Here are some of the many positive and heart-felt testimonials that Lucian Spataro Jr. has received, both personally and for his book, The Long Ride.
“So when you see Lucian riding by your mall and you can’t quite figure out why, run out, give him some money and then ask yourself how you can become involved, at whatever level, at finding solutions and taking some kind of action to make where you live a better place.”
—Ted Danson, excerpt from Ride Across America
“Twenty years ago Lucian Spataro rode on horseback 2,963 miles across America…because he felt so strongly that all was not right with our world, and he wanted to draw attention to the way in which we humans were destroying our environment. You will be filled with admiration for this man, and absorbed by his story of adventure and determination.”
—Jane Goodall Ph.D., DBE, founder of The Jane Goodall Institute
and UN Messenger of Peace
“When Lucian first came to me with the proposal to use Arabian horses for a coast-to-coast ride to bring attention to our issue, I loved the gutsiness of the idea. We at Rainforest Action Network were honored to saddle up to his ride and it became the grueling, glorious event that you can read about today.”
—Randy Hayes, founder of the Rainforest Action Network
and director of the US Liaison Office, Future World Council
“A great adventure, and for a great reason. We’re in a decisive moment right now, when our actions will decide whether or not we have these kinds of treasures in our future. May this lovely journey help renew our commitment to making the changes we must!”
—Bill McKibben, author of Earth, educator and environmentalist
“With both urgency and humor, Lucian presents the choices we must make to protect rainforests and our planet for future generations. He shows that horseback is a compelling way to truly see with greater clarity the fate of our land and environment and to inspire people to act to protect what we value.”
—Luther Propst, founder and executive director of the Sonoran Institute
“Even the most important messages are all too easily missed or tuned out in a media-saturated world. But it’s not so easy to ignore a message when it’s coming at you from a man on a horse…And that’s a good thing, because his warning about the plight of rainforests is both urgent and of great significance for the future of the world.”
—Curt Stager, climate scientist and author of Deep Future:
The Next 100,000 Years of Life on Earth
“When [Lucian] described to me how our Arabian horses would draw people into the excitement of the ride and forge a strong connection with them, his ideas struck a chord in me. The Long Ride is a story of persistence and determination against long odds. Lucian’s recounting is exciting, and the message is even more important today as our environmental systems face increasing odds against survival.”
—Bazy Tankersley, owner, Al-Marah Arabians