Biking tours are just one of Univ. of Buffalo School of Law

Daily Record (Rochester, NY), Mar 1, 2006 by Nora A. Jones

After spending nine weeks on a cross-country bicycle tour last summer, Suzanne E. Tomkins enjoys going back through her photos and reliving a remarkable experience.

I never really saw the Pacific Northwest before, so you can imagine the thrill of crossing the Cascade Mountains, the Rockies and the Tetons on a bicycle, began Tomkins, clinical associate professor at the University at Buffalo School of Law. There's really no preparation for a 10,000 ft. climb but after that first mountain peak I knew I could make it the full 4,300 miles to the east coast.

80 Miles A Day

Before signing up for the cross country trek with CycleAmerica, Tomkins spent several months training, riding locally to build her endurance. Week by week she would increase the number of miles and on weekends she would head out to Letchworth or Allegheny State Park to add terrain variations.

I did bike touring in my 20s, then had gotten away from it while raising my family, she noted. In recent years, I tackled some week- long rides - across New York along the Erie Canal, and between the Georgian Bay in Ontario and Grand Island. I made sure I put in at least two 80-mile days as my CycleAmerica start date grew closer.

There were 23 cyclists in the tour group that started from Seattle last June. They averaged 80 miles a day, riding six days and taking a day off. Most nights were spent camping on school grounds with meals prepared by CycleAmerica staff who hauled food, tents and other essentials in vans that accompanied the tour.

The cyclists were from all over the world - England, Holland, Germany - and they ranged in age from their 20s to age 68, Tomkins shared. The scenery was incredible and we had good weather most of the time. The hot days were the hardest.

From stag horn sheep to elk and bison to eagles and osprey, Tomkins saw the countryside and its inhabitants. Stopping in small towns, talking to people along the way, there were more experiences than can be captured on camera.

Most of our routes were along rural roads and wherever we stopped, people were friendly, she said. Sometimes a strong cross- wind would add to the physical challenge, but overall, the trip was glorious.

A Few Turns In The Road

Earning an associates degree in horticulture from Alfred University in the 1970s, Tomkins spent most of her 20s as an entrepreneur, running a wholesale and retail operation, including interior landscaping for malls and similar clients throughout Western New York. At the same time, she was involved in various social justice activities.

With her sights set on law school, Tomkins enrolled in Buffalo State College and completed her four-year degree in political science in 1988. Next she attended the University at Buffalo School of Law, completing her juris doctor degree in 1992.

While a law student, I was aware of the growing need to address domestic violence issues. In conjunction with a student task force and Professor Isabel Marcus, I helped to put a new course into the curriculum: Terrorism in the Home, Tomkins explained. Catherine Cerulli was one of my classmates and together we came back to UB after graduation to implement the Domestic Violence Clinic.

Tomkins has served as the director of the Family Violence Clinic since 1992. She is responsible for creating a clinic curriculum on domestic violence law. In addition to providing students with practical legal skills, the clinic engages in the development and support of community programs, now extending into 10 nearby counties.

Milestones

Tomkins has a long-standing interest in mediation and helped to implement the first UB Law School course on mediation. She now serves as faculty advisor to the student group that focuses on alternative dispute resolution.

She is also the faculty advisor to the Domestic Violence Task Force, a volunteer group that promotes awareness of domestic violence through presentations and training and provides lay advocacy in family court for domestic violence victims.

Serving on the board of directors for the YWCA of Niagara County, Tomkins has supported their initiative to create a long-term housing facility for domestic violence victims. To that end, her cross- country bike tour doubled as a fundraiser for Carolyn's House which opened in 2005.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Carolyn's House coincided with my CycleAmerica ride through New York, so on Aug. 6, I was able to participate in the celebration, while still enroute to Massachusetts, she marveled. Others on the bike tour were also involved in charitable initiatives, and that is something that CycleAmerica encourages and helps to facilitate.

A Passion To Travel

Tomkins grew up on Grand Island and most of her family is still in the Buffalo area. Her passion for traveling was initially inspired when she was a teenager and accompanied her grandmother on a trip to the United Kingdom. Between high school and college, she spent several months touring Europe.

A few years ago, Tomkins and her extended family went to Ireland to trace the roots of her father's side of the family. Over the recent semester break, a similar trip explored her mother's family tree in Wales.