and the 2009 trip comes to an end...

As we approach the Mexican border, we start trying to measure our success. We review just how many miles we’ve put on our bodies, on our bicycles (800), the number of schools we’ve visited (17), the number of flats and bike tubes we’ve needed (23), the number of sheltered evenings where we were so generously hosted (11), the number of grocery stores and farmers’ markets who supported us with generous food donations (5), and the meals that gave us energy to keep riding (many!).

Our bike trip is not merely about numbers, however. What is significant about this adventure is everything that is immeasurable. The brainpower that went into curriculum, route, and food planning. The time we’ve spent together. The benefit our muscles received in the last 3 weeks. And all the laughs we’ve had that cannot be calculated. Most importantly, the lives that were inspired along our route, both by the physical demands of a 750- mile bike trip, and the environmental information shared at each stop.

As the 5th successful Sustainable Living Bike Tour comes to a close, we have to acknowledge how the previous years’ successes have supported this tour. We know that we inspire and touch many lives, whether students, parents,teachers, curious onlookers, or the cycling and environmental enthusiasts, as well as each other. It is moving to not only teach about the environment, but to also serve as an example and, essentially, bike the bike. We teach kids applicable and practical solutions to environmental problems and show them that we are living these solutions and following those guidelines by using sustainable transportation, cycling down the coast.

Each year we see schools making progressively more environmentally responsible changes through gardens and composting, among other changes, and in the process taking pride in where they live. This change happens because schools are moved to action. Inspiration may not always be measureable, but it IS the reason that we keep on riding.

Through the rain, into the wind, up the mountains, we ride. And hope others will ‘ride’ with us with practical environmental solutions for their communities, for something that IS measureable.

Our last day

With Mar Vista only a few blocks from Camp Surf, we woke and pedaled onward, toward our last school visit of the bike trip. After giving the Poseiden Academy an introduction as to how the Sustainable Living Bike Tour began, Whitney, Kamron, and Travis gave a slideshow of our trip. The presentation took the students on a virtual tour down the coast and dove into topics such as California’s role in global issues with an emphasis on what students can do personally in their communities. After the slideshow Kyla, Meagan, Lissa, and Marguerite facilitated an activity about the effect of plastics on land and in the ocean (an issue that really hits home for all of our coastal schools and for those in Imperial Beach). Reducing our dependency on plastic materials is a significant way to help the environment and decrease our reliance on petroleum-based products, such as plastics. Plastic makes up of 90% of all marine debris, which can have detrimental affects on animals that depend on the ocean as a primary food source. Up to one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die each year as a result of plastic. We can all help reduce the number of animals affected by our actions with more intentional behavior regarding plastics and our trash.

After we left Mar Vista, we made it to the border as it began to rain, but didn't let it get us down- we arrived feeling accomplished and hopeful. We are hopeful that the students we encountered on this trip were able to take a piece of the inspiration we feel and use this inspiration and the information shared to make change in their communities. We are hopeful they too will promote a healthier world, because we are all connected to what has happened in the past and what will happen in the future. Through interacting with these kids, we know there is hope for the environment and future generations.

A Day in the Life of the SAG

A Day in the Life of the Support and Gear Vehicle, aka the SAG. You want attention? You want to make friends everywhere you go? Have folks just staring at you everywhere you go, to the point where you look around to see what people are staring at, only to realize its you? Well then jump in the short bus. For a traveling show such as ours, you need a support crew to match. To carry all of our food, gear, and teaching supplies we have an adapted short school bus. We removed the seats, installed shelves, and racks, added a roof rack and Voila! A support vehicle to envy. Of course we follow our principles of sustainability in everything we do including our bus. We run on Bio-diesel, and have solar panels to charge computers, phones, and cameras’ batteries. Of course we left enough seats to collect folks should they fall ill or have any injuries. The rest of the bus space is dedicated to storing bins of food, curriculum, surfboards, and camping gear.
Some may think that a day in the life of a SAG driver is easy. I mean, hey, you’re not riding your bike up-hill for 50 miles right? Well it is still a very rigorous job. Packing is quite a feat! You need to make sure that everyone’s belongings are secured on top of the bus, however they also need to be able to reach their day-bags. Food for the day must be accessible for riders to get to snacks, coolers, and lunch supplies. Water of course should be available as well. After all is said in done you need to secure EVERYTHING so that you don’t get clobbered by flying objects should you decide to apply the brakes.
After the riders leave for a school, the SAG finds the quickest way there, which is not always the bikers path. Bikers take a bike friendly route with no hills and good lanes (ideally). The SAG however would like to get to the school before the riders, so that people can change into their presentation clothes, and access curriculum supplies. After a school visit, or during the ride, the SAG finds a lovely/convenient place to station lunch. As soon as everyone has had lunch and is re-charged and ready to go, the SAG moves on to our night stay. Then they start the process of unloading everyone’s gear, and setting up the kitchen for dinner. Often times the SAG also runs many errands picking up donations, buying batteries, getting gas, etc. It is not the most glorious job, however it is a very necessary position that all depend upon and appreciate.

As far as school visits for today, we (Meagan, Sara, Travis, Kyla, Lissa, Stuart, and Adam) rode 17 miles to visit Nativity School in Rancho Santa Fe, outside San Diego. The school visit started with them offering riders a generous lunch. We then gave the school a slideshow and our ‘protecting your coast’ workshop. After leaving the school at 2pm, riders had to travel another 40 miles before arriving to our evening destination, Camp Surf. Half of our crew got an early start but those of us who visited the school ended up arriving in the dark. Luckily, the SAG was there through it all so when the late riders arrived a delicious hot vegetarian chili and salad was all ready to be served for all. We will sleep well tonight as we have had much practice and have only one school left on our bike trip which we will be visiting bright and early tomorrow morning, Mar Vista’s Poseiden Academy, a short 10 minute bike ride away. The green short bus is there for us through it all.

Miles traveled today: 57
Written by 2nd time bike-tripper: Sara Cartwright

To Orange County we ride

After a glorious day of riding we arrived in Placentia. Miah, as our local guide and gracious host took us to the ‘Placentia Tamale Festival.’ The night ended with a viewing of ‘Breaking Away’ (an inspirational and comical 1979 cycling film).

In the morning, the coastal crew moved to Carlsbad from Newport Beach and the Inland crew made their way to Holy Family Cathedral School. The morning included a slide show for 7th graders followed by the creation of informational compost signs, composting presentations (to practice for teaching the younger students about their new compost and garden), activities about arable land and a lesson on alternative transportation.

After a brief lunch the Inland crew traveled for eight miles along the Los Angles River. I, Marguerite, having never seen the L.A. River, was shocked at the varied state of the cement river. The river went from dry, barren cement walls to a vast waterway, to what appeared to be a slough of surprisingly thriving life. The inland crew saw a copious array of bird species and vegetation.

We were shocked to learn LA once acquired a majority of its fresh water from this very small looking stream that spans 51 miles from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach. With the recent rain our thoughts kept coming back to urban and agricultural runoff and its effects on the once flourishing river.

After a three-mile mishap in Newport Beach, we decided to take the ferry (with the help of our friend Owen—who appeared in the nick of time) instead of backtracking, and we made our way to Pacific Coast Highway.
Along our way the crew went through the military base ‘Camp Pendelton,’ first time bike tripper Kamron observed that “Camp Pendelton has the opportunity to foster more bike culture” but he was “stoked to be able to pass through”. The ride was long, the head wind strong but most of us made it to Carlsbad before dark.
When the Inland group approached the destination, excitement grew about reuniting with the coastal group. We shared our stories and battle scars over pizza and celebratory music. As the trip’s finale quickly approaches, we are reminded that the journey truly is the destination.

Flats 2 = Adam & Kyla
Miles Ridden = 75 miles
Written by 1st time bike-trippers: Marguerite & Whitney

Planting a Seed

The thermometer registered 39 degrees when we (the Coastal crew) rode to Wilmington’s Banning High School at 6:30 AM this morning. However, the warm welcome of thirty smiling familiar faces quickly restored feeling to our fingers and toes.

The visit to Banning High School is my favorite part of the bike trip. The students there are sensitive, resilient, knowledgeable, and motivated to take advantage of all positive opportunities. They know all about environmental issues and pollution, but less from books, media, or hype. They know it from the diesel fumes in the air they breathe, and the oil sheen on their coast.

“Wilmington has the 3rd dirtiest air in the nation,” said one tenth grader, as he looked at the slides in our presentation. That statistic didn’t come as a surprise. Right next to Wilmington, the San Pedro Bay Ports are the two busiest container seaports in the United States and the fifth busiest in the world. The ships, trucks, trains, motorized equipment emit nitrogen oxide and particulate matter in a region that already has some of the worst air quality in the nation (Port of Long Beach, 2009). It is also where all CELP staff and students depart for their journey to Catalina Island.

But the students at Banning weren’t there to talk. They were excited to get out of the classroom and build a garden from scratch. With faculty members, Merina and Nicole Grant and the council of the high school’s Global Environmental Science Academy (GESA), we filled ten naked planters with broccoli, peas, strawberries, and herbs. For many of these young adults, this was their first gardening experience and they were excited to make it part of their legacy at the school. To them, these new plants represent a very small solution to the problems of our nation’s fossil fuel-based economy, located next door.

The other crew worked toward a better world inland at Crestview Preparatory School and Flint Ridge Sacred Heart Academy, where they gave slide shows, planted with students in school gardens, and presented a workshop on water quality.

We would like to recognize Gaye and Keith Simmons in Manhattan Beach for welcoming six very soggy cyclists, treating us like family, and feeding us the most delicious meal to be served yet on the bike trip. Thanks also to Owen Farcy in Newport Beach for making us truly feel like his home was ours.

Miles traveled today: 45
Flat tires: 2- Travis and Danny
Written by 2nd time bike- tripper: Lissa Eidelman

Rainy days in LA

While the coastal crew was busy with their flat route (hehe) to Marina Del Ray last night, they were no less busy with school visits today. The crew (Kyla, Travis, Danny, Lissa, and Stuart) visited Environmental Charter High School today while some of the inland crew (Sara, Adam, Abigail, and Heather) conquered even more hills today on their early morning commute to Aveson Charter School. The other part of the inland route crew (Kamron, Whitney, Marguerite, Miah, Jacob, and Meagan) were lucky enough to wake up already at Bridges Academy ready to build compost bins and then forged a rainy ride to Ribet Academy to talk about alternative transportation. With three more schools to visit tomorrow among the whole dispersed group, riders are busy readying curriculum, supplies and gear for our final and busiest days of the whole trip. Below, we catch up with the inland crew, hearing each riders highs and lows for the day.

Glows:
Meagan: highly sophisticated and entertaining alternative transportation skits with the 5th graders at Bridges Academy
Heather: when a 3rd grader at Aveson perfectly articulated environmental concepts I learned as a 26 year old
Sara: being back on my bicycle after being out of commission, felt so good to ride!
Adam: students at Aveson were super
Kamron: powering through building a compost bin with power tools
Jacob: clean air and nice views, seeing everything washed from the rain
Whitney: building a compost bin for bridges academy
Marguerite: cycling through puddles
Abigail: getting treated to wonderful food and stimulating conversation with the students at Aveson
Miah: watching the students mull over the design of the sign for their compost bin


Glums:
Meagan: my tire getting caught in a rut and almost crashing into a car
Sara: being back on my bicycle, in the rain, on a mountain (1000ft elevation gain in 3 miles!)
Adam: numb everything on the ride to Aveson
Kamron: wet socks
Jacob: not wearing my rain pants, feeling my tights wick water from my skin and drain into my shoes
Abigail: holy hills at 6am with a belly full of oatmeal, in the rain
Marguerite: frozen numb feet and waking up at 6:30am
Whitney: my jacket not being waterproof
Miah: sitting in 2 ½ hours of traffic (not on a bicycle)


We were all very lucky to interact with amazing students all across Los Angeles today. The rain reminded us, again, of why we are doing what we are doing. The ride was wet, slick, and challenging. As we facilitate and teach students about storm drains and non-point source pollution, it is amazing to see this happening in action. As the rain waters the plants and washes dust off of buildings, leaves, streets, and parks, we can appreciate the beauty in the new life that is inherent after plants get a big drink of water. This same water acts as a catalyst as it also washes the streets’ and fields' oil, trash, soap, dirt, pesticides, and pet waste, along with whatever else is in its path, down storm drains. The storm drains become a passageway to the open ocean, potentially affecting every animal, plant, and person in its path. Like the plants, we, after riding in the rain all day, are refreshed and rejuvenated, with new opportunities to grow and to serve as the catalyst to initiate that growth in young adults across the state of California.

With bellies full and a warm sheltered place to sleep, we are very grateful to the Horner Family and the staff of Catalina Island Camps/ Tom Sawyer Camps for their hospitality.

Miles traveled today: 20
Written by 2nd time bike-tripper: Abigail Johnston

Divide and Conquer

Woke amongst twisted Sycamore trees, wished everyone luck in their respective Los Angeles journeys and hopped back on the saddle. We enjoyed a nice ride along miles of undeveloped coastline, all the while watching the city grow closer. From Malibu, we got our first view of Catalina Island since leaving two weeks ago. The adjacent Santa Monica Mountains reminded us of the hills behind Howlands Landing; California sage brush, laurel sumac, lemonade berry, black sage, elderberry welcomed us home to southern California.

Interesting facts

- Approximately 10 million people reside in Los Angeles County, making it the second largest urban area in the nation, after New York City

- The LA five-county area is the worlds 11th largest economy

- Los Angeles is the largest manufacturing center in the U.S.

- The Los Angeles metropolitan area is the most car-populated urban sprawl in the world, with 1.8 cars per person.

-The LA freeway system handles over 12 million cars a day

- Residents of Los Angeles spend an estimated 4 days each year stuck in traffic

Miles traveled today: 70
Written by 1st time bike-tripper: Kyla Langen

To Malibu we go

Another 50 miles of cycling through Ventura and Oxnard and we find ourselves setting up camp at Sycamore Canyon along the Pacific Coast Highway north of Malibu. With the weekend upon us we took advantage of the surf in Ventura and a small crew explored the Channel Islands National Park Visitor’s Center where we were reminded of the natural beauty and diversity found on the Channel Islands.

Tonight we feast on Senegalese Peanut Stew, enjoy our last night of camping, and prepare for the ride through the Los Angeles area where we will visit 9 schools over three days. To accommodate these schools some riders will head inland over the Santa Monica Mountains, through Burbank, Pasadena, Orange County and then down to Carlsbad. The coastal crew will make their way through Santa Monica, Hermosa, Newport, and then to Carlsbad where everyone will be reunited.

The energy amongst the riders is very high and we are excited for the hundreds of students we will see over the next few days.


Miles traveled today: 50
Written by 3rd time bike-tripper: Danny Sudman

Ducks in a Pond

A pelican using the updraft of wind created by a wave glides effortlessly above the ocean's glassy surface. Orange, pink and purple seep over the craggy green mountains as I peddle briskly into a fleeting sunrise. Warm colors and biting air, I ask myself for the umpteenth time, “How is California so beautiful? And WHY don’t my gloves have fingers?“

Our crew split in two. Some rode to the Carpentaria Family School for lessons in protecting your coast and alternative transportation, and others headed to Montecito. I ventured to the latter, to one of the most beautiful, well-put-together schools I have seen - Crane Country Day. The campus is polished, with pretty courtyards, careful landscaping, and big bowls of fruit scattered about for the kids. Welcomed with warm smiles, bagels, juice and coffee, we enjoyed breakfast and got ready for the morning. Kamron and I facilitated team-building games while Sara and Jacob helped students make an informative sign for the school’s compost facility. Three years ago the bike trip helped Crane build a three-bin compost system. The whole school is educated on proper waste disposal, and the 6^th graders are in charge of monitoring and maintaining the bins. We brought old retired neoprene wetsuits to cut up and use for the sign and helped formulate accurate information on composting. The students creatively constructed an educational sign highlighting the steps involved in composting. It’s always neat to help a school create something usable and long-lasting, and to return year after year to see it in effect and help it improve. Every morning, the entire school congregates in the theater for an assembly. Announcements are made, songs are sung and various teachers and guests speak. We were the “spotlight” for the morning, and Travis gave a short presentation and slide-show on our trip for the entire school. Thank you Crane Country Day for sharing your close, healthy learning community with us.

We reunited with the others in Carpentaria for the last school visit of the day and got an update of the Carp Family School visit. They too were given an incredible welcome, with a nice sign and homemade delights to make them feel special and appreciated. Working with their K-5^th graders, the instructors got a good sense of their tight, family-oriented community. We finished the day with the Canelino Elementary School. We had seven different protecting your coast activity stations and 75 excited students thinking, discussing, playing, and learning. One activity we do is called ‘Ducks in a Pond’, where we interactively discuss migratory bird habits and critically think about the problems and solutions of shrinking their habitat. I’m always amazed by how aware kids are of human’s destructive behavior and how knowledgeable they are of the solutions. If only it were as easy as it sounds to preserve open space and protect habitats.

We rode to Carpentaria State Park and pitched our tents by a pond with birds of all sorts bathing and fishing. My brother Travis and I jumped out in the ocean for a sunset surf. The view was dynamic, with the Channel Islands Anacapa and Santa Cruz clear and scenic, and ten or so oil derricks dotted in front of them. Gazing out at the twinkling rigs I couldn’t help but wonder- ‘are we just like ducks in a pond?’

Miles traveled today: 20

written by 1st time bike-tripper: Kyla Langen

Santa Barbara!!

This morning the group converged from our scattered nighttime abodes (several of us were fortunate enough to stay with Danny’s Grandma as well as various other friends in Santa Barbara) at La Colina Junior High in Goleta. We taught Non- Point Source Pollution to the eighth grade class and were pleased that the students demonstrated high levels of eco-literacy and an in-depth understanding of their surrounding county.

Later in the afternoon we reconvened downtown at the Wheelhouse in Santa Barbara for the Bike Moves First Thursday event where the Sustainable Living Bike Tour was showcased. A slideshow was projected on the side of the bus while the inside was open for viewing and seafood watch cards, compost wheels, t-shirts, and sprouts were available for the taking. With the “fancy” theme in mind, we even dressed the part as well. The Isla Vista Food Co-op donated healthy snacks which were then made available to Bike Moves participants. Most importantly the event promoted bicycles as a healthy and fun choice for transportation. Santa Barbara is a great example of how a community can make it convenient to ride one’s bike with the many bike lanes throughout town and the accompanying bike friendly drivers. The attendees/bike riders concluded the Bike Moves event with a critical mass bike ride down State Street to the end of the peer and back, finally wrapping up a long day for the fifteen riders.

Miles traveled today:20
Number of flats: 1, Kamron
Written by 1st time bike-tripper: Kamron Sockolov

Los Olivos to Santa Barbara

Today we divided and conquered. Some of us went to Oak Valley Elementary School while the other members of the Sustainable Living Bike Tour were helping Noey back at the farm. They picked vegetables to take to the upcoming farmer’s market, planted garlic, and continued working on the cobb house. It was nice to be so connected to the land and even the building of her house! We were thankful to be able to help in any small way after the generosity we received when staying on the farm.
The other riders awoke to an early ride out of the farm. Happy to not see frost outside, we headed a cool 10 miles to receive a warm welcome from the Oak Valley Elementary School 5th graders complete with signs each child had made.

Our volunteer crew facilitated a Protecting Your Coast workshop after a slideshow with the 5th graders (who recently attended the Ambassadors of the Environment program at El Capitan Canyon). After seven rotations of different activities on non-point source pollution (pollution coming from a non-stationary source), we were even able do a small trash clean up on school grounds. Oak Valley students were asked solutions to help protect our oceans and hopefully came away with a greater understanding of our role in these pertinent and prolific issues.
On our way home we were lucky enough to get even more donations from Amy at New Frontiers Market in Solvang. We teach students every day that everything runs on energy, and we are so very thankful for the food donations we have for our human powered energy on our bicycles. At this point in the trip, it’s especially nice to have great produce, which both Noey and New Frontiers have generously contributed.

It was after 1pm before we finally left the farm, reluctant to leave the view of sustainable living in practice, seen through a cobb house, home grown vegetables, and fields of grapes on a farm. But, leave it we did, in the hopes of making it up and over the San Marcos Pass, a mountainous ride, to head into Santa Barbara before dark. Once into Santa Barbara we separated to various home stays, weaving our way through town with bike lights and impending darkness, happy to have warmth and friends around us.
Thanks to everyone hosting us- the hot showers, bowling, hot tubs, home cooked meals, and maybe even beds- what a treat.

Miles traveled today: 55
Written by 2nd time bike-tripper: Abigail Johnston

Avila Beach to Los Olivos

When we worked up the courage to unzip our tents this morning at 6:30 AM, a frosty surprise awaited. Cold bathing suits from the hots springs last night held their form and a hot breakfast did little for our chilly toes. As 60-mile days go, it was not roasty-toasty going in the morning, but layers had to be shed in the afternoon. Specifically notable was our lunch stop northeast of Lompoc on Highway 154. Our camouflage bus pulled off in a rocky area with green backdrop where we indulged in Indian cuisine and thin-mint treats for lunch, thanks to great donations from New Frontier yesterday! A large rock-pile also made for entertaining rest (and pebble wars).

Today we rode through agro-central in the Lompoc Valley. Food for thought... according to BeachCalifornia.com:

• California has been the #1 food and ag producer in the US for more than 50 consecutive years
• More than 1/2 the nation's fruit, nuts, and vegetables come from here
• California is the nation's number one dairy state
• California's leading commodity is milk and cream ~ grapes are second
• California's leading export crop is almonds
• Nationally, products exclusively grown (99% or more) in California include almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers, and walnuts
• From 70 to 80% of all ripe olives are grown in California
• California is the nation's leading producer of strawberries, averaging 1.4 billion pounds of strawberries or 83% of the country's total fresh and frozen strawberry production
• California produces 25% of the nation's onions and 43% of the nation's green onions

As important as feeding the world is, it is good to mention the energy- and resource-intensive nature of conventional farming. Organic, specialty farming is making a comeback all over California and the rest of the US, providing (once again) small-scale and family farmers with the good living they deserve!

For instance, we cruised today and by 2:00 PM we saw ourselves turning into a long driveway in Los Olivos that led to "The Garden of...", an organic farm run by Noey and family. She not only was gracious enough to let us set up tent next to the hoop house and lawn next to the bee boxes, but she got us involved in building her home! Pretty soon we were stomping and turning cobb in our bare feet. With muddy hands, we carried bricks of mud, clay and straw to the upstairs where others packed the last foot of her south wall up to the roof. Her house is amazing! Cobb walls, restored windows, a green roof... and just big enough to meet all of her needs. We LOVE this farm stop (period). Music and great food followed before we tucked into bed for the night.

Miles traveled today: 60
Written By: Adam Hammes