A Whole New World

I'm sitting at my desk...in my room...at home. It's strange. Not just for the fact that my parents did a stellar remodel job to make it look 22 instead of 16, but also that I am in my room...at home. Considering I've been a nomad for the last two and a half months, having a fluffy bed and my computer back are all wonderful and hilariously foreign. This summer was a beautiful journey of limited communication and minimal living; now I'm tasked with the job of cleaning out my closet of unwanted, or more like unneeded, clothes, getting ready for AmeriCorps to start on Tuesday, and plain and simply getting back into a real world routine.

Don't get me wrong, I'm stoked to be starting the next adventure with Habitat. I get to do something I enjoy and really care about every day and so in that, there is something to look forward to. It'll also be hard to wear underwear (with biking shorts you don't), to not have three pockets on my back that I can shove anything in to, to not eat everything I want because I won't be biking 80 miles a day, but mostly it'll be hard to not be surrounded by 32 hilariously witty people 24/7.

The closest thing Bike and Build is akin to is studying abroad, for me anyway, where you get to know people really quickly because the circumstances require it. Yet even so, this was unlike anything I've ever done. My teammates got to know me in ways that even my closest friends haven't experienced, and trust me, we've been through a lot. ME2SB14 lived, ate, biked, and built together all summer and the hard hitting questions were asked very early into the trip (like road trip quick, aka before we even got to Maine) and they saw parts of me that I would have normally never shown anyone, and it was okay because I trusted them and knew they wouldn't judge me at the end of the day, even if I did get gut-busting laughs for it. Plus, we were all going through similar situations down there, if you know what I mean, so it was a relatable issue for all of us.

I am lucky. To have this adventure. To meet the people I met along the way: strangers, hosts, old friends, new friends. To have been a part of a team that cared so deeply about one another. To do something I loved while helping people. To learn about a cause that is in dire need of attention and support. To experience a problem I don't have to deal with every day because of where I was born and the opportunities I've had. To know that even though I set out to help change the lives of others, the life I know that changed the most was my own.

So yeah, I'm a little sad. And that's okay. Because I know too that this family I made over the summer, it won't be the last time I see them. And while the difficulties of acclimating back into daily life in Kansas City will be brutal, I know I will slowly get back into the swing of things and life will go on. That doesn't mean I won't talk about Bike and Build all the time or wish I could be on my bike, but I'm going to try to emulate things the trip taught me, like taking risks and slowing down to actually experience things and taking the time to hear people's stories. 

To my team, you were the best companions a girl could ask for (in Katie Lee vernacular, you're straight fire) and I'm glad you're all as crazy as I am. I love you and I miss you and I'm going to visit. To those on the outside who supported me with care packages and words of encouragement, thank you. It got me through the tough days and reminded me of why I was doing the trip in the first place. And to Bike and Build, this opportunity is like no other and words are inadequate to describe how it helped to open my perspective and see our country in a new light. 

We live in a beautiful place people, so let's appreciate her for all she's worth. And with the parts that are not so good, let's join together to make her whole again. Because only we have the power to do so. 

When You Run On Fumes...

A place to sleep: free

Clif bars, energy drinks, and other carbs, proteins, sugars: $20 

Tubes, lube, and chamois butter: $45 

Being able to bike 276 miles in three days: Priceless

I'm running on Clif shot bloks, Nutella, and perpetually sore muscles at this point. We are, when looking at a map, halfway across the country, (currently in Springfield, MO) but we still have a little over 2,000 miles left to cycle in the next month and a half. A lot of good things have happened since our last day off, which was around my last post. 

I didn't realize my lack of free time until the trip actually started. We bike about 5-8 hours a day, depending on mileage, shower (yet the stench never fully washes away), eat (always ridiculous mountains of food), and get ready for the next day. It's a monotonous cycle that allows for spontaneity and joy in who you ride with, what you see, where you bike, and what you do with your time. It's a beautiful mutiny on my body. 

We had some awesome build days in Columbus where we got to put up the first walls of a house, help start the second floor on another, and build garage walls. Supervisors like Bill, Dave, Dan, and Tim really make build days worth it; who wouldn't want to be on the A-Team?! We're like a swarm of locusts that come through, but instead of devastating everything we get so much work done. It's incredible to see what we can accomplish in one day. One of our commandments for the summer is "biking is the perk, building is the reason" and each time we work with Habitat it's another reminder of that. It gets me excited for the fall when I'll be joining Habitat KC as a Volunteer Coordinator. 

Building has it's ups and downs, although that couldn't be truer for ride days. The Midwest, and Missouri (or Misery as my teammates...okay sometimes myself included...call it) in particular, has surprised us with how challenging it can be. The Midwest is NOT FLAT. Brutal finding that out. To get through MO, we biked through the Ozarks and it was hilly-steep, long, and constantly rolling-rivaling the mountains of western PA we hit a couple weeks ago. 

Everyone is sore, tired, and excited to get out of the Show-Me state. We have a little more showing to do, but I think we have done pretty darn well considering the circumstances with terrain, increased heat and humidity, and overall morale. It's strange to know we only have a month and a half left. We still have half our build days, the desert of NM, AZ and CA, and the Pacific Ocean to look forward to. I may be tired, but this has by far shown me how tough I can be, how much it means to have solid support, and how beautiful our country really is, not just the landscape, but more importantly, the people. 

From the most epic Bike and Build ride day ever...hehe 

Nuff said. 

My first legit century ride from STL to Belle, MO. 

Since the Last Time

Sorry for the delay folks. The last two weeks have been crazy but so so good! Orientation was a blur of name games, presentations, and getting to know one another. I have to say, this group of people is incredible. Everyone is super cool and funny and really interesting in all our own quirky ways, but we all mesh well. From the very beginning it felt like a family.

Anyway, we've been on the road since Friday (aka 6 days now) and it has been an overload of luscious green trees, winding roads, and most recently, hills (the Midwest failed to train me on that one). We ride in groups of 2-6 and I've had the pleasure of being with different people everyday and it's cool to see how we all ride and the kind of encouragement we need when the times get tough. Three states down: Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, and we have been spoiled with the weather and scenery. Beautiful blue skies and bodies of water. Not only that, but we have had fantastic hosts who feed us crazy good food and help us get whatever we need. 

Example: yesterday the hanger on my bike (Ruby is her name; and the hanger is part of the rear derailleur) was bent and Sherry took me to two bike shops around North Hampton, MA to get it fixed. I was late for showers so Karen took me and waited for me while I got clean. That is generosity and selflessness at its finest and I was thankful to be on the receiving end. We had some really good conversations too and it was really nice to get to know them, especially since they were hosting us. 

We are in Pittsfield, MA for tonight and tomorrow while we build. It'll be number three and the other sites have been full of framework, laying flooring, ladders, saws, and hammers. It's slightly overwhelming when 33 willing volunteers show up, but all of the site supervisors have been great to work with, outside of an older volunteer named Bob (we think) who I nicknamed Mr. Grumpypants. It's never boring on a construction site, at least not when Bike and Build is there.  

A trail in western Mass 

On site in Fitchburg, MA 

Yep, This is Real Life

In the last five days I've gone from Kansas City to Chicago to Pittsburgh to Philly to Brooklyn to Boston to Littleton, MA and now I'm en route my final stop: Portland, ME for orientation. Yeah, I feel the same way you do after reading that. It's finally here! Days spent in the car, hours of great music, nine new friends (until tomorrow), a food truck festival, one of the oldest hostels in the Northeast, and half the country covered by car with a few bike rides thrown inbetween.

I can already tell that this is going to be a summer for the books. It already has been and we haven't even officially started Bike and Build yet. With orientation less than 24 hours away, I am super excited about what is to come over the next ten weeks. The little family we've already formed is going to become 33 strong, so watch out America because we are taking you by storm! (Literally beause we bike in the rain.) 

I'm the furthest east I can get and starting Friday I'll be making my way through the time zones. Keep looking out because it's only going to get crazier. 

My new awesome friend Emily! 

Riding into New York City. Clouds- they're cool. 

That's five bikes on that rack. Poster children for Giant as we made our way across the country. 

Keepin' On Keepin' On

Holy moly! Time flies when you are trying to build up your calf muscles or just get in shape so you don't die on the first day of a cross country bike trip that will eventually come. About three and a half months people, THREE AND A HALF MONTHS (come March)! A lot has been happenin' so let me fill you in. 

Snow. About a foot of it. Rain, about four inches just today accompanied by thunder and lightning (although I did enjoy the sounds, but I've also been inside all day). Ice. Danger, Will Robinson. Sunshine. Makes all aforementioned precipitation slushy and sloshy. Welcome to Northeast Missouri! To combat this, I have been doing a lot of spinning at the Rec Center to get used to being on a bike because we all know that braving a Kirksville winter is quite impossible on a bike. 

I've been hoping for warm weather so I can finally get outside on my bike...which I ordered!!! It is going to be a black and red beauty. And I got my shoes in the mail today too and though we haven't been on a ride together yet, I think it'll be a match made in heaven. So while I daydream about riding outside, I can dress in my new shoes, biking shorts, jersey, and pretend that I get to do the real shebang. (Does that remind you of William Hung's American Idol audition because that's right where my mind went when I wrote that...)

On a semi-serious note, I have fundraised $2,525! I'm over half way there! That is incredible and I have some really awesome donors who love me. All I can say is that I am beyond humbled by having that much already. And so a shout out is in order: to all my donors, THANK YOU. Your generosity and support is overwhelming and I couldn't think of a better cause to be working for. If you want to donate to this affordable housing, check out my profile at http://bikeandbuild.org/rider/7263. 

I'll be checking back in soon. Nasdrave and Ride on. 

And So It Goes...

As my last semester gets underway, I have more than school on the brain. Yes, classes are important (you are talking to a soon-to-be-graduating senior though...), but the prospect of sunshine, biking shorts, and meeting 32 other adventurous people have me somewhat preoccupied. 

With a non-profit called Bike and Build, I am fundraising (Donate here to support me!) and will be raising awareness for affordable housing by biking across the country. Yep, you read that right! 3,993 miles from Maine to Santa Barbara in two and a half months. 

You think I'm crazy?! Well read some of my other posts from my time abroad in Bulgaria and you'll find I am just that, a little crazy, but in the best way possible! I have a bad case of wanderlust and the chance to volunteer for a really good cause. 

A few things I'm looking forward to this summer: 1) getting to see and know the U.S. by using my legs of steel...I'm still working on that. 2) making new friends from all across the U.S. 3) bulking up on my bike knowledge because flat tires and loose chains are inevitable. 4) building houses for really awesome and deserving families! 

Some of you might want to hop in the saddle and ride with me, others are happy to nod and internally think "This girl is nuts." Either is great! You can help me though by dishing out some dough (did you like that little rhyme?)! We fundraise to help the local affordable housing groups we'll be working with, among other things, and so I am asking for your help! Check out the website www.bikeandbuild.org. You won't just be helping me, you'll be an integral part in this trip just as much as I am, I'll just be sweatier and have really bad tan lines. 

And don't forget to tag along with me through my journey of the time zones.