2008 BEE Japan Cross-Country Ride (日本一周ライド）

Hey everyone,

I originally posted about these guys about a year ago, and I put their website on my side bar of links. Recently I've gotten involved with BEE Japan, and I'm helping coordinate BEE SIG, one of their websites associated with AJET (a National JET Program run by JET participants). If you find anything interesting and/or want to help in any way, please let me know.

Peace, Salem

最近私は下に説明するBEE Japanチームと活動しています。BEE Japanについて質問があったら、もし手伝いたいと思ったら人、是非メール下さい。すでに横のサイドバーにBEE Japanのリンクが貼ってあいます。
よろしくお願いします！

Greetings from the BEE (Bicycle for Everyone's Earth) Team. BEE is the
name of the AJET Eco SIG, a group of JETs who promote environmentalism
in Japan.
Every year during the summer months an intrepid band of JETs cycle
from Wakkanai in northern Hokkaido to Kagoshima in southern Kyushu.
Riding an average of 70km a day the BEE team covers over 3000 km in 2
months all the while spreading the message of environmental protection
and sustainable living.

In 2008 the team will depart from Wakkanai on August 2nd and ride
their way down to Niigata Prefecture along the Sea of Japan before
tackling the Japanese Alps. Arriving in Tokyo in late August they will
be hosting some events for a few days then will head out along the
southern coast of Honshu, skirting round Mt. Fuji and heading for
Shiga Prefecture and Lake Biwa by early September. After a few days in
Fukui Prefecture the ride goes through Kyoto and Osaka, crosses to
Shikoku and travels on to Hiroshima via Ehime Prefecture. By late
September they will take the ferry to Kyushu and spend the last 10
days of the month travelling toward Kagoshima Prefecture and the
finish line. All along, the team will host events to promote
environmental awareness.
www.beejapan.org/index/2008/route

Sound exciting? There are still a few positions left on the riding
team. Right now we have several riders committed to the entire trip
with some more coming along for certain sections. We are still
recruiting riders. You can get an application form at
www.beejapan.org/index/2008/join (our rider application deadline is
the end of May).

BEE is really a national effort involving hundreds of individuals
across Japan. It really can't happen without your support. Here are
some of the things you can do to help.

Become a supporter
Do you have some spare futons? Can you cook for a small band of hungry
cyclists? Are you a local AJET rep who can help organise an event? Are
you interested in learning more about how you can live a sustainable
life? Maybe you are an avid cyclist and would like to come for a few
days of the ride? Or perhaps you rock the nihongo and are willing to
give some of your time to translating for us? If you can think of
anyway to help us then we need to hear from you.

The most help we need is in fact along the route. If you are willing
to host the team (or part of the team) in your house or apartment why
not check out the route and see if we are coming to your area. Check
out the route plan here at route. Just send us an email at
teamleader@beejapan.org if you are willing to help us out. Even if you
just want to suggest some cool places in your area then please send us
an email.

On of the best ways to keep up to date with what is happening on BEE
is to join our mailing list. Just send a blank email to
eigonews-subscribe@beejapan.org.

You can also lend your considerable support by ordering one of our
sweet new tshirts. Not only will you get a cool shirt but will be
helping BEE, thereby helping the earth. The shirts are very reasonably
priced at 2500 yen each. You can view the design at
www.beejapan.org/index/2008/tshirt

Details on how to order will be posted on the website and also sent
out on our mailing lists.

A message from the BEE SIG coordinator
Hey everyone, My name is Salem Willard, I'm a second-year high school
ALT in Shiga Prefecture.
I recently inherited the BEE SIG (Bicycling for Everyone's Earth
Special Interest Group), and I'm hoping to revitalize it this coming
year. BEE SIG functions to raise environmental awareness, provide
information about these environmental issues, and to support BEE JAPAN
and their yearly ride around the country to promote sustainable
living.

If you feel passionately about reducing waste in Japan (such as
plastic bags, waribashi, etc) and maintaining a clean place for us all
to live, please contact me at coordinator@beejapan.org. Yoroshiku.

Thanks for your support!

Colin Johnston - BEE Ride team leader
Salem Willard - BEE SIG Coordinator

Visit www.beejapan.org