We take the ritual of learning to ride a bike for granted. For many, this simple pleasure, to ride on two wheels, isn´t as easy to attain. A bike means freedom, and it means having time to think about your own place in the world.

In the stark Chihuahuan desert, tucked behind the metropolis of Ciudad Juarez, are the colonias. The poverty, for us in our better better circumstances, is jarring and difficult to digest.

The amount of need is virtually infinite, but we have one mission: To bring a smile and a normal ritual of childhood to kids whose parents may not be able to provide that - unless they have the support from people like you.

We pick up discarded bicycles - even from the city landfill, where people throw away perfectly good ones when they upgrade. We make them rideable - new tires, new brakes, oiling and adjusting. It takes time, but it also takes money.

We also get bike donations and often have more bikes than we can fix with the resources that we have. Tires and brakes cost money. There are import fees when we travel just 40 miles from our part of the desert to theirs. Our truck takes gas to ferry the bikes.

We can find and fix the bikes, but a donation to this fund makes a real impact in the life of a child by helping us get there.

The first time you visit this place, it takes your breath away. The Chihuahuan desert is a beautiful place, yet, it's the astonishing level of poverty that people live under that is difficult to digest, even weeks after having been there.

The amount of need is surreal and we don't let that stop us from taking action, but we need help from people like you. This amount will fund a whole year for us, and we make monthly trips to deliver at least 40 bikes - from toddler-sized to the those young at heart.

Thank you for your consideration and see you on the trails.

https://www.facebook.com/CondorBikeworks/