Tales From The Trail: Bike MN 350!

COP16: The Next Adventure

2010-11-16T19:23:00.000-08:00

In less than two weeks, I will be on the ground in Cancun as a member of the SustainUS U.S. Youth Delegation to COP16 in Cancun, Mexico. I am excited, and ready to be working with youth from around the world to advocate for a fair and equitable international climate treaty.

Last year I was honored to have been a part of the Will Steger Foundation's Expedition Copenhagen, a United Nations delegation of 12 Midwest Youth led by polar explorer Will Steger. Through my work with the Expedition Team, I helped organize a 700 mile 350.org Climate Bike through rural Minnesota, learned how to mentor and speak effectively on the issue of climate change, and took part as a youth observer delegate in the COP15 United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen.

As a team we worked together, asking tough questions in meetings high level U.S. officials such as U.S. Envoy to the U.N. on Climate Change, Jonathan Pershing and working with youth from around the world to organize events such as the Youth Climate Flash Dance and a rally against tar sands. The result of the conference negotiations, the Copenhagen Accord, was bittersweet. The Accord was an extremely weak compromise where countries could choose to write in whatever amount they elected to reduce their CO2 emissions by without any kind of legally binding protocols. Although this was a disappointment, the process was still moving forward when it could have fallen apart. I chose to not give up hope.

Resist Despair. This is a phrase that I emphasize in the speeches that I give at schools, religious institutions and events, and is one of the most important things that we must do if we are to confront the climate crisis. All too often it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of what could happen if we do not confront the climate challenge head on, but it is not too late, and there is so much that is still possible. When I returned to the United States I made the decision to resist the despair that I felt over the results of COP15. I chose to keep going, organizing the Minnesota Clean Energy Forum, and speaking everywhere that I could about the subject of climate change.

In 10 days, I will be returning to the UNFCCC process as a SustainUS youth delegate. This time will be different, and I feel older and wiser from my experiences in Copenhagen. I will be working with youth from around the world and the SustainUS delegation to plan creative actions and campaigns, and will give you a blow by blow blog update from on the ground. One of the most important things that you can do to help out with our campaigns from back home is to become a COP15 Rapid Responder. If you sign up, we will call you only 3 or 4 times during the conference and will ask you to talk with U.S. Congresspeople and Department of State officials about specific aspects of the treaty that we are hoping to influence. Please consider becoming a rapid responder by following this link: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDNOVEgwcktCREp1X0haVkVTdVQ1U3c6MQ

Peace and Happy Winter Bikin,

Reed

Less than 2 Days til Takeoff!

2010-06-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

The gear is packed, the stops are set up, the bike is tuned, and I'm ready! Who knows what adventures and challenges lay ahead, it's exciting. I'm starting to get that pre-Expedition rush that comes when you realize that everything is falling into place, yes, this is really going to happen.

As important as something like this trek can be, it's important to remember that what's really going to change the world in the direction that we want to go isn't just policy, and big flashy campaigns; what's going to change the world is also about changing our habits.

That's why the Bike MN 350 trek team is challenging you to the Summer of 350 Biking. That's right, we're challenging you to bike 350 miles over the course of the summer. It's only a piece of the complicated puzzle, but I still have hope that we can put it back together again and non-motorized transit is a part of the solution.

Peace,
Reed

Second Bike Minnesota 350 Trek Begins this Weds!

2010-06-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

3 Days and Counting!

Hey friends,

After a long hiatus, the Tales From the Trail Blog is back! Last fall, I blogged about the bike adventures (and misadventures) I had while traveling around the state on the Bike Minnesota 350 clean energy trek. Then, I took you to Copenhagen, where you got a behind the scenes look at how policy (or sausage) is made at the United Nations.

This Wednesday, the second great Bike MN 350 Epic Trek will begin. This ride will be a little bit older and wiser than the last. We won't be doing any 100 mile days this time, and we won't be anywhere near mountain lion territory when the sun goes down.

We have a slew of amazing stops along our journey, including a tour of the McNeilus Wind Farm, a tour of the largest solar array in the state at St. John's University, and one night where we'll even be camping out at an alpaca farm. The solutions to our climate challenges are already being created across the state; on this ride we will seek them out and learn what it takes to transition to a sustainable future.

The kickoff event for our great adventure will be in Como Park by the Pavilion starting at 10am, and the bikers will hit the trail at 11. Keep an eye out for future posts as we give you a glimpse of clean energy, local agriculture, and bike transit in rural and small town Minnesota.

Happy biking,
Reed

New Bike Adventure Video Blog!

2010-02-06T22:30:00.000-08:00

Hey Friends,

Check out the first episode of my new video blog on biking, bike activism, and promoting cleaner transit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyhEb729h8U

Happy biking!
Reed

Beyond Copenhagen: The Trail Tale Continues

2010-01-18T16:04:00.000-08:00

As the COP 15 Climate Summit came to a close in Copenhagen, my hopes for the future were tempered with a healthy dose of reality. The challenges ahead of us may not be easy, but we can still choose our better future. Some proclaim that Copenhagen was a success, some that it was a complete failure, but I think that it was a little of both. The three page “Copenhagen Accord” that we left with was not the culmination that we had hoped for, but it paves the trail for a future agreement, perhaps in Mexico City, where the 16th UN Conference of Parties will be held.

As the conference began, there was a sense of hope permeating everything. “This is possible, Copenhagen will be the place where an effective, fair, and legally binding treaty will be wrought.” Before the conference, I had the opportunity to meet young people from across the world at the Conference of Youth. Throughout the summit we worked tirelessly to make sure that the negotiators listened to youth calls for a strong treaty. “How old will you be in 2050?” we called out on the Youth Day of Action. Climate change is not just a theory, but a legacy that we and our descendents will have to live with. The choices that we make in the next couple of years will influence our ability to lessen the impacts of climate changes and prepare ourselves.

United States Youth Delegates met with legislators and with our country’s representatives at the conference. We gave EPA director Lisa Jackson and standing ovation for her work in the new EPA rule that designates C02 emissions an atmospheric pollutant. We attended meetings with high level officials from President Obama’s Cabinet, including Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke. The question that we asked, and the question that I asked former Vice President Al Gore, was always preceded by the phrase, “I am here today with 500 youth from across the United States,” and then we would all wave. This showed our United States representatives that we had an organized presence at the conference, and a right to take part in the process that would determine our future.

Even if it may be difficult to tell how our presence at the conference may have influenced the result, our actions and organizing sent shock waves back to the many people we were representing in the United States, which I would argue was even more important. Through video conference calls with classrooms and students back home in Minnesota and in Washington D.C., I had the opportunity to send news back home about the negotiations process in Copenhagen, and discuss what the ephemeral next step should be.

The more that I think about my role at the climate summit, the more I think that many of the decisions made there were determined before it even began. The United States arrived with the climate bill still mired in the Senate, crippling our ability to fight for a strong agreement. On the other hand, thanks to the 350 Day of Action, the number “350,” representing the 350 parts per million of CO2 that is the safe cap in the atmosphere (right now we’re at 387) actually made it into the proposed treaty text.

So what is the next step? What is the best, most effective thing that you or I or anyone living in the United States can do about climate change? Well, although Copenhagen was propped up as the be-all-end-all-or-else-we-all-die-and-the-world-ends event, it doesn’t “be all” because it is only one step in a process that needs to take many forms, and it doesn’t “end all” but instead offers the opportunity for countries to go back home and come back in a year to create a real treaty together. Yes, that’s right “accord” is code for “let’s come back and figure it out later.” Not ideal, but here in the United States it gives us the opportunity to come back home and work for the passage of a strong CJAPA Senate Climate Bill. Then, we can have the framework for clean energy climate solutions here in the United States, and we can have an ambitious argument that we can bring to the next COP for a fair and legally binding treaty next December in Mexico City.

Copenhagen was not an end, but a beginning, and I am excited to be back home and to be part of the solution. If you want to do something right now that will take only a minute, call your Senator and ask them to not let the Murkowski ammendment to become part of the final bill. This ammendment would strip away the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate greenhouse gasses and the coal industry, which could potentially lead to an increase in greenhouse gasses. Another thing that you can do is jump on your bike and take it for a ride. It's actually a lot easier to do in the wintertime than you'd expect. If you don't think that the roads are safe enough to bike on where you live, then do something about it. Did you know that the Minnesota legislature is considering a bill called the "Complete Streets" act that would integrate bike paths into street designs? You have the ability to influence the world around you: you just have to get off your duff and do it, and doesn't hurt if you can find some friends to take with you too.

Happy Biking!
Reed

Thursday: 24 Hours To Treaty

2009-12-17T15:51:00.000-08:00

The COP15 Conference is about to come to its conclusion tomorrow, and there is still a lot of work that needs to be done for a treaty to rise from the ashes. Today no one from the youth delegation was able to get into the conference; fewer and fewer NGO and youth observers have been allowed in every day (45,000 could get in on Monday and only 300 could get in today, 90 tomorrow).

There were protests yesterday where thousands of activists tried to break through the fence and get into the Bella Center. Unfortunately, the end result of these protests only delayed the negotiations because some of the negotiators, such as IPCC Chairman Rajenda Pachauri, couldn't get past the wall of protestors/ police. As the week as progressed and fewer and fewer observer NGOs have been allowed entrance into the COP15 proceedings, this has increased discontent and probably helped fuel the ill thought out protests.

What happened on the outside was not nearly as effective as some of the events that the media are not covering as well. For example, youth and NGOs have been meeting with high level negotiators throughout the conference, and youth staged a sit-in protest for being shut out of the process, refusing to leave until at 1:30am this morning when police forced them to.

Yesterday evening, members of the delegation along with Will Steger, Michael Noble, and Rep. Kate Knuth gave a Midwest Climate Presentation at Klimaforum, an alternative to COP15 open to the general public. I had a good time M.C-ing where we talked about why it's important that the Midwest prepare for climate change, and what the Midwest has to gain about it. Although the topic might seem obscure here in Denmark, we had a packed house of people from across the world (many from the Midwest!). I was nervous as I went up in front of the packed room, but as soon as I relaxed and just had fun with the presentation, everything went smoothly.

The Second Week Opens

2009-12-14T14:39:00.001-08:00

It began on December 7th, as delegates and NGOs, youth and press descended upon the Bella Center here in Copenhagen to decide how to deal with the greatest challenge that humanity has ever faced. I trekked here to the fifteenth Conference of Parties with a team of twelve talented youth from across the Midwest, led by polar explorer and educator Will Steger.

Throughout the first week, I joined with fellow youth from across the world to come up with creative ways to engage our representatives here at the COP 15 in Copenhagen. We have been coming up with creative actions to gain media attention, such as standing out in the cold in our underwear to bring attention to the fact that youth had been “left out in the cold” in the negotiations, shouting that we were “in the cold to stop the heat!”

Beyond just a focus on action events, youth have taken the time and read through entire treaty proposals, sorting through sections by group to better understand the text of what is happening at the conference.

Week one in Copenhagen comes to a close

2009-12-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

The Expedition Copenhagen team has been making tracks this week, organizing amazing actions and meeting people who can influence our climate future. Earlier this week, I met Rajenda Pachauri, chairman of the IPCC, and sat in on sessions with Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, joined by fellow youth asking challenging questions.

The youth are making sure that our voices are heard, echoing throughout Copenhagen and around the world. This past week, I have met informally with country representatives from Swaziland and Niger, I have taken part in creative events, and have helped spread the youth call for a strong, equitable, and legally binding treaty across the world.

Yesterday, five of the Expedition members travelled to the USA Center inside the conference, where we united with NOAA, the EPA, and the US Forest Service to do an interactive video q & a with middle school and elementary school students back in Washington D.C. Their knowledge of climate change was impressive, and they were concerned about how it would effect wildlife such as happy the diamondback turtle. The kids were cute, making sure that the negotiators knew that they were counting on them to keep animals like happy from being wiped out by climate change.

Day Three in Copenhagen: Bike & Dance

2009-12-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke before the crack of dawn and hit the streets with Will Steger Foundation's pro videographer Jerry to meet with Mikael Colville-Anderson, Denmark's official ambassador of all things biking. The fog was thick in the air as we met by the bridge with the most bike traffic in all of Europe. There is actually a bicycle rush hour here in Copenhagen and bike riders have their own lane and always get the right of way. When it snows in the winter, the bike trails are plowed before the streets or the sidewalks. "If they didn't plow them first," explained Mikael, "everyone would take the transit system and it would be swamped because SO many people rely on biking to get around."

This afternoon, I met Erick, a lead negotiator from Tanzania while picking up schedules. "Is the United States going to bring real solutions, or is it going to bring problems?" he asked me and then said, "there is a lot that you can do as youth to influence your president and your negotiators. I'm counting on you." As youth who will be living in the results of climate change, this not just a theory, this is reality, this is our future, and we can influence it, and there is a lot of weight riding on our decisions.

This afternoon, the international youth held our first event inside the conference, a "flash dance" where immediately after the opening ceremony, hundreds of youth broke into a song that started with the phrase, "ooooh, it's hot in here. There's too much carbon in the atmosphere." Here is the link if you would like to check it out:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4VB0YAhEx0

Day Two in Copenhagen

2009-12-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

The anticipation is hanging thick in the air with less than a day left until the conference begins. At the Conference of Youth today, I met many people and learned many things, but what stands out most is the overwhelming feeling of hope that everyone is feeling. We can and we will do everything that we can to put the pressure on for a strong, equitable, and legally binding treaty.

Day One in Copenhagen

2009-12-05T15:47:00.000-08:00

I hit the trail early this morning, trekking with my fellow Will Steger delegates to COY, the Conference of Youth. As we were walking, I noticed how many people bike in town. There is actually a separate lane for cyclists, and I’ve heard rumor that there are more bikes than in people in Copenhagen. Whether or not this is true, it’s a far cry from some of the places I biked through earlier this autumn.

Young people from all across the world gathered today for our first day of training in preparation for the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (COP-15) which begins on Monday.

The air was vibrant with the energy of a thousand young people, ready to call for a strong, fair, and legally binding treaty over the next couple of weeks. Today, I met with youth delegates from India, Sweden, Cameroon, Canada, Australia, Belgium, China, Japan, from all across the world. I ran into fellow 350 organizers from across the world, who were organizing events internationally while I was biking 350 miles around the state of Minnesota to talk to people about climate solutions.

Stay tuned for breaking news from behind the scenes at COP-15!

Until tomorrow,
Reed Aronow

Countdown to Copenhagen: 42 Days Left

2009-10-25T09:23:00.001-07:00

More to come soon!

Day Fifteen: Capitol, Campus, Carrot Mob!

2009-10-25T09:22:00.001-07:00

More to come soon!

Day Fourteen: Wicked Weather, Herbs, and Gather

2009-10-25T09:19:00.001-07:00

More to Come Soon!

Day Thirteen: Hazelnut Farm (or "West to Northfield")

2009-10-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

More to come soon!

Day Twelve: Crossing the Minnesota Mountains

2009-10-25T09:16:00.000-07:00

From Eyota to Zumbrota
Span the Hills of Minnesota
Fog a raising, dogs a chasing
Then the rain comes pouring down

Cold and wet, my feet are freezing
As I dial the radio home
The call I know is so important
But the signal's breaking down

Then I climb a hill so steep
My feet are up above my seat

Day Eleven: Into The Wind

2009-10-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

10-20-09

I set out from Faribault into a strong wind. Although it slowed me down, I knew that it would make my wind farm visit today all that much more exciting. On my way out of town, I stopped by the Riverbend Nature Center to check it out. It was early enough in the morning that it wasn't open, but it seems like a beautiful natural space. Although I had missed this stop because I arrived in town too late, I was able to visit the beautiful Quarry Hill Nature Center later in the day in Rochester.

I sped from town, the wind whipping at me all the while as I went east and then south to Dodge Center. My friend Craig, a professional photographer gave a me a ring on my cell. He was interested in doing an interview with me at my stop at the McNeilus Wind Farm south of Dodge Center. Dodge Center was beginning to come into view when I noticed that there was a car slowing down and travelling beside me. Oh no, I thought, it was probably another jerk who was going to yell at me for biking on the highway (which IS usually legal, as long as your not on a freeway or in Faribault).

I looked over and saw Craig, pointing a video camera at me. Relieved, I tried to keep my eyes on the trail as he interviewed me about the weather, the mountain lion, and the many adventures and misadventures I'd experienced. Then, we met up at the wind farm. As I approached, the arms of the turbines were spinning wildly, but by the time I got there, they had all been stopped.

I interviewed the secretary about the wind farm, and learned about what had led Mr. McNeilus to start it. He had owned a trucking company, and his motivation had been largely financial. He had always wanted an office building on his farm and decided to build the wind farm because it would provide both clean energy and a profit.

After getting permission, I took my bike for a spin around the farm. Although they weren't turning because the breaks had been put on for a repair, the expanse of turbines was stunning, spanning for over a mile. The area was still being farmed too! Corn fields were interspersed between the turbines and no space sat wasted. Craig took a series of spectacular pictures by the turbines, but then a worker sprayed us with anhydrous ammonia. I had forgotten my inhaler and had a horrible asthma attack from the toxic fumes, and felt light headed for the rest of the day.

Once in Rochester, I travelled to the Quarry Hill Nature Center. It hadn't been a planned stop, but Naomi, a student at the U of M Morris, said that I shouldn't miss it if I was going to be in town. It ended up being one of the best spontaneous events of the entire trip.

I met a family from Rochester who were visiting the nature center with their child to introduce him to it. It was the first time he had ever seen a nature center, and they had to keep an eye on him so that he wouldn't run off. They explained that they've been noticing new species coming into the area, including species of squirrels that they had never seen before, and were concerned that this may be a sign of climate change.

Craig met me and we went into the center, where I talked with the director and the volunteers about the center and the importance of environmental education as a climate solution. The director gave us a tour of the building and talked about how the classes help children in the city connect with nature in a way that makes it seem less separate from their lives.

As we were leaving, we had a chance meeting with an impressive group of high school students at Rochester High School who are interested in environmental issues, who urged me to bring a strong message to Copenhagen to protect the world that we will be living in for most of our lives.

After leaving the nature center, I got lost in the enormous hills east of Rochester trying to find Megan Constans's parent's home in Eyota. I knew that I must be in the right place though when Deanna, Megan's mom, pulled up beside me and said "it's just a few more blocks!" letting me follow her home.

Megan's parents were warm and welcoming, and Deanna gave me some of the BEST macaroni and cheese I think I've ever had. You don't know how hungry you can get until you do something as physical as a bike trek! Megan is the North Dakota Youth Delegate who I will be travelling with to Copenhagen, and is part of the Will Steger Foundation Delegation of ten youth that will attend COP 15.

Day Ten: The Sakatah Singing Hills Trail

2009-10-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

I slept in this morning and got off to a late start, only to get lost trying to find my way out of Mankato for two hours! Fortunately, the owner of a local taekwondo dojo helped direct me to the Sakatah Singing Hills Trail. As soon as I saw the dojo I knew that I would be all right: you can always count on martial artists for good directions.

I hit the trail, thinking that I would try to get to Faribault by 4pm so that I could stop by the River Bend Nature Center. "It's only 39 miles," I told myself, "I'll have plenty of time!" Little did I know what I was in for.

I completely underestimated the part of the trail's name that has the word "hills" in it though, and didn't realize that the entire journey would be upslope. It's one thing when you're going uphill on a regular bike, and quite another when you're going uphill for forty miles straight, and your saddlebags are laden with gear.

Even though I got into Faribault too late to stop by the nature center today, I still had the opportunity to run into a series of amazing, interesting people along the trail. After a travelling a few miles, I ran into a trail closed sign. Oh no! I swear, every bridge and trail in Minnesota seem to be out of commision right now.

After a short detour and a hike on the highway, I was back on the Sakatah. I met Zender and John, a professor in Cultural Geography at Mankato state and his son, a nature enthusiast. They told me that they were biking "down the hill" of the trail, which should have been my first clue! Zender explained to me that the area we were biking in was once a woodlands that had been shaved clear to make way for farmland. He teaches classes on how people interact with the environment and was happy to stop and talk with me.

Next, I ran into a pair of recently retired couples who were out enjoying their new free time on the trail. They were all supportive of sending a strong message to Copenhagen, and biked with me for about an hour. The man in the middle of the picture was a character: he told me his life story, everyone on his geneology tree, and his theory that President Kennedy's death was a conspiracy perpetrated by Lyndon Johnson.

After a long, uphill trek (where I admit I was probably a little too long winded talking with people), I got to Faribault just as the sun was coming down. I would be staying the night with Wendy Knudson, a co-worker with my mother. As I saw the Dairy Queen its parking lot, I knew that I had reached the end of the trail, but I was in for a surprise.

Did you know that the Sakatah Singing Hills Trail, a STATE bike trail ends on a highway that says "NO BIKES ALLOWED" (Or pedestrians either). Unfortunately, there is no sidewalk and no other way I could go, so I biked on it anyways. On this entire journey, Faribault definitely wins the Stupid prize for being the least bike friendly city I have encountered. I just can't get over the fact that a State bike trail ends on a road where bikes are not allowed. What, do they expect everyone to drive to the trail for a nice leisurely ride "down the hill?"

I love this picture of the "tourist info" center that you can only legally get to by way of automobile. This is especially ironic, since one of the cities major attractions is the bike trail.

After breaking ill-crafted laws and enjoying a pleasant bike ride down the highway, I arrived at the Knudson's beautiful Victorian home. We discussed how they have made their home energy efficient, and how their nephew works for Blattner energy in the wind sector. They were welcoming and provided me a bath (and trust me, when you're trekking you need one more than you realize!) and a comfortable to bed to sleep the night in.

Here are some pictures of the Knudson's with the 350 Flag:

Stephanie and I pose in front of the "secret door." There is a room behind it, but they don't know what's in it. Could it be a dead body? Could it a treasure trove? No one knows, but Stephanie is an author and loves the creative that the unknown inspires.

Wendy and I pose by the secret door.

Even the cat wants to get in on all the 350 action:

Wendy's husband, supports the 350 Movement even when unconscious

...and when awake too! The Knudson's with the 350 Flag.

Day Nine: Scylla and Charybdis

2009-10-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

10-17-09

(The streets of St. Peter, torn asunder, give us free range to bike where we wish, unstopping and unscathed)

Maia and I began the day by departing from the Super 8 Motel where we spent the night with my parents, who had generously stopped by to resupply the bike team and take away our smelly old clothes. The daughter of the parents who own the motel is going to be putting on a 350 Day of Action event at her high school! Also, thank you so much for cooking us the wonderful rice and lentil curry dinner.

We travelled through New Ulm and down the road to St. Peter, passing farm fields and prairie before gliding back down into the Minnesota River Valley. Just out of New Ulm, we saw a sign that declared "vegetables for sale." Curious, we decided to check it out, and met a family who sells the fruits of their labor (or vegetables) to people in town. They told us that they can't afford a car to go to the farmer's market though, but that people know to just stop by the farm to pick up their produce.

We arrived early, so we explored the town and biked up the very steep hill that Gustavus University is on just to see if we could (not recommended). We talked with students who were walking around campus about what we're doing and then hightailed it to a meeting with the manager of the local St. Peter Food co-op.

Travelling down Main Street, we witnessed how it had been completely torn up to redo the road. Many people at local businesses said that this has hurt them at a time when the economy is already down.

At the Co-op, Jennifer and a reporter from the Mankato Free Press met with us. We talked about the 350 bike trek and learned about the many things that the co-op is doing to promote buying local. For example, there is a FAMOUS local cheese that got in article in the paper that has been selling like crazy. I ran into a man the following day on the Sakatah Singing Hills trail who said that he was dissapointed that the cheese was gone; I guess everyone had wanted some!

We talked and talked and talked until the sun had gone done, which is good because of the wonderful conversation, but bad because the sun had gone down. Why? Because that meant I would have to bike to Mankato along Highway 169 in the dark; little did I know that I was about to meet Scylla and Charybdis.

My parents drove Maia home so that she could get to work and I began the trek around the road construction to get to 169. Ah, I was out of the city and biking when the speed limit went up and I suddenly realized that there were cars whipping past me at sixty miles an hour on the left. I stayed to the right of the narrow shoulder as I biked uphill, the whole ride was uphill. Suddenly I saw a shape in the road ahead of me and swerved around it: a dead cat. My stomach wrenched as I saw yet another dead cat not that much later.

It was starting to get creepy as I was biking in the pitch dark with only a flimsy flashlight attached to the front of my cycle to guide me. Then, there was a large snake that slithered off of the road in front of me. I swerved to the left just as a large passed by me not two feet away. I was starting to panic now and stayed as far to the right as I could when I started hearing a strange grunting whining noise and shape that was following me on the right. Oh no, I thought, I knew that I had heard that there were mountain lions around here; what if one was stalking me? I didn't know what it was, but I knew that there was something there. So I stayed in the middle of the shoulder, balanced between the murderously fast traffic on the left and the unknown noises from the creature stalking me on the right. With a burst of adrenaline, I biked the rest of the way to Mankato, where I collapsed on my friend Alex's pull out couch. Thank you Alex and Karl for letting me crash so that I didn't have to set up camp in the forest, alone at night!!!

Day Eight: The Minnesota River Valley

2009-10-17T22:31:00.000-07:00

Maia poses for a picture, looking tough by a park just outside of Granite Falls

This morning, we left June & Kurt's beautiful "Sweet Land" (Yes, the movie was filmed in part on their farm!), but only after a breakfast of very local bacon & pancakes. Kurt and June were amazing hosts!

We biked into town to see the cozy indoor farmer's market, housed in a log cabin with a fireplace! We also stopped in Java River, a cute coffee shop downtown featuring signs of the many well respected sustainability organizations based out of Montevideo, such as the Land Stewardship Project. Having bid Colin farewell, we continued the trek.

Today was a beautiful day of biking along the Minnesota River, through woods, valleys, and very steep hills. After coming through the Upper Sioux Reservation we biked along cow dotted pastures, corn fields, and barns.

Day Seven: The rain ride, and VERY local chicken

2009-10-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

10-16-09, Montevideo

This morning, Colin and I departed from Morris just as a misty drizzle began to cascade. We had a long route ahead of us, and by the time we got to our destination at June and Kurt's farm we were soaked. In Appleton, Minnesota (Yes, there is an Appleton in MN too! Take that Wisconsin) Colin got a flat tire, but fortunately a friendly passerby helped us out and directed us to a nearby tire shop that filled up the new tube.

After a long trek, we met June and Kurt, who own and run a sustainable small farm to the south of Watson, MN. They live close to Montevideo, where Kurt's famous sister Audrey has worked with the Land Stewardship Project. I say famous because almost everyone I have met along this journey either knows her or has heard of her, so if you're reading this Audrey, you're famous!

Kurt gave us a tour of the farm, showing us where the cows and pigs sustainably eat a large grass field, and showing us the chicken coop, where the egg laying chickens are free to roam the yard and poke the ground in search of tasty bugs.

We warmed up inside and ate a chicken dinner off of a sustainable biofuel fed wood stove. Here, June discusses how local that chicken really is:

Kurt teaches Colin the science of cooking on a wood stove:

Then, we watched the movie "Sweet Land" which was filmed in part on their property. Kurt was proud to give us a commentary of the movie, where he played many cameo roles and also served as a "farm guru."

Day Six: The Road To Morris

2009-10-15T19:54:00.000-07:00

Picture: Students at U of M Morris hold a 350 flag, along with an American flag and a Minnesota one too! Thank you for putting on an amazing potluck event!

10-15-09

I left Dave Jacobson's place early in the morning as the sun was just beginning to rise. I knew that I would have a long day ahead of me. It rained all night, and I prepared myself, taping seran wrap over my helmet so that I wouldn't catch a cold. I must have done something right though, because as soon as I stepped outside the rain stopped until I got to Morris.

The road to Morris was beautiful and dotted with farm and prairie. Along the way, I began to realize how much more spectacular it is to bike someplace than to drive there. When your driving, everything whips past you in a blur, but when you bike, everything is continuous, connected, and you meet so many interesting people and have so many exciting experiences that you may have missed otherwise.

When you ride for a long while on bike in an area without many towns, there is a problem that arises every rare once in a while: where to find a bathroom. As I arrived in Starbuck, (yes, there's a city called Starbuck and it doesn't have a Starbuck's Coffee shop... yet.) I found my answer: a gas station! Surely there would be a bathroom there! After finishing, I went to the air pump to fill my tires and ran into a professor from Morris who happened to teach classes that some of the students I were about to speak to are taking! She's teaching co-teaching a class right now on writing and climate change. This type of chance meeting has been one of the patterns that has run through this entire trip (along with weird weather and the fact that invasive lady beetles are everywhere in the state).

After riding seventy miles, the longest day of the journey, I arrived in Morris just in time for the meeting with a student environmental event put on by the U of M MPIRG group. We gathered in a local library, and my empty stomach was happy to learn that it was not just any gathering; it was a potluck gathering. After a long day on the trail, there is nothing as good as a potluck.

I talked about Bike MN 350 and learned about all of the amazing things that are happening at the U of M Morris that put other Minnesota Universities to shame. For example, Morris has an enormous wind turbine and is planning on putting up two more in the next couple of years. It also has a geothermal program and is involved with state of the art alternative energy education. One of the students mentioned that it's cool that Morris not only has clean energy, but it prepares students for jobs in clean energy too.

I spent the night at Colin and Jenna's apartment, two environmentally engaged students at Morris who happen to be brother and sister. Colin cooked up a tasty vegan meal and then I crashed on the couch for the night, preparing myself for the long day ahead of me: the road to Montevideo.

Day Five: The Wobegone Trail to Dave Jacobon's Place

2009-10-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

10-14-09

I woke up early today so that I could get to Dave Jacobson's prairie preserve by mid afternoon. First though, I jumped on my bike and followed Theo to the solar array area on campus.

Right now it's just a field of tubes and support structures, but by the end of November, it will be the largest solar array in Minnesota by four times! Theo and I got there at just the right moment and happened to run into a worker who was happy to talk about his pride in building the solar photovoltaic collection facility. He excitedly introduced us to the manager, who was proud to have his construction company, MA Mortenson, working on the project. He thinks that this is a trend, and that soon other colleges will also rise to the challenge of becoming more energy efficient.

Then Theo and I hit the trail. The Lake Wobegone trail is beautiful and the weather was warmer (than it had been at least!). I travelled through prairie and farmland and beautiful natural spaces, crossing through many towns along my way and meeting many interesting people.

I had a good conversation in Spanish with a couple of guys working at the local turkey stuffing plant. They thought that this year has been better than average for crops, but were concerned about long term environmental changes.

I stopped in at Charlie's Cafe in Freeport and had the best breakfast food for lunch I think I've ever had at a restaurant. Mel, my server, was excited to find out about the bike trek and wrote a note in the book that I'll be taking to Copenhagen. Thank you Mel!

I biked through Sauk Centre and north to Dave Jacobson's farm turned prairie land, and I got there in the nick of time. Right after I pulled my bike into the garage it began raining after a completely dry ride.

Dave brought me on a tour of his land in his jeep and explained why he had decided to take the farm that had been in his family since 1885 and return it to the native prairie savannah it had once been. Starting in 1992, he began to transfer the cropland to native land, doing research with the help of the DNR to find out where the original ponds and plants had been. Then, over the course of more than a decade, he reconstructed six ecosystems in what is possibly the most biodiverse restoration project ever to occur in Minnesota.

Day Four: Webster Farm Organic to the St. John's Abbey

2009-10-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 13th

I woke at Amy's to a strange sensation: one of her dogs was nuzzling under the covers with me on the pull out couch. Amy and I ate a breakfast of locally farmed eggs and biscuits and talked about her famous dances and about the importance of internalizing a sustainable ethic in the way we live our everyday lives. Afterwards, she brought me on a tour of her pottery studio (she is an amazing potter, and is a painter too, so her ceramics dance with creativity). Then, we walked through the barn, where she is planning on setting up a farmer's market on the lower level and a dance hall upstairs as soon as she can get rid of the bats that have taken residence.

I hit the trail and found my way to Webster Farm Organic for brunch without getting lost and without being sleeted on. I met with Tam and Nett, a couple who own an organic CSA farm, and whom I had met a month earlier while biking by their Community Supported Agriculture stand in front of Blue Moon coffee in Minneapolis. My mother stopped by to resupply me and we all ate a delicious meal of vegetable soup from their garden. Thank you Nett and Tam!

They gave us a tour of their farm, and showed us everything that they had built with their bare hands, including a storage shed that they were proud to have only paid 93 cents for! They work hard and are able to grow their crops with a very small carbon footprint. Because of their CSA program (Community Supported Agriculture) they are able to make a decent living, do what they love, and limit their CO2 emissions. Nett explained that oftentimes, people in big cities have this idea that people in the countryside know less about climate change and about how to deal with it. Instead, she says that there is a lot of intuitive knowledge about climate held by people who make their living off the land.

We travelled southwest on 23 through St. Cloud and caught the Lake Wobegone Trail by St. Joseph (Yes, Garrison Keillor didn't lie, there is such a place!). Keillor's trail was a beautiful contrast to the shopping extravaganza in St. Cloud. After a short while, I had a chance meeting with a student reporter who was doing a story about technology on the trail. He interviewed me for his show and then Theo, the sustainability fellow for St. John's University showed up.

We biked to St. John's and met with a group of students there who are involved in climate change solutions, some of whom I will be travelling with to Copenhagen this December. Very quickly I learned that there is a lot of good happening on campus that other universities could look to for inspiration. St. John's for example is in the process of installing the largest solar array in the state (by four times!).

Here's a great interview with the delegates about their preparations for the UN Conference on Climate Change: (video to come as soon as it stops freezing my computer)

We talked and then the monks at the St. John's Abbey generously let me stay the night in their guesthouse.

Day Three: Snow Day!

2009-10-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

Monday! Oh Monday!! Today I woke up, looked out the window, and saw SNOW. Again.

I set out from the Hauan’s warm farm by North Branch into the bitter cold of the wintry morning. Okay, I told myself, I knew what I was getting into when I decided to organize the bike ride in October in MINNESOTA; I would stick it out, I wouldn’t let any weather deter me. The roads were free of snow, but they were wet, and by the time I got to the City Center Market in Cambridge, even my “waterproof” shoe liners were soaked like sponges.

As I entered the co-op, I felt like I was like a traveler in a sleety desert who had just stumbled upon an oasis of heat and locally grown produce. Susan, who was working at the register, greeted me and called Gail, the manager, who showed me to a table where I could sit down and drape all of my wet clothing over the chairs. Thank you Gail for putting up with my mess!

Gail left for a while to return to a meeting, and I met and talked with customers at the store who were excited to learn about Bike MN 350, and shared their opinions about clean energy, climate change, and Copenhagen.

After getting some delicious organic squash soup from the deli and a decaffeinated cup of coffee from Cafe Caffeine next door, I sat down and talked with whoever came by the table.

When Gail got out of her meeting I was able to interview her on the importance of buying local to take action on climate change and the message she would like us to take to Copenhagen. See an interview clip, coming soon! City Center Market has been thinking of ways to increase its efficiency in ways that are cost effective.

An hour later the snow had stopped, and I was biking along when my phone rang from my bag. Trying to answer it, I fell from my bike off the side of the road. Fortunately, I wasn't hurt and I answered the phone in time, just as cop cars whizzed by me at top speed. On the phone was Josie from St. John's University, calling to say that I could stay at the Abbey in the guest house the following day and meet with Theo, the Sustainability Fellow at the university to talk about the new solar installation.

Shortly afterwards, I crested a hill and saw that there was yet another challenge before me. The bridge was out. I could only go south when I needed to go north. This added another hour to my trip. Also, there was no shoulder on the road! Get with it, road infrastructure! Make room for bikes!

I also got lost for a couple hours when I took the wrong road of two roads with the same name. It was starting to get dark and I was lost, but I turned around and found my way.

Finally, I got to Amy Sabrina's Sweetgrass Farm after sunset, exhausted but exhilarated to see her.

Over dinner, we talked about what she's been doing at the Sweetgrass Farm. For someone raised on city food, it was a treat to eat local, organic, real food. We ate venison burgers that were awesome and wild rice, drank chaga (a coffee substitute made out of a type of mushroom). Her idea of how to do something as a solution is to live the way that she would like others to live and to share that by introducing people to it. She doesn't like teaching people to do things, she likes teaching creativity. She told me about the community dances and why she does them. No matter what a person's point of view, dancing breaks down barriers. When that happens, people are more open, happy, and joyful. She thinks you can't do any important work unless fun is part of it.

We put on music and danced!

Then..
Sleeeeeeeep!!!!

Day Two: Flats, Chats, and Nice Warm Hats

2009-10-12T04:28:00.000-07:00

Uh Oh: The Flat Tire Fiasco

We set out from the refuge of Rebecca Otto's alternative energy home into the brisk chill of the Minnesota autumn morning. We travelled for about half a mile and everything was going well until I started to hear a "thu-thunk, thu-thunk." Oh, no, a flat tire, and not just any old tire, it had to be the rear one. I've changed a front tire before, but I realized (a little bit too late!) that I'd never learned how to change the back tire of a bike.

For hours, Maia & I worked on our quest to fix the tire. Many thanks to Amy Sabrina @ the Sweetgrass Farm and her friends for telling us how to actually get the tire off! After working "tire"lessly for a couple of hours, we put in a new tube, figured out how to fill it up and hit the road.

Karen Clark & The Women's Environmental Institute

We stopped for conversation (and tasty brownies!) at the Women's Environmental Institute north of Almelund. Up a large hill, the brick building of the center stands like a part of the landscape, surrounded by a beautiful organic orchard.

We sat down by a warm, crackling fire with Karen Clark, the Institute director and were joined by a couple from the U of M who were spending the weekend on the farm. Karen talked about how the Institute focuses on issues of environmental justice in both the Twin Cities and north of Almelund. Karen believes that we need to prepare for climate change in ways that are fair and do not disenfranchise those who are poor and already struggling, and that it is an issue of environmental justice

After a short hike and bike down a stretch of dirt road and paved highway, we arrived at the Hauan's farm house on the outskirts of North Branch. We owe them many thanks for their hospitality, warmth and food. They talked about how they are considering building a wind turbine, and are interested in learning more about how a family can put one up. Kathy Hauan is an amazing cook too! After a chilly day on the trail, we were fed a welcome meal of pasta and apple cake.

Day One: The Adventure Begins!

2009-10-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

Base Camp

This morning, we had a great kickoff event at the Harriet Alexander Nature Center. Awesome representatives of Will Steger Foundation, Carrot Mob, 1Sky, Oxfam America,and Environment Minnesota were in attendance. There was a lot good energy and enthusiasm to get us started on the right pedal (as opposed to the left pedal). Cheers accompanied our departure as we set off into the snowy landscape.

Encounters with Alternative Energy

To get out of the metro area, we chose to travel along the Gateway Trail (which winds past Maia's house!). The trees were beginning to turn a beautiful array of autumn colors. As we were travelling down the gateway trail, we saw in the distance a familiar snowman, along with a new sight. North St. Paul is famed for its plastery year round "s(no)w" man. Alongside was a new icon: the wind turbine. Approaching these landmarks, we smelled the nasty fumes of a nearby industrial facility, and we were glad that the turbine suggests a move in a cleaner direction. If you are interested in more information about this turbine's interesting story, click here.

We met a nice gentlemen from North St. Paul who explained that the wind turbine was going to begin activation in November. Along the trail, we had a series of encounters with friendly locals interested in alternative energy. Next we met Gwen & Gus. Here is a great quote from Gus (Movie soon to be posted): "Clean energy should be the norm for the United States; that's our future. The past is oil and we can't afford it any more. Congress should set a floor on clean energy pricing so that we get investment in clean technology.... We just can't afford to do what we've done in the past."

Next we met a wonderful couple walking their Corgy. Unfortunately we did not record their names, however one of them took great interest in our Day of Action and wanted to come to the Capitol event on the 24th. She wrote a powerful message in our Expedition Copenhagen notebook that we would like to share with you:

I long for Copenhagen
When it's green
The planet is all
it's everything the life
I will be thinking of the table
in Copenhagen and what will I
do while you talk I will see green
Broadcast across the Planet the
blue and green. The sun is a star
There are billions of stars
May we save our planet and meet
our destiny. Be persuasive. Ask for
promises. Find ways to keep our
planet beautiful-

We ran into some obstacles along the way, but all in all our day was incredible.

We got to State Auditor Rebecca Otto's beautiful house before dark, in time to see her windmill turning and feel the welcome warmth of her geothermal heating. Her home is 80% powered by renewable energy. Thanks so much, Rebecca, for your hospitality!

Last Minute Preparations

2009-10-09T22:40:00.001-07:00

The saddlebags are full and the winter gear is ready to take on any weather that good old mother nature (or should I say mother Minnesota?) can send us. This evening, I had a wonderful meeting with State Auditor Rebecca Otto, who is going to host the Bike MN 350! team at her home along our route. Rebecca and her husband Sean have made their home 80% carbon neutral, with a wind turbine, solar, and geothermal energy. It always feels good when you find out that there are actually representatives who practice what they preach.

This August, when the idea for this epic bike trek first came to me, I thought that it would be a piece of cake. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. Now, after two months of planning, and phone tag, of gearing up and saddling down, this adventure is about to become reality.

Until next time,
Reed

Getting Ready To Hit The Trail

2009-10-08T21:59:00.000-07:00

10/08/09: This past week, I have had a series of amazing experiences speaking with classrooms and groups engaged in climate solutions work in the Twin Cities. It is hard to believe that after months of planning, an idea is about to become reality as the Bike MN 350! team hits the trail this Saturday. I've never undertaken anything this enormous before, but I'm ready, and I know we can overcome any challenge we may face on the trail ahead of us.

This Saturday, we will be hosting a Base Camp kickoff event open to the public as our team of cyclists departs. Come join us, along with polar explorers, youth delegates to the UN Conference On Climate Change, the Will Steger Foundation, 1Sky, OXFAM, and Carrot Mob at the Harriet Alexander Nature Center in Roseville, MN (10:10am til' noon).

-Reed