U.S. Route 20 is a 3,400-mile highway which crosses 11 states, that stretches from Newport, Ore. , all the way to Boston.
Built in the early 1900s, the historic road passes through numerous communities both gigantic and tiny and is considered by many the “main street of America.”
Starting next month, two Skaneateles natives will discover for themselves exactly why the highway was given that nickname.
On Tuesday, Pete and Pearson Constantino will begin an epic six-week bicycle ride across the entire length of Route 20, starting in Oregon and ending Oct. 1 in Boston.
And that's not even the remarkable part of the story.
In 2006, Pearson, 29, was riding his bike in Westchester County, where he relocated from Skaneateles in 1999, when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver. The accident caused severe head trauma and numerous broken bones. Pearson endured a lengthy hospital stay and 22 months of intense rehabilitation.
But Pearson's iron will and fierce determination are strong. Stronger, even, than the carbon-alloy frame of his brand-new Raleigh Cadent FC bicycle, one of two bikes donated to the brothers earlier this month by Raleigh Bicycles USA.
“Raleigh is going to sponsor us for the ride,” Pearson said in a telephone interview from his Westchester County home.
The main purpose of the ride, he explained, is to increase bicycle safety among motorists.
“Hopefully, when people ride their bikes, then drive their cars, they'll realize what riding is like, so they'll drive more safely. It's really important to me that this doesn't happen to anyone else,” he had said earlier this year.
As they make their journey cross-country, a film crew will accompany the Constantinos to shoot footage for “The Long Bike Back,” a documentary depicting Pearson's recovery and the brothers' ride that is produced and directed by his wife, Julia Wrona.
Wrona heads up a New York City-based production company called Ailujon Films.
“There will be what's called a 'chase van' following us to film some shots,” he explained, noting that he will be wearing a camera as well.
“That'll give (viewers) our point of view, and just what we see during the ride,” he added.
Though Pearson was hesitant to name the exact financial cost of the ride and subsequent film, he said that donations have been steady, and they are still accepting financial contributions.
“We could always be doing better with that, but at this point we're doing pretty good,” he said.
The brothers' daily itinerary, listed on the film's Web site, has them traveling between 60 and 100 miles per day.
“I average about 22 miles per hour on my bike,” he said. “So if you've got some pretty flat land, each day is not as grueling as you might think.”
The pair will travel through Oregon and Idaho before entering Yellowstone Park in Wyoming on Aug. 24. After that, they will traverse the Midwestern states before reaching Buffalo on Sept. 22.
“And we'll be in Skaneateles Sept. 24, where we'll stay for a day,” he said. While here, the brothers have tentative plans to speak to some school students, possibly including those in drivers' education classes.
Pearson's fifth grade teacher Janet Fagal is organizing the talks.
“I've always had a connection with his family, and I remember Pearson talking about bicycle riding when he was my student,” Fagal said.
“I think their message is great,” she said. “Hopefully they can bring about more awareness of bike safety, not just here, but for everybody.”
How to help
To make a donation, visit www.filmforum.org/sponsorship.html and choose “The Long Bike Back” from the drop-down menu. “The Long Bike Back” has nonprofit status through New York City-based organization The Film Forum, so all donations to the film are tax-deductible.
Checks can be made payable to The Moving Image with “The Long Bike Back” in the memo section, and mailed to:
Dominick Balletta, general
manager
RE: Fiscal Sponsorship
Film Forum
209 W. Houston St.
New York, NY 10014
Starting next month, two Skaneateles natives will discover for themselves exactly why the highway was given that nickname.
On Tuesday, Pete and Pearson Constantino will begin an epic six-week bicycle ride across the entire length of Route 20, starting in Oregon and ending Oct. 1 in Boston.
And that's not even the remarkable part of the story.
In 2006, Pearson, 29, was riding his bike in Westchester County, where he relocated from Skaneateles in 1999, when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver. The accident caused severe head trauma and numerous broken bones. Pearson endured a lengthy hospital stay and 22 months of intense rehabilitation.
But Pearson's iron will and fierce determination are strong. Stronger, even, than the carbon-alloy frame of his brand-new Raleigh Cadent FC bicycle, one of two bikes donated to the brothers earlier this month by Raleigh Bicycles USA.
“Raleigh is going to sponsor us for the ride,” Pearson said in a telephone interview from his Westchester County home.
The main purpose of the ride, he explained, is to increase bicycle safety among motorists.
“Hopefully, when people ride their bikes, then drive their cars, they'll realize what riding is like, so they'll drive more safely. It's really important to me that this doesn't happen to anyone else,” he had said earlier this year.
As they make their journey cross-country, a film crew will accompany the Constantinos to shoot footage for “The Long Bike Back,” a documentary depicting Pearson's recovery and the brothers' ride that is produced and directed by his wife, Julia Wrona.
Wrona heads up a New York City-based production company called Ailujon Films.
“There will be what's called a 'chase van' following us to film some shots,” he explained, noting that he will be wearing a camera as well.
“That'll give (viewers) our point of view, and just what we see during the ride,” he added.
Though Pearson was hesitant to name the exact financial cost of the ride and subsequent film, he said that donations have been steady, and they are still accepting financial contributions.
“We could always be doing better with that, but at this point we're doing pretty good,” he said.
The brothers' daily itinerary, listed on the film's Web site, has them traveling between 60 and 100 miles per day.
“I average about 22 miles per hour on my bike,” he said. “So if you've got some pretty flat land, each day is not as grueling as you might think.”
The pair will travel through Oregon and Idaho before entering Yellowstone Park in Wyoming on Aug. 24. After that, they will traverse the Midwestern states before reaching Buffalo on Sept. 22.
“And we'll be in Skaneateles Sept. 24, where we'll stay for a day,” he said. While here, the brothers have tentative plans to speak to some school students, possibly including those in drivers' education classes.
Pearson's fifth grade teacher Janet Fagal is organizing the talks.
“I've always had a connection with his family, and I remember Pearson talking about bicycle riding when he was my student,” Fagal said.
“I think their message is great,” she said. “Hopefully they can bring about more awareness of bike safety, not just here, but for everybody.”
How to help
To make a donation, visit www.filmforum.org/sponsorship.html and choose “The Long Bike Back” from the drop-down menu. “The Long Bike Back” has nonprofit status through New York City-based organization The Film Forum, so all donations to the film are tax-deductible.
Checks can be made payable to The Moving Image with “The Long Bike Back” in the memo section, and mailed to:
Dominick Balletta, general
manager
RE: Fiscal Sponsorship
Film Forum
209 W. Houston St.
New York, NY 10014
The Citizens' Say
There are 1 comment(s)
roadrashray wrote on Aug 9, 2008 10:05 AM:
Please let me explain. Street meters are a hold over from the good old days when all the shopping was located in inner cities. We shoppers were held hostage by the cities who forced us to submit to an expensive and problematic parking meter system. Suburban shopping malls changed all that. We were released from the tyranny of inner city shopping with it's abusive parking requirements.
I of course would never go into the inner city of Auburn to shop. Over the years I have continued to dine at Parker's primarily. That has been significantly changed since the city fathers installed the kiosk system. They don't seem to understand that the customers have choices where they shop and dine and do business and spend their money. We can vote against their idiotic and hard to use system (which by the way greatly increases one's chance of receiving a parking ticket for the priviledge of spending my money downtown). Many others and I are taking our business and money elsewhere.
The mayor and city council are wasting the taxpayers time trying to perpetuate an income source who's time has passed. To bring in a metaphor, they continue to try to make a pig fly. It will never happen and all they do is anger the pig. The city wants successfull businesses downtown. The businesses located downtown need more patrons.
I have a suggestion. The city needs to eliminate all parking meters on the downtown city streets. I can imagine all the moaning and hand wringing in the city council uppon hearing such a suggestion. I suggest that the downtown area is dying. We all know that one of the reasons is people are chosing to take their business and money elsewhere. The parking meter or parking kiosk system is just to difficult and expensive for us to put up with.
It's important for the mayor, the city council and other civic leaders to understand that if they want a successfull and dynamic inner city they must change their way of thinking and looking for revenue.
I suggest they remove all parking meters to see if it creates more business for the downtown. I suggest the improved revenue for the inner city businesses from increased shoppers might provide additional revenues to the city in the form of increased sales tax revenues and others. With the inner city business area becoming more profitable it might actually grow without significant investment by federal, state or city assistance. Imagine a downtown business without taxpayer support? What a concept!
In closing I suggest the city of Auburn needs to take a chance on this proposal and eliminate the counter productive system of parking meters. I can tell you this customer and money spender will continue to take my business where they want me. I don't think it's a very big risk for the city of Auburn. The way things are currently managed the inner city as an asset is dying anyway.
What the hell? Take a chance! If it doesn't work you can always go back to destroying commerce with that old loser parking kiosk device.
I know the mayor and city council face difficult decisions as they try to find a balance between creating needed money and promoting commerce for downtown businesses. I am simply suggesting that what they have been doing is antiquated and counterproductive. It is time to try a more successful approach.
Thanks,
Ray Spafford
Shopper and taxpayer
Thanks, "