Take two mountain bike fanatics who happen to be animal lovers and what have you got? GOYAR.
No, it's not some new viral disease introduced into the country via exotic animals. In fact, GOYAR may be the polar opposite: It's a 2,460-mile bike trek across the Continental Divide, starting August 10, whose sole purpose is to raise awareness about the poor state of animal welfare—no doubt including the high mortality rates of imported exotic animals and how these creatures make poor pets.
GOYAR stands for "Get Off Your Ass and Ride," and it's a major subplot of this year's Great Divide Mountain Bike Ride, the longest mountain-bike touring route in the world, stretching from Montana to New Mexico. The GOYAR subplot was devised by Chicagoans Neal Levin and Mick Compisi, who plan to take 45 days out of their lives to spread the word about animal welfare issues across some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain this country has to offer.
"Our goal through GOYAR," the duo writes on their web site, www.GOYAR2003.com, "is to encourage people to become more actively involved and recognize the current state of animal welfare for themselves, also seeing the harmful consequences of inaction and apathy."
One way they'll encourage activism over apathy is through their animal advocate partners, including The HSUS.
So why did Levin, an attorney, and Compisi, a business development professional, decide to embark on such an exhilarating adventure? Two reasons: the need to "scratch a mid-life itch" and pure personal conviction.
The former reason grew out of Levin's love for mountain biking. An avid outdoorsman, Levin read about the Great Divide Mountain Bike Ride and started thinking about making the trip. The latter reason was more personal: After Levin's beloved dog, Cassie, died in 1998, he started getting involved with a local animal organization, which was his introduction to the many issues surrounding animals, from cruelty to habitat protection.
Levin ultimately combined his growing interest in animal issues with his profession. He developed and began teaching a course on Animal Law at DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. He also started The Skan Project which, through his law practice, consults with Fortune 500 companies that are interested in animal welfare issues.
But even that level of personal and professional involvement in animal issues wasn't enough for Levin. He notes, "I soon realized that to remedy the apathy about how society treats animals and their habitat, the best thing for me to do is to use my voice to 'get the word out' and show people the reality from which they have been turning their cheek."
And that was the birth of GOYAR.
Compisi came on board because he shares Levin's love of mountain-bike riding. He has long had admiration for animals and the environment, but through his relationship with Levin, Compisi has become even more committed to animal issues, searching for that perfect balance between his life as a businessman and his respect for nature.
Compisi says the concept of a ride with a mission made sense to him immediately. "Much can be accomplished if an effort is made," he says. "Conversely, little change is ever made through inaction. To me, that's the whole point of GOYAR. I want to believe that we as individuals can make a difference, even if it's one person at a time."
Just how do Levin and Compisi hope GOYAR will make a difference? First, they're publicizing GOYAR through the media and through their web site, where web visitors can learn about welfare issues through links to The HSUS and other animal organizations in the Chicago area. Second, they're actively promoting the trek via e-mail, through the ride's sponsors, and through friends, family, and business connections. Third, they hope that visitors to the linked web sites, like hsus.org, will spread the word about GOYAR as well.
And what else can each of us do? According to the Animal Law attorney: "Go touch and see an animal every day. Take a child to see and learn about animals. Donate money. Donate time. Spread the word. Send us an e-mail so we know you're there. Get educated. Get some respect for the animals. Get angry, if you must. Get started today on making a change and Get Off Your Ass and Ride!"
More than nine months of training and preparation are about to become as real as it gets for Levin and Compisi. At the end of the ride, they hope to have exposed thousands of people to issues such as pet overpopulation, destruction of habitat, and animal abuse. And along the way, they hope to influence hearts and minds, and incite individual actions that will bring about positive change for animals.
