2020: A Spice Odyssey
Donation protected
In January, Jen, Elizabeth & Bob will be going on the adventure of a lifetime; driving a 3-wheeled rickshaw across India from Jaisalmer in the North to Kochi in the South. And we need your help!
As part of something called, The Rickshaw Run , we will be traveling approximately 2,500km in a three-wheeled bucket of bolts with a 7hp motor traveling no faster than 55kmh, assuming it's all downhill with a healthy tailwind. There’s no set route, no back up plan, and no guarantee that we’ll come back (because we love India so much, not because of the threat of danger and death).
As part of this journey we will be raising funds and awareness to support CoolEarth ’s mission of halting rain forest deforestation and curbing climate change. CoolEarth works with indigenous people in rain forest communities to protect surrounding forests from commercial threats. Why is this work valuable? Well, saving just one acre of rain forest can offset the same amount of CO2 as driving around the world 32 times or the same amount of water as 950 baths (not on this India trip though…). It contains 11,000 species of insect and worms and up to 6 endangered animals.
Like we said, it's for a good cause...a really good cause. Here's a video about Cool Earth and their work that will get you INSPIRED!!
INTRODUCING OUR TEAM, 2020: A SPICE ODYSSEY.
We all currently work or have worked for IGS, an awesome company that's working to create clean, smart and efficient energy future. We became friends and appreciated one another's sense of adventure and genuine spirit for doing good in the world. Here's a little bit about each of us:
Elizabeth
Trip superpower: Ability to consume unlimited amounts of chai and naan
Curry spice level: What’s the curry spice equivalent of vanilla ice cream?
Navigational skills: Braking for animals (and big leaves that look like animals)
Fear: Running out of chai and naan
Philanthropic experience: Caring about all things environmental – From planting trees and monarch waystations, to installing solar panels, to dumpster diving for recyclables.
Jen
Trip superpower: Team Mom which can also show up like Team Know-It-All
Curry spice level: Burn Baby Burn! (hopefully not on the way out!)
Navigational skills: Best backseat driver EVER (just ask my husband)
Fear: My husband has enough fears about this trip for the two of us…other than the inevitable Delhi Belly, I’m going into this trip fearless!
Philanthropic experience: I can't remember a time in my life when there wasn't some form of giving back happening...I attribute that to growing up in a small rural community with parents who are wired to always help those around them. Small town fundraisers for the local fireworks and 4-H to international volunteering throughout Central and South America to advocacy for the LGBTQ community to volunteering at my polling location on election day.
Bob
Trip superpower: I’m super at tripping on things unseen in the dark.
Curry spice level: Basil
Navigational skills: I’ve been nailing my left and rights since I was 3 feet tall. Since then I’ve been ok at getting around on land when the sun is up and pretty great on the water.
Fear: Closed minded ignorance, especially my own.
Philanthropic experience: Holding hands in 1986; Installed solar panels in the rainforests of Nicaragua; Enjoy helping at the local Food Bank; Try my best to feed those who are hungry; Once gave a friend a place to stay so they could leave the country (not sure why; I miss them).
ABOUT THE RUN
The Rickshaw Run is put on by a group called The Adventurists. They captured it perfectly when they described the adventure as "easily the least sensible thing to do with two weeks.”
Our goal is to rally from Jaisalmer to Kochi within two weeks (hopefully). The journey will take us down the west-Indian cost and through some amazing cities and landscapes. This run is essentially desert to jungle to beach during India’s beautiful summer season.
Rickshaws are considered an engineering marvel but most certainly not reliable. There will be breakdowns, there will be flat tires, there will be flat batteries, there will be *oh shit* moments, there will be traffic, probably no clutch and more importantly there will be no stopping us!
OUR ASK OF YOU
Looking for a chance to experience India without the threat of Delhi Belly, squat pots, or tiger chases? Or want to support the amazing work of Cool Earth? Or just want to support this crazy adventure of ours? Donate to our Rickshaw Run for access to special content during our adventure, including, photos, videos, and stories!
Donate:
We will be grateful for anything that can help the team meet our fundraising goals. We've committed to raising $1,500 for Cool Earth at a minimum -- and hope to raise much more! Seriously, any bit helps. That being said, we wanted to find some fun ways of showing our gratitude for support at certain levels:
$300 – We’ll create a Flat Stanley version of you to accompany us on our travels. You’ll receive photos of your Flat Stanley traveling through India with us as proof of your adventure.
$150 – Your face on a bumper sticker, stuck to our 3-wheeled rickshaw.
$25+ - Access to our private Facebook group where we’ll post special content, including photos and stories (and the inevitable video of an emotional breakdown).
With all our gratitude,
Elizabeth, Jen & Bob
The 2020: A Spice Odyssey team
As part of something called, The Rickshaw Run , we will be traveling approximately 2,500km in a three-wheeled bucket of bolts with a 7hp motor traveling no faster than 55kmh, assuming it's all downhill with a healthy tailwind. There’s no set route, no back up plan, and no guarantee that we’ll come back (because we love India so much, not because of the threat of danger and death).
As part of this journey we will be raising funds and awareness to support CoolEarth ’s mission of halting rain forest deforestation and curbing climate change. CoolEarth works with indigenous people in rain forest communities to protect surrounding forests from commercial threats. Why is this work valuable? Well, saving just one acre of rain forest can offset the same amount of CO2 as driving around the world 32 times or the same amount of water as 950 baths (not on this India trip though…). It contains 11,000 species of insect and worms and up to 6 endangered animals.
Like we said, it's for a good cause...a really good cause. Here's a video about Cool Earth and their work that will get you INSPIRED!!
INTRODUCING OUR TEAM, 2020: A SPICE ODYSSEY.
We all currently work or have worked for IGS, an awesome company that's working to create clean, smart and efficient energy future. We became friends and appreciated one another's sense of adventure and genuine spirit for doing good in the world. Here's a little bit about each of us:
Elizabeth
Trip superpower: Ability to consume unlimited amounts of chai and naan
Curry spice level: What’s the curry spice equivalent of vanilla ice cream?
Navigational skills: Braking for animals (and big leaves that look like animals)
Fear: Running out of chai and naan
Philanthropic experience: Caring about all things environmental – From planting trees and monarch waystations, to installing solar panels, to dumpster diving for recyclables.
Jen
Trip superpower: Team Mom which can also show up like Team Know-It-All
Curry spice level: Burn Baby Burn! (hopefully not on the way out!)
Navigational skills: Best backseat driver EVER (just ask my husband)
Fear: My husband has enough fears about this trip for the two of us…other than the inevitable Delhi Belly, I’m going into this trip fearless!
Philanthropic experience: I can't remember a time in my life when there wasn't some form of giving back happening...I attribute that to growing up in a small rural community with parents who are wired to always help those around them. Small town fundraisers for the local fireworks and 4-H to international volunteering throughout Central and South America to advocacy for the LGBTQ community to volunteering at my polling location on election day.
Bob
Trip superpower: I’m super at tripping on things unseen in the dark.
Curry spice level: Basil
Navigational skills: I’ve been nailing my left and rights since I was 3 feet tall. Since then I’ve been ok at getting around on land when the sun is up and pretty great on the water.
Fear: Closed minded ignorance, especially my own.
Philanthropic experience: Holding hands in 1986; Installed solar panels in the rainforests of Nicaragua; Enjoy helping at the local Food Bank; Try my best to feed those who are hungry; Once gave a friend a place to stay so they could leave the country (not sure why; I miss them).
ABOUT THE RUN
The Rickshaw Run is put on by a group called The Adventurists. They captured it perfectly when they described the adventure as "easily the least sensible thing to do with two weeks.”
Our goal is to rally from Jaisalmer to Kochi within two weeks (hopefully). The journey will take us down the west-Indian cost and through some amazing cities and landscapes. This run is essentially desert to jungle to beach during India’s beautiful summer season.
Rickshaws are considered an engineering marvel but most certainly not reliable. There will be breakdowns, there will be flat tires, there will be flat batteries, there will be *oh shit* moments, there will be traffic, probably no clutch and more importantly there will be no stopping us!
OUR ASK OF YOU
Looking for a chance to experience India without the threat of Delhi Belly, squat pots, or tiger chases? Or want to support the amazing work of Cool Earth? Or just want to support this crazy adventure of ours? Donate to our Rickshaw Run for access to special content during our adventure, including, photos, videos, and stories!
Donate:
We will be grateful for anything that can help the team meet our fundraising goals. We've committed to raising $1,500 for Cool Earth at a minimum -- and hope to raise much more! Seriously, any bit helps. That being said, we wanted to find some fun ways of showing our gratitude for support at certain levels:
$300 – We’ll create a Flat Stanley version of you to accompany us on our travels. You’ll receive photos of your Flat Stanley traveling through India with us as proof of your adventure.
$150 – Your face on a bumper sticker, stuck to our 3-wheeled rickshaw.
$25+ - Access to our private Facebook group where we’ll post special content, including photos and stories (and the inevitable video of an emotional breakdown).
With all our gratitude,
Elizabeth, Jen & Bob
The 2020: A Spice Odyssey team
Organizer and beneficiary
Robert Durkin
Organizer
Columbus, OH
Jen Bowden
Beneficiary
