Trainer Confessions

Climate Ride – why is it important to you?

[This post is somewhat off-topic & on Global Warming, but given that it ties back to the Climate Ride, it does belong here on Trainer Confessions.  What you see below is the text I intend to send to a few local news papers for inclusion in the Letter to the Editor section.  If you see any text that could be improved upon before then, please let me know.  And of course if you want to make a donation to the Climate Ride, please follow this link.]

When I signed up for the Climate Ride (a charitable 5 day 300+ mile bike ride to support sustainable solutions, bike advocacy and environmental causes) a few of my cycling friends thought it was a way for me to indulge my passion for cycling.  While there might be an ounce of truth behind such thinking, without question my primary motivation is help convince others to take action to avert the worst of what man-made Global Warming has already set in motion.

A long time ago, I once associated Global Warming’s impact with Polar Bears and glaciers – things in faraway places with only indirect consequences to my life.  In recent years as I learned more, I felt compelled to take Green actions as part of my parental duties; not only did I want to raise happy and healthy children, but I also wanted to make sure they inherited a livable planet when they grew up. 

But as I look back upon the increasingly numerous climate disasters in 2011 (unprecedented droughts, floods, and heat waves that impacted people all over the globe), it now has become clear that action is needed to make changes NOW and in my lifetime.  Global Warming isn’t something bad that could happen at some point in the future; it was one of the factors in 2011’s record setting number of Billion Dollar weather disasters in the US (a cost that doesn’t account for the devastation incurred to the hundreds who also lost their lives in these events).

But why doesn’t everyone realize this?  Why do you rarely hear news coverage of Global Warming, except for when it snows out during the winter and Fox News decides to roast Al Gore once again?  Why is it that all of the leading GOP presidential candidates even go so far as calling Global Warming a hoax perpetrated by greedy scientists looking for grant money?

And why is it that when I asked someone recently for ideas on how to raise money, they responded by saying “Global Warming isn’t like raising money for Cancer.  Everyone knows someone whose life was threatened (or worse) by cancer.  Global Warming just doesn’t impact as many people.”

I know first-hand of cancer’s far-reaching impact; I lost my half-brother to the disease when he was still just a child.  Cancer takes the lives of tens of millions of people ever year, so unquestionably those raising money for cancer deserve the support they receive.  But why can’t I convince people that the same is true for man-made Global Warming, which already is impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of people, and within a decade or so could be impacting all 7 billion members of the human race?

The comparison to cancer got me thinking a bit more as to why too few people today feel there’s reason to take Global Warming seriously.  Many decades ago, the scientific evidence on smoking was indisputable; if you smoked scientists proved that your odds of getting life-threatening cancer sky-rocketed.  Yet highly skilled marketers and lobbyists funded by the tobacco industry cast just enough doubt on the science, and as a result, millions of people dismissed the warnings and continued to smoke.  Big Tobacco’s profits continued to swell, even as people’s lives were ended by cancer.

Today Big Oil and Coal are following the same game plan to protect their record breaking profits, even going as far as using some of the very same former Tobacco marketers and lobbyists.  For example, even as the people of Texas continue to suffer through an unparalleled drought, the successful marketing and lobbying campaigns funded by millions of dollars of coal and oil money have the governor of that state, and presidential hopeful Rick Perry, declaring that Global Warming is a hoax and that there’s no reason for Texans to question the doubt as anything other than a natural occurrence.

It took millions of deaths to finally bring the end the influence of Big Tobacco.  Absent of their money and messaging, now you’d be hard pressed to find someone willing to challenge the science connecting smoking to cancer deaths.  Unfortunately today Global Warming science, now backed and supported by virtually every major scientific body, is still not widely known or believed by significant portions of the country.   Much like the chain smokers of the 60s and 70s whose health was on the decline, today we see the worsening signs of Global Warming, yet we fail to believe the science that would give us a path away from our terrible addiction.  I just hope that it won’t take the deaths of tens or hundreds of millions before we finally break from the shackles of the influence of Big Oil and Coal.

And that is why I signed up for the Climate Ride again this year.  It’s for a cause that’s deeply important to me, and now I hope that you might find a reason to think that it’s important to you as well.

 

Climate Ride 2012 -- I'm in!

Climate Ride NYC-DC 2012

May 19 - 23, 2012 | 5 Days | 300 Miles

I wasn't sure if I was going to sign-up for the Climate Ride again this year.  Don't get me wrong -- I wanted to sign up; my experience in 2011's edition was nothing but positive.  It was an extremely well run event where I was surrounded by 149 like-minded cyclists intent to make a difference out on 350 miles (I of course had to add in extra 50 miles to the ride's standard 300) of mostly quiet back roads.  It also was an event that required me to raise $2,400 (which I failed to do, so I had to donate a big chunk of my own money), and that's why I had reservations on doing the ride again 2012.

I had no doubt that I would do the ride again eventually, but I wasn't so keen on going back to the well so soon looking for donations.  I am certain that in my fund raising efforts for 2011, I became so annoying in my persistent reminders and nagging that mail filters had me re-routed to Spam folders.  And I know there were a few people who dug deep in order to support the cause, and now I need to come knocking on their doors seeking their generous support yet again.

So why am I now signed up yet again?

Two great causes

In general, I've had a pretty great stretch recently.  Work has dramatically picked up, giving me ample opportunities every day to feel as though I've made a difference.  Its not just busy work -- I'm involved in things that put my skills to good use, and I regularly see that my efforts have helped to improve things and to help move things in the right direction.

Work isn't too crazy though such that I don't have time to keep up with my training for 2012's racing season.  While I do have to get most of my work-outs in before anyone in the Desmarais household is even thinking of ending the night's slumber, I'm now accustomed to the less flexible work schedule and I'm confident my progress on the bike right now will have me doing well come springtime.

And pretty much all of the other important things in my life (most notably Mrs D and the girls) seem to be headed in the right direction -- onwards and upwards.

But there's one big exception.  One part of my life where I still give myself a big fat F.  While I talk a lot about how little is being done about Global Warming (or Global Weirding as some have started to call it), and I certainly read a lot about how things are unquestionably getting worse, I still don't do a lot..  At best I'm a passive complainer, still searching for ways to make a difference but without much to show thus far. 

So without an idea yet as to what significant actions I can take to do more, I go back to what I do best.  Ride my bike and hope that I can convince people to contribute to two great causes (350.org and Rails to Trails). 

Oh, and if you do make a contribution, you'll be helping me to support two other great causes -- a world I hope my 2 girls inherit without wars fought over ever more scarce resources; a world not ravaged by ever more devastating floods; and a world with a thriving economy based upon local clean tech energy.  So if you want to make a difference and make sure the two great causes pictured below inherit a world worth cycling in, please consider making a secure, tax-deductible donation here.

About the Climate Ride (from their website):

The mission of Climate Ride is to inspire and empower citizens to work toward a new energy future. We use sport as a means to change lives and build an effective, citizen-based sustainability movement.

Climate Ride Program Goals

• Raise money for groundbreaking sustainability, climate, clean energy, and bicycle-related projects and organizations.
• Raise the profile of renewable energy and the green economy among participants, donors, sponsors, and the general public.
• Increase awareness and understanding of the inter-connectedness of environmental issues caused by the climate crisis among participants, donors, sponsors, and the general public.
• Foster a sense of civic duty and participation that encourages engagement with members of Congress, elected officials, and national leaders.
• Promote the bicycle as a viable, carbon-free, healthy, and critical component of a green transportation infrastructure.
• Motivate individuals to take responsibility for reducing their carbon and energy footprint.
• Develop multiple Climate Ride events that galvanize a worldwide network of Climate Riders.

About 350.org (from their website)

350.org is building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis. Our online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and mass public actions are led from the bottom up by thousands of volunteer organizers in over 188 countries.

About Rais to Trails (from their website)

Our Mission
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., whose mission it is to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.

 

 

Climate Ride Tough Guys (and Gals)

Climate Ride Cycling Wrap-up

The goal of the Climate Ride was to raise money and increase awareness about climate change, clean energy, and alternative transportation (eg. something other than a car), and I'm pretty sure the event was a success.  I'll share more on that in a few days over on my other blog, Dennis D's Quest.  The means by which we achieved that goal was to ride our bikes a lot.  As it turns out, I was VERY successful in that regard.  After 5 days I tallied 22 hrs, 8 minutes of ride time over 354 miles while burning 11,875 kJ.  That's about 20 big macs worth of calories, or for the vegetarians out there, about 42 tofu burger burned while out on the road.

I returned home a little more fatigued than I had anticipated.  My legs were surprised numerous times by the roads we faced.  While the pavement was mostly smooth and located in tranquil settings (for good chunks of time cows and horses outnumbered the cars we passed), the elevation gain was far steeper than I had envisioned for such a long charity ride.  Nothing as serious as what I'd face on a hilly road race in New England, but still, far more climbing than I'd normally associate with a long charity ride.  And of course I have myself to blame for the tired legs as I kept hammering away, especially so on the hills, often leaving fellow riders in awe. 

One of the scenic roads of Amish Country

 
One rider remarked “I wish I was good at something like you – I’m only good at drinking beer and eating pizza.”  I’ll admit that such comments stoked the ego just a bit, but as the days passed by, I found myself far more impressed with the other riders.  After all, what’s more impressive?  A Cat 4 roadie who zooms up the hills faster than the rest of the charity rider peloton?  Or the person in not-so-great shape with maybe just a couple hundred miles under their belt for the year who pushed their bodies to the brink of exhaustion?  A regular bike commuter who took his trusty Fixie out of the city and into the hills? 

Fixie on the left, fixie rider holding helmet on the right

 
Or how about the guy who powered the contraption pictured below for 300 miles to demonstrate the utilitarian aspects of cycling?

Two ladies taking tough guy's steed for a test ride

 
Or the folks who donned work clothes to prove you can bike to work at even great distances?

"Commuter" on the left.

 
And there's no way you could claim I had more stamina than this mother-daughter duo!

The two most impressive Climate Riders, photo from Kip Pierson

 
 
What further impressed me with my fellow rider’s performances had to do with their motivation.  For those who know me personally, it is clear that Climate Change is a cause near and dear to me.  However, if you were to say “Dennis, do you want to ride 300 miles in five days to support XYZ”, I might just say “yes”, regardless of what word you use to replace XYZ.  I love riding my bike, and I need little motivation to get me excited to hit the roads.  Yet I’m willing to bet that a good number of the 140 riders battled with their bikes, and perhaps even grew to loath their bikes as they clawed their way up a few hills in excess of 11%.  Yet they persevered & toughed it out all in the name of a good cause. 

I enjoyed every one of the tens of thousands of pedal strokes throughout the 350+ miles, so even though I might have been going fast, I’d say I had it pretty easy.  For the not-so-avid female cyclist whose descrption of her saddle rash grew more grotesque with each day, and all of the other riders like her, now that’s impressive!        

Climate Ride Training Camp

Pre-Ride Jitters

I departed for my 5 days at the Climate Ride (again, not too late to donate!) with a bit more anxiety than I normally have before a big race.  I felt anxiety about driving in NYC, where cabbies honk their horns like aggressive riders at a Crit barking at me for opening gaps; I worried about whether my car would be safe while I left it there until the end of the ride as I had visions of the valet’s abusing my car like in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).  I also was concerned about whether or not I’d figure out how to put my tent up as until last night I had never slept in a tent, never mind erected one on my own.

My tent is up!

 

All the anxiety came to pass though once I found myself out on the bike.  As it turns out, the one thing I probably should have been concerned about was finding my way to each destination.  Not surprisingly, I somehow missed what seemed to be some very well marked turns.  But given that I had no time constraints and no concerns about missing any deadlines, I welcomed the navigation mishaps as an opportunity for an added excursion and extra time to enjoy new roads.  While nothing that I’ve seen thus far has been overly scenic, the route has mostly meandered through the bucolic country side, especially today.  And there’s nothing like new territory to add some variety to your training plan.

No Racers Allowed

Yes, that’s right – I’m still following my training plan.  I’m here on a mission to make a difference with Global Warming, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m also selfishly using some of this time as my own mini-training camp.  It does make me stick out a tad, and I have to figure that at least some of the participants here think that I might just be trying to show off.  Aside from a rider from the Rails to Trails Conservancy (Ken) and a little friendly competition of town line sprints, there’s no desire on my part to compete while I’m out here.  It’s a charity ride, and not a race.  But given that I probably have 5 to 10 times as many miles under my belt this year than most of the other riders out here, the differences in my abilities out on the road are rather stark.

I had a hint that there weren’t going to be too many rabbits on this ride when we lined up to kick things off yesterday as I was the only rider donning a team kit.  But it was only after riding for a while that I realized that there weren’t any other racers amongst the group, and that sorta came as a surprise to me.  I suppose because I surround myself with racers in my cycling life, I just assumed that at least a portion of the racing community would make an appearance at the Climate Ride.  But it seems as though I’m the only one out of the 150 or so other riders.  I’m not sure what that means – is the racing community as a whole not aware of Climate Change?  Or is the racing community such a small fraction of the overall cycling community that I should have expected to be 1 out of 150?

I’m not sure what the answer is to that question.  All I can be sure of though is that I’m getting some great work-outs in at my Climate Ride Training Camp!