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E-mail a friendYOUNG VOICES
Biking for Obama
I was talking to my mother-in-law on Christmas morning and she said, “We have company!”
Since my husband was sitting next to me, and we were going to see my brother-in-law later in the day, I was already out of guesses.
“Who?” I asked her.
“Ryan,” she said. “He's biking to Washington, D.C.”
“What? Oh, wow! On a motorcycle or something? Why?” I asked.
“No. He's on a regular bike. He's going to the inauguration,” she answered.
That might sound crazy. But if you know Ryan Bowen, it makes perfect sense.
Bowen is a 22-year-old social justice activist who graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, alongside my brother-in-law in May. (And yes, that is the college that Obama attended before transferring to my alma mater Columbia University, but I digress).
After the presidential election in November, Bowen had the idea that he should go to the inauguration on January 20th, but decided to ride his bike from Los Angeles to D.C. instead of flying or taking some other gas-guzzling mode of transportation. He wanted to make a point and contribute to President-elect Barack Obama's “change” movement.
“One of the main purposes of this … has been to inspire people to manifest change in their own lives,” Bowen says. “Barack talked about bringing change to Washington. This is one way that I'm trying to bring change to Washington, is to inspire people to get on the bikes and to think of new and innovative ways of going about their lives.”
Roll Out!
So, on December 2nd, Bowen, who “hadn't ridden over 20 miles in a day until two weeks before,” set off from Los Angeles. By Christmas Day he had made it to my mother- and father-in-law's home outside of Houston, Texas.
Throughout his journey he has talked to Obama supporters and detractors in so-called Red and Blue states and documented it on his blog.
Another rider, Josh, joined him in Austin, Texas, and several groups of riders have joined him on short legs of his trip. He says that he really wants other riders to join and enter D.C. with him.
He has relied on the generosity of friends who have offered him a place to sleep here and there, more than 100 supporters who have donated money, as well as corporate sponsors who have provided him with food, supplies and replacement tires (a lot of replacement tires).
And Bowen has taken shelter wherever he can pitch a tent, which has led to some interesting sleeping spots, including a horse trailer and near an alligator exhibit in a city park in Louisiana.
“The most inspiring thing for me and something that I would have to say that I didn't really expect to be saying when I first started off is, like, the overwhelming generosity and camaraderie that I felt from fellow Americans,” Bowen says. “I'm proud to be supported, and I didn't think it would be possible. I never dreamed that I would see this much support coming from people across race and gender … lines.”
Undeterred on the Highway of Hope
When I did catch up with him this week to have a phone conversation, he was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he was attempting to file a police report. The night before, he and Josh were struck by a jeep. Bowen suffered a hematoma on his thigh, both bikes were damaged and they lost their GPS.
A physical therapist told him to continue his trip because his leg would be fine.
So he did just that. He's in Mississippi today. He's been averaging 85 miles per day since he began the trip and plans each stop on his journey about three days in advance. So he doesn't yet know where he's staying in D.C., but hopes to arrive on January 18th.
Bowen says he hopes Americans will see his journey and be inspired to remain involved in the change movement.
“I was jazzed that Obama got elected,” Bowen says. "Now I'm like, the rubber needs to meet the road with his supporters, because if we don't stay engaged and involved, there is no way that the kind of changes he spoke about in the campaign, that the campaign put forward, can actually come to fruition.“
Amen to that, brother.
Bowen says that any money left over after he arrives in D.C. will go to Play For Hope to support a sustainable sports camp in Rwanda.
Check out a video of his trip below. And to keep tabs on his journey, visit Biking For Obama.