Riding the 'Railroad' Midwest cyclists make stop in Jackson on their ride advocating civil rights By Evan Carden SA Editor 
Father and daughter cycling team Al Gerhardstein and Jessica Gingold stopped in Jackson, June 4, on their way north toward their destination in Cincinnati, Ohio. The two are traveling the Underground Railroad trail in an effort to raise awareness about civil rights. (SA photo by Evan Carden) Al Gerhardstein and his daughter Jessica Gingold are traveling more than 1,200 miles to raise awareness about civil rights.
That may not sound unusual, but the fact they are doing it on a bicycle built for two (tandum) makes it unique.
Gerhardstein said although tandums offer the advantage of being powered by two people, there are certainly some challenges that go along with them as well. "For one, they are pretty heavy bikes, with a thicker and heavier frame than one-seaters," he explained. "That means there's more weight to move uphill."
The pair began their trek Wednesday, June 3, in Mobile. Arriving on a connecting flight from Atlanta, they spent their first day taking in some of the sites of the Port City.
They are riding on behalf of the Ohio Justice and Policy Center, following the Underground Railroad trail, which served as an escape route for slaves seeking freedom.
The Ohio Justice and Policy Center, a nonprofit organization founded by Gerhardstein in 1997, is led by David Singleton and relies on civil rights laws to advocate for criminal justice reforms.
While Gerhardstein, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been on several long bike rides, this is Gingold's first time making such an extended trip on two wheels. "I have ridden on shorter rides around Chicago where I live, but have never been on one this far," she said.
Gerhardstein said he is proud to have his daughter with him. "I guess you could say it's kind of a bonding experience," he smiled.
One of the biggest challenges, according to the pair, are the bridges in this part of the country. "They are designed differently than those in other areas," said Gerhardstein. "Because the design was not completed with cyclists in mind, they especially present a challenge for tandums."
The father and daughter riders had an unexpected setback the second day of their trip, when their bike's chain broke, stranding them on a stretch of rural U.S. Highway 43. Luckily the staff at the Mobile bike shop, Cadence 120, where their tandum was shipped for the trip, was kind enough to send out an employee to assist them with repair of their bike.
The father and daughter team stopped in Jackson for the night, June 4, and struck out again June 5, heading up State Highway 69.
Stopping in front of Stave Creek Baptist Church, Friday, Gerhardstein explained why they began their trip in Mobile. "It was where the last slave ship from Africa disembarked," he said. "That last load of slaves was unloaded despite the fact that the importing of slaves had been outlawed some years before. We hope to discover a lot of history along the way."
The pair are hoping to finish their ride in Cincinnati by June 20, just in time to attend the first ever Civil Rights Major League Baseball Game, which will be played that night between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox. Gerhardstein is a Reds fan while his daughter favors the White Sox. They plan to reach northern Kentucky by June 19, where they will be met by family and friends for a group ride into Cincinnati.
Folks can keep up with the pair's daily progress through posts on their blog site: http://civilrightsbikeride.blogsp ot.com/. Readers can post comments and view photos via links on the site. The father and daughter team are hoping people will respond with history about their towns and communities for them to share with others.
Father and daughter cycling team Al Gerhardstein and Jessica Gingold stopped in Jackson, June 4, on their way north toward their destination in Cincinnati, Ohio. The two are traveling the Underground Railroad trail in an effort to raise awareness about civil rights. (SA photo by Evan Carden) Al Gerhardstein and his daughter Jessica Gingold are traveling more than 1,200 miles to raise awareness about civil rights.That may not sound unusual, but the fact they are doing it on a bicycle built for two (tandum) makes it unique.
Gerhardstein said although tandums offer the advantage of being powered by two people, there are certainly some challenges that go along with them as well. "For one, they are pretty heavy bikes, with a thicker and heavier frame than one-seaters," he explained. "That means there's more weight to move uphill."
The pair began their trek Wednesday, June 3, in Mobile. Arriving on a connecting flight from Atlanta, they spent their first day taking in some of the sites of the Port City.
They are riding on behalf of the Ohio Justice and Policy Center, following the Underground Railroad trail, which served as an escape route for slaves seeking freedom.
The Ohio Justice and Policy Center, a nonprofit organization founded by Gerhardstein in 1997, is led by David Singleton and relies on civil rights laws to advocate for criminal justice reforms.
While Gerhardstein, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been on several long bike rides, this is Gingold's first time making such an extended trip on two wheels. "I have ridden on shorter rides around Chicago where I live, but have never been on one this far," she said.
Gerhardstein said he is proud to have his daughter with him. "I guess you could say it's kind of a bonding experience," he smiled.
One of the biggest challenges, according to the pair, are the bridges in this part of the country. "They are designed differently than those in other areas," said Gerhardstein. "Because the design was not completed with cyclists in mind, they especially present a challenge for tandums."
The father and daughter riders had an unexpected setback the second day of their trip, when their bike's chain broke, stranding them on a stretch of rural U.S. Highway 43. Luckily the staff at the Mobile bike shop, Cadence 120, where their tandum was shipped for the trip, was kind enough to send out an employee to assist them with repair of their bike.
The father and daughter team stopped in Jackson for the night, June 4, and struck out again June 5, heading up State Highway 69.
Stopping in front of Stave Creek Baptist Church, Friday, Gerhardstein explained why they began their trip in Mobile. "It was where the last slave ship from Africa disembarked," he said. "That last load of slaves was unloaded despite the fact that the importing of slaves had been outlawed some years before. We hope to discover a lot of history along the way."
The pair are hoping to finish their ride in Cincinnati by June 20, just in time to attend the first ever Civil Rights Major League Baseball Game, which will be played that night between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox. Gerhardstein is a Reds fan while his daughter favors the White Sox. They plan to reach northern Kentucky by June 19, where they will be met by family and friends for a group ride into Cincinnati.
Folks can keep up with the pair's daily progress through posts on their blog site: http://civilrightsbikeride.blogsp ot.com/. Readers can post comments and view photos via links on the site. The father and daughter team are hoping people will respond with history about their towns and communities for them to share with others.
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