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THE ADVENTURE:
Our names are Samuel Warton and Christopher Waters and we like to bike (cycle, technically). Why, you ask? Maybe it's the challenge. Maybe it's the independence. Maybe it's because it's faster than walking. All joking aside, we cycle for the feeling of the wind on our faces. Because there are no walls or windows to separate us from the slowly passing landscape, the experience becomes vividly immersive. It is in pursuit of this connection to the land that we will be biking 3000 miles from San Francisco to Boston.
Our journey from San Francisco Bay to Massachusetts Bay will take us through beautiful country including Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. In addition, the trip will be entirely self-supported, meaning there will be no SAG wagon, no event organizers, no support staff - just us, our bikes, and our gear-loaded trailers. We will be carrying our own stores of food, water, bike tools, and camping gear, but will otherwise be traveling as lightly as possible. We expect that the road will be rough at times, but we know that we are up to the challenge.
THE CAUSE:
This trip isn't all about us. We want to use the trip as an opportunity to advance a greater good. In that spirit, we will donate half of any money that you pledge to the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), a nonprofit advocacy group that has been active in New England since 1966.
The Conservation Law Foundation is dedicated to conserving and preserving the natural well being of the northeastern US. Their work aims to empower local communities through advocacy while implementing important conservation initiatives. In one case, the CLF is committed to reducing potential harm to the environment, public health, and the economy caused by the region's aging power plants. Towards this goal, the CLF has been advancing policy measures and technology incentives to minimize our region's greenhouse gas emissions. Their successes include the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the nation's first mandatory cap and trade program. We hope that you will agree with us in our belief that the CLF is a group worthy of our support. More information on the CLF may be found at: http://www.clf.org/
The other half of your donation will be used to make our trip a reality by helping to fund nourishment, occasional campsites and Amtrak tickets to San Francisco.
ABOUT THE ADVENTURERS:
My name is Samuel Warton. I will soon be a graduate from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. I am getting my BA in theater with a concentration in performance, sound design, and theatrical mechanics. College will soon be over and I want to do something life changing!
In the past, I have hiked up Mount Washington (more than 10 times) via almost every trail. My fastest time up to the summit was 1 hour 15minutes. In Peru I climbed Choquiqueriao in one day (ancient Incan sister city of Machu Piccu, 10,000ft), Machu Piccu (7,500ft), Ampay (8500ft to 14,000ft, about 5 times). In the summer of 2010 I cycled 3400 miles on a cross country traverse with my brother Lucas to raise money for Doctors Without Borders.
As a lover of nature and the outdoors, this trip will not only open new doors in my life, but hopefully will enable me to help others in the process. This is why I am excited to be raising money for the Conservation Law Foundation! This trip will be my second cross country traverse and I couldn't be more thrilled!
My name is Christopher Waters and I too will soon be a graduate of UMass Amherst. With a leukemia research position waiting for me in Boston and an eventual graduate degree in mind, I know that I may not have the opportunity to do a trip like this again for a very long time! I have never taken on a trip of this magnitude before, but I am looking forward to the challenge.
So what is my background in the backcountry? Whether it was on weeklong river trips with family in Maine, Montana, and Utah or weekend excursions to the White Mountains in New Hampshire with the Boy Scouts, my childhood was full of outdoor adventures. Since graduating from high school, I have been certified both as a Wilderness First Responder by the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute and as a trip leader by the Appalachian Mountain Club. I have participated in and lead backpacking trips in Colorado, ascended the 17,700 ft Thorung La Pass in Nepal, and cycled 500 miles as a participant in Cycle Greater Yellowstone (a benefit to raise awareness for the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Basin). All-in-all, my experiences have given me a deep appreciation for the varying landscapes of the US, and I look forwards to riding in support of protecting them!
THE PLAN
On May 14th, following our graduation ceremonies, we will load our bikes, our trailers, our gear and ourselves onto an Amtrak train bound for San Francisco. When we arrive on the West Coast on the 17th, we plan to spend several days with Sam's sister Mica Warton as we assemble our rigs, gather supplies, and mentally prepare ourselves. Finally, on May 20th we will dip our wheels in the San Francisco Bay and begin our journey east.
If you are interested in tracking our progress during the trip, we are setting up a blog and will be sending out the web address soon.
We can be reached for questions/comments/suggestions at: [email redacted]
See below for links to the planned route for each week (+/- 2 days).
REVISED: WEEKS ONE AND TWO
OAKLAND, CA to DURANGO, CO in 14 to 18 days
WEEK THREE!
Tuba City to Colorado Springs in 5-7 days.
WEEK FOUR!
Colorado Springs to Waverly, Nebraska in 5-7 days.
WEEK FIVE!
Waverly, Nebraska to Chicago, IL in 6-8 days.
WEEK SIX!
Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY in 5-7 days.
WEEK SEVEN!
Buffalo, NY to Boston Harbor (and Massachusetts Bay), MA in 5-7 days.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Our names are Samuel Warton and Christopher Waters and we like to bike (cycle, technically). Why, you ask? Maybe it's the challenge. Maybe it's the independence. Maybe it's because it's faster than walking. All joking aside, we cycle for the feeling of the wind on our faces. Because there are no walls or windows to separate us from the slowly passing landscape, the experience becomes vividly immersive. It is in pursuit of this connection to the land that we will be biking 3000 miles from San Francisco to Boston.
Our journey from San Francisco Bay to Massachusetts Bay will take us through beautiful country including Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. In addition, the trip will be entirely self-supported, meaning there will be no SAG wagon, no event organizers, no support staff - just us, our bikes, and our gear-loaded trailers. We will be carrying our own stores of food, water, bike tools, and camping gear, but will otherwise be traveling as lightly as possible. We expect that the road will be rough at times, but we know that we are up to the challenge.
THE CAUSE:
This trip isn't all about us. We want to use the trip as an opportunity to advance a greater good. In that spirit, we will donate half of any money that you pledge to the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), a nonprofit advocacy group that has been active in New England since 1966.
The Conservation Law Foundation is dedicated to conserving and preserving the natural well being of the northeastern US. Their work aims to empower local communities through advocacy while implementing important conservation initiatives. In one case, the CLF is committed to reducing potential harm to the environment, public health, and the economy caused by the region's aging power plants. Towards this goal, the CLF has been advancing policy measures and technology incentives to minimize our region's greenhouse gas emissions. Their successes include the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the nation's first mandatory cap and trade program. We hope that you will agree with us in our belief that the CLF is a group worthy of our support. More information on the CLF may be found at: http://www.clf.org/
The other half of your donation will be used to make our trip a reality by helping to fund nourishment, occasional campsites and Amtrak tickets to San Francisco.
ABOUT THE ADVENTURERS:
My name is Samuel Warton. I will soon be a graduate from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. I am getting my BA in theater with a concentration in performance, sound design, and theatrical mechanics. College will soon be over and I want to do something life changing!
In the past, I have hiked up Mount Washington (more than 10 times) via almost every trail. My fastest time up to the summit was 1 hour 15minutes. In Peru I climbed Choquiqueriao in one day (ancient Incan sister city of Machu Piccu, 10,000ft), Machu Piccu (7,500ft), Ampay (8500ft to 14,000ft, about 5 times). In the summer of 2010 I cycled 3400 miles on a cross country traverse with my brother Lucas to raise money for Doctors Without Borders.
As a lover of nature and the outdoors, this trip will not only open new doors in my life, but hopefully will enable me to help others in the process. This is why I am excited to be raising money for the Conservation Law Foundation! This trip will be my second cross country traverse and I couldn't be more thrilled!
My name is Christopher Waters and I too will soon be a graduate of UMass Amherst. With a leukemia research position waiting for me in Boston and an eventual graduate degree in mind, I know that I may not have the opportunity to do a trip like this again for a very long time! I have never taken on a trip of this magnitude before, but I am looking forward to the challenge.
So what is my background in the backcountry? Whether it was on weeklong river trips with family in Maine, Montana, and Utah or weekend excursions to the White Mountains in New Hampshire with the Boy Scouts, my childhood was full of outdoor adventures. Since graduating from high school, I have been certified both as a Wilderness First Responder by the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute and as a trip leader by the Appalachian Mountain Club. I have participated in and lead backpacking trips in Colorado, ascended the 17,700 ft Thorung La Pass in Nepal, and cycled 500 miles as a participant in Cycle Greater Yellowstone (a benefit to raise awareness for the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Basin). All-in-all, my experiences have given me a deep appreciation for the varying landscapes of the US, and I look forwards to riding in support of protecting them!
THE PLAN
On May 14th, following our graduation ceremonies, we will load our bikes, our trailers, our gear and ourselves onto an Amtrak train bound for San Francisco. When we arrive on the West Coast on the 17th, we plan to spend several days with Sam's sister Mica Warton as we assemble our rigs, gather supplies, and mentally prepare ourselves. Finally, on May 20th we will dip our wheels in the San Francisco Bay and begin our journey east.
If you are interested in tracking our progress during the trip, we are setting up a blog and will be sending out the web address soon.
We can be reached for questions/comments/suggestions at: [email redacted]
See below for links to the planned route for each week (+/- 2 days).
REVISED: WEEKS ONE AND TWO
OAKLAND, CA to DURANGO, CO in 14 to 18 days
WEEK THREE!
Tuba City to Colorado Springs in 5-7 days.
WEEK FOUR!
Colorado Springs to Waverly, Nebraska in 5-7 days.
WEEK FIVE!
Waverly, Nebraska to Chicago, IL in 6-8 days.
WEEK SIX!
Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY in 5-7 days.
WEEK SEVEN!
Buffalo, NY to Boston Harbor (and Massachusetts Bay), MA in 5-7 days.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.