Sixteen-year-old John Bramson of North Carolina grew up taking bike rides with his dad, Brian.
“You know, Sunday mornings or Saturday mornings to go grab breakfast. So biking was a big thing for our family,” John Bramson says.
This year, the father and son embarked on their biggest outing yet: a weeklong trek from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to Richmond, Virginia.
They were motivated by their concern about climate change. The Bramsons worked with the nonprofit Climate Ride, which helps people organize bike rides that benefit environmental groups. And they raised more than $9,000 for the Triangle Land Conservancy, a nonprofit.
Brian Bramson is a doctor, and he worries about how global warming is contributing to the spread of infectious diseases. John Bramson’s concern about climate change was sparked in an environmental science class last fall.
“That I think was the catalyst, like, I really started paying attention,” John Bramson says.
He says the trip was tiring but rewarding. And Brian Bramson says he was grateful to spend the time with his son.
“I am acutely aware of how precious is all our time together,” he says. “For me, it was just really wonderful to be together, kind of laying down some more memories for us both, I hope.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media