A presentation I gave for an Environmental Science class detailing my bike ride across the United States, connecting the ride to identifying notions of "the Sacred" in the natural world.

1. W H E R E A B O U T S I N A M E R I C A
R E F L E C T I O N S O N A L O N G B I K E R I D E :

2. N E W Y O R K , N E W Y O R K
J U N E 2 0 0 9

3. S A N F R A N S I S C O , C A
A U G 2 0 0 9

4. R O U T E : N Y C T O R I C H M O N D , VA T O P U E B L O , C O T O S A N F R A N C I S C O , C A
A D V E N T U R E C Y C L I N G A S S O C I AT I O N

6. E L E VAT I O N M A P O F A P PA L A C H I A N S

7. F I N A L T U R N B Y T U R N S E C T I O N M A P

8. S A N G R E D E C R I S T O M T N R A N G E , C O

9. H I G H S C H O O L B A N D C A R WA S H F U N D R A I S E R
C H I L H O W I E , VA

10. A S H , N AT E , A N D G R A C E

11. N AT E A N D J E N N Y

12. N AT E , W I L L , T R E V O R , A N D K E V I N
S O D A S H O P
M T N
F R E S H
S O D A

13. M I K E , T Y L E R , A N D J E R E M Y

14. C E D A R C I T Y, U T T O B A K E R , N V
L O N G E S T D A Y: 1 4 0 M I L E S

15. G O L D E N C I T Y T O P L A C E R V I L L E
FA S T E S T S T R E T C H : 1 0 0 0 M I L E S I N 1 0 D A Y S

16. G O L D E N C I T Y T O P L A C E R V I L L E
FA S T E S T S T R E T C H : 1 0 0 0 M I L E S I N 1 0 D A Y S

17. M O U N T S N E F F L E S W I L D E R N E S S R A N G E
FA S T E S T S T R E T C H : 1 0 0 0 M I L E S I N 1 0 D A Y S

18. M O N A R C H PA S S , C O N T I N E N TA L D I V I D E
TA L L E S T P E A K : 1 1 , 3 1 2 F T

19. M O N A R C H PA S S , C O N T I N E N TA L D I V I D E
TA L L E S T P E A K : 1 1 , 3 1 2 F T

20. H O G B A C K R O A D , U TA H
S H A R P E S T G R A D E : 1 4 %

21. R E S T D AY I N L A N C A S T E R , PA
S H O R T E S T D A Y: 0 M I L E S I N 1 D A Y

22. O U T S I D E WA S H I N G T O N D . C .

23. B E H I N D A C H U R C H I N V I R G I N I A

24. S A C R E D H E A R T C AT H E D R A L I N N E WA R K , N J

25. A C H U R C H I N K A N S A S

26. A C H U R C H I N K A N S A S

27. A C H U R C H I N K A N S A S

28. C O O K I E L A D Y I N A F T O N , VA

29. R O C K S S TAT E PA R K , M D

30. C A M P S I T E I N S A P I N E R O , C O

31. C I T Y PA R K I N K A N S A S

32. C I T Y PA R K I N K A N S A S

33. S O F T B A L L I N E A S T E R N K E N T U C K Y

34. N E A R S I M P S O N , I L

35. O U T S I D E A N Y L I B R A RY I N A M E R I C A

36. M A R S H F I E L D , M O

37. T E L L U R I D E , C O

38. D E L O R E S , C O

39. B O U L D E R , U T

40. B O U L D E R , U T

41. B O U L D E R , U T

42. T H E S A C R E D

43. The sacred is a founding experience… [The] sacred
always has an essential connection to the cosmos—that
is where it is born. The universe become a sacrament, a
space and time where the energy permeating all beings
is made manifest, the opportunity for the revelation of
the mystery dwelling in the totality of all things.
L E O N A R D O B O F F
C RY O F T H E E A R T H , C RY O F T H E P O O R
P. 1 1 5

44. B O U L D E R , U T

45. [The] quality of things and in things that in a
comprehensive way completely takes hold of us,
fascinates us, speaks to us of the depths of our being
and gives us the immediate experience of respect, fear,
and reverence.
L E O N A R D O B O F F
C RY O F T H E E A R T H , C RY O F T H E P O O R
P. 1 1 6

46. B O U L D E R , U T

47. Tremendum
that which makes us
tremble by its greatness
because it overflows our
capacity to bear its
presence, a presence that
with its overwhelming
intensity sends us fleeing.
L E O N A R D O B O F F
C RY O F T H E E A R T H , C RY O F T H E P O O R
P. 1 1 6
Fascinosum
that which fascinates us,
draws us like an
irresistible magnet, makes
us experience what is of
absolute concern to us.
Borrowing from Rudolf Otto, we experience the
sacred in two distinct ways…

48. H O G B A C K R O A D , U TA H
S H A R P E S T G R A D E : 1 4 %
Click for Video if in Slide Share

49. E A S T E R N C O L O R A D O

50. E A S T E R N C O L O R A D O

51. W I L L , N AT E , A N D T R E V O R

52. Tremendum
that which makes us
tremble by its greatness
because it overflows our
capacity to bear its
presence, a presence that
with its overwhelming
intensity sends us fleeing.
L E O N A R D O B O F F
C RY O F T H E E A R T H , C RY O F T H E P O O R
P. 1 1 6
Fascinosum
that which fascinates us,
draws us like an
irresistible magnet, makes
us experience what is of
absolute concern to us.
Borrowing from Rudolf Otto, we experience the
sacred in two distinct ways…

53. R I D G E WAY, C O

54. S M A L L T O W N I N K A N S A S

55. S R 2 1 I N W E S T E R N U TA H

56. S R 2 1 I N W E S T E R N U TA H

57. C U R R E N T C R I S I S

58. C A P I TA L R E E F N AT I O N A L PA R K , U T

59. C A P I TA L R E E F N AT I O N A L PA R K , U T

60. C U R R E N T C R I S I S :
I D E O L O G Y
the ideas and manner of thinking characteristic of a
group, social class, or individual
!
a system of thought and values that forms the basis of
economic or political theory and policy

61. S Y S T E M O F
E X P L O I TAT I O N
C U R R E N T C R I S I S
I D E O L O G Y

62. Mind/Soul
—Archetypal ideas
—to control the passions
that arise
—to cultivate the intellect
—Ontological substance
living in an alienated state
on Earth, whose true
home is in Heaven
R O S E M A RY R A D F O R D R U E T H E R
E C O F E M I N I S M
P. 9 8 - 1 0 1
Body
—Unformed matter
—The receptacle, or
“nurse,” of things to be
—A fallen world sunk in
sin
—Created to be ruled,
subdued, and
administered
We’ve adopted Platonic thought: Dualism

63. Jeff Chapman-Crane
The Agony of Gaia
Sculpture,1994

64. A N T H R O P O C E N T R I S M
S O C I O - E C O N O M I C
S T R U C T U R E O F E X P L O I TAT I O N
E C O C I D E

65. Jeff Chapman-Crane
The Agony of Gaia
Sculpture,1994

66. Ecofeminism, or ecological feminism, examines the
interconnections between the domination of women and
the domination of nature. It aims at strategies and world
views to liberate or heal these interconnected
dominations through a better understanding of their
[causes] and enforcement.
R O S E M A RY R A D F O R D R U E T H E R
E C O F E M I N I S M
P. 9 8 - 1 0 1

67. A N T H R O P O C E N T R I S M
A N D PAT R I A R C H Y
S O C I O - E C O N O M I C
S T R U C T U R E O F E X P L O I TAT I O N
I N E Q U A L I T Y, M I S O G Y N Y,
E C O C I D E

68. The logic that led to slavery and
segregation in the Americas, colonization
and Apartheid in Africa, and the rule of
white supremacy throughout the world is
the same one that leads to the
exploitation of animals and the ravaging
of nature.
J A M E S C O N E
W H O S E E A R T H I S I T, A N Y WA Y ?
P. 1 3 8

69. S L AV E RY & E C O C I D E
S O C I O - E C O N O M I C
S T R U C T U R E O F E X P L O I TAT I O N
A N T H R O P O C E N T R I S M

70. What good is it to eliminate racism if we
are not around to enjoy a racist-free
environment?
!
If we save the planet and have a society
of inequality, we wouldn’t have saved
much.
J A M E S C O N E
W H O S E E A R T H I S I T, A N Y WA Y ?
P. 1 4 2 , 1 4 4

71. S O L U T I O N

72. [We] cannot understand ourselves as separate from the Earth
nor can we continue with the classic vision that regards the
Earth as a lifeless planet, a clump of soil and water full of the
hundred elements of which all beings are composed. We are
much more than that. We are sons and daughters of Earth,
we are Earth itself become self-aware, the Earth journeying…
L E O N A R D O B O F F
C RY O F T H E E A R T H , C RY O F T H E P O O R
P. 1 1 9

73. C A P I TA L R E E F N AT I O N A L PA R K , U T

74. W E S T E R N U TA H

75. S O L U T I O N :
R E J E C T D U A L I S T I C I D E O L O G Y
R E J E C T A N T H R O P O C E N T R I S M

76. Jeff Chapman-Crane
The Agony of Gaia
Sculpture,1994

77. When taken on in this manner, the sacred brings us back from our exile
and awakens us from our alienation. It brings us back to the home that
we had left, and we begin to treat Earth, each thing in it, and the whole
universe, as we treat our body, each of our organs, every emotion of our
soul, and each thought of our mind. Only a personal relationship with
Earth makes us love it. We do not exploit but respect and reverence the
one we love. A new era may now begin, not one of truce but of peace
and true connectedness.
L E O N A R D O B O F F
C RY O F T H E E A R T H , C RY O F T H E P O O R
P. 1 1 8

78. O U T S I D E R I D G E WAY, C O

79. B O U L D E R , U T

80. It is not enough to know things about the world and the universe
—books and multimedia and full of such information. What we
need is to be stirred and to have a deep experience. We need to
enter into this knowledge about the cosmos, Earth, and nature,
because it is knowledge about ourselves, about where we come
from, about our deepest reality. It is in being stirred by such
feelings that we change our lives.
L E O N A R D O B O F F
C RY O F T H E E A R T H , C RY O F T H E P O O R
P. 1 1 7

81. B O U L D E R , U T

82. A L L O F L I F E I S S A C R E D