This May, I'll be riding nearly 400 miles from Boston to Montreal to fundraise for Boston Cyclists Union (BCU)! This fully-supported group trip will take place over five full days— we'll be camping along the way, spending two days in Montreal, and then taking the bus back.

I started biking reguarly last fall, thanks to multiple friends convincing me that biking is the best way to get around the Boston area. And it absolutely is— it's more fun, quick (especially in rush hour), and sustainable than compared to driving.

However, I wouldn't feel as comfortable biking around urban areas without the dedicated bike lanes that criss cross the city, especially on high speed arterial roads. Thanks to the hard work of advocacy groups like BCU and local bike-oriented elected officials, this bicycling infrastructure exists and continues to expand.

Your support in this fundraiser will help cover the costs of this trip and further the mission of BCU— to transform the streets of greater Boston into equitable and inviting spaces, centered around people, affording access and connection for every body. It's a mission that I'm passionate about and something I hope to continue to stay involved with to create a more accessible, walkable, and delightful greater Boston.

You may be wondering, has Amy ever cycled such a long distance before? The answer is no, I have not. In fact, each weekend training ride building up to the trip tends to be my new longest distance ever ridden (shoutout to my 8 Strava friends for witnessing the grind). Although embarking on such a long trip is a bit daunting, I'm amped to be challenging myself and riding with other awesome folks of the Bos/treál group and BCU!

To express my appreciation for those who donate, I will be fulfilling the following as tokens of my gratittude:

Donate $15 or more
> A highlights + lowlights recap of the trip via email (pls send your address)

Donate $50 or more
> Same as the previous tier, as well as:
> A handwritten thank you note on a sick MTL postcard, perhaps with a little doodle

Donate $100 or more
> Same as the previous tiers, as well as:
> A signed (instant) photo print from the trip (going to try my best to whip out the Instax camera)

Donate $500 or more
> Same as the previous tiers, as well as:
> I will plan a 20-50 mile bike ride for us to go on together, filled with beautiful views (local only)

BCU is a 501c3— please check if your corporate employer offers donation matching!

Any amount helps! Whether you are or are not in a place to contribute monetarily, feel free to send me pump up jams for my playlist, Montreál must-sees, or a little luck for the road. If you have any other friends or family members who might be excited about safe streets or long distance bike touring, please consider sending this fundraiser along :)

Thank you!!