In August 2021 Ben began his #Eyes Up bike tour https://www.eyesupride.com/ to end distracted driving.

“I completed nearly 7,000 miles of riding solo, traveling from Cape Cod to Seattle and the Canadian border then down to the Mexican border over about 120 days. I took two breaks from riding, one for the holidays and six month "break" because of a nagging overuse injury in my knee. I am grateful to have been able to get back out and complete the ride just under two years ago in September 2022. Along the way and in the months after finishing the ride, I raised over $50,000 for the nonprofit TextLess Live More, which is committed to ending distracted driving and helping young people build healthy relationships to technology.

After finishing the ride, I transferred my passion for the Eyes Up mission into increasing awareness by creating a series of interviews with professional athletes and public speaking.

Ben then headed to Yellowstone National Park, where he spent the winter season conducting tours. “It was phenomenal to be in a wild place, getting paid to share the beauty that we all play a role in protecting, and to meet some really cool people who also chose to spend their winter in the middle of a winter wonderland. The idea of this stint was to gain clarity on what would be next for me and, to some degree, I did just that. I don't have a perfectly drawn roadmap for the future, but I was reminded that I love being outside and in close proximity to wilderness. So, as you read this, I am on my next step forward leading a trail crew of young people through the Student Conservation Association as we construct a new section of the John Muir Trail in California's High Sierra mountain range. I have no idea what is next but all we can do is take things one step at a time and trust the path will continue to unfold, so long as we keep stepping forward. I wouldn't have the confidence in myself to trust all will work out if it weren't for my incredible network of friends I met while an active member of the Lambda chapter. Thank you all!

Below: Ben Grannis in Yellowstone