Volunteer pedaling his way to Ecuador
By Maggie Downs
Enquirer staff writer
With every stroke of the pedal on his old Mongoose mountain bike, Joe Hansbauer
inches closer to Ecuador.
The 29-year-old Newport resident is hoping to make his way to an international
volunteer project by biking his way there. Well, not literally, of course.
Much of Hansbauer's time is spent as the advisory board chairman for Give Back
Cincinnati, a nonprofit philanthropic organization. The group will be embarking
on its first-ever international volunteer trip in October, when 12 members will
head to Catamayo, Ecuador, to assist a Habitat for Humanity Global Village
affiliate.
"There are so many places to go in this world, but so many of them seem out of
reach. It's easy to plan a trip to London. But how do you get somewhere
different, somewhere more remote?" Hansbauer said. "Doing something with Habitat
helps you get past a lot of those barriers."
To raise some cash for the excursion, Hansbauer came up with a novel idea -
making a journey for this journey.
See, there are 2,984 miles between Cincinnati and Catamayo.
So Hansbauer plans to ride for 2,984 minutes - either on his mountain bike, or
on a stationary bike in his basement. He hopes to raise $1 per minute - for a
total of $2,984.
The funny thing is that Hansbauer has never really been an avid cyclist. He
recently purchased the stationary bike and set it up in his basement, along with
an old, grainy TV, for when the days get too hot. And that old Mongoose?
"It's been with me through four moves without being ridden at all," he said.
"But rather than beg for donations, I figured I could make some sacrifices,
too."
The total cost of the trip, including supplies, insurance and a donation to the
Habitat group is $1,800 per person. But Hansbauer wants to make an even larger
donation to the folks in Ecuador. That's why he's looking for people to pledge a
combined total of $1 per minute for every minute he spends on his bike.
To encourage people to donate, and to keep everyone updated on his progress,
Hansbauer has been tracking his minutes on a blog
(givebackecuador.blogspot.com).
Beyond ticking off his riding accomplishments, however, the story of
international travel unfolds on the site.
"So I am just now doing my research on what to expect when I get to South
America. And of course first on my list is the food," Hansbauer wrote in one
entry.
His investigation turned up some unusual food combinations: caldo de pates, a
soup made from cattle hooves; cuy, whole roasted guinea pig; and lechón,
suckling pig.
"So we are dealing with raw fish, cow hoof soup and guinea pig," he mused on the
blog. "Perhaps I better pack some trail mix."
On Thursday, Hansbauer ate a thick turkey and bacon sandwich at a downtown deli
- no cow hoof soup in sight. With his buttoned-down orange shirt and neatly
trimmed hair, Hansbauer looked every bit the part of a career-driven IT manager
and community-focused young professional. He detailed the extensive service work
he has accomplished on both sides of the river.
Now he's riding toward the volunteer opportunity of a lifetime, he said.
"I'm looking forward to actually being in a community, not just going to the
places where the Westerners stay," he said. "The draw is that this is a
different kind of vacation."
Lance Armstrong was right - it's not about the bike.
It's what you do with it.
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