Dan Catlin '01 Bikes the US

This summer, Daniel Catlin '01 will be biking across the country.  He is participating in Bike the US for MS, a program that coordinates cycling trips to raise awareness and funds for Multiple Sclerosis research.  Catlin has followed the accomplishments of the ride since its start two years ago and expresses "endless" respect for those who contributed; however, this will be the first year he himself mounts a bike for the cause.

The trip begins in Yorktown, Va., on June 1 and ends in San Francisco on August 1.  The route connects the TransAmerican Trail with the Western Express and covers about 3,800 miles.  Participants will bike roughly 70 miles each day, and rest at night in various churches, fire stations, and state and city parks.  The money they raise will be donated to MS clinics chosen by the cyclists; in the past, proceeds were given to Partners MS Center at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

 "I absolutely cannot wait to explore America," Catlin states on the Bike the US for MS web site, "looking for the spirit of camaraderie and love for one's fellow man that I know exists there. I may be naive, but I believe in the inherent goodness of mankind, the ability for us to set aside our differences, to ignore the petty day-to-day issues of our lives, and to unite for a common righteous goal. If my small contribution can make even the slightest of difference in the lives of those affected by MS, then I will be blessed."

In 2001, Catlin graduated from Hamilton College with a major in biology and a minor in theatre.  He went on to  earn his Master of Science degree in  wildlife science from Oregon State University and his Doctorate of Philosophy at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.  He is currently a research scientist in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and is studying the population dynamics of piping plovers, a type of small shorebird, and burrowing owls.