Video: Riding Up Mount Kilimanjaro, The Power of Bicycles

Rebecca Rusch poses for a portrait with riding partner Patrick Sweeny (l) and guide Respicious Baitwa (c) in celebration of their reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania on 24 February, 2016. Photo: Pat R. Notaro / Red Bull Content Pool

Rebecca Rusch, a seven-time World Champion and longtime Dirt Rag columnist, recently completed a climb up and mountain bike descent of Mount Kilimanjaro. She and fellow rider Patrick Sweeny undertook the journey to raise funds and awareness for World Bicycle Relief, a nonprofit.

Over six days, Rusch and Sweeney rode, carried and pushed their bikes to the summit at 19,341 feet, then rode back down. Their goal was to ultimately raise one dollar for every foot of elevation, and they succeeded in essentially funding 131 new bikes for students in Africa.