Riding the Mississippi by Electric Bike

There is something about the Mississippi River that attracts and fascinates adventurers. First Treehugger reported on two intrepid inventors travelling down the river on a water bike. Now we have Quentin van Marle--a Brit who is riding along it on an electric bike—the Torq from eZeebike—chosen because it is lightweight and rugged. He is travelling the length of the river, 2,000 miles, from its source in Minnesota to the delta in New Orleans. This is the longest journey ever made on such a bike and it is being sponsored by Ecover detergent. Van Marle's goal is to assess the viability of eco-electric bikes as a legitimate mode of daily transport. The emphasis will be on the ecological condition of the river itself as it is such a huge and strong force, both as a drainage system and a transport waterway. So far he is into week two of his adventure and has reached St. Paul, Minnesota safe and sound. Along the road he will be visiting 58 different towns and collecting anecdotes which he relays in his weekly radio broadcasts, or you can follow his travels by reading his weekly web diary. :: Big River Ride via :: The Guardian