Adventure Learning With The Pedaling Pioneer: Brad Haertling bike tours and teaches to bring the world to students

In 2013, Brad Haertling, a seventh grade world geography and eighth grade American history teacher at Jackson Junior High School, rode his bike from Independence, Mo., halfway to Wyoming. He was biking the Oregon Trail, and during his time on the road, he utilized video and voice calling as well as a website he made to let his students see and experience the sights he saw along the trail, as well. The project was a hit with the students, and, as it combined his passions for teaching and cycling, Haertling enjoyed it, too.

Since, Haertling, who calls the project The Pedaling Pioneer, has ridden the second portion of the Oregon Trail from Wyoming to Oregon City, Ore., as well as the length of Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, Iceland’s Ring Road and the Baja Loop. In 2019, he attended the 75th anniversary of D-Day with his dad in France. On all of these cycling trips, he created videos and learning materials for his students to engage with back in Jackson as they learned about the history and geography of each place with him while he rode.

Here, Haertling shares his thoughts on the evolution of the project, what he loves about it and tips for getting into bike touring.

Brad Haertling has ridden the Oregon Trail, in Vietnam, Iceland's Ring Road and the Baja Loop on his bicycle. He says one of his favorite parts of sharing his travels with his students is when they collectively say "whoa" to something he shares.Photo by Aaron Eisenhauer

__How did your idea for The Pedaling Pioneer project come about?__

I am always looking for adventure and a way to make learning real for students. Traveling on the bicycle has allowed me to see countries and cultures up close and to bring it home to the students. Why the bike? Cars are OK, but they are too fast to see the real places along the way. Fifteen miles per hour is the best speed to do that! Luckily, I have a lot of support from my school. Jackson R-2 School District and the Jackson R-2 Foundation have been completely behind me the whole way, no matter how crazy the idea seems at times. I have also been fortunate to be supported by local businesses, friends and family.

__How do you use the project to educate students?__

The classes are during summer school sessions. We use the website pedalingpioneer.com to share videos and places from the trip. I also like to do live chats with the kids from the road.

__How do the students participate?__

Typically, the students watch a video each day and do an activity associated with it. For instance, in Iceland, I saw a lot of glaciers and waterfalls that were produced by underground volcanoes. My co-teacher Mike Holloway and the students simulated a glacier and waterfall by placing a torch under a block of ice.

What is something you have learned from this project?

All kids are interested in learning if they are exposed to something in the right way. For me, adventure learning allows me to present the material in a different way while I’m having fun myself. Also, I

have learned people are capable of doing more than they think is possible. I teach my students to dream big, set high goals and get started doing it.

Brad Haertling poses for a photo in Iceland in 2018. On his trip, Haertling taught his students about glaciers and waterfalls.Photo submitted by Brad Haertling

__What is one of your favorite moments from your travels and/or educating in this way?__

In Vietnam, my partner Danny Rees and I were on the last days of the trip. By lunchtime, we discovered we had to ride more than 100 additional miles in order to reach Ho Chi Minh City so we could pack our bikes up and catch our flight out. The problem was, it was absolutely pouring-down rain, and the buses, motorbikes and trucks were everywhere. I love to be that challenged!

Another favorite moment was when the Jackson R-2 Foundation bought me a drone to fly in Iceland. I was flying it up a huge gorge with a waterfall, and there were hundreds of people looking at the waterfall. I accidentally hit one of the walls of the gorge right in front of everyone, and the drone started falling to the earth. Everyone stopped shooting photos and watched as my drone fell out of the sky. Just before it crashed, I was able to get the engines going and kept it from crashing — whew!

Also, hearing the students say “whoa” as an entire class fires me up. We have had a lot of those “whoa” moments over the years.

__What are three tips you have for readers about getting into bike touring?__

1. Buy a bicycle and ride it! It doesn’t have to be a long distance; bicycling is fun, and you can do it at any age or ability.

2. Start dreaming! Google different places you think you may like to go. Research the sights you can see there.

3. Go! Commit to going. Start by buying an airplane ticket, ask off work for those days and just do it!

__Want to follow along with Haertling’s bike touring travels?__

Check out his website, https://pedalingpioneer.com.