Big Bike Ride 500+Miles

from Washington DC to Boston, MA for  Impact Project Ghana - a start-up non-profit organization -

My wife (Dur) and I (Luis)  joined the Bike Ride of Impact Project Ghana 1000+Miles.

We did only half  way of the journey- so we biked 500+ miles from Washington DC up to Boston, MA.

We met the co-directors Brittani and Joseph from Impact Project in Washington DC in May 2012 , as they were currently working on reaching their goal of 10k to start their programs for communities in Ghana, So, they came up with the idea of doing a bike ride from Virginia to Montreal (1000+ miles) in honour of people in Ghana who walk every day  miles and miles to supplied their daily needs.

The fact was, none of us are bikers and none of us even have bikes.

Before our departure, We just had a couple of days for setting up our trip and obviously, we nedeed bikes! so we tried our luck in some websites and bike shops asking for any sponsorship or discounts but we didn't have luck at all. Also, As this is a charity ride, we didn't want to spend much money on buying gear instead of saving.

Suddenly, Brittani got an email back from a Bike co-op called Rag-Bones in Richmond, VA. We wouldn't be riding on decent bikes if it wasn't for them. They built up four bikes to loan us for our ride!

Since there, things got better and better. REI Richmond has sponsored us with a two-person tent for our journey.

At some point I was excited but at the same time was concerning  about of  facing this challenge, we didn't know much what to expect of this bike ride, but in some how, we kept motivated by the Ghanaian families.

We took off in the morning of the 7TH of July at Farifax, VA  - the Weather was around 110 degrees - it was incredibly hot! but it didn't take us away from our destination.

We did our first stop in small mall in which there was a Subway, maybe about 10 miles away from our initial point, we asked for permission to the staff to let us fill up our bottles of water and as soon as they saw our sign: "Virginia to Montreal" , they were so interested in us and gave us some free sandwiches. It blew away my mind and it help me to feel proud of it instead like a bum!

Making an Impact:  One of my favourite things about this trip was the opportunity to talk to kids at the former high school summer program in Levittwon, PA. - Joseph from Impact Project, was part of this program a few years ago and it helped him a lot.  He was invited to do a short talk to kids, they seemed so interested about his work, about Ghana and our charity ride. Hope it made an "impact" in their lifes.  Check out Co-Director Joseph of Impact Project Ghana: 

As further we pedalled as more supportive people were!

We went through nine states of US,  from Virginia to District of Columbia, Maryland, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

In total, from Virginia to Massachusetts, we spent 29 days on the road (we took a couple of days off) and slept in so many places as  parking lots, churches, schools, parks, back yards and even hosted and feed for a family in Mystic.

In every single state, people supported as with food, money, places to sleep and just being kind overall, even thumbs up through the window's car!  

Check out this video I made about our trip and see some of the good Americans we have met along the way that made our first visit to USA a good one!!

    Big Bike Ride Report

• Over $1000 in donations and free food along the way
• Had our picture published in The WesterlySun
• Got a brief and free ride on our own private metro bus, in DC.
• Only one flat tire
• Got $75 fine for biking over the  the Hatem bridge, MD
• we camped in two national state parks: Hammonaset Park and Burligame Park
• Many misdirections and a lot of trying hills.

• Big Thanks to:

- the staff of Hosteling International in Baltimore for letting us crash for a few hours. :)
- Brittany's family and Joanne Brown-Upcavage  and  Anthony Simone for having us
- Ana Bartz and her husband for such an incredibly meal
- Melissa Mckinstry,  Rechele May Vaill,  Steven Silva, for having us.
-Gabe Panko for supported us along the way
- Yurany , Nestor, Yeilin, Santiago and  Lina Hincapie for having and feeding us.
-  and BIG THANKS TO all the people who have supported us along the way!!!

I N S I D E F R E E D O M P R O J E C T

Street art can turn the world inside out? Yes, it can!

We heard this french guy saying:


“I wish for you to stand up for what you care about by participating in a global art project, and together we’ll turn the world… INSIDE OUT.”


So we did it! We stood up an went to Women's Prison in Medellín -  Colombia, and asked a group of women to participate in  "Inside Freedom" as part of Inside Out project.

We asked to 15 women to tell the world their dreams and plans when they be released,

and despite of most of them are mothers and they lost valuable time without their sons, you can stil see on their smily faces: hope!

15 photos were printed in large format and pasted on the prison's wall, where they can be as visible as you can imagine. We also gave to them small copies of the photos to share with their relatives.

This projects aims to give a window of freedom and a light of hope to women in Medellín's Prison  - as they said,  and also to changes people perceptions about the people inside prisons.


Inside Out Project , Fan Page .

Español: 

El arte urbano puede voltear al mundo de adentro hacia afuera? Sí puede!

Escuchamos al famoso francés diciendo:

“Deseo que todos participemos en un proyecto de arte global  y juntos volteamos al mundo de adentro hacia afuera. ."

Eso hicimos, participamos y fuimos a la prisión de mujeres en Medellín- Colombia y le pedimos a un grupo de mujeres ser parte de "Libertad Adentro"


Les pedimos le contarán al mundo sus sueños y planes para cuando sean liberadas,
muchas de ellas son madres y sueñan con recuperar el tiempo perdido al lado de sus hijos.


En total, 15 mujeres fueron fotografiadas y sus copias fueron impresas en gran formato y pegadas en las paredes de la prisión donde fueran lo más visible posible. A las reclusas se le hizo una exposición interna y se les dió copias de sus fotografías para compartir con sus familirares, además de  mostrarles  el video de todo el proceso.


Este proyecto es parte de una iniciativa internacional y que quiere darles a las mujeres en prisión una ventana a la libertad y una luz de esperanza (dicho por ellas). También busca cambiar la percepción de las personas acerca de las personas en prisión  a través de sus rostros sonrientes, llenos de esperanza.

Inside Out Project , Fan Page

Miami is friendly city for budget travelers

Photo link

Some of you may disagree with me about it, but the city itself offers some free public transport which is already something that many other cities don't.

 The day pass for Metro and Buses costs US$5 per day - unlimited. 

Free transport: 

Monorail, free public transportation in Miami downtown

Miami Trolley 

There are actually two routes of these free buses services:

• Coral Gables 

•Biscayne to Brickell. (Since May 2012)

Apart from the blue sea and white sand of the beaches there is 

• Wynwood Arts District / Miami FL.

The Wynwood Arts District is the epicenter of the arts in Greater Miami. Home to over 50 art galleries, 4 museums and major collections, and much more. You'll find it nestled between I-95 and Biscayne Boulevard, from 20 to 36th street, south of the Design District.

• Little Havana / Calle 8

Don't be surprised if you go into a cuban coffee shop and being invited to a drink by someone you just met.  It happened to me the first time I went there, and I went back to make sure that it wasn't just a lucky day and it happened again!  

(if it doesn't happen to you, don't take it personal but instead try their traditional coffee - Cortadito or Cuban espresso.)

 Little Havana is a section of Miami, Florida, where many Cuban immigrants and refugees have settled. The high number of Cuban refugees Florida receives is due to its close proximity to Cuba. It is called Little Havana because Cuba's capital is Havana.

In recent years, increasing numbers of Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Guatemalan immigrants have moved into the neighborhood. At the same time, increasing numbers of Cubans left the area for the suburbs in western Miami. Part of Little Havana is now called Little Managua named after the Nicaraguan capital.

Link source

www.luisbarreto.com

ALL YOU NEED IS FRIENDS!

35 dias de sofá en sofá gratis y haciendo nuevos amigos.
Agradecidos con la generosidad que nos han recibido en WashingtonDC, a través de couchsurfing hemos conocido personas increíbles que nos han compartido un sofá, colchón, una cena, un desayuno, un café, etc!
Gracias a nuestros nuevos amigos!!!! :)

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About 35 days of couchsurfing already in Washington DC, and you know what? we love it! So much hospitality of the people who have shared with us a place where to sleep, a meal , a breakfast, a coffee, etc!
Thanks to All our new friends!!! :)


Angel: http://www.angelrstone.com/contact/

Vicky & Dave http://acoupletravelers.com/

Jessie K & Hazel (her dog) & room mates!

Pawleys Island, SC.


Hicimos una parada más larga de lo esperado en Pawleys Island, SC - La pasamos super! la gente muy amigable, buenos bares, musica en vivo, BBqs y mucho relax en la playa (tratando de pescar, kayak, bici, etc) -  Gracias a nuestro amigo Dan por hospedarnos y ayudarme a hacer una presentación de mi trabajo a sus amigos y una gran pintora compró una de mis fotos :)


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We did a longer stop in Pawleys Island, SC - Such a great time over there! friendly people, nice parties, BBQs and relaxing time in the beach (some fishing without luck, kayak, cycling, etc) -  thanks to Dan for having us and helping as in a presentation of my work to some of his locals friends and a great painter bought one of my photos :)

Calle 8 (Little Havanna) Miami, FL

We met Aristide, an artist from Cuba with colombian nationality and resident of US,

who has displayed his work at The CubaOcho Art & Research Center.  While we were talking with him, some strangers sent us over some drinks and left, lol! 

it seems this is something usual over there. 

The latin community is huge in Miami so it makes this city different to the others cities from US. As my friend Juliana Acosta says "Miami has all the facilities of developed country + the latin flavour"

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En Miami, conocimos a "Aristide" un ilustrador cubano con cédula colombiana y residente de US, quien ilustra artistas musicales cubanos, exhibidos en todas las columnas de CubaOcho Art & Research Center.  Mientras hablábamos con él, fuimos invitados a algunas bebidas por unos desconocidos, nos las enviaron con el mesero y se fueron! la verdad esto me sorprendió pero al parecer es algo común allá.

Su gente es la que hace Miami un lugar especial y diferente al resto de las ciudades de USA. "Miami es una ciudad con las comodidades de un país desarrollado pero con el sabor latino" como dice nuestra amiga Juliana Acosta. 

Gracias a Susy Betancourt y Andres Henao por hospedarnos en su sofá :) / Thanks for having us at their sofa.

Meridian Park, ROCKS!!!

This one of the coolest parke I have ever been!  Washington DC.

Road trip from Miami to Washington DC

Miles: 1313 miles = 2113.068 km

Gasoline: 46 Gallons aprox.

Cars rented / carros rentados: 2

Hotels: 0 - the cars were comfortable enough ;)

Hitch-Hikers: 0

Hicimos una parada más larga de lo esperado en Pawleys Island, SC - La pasamos super! la gente muy amigable, buenos bares, musica en vivo, BBqs y mucho relax en la playa (tratando de pescar, kayak, bici, etc) -  Gracias a nuestro amigo Dan, hice una presentación de mi trabajo a sus amigos y una gran pintora compró una de mis fotos :)

We did a longer stop in Pawleys Island, SC - Such a great time over there! friendly people, nice parties, BBQs and relaxing time in the beach (some fishing without luck, kayak, cycling, etc) -  thanks to Dan I did a presentation of my work to some of his locals friends and a great painter bought one of my photos :)

Really impressed by the east hospitality! (impresionados por la amabilidad del sureste)

PS: Aand we are still looking for places to stay in Washington DC - Do you know anybody over there???

Buscamos un lugar a donde dormir en Washington DC / saben de alguien??? GRACIAS! =

The Help Portrait Project on Chirstmas

The concept is Simple!

The Help Portrait is a Project that brings together a comunity of photographers from around the world to use their skills and give back to local comunities.

This time, we went up to the mountains to the Barrio Santo Domingo in Medellín Colombia where Angeles de Medellín (it runs by Mark Kasseman who works for the community thanks to donations from around the world.) 

Mark Kasseman organized the 5th Christmas party  where about 900 families received food and toys for kids.

We joined the party giving our work back to the community.

 The experience was priceless!

Work exhibited atthe Bibliote España en el Barrio Santo Domingo - Medellín 

and a related post

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