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J. Nathan Matias

I'm a Guatemalan-American writer and academic who journeys through landscape, ideas, and histories on two wheels.

In my work life, I'm a professor at Cornell University who organizes community/citizen science to better understand our digital environments online. I have also published journalism in The Atlantic, PBS, the Guardian, FiveThirtyEight, and other international media.

As an ultra-endurance cyclist with a respiratory disability, I ride for my health, for fun with friends, and for opportunities to make meaning from things that are hard to see unless you slow down:

In August 2025, I am completing an Everesting Roam ride, with a virtual community of Nepali writers, journalists, and translators: globalvoices.org/2025/07/24/fundraiser-climbing-a-virtual-everest-with-the-global-voices-community

In June 2025, I rode from Denver to Park City Utah, to See Power and Glory in the Great Divide: natematias.medium.com/seeing-the-power-and-the-glory-in-digital-technology-f23244512091

In February 2024, I rode through the snow in search of pure maple syrup near a superfund site: natematias.medium.com/maple-syrup-time-845bc7045754

In June 2023, I rode the length of California's Central Valley in the footsteps of the 1966 Farmworkers March: natematias.com/portfolio/2023-06-01-cycling-central-valley

In April 2022, I rode 12 inches for every COVID death: natematias.medium.com/pilgrimage-for-a-million-lives-80e233a2cc55

Here are other cycling stories I've written:

- Racism Without Racists: Escaping Sprawl and Facing History at Foothills Nature Preserve
natematias.medium.com/escaping-and-facing-history-at-foothills-nature-preserve-f278ab03e67d


- Seeing Water as a Complex System: Riding with John Fleck
natematias.medium.com/seeing-water-as-a-complex-system-riding-with-john-fleck-d560f5246e0a
www.natematias.com

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Timeline

went cycling

August 10, 2026 at 22:27

Suburb Hills

Searching for hills in the area near Somerville MA, where I am spending the year

Time

2h09m

Distance

32.3km

Speed

16.4km/h

Ascent

460m

Descent

460m

went for a bike ride

July 11, 2026 at 08:32

NE Rando 600k

Time

35h14m

Distance

607km

Speed

23.6km/h

Ascent

7,300m

Descent

7,300m

, , and others like this.

July 23, 2026

Wao!

went for a bike ride

May 25, 2026 at 10:09

Flight in the Fingerlakes 300k pre ride

Flight in the Fingerlakes 300k brevet. When you count the ride out and back, it was a 200 mile day!

Time

13h28m

Distance

311km

Speed

24.2km/h

Ascent

2,230m

Descent

2,220m

, , and others like this.

June 6, 2026

Impressive! And a little nuts, I think 😊

went cycling

September 6, 2025 at 11:02

AIDS Ride for Life

Wonderful day catching up with many other area cyclists riding the AIDS Ride For Life, which raises funds for the Southern Tier AIDs Program.

Time

7h36m

Distance

165km

Speed

24.8km/h

Ascent

1,170m

Descent

1,170m

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September 26, 2025

Nice

went cycling

March 22, 2025 at 11:59

NYC to Binghamton Day Two

Time

11h29m

Distance

190km

Speed

16.5km/h

Ascent

2,770m

Descent

2,610m

March 25, 2025

After a week of intense, meaningful meetings with collaborators in NYC, I hit the road Friday afternoon for Ithaca on my bike—something I've been wanting to do ever since I started at Cornell. Rain, snow, and a desire to avoid hypothermia eventually cut the ride short in Binghamton at (the wonderful

went cycling

March 21, 2025 at 18:25

NYC to Binghamton Day One

Time

5h21m

Distance

94.3km

Speed

17.6km/h

Ascent

1,150m

Descent

1,060m

went cycling

August 17, 2024 at 16:18

Montezuma Canal Caper

Time

3h19m

Distance

72.0km

Speed

23.0km/h

Ascent

300m

Descent

320m

, , and others like this.

August 18, 2024

Rode from Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge to Syracuse to pick up a wheel they were fixing. Enjoyed the chance to ride part of the Empire State Trail!

went for a bike ride

August 9, 2024 at 19:34

Endless Mountains 400km (ish)

Time

18h31m

Distance

393km

Speed

21.2km/h

Ascent

2,550m

Descent

2,840m

, and like this.

August 13, 2024

Rode out Friday afternoon to visit family in Central Pennsylvania after Tropical Storm Debbie passed through. The day was beautiful!



This ride was my chance to come back and do a ~400km ride after having to drop out most of the way through the 400k randonneuring route earlier this summer.



Along the way

went cycling

July 13, 2024 at 15:10

Bicycle Maintenance Brevet

Time

11h59m

Distance

200km

Speed

24.2km/h

Ascent

1,930m

Descent

1,910m

, , and others like this.

July 14, 2024

Shimano wanted a second opinion on a warranty request so I rode out to Syraxuse Bicycle though the Tully Valley and back via Skaneateles to have the part checked out. Overall, a great day!

went cycling

May 22, 2024 at 14:31

Diablo East Bay Loop

Time

14h09m

Distance

180km

Speed

20.9km/h

Ascent

1,950m

Descent

1,950m

, , and others like this.

went cycling

April 27, 2024 at 11:25

Lansing Auburn Weltonville 200km

Time

9h22m

Distance

204km

Speed

23.8km/h

Ascent

1,930m

Descent

1,940m

, , and others like this.

went cycling

April 8, 2024 at 10:31

Eclipse Adventure

Time

15h13m

Distance

265km

Speed

24.3km/h

Ascent

1,560m

Descent

1,600m

, , and others like this.

April 9, 2024

Set out from Ithaca NY to watch the 3:20pm eclipse at a friend's place in Ontario NY, on lake Ontario. It was a *beautiful* day and I'm glad I took the time to wander out to see more of the area.



On the way back, I encountered some wood smoke that gave me asthma problems, so I stopped a few miles short

went cycling

February 18, 2024 at 14:49

Maple Fuel Endurance Test #1

Time

7h45m

Distance

147km

Speed

23.7km/h

Ascent

1,120m

Descent

1,120m

, and like this.

February 19, 2024

Testing my mix of maple energy drink for the upcoming Maple Bicycle adventure. It's a combination of maple, maltodextrin, citric acid, and salt.



Managed a reasonable pace given the temperature and my studded tires (which I definitely needed due to occasional snowdrifts). Thankfully manage to maintain

went for a bike ride

January 13, 2024 at 11:21

NYC to Barryville

Time

9h58m

Distance

159km

Speed

19.3km/h

Ascent

1,960m

Descent

1,800m

, and like this.

January 14, 2024

Set out today to see how far toward Ithaca I could get on my Bike Friday while mostly staying in Zone 2, with the plan to catch up with Dr. H for dinner at the endpoint. It was a great ride, but I did struggle during the final Delaware River section due to wood smoke (I have asthma). Overall, a beautiful

went cycling

December 25, 2023 at 17:58

Varick Triangle

Time

4h48m

Distance

105km

Speed

23.0km/h

Ascent

1,140m

Descent

1,130m

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