(Photo: Joe Rowe)
I’ve seen a lot of people use bicycles to raise awareness for various causes over the years, but this one just might take the cake for its combination of eye-catching stunt and serious issue.
Matt Meyer was born and raised in the wilds of the South African bush — but now he’s doing something that’s in many ways even more adventurous: Riding 2,000 of the west coast pulling a life-sized rhinocerous sculpture. Matt’s “Rhino Ride” aims to raise awareness and funding to save wild rhinos from exctinction. And he’s in Portland today for a meet-and-greet.
“I have been a full time safari guide my entire professional life,” writes Matt on his website. “My job has taken me to many of the major parks throughout multiple countries in Southern Africa and I have witnessed the devastating decline of the rhino population over the past few years. I know that if nothing is done about this soon, the wild rhino will be extinct in the next decade. I am only one person, but feel I can begin to change the course of this devastation.”
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Matt’s route is taking him from Blaine, Washington to San Diego, California.
If you’d like to meet Matt and Lunar and learn about his journey and efforts to save rhinos they’ll be at Irving Park today (4/27) from 3:00 to 4:00. Bonus points if you show up in a rhino-themed costume for the ride that’ll leave after the event.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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My child yesterday yelled… “look Papa! That man is pulling your spirit animal on a bike!” He smiled big time. It is true, since early childhood I’ve had some strange deep connection with rhinos. Truly wonderful Matt is doing this. I had assumed he was just another Portlander moving his art around . Go Matt!
What’s an appropriate bike lock for a rhino?
I hope Matt’s got time to check out the rhino mural on SE Morrison. https://cyclotram.blogspot.com/2016/03/rhino-mural-1308-se-morrison.html
I know what it is like to pull 350 lbs some distance. 2000 miles is insane! I guess my question is why not pull a styro Rhino instead?
Cut calves. Cut calves. No real struggle to pull a styro rhino .
What kind of passing clearance do you suppose he gets on rural highways?
I am envious of the space he must get from cars. And I’m glad that rhino has a horn, but he needs a TAIL light. It’s the law!
I passed him on a bridge in Florence, Oregon. He had no safety buffer/clearance at all and was dripping with sweat on a cool day. It made me smile. That’s commitment…*SALUTE*