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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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Recent Activity

went cycling.

September 6, 2025

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.

06:40

165km

24.8km/h

1,170m

1,170m

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September 26, 2025

Nice

planned a road ride.

September 6, 2025

07:08

164km

23.0km/h

1,040m

1,040m

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

planned a road ride.

July 31, 2025

09:05

142km

15.7km/h

2,770m

2,710m

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

planned a road ride.

July 28, 2025

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
likes this.

August 1, 2025

Did you ever receive a mixtape from someone who you admired— a playlist that helped you understand their passions, hopes and culture? I am about to receive the all time best mixtape, as part of an Everesting Roam Ride.



As I ride the equivalent of Mount Everest, the Nepali team at Global Voices is going

planned a road ride.

May 26, 2025

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

planned a road ride.

May 16, 2025

53:27

1,076km

20.1km/h

11,740m

11,190m

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

planned a road ride.

April 5, 2025

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

went cycling.

March 22, 2025

11:29

190km

16.5km/h

2,770m

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

Like

went cycling.

March 21, 2025

05:21

94.3km

17.6km/h

1,150m

1,060m

planned a road ride.

January 25, 2025

13:12

284km

21.5km/h

3,280m

3,040m

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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