4,135 miles traveled. 180 thousand feet of elevation. Thousands of trees planted.
One pedal stroke at a time from Astoria, Oregon to Yorktown, Virginia, Keith Burnet and his fellow cyclists at For a Fitter Planet biked their way across the United States on the legendary Pan-America route – and fundraised for Trees for the Future (TREES) the whole way.
“We are passionate about climate change,” says Keith on the group’s motivations for the fundraiser. “There is nothing more important than investing in the fight against climate change.”
Trees for the Future trains farmers in agroforestry and sustainable land use through its signature methodology, the Forest Garden Approach. Since 1989, TREES has planted over 270 million trees in more than 25 thousand Forest Gardens, helping farmers restore their land and create vibrant, sustainable local economies.
For Keith and Ross, another cyclist in the group, it was not their first endurance adventure for the planet. Having recently completed a rowing trip across the Atlantic Ocean, they quickly turned their attention to cycling as another opportunity to make an impact.
“I was inspired by the work that Trees for the Future does,” says Keith, “which I learned about through our association with LesMills.”
A global leader in fitness programming, LesMills partnered with TREES in April, 2022. Providing support for the For a Fitter Planet fundraiser was a unique expansion of an already impactful partnership.
Biking across America is an incredible achievement. Biking across America to plant trees and change lives? Even better!
Here’s an idea of the scale of their performance:
- 29 days and 3 hours on the bike
- 4,135 miles traveled – an average of 142.6 miles per day
- 2.5 million pedal strokes each
- 180,000 feet in climbing – that’s 6 Mount Everests!
- £5,035 raised – that’s funding for over 25,000 trees!
“It reinforced the fact that we all have a role to play,” says Keith, “and everyone’s contribution makes a difference.”
Thank you Keith and all for your dedication to people and planet! Whether biking across America or staying right at home, it’s easy to fundraise for Trees for the Future. Click here to learn more.