I put my mind to,” he said.
Where does Toby find hope in the face of climate change? “I get hope from the people who are picking up trash from the oceans. I get hope from the people who choose to recycle and the people who turn off the lights after they leave a room. I get hope from knowing there’s people out there who do care about the planet, and it’s not just me by myself or you by yourself trying to fix this mess that we’re in.”
Denver Beck
Denver Beck is a junior Goshen College student majoring in sustainability studies and minoring in art. Denver is a member of the Goshen College soccer team and loves playing all kinds of sports as well as listening to music, going on “ambitious outdoor adventures” and playing his guitar. Denver is originally from Vermont, but more recently calls Archbold, Ohio home.
As someone studying sustainability, Denver believes that making changes to systems and policies is “really vital to make bigger steps towards addressing climate change.” Some recent changes that give Denver hope include the cancelation of the Keystone pipeline and the US’s recommitment to the Paris Climate Accords.
“When I first heard about the (Climate) Ride,” Denver said, “I thought it was a great opportunity to combine two things I’m really passionate about… being outside, being active, and climate action.”
What is Denver looking forward to on the trip? “I’m most looking forward to the simplicity and joy of having one goal every day, just getting up and biking.”
Micah Buckwalter
Micah Buckwalter is a sophomore environmental sustainability major at Eastern Mennonite University. Originally from Fulks Run, VA, Micah loves being active and spending time outdoors. He is on the EMU soccer team and got into cycling and mountain biking during quarantine this past year.
What Micah loves most about his field of study are the opportunities to get outside and do hands-on research. Micah has been testing the nutrients, bacteria and water force in streams in the Shenandoah Valley since his senior year of high school. “It’s a really great way to get outside and… find out new things about the areas where you’re living,” he said.
What gives Micah hope in the face of climate change is people doing the little things like wasting less and using a bike instead of a car. “I think (or at least hope) that our generation will take behavior changes very seriously,” he said.
Doing a bikepacking trip has been a goal of Micah’s for quite some time. Besides the adventure, he said, “I’m really looking forward to this trip because of the goal of bringing awareness to climate issues.”
Loren Friesen
Loren Friesen is the visual communication coordinator for the bike ride. A videographer, photographer and motion graphic designer living in San Diego, California, Loren will be documenting the trip through pictures and videos.
Loren calls Fresno, California home, but as the son of Mennonite Central Committee workers, he also spent time living in Vietnam and India when he was growing up. Loren studied communication and media at Fresno Pacific University. After graduating in 2019, he volunteered with MCC in Durban, South Africa for seven months before returning home at the start of the pandemic.
Besides taking photos and videos, Loren also likes to play soccer, surf, hike and run and has recently been enjoying San Diego’s coast-side bike routes as he trains for the trip.
When Loren thinks about climate change, one of the things that worries him the most is the lack of policy addressing it. He believes that for people to make changes in a capitalist society, economic incentives are critical. “If it is profitable to address climate change,” Loren said, “then we’ll do it.” Policies can provide the economic incentives needed to mobilize people to change their ways. Loren sees the need for mass changes as not only a challenge, but an opportunity to “make our cities greener and our public spaces more intimate with the earth.”
Vanessa Gardiner
Vanessa Gardiner is a freshman at Eastern Mennonite University studying biology and kinesiology. Vanessa is on EMU’s basketball, track and triathlon teams, and loves to exercise and challenge herself physically. She also likes to read, do yoga, paint, draw and watch anime. Vanessa, who grew up in Springfield, Va., describes herself as “a little shy at first, but I will eventually open up to everyone.”
When thinking about climate change, Vanessa is most concerned about the effects on animals and other living organisms. She is worried that “we are not taking enough action together as a global community.” Where she finds hope is in people who are giving their all to raise awareness for the issue.
Vanessa was attracted to the climate ride because she said, “I wanted to bring more awareness to climate change and challenge my mental and physical abilities.” She is fairly new to both biking and traveling, and looks forward to developing her biking skills and seeing many new places.
Tyler Goss
Tyler Goss is the assistant leader for the Climate Ride. Tyler, who has roots in Richmond, Virginia, currently lives in Harrisonburg where he is in charge of campus activities at Eastern Mennonite University and oversees a residence hall as a residence director.
Tyler comes from the Church of the Brethren side of the Anabaptist pond and has spent many years serving the church in various capacities while also diving into the art of conflict transformation.
Tyler loves to try new things, has an irrational fear of balloons, and strives to live into the motto of “fun people can have fun doing anything.”
In the face of climate change, Tyler gets hope from the college students he works with. “(I) continually see ways that the younger generations are always thinking about what we can do better for the environment,” he said. “That’s what they talk about.”
Tyler is looking forward to learning from the other riders and various communities he will encounter on the trip. He is excited to spend a summer immersed in the world of environmental justice all while trying to avoid chafing.
Thomas Guadalupe-Johnson
Thomas Guadalupe-Johnson is a junior graphic and visual design major at Eastern Mennonite University. Thomas loves all forms of art, “all the way from painting and sculpture to film and graphic design;” but art is only one of his passions. Thomas, who grew up in Clayton, North Carolina, also loves botany, carpentry, fishing, hunting and motor vehicles.
Thomas competes on the cross country and track teams at EMU and looks forward to the growth that will result from the physical challenges of this bike trip. “This opportunity,” he said, “puts me in a position to better myself, (and) hopefully better others, which would better our world.”
Growing up, Thomas spent time living in Virginia and Puerto Rico besides North Carolina. “Every year we destroy more and more of this beautiful earth and the creatures inhabiting it,” Thomas laments. While he finds this really concerning, he also finds reason for hope: “Knowing that we can change one simple habit and save a species should give any the motivation to take action.”
Miriam Huebner
Miriam Huebner is a first-year student at Canadian Mennonite University interested in environmental studies and sociology. She grew up in Winnipeg, but has spent time living in Jerusalem, the Netherlands, Croatia, Guatemala and North Carolina.
Miriam loves to create things and always has a project going, whether it’s sewing, painting, embroidery, ceramics, crocheting or another craft. She likes to garden, camp and forage for wild edibles. At CMU, Miriam is involved in Sanctoral Cycle, a biking hub that promotes bike-commuting on campus. At the hub, she helps students get access to affordable bicycles and teaches her peers how to repair and build bikes.
Miriam competed on the Manitoba Cycling team in high school and is excited to pursue her passion for the sport in a new way this summer. “This feels like an amazing opportunity to learn and to raise awareness about climate change in a way that suites me perfectly,” she said.
Miriam said climate change often terrifies her. “When I read the news I get really scared and anxious…” she said, “but then I go for a walk and the trees ground me and remind me that the reason I care about climate change so much because of how strongly I love this world.”
Greta Lapp Klassen
Greta Lapp Klassen is a sophomore English major at Goshen College. Greta, who is also minoring in art and writing, is involved in the college’s orchestra and choir as well as the campus newspaper and in-house publishing groups. Greta grew up in Goshen and spent a year in Bolivia through Mennonite Central Committee’s SALT program before starting college.
Greta, who describes herself as a story-teller, finds hope in the power of stories to motivate and unite people and is excited about the opportunities for sharing stories on the Climate Ride. She is also excited to see new parts of the country, as she has never been farther west than Kansas.
Greta wanted to join the Climate Ride to build a deeper connection with her own body and the natural world through the physically-challenging experience. “I think there’s no better way to understand what climate change is doing to our earth,” she said, “than living super rooted in the earth and our bodies for two months… If we can foster positive relationships with our bodies in nature, I think we can go out and change the world.”
Samantha Lioi
Samantha E Lioi lives in Buffalo, New York where she runs a spiritual direction practice and leads contemplative retreats. Samantha grew up in North Jersey, where she picked up an “okay Brooklyn accent” and an appreciation for Italian restaurants and pizza. After traveling the world during and after college, she completed a Masters in Divinity at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and worked as a pastor until last year.
Samantha loves to be outside whether she’s hiking, backpacking, biking or taking walks along the Niagara River near her home. She also loves art and singing and enjoys meeting with a group called Hymnsing to sing and pray every Wednesday. Through her work with the Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement, Samantha has become active in supporting social justice causes in her community.
I feel a lot of grief about the ways we human beings have damaged and in some cases obliterated ecosystems,” Samantha said. What keeps her going? “I am motivated by a love for the immense beauty of the earth and its creatures.”
Liz Miller
Liz Miller is a senior Spanish major at Eastern Mennonite University where she competes on the school’s cross country, track and triathlon teams. Liz, who grew up on a farm in Pettisville, Ohio, spent a year in Honduras with MCC’s SALT program between her years at Hesston College and EMU. This year, Liz is teaching a class of kindergarteners and first graders. In her free, time she likes doing yoga and origami and makes her own kombucha and sourdough bread.
Liz, primarily a runner, started biking last spring after being diagnosed with a stress fracture the day she was sent home for the pandemic. Biking provided a way for Liz to stay in shape and stay sane while she recovered. She hasn’t stopped biking since. “I love riding,” Liz said, “because it’s a fairly Covid-safe activity that allows you to connect with others and enjoy time outdoors and off-campus.”
Liz is interested in the issues of environmental racism and food security. “What gives me hope in my fellow humans,” she said, “is a return to values of more community living, communal approaches to meeting everyone’s needs.”
Thinking about the trip, Liz looks forward the the strength she will gain: “Not just physical strength, but strength of character, confidence in choosing a path and going after it.”
Anna Paetkau
Anna Paetkau is a junior studying biology and environmental science at Eastern Mennonite University. Originally from Goshen, Indiana, Anna has always loved nature, and hopes to become a marine biologist someday. Anna joined the triathlon team at EMU this year.
Climate change is on Anna’s mind a lot and they often ponder the systems that allow for climate change to happen. “The western way of life,” Anna said, “is a lot of consume, consume, and I think a lot of people, because it’s so ingrained in their minds, have accepted that as natural for humans.”
“It’s terrifying to think that it is,” they said, “because how do we change that? But I don’t think it is at all.” The realization that many harmful habits, like consumerism, aren’t actually human nature gives Anna hope because it means that change is possible.
Looking ahead at the bike trip, Anna is excited to learn from people with different experiences and views than their own. They believe this will help them relate with people from a wider range of backgrounds in their field of study. They also look forward to the confidence they will gain in their body. “being able to know that my body can transport me from coast to coast is a very amazing thing,” they said. Despite what society tells us, Anna said, “there is no ideal body. It’s just your body and it’s working for you, and that’s beautiful.”
“Obviously humans are to blame (for climate change), but we are working under the system that we were born into and have been taught to be compliant with. I think that a lot of people now are realizing that we don’t have to be compliant with the system that we were given. And we shouldn’t be because it doesn’t work for us. That realization… is really hopeful.”
Sierra Ross Richer
Sierra Ross Richer is the written communication intern for the Climate Ride. A junior journalism major at Goshen College, Sierra is in charge of putting together the bi-weekly email updates (they will become weekly after this week) and will gather and share reflections from the riders during the trip.
Sierra works for the campus newspaper at Goshen College and is an intern at the Anabaptist World magazine. When she isn’t writing, Sierra likes to cook, go on adventures outdoors, garden and–more recently–slackline and hacky sack. Sierra calls Goshen Indiana home, but she has also lived in California, Peru and Ecuador with her family.
When thinking about climate change, Sierra worries about how disconnected many people have become from the natural world. “This planet isn’t just a planet of humans,” she said. “So it makes me sad that we’ve gotten to this point where we’ve created this big disaster for the entire planet because we weren’t looking out for any of the other members of the community.”
Sierra believes her generation has a unique opportunity to make big changes to “the way that society works, the way that people interact with each other and interact with the environment.” She sees the climate ride as a chance to practice living into those changes.
“I’m really excited we’ll get the chance on the trip,” she said, “(to) build our own community… and make our own normal.”
Caleb Schrock-Hurst
Caleb Schrock Hurst is a first-year student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary pursuing a master’s in religion and church history. Originally from Harrisonburg, Virginia, Caleb graduated from Hesston College and Eastern Mennonite University with a degree in English and minors in history and music. Caleb plays tennis and the cello. He also likes to write, read and follow European soccer “a bit too closely” (he’s an Arsenal fan).
After college, Caleb spent two years serving in Vietnam with MCC’s SALT program where he worked as a copy editor at the World Publishing House and later as the coordinator for the MCC Vietnam History Project. While in Hanoi, he wrote the book “65 Years of Walking Together: The MCC Vietnam Story.”
After having lived in Vietnam, Caleb worries about overpopulation in Southeast Asia and the effects of climate change on lower-income communities. “Rich countries such as the United States of America really need to pull their weight,” he said.
Caleb wanted to join the climate ride because, he said, “I think that raising awareness about climate change and raising awareness about alternative modes of transportation is incredibly important as we move forward as a global society.”
Our Leaders
Joanna Friesen
Joanna Friesen will ride with participants for the entirety of the trip. She is currently a coach at EMU, (triathlon, cross country, and track), a seminary student at EMU (graduating in May 2021), and has a history of bike touring (including a cross-country trip in 2017). She will provide coaching and training support leading up to the trip, and work with participants in team and community building before and during the trip.
David Landis
David Landis will facilitate planning and ride with participants for portions of the trip. David, an EMU grad (2004), has led and completed numerous cross-country and long-distance bike tours, including Bike Movement, a cross-USA trip facilitating conversations across Mennonite communities. David is the founder of Village to Village Press, specializing in publishing guidebooks and developing trails worldwide for community based adventure tourism, including the TransVirginia Bike Route, a gravel bikepacking route across Virginia, the Jesus Trail, a trek across the Galilee, and provided resources for many Camino routes in Europe. He lives in Harrisonburg with his wife and three children.
Our Support Crew
Mary Ann & Dan Conrad
Mary Ann and Dan Conrad love to ride their tandem bicycle around the streets of Albuquerque, New Mexico, but this summer, they are leaving their bike at home to drive the support vehicle for the Climate Ride. Mary Ann is a retired teacher who works part-time as the Children and Youth Ministry Associate at Albuquerque Mennonite Church. Dan, who retired from his job as a psychiatrist last August, has since become an artisan bread baker. Both Mary Ann and Dan describe themselves as out-door enthusiasts and are looking forward to exploring new areas of the country this summer and getting to know young people who care about the planet.