Helen and Al's route will follow many great rivers including the Columbia, the Snake, and the Missouri. They'll cross the mighty Mississippi in Minnesota and the Great Lakes by ferrying across Lake Michigan. The Port Authority will close the bridge at Port Huron for the bikers to cross into Canada where they will spend two days riding through Ontario before returning to the United States via the Niagara Falls Parkway. Along the way Helen and Al will be visiting local land trusts like Red-tail Conservancy. In fact, they will cross the boundaries of 34 land trusts - all very different in the land they protect, but similar in their passion for land close to their homes. The Columbia Land Trust in Oregon has already offered Helen and Al a send-off celebration, providing snacks along the way and sending some of their biking members as a support team. The Parkdale Valley Land Trust has offered an overnight stay and breakfast. Although their physical journey has already begun in Astoria, Oregon, the heart of their grand adventure began on West County Road 125 N. in New Castle, Indiana. The Steussy-WIlliams family donated a conservation agreement to Red-tail Conservancy on their land which they planted in tall grass prairie and native hardwood trees. Over the years hundreds of school kids have been out on the Land. Over 1,000 trees are growing where they were hand planted by kids from age 6-12. All of those kids in New Castle, Indiana remember planting their trees on the Steussy-Williams land. To many people Helen is known as The Tree Lady You can follow Helen and Al's progress at:  |  Al training for the ride in Florida  |
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Fundraising Thermometer |
The Route |