Nathan Winters rode his bike across America this summer to raise money for The Nature Conservancy and raise awareness for climate change and sustainable agriculture. His journey took him 4,300 miles from Maine to Washington. He graciously allowed us to interrupt his writing (a book about his adventures) and answer a few questions.
Why bike across America?
I did this for a few imperative reasons. My first priority was to follow my dreams and set out 
on what I would consider to be my epic journey. This had been a goal of mine for a number of years and the thought of living with regret had and not gone through with this instilled a fear that I needed badly to overcome. So I took the plunge.
In addition to my wanderlust I had acquired a piqued interest in agriculture and local food movements. I wanted to identify with the reason gifted writers like Michael Pollan had to write books on this topic. I wanted to get on farms, have in depth conversations with the American farmer and talk to the people who are consumers. More than anything I wanted to learn about this complex food chain we have fashioned and share it with a captive audience through social media. And that is what I did.
You say on your website: “America is still the kind of place where you can ask a complete stranger for help and you will find an answer. America is still a place we can all be proud of.” Do you have a specific story you could share about someone you met that made you come to this realization?
I have countless stories that could validate this statement. I personally found that no matter which community I had entered and no matter how big or small, I was taken in with warmth and kindness. It was a common occurrence for someone to offer me a place to sleep, something to eat or someone to meet with.
One specific story I can refer to is when I was in Helena, Montana I was randomly introduced to Josh Ahmann and we discuss the last leg of my journey.
Knowing that I am going to be heading into the mountains and faced with potential severe weather I needed to get some new camping gear as mine was geared for the warmer conditions.. Socks, hat, gloves and certainly a sleeping bag warmer then the summer bag I have been using. A few minutes later Josh came out with a hat, pair of gloves and an expensive sleeping bag fit for a king sleeping in the Rockies. All he said was “You are gonna need this more than I will in the near future. Just ship it back to me when you get to Washington. No need to kill your budget.”
This is exactly the type of story that you should… but don’t hear about in the main stream media these days. These are great people in great communities helping a total stranger.
Did you find a lot of places you visited looked similar (i.e., Wal-Mart with cookie cutter homes, etc.) or did most locales have a feeling of their own specific sense of place?
I truly found that most communities have their own personalities. I first noticed this when I 
was in the Adirondacks and I would travel just fifteen miles to the next town over only to find that it encompassed a completely different attitude and mindset. There was a stretch from Minnesota to Eastern Montana where you had three common ingredients 1.Grain elevator 2.Corner bar 3. Water tower. At times I found myself biking until I found the next water tower.
What did you eat while you were traveling?
I had the best of both worlds. There were times when I was staying on a farm and had the tremendous freedom of picking a potato, basil and grabbing a few eggs from the chicken coop and making breakfast. There were also times where I found myself “stuck” and the only option was a corner store or gas station.
While I on the road I created a rule. That rule stated that I would never decline a free meal offered to me in the privacy of a guest’s home or place of business. So no matter what was being served I smiled and enjoyed. Enjoying meals with families in their home and often times meals that were regional traditions were some of my fondest memories.
Did you see the movie Food Inc.? If you did, what were your thoughts as you watched especially considering your unique experiences?
I did. It was well done and very compelling. What I can tell you is that I find it to be a shame that we have gotten this far and that these types of documentaries and books need to be produced. It demonstrates the simple fact that in many cases when it comes to food and agriculture we have managed to allowed economics to tarnish what is right for human health and the future and well being of our environment and planet.
How has this experience changed you?
I walked away with was a strong understanding of the value in putting your fears aside and 
going after your dreams and having the strength to grasp your greater purpose and then creating the platform for personal contentment. Accepting this gift and using it as a catalyst to revolutionize the paradigms within your life is beyond measure in value. This journey has proven to me that taking self accountability and living within my values is key to my happiness.
Now that you’re thirty, Happy Birthday by the way, what is the next adventure on your horizon?
I have already jumped into the next adventure. I am currently living in rural Vermont where I am well into my manuscript and working on a novel. It behooves me to share these tremendous experiences, adventures and what I have learned on this journey.
Nathan Winters is currently living in rural Vermont with his beautiful dog Chaya. You can often find snippets of Nathan’s thoughts here, visit his website or follow him on twitter.
photo credit: Vali…
All other photos courtesy of FollowNathan.org
Wendy Gabriel is the founder of My Green Side.org, a columnist for Examiner.com and a weekly on-air contributor to The Christopher Gabriel Program. You can listen to her Wednesdays on AM970 WDAY where she talks about Simple Tips for Green Living.
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Great story. I love how Nathan met so many wonderful people across the country. It proves that kindness is alive even in these days of strange values and consumerism.