Erick Cedeño is an explorer, a historian, and an engaging storyteller. He has been featured in multiple national and local publications, from Outside Magazine to The New York Times. Recently inducted into the 2022 class of The Explorers Club 50, Cedeño is globally recognized as one of the year’s 50 explorers changing the world. This incredible honor speaks to his adventurous spirit and desire to explore beyond the obvious, but it is his passion for retracing history and sharing the untold narratives that often spark the most interest in those who hear his stories.
In 2014 and again in 2020, Cedeño, also known on social media as the Bicycle Nomad, followed the historic path of the Underground Railroad–riding his bicycle from New Orleans to Niagara Falls. His journey wasn’t just about the bike ride, but about connecting to his heroes of the Bicycle Corp and tapping into their courage and wisdom. In 2022, Cedeño honored the 125th anniversary of an epic bicycle ride few have heard of in their history lessons. He researched and accurately retraced the route of the Buffalo Soldiers–the all-Black regiment of U.S. soldiers–who rode 1,900 miles from Montana to Missouri on bicycles in 1897. Cedeno rode the same 1900 miles. He is still on that emotional journey as he continues to reach out to the descendants of the Buffalo Soldiers and give honor to the men whose story was lost to archives.
Erick’s presentation at this year’s summit will focus on his perspective of both the rural and urban cycling infrastructure that he has encountered in his travels, and how that has shaped his experiences.
