A Ride To The End Of The Main Line

After their program of music and an Afghanistan slide show on September 17, members of A Ride To The End joined members of their audience at Central Baptist Church, Wayne, PA. The blue wrist bands are reminiscent of the Afghnanistan sky and remind us of our solidarity with the peace-loving people of that unhappy land.

“A RIDE TILL THE END” IN PHILLY AREA THIS WEEK

Three-tour Afghan veteran Jacob George and two cyclist supporters rode into Philadelphia last Friday, September 16, for a week of music and presentations about their project, “A Ride Till The End” (ARTTE), half-way through their tour from New York City to Washington, DC, during the month commemorating the anniversaries of 9/11 and the start of the War in Afghanistan.  They began their ride at Ground Zero on the Monday after 9/11 and will arrive in DC on October 7, the anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan.  The significance of their name is that they plan to continue their rides until the wars end.

The focus of the ARTTE presentations is to use cycling, music, and poetry to “show what war does to people,” according to George, who left the Army with honorable discharge at the rank of Sergeant in 2004.  Previously a successful student and employee at the University of Arkansas, George founded ARTTE in 2009 when his younger brother was about to be deployed to Afghanistan, and since then he and a growing cadre of supporters have covered 6000 miles, mostly in Southern states, The NYC to DC tour is their first in Northeastern States.

ARTTE is looking for donations of used touring bikes to be available for supporters to use, especially Afghan vets who join portions of their ride.  “30,000 vets will be returning from Afghanistan in the next few years, and they will need a way to heal,” says George.  He believes that riding together and telling their personal stories is the best way for vets to make sense of their war experiences and to become activists against ongoing wars.  In the future, ARTTE hopes to donate the bikes to Afghan youth.

ARTTE will also accept financial donations, tax-free if channeled through Peace Action Education Fund (PAEF), 40 Witherspoon Street, Princeton NJ 08542 (memo ARTTE).  All funds will be used to purchase bikes or parts.

ARTTE will present several times in the Philly area this week, culminating with a pot luck supper and presentation at the Peace Center of Delaware County on Friday evening, September 23, 6 PM, located at Springfield Meetinghouse, 1001 Old Sproul Road in Springfield.  See www.delcopeacecenter.org for details.

To learn more about ARTTE, see www.operationawareness.org .  To follow their tour, read their blog at peacefromthebike.blogspot.com.