Meet Victoria Anderson-Lynch – the sixth grader going big on Climate Ride Bears Ears

Victoria Anderson-Lynch will be doing her first-ever Climate Ride on our Bears Ears trip. She’s not only taking on over 75 miles of serious backcountry mountain and gravel biking, but she’s also going big for the planet with her fundraising. Her mom, Emma-Louise is a veteran Climate Rider who lights up any ride she’s on! We’re excited to have them both joining us but wanted to highlight this young rider who is making a big splash for our planet.

Climate Ride (CR): Why did you decide to do Climate Ride Bears Ears?

Victoria Anderson-Lynch (VAL): I’ve always wanted to do a climate ride with my mum. Now that I’ve been in a local Sunrise Movement hub, I wanted to make a bigger difference.

CR: What motivated you to raise thousands of dollars and take on a hardcore backcountry ride?

VAL: Climate change – it’s so scary that last year this ride was canceled due to the snow and this year it will be 100 degrees! Having grown up with the fire season in California and all the smoke I’ve lived with impacts first hand.

CR: How has climate change impacted you and the area you live in?

VAL: A couple of years ago the fires were so bad we couldn’t go outside for 3 weeks. Last summer a thunder and lightning storm ignited hundreds of fires across the state and the fact that hundreds of fires were lit in the rain from lightning just goes to show how serious this problem really is.

CR: What’s your favorite hobby or subject in school?

VAL: I’m currently in 6th grade. I love mountain biking and doing aerial work. My favorite subject at school is social studies because I learned the most about the world in this class and I love my teacher Katherine – she’s so inspiring.

CR: Which beneficiaries are you supporting, and why?

VAL: The Sunrise Movement (learn more about the Sunrise Movement here) because I believe in the Green New Deal and Climate One (more about them here) because they host incredible conversations that bring seemingly opposing points of view together in the same room. I’m riding on the Climate One team with my mum.

CR: Four days of long climbs in the Utah backcountry is a big challenge to take on. How have you been getting ready for it?

VAL: It’s been hard to balance all the training, homework, and making sure I’m fully prepared for the ride. I scheduled three days a week to ride (my mum told me I had to) and made a list of everything that needed to be done.

CR: Has preparing for and participating in this event spurred you to take any action on climate?

VAL: I participated in a peaceful Sunrise Movement march in the autumn. We walked through San Rafael and gathered to make speeches. I spoke about my commitment to helping reverse climate change and marched with a banner that read “the climate is getting hotter than my imaginary boyfriend.”

CR: Is there anything else you think we should know about?

VAL: I’m doing this work because I care. I am lucky enough to live in a family and community that recognizes the problem we are facing but not everyone is lucky enough to live in a place that recognizes the severity of climate change. And because I have been raised in a place that understands how quickly we have to act, I think it’s my job to make sure that young people across the world know that just because you are young doesn’t mean you don’t have a voice. Even if you aren’t changing laws or petitioning new rules, you can still make a difference in your community, in your household, in yourself.

You can follow Victoria and hear more from her at https://support.climateride.org/participant/9458.