Neighbor Sari Harris Joins 300-Mile Climate Ride This Week
From Saturday, September 21 to Wednesday, September 25, neighbor Sari Harris and about 200 others will take part in the Climate Ride, a bike trip from NYC to Washington, DC to raise awareness about climate change, sustainability, bike advocacy, and renewable energy.
The PS 139 mom and 7-year resident of our area says she was inspired to complete the ride in part by visits to bike-friendly cities, as well as considering her own connection to climate change.
“I’d like to understand it better, since it’s affecting us all,” she says. “The ride has expert speakers each night, so I expect to learn a lot.”
Sari has been an avid rider for years, ever since her college days in Chicago when she says her bike was her primary means of transportation. She worked as a bike messenger during school, taking a two month bicycle tour through France, Belgium, and Germany after graduation.
“These days, I bike on the weekends or participate in local long-distance rides.” But, says the NYC Century vet (she’s pictured above riding in the 2010 event), “This will be my first multi-day ride since 1992.”
She’s raising funds for Transportation Alternatives and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy during the Climate Ride, and has reached 90% of her goal so far.
“It will be challenging to ride 300 miles in five days, since I’m basically a weekend cyclist,” she says, “but the issues and the organizations I’m supporting are critical to safer riding and walking spaces in the city and nationwide. It’s going to be a really beautiful ride.”
Tying it back to her experience in the neighborhood, she says, “I think the Beverly and Cortelyou Road station closings illustrate why it’d be so great to be able to hop on your bike, have safe streets to ride on, then park it in a secure location.
“I’m looking forward to bringing back knowledge that can be used locally,” she says. “I love biking, and want to support organizations that are working to make it a safe transportation option here.”
If you’d like to help Sari raise money for Transportation Alternatives and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, you may do so at the Climate Ride site.