Filed under: Food For Thought | Tags: cycling, otesha, safety, sustainability, touring
I am sitting here with my heart in my throat. I just received news that today a Otesha cyclist member was suddenly hit and killed by a tractor trailer in New Brunswick. He was with the Highlands to Islands Tour who just began their journey. Otesha is a youth-run charitable organization, who does cycling and performing tours. They utilize theater to promote ideas and engage with communities on topics about social justice and environmental issues.
This hits close to home, a little too close. I just finished my first Otesha tour a few weeks ago. We biked from Vancouver, BC to Regina, SK on the Coast to Capital (of SK) Tour. Each day we awoke and set out onto the road sporting out florescent yellow safety vests ready to take in experience all that life and the open road had to offer.
Otesha means ”reason to dream” in Swahili, and dream big we did. In our mobile green community, we aspired to be the change the wished to see in the world. We did this by creating a strong sense of community, which really is the heart and soul of Otesha for me. We were touched by every community we visited, and hopefully inspired the lives of others as well. I cannot imagine what his family, friends and fellow teammates are going through.
Times like these we all have to pull together. Bicycles are vehicles and have the right to the roads as well. So vehicles please be aware of cyclists. Lets share the road in peace, and I pray that no more tragedies like this ever occur again.
All my love goes out to his family, and his Otesha teammates. You are all in my thoughts. Thank you for spreading the jam <3
