Diversity on the trails
Outside of the beautiful scenery, one of the main things I noticed and acknowledge about this trip is the overwhelming lack diversity I observed along the trail.
It surprised me that for over 330 miles of cycling between Washington, DC and Pittsburgh, PA, I never once saw a black person on a bike. Interestingly enough, I only saw 1 cyclist throughout the entire trip who was not white; an Asian man at the Indigo Neck Hiker campsite(MM 139.5) on day 2 of the C&O canal, just outside of Little Orleans, MD. To be able to so specifically detail the only moment I encountered a non-white cyclist in 5 days of riding clearly points to a lack of cultural participation out on the trails. Even more surprisingly, for the duration of the trip, I only saw a handful of non-white people on the trail in any capacity at all for the full 5 days.
This is simply an observation, but it is something I certainly can't ignore. There are countless reasons for this including cost as a barrier to entry, lack of cultural representation and location/accessibility to trails, but I'd truly love to see this change over time.
Being outside amongst beautiful scenery and enjoying nature should not be a restricted pleasure, but a freedom everyone has the opportunity to enjoy as I much as I have, and hope to continue.
One thing I can do right now is continue to ride and help create visibility for others who look like me, and that's where I'll start.
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Congrats to both of you on a successful first tour together! I’ll look forward to the next installment.
2 years ago
I look forward to more of your rides. Chapeau!
2 years ago
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2 years ago
Well done! And I agree with Andrea. I mean, just a back pack for five days? Zounds , folks. That’s travelling light! At a minimum, I would get the load off my back and onto a frame rack. If you want advice, just ask on the forum, and you’ll get a head full.
And I admire your courage to face the lack of diversity outside the big cities of America. The pigeonholing of people by color, class, or religion is the most despicable aspect of humanity. Good on you for pushing past it.
Cheers,
Keith
2 years ago
You provided everything I look for in a journal, which basically boils down to just three things: a sense of fun, a few exciting twists & turns, and a breezy, unpretentious narrative.
I'm guessing there will be more bike tours in your future. Every one of them will be memorable in their own way, but I think the excitement of the first one--like a first kiss--can never quite be repeated. True, there is something to be said for learning from experience. On the other hand, experience sometimes subtracts from the novelty. On the third hand, bike touring experience is how I learned that bike touring experience subtracts from the novelty. (So much for being unpretentious.)
Anyway, as I said, nice journal.
2 years ago
Well done you two and a great journal. I am sad about some of your experiences but think that if there were more Black cycle tourists they would just be seen as cyclists and a source of tourist dollars. I live in Australia and we have a shocking record in regard to our treatment of our First Nations people and we still have a few red necks of our own.
Re travelling light, Mary and I work on the basis that we only tour for a week at a time and only stay in a place one night at a time so one set of off bike clothes is plenty as nobody is going to see us twice wearing the same outfit so good to see you doing the same. As others have written those backpacks can get uncomfortable. With your loads you don't really need racks and panniers but have a look at some bikepacking frame bags.
Looking forward to your next journal.
Mike
2 years ago