UW student Mark Pedri trains for a 700-mile bike ride to make a film about the future
of energy. (Burning Torch Productions)
University of Wyoming student Mark Pedri on Sunday, July 24, begins a 700-mile mountain bicycle ride through Wyoming and Utah while documenting his trip without the help of a support vehicle or support crew.
A graduate student in the UW Department of Communication and Journalism, Pedri is the lead producer for the adventure film company, Burning Torch Productions. He says he is taking the trip to answer questions about energy's future.
"We are in an age in which energy is a huge issue. Everyone is telling everyone else something different," Pedri says. "What is the answer and who should we believe? That is what I'm making a film about and if I have to ride my bike 700 miles through the desert to get people's attention, I will."
He begins his journey at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 24, during a sendoff event at 210 Spruce St. in Pinedale. Members of the community are invited to ride the first few miles of his journey with him.
He will ride to Rock Springs where he will participate in the Red Desert Roundup Rodeo parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 30. Pedri will depart for Dutch John, Utah, at 1 p.m. from the Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce that same day. Community members are invited to ride with him for a few miles as he leaves.
He will then travel east to a uranium development and wind farms, and end in Laramie Saturday, Aug. 13, where a team of researchers is using solar power to harvest hydrogen from water. A welcome back event is scheduled at 2 p.m. in Optimist Park, where community members are invited to ride the last few miles of his journey.
At each location, he will conduct interviews with experts and professionals about their energy source. Pedri is now interviewing experts and professors at various universities on the topic of energy.
When the film is finished, it will be entered in numerous festivals including Banff Mountain Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and the Sundance International Film Festival.
For more information, follow Burning Torch Productions on Twitter and Facebook or visit the company's blog at http://burningtorchproductions.wordpress.com.
