Description

Native New Yorker Judi Desire may not have always been a cyclist but once she started it propelled her across the world and inspired her to start Uptown Boogie Bicycle Advocacy.

Tune in tonight to hear Judi's story and how for her the bike is a vehicle not only to physically move but to connect with the places around her.

From why she didn't always wear a helmet to camping on a beach in Cuba - we promise this will be a fun night!

All about Judi:

As a native New Yorker, I grew up in the Caribbean community in proximity to Park Slope / Prospect Park, and did not venture beyond Downtown Brooklyn - except for the occasional trips to Coney Island, per mom’s order.

In 2000, my mom and I moved to the two fare zone of Queens, where I learned to drive to attend college in Long Island. I discovered the tall buildings and crowded streets of Manhattan during my last two years of college. In 2006, I ended the long journeys into the city by moving into Harlem which made the five boroughs more easily accessible. I would spend a minimum of two hours walking and discovering the streets of the city. I never truly knew my city until 2010 when I learned to ride a bicycle the old fashion way, by holding the back of a saddle, as an adult. In 2012, I sold my barely used car to purchase my first bicycle and immersed myself into the cycling culture of New York City. In 2014, I felt such a sense of freedom whenever I explored the city that I took a bike mechanic course at United Bicycle Institute Bicycle Mechanics School in Portland, Oregon. Between 2013-2017, I solo bike toured through North America, Central America, South America, Caribbean, Europe, South East Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. I carried all of my belongings in two panniers on my bike.

Now that biking has become such an intricate part of my life, in between trips, I volunteered for Bike New York as a bike instructor for the adult and kid learn to ride classes. In 2015, I transitioned into a paid role as a bike instructor for children's after-school and camp program and teaching adult bicycle basics.

In September 2017, my passion for cycling inspired me to launch Uptown & Boogie Bicycle Advocacy, an organization that provides cyclist-based social activities to the Upper Manhattan and the Bronx communities. Our goal is to provide New Yorkers with a greater and better understanding of commuting and traveling throughout the city while raising awareness on the health benefits of cycling.

In addition to my expertise as a bicyclist, I freelance as a front-end web developer for 14 years. I have a strong understanding of the ever changing social media presents and knowledgeable in HTML/CSS and Web Content Management Systems.

Fully-loaded and self-contained from 2013-2017 bike tours in:

-6 month South America (Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru)
-1 month Spain to Portugal (Camino de Santiago)
-2 day Houston, TX to Austin, TX
-3 week from Harlem, New York to Quebec City, Canada
-3 months to Portland, Oregon -> Seattle, Washington -> Los Angeles, California (Pacific Coastline Highway [PCH])
-10 months touring Oahu, Hawaii (loop) and Tasmania, Australia -> New Zealand -> Thailand -> Cambodia -> Vietnam -> Palawan Philippines -> Taiwan
-2 weeks in Cuba (Havana -> Pinar del Río and Trinidad, Cienfuegos -> Santa Clara loop)
-2 weeks Costa Rica (Tamarindo -> San Jose)
-10 days in Galápagos Islands, Ecuador (Santa Cruz Island and San Cristóbal Island)
-1 month in South Africa (Cape Town -> Port Elizabeth)
-1 month in Port Louis, Mauritius (island loop)
-1 week London, United Kingdom -> Leuven, Belgium

Certifications
June 2018 | League Cycling Instructors (LCIs) Certification | League of American Bicyclists
June 8, 2014/July 2017 | Red Cross Certification | Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
April 2014, | Bike Tour Leadership Certification | Adventure Cycling Association

This event is free and available to all. If you have the ability to the $5-20 suggested donation to support Judi and her work, please paypal contact@outdoorfest.org. Include "Judi" in the notes.

This event is part of a summer long series with Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. dedicated to bikepacking. Grab a cold brew and join us to learn skills, hear stories and start planning your summer of biking and camping. Join in.