ROCKLAND, Maine — Sean Sullivan and the other bicycle riders who stopped at Rockland Harbor on Friday morning said they were not expecting such warm temperatures on this leg of their 390-mile ride to raise awareness of climate change.
“This is kind of appropriate with our message on climate change,” Sullivan said.
The Fairfax, Virginia, resident was one of hundreds of advocates for cycling and the environment who were traveling from Bar Harbor to Boston. A contingent of riders made a stop in Rockland’s Buoy Park Friday as part of the ride. Temperatures were hovering around 80, well above the average for this time of year.
The inaugural Climate Ride Northeast is not only being held to raise awareness of the need to deal with climate change but to raise money for a long list of nonprofit organizations that work toward a more sustainable future.
“We stop and will speak to people, start a conversation that plants the seed in their minds,” Sullivan said.
He said many people deny the human influence on climate change because the decisions that have to be made to counter the change will be difficult.
Sullivan is part of a group of bicycle riders from Team National Geographic based in Washington, D.C.
He said the organizations that will benefit from money raised through this bicycle ride range from small ones to much larger ones.
“They are part of some really fantastic people who do great work,” Sullivan said.
Also on Team National Geographic is Kim Larson, the wife of the CEO of the National Geographic Society.
The ride began Thursday morning in Bar Harbor. The riders come from 25 states, Climate Ride stated in a news release. The goal is to raise $400,000 to support more than 100 local, regional and national causes that focus on sustainability, cycling advocacy, active transportation and the environment.
The ride ends Monday in Boston.