Biker/fundraiser sees Burlington a world apart

By LUCAS BLAISE
Contributing Writer

June 26, 2009 06:18 am

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PLATTSBURGH — Nathan Winters's hiatus is cycling from Maine to Washington state, with the Adirondacks being part of the route.

Along the way, the 29-year-old Pennsylvania native is hoping to raise $50,000 for the Nature Conservancy, as well as inspire people across the United States to embrace green issues.

"I want to meet all types (of people), and my focus is environmental protection and conservation," Winters said.

"My goal is to create this platform where people in Illinois can see what people in Vermont are doing and be inspired by what they are doing."

DIFFERENCES
He recently passed through the North Country on his journey.

Already, he's learned a lot.

"I think the thing I didn't realize about the Northeast is how strong the communities are. When local communities pull together, they can accomplish so much."

When he arrived in Plattsburgh, though, his first impression of the North Country was a little unsettling.

"You look at Lake Champlain, and it's the difference between Vermont and New York, and it's weird to think about how far away we are."

Having enjoyed meeting organic farmers and many people in Vermont who are making environmental contributions, he found Plattsburgh was different.

"The looks on people's faces, foods that were eaten, cars that were driven and the homes they were living in were a world away from Burlington, Vt., just on the other side of the lake," he later said in his online blog.

"This truly boggled my mind for a few minutes. How could two places be separated by a 20-minute ferry ride and one body of water and become poles apart?"

ECONOMIC HIT
But, after a short visit, he came to a realization about Plattsburgh as opposed to Vermont's biggest city.

"The economy was failing within the community. Sometimes I forget about the reality of the economic hardship here in our country, based on my lack of television exposure.

"After a brief stay in Plattsburgh, I truly came away with a town that means and deserves well. There is great history, kind people and a beautiful lake to create a community base.

"But the reality of the situation is that a good bit of wind has been kicked out of the Plattsburgh sail. In my heart and in my mind, I truly believe that it is towns like Plattsburgh that need a bailout."

AT PEACE
Winters's perspective of the area grew when he biked from Plattsburgh to Lake Placid.

"Like a child with a pacifier, the Adirondacks were giving me peace and tranquility for the first time," he said.

"Words cannot describe how wonderful the Adirondacks are when you can smell the aroma from the trees and see the beautiful birds and wildlife conducting business as usual. It was as if I entered a whole new world. Suddenly the Adirondacks and I were alone and making a personal connection."

TWITTER
It wasn't so personal, though, that Winters was alone on his journey.

That's because nearly 1,800 people have known his every step.

"It's all Twitter," he said of the online social networking site.

His followers, as people who receive Twitter updates are called, have interacted with him since he started.

It was one of those followers, someone he knows as "TourPro," who initially suggested that he come to Adirondacks.

Winters's Twitter contacts have grown throughout his journey in the park, landing him couches to sleep on and Lake Placid motels to lounge at, including High Peaks Resort.

"I'm not a fan of reality TV, but in a sense it's really neat to have people interact with me while I'm on this trip," Winters said.

That is a different reality from what other cross-country travelers had told him to expect.

"They kept talking and remarking on the loneliness, and I don't have the loneliness, because no matter where I go, I have people who are watching me and interacting with me."

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