The story of the CHRI team begins in Toronto.

It was the 19th of September and we were preparing for a carefully-planned cycling journey that began at University of Toronto and finished in New York City.

Solidarity with Iran rally at University of Toronto

In Toronto, after a successful ceremony organized by Solidarity with Iran, a community bike ride was held. 40 cyclists, including the CHRI team, got on their bikes and rode along the Lakeshore. When the community ride finished and the CHRI cycling team was getting ready for their long journey ahead, one of the cyclists got approached by a man in his seventies who was also a participant in the community bike ride. We will call this man Sam and the cyclist’s name is Mahdi. Sam greeted Mahdi and they shook hands. “Are you one of the cyclists riding to New York?” “Yes, I am.”

Sam didn’t respond back. He just looked at Mahdi with glossy eyes. When Sam finally blinked, formed tears popped on his face and rolled down his cheek.

Mahdi watched Sam cry. He didn’t know what to say or how to console him. Sam continued to look ahead and his eyes turned a faint red. Mahdi eventually made the decision to hug Sam. They held each other for several seconds. Mahdi could feel Sam slightly shaking. “Why are you crying?” Sam didn’t respond. Instead, he let go of their embrace and kept his eyes fixed on the ground. It seemed like he wanted to speak, but instead, he shook his head expressionlessly and walked away.

Curious to know the reason for Sam’s strange reaction, Mahdi approached him several minutes later. “Why did you cry before?” Sam seemed to be in better spirits. His eyes were glistening, and they still looked watery. He began:

My tears were the only way I could express my appreciation for what you are all about to do. There are so many young people who are participating in this ride and none of you are obligated to. You can go live for your life. There are many other activities you can be doing instead. You could go hang out with your friends. But, instead, you choose to be here. You choose to cycle all the way to New York City. You choose to stand up for a cause that you believe in. You are young, but you are aware. And that makes me so happy.

Mahdi listened, and this time, he was the one that couldn’t speak.

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CHRI team stopping to enjoy the sunset

We took the Lakeshore all the way west and the cyclists rode until the sun went down. In the beginning of the trip I shared a car with Behzad, our road manager. The cyclists were separated into two teams. The advanced team was ahead, and we followed the intermediate team. The CHRI crew didn’t all reunite until the first night’s motel stop in Niagara Falls. It was there we noticed that Binesh, one of the advanced cyclists, had been injured along the way.

Crashing, for a cyclist, is a matter of inevitable averages. The more hours spent cycling, the closer each rider gets to a crash.  Not much can be done to eliminate crashes. The only way to cope is to laugh about it after.

Binesh was the ill-fated rider on CHRI’s 800 kilometre journey.  Pooyan, a trained cyclist in the advanced team, described the crash as one of the scariest he had ever seen. Binesh was drafting in the resistance-free pocket of air directly behind cyclist Koosha when his front tire nicked Koosha’s rear tire. The impact sent Binesh sprawling across the asphalt and onto the center of the busy road. Cyclist Rubil was following Binesh at 35 km/hour. Rubil was unable to break in time, so he lost control of his bike and joined Binesh on the road.

CRI advanced team cyclists

The rest of the cyclists went into panic mode. At any moment an unaware driver could have crushed the wounded cyclists as they scrambled to safety.  The skin on Binesh’s right cheek had been scraped off and his raw flesh was surrounded with blood. His knee looked more or less the same. That night at the motel, CHRI team members approached Binesh with great concern, and each one made sure to ask him if he was alright. He didn’t seem to be in pain. And if he was, he didn’t show it. It was obvious he didn’t want sympathy. “It’s alright. I’m fine,” he responded. A few moments later, he explained to everyone what had happened.

The next morning, the cyclists rode to the falls where they said their goodbyes to the team returning home. Ten out of the 30 cyclists planned to go all the way to New York City. Most weren’t able to go all the way for various reasons that included not having a Visa or not being able to get time off.

CHRI team in Niagara Falls

When we were all busy hugging each other farewell, I became overwhelmed by the thought of the large team returning back to Toronto. These cyclists chose to ride halfway, despite knowing that they would be missing the main event in New York City. Thinking of their endeavor, I was overwhelmed by their determination. I immediately formed a high respect for every single one of them.

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The journey to New York City was a funny one, both in respects to humor and peculiarity. Every day the advanced team would ride an average of 150 kilometres and the intermediate team 80 kilometres. It sounded exhausting, but you could never tell by looking at the cyclists.

CHRI cyclist Pouria

One part of the path we took in Pennsylvania had an unavoidable steep uphill that extended for 15 kilometres. It looked excruciating, and after speaking with the cyclists, it was confirmed.

Watching the cyclists ride uphill made me feel guilty for sitting in the car. When the cyclists eventually stopped to rest, I made a conscious effort to be overtly courteous to each of them. I was in awe of the success in their perseverance.

During those pit stops, we would all become closer. We took care of each other and we were considerate of one another. Being immersed in the moment then was much too natural to observe. But now when I reflect on our interaction with one another, the situation becomes undeniably extraordinary. The act of constantly considering and genuinely caring for people you don’t know well is rarer than reality.

CHRI cyclist's leg after a long day of riding

By the third night, the cyclists looked visibly tired and the back of all their legs was covered with greasy black track marks from the bikes. Most of their legs were also scratched up. But strangely enough, their physical fatigue didn’t deter their natural positive energy. Consequently, our rests were happy and calm. There was hardly anyone around in the parts of the USA that we retired for the night. It seemed like it was just us and the beautiful surrounding nature.

In New Jersey, where we made our last stop before arriving to New York City, we all got to talking. I was curious to know what motivated the cyclists to ride all the way from Toronto to New York. I thought, surely a positive attitude is not enough of a drive!  After speaking with several cyclists, it became clear that despite political opinions, our belief in focusing on the human rights aspect of the issue was mutual.

For some team members, traveling with CHRI was their first experience cycling and boarding with a group consisting mostly of Iranians. When the undeniable passion of every member is considered, it is better understood why some were initially apprehensive about the possibility of the eruption of political conflicts. As we journeyed through the USA, the fears of conflict proved to be unfounded, but the fact that they existed in the first place made the conclusion of the trip more appreciated. Not only were conflicts minimal for the six-day venture, but we also made the conscious effort to appreciate each other as human beings.

We used our free time to learn about each other. I learned of each person’s witty personality and kind heart. I learned of their inner strengths and concluded that their confidence extended far deeper than a demeanor. I was fortunate to spend so many days with the CHRI crew. It was all very refreshing; especially in respect to my culture.

The courses the cyclist’s rode were difficult and the wind was against them most of the time. But, the physical and mental support of each member had made the journey not only bearable, but pleasurable and successful. Cycling for seven hours a day gave every member a lot of time to reflect. During our moments of solitude, many of us reflected on Iran in the ways that were unique to us.  Some thought of the political prisoners and the pain their families were forced to endure. Some thought of the torture that took place inside the prison cells. Some thought of the fear that the citizens were forced to face each day. Some reminded themselves of the bravery of the people who took to the streets. And some thought of the beauty of our nation’s newfound unity.

While cycling through those rough patches, a focused area of motivation was needed for the cyclists to continue in the successful way that they did. A number of riders found inner strength to push through their pain and discomfort by reminding themselves of those in Iran who do not have the option of quitting. The citizens in Iran who are in jail certainly don’t have the option of picking up and going home.

At the end of each day, we all became tougher both mentally and physically.

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They say when you are chasing your dreams, you can’t sleep. When we arrived in New York City, we didn’t get much sleep. The night before, the crew had sat around until very late at night and discussed what to expect upon our arrival in New York City.

New York City was a large fantastical blur. We were far too busy to let it all sink in. At 6:30 pm, after Saman and Behzad endured driving in the NYC traffic for nearly two hours, we arrived at our first event. The organizers were waiting for us before they began.

CHRI cyclists discussing the day ahead in NYC

The cameras were also waiting, and we were prepared. The reception we received was incredible. Lights flashed and reporters rushed the cyclists. I quickly turned on my camera and joined in. It was such a rewarding feeling to see the cyclists get recognition for the journey they had just accomplished. We were all so tired, because we didn’t sleep much, but when we saw the crowd applauding and heard the chants that rang on 42nd and 2nd, our energy filled up once more. It was a special moment.

That night we didn’t sleep much either. The next day was the big UN rally and we had a packed day of events to attend. The crew had to time and structure every detail precisely. The cyclists were exhausted and I was too. But, we had to keep on going. At that point there was no turning back. Our journey was a big deal in many ways that could be perceived. And because we believed it was a big deal, so did everyone else.

CHRI team on the first night in NYC

Day two in NYC was a busy one, just as we predicted. We had a community bike ride in the morning, a pre-UN rally in the afternoon, followed by the main rally outside the UN; all events organized by Where is My Vote? Day two was one of the most exhausting days. We didn’t need to cycle any long distance, but brand new tasks confronted us that needed to be executed properly. The media aspect was important and everyone knew it. The media was planning to be everywhere for the next couple days.

The rallies and events the next day were nothing short of successful. The planning almost killed us and getting there was another pain, but at the end of the day, it was all worth it. We were all united. It was a sight I had never seen and a feeling I had never experienced.

CHRI cyclist Pouya busy giving an interview

We worked tirelessly and spread our message. We were there for human rights and it was answers to those we wanted to hear. But instead, Mr. Ahmadinejad’s talks in the USA  were focused on side-swiped issues justified by generic answers. This was not a surprise, considering Mr. Ahmadinejad’s history. His answers have never been convincing, but nonetheless, it was those answers that we heard.

The end of our days in New York City were always so bittersweet. Physically, we were overly-exhausted, but we were also so content. Our bodies were fueled with the energy from the rallies. During the nights we bonded as friends.

The next day on Brooklyn bridge was quite an exercise for us! The cyclists rode across the bridge slowly and stopped often for photo-ops and interviews. I ran after them, stopping to take pictures every chance I got. The rally that day was another success. Our team was so bonded and I believe many people noticed. That night after a very long day, mixed with less than a couple hours of sleep, we prepared to go home.

By the time we were driving back to Toronto, most of us were sick. A few of us slept, while the rest alternated driving. But it was Saman and Behzad who did most of the driving. I would constantly wake up from my sleep and worry about them. I would glance at Saman driving and he looked awake. I appreciated the big responsibility he took on, but I was too tired and sick to express it. He was probably too tired to hear it anyway. I would then think to Behzad driving in the next car and admire how organized and prepared he was throughout the trip. Without these two, our trip would have been completely different.

CHRI team in Toronto spreading the word

The rest of the CHRI team who didn’t come to NYC were hard at work in Toronto, making sure the information we were sending them was being spread. It was this unified teamwork that made our campaign so successful.

There is a big lesson to be learned from the perseverance of the CHRI team. The dedication each member demonstrated far extends personal gratification. The physical pain of sore muscles and pressure on the lungs is all part of the fight for human rights. Our trip was a symbol for endurance and strength.

As CHRI member Bronwyn stated beautifully, “When working for political and social change, activists draw support from the like-minded people who are fighting for the same thing. While one cannot compare riding a bike hundreds of kilometres to suffering at the hands of a dictatorial regime, one can use the ride and its challenges as a metaphor for the fight for human rights. The beautiful sunny weather [of our journey], the excellent company, the inspiring send off in Toronto and the heart-warming welcome in New York City all reflect the pleasures of living in a free society.”