This week’s storytellers tell how cycling adventure riders get on the bike and complete an interstate house move, get an insider view of the consequences of severe drought in African countries, and celebrate memories of loved ones and new friendships.
Bikepackers and Adventure Riders: Jan Rous, Kari Vigerstol, Chelsea Edwards
From: Boulder, CO, Seattle, WA & Moab, UT
Sponsors:
TERRITORY RUN CO. An independent trail running apparel brand, created to empower the wild hearted.
This episode is a direct result of your support on Patreon. Thank you!
Bikepackers and Adventure Riders: Jan Rous, Kari Vigerstol, Chelsea Edwards
From: Boulder, CO, Seattle, WA & Moab, UT
Sponsors:
TERRITORY RUN CO. An independent trail running apparel brand, created to empower the wild hearted.
This episode is a direct result of your support on Patreon. Thank you!
Adventure Story: Listen to Podcasts Now
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This week's featured storytellers and bike adventures
Jan Rouš:
Cycling & Bikepacking Adventure Rider: San Francisco, CA to Boulder, CO
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Jan says he's an amateur adventure rider with a passion for climbing and a penchant for occasional suffering. Listen to Boldly Went free podcasts for Jan's adventure story then get on the bike (or mtb!) and go cycling or bikepacking!
Adventure Quotes- BikepackingOn the bike you are moving at much slower pace. And that makes it really interesting because you can see the small differences. You can see the landscape that is kind of similar to what you’ve seen the day before but there are slight differences and because you look at that the entire day you see the differences. ~Jan Rous, Boulder, CO Follow Jan: Insta
Jan is the Gorilla Glue Gnar Award Winner. The history of this award: When our folding Oru Kayak got hole punched through the side after hitting a beached log, we fixed it by taping and gluing it shut then were able to paddle down the Hudson River for another 100+ miles. When we contacted Gorilla Glue to say thanks, they sent us a bunch of product and we decided to give that product away to our storytellers whose story had the highest gnar factor. Jan's definitely earned this award. |
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Kari Vigerstol: Bikepacking Ethiopia to Namibia in Africa
- Read more about Kari and Kendra's cycling journey on their blog journal.
- Do you want to be a cycling adventure rider and go on an epic bikepacking trip? Go with the same organization Kari did: TDA Global Cycling.
- Are you a Woman Who [Wants] to Run The World? Kari's the best person to go with. Go to her website to learn more about her running trips and sign up or at lease get on the mailing list to be the first to receive notifications about upcoming trips.
- Kari and Kendra rode for and raised $15,000 for Water 1st to support the installation of a well in an Ethiopian Village. See Water 1st's write-up about Kari and Kendra.
What can adventurer riders and cyclists do to impact food and water insecurity and reduce violence?
Click here for $10 off your first box.
Learn more about the relationship between violence and food and water insecurity in the Global Food Policy Report.
The population or systems perspective is the umbrella perspective overarching individual and community actions. For example, creation of one well in Ethiopia is not going to impact the water access across the entire country of Ethiopia. Having a government that can assess resource availability and then distribute those resources to areas of highest need is what impacts entire populations.
When we start talking about population changes in public health, it’s easy to tune out because it’s nebulous, it’s unclear how individuals can help. Even when you do take action, the action does not look to have an immediate pay off. So what can you do to help influence change to help make sure that people around the world have enough food to eat and water to drink and reduce violent crime?
The most obvious impact we all have on policy is our vote. If you care about reducing violence in the world and mitigating drought, water and food insecurity, you can impact that by voting and putting people in positions of authority that act respectfully and empathetically and have a demonstrated history of working well with others and who don’t suffer from cases of the ‘isms… sexism, racism, ageism, disableism, heterosexism and all the rest.
But even that just seems a little too nebulous and hands off for me. So I asked Emily Sloane, the Cash and Markets Technical Advisor for the Economic Recovery and Development Unit at the International Rescue Committee what she thought average people like us can do to reduce violence, food, and water insecurity.
Here’s what she recommended -
The population or systems perspective is the umbrella perspective overarching individual and community actions. For example, creation of one well in Ethiopia is not going to impact the water access across the entire country of Ethiopia. Having a government that can assess resource availability and then distribute those resources to areas of highest need is what impacts entire populations.
When we start talking about population changes in public health, it’s easy to tune out because it’s nebulous, it’s unclear how individuals can help. Even when you do take action, the action does not look to have an immediate pay off. So what can you do to help influence change to help make sure that people around the world have enough food to eat and water to drink and reduce violent crime?
The most obvious impact we all have on policy is our vote. If you care about reducing violence in the world and mitigating drought, water and food insecurity, you can impact that by voting and putting people in positions of authority that act respectfully and empathetically and have a demonstrated history of working well with others and who don’t suffer from cases of the ‘isms… sexism, racism, ageism, disableism, heterosexism and all the rest.
But even that just seems a little too nebulous and hands off for me. So I asked Emily Sloane, the Cash and Markets Technical Advisor for the Economic Recovery and Development Unit at the International Rescue Committee what she thought average people like us can do to reduce violence, food, and water insecurity.
Here’s what she recommended -
- Donate to organizations that help feed hungry people like the UN Refugee Agency, the World Food Program and smaller. NGO’s like the International Rescue Committee, where Emily works, and Oxfam AND demand that politicians generously allocate funds for international humanitarian efforts.
- Donate to agencies that help tackle the longer term causes of food insecurity like Heifer International, CRS and Mercy Corps.
- Support initiatives to address hunger/nutrition issues more locally.
- When traveling, learn about the place you are going to and be aware of your relative wealth and privilege.
- Understanding privilege is another entire topic that Tim has brought up in the latest blog called "Stepping into The Circle with National Geographic."
- Read news/books/articles about how people around the world live.
- To the extent possible, buy food that is produced in a way that is environmentally and socially ethical.
- For example, Imperfect Produce. Did you know that 1 in 5 fruits and veggies grown in the U.S. don't meet cosmetic standards and so they're automatically thrown in the trash – the crooked carrot, the curvy cucumber, the undersized apple – usually causing them to go to waste. Imperfect Produce is changing that.
- They're currently delivering to the Bay Area in California; Los Angeles, CA; Orange County, CA; Portland, OR Metro Area; Seattle, WA Metro Area (includes Tacoma); and Chicago, IL Metro Area. They’re expanding quickly–so check their website to see if they're in your neighborhood.
- As if reducing waste isn't awesome enough, because I'm a subscriber, I can give you $10 off a first box and when you sign up, I get $10 off my box too! Yay for saving the world and eliminating unnecessary waste from awkwardly adorable vegetables!
Chelsea Edwards: TransAmerica AdvRider
Bike Across America: Cycling the TransAmerica Trail AKA Bike Route 76
The TransAmerica Trail is 4,228 miles and goes through Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon. Chelsea went bikepacking for 82 days to complete her bike across America. Listen to her adventure story in the cycling podcast episode this week where she talks about the benefits of cycling and biking.
Chelsea called herself the Wandering Gnome and explains why on her blog but eventually was nicknamed the Pasty Princess because of her attention to sun safety. Chelsea's dad died at only 48 years old after a 3 year battle with melanoma explaining why she was so cautious and she rode in his memory and raised more than $6,000 for melanoma.
Chelsea called herself the Wandering Gnome and explains why on her blog but eventually was nicknamed the Pasty Princess because of her attention to sun safety. Chelsea's dad died at only 48 years old after a 3 year battle with melanoma explaining why she was so cautious and she rode in his memory and raised more than $6,000 for melanoma.
Adventure Quotes - Why TransAmerica Life?
Through my [Transamerica Trail] bike ride, I want to continue to remember my father. I want to remember all lives lost from cancer. However, we can not live in fear of cancer. We simply must live. Sun safe, of course! ~Chelsea Edwards
See other stats from Chelsea on the final entry in her trip blog including how many times she was pooped on by a bird, hint, it's more than she was robbed/ felt threatened / or in danger which = 0. Chelsea's described her gear list there too.
Read more about Chelsea's experience on her blog.
Learn more about the TransAmerica Trail
Read more about Chelsea's experience on her blog.
Learn more about the TransAmerica Trail
This book is a manual for creating adventure as a lifestyle. Get on the waitlist to be the first to know when it's published.
Music: Free Music Archive
Ryan Little. West Coast. Attribution License 4.0.
Katy Kirby. Every Time. Attribution License.
Chris Zabriskie. Wonder Cycle. Attribution License.
Chris Zabriskie. Everybody's Got Problems that Aren't Mine. Attribution License.
Katy Kirby. Every Time. Attribution License.
Chris Zabriskie. Wonder Cycle. Attribution License.
Chris Zabriskie. Everybody's Got Problems that Aren't Mine. Attribution License.
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