7,700 miles…
The distance between New York and Paris, and the distance Joe Previte and Jordan Mishlove will cover on their bike ride across the United States this summer.
You might be wondering… Why are these two college seniors taking on this challenge?
Joe and Jordan are setting out to raise awareness about access to public lands for urban youth, and to support Outdoor Outreach programs that connect youth to the transformative power of the outdoors.
Joe, graduating from the University of Arizona, and Jordan, graduating from San Diego State University, met as children in their hometown of Phoenix, AZ. Growing up together, and sharing adventures that have taken them around the world, Joe and Jordan were inspired to plan a large-scale trip that would provide a national platform to speak out on behalf of underserved communities about the importance of green space access for urban youth.
Beginning their 4-month journey in Acadia National Park in Maine, Joe and Jordan will follow the Adventure Cycling Association’s Northern Tier route to Washington State. Then, the cyclist’s head south to Phoenix on the United States Bicycle Route System.
The journey has three goals:
1 To advocate for greater green space access for urban youth;
2 To raise $20,000 to open the outdoors to thousands of underserved young people through Outdoor Outreach’s youth development program; and
3 To gather information on the barriers to outdoor recreation across the US, and best practices to open the outdoors to underserved youth.
Along the way, Joe and Jordan look forward to meeting with nonprofits, youth serving organizations, and individuals interested in opening the outdoors to urban youth. To follow their progress or support their journey, visit their blog – The Bendable Road.
Thank you, Jordan and Joe, for your commitment to the mission and vision of Outdoor Outreach! We are incredibly honored to partner with you to support green space access, and look forward to seeing the amazing things you do along the way.