You don’t often get a chance in life to “do good” by doing what you love. But in 1989, I did get that chance as I had the opportunity to combine my passion for horses and the environment in the “Ride Across America.” Now 20 plus years later, we have arrived at a very important juncture as our human population continues past seven billion people our footprint is growing larger every day and if we continue to move forward as we are now, we will most certainly find ourselves at an environmental precipice.
As we look over the edge, we can see very clearly the impact and we can no longer ignore the fact that our actions are fundamentally altering the planet and those natural systems that support life, as we know it. It is a scary realization but one that represents at the same time a unique and unparalleled opportunity to “right the wrongs” and rally the global community around a common cause that is inherently more important that anything we will ever do as humans past, present, or future. Our future and that of generations to come is shaped today by our actions and it is seems crazy to imagine that as intelligent as we are that we are incapable of making a conscious decision to act in consensus and change our behavior and rise to this challenge.
It is as clear today as it was 20 years ago why we did the ride and why I wrote The Long Ride. Each of us has a part to play and I am playing my part. I met many people along the way who, like me, are trying to effect a positive change in their own way and at their own pace. I have found that everyone really can and does make a difference. I am hoping that these words and this book will motivate others to make a similar choice and we can share this moment and ride this road together.
Luckily, awards like these are pushing us forward:
