Editor's Note:  This blog post was written by Jenny Cooper (MS Environment & Natural Resources, Sustainable Systems, 2014).  Cooper completed Climate Ride last week, and was invited to share this experience with the SNRE community. 

As the chill of Fall sets in and mid-terms become something more than just “on the horizon,” I’m left savoring my last memories of Summer: 327 miles of epically beautiful bike riding among redwood trees, along soaring coastal cliffs, and across the Golden Gate Bridge. My compatriots, 175 other cyclists all committed to finding ways to effectively address climate change.

Last week, I returned to Ann Arbor after spending 5 days riding from Eureka, CA to San Francisco with Climate Ride, a multi-day bicycle ride to raise awareness and funds for climate change solutions. Being outdoors 24/7, riding my bike all day along side stellar company, soaking up some of the country’s most stunning landscapes, and having much-welcomed time to reflect and discuss climate change, our environment—built and natural, and what we can do collectively to confront the greatest challenge of our time. What could be better? (Well, of course, it would be better if we had sufficiently reduced global GHG emissions long ago and we could simply go on a splendid bike ride sans thinking about the potentially catastrophic impacts of climate change.)

One of my favorite things about Climate Ride is that it’s not just a bike ride, it’s a climate conference on wheels. Each night, after we’d arrived at camp, set up our tents, and stuffed ourselves with delicious dinner, we all gathered together for climate-related presentations from experts in the field, who were nearly all fellow riders. It’s a rare instance in which people from all parts of the climate political spectrum and from varying lines of climate-related work come together to think creatively and act collectively. (There are of course the additional unique elements of intense physical exertion, endorphin highs, and daily Nutella sandwiches.)

The evening presentation topics ran the gamut, from climate policy to clean energy production, bicycle advocacy and city planning to green architecture, and from climate education to green business. The presenters came from a range of major environmental NGOs (think EDF, NRDC, Greenbelt Alliance, Alliance for Climate Education, etc.), green businesses (Credo Mobile and green architectures firms), bicycle coalitions, government, and environmental consulting firms.

After a day of cycling, you get an evening of inspiration and thoughtful discussion, which in turn is continued during the next day’s ride. A perfect combination of a mental and physical challenge.

SNRE fun fact: Nicole Rom, Executive Director of the Will Steiger Foundation, and SNRE alumna, gave a rockin’ presentation on night two.

2013 SNRE Climate Ride team?

I first participated in Climate Ride in September 2009, riding from New York City to Washington, DC. I had recently returned from a self-supported 1000-mile bike trip in France and Spain, and had just moved to DC to start a job in international climate policy. Climate Ride seemed like a perfect way to bridge those two experiences; I got hooked and have done a Ride each year since. 

Tempted by the thought of spending 24/7 in the great outdoors, riding your bicycle alongside fellow climate-concerned people, through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world? How about forming an SNRE team for Climate Ride California in May 2013? Give a shout if you’d like to team up and spread the SNRE bike and climate love to the West Coast. More info on Climate Ride at: http://climateride.org.