Plastino Project: Biking across the US

About Us

Who we are:

Rina Binder-Macleod and Kristofer Thompson

What we are doing:

Biking across the USA, from Delaware to California.

Why we are doing it:

1. Fun!

2. To learn about bicycle friendly communities then bring what we learn back to UD to become "bicycle ambassadors" and promote bicycle use.

3. Fun?

4. (MOST IMPORTANTLY!) FOR THE KIDS!

Last summer we worked in Guatemala for 3 months as volunteer trekking guides for an amazing organization called "Quetzaltrekkers. "

The money we raised from the hikes funded 85% of the operating budget for a school EDELAC, or Escuela de la Calle, for 220 children.

If that wasn't enough, we also provided 100% of the funding for the orphanage "The Hogar Abierto (Open Home)" for 17 kids!

We love these kids to death, so we are dedicating our bike trip to them

Me (Rina) and Wilson on the trek to Lago Atitlan

The girls hanging out after dinner at the Quetzaltrekker's Office

We would be so grateful if you could support us in our effort to "Bike for the Kids", to provide support for the kids

of the "Open Home",

The Hogar Abierto.

To Donate: (this is a semi-complicated process because it is difficult to send money out of the country even to a 501(c)3 non-profit so QT uses Omprakash to help facilitate the donation process)

You can make a tax-free donation through Omprakash.

Please select Quetzaltrekkers from the drop down menu to earmark your donation (very important).

In addition, we will be tracking the money raised through our bike trip. If you choose to donate, please e-mail bikeforthekids@gmail.com with your name and the amount donated so we can track our progress for the kids!

Thank you for your support!

Kris and Rina

Friday, June 11, 2010

The cookie lady's house!

Blue Ridge Mountains!

Read about June Curry, known to thousands of bicyclists as the cookie lady http://www.biketouring.net/rides/xcountry/curry.html

Bananas for biking in c ville!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Palmyra, VA

Last night we camped out in Horace, Theresa, and Hannah's backyard. This wonderful family was a lifesaver, offering us a place to stay right when the sun was setting! We chatted late into the night,realizing how much we shared in common! Theresa had done the SCA (student conservation association. www.thesca.org which I had done two summers ago in the Delaware Water Gap )and Hannah had friends at UD! Small world... We are so grateful for their hospitality; it is so refreshing meeting such nice people along the way! Thanks again for opening your home to us!

Virginia

We have been biking through VA for a couple of days now, taking a rest day in Charlottesville before tackling the Blue Ridge Parkway! We have ridden on all kinds of roads, including some larger, newer roads with great bike paths that were funded through the recovery act. We have also ridden some terrifying highways as well! They really make you appreciate the bike routes!