Bike for Boyan’s Ocean Cleanup

Grand Central Station, NYC | May 23, 2024

Saturday 25th May There was a trombonist playing when I arrived at Grand Central Station in NYC! It made it a very special moment. Thank you to all the businesses, inns, coffee shops, restaurants, bike shops and donors who have supported me so far! Because I am carrying all my own gear, I only brought two cycling shirts with me. My blue climateride.org cycling jersey, and my red, “Clif Family” jersey from a few years back, purchased at their tasting room in Saint Helena, California. I would wash my cycling jersey, underwear and socks out each night in the hotel room and blow dry it with the hairdryer in the morning if it wasn’t fully dry. This was how I made it through without laundry service! I would also post my updates each night after I arrived at the hotel room, usually well after 9 PM so there was never time for anything but riding, eating, posting my fundraising updates, and sleeping! I loved doing this and seeing America this way, but it certainly was not a vacation. I hope you will respect the work I have done here and make a donation today for our oceans, marine life and all of us who rely on the oceans for recreation and livelihood. Thank you! Share

I made it to New York City!

Saturday 25th May Colleen at the UN Building in NYC, May 23, 2024. I just completed my first, solo endurance cycling fundraiser— 1,554 miles from Hobe Sound, Florida to NYC. I biked through 10 states! I would appreciate your final donations now for TheOceanCleanup.com Thank you! Grateful for your support to remove floating plastics from our world’s rivers and oceans. 🙏🚴‍♀️🌊🌊 You will get a tax receipt for your donation and a thank you letter from me almost immediately. Thank you so much for helping clean our world’s oceans for the whales, turtles, fish, and humans! Share

May 20th, 7:50pm at Lewes-Cape May Ferry, Delaware

Tuesday 21st May Missed the last ferry on the 20th by 5 minutes!… but enjoyed a very wonderful stay in Lewes at “The Blue House” an art house full of eclectic sculptures, art and vivid colors, from red stairs to lime green walls. A definite must stop for artists and surfers! Excellent shower in the Key Lime Room. Thank you to all! Quinoa Salad and juices at “Nectar” off 2nd Street. Homemade Icecream at “Kings”. Trek Bike shop is also one mile from the ferry and there are hours of beach paths here for those who want to safely bike with kids in a park-like, beach community setting. Share

1300 miles… Thank you to all the Trek Bikes Shops and new Donors in Lewes, Delaware!

Tuesday 21st May I made it to Lewes, Delaware, ferry 5 minutes late last night and ended up staying at The Blue House Hotel, a creative and colorful spot, one mile from the ferry and 2 blocks from the beach. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far! Headed to Cape May today, and on to NYC.  Share

Edenton, NC Waterfront May 16, 2024

Saturday 18th May My Birthday morning in downtown, historic Edenton, NC. I biked into Virginia on my Birthday and walked my bike 5 miles with a blown out rear tire before calling an Uber to take me to the Quality Inn in Cheasapeake. I visited REI and biked 10 miles to Trek Bikes in Virginia Beach the next morning. Enjoyed a day ride loop around the waterfront of Virginia Beach and back west to the Chesapeake Tunnel by 6pm. I was shuttled over the 23 mile bridge at 7pm with enough light to bike another 10 miles North into Virginia. Thank you to all who have donated and helped me along the way. Share

Virginia is for Bike Lovers! Thank you, REI & Trek Bikes!

Saturday 18th May Hello from Virginia! I arrived in Virginia,  walking my bike across the state line, just before midnight on my birthday eve. My rear tire blew out with a “pop” like a shotgun just after the North Carolina visitor center on the other side of Route 17. This is my first actual hole, burned through a bike tire, where you can see the fuzzy white threads inside the tire. My Trek Domane 5 was purchased in 2022 and these are the same tires I’ve had on the bike since it was purchased. I am a daily rider, and I’ve never had a flat on this bike until now. I highly recommend Bontrager R1 Tires! Thank you to REI and Trek Bike shops in Virgina Beach for the new tires, and Jay, a local customer who saw my fundraising sign and paid my $100. bill for replacement tires as a donation to my fundraiser for the Ocean Cleanup. I spent some of my birthday on the 16th in the historic town of Edenton, North Carolina and enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day by the waterfront lighthouse and the local homemade pickle, sandwich and coffee shops. Thank you to the Inner Banks Inn for the discounted stay in honor of my fundraising  ride. Share

Mother’s Day 2024 New Bern, North Carolina

Tuesday 14th May My biggest push yet- over 90 miles cycled on Mother’s Day, 2024 to reach the 1,000 mile milestone. For my Mom, and my sons, I want a better and healthier future for the environment, whales, turtles, birds. The Ocean Cleanup is doing it! They need our support. Please donate today. Thank you. -Colleen Share

Day 21: 1000 miles cycled milestone! Hobe Sound, Florida to New Bern, North Carolina

Tuesday 14th May Hello! I cycled 90 miles on Mother’s Day to reach the 1,000 mile milestone for the Ocean Cleanup fundraiser. I am currently in New Bern, North Carolina, headed North towards NYC. Share

Day 15: 737 miles biked Charleston to Georgetown, South Carolina

Friday 10th May (Please see my Instagram at @cproppe for more detailed updates.) May 6th-7th: This day took me from Historic Downtown Charleston over the Ravenel Bridge at up route 17 North at night, after a rain and lightning storm. I pulled into Georgetown, South Carolina just before 3am, exhausted, but happy. I had biked alone, through the darkness, with tall pines on either side of me, and vivid stars above me after taking shelter from the rain at the Elementary School south of McClellanvile. It was a really special journey, with help from Brittany, who lifted my bike onto the bike path from the Ravenel Bridge highway, and Matt at REI Mount Pleasant, who repaired my cassette on my bike when I stopped in to buy a pair of padded bike shorts. Believe it or not, I had cycled two weeks without any bike shorts and was definitely starting to feel the need for them. I have an excellent comfort racing seat on my bike made by Sella Italia. This relieves pressure and allows for better long rides. Thanks again to all for your donations to help clean our world’s oceans and rivers. Thank you! -Colleen Share

Day 14: 675 miles total biked since earth day!

Monday 6th May Hobe Sound, Florida to Charleston, South Carolina. Moving along… It’s hard and scary, and then pleasant when a bike path or quiet road appears. All cycling and media posts on this ride are for our oceans and climate action! Please donate today, and support TheOceanCleanup.com ! Thank you. Share

Day 12: 565 miles total cycled

Saturday 4th May Hobe Sound, FL to Ridgeland, SC Share

Day 6: TOTAL MILEAGE SO FAR— 275 MILES HOBE SOUND TO JACKSONVILLE BEACH/ATLANTIC BEACH FLORIDA

Sunday 28th Apr Hello Friends and Donors, Share

Announcing my 1,300 mile + ride up the East Coast Greenway, from Florida to NYC/CT in Support of the Ocean Cleanup

Thursday 18th Apr

I am writing to ask for support and announce that I am cycling up the East Coast Greenway later this week, from Florida to NYC/CT, raising funds for The Ocean Cleanup. My last few months in Florida have taught me of the critical need for funding to protect our oceans and the solution- ending fossil fuel use, is still being denied by even my own parents, who still use two fossil fuel cars daily, and have offered to give me a used fossil fuel car I don’t want.

I am embarking on a solo cycling trip on the Greenway this Earth Day, in order to prove my commitment to ending fossil fuels and protecting the earth and it’s oceans.

In the first 3 months of 2024, I have cycled thousands of miles, for health, trips to the grocery store and pharmacy, and I’ve even written several songs while riding my bike!

Several things I learned in Florida while visiting my parents made it very clear to me that we are not doing enough to save our oceans or cool the planet, the number one issue is still the inability of individuals and businesses to give up fossil fuels and convert to net zero fast enough.

I also paddled with endangered manatees, learned about Sea and Shoreline Inc, the number one seagrass restoration business in the world, found a 40 year old conch on the beach—an animal 500 billion years old! that relies on seagrasses as a food source, just like manatees, and I was in tears the next day, realizing in my short lifetime, we have destroyed the habitat for all on earth.

This cycling trip is a “reaction to that inaction”— I am making a choice to ride the East Coast Greenway, with a backpacker guitar, and play every day, hopefully write songs and stop at other businesses who are also cycling or doing work to cool the earth and oceans.

I do not yet have a support team behind me for this, and am hoping you can help connect me with others and businesses who can donate and also may be interested in hosting me for an overnight OR simply meeting to be video-interviewed on my route. 

I am on disability and have limited income since a hip replacement in 2020 caused uneven gait and additional spine/hip and mobility problems. I can bike long distances,  but can not walk long distances or run at all. I am also not able to lift heavy items repeatedly, etc… and am in an ongoing lawsuit for spousal support in California, so my job options and ability to seek new friends are limited. I feel very much a solo Mom, still fighting for a better environment for me and my sons (who I haven’t been able to afford to see in a year now). What can I do but do something that will make me feel better and help others cleanup the planet. I know this journey will help in some way! Your support is invaluable and I hope you will follow along on my journey. Thank you!

Colleen’s Fundraising Page

https://fund.theoceancleanup.com/fundraisers/colleenproppe/community-usd

My Earth Day Story on Medium

https://cproppe.medium.com/in-2024-im-biking-everywhere-for-d5f0b2254338

Join my team

https://fund.theoceancleanup.com/join/BikeforBoyansOceanCleanup

Thank you for your support!

Colleen 🚴‍♀️🌊🌊🌎

CPROPPE.COM

Design, Writing, Art & Music 

1(415) 205-3490

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Saturday April 13th

Sunday 14th Apr Today I did a short ride to the local organic grocery store about 13 miles.  Share

In 2024, I’m Biking Everywhere!

Friday 29th Mar In the first 3 months of 2024, I have cycled thousands of miles, for health, trips to the grocery store and pharmacy, and I have even written several songs while riding my bike! This week, I repaired a bike for my family so they can ride too. I am seeking funds for the Ocean Cleanup. One of the reasons I am seeking funds to help them is that if they can scale up what they are already doing, they have the potential to remove all the plastic from the ocean much faster than their current projections. I have only used a car a handful of times this year and therefore, have used very little in fossil fuels. Your donation to my fundraiser will go directly to the ocean cleanup on behalf of my efforts to bike every day until I reach my goal. I will post photos and updates of my cycling here. Tha k you for your donations to help Boyan Slat and his teams clean the oceans!  Share