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We can change the world Together.
Four years ago I’ve been to Argentina for the first time. It was a short but very impressive journey, which changed a lot in my life. I fell in love and in two months got back to Argentina. It was quite a venturesome — I had but to take an unpaid leave and to borrow money from my employer. I’ve been in love and decided to take a chance. I rented a flat in Buenos Aires and lived there for three, possibly, the best months in my life. However this romance was not a success.
In April 2010 I came back to Russia. Being inspired by Buenos Aires, I returned with an idea of “Let’s bike it!” project and with a dream of a bicycle tour through Europe. I was head over heels in this idea and found a sponsor to provide my leaving. Simultaneously with my team we started to work on the project in whole.
A year later, in 2011, a premiere of “Let’s bike it!” film about European journey gathered more than 700 people in “Cosmos” cinema theatre, and a bit later it was shown in more than 80 cities worldwide, having inspired tens of people to make a move for their cities to become more bicycle friendly. After 6 months there was a bicycle parade Let’s bike it! gathered 8 thousand people in the center of Moscow. At the same day, on May 20th, 2012 more than 30 Russian cities took part in a United Day of a Bicycle Movement, suggested by our project. In September for the first time in history we brought to Russia Bicycle Film Festival, which travels around the world 14 years by now.
On November 14, 2012, a new journey started, from Mexico to Argentina. We wanted to overcome a distance of 12 000 km in 6 months, but it seemed the stars had a different purpose for us to achieve. Those, who’ve been following the news from the beginning, remember diseases, a theft of my bicycle, a substitution of a journey participant... That spring and summer I continued to work on a Russian part of the project, combining it with tasks I had in Latin America. The journey happened to be more difficult than supposed to be, but more interesting as well. Information I collected would be enough for a rather big book.
In Bogota I was left by a partner, but with your moral support I did more than a half of a remained distance. Now there’re less than 4000 km to Buenos Aires. It inspired and keeps inspiring not only me. People from Mexico, Bogota and from other cities define Buenos Aires as an example of a quick and successful transformation of a city’s space and its transport system — an example of how to make a bicycle friendly city.
4000 km remained — the most difficult, but possibly, the most interesting: the high Andes, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, salt lakes of Bolivia, kind lamas and moon landscapes of the northern Argentina… Despite of accumulated tiredness and exhausted financial reserves, I’m being very determined. I’m going to get to Buenos Aires, to share interesting facts with you, to create the second film and to write a book.
You can help by making a donation!
I believe with your support I’ll be able to accomplish the project, to make it more interesting and more striking. Doesn’t matter how much you’re able to donate, the important thing is that we’re able to do more together. “Let’s bike it!” project could continue its work with money unclaimed during the journey.
It's only the beginning!
P.S. Share this post with your friends and you’ll get a beam of The Andes energy!
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