“On the Road” Updates
Read all the weekly updates from the ride here. Click the heading above each image to view the full PDF.
On the Road Update #1, June 5
Hi and welcome to the first week of the climate ride! A week ago the riders dipped their back tires into the Pacific Ocean in Seattle, Washington and started making their way east across the country. After a day of orientation in Seattle and the first event, a virtual townhall meeting, on Sunday May 30, the riders left Seattle Mennonite Church on Monday morning for the first 67-mile day of the summer.
This past week the Climate Riders passed the halfway point of the trip: 30 days and 2,050 miles down. After leaving the Black Hills last week, the mountains are over for a while, but the challenges are not. The group’s first week in the Midwest was full of new challenges including storms, busy roads, and mechanical issues and lots of flat tires from goat head thorns. Adaptability, perseverance and teamwork have been key in making it through each day.
On the fifth week of the Climate Ride, the riders traveled from Lincoln, Nebraska to Iowa City, Iowa. Now that the riders are in the second half of the trip and have entered the Midwest, their focus has shifted toward more community engagement and events. The trend began in Lincoln when they had their first in-person event (with an audience) followed by a community ride the next day.
Hi and welcome back to the Climate Ride. During week six of the trip, the climate riders traveled from Iowa City, Iowa to Goshen, Indiana. The week was filled with meeting new people, learning about land-based issues like agriculture and migration and lots and lots of rain.
On the Road Update #7, July 23
Hi and welcome back to the Climate Ride! The riders are nearing the end of their journey, with only a week until they arrive in D.C.!
During the second to last week of the ride, they traveled from Goshen, Indiana to Holmes County, Ohio, making stops at several communities along the way. After leaving Goshen, the riders were accompanied by community members for the ride to the Merry Lea Environmental Center 30 miles south of Goshen. There they spent an afternoon touring the grounds and learning about Goshen College’s restoration and education programs at the satellite campus.
Hi and welcome to the last week of the Climate Ride! After five days of riding on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal trails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the riders finally made it to D.C. this week!
At 1 PM on Wednesday, the 17 climate riders, along with a handful of guest riders, pedaled onto the National Mall in Washington, D.C. They had covered almost 4,000 miles to get there and spent 2 months exploring the country on their bikes. They had finally made it!
"The Run-Up" Updates
Every 1 or 2 weeks before the ride, we brought you news of places, people and events! Look back at these updates for the good pieces running up to the trip.
Update #1, Feb 2
Hello and welcome to the first CSCS Climate Ride Update!
This summer, 16 riders will bike almost 4,000 miles across the country to raise awareness about climate change and connect solution-makers throughout the Anabaptist community.
Update #2, Feb 16
In the two weeks since the last update, the Climate Ride leaders have been hard at work solidifying details about the route and climate-related events along the way.
Update #3, Mar 2
It’s March, which means we’re three months out from the start of the trip! By now, many of the riders have acquired a touring bicycle, despite the global bike shortage. But there is more to being a bike owner than just riding your bike, the riders are discovering. Thankfully, we are finding kind people who are willing to teach us the ropes of owning and maintaining our bikes.
Update #4, Mar 16
We are 75 days out from the start of the trip, according to our trip countdown. The riders gathered again this Sunday (by Zoom, of course!) to continue preparing for the trip. This week we were joined by Kristin De Mello and Clara Weybright from Mennonite Central Committee’s Washington Office for a briefing on the grand finale of our trip: a “hill visit.”
Update #5, Mar 30
This week the climate riders received some exciting news: two new members were added to the team! Eric Streeter (Indiana University) and Isaac Andreas (Eastern Mennonite University) bring the group number up to 17 (not including the leaders). Stay tuned to learn more about them in an upcoming update!
Update #6, Apr 15
With a month and a half left before the start of the trip, the riders are getting down to business with their training, gathering bike shorts and other necessities for the trip and beginning to engage in conversation around climate change and climate justice (over Zoom).
Update #7, Apr 27
We have a lot to share with you this week, including an exciting opportunity for ten cyclists, our plans for Iowa and a special treat from the trip’s photographer and videographer.
Update #8, May 11
We’re three weeks out from the start of the trip, so it’s time to get down to business. In this update, we will share an invitation with you, announce our plans for our stop in Goshen, Indiana and introduce our new segment, Reflections from the Saddle.
Update #9, May 18
Hi and welcome to the second to last Climate Ride update before the start of the trip! This week, meet the last two riders and read a reflection from Tyler Goss, the trip’s assistant leader, as he thinks about the purpose of the ride.
Update #10, May 25
The riders and their gear have begun making their way to Seattle for the kickstart event on May 30. That means that this is the last pre-trip update before we get into the real action — exciting!