In February 2019 I hosted Ruta Del Jefe, a 125-mile self supported adventure race following dirt roads around the Santa Rita Mountains and the lair of El Jefe, one of the few remaining North American Jaguars to live in the U.S.
Ruta Del Jefe is not just any adventure bicycle race. This film shares how the event is used as a platform to raise awareness of environmental and political threats affecting the U.S./Mexico borderlands of Southern Arizona where Ruta Del Jefe takes place, and to inspire action among bicyclists. To learn more about Ruta Del Jefe, click here.
For this region, the fight is nowhere near over, which is why I will be hosting the event again in 2020. Save the date for Ruta Del Jefe Adventure Race on February 21-23, 2020. Registration will be limited to 100 people.
If you were touched by this event or film in any way I encourage you to read the latest news regarding No More Deaths and Save the Scenic Santa Ritas and pursue any or all action to help make a difference in Southern Arizona. I have listed some “action item” recommendations on how to do this below.
Latest News: No More Deaths
While No More Death volunteers continue to find human remains in the desert, Dr. Scott’s Warren’s trial resumes today, Wednesday, May 29th through Friday, June 7th.
Dr. Scott Warren is facing three federal felony charges for providing humanitarian aid to two migrants in the southwest borderlands of the United States. He has been charged with two counts of felony harboring and one count of conspiracy for, according to the charging documents, "providing food, water, clean clothes and beds". If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Action Items
Share this Ruta Del Jefe video and blog post with your friends, family, and co-workers.
Sign this petition demanding the U.S. Attorney’s Office drop all charges against him
Donate Money to No More Deaths
Donate Supplies to No More Deaths
Volunteer for No More Deaths
Latest News: Save The Scenic Santa Ritas
In March, Hudbay Mineral Corp. received the Clean Water Act permit (404 permit) from the Army Corps of Engineers. This means the mining company can move ahead on breaking ground at Rosemont.
Gayle Hartmann, SSSR president, writes, “We definitely do NOT want that to happen. We want our court cases to be decided first. The first case (against the National Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service) should be decided this fall, the second (against the Army Corps of Engineers) probably not for at least another six months. We believe we have a very good chance of winning one or both”.
Save The Scenic Santa Ritas only option to prevent construction at the site before their cases are heard is to ask the court to prevent Hudbay from moving ahead. Judge Soto, of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, will be making a decision on whether he will grant the preliminary injunction in early July.
Action Items
Share this Ruta Del Jefe video and blog post with your friends, family, and co-workers.
Write E-mails to local newspapers (Arizona Daily Star, Green Valley News and the Vail Voice) and to your elected officials about why you oppose the proposed Rosemont mine! You can use this resource to look up contact information for your elected official: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.
Send thank you notes to Congressman Raul Grijalva and to Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick for their considerable work to protect the Santa Rita Mountains.