Alumna Rachel Burns '10 Bikes Cross Country

Rachel Burns '10 attended Shorecrest for 15 years before moving to Chapel Hill to study medical anthropology at the University of North Carolina. In February, Rachel and five of her friends embarked a 9,000 mile unsupported cycling journey from the southernmost to the northernmost points of the United States reachable by road, in support of preserving America’s natural beauty. The crew of filmmakers, artists, and writers will collaborate to produce a documentary and a novel about the country’s wild places and the people who are taking action to protect them.

Rachel answered a few questions for fellow Chargers in a recent interview.

Keys to Freeze is such a massive undertaking! How did you guys come up with the idea to bike from the Florida Keys all the way to Alaska?
Keys to Freeze started as a crazy idea between friends and co-founders, Brady Lawrence and Reese Wells. They hoped to bike from the most southern point to the most northern point of the United States reachable by road. Before long, I and three others got involved in the planning process. It's hard to believe that almost a year later we are 2,500 miles into our 9,000 mile journey!

We started in Key West, Florida, on February 25, 2015, and hope to reach Deadhorse, Alaska, by mid-August. We are pedaling as a Climate Ride independent challenge in support of the National Parks Conservation Association. We will be traveling through 14 national parks and helping with service projects in each. Throughout the trip, we will be collecting stories and gathering information on conservation projects along the route. We hope to share those stories with the public through a documentary and a novel.

What was the longest you'd ever ridden before this trip? How did you prepare?
I started cycling for fun about a year and a half ago. I would do small 20 mile rides on the weekends. Before the trip, my farthest ride was only 38 miles! I didn't really train and probably should have. We average about 75 miles a day, which still sounds and feels like a lot. Florida was an amazing place to start - flat roads, beautiful weather, and tons of family and friends supporting us for the first few weeks on the road.

You're two and a half months in, any regrets yet?
No. It has been an unbelievable experience so far! It is really hard to prepare for life on the road. The other five members had completed at least one cross-country cycling tour through the organization, Bike and Build. I had no touring experience and had no idea what to expect, which I think has become a blessing in disguise. Everyday is an amazing adventure as we ride through small forgotten towns of the southwest and get the opportunity to interact with inspiring people from all walks of life.

What has been the most challenging part of this experience?
On long milage days, we have to start before sunrise and most of the time end after sunset. It is hard physically, mentally, and emotionally to get in after 14 hours on the road knowing that the next day you have to do it all over again.

On the flipside, what has been the most exciting/rewarding thing thus far?
This opportunity has already been a wonderfully humbling experience. As we ride, we have been able to garner a deeper understanding of the environmental problems facing different areas throughout America, such as costal restoration in Louisiana or drought in west Texas. Each region and town has unique issues and methods to deal with them. Being on the road everyday is exciting and traveling by bike is a completely different way to experience a place. As we slowly cruise through the countryside, we can really see the true character of each little town. My favorite thing is to stop at local diners and shops and interact with the people there. The kindness we have seen and received has been overwhelming. We are excited for the upcoming weeks as we start visiting the national parks of Utah and Nevada.

Tell us a little about what your plans are after you reach Alaska!
After Alaska, I plan to apply to medical school, and in the meantime ride my bike and maybe go on another adventure.

What is your FAVORITE memory from your time at Shorecrest?
To this day, my closest and most influential teachers were from Shorecrest. Even throughout my four years at UNC, I never did really form as close of bonds with my professors. At Shorecrest, my teachers became not only role models but also friends. I went back and visited in February and really did feel at home. It was a wonderful feeling.