07.28 Page, AZ

200 miles in 2 days. I've finally completed two centuries in a row. What an awesome feeling...I told myself that I could ride in the van for the rest of the trip as long as I made it through these two days, haha. And I did it! However, tomorrow we are riding 85 miles of all hills, which is going to be interesting after two 100 mile days. Anyway, let me back track a little. The actual Shiprock in the distance

I left you just before leaving for Shiprock, NM. We didn’t end up leaving Farmington until around 2pm and so the 30 mile ride was nice and hot and a little tougher than anticipated. We got in around 5:30 and by the time everyone was shuttled to showers/dinner/etc. it was late and the pastor still wanted to take us on a tour of Shiprock. We went, of course, and it really was interesting but we didn’t get back until around 9:30pm, way past our bedtime for nights before centuries. He took us around the real poverty housing of the area (which always makes me uncomfortable; I don’t like ‘touring’ impoverished areas) and to the actual Shiprock and told us the stories behind it. Oh, we also got a maildrop and thanks to mom and Evan for awesome packages!Yesterday from Shiprock, NM to Kayenta, AZ (new state!) did not start out as the best of days. I was awakened by a cockroach next to my sleeping bag, the chore of mopping the floors, and getting killed by Alan in our assassin game. Awesome. The route was 100 miles and we had the option of taking a 12 mile detour to the Four Corners. I opted out, as did most people, because I'd heard that the Four Corners is very anti-climatic and not worth 12 miles. I worked my butt off riding though because we had planned a tour of Monument Valley which is one of the Natural Wonders of the World. However, by the time everyone got in and things got organized...rain was looming and people were backing out of the tour because they were tired etc. Plus showers were a mess because the church didn't have any and the only public one in town was $3 per person at the local laundromat. I was pissed because I really wanted to go to Monument Valley, but in the end 11 of us ended up taking the Bike & Build van to see the Valley that night. It was amazing...these random rock formations out of nowhere. And they are enormous. It's something that you can't really describe or even take pictures of. I'm really glad we got to go. Plus I got some good Harry Potter reading in the van ride :)

Today we rode another 100 miles to Page, Arizona which is on the southern shores of Lake Powell (I think Aunt Betty and Uncle Jim are on their houseboat out there somewhere right now). The ride was alright; I rode alone again...actually I've been riding alone now for a while and am really enjoying it. I get really anxious when I have to match the speeds of other people and riding alone lets me pace myself. It's very strange how I don't really think about anything. I'll give myself a topic to think about and never actually get anywhere. haha. Anyway, we're staying at the middle school on the wrestling mats (yay for soft floor, boo to ringworm) and the secretary and her husband bought us all ice cream at a local place (people are so nice!). I'm at the public library where they have free wireless and it'll probably be the last time I have internet for a while because starting tomorrow we're camping for about 5 days. Should be interesting...

Off to search craigslist for apartments in San Francisco...less than 3 weeks! Keep me updated on all your lives. Lots of love.

07.26 Farmington, NM to Shiprock,NM

I'm sitting in Andrea Kristina's Bookstore and Kafe on Main Street in Farmington, NM and it's 9:06am. We're not leaving for our 30 mile ride until after lunch and so of course I found some internet to keep you all updated. I wrote the entry last night - warning: it's a little long, sorry. Here you go:

Hey everyone! What an awesome past few days. I think something is really starting to set in among our group…maybe the fact that we only have 3 weeks left, maybe that we realize we really do all like each other and will miss each other, maybe that the events of the days have just be great…I don’t know. Let’s recap…

Monday night after I posted, we had our famous town hall meetings that everyone hates because we always debate forever about things and nothing ever actually changes (example topics which will sound silly to you: what time to wake up in the mornings, whether to have 2 lunches, what kind of food to buy, etc.). So I was moderator this week and I had been noticing a lot of negative energy lately in the group, especially since everyone was making so much fun of ‘kudos’ (which are like affirmations or compliments for people). So for the end of the meeting, I read everyone a few quotes from a Buddhist writing by Tenzin Gyatso:

From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion…It is because our own human existence is so dependent on the help of others that our need for love lies at the very foundation of existence. Therefore we need a genuine sense of responsibility and a sincere concern for the welfare of others…So far I have been discussing mainly the mental benefits of compassion, but it contributes to good physical health as well. According to my personal experience, mental stability and physical well-being are directly related. Without question, anger and agitation make us more susceptible to illness. On the other hand, if the mind is tranquil and occupied with positive thoughts, the body will not easily fall prey to disease.

Then I had written a kudos for each person in the group and I put them in the middle of the circle for everyone to read at their own leisure. But they all wanted them read aloud so we had fun with that. And I was surprised that everyone was really receptive to it and I could feel the positive energy around the room. It was funny because people came up to thank me afterwards and told me that I would make a great teacher…but I don’t particularly want to be a teacher! haha…we’ll see where life takes me.

Anyway, the next morning we woke up at 4am and everyone was pumped because we had 100 miles ahead of us. So pumped in fact that we were ready before the sun was risen…which never happens. We left a little after 6am and it was SO COLD. It was the first time that I was thankful for hills because they warmed me up. The first 12 miles went so fast because I was so preoccupied with my frozen body and suddenly we reached the Continental Divide (7380 feet). Supposedly, on the west the water flows to the CO River and on the east to the MS River, but I peed on the line and it flowed both ways so I can’t really say anything about the theory. haha. We reached first lunch (40 miles) by 9am and the worst of our climbing was over. Right after lunch we passed through this valley that I believe had once been a volcanic crater – the rock looked like hardened, smoothed lava. At the second lunch stop, we checked out Angel Peak which was AMAZING. It was basically a mini-Grand Canyon. My pictures definitely don’t do it justice. Photos don’t really do anything on this trip justice; I see so much that I want to capture on film but it’s useless so I just try to remember or at least enjoy the moment. So the ride was really fast and I ended up getting to Farmington, NM around 2pm. You have to understand that I have never gotten in before 6pm on a day over 90 miles, so this was amazing. A bunch of us stopped at Dairy Queen, which is becoming a tradition. And we found a bike store next door and I got some leg warmers for the early mornings and some tweaks done for my bike. We are staying at the Presbyterian Church and they had our first sign: “Welcome Bike & Build!”. We had to walk to a local pool to shower and it was one of the more awkward experiences of my life. We had to shower in those community showers that you are just supposed to rinse off in before you go into the pool. We had to be ‘those naked people’ in the showers. haha. But so it goes and now I’m over that phobia. Dinner was provided potluck style by the members of the church and we gave them our presentation afterwards and it went really really well.

Today we built with ECHO Hope Project, a profit/non-profit started by this awesome guy, Ryan, when he was 23. We were working on some houses in one of his developments. As always with our large group, there wasn’t something to do for everyone at every moment. Some of us started a retaining wall but the ground turned out to be stone and we couldn’t dig far enough. Molly, Whitney, Alf and I put together a metal fence for the building supplies to be stored. We were helped by Glen, one of the older guys who was working with us, and he was just awesome. After a delicious lunch of dinner leftovers and pizza, the afternoon just went crazy. Ryan had some of us building signs for the sites and it turned into a huge nail driving championship, won by Ryan of course, with Laura in close second. We had relay races and contests about everything. We drove around in the back of his pickup and had an awesome time. It was definitely the best build day so far. Afterwards, we got treated to A&W (I had never been to a real one before) and then taken to the Aztec Ruins. The ruins were of the Chaco and Pueblo people (not the Aztecs; the ruins are located in a town called Aztec). We walked around and heard a mini presentation by one of the rangers and it was really interesting. We learned all about kivas and other anthropological stuff. He was a great speaker so despite my exhaustion, he really did hold my attention. Our van is currently in the shop getting fixed, so some of us had to wait over an hour before getting shuttled back. But when we got there, Triple Eagle construction (Ryan’s company) had provided Mexican food for dinner and it was amazing. Tomorrow is going to be awesome too…we get to sleep in until around 7:30, then get breakfast provided by the church at 8. Then we have free time (when I will post this) until 11am. We’ll leave around noon for Shiprock, NM which is only 30 miles away. And it’s a mail drop day! Only one more day in New Mexico. Crazy…

Tidbits:

*We have established that the ‘ampersand (&)’ part of Bike & Build is essential and the most fun. The random, other things we get to do are the best part.

*We saw a dog herding sheeps/goats on the side of the road…

*There are signs all over the place around here about DWI and not driving while drunk. It’s stereotypical but I guess it’s a major problem.

*The highest altitude we’ve reached so far is about 7400. I’m definitely feeling it a little bit, mostly when I go up hills and can’t breathe…

*I’ve decided (well I guess I’ve know for a while but this trip has confirmed it) that I need to live near natural beauty. It really grounds me. Riding through it every day has been amazing.

*All the elderly people we meet along the way have told us that we have restored their hope in our generation. The idea that the older people have no faith in young people is very true. Where do they get such distrust? Is it because the media only shows negative stuff?

Sorry this is so long...I"ll shut up now! Lots of love.

p.s. We'll be camping for the next week or so starting on Saturday I believe...so who knows when I'll get internet again. I can't believe the trip is over 3 weeks from today!

07.23 Cuba, NM

Welcome to Cuba, NM...all 2 square miles of it, elevation 6905 feet. It's actually a pretty hoppin town, excuse me, village, for 2 square miles...I got subway for lunch (first time I've ever had avocado at a Subway, amazing), there's a McDonalds, 2 gas stations, a library and oh so much more on the 1 mile of a main street. The ride in today was short (52 miles) but tough. The roads were bad and slow and there were plenty of hills. I had my max speed as of yet going down a hill...37mph. Its scary but I'm learning to handle going fast (don't worry, it doesn't happen that often). The scenery was again beautiful today; we're so close to the mountains/rock formations that it's hard not to get distracted looking at them. I rode alone today and was in the mood for it. I'm amazed at my new ability to basically think about nothing and everything for hours on end. I'm also amazed at my new ability to accept the fact that I will probably have bike grease under my fingernails from now until eternity. It's a good look for me. Real earthy. haha anyway, I'm rambling; not much else to say. Last night we had a campfire and roasted marshmellows (thanks Ash!). This morning the sunrise was amazing over the plateaus. It's crazy that I've seen the sunrise almost every morning this summer...

No pictures today because I'm at a public library with no wireless, therefore not on my own computer. I have no idea when I will get internet again because we're going to some very small towns in the middle of nowhere and then camping for many nights.

Until next time, much love from a crazy, tired, smiling biker :)

07.22 Evening Addition

Just finished an amazing dinner provided by the Ghost Ranch and a really wonderful, stimulating conversation with Jim and Jerry Kimmel, a fabulous couple staying here, about the Southwest, spirituality, and life in general. Wanted to give them a shout out because they really made my day!

We just heard a pack of coyotes howl like crazy...we really are in the middle of the desert...

07.22 Abiquiu Lake, NM

Another fabulous day. Only 58 miles to ride, gorgeous weather and spectacular views. Today we found the best lunch spot yet and had the best lunch food. Josh's mom gave us a gift certificate to Trader Joe's and we had lunch meat, hummus and sprouts. We stopped at the Maya Art Cafe about 12 miles outside of Abiquiu Lake. Most of us hung out for over an hour enjoying lattes and good company. The climb at the end of the ride was rough but we were going right through huge red rock formations and it was amazing. And the lake and campground are worth it. We jumped right in the lake when we got there, jerseys, spandex and all. It was so fun and refreshing...I didn't even take a shower (we're camping anyway). Right now we're at the Ghost Ranch which was the summer residence of Georgia O'Keefe and I definitely wouldn't mind waking up to these views every morning. Claude's parents have arranged dinner for us here. It's really nice to have time to relax and enjoy each other's company when we're not all dying from difficult rides. These few days have been awesome :) We're uploading some more pictures to the Bike and Build website so if you want to see some shots other than my own, check out www.bikeandbuild.org and look for the Southern US Route photos.

Much love.

07.21 Santa Fe, NM Day Off

Sitting in Starbucks uploading all my blog entries and photos...

"The moment I saw the proud morning sun high above Santa Fe something stirred in my soul."
-DH Lawrence

07.20 Santa Fe, NM

I had the most amazing day today, which was much needed after yesterday (sorry for the depressing blog entry, but such is life). I started off the day determined to finish the ride and have a good day. Thankfully, the ride was fast and not too hilly and the weather and scenery were spectacular. We stopped for lunch at Pecos Historic National Park and saw some great pueblo adobe huts. I worked my butt off after lunch and got into Santa Fe before 2pm…coming to the crest of that hill and seeing the city in the valley surrounded by mountains cannot be described. The afternoon was full of delicious treats thanks to care packages and cards from Ashley, Marie, Katie and Aimee!!! We have a great location in Santa Fe…we walked 4 blocks to a bike shop and Trader Joes and after a fabulous dinner of enchiladas and ice cream sundaes provided by Josh’s mom, a bunch of us walked about 10 blocks to downtown. I had no expectations of Santa Fe and it is more amazing than I could have hoped. Everything is adobe and cultural, and the downtown is a quaint few blocks of shops, bars, and restaurants. Some people went straight to a bar but I explored with Rachel. We saw some great views of the perfect sunset, found an independent bookstore where I reserved a copy of Harry Potter #7 that comes out tomorrow, browsed some amazing art galleries and got into a jazz festival for free. I will never forget this jazz festival. The Toumani Diabaté’s Symmetric Orchestra was playing. Toumani Diabaté is from West Africa and is considered the world’s finest kora player. A kora is a 21 stringed instrument…he plays the bass with one thumb, the melody with the other thumb and uses his index fingers to improvise…it is amazing. He won the 2005 Grammy for Best Traditional World Music Album. The 45 minutes of the concert we saw were just a rush. I have never seen so many people over the age of 40 get their groove on…and I’ve never heard so many coyote calls. It is the kind of music that just fills you up so that all you have left is the music itself and your thoughts. If you can relax your mind, your body can just go. Rachel and I danced like I’ve never danced before…you just move to this music…it’s impossible not to. For the encore, we got onto the stage and danced with the musicians and it was so liberating to just let go and move naturally…especially after all that time on a bike! Needless to say, I had a great night, which was made even better by the star-filled sky on the walk home. It’s 10:45pm and I don’t even feel very tired, which is a first for me all summer. Can’t complain…:)

P.S. I hit the 2000 mile mark today. Now, instead of people being surprised that we’re riding all the way to San Francisco, they’re amazed that we’ve ridden all the way from Florida. Feels pretty good.

07.19 Las Vegas, NM

So I’ve had a terrible day and I figure I would write about it now while I’m still in a bad mood…just so you all get the right effect.

Let’s start with yesterday. Dalhart, TX to Mosquero, NM. Texas apparently didn’t want us to leave because the day began with hills and really strong headwinds (which lasted all day). I left with Team Tardy and we were in great moods singing and chatting, but it distracted me and I ran over something sharp and got a flat. Right in front of this ridiculous cattle farm…I now know why people are vegetarians. The landscape just looked like varying shades of brown, but when you looked closer you realized that it was cattle, penned up in ridiculous numbers. The smell was great too. So with the difficult roads and wind, it took us about 4.5 hours to get to first lunch, which was on the New Mexico state line, as well as at the time zone change (yay Mountain Time). The ride was just so rough…it was the first time that it crossed my mind that I wanted to get injured so that I could go home. Not a very good positive attitude. We keep saying that we’re miserable on the road, but we know it isn’t really true. The rides are just getting very difficult and it’s so hot and in the moment you just lose all sense of the awesome thing you are doing. Anyway, just so you all know, there is nothing in New Mexico. The scenery is gorgeous but there are no people. And no cell phone service, unless you have Cingular. After lunch, the route got all messed up and two different things happened. One group of people (the fast bunch) went an extra 20 miles (turning it into a 120 mile day) and my group (the slower bunch) went 12 miles on a loose gravel road (a total of 102 miles). Both situations were obviously not so great, especially since at mile 89 we hit the biggest hill yet. It was basically a plateau of sorts and we climbed switchback for 2 miles and gained 1000 feet. It was ridiculous. I went an average of 5 miles per hour. That’s slow enough that if feels like you could potentially fall over sideways. But the views and the feeling at the top were worth it. I wish I could have stopped and taken more pictures but I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to get going again. Anyway, we reached Mosquero, NM (a mile high!) around 8pm (which felt like 9pm for us). We stayed at the Municipal School which was K-12 and had 48 kids (crazy!). Dinner was made by the riders who were unfortunately in the van that day, and grilled cheese and tomato soup has never tasted so good.

Today started out late because we woke up at 5:30am instead of 4:30am and didn’t get on the road until almost 8am. The ride was much easier in the morning but still took forever. We hit a gorgeous downhill around mile 12 that was terrifying to go down. Delilah got a nasty flat at the bottom and we were fixing it for about an hour and due to the heat and hilly roads, again didn’t reach lunch until very late. After lunch went really slow too because it was hot hot hot and we were just exhausted from the day and yesterday. Two centuries (100 miles) in a row is just crazy. After lots of stops (including the only houses in sight to ask for water and bathrooms because it is so desolate), we reached mile 62 and the 4 mile switchback. I literally thought that I would have to walk my bike up the hill because I was so tired. But through some miracle, I made it up the hill at my 5 mph pace and up the 3 more mini hills after that to second lunch. I was in an awesome mood after that and ready for the next 30 miles. Unfortunately it was already 5:30pm by the time we left second lunch and it was doubtful we’d make it in before dark. Around 6:00 the van came around and told us we would probably have to be shuttled farther ahead in order to make dinner at the restaurant at 7pm. I was resigned to the fact that I would have to get picked up and the hills weren’t looking too friendly. So after another huge hill at mile 79, the van came around and I got in with 2 other riders. Other people refused, but I was told that I’d probably miss dinner and laundry if I didn’t get a ride. This however turned out not to be true because everyone else made it in with enough time to eat AND get their laundry done. Needless to say, I’m pissed because I could have ridden the last 15 miles. I know that it’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things (what’s 15 miles out of 3600?). But I would rather have ridden in the van if I was sick or injured. So now I officially can’t say that I pedaled every mile, which I didn’t even care about until people started making it such a big deal. But it’s hard not to get emotional when you are this exhausted and on the line. So right now everyone else is in a great mood because they just rode two centuries in a row and I feel like a baby for having taken the van. But I just have to remember that it’s not about comparison and that it was the right decision for me at the time – it was late, I was tired and we still have 70 hard miles to climb tomorrow before Santa Fe and our day off (yay!). So I’m getting over it but I don’t want to talk to anyone right now. This isn’t something I would normally write about in this blog but I figured you would want all the details, however dark and dirty. I’m gonna go to bed and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

07.17 Dalhart, TX

Yesterday we enjoyed a nice day off in Amarillo, TX. The night before a few of us went out with a guy from the YMCA. Unfortunately there isn’t much open on a Sunday night in the middle of Texas, or at least in Amarillo. We ended up at a sketchy pool hall (boy do I appreciated the no smoking inside laws on the East Coast) and just chatted and played a few games of pool for a bit. What a culture shock. A lot of the towns we are going through are a culture shock for me; I’ve only lived in suburbs and we’re riding through the middle of nowhere! The scenery is amazing though and much more appreciated on a bike. Never before have I been to a place so flat and tree-less that you can see the horizon…

On the day off, we all were split up to do different presentations throughout the day. I did one to a group of kids at one of the YMCA branches and we worked a little bike safety in as well. The afternoon consisted of wireless internet, post office/bike store/ice cream, and just general relaxing. The Tour de France is going on right now so lots of people are into that. It’s interesting to watch, especially since I now know what is going on, but tv sports really aren’t my thing.

Today we had an 85 mile ride into Dalhart, TX and it was actually really awesome. We had a nice tail wind for most of it, which is a change, so it was a fast ride and the hills weren’t that bad. We went through some hilly pastureland (still no trees, although we did find one for a lunch spot) and some cropland. I rode with Josh and then Rachel today and we had some good convos which helped the ride along. I’ve really liked riding with different people the past few days. The one-on-one convos are good and it’s easier to pace.

Some people have been asking how I’m doing physically. I’m okay, not great. I have learned that I am not built to be an athlete in any sense of the word. Granted, I know that I’ll make it but it’s been rough and the hardest part is yet to come. Thanks to painkillers, my life is a little easier. Some riders are pumped up by this trip and are planning to run marathons and do triathlons. I have no desire to do anything this physically challenging ever again, haha! I’m excited to be able to exercise like a normal person again. I am also excited to be able to use my bike as a means of transportation in San Francisco. But soon enough…I’ve got 1800 miles left!

07.15 Amarillo, TX

Greetings from Amarillo, TX! For those of you who are Spanish-challenged, ‘Amarillo’ means yellow and the ride into the city proved its name – lots of yellowish fields and nothing else. I had a really good ride today, despite the 90 miles (60 of which were uphill) and the 99 degrees and the fact that we were on the same road for 75 miles straight (our longest stretch on one road at a time). I rode with Emily who I don’t normally ride with and we had some good convo which always speeds the ride up. Plus I’ve starting keeping my cyclometer on the cadence setting instead of the distance setting so I’m not looking down to see how far I’ve gone every 2/10 of a mile. Emily, Christine, Breanna and I stopped at Dairy Queen for some delicious treats before we cruised into the YMCA where we are staying…gym to sleep in, lots of showers, computers, food provided. Tomorrow we have a day off which is amazing. I’m not sure that there’s too much to do in Amarillo but just a day to relax is much needed.

Yesterday, Saturday 7/14 I wrote the group journal:

Hey everyone! Today was the day of fairy tale roads and scenery. We road from Altus, OK back into Texas – 75 miles to Memphis. And there was literally nothing in between these two towns. Our landscape for the day was absolutely beautiful…first there were flat fields and crops and then we began to hit the red clay hills. The colors were what hit me the most. The day was perfect with bright blue skies and white puffy clouds. The gray road and green surrounding crops just added to it all. At one point, there was a yellow crop plane and a red barn to add to the picture. I know this sounds corny but it really was beautiful. It makes the ride so much more enjoyable when there are things to look at…not just angry cars passing by on a boring highway. The other great thing was that I think I only saw about 10 cars today…and they were nice cars who actually passed into the other lane. I rode with Lindsey and Laura for most of the day and we had some great conversation as well as some amazing ice cream at Sonic when we arrived in Memphis. We are staying at the Methodist Church and a big thanks to the parishioners who made us snacks, dinner and dessert!

Friday the 13th from Wichita Falls, TX to Altus, OK was the day of rain. Around mile 6 we hit a terrible storm. I literally felt like I was in the Wizard of Oz. We had to get off the road and some of us went to a random house that had a front porch. We waited it out for about 45 minutes and then had to plug on in the rain. That was at about 8am and the rain didn’t stop until 1pm. Thankfully I rode with Team Tardy and we got through it with the per usual entertainment and frequent stops to places like Whattaburger. Random note: There are a ton of fast food chains down here that don’t exist up north…like Whattaburger and Sonic. Anyway, the ride finally ended in sunshine and Oklahoma didn’t disappoint. Sue, our contact for Habitat and the Catholic Church we stayed in, made us cookies and Gatorade, as well as dinner and lunch for the next day (yumm brisket!). We got to meet a Habitat homeowner who was about to move in to his new house. The house was one of the nicest Habitat houses I’ve seen, with a storm cellar for tornados and all. We were supposed to give a presentation after dinner but Relay For Life (yay for random small towns having this event) was going on that night and most of the town was participating in that. The next morning we got free breakfast at McDonalds (it sat in my stomach surprisingly well, haha).

Side notes:

*On our day out of Dallas, we rode right through the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. Isn’t it one of the most traveled airports in the country?

*I’ve sent out some postcards but if you’re a college grad with a random address, you need to send it to me if you want a postcard!!!

*On a more personal note, I made a decision while riding the other day that I need to be more positive. I was getting sick of myself because I was always so negative…always complaining, in a bad mood, assuming the worst, not excited to ride. It wasn’t extreme because most of you know that I don’t ever get extremely down, but it was a definite change. So I’ve decided that I need to refresh the attitude, especially since we’ve got our toughest times ahead (here we come Rockies!).

Much Texas love.

07.12 Wichita Falls, TX

Alive and well, still in TX. This will be short because I'm using Ethernet at the YMCA where we are staying. So a quick update...

*Tuesday we were in Dallas for our build day. Dallas Habitat is actually one of the largest in the country and very well organized. They actually have a shop where they build the walls of the houses and then send them to the sites. So we worked in their workshop all day (a really nice break from the sun) and hammered interior and exterior walls together. I worked with a future homeowner who is a Katrina refugee. He's doing his sweat equity right now and is so skilled in construction that he was able to supervise some of us.

*Wednesday we biked to Decatur, TX and it was definitely the hottest day so far. I don't think I have ever sweat so much before. This is added to the fact that we're starting to hit the flat, unshaded part of Texas. We did have one interesting stop along the way (mostly to get out of the heat for a bit). We stopped at the 'House Moving Museum.' It was literally a warehouse museum of artifacts/articles/photos of the profession of moving houses (like when they literally move an entire building). It was so random but actually really interesting, haha. The lady who showed us around (they only open the building when someone requests...which isn't too often) took our picture and is going to put it in the next copy of Texas House Movers Magazine. yesssss! To top off the day, some of us went to see the new Harry Potter movie and it put me in a fabulous mood.

*Today we biked to Wichita Falls, TX and I was sweep with Lauren (we had to be the last 2 riders). It's nothing new for me because I've officially realized that I am the slowest rider out of all 27 of us. It doesn't bother me beside the fact that I have to ride alone a lot and it's kind of frustrating that I haven't sped up in the past month (today is our one month anniversary). But it's just one of many things I am learning about my body in this crazy journey of mine, haha. I am not built to be Lance Armstrong...and I don't really have any issues with that. :) One sad thing though is that I usually get in pretty late and don't have time to go explore the towns/cities that where we stay. But I guess I get to see enough of the country.

When we got in today, we gave a presentation to the kids at the Y. Well, I talked to them and answered their questions. I really like it and the kids find it pretty cool too. I'm off to go grab some dinner after I load up some pics!

*Shout out to Evan who is currently on a plane to San Francisco!!!!! <3

*Shout out to Melissa Joyce and mom for more delicious treats! And a postcard from Alexa!

07.09 Dallas, TX

Greetings from Dallas! I can't believe I'm here already. We are 1/3 of the way done...1200 miles out of 3600. Crazy. Texas is turning into the Texas I expected - hot and flat. Our ride into Dallas was pretty uneventful besides my flat tire at lunch. We got to ride through downtown Dallas which was cool but busy. Tomorrow we have a build day which will be a nice break.

Yesterday was quite the day. It was our first crazy Texan thunderstorm. About 1 mile after lunch the heavens opened up. A few of us found a shack on the side of the road to take cover in. Unfortunately it was near a radio tower that kept getting hit by the lightening so we had to wait over an hour for the storm to die down. While we were huddled for warmth in this shack, other lucky people had found heated warehouses and friendly retirement homes to wait out the storm. Because of the setback we arrived at our host location in Athens, TX a little late and had to eat dinner and give a presentation in our bike gear. We felt bad because we smelled so awful but the parishioners were so nice and the food was amazing. Not to mention the big screen tv, couches and pool table we got to use.

Randoms:

*We stayed on Lover's Lane last night...it really exists!

*I'm determined to find a street sign named after me somewhere...so far I've seen a gardening store called Caitlin's Cottage (in LA) and in downtown Dallas today I saw Catalina's Cycles for motorcycles. There has got to be a Caitlin Ann Lane somewhere, don't you think?? :)

07.07.07 Carthage, TX

What a welcome we received from Texas today. More like a kick in the butt. Eighty miles of almost 100 degrees, terrible roads and never ending hills. It was one of the most physically challenging days so far. On the bright side, the scenery was gorgeous, the weather really was nice especially after days of rain, and crossing a state line is always exciting. And we’re staying in Paradise, aka the home of a Bike & Build alum’s parents. Air conditioning, limitless food, real towels, a mom and dad, big screen tvs, BEER…all we could ever ask for. Texas is definitely very Texas…fitting the stereotype as much as possible so far. Small town USA where everyone drives a pick up, wears cowboy boots, and has never before seen a biker. It’s going to be a long and interesting 10 days. Off to mess with Texas (and eat beef brisket until I can’t breathe…)

07.06 Mansfield, LA

Last night was made oh so wonderful by a Christian teenage rock band concert at the church we were staying, concluding with a round of Guitar Hero…yes, I got to play. Right now I’m awaiting dinner which is being made by the people at the Baptist church. Here’s what happened today:

WHO: the fearless Bike & Build leaders

WHAT: the ultimate prank on the riders

WHEN: July 6^th, 2007

WHERE: from Natchitoches, LA to Mansfield, LA

WHY: their own entertainment

HOW: Our leaders told us that they had messed up the route and instead of a nice easy 60 miles, it was going to be 91. We were soooooo pissed. Our bodies were tired, sore and not up for that much. We awoke this morning to thunder storms and terrible moods. The ride was slow and rainy and around mile 29 we came to a road on our route that turned out to be a dirt road, so we had to walk our bikes 3 miles to the first lunch spot. As it turns out, the first lunch stop was actually our final destination…our ride was only 33 miles instead of 91. The feeling of discovering that was just so amazing. You have no idea how nice it is to actually have an afternoon to relax and get things done, instead of biking for 10 hours, eating, showering, sleeping, repeat. We got to hang out, play knock-out in the gym, clean our bikes, organize ourselves, nap, etc. Amazing.

07.03-07.05 Lafayette, Alexandria, and Natchitoches, LA

Okay so it’s been a while since we’ve had internet, but I don’t feel like completely recapping the past few days because they weren’t so great. BUT I broke 1000 miles today...I'm over 1/4 done!!! crazy....anyway, here's a little:

Things I’ve Learned So Far on Bike & Build

1. There is a major difference between mental exhaustion and physical exhaustion but I suffer from both every day. Mental exhaustion has more to do with either a long, boring flat road with no end in sight or a crazy busy highway with terrible road surfaces and cars passing 3 inches from you. This kind of being tired only makes the physical difficulty worse. I’ve learned that mental state is everything. If you set out in the morning to do 100 miles, you’ll feel great at mile 80. But if you set out to do an 80 mile ride, you’ll be ready to pass out at mile 80.

2. There is such a thing as a white cow with no black spots. And cows do not like bikers. They run away in herds from us when we pass by…probably because they’ve never seen a biker before. We’re going through some pretty rural areas. Think corn field claustrophobia. Dogs, on the other hand, LOVE bikers, as in they love to eat bikers. Today alone I was chased by dogs 3 different times. It’s amazing how your ‘flight or fight’ instinct kicks in and that speedometer gets really high.

3. When I’m trying to comfort or encourage myself on my bike, I sing. Going up a hill, I tend to sing boy band songs…preferably ‘Tearin’ Up My Heart’ by N*SYNC. When I’m just having a rough day, I’ll sing more meaningful songs. We love to have sing-a-longs on the road too. Yesterday for July 4^th we sang every patriotic song we could think of...as well as some Christmas songs.

4. I am dirty. Mom, you thought my dorm room was dirty, you don’t even want to come near us after we’ve biked 100 miles. In a single day, I’ve sweat, been rained on, gone to the bathroom outside and in dirty gas stations, changed flat tires, laid in grass, climbed trees, eaten peanut butter and jelly, and then sat in all this for multiple hours. I’m on laundry duty this week and the smell of our laundry literally makes me nauseated. You have never truly appreciated a hot shower until you’ve biked all day in the rain.

5. Speaking of the rain, it’s fun to bike in for about the first 5 minutes. By then, you are cooled off and you are just drenched. If this happens during the first part of the day, you definitely won’t be dry for a long time.

6. People are amazingly generous. Two nights ago, we stayed at the Catholic Diocese in Lafayette, LA and a random lady who works at the church invited all 27 of us to her barbeque that night for dinner. When we first got there, we thought it was a Christian singles group, but that turned out to be a rumor. Last night in Alexandria, LA, a lady on the board of Habitat and two parishioners whose son in on the Central Bike & Build route right now, made us a wonderful dinner and breakfast this morning.

7. I’ve perfected the art of eating before intense physical activity. No more of this ‘wait 20 minutes before getting back in the pool’ craziness. I can eat powerbars while riding my bike.

8. People down south really like sno cones and anything Cajun.

9. Railroad tracks will always be scary to cross.

10. Helmets really do save lives. Not to scare anyone, but we’ve had two people crack helmets so far. It’s the crazy idiot motorists who think that bikers have no right to the road. I truly hope anyone who is reading this will be much more careful next time you pass a biker on the road. It doesn’t mean you need to pass into the other lane completely, but a few feet of distance would be nice.

11. We crossed the Mississippi River on Tuesday. That’s not something I learned, but whatever.

12. When your back tire is half flat, you can’t go fast. And it’s really frustrating and the world seems like it’s going to end…until you fix the problem and everything is sunny again.

13. We have some hardcore animal activists in our group. Yesterday we passed by two puppies on the side of the road outside someone’s house. At first it was, ‘Oh look at the cute puppies.’ Then it was, ‘Oh my god they are malnourished and mistreated.’ Then it was, ‘We must rescue them.’ I thought it was ridiculous because the puppies probably belonged to the people in the house and yes they looked a little hungry and sad but it was not our business to interfere. They ended up bringing the puppies to some guy who had worked for a vet and was going to call someone. Sketchy…

14. Team Tardy is awesome. We arrived first last night. Maybe time for a name change. Some have suggested Team Timing. We’ll see…

15. Tonight we are staying in Natchitoches, LA (pronounced something like knack-e-jez) which was the first settlement of the Louisiana Purchase so it’s a really cute old town with lots of history and culture. There are a total of 53 bed and breakfasts (!!) and it was rated as one of the best places in the country to retire that you don’t know about. The movie Steel Magnolias was filmed here. Apparently there was some Indian chief who had two sons, Natchitoches and Natchitoc;laksjifn (I don’t know how to spell it but it sounds similar). He told Natchitoches to walk as far East as he wanted and that would be his land and he told the other son to walk as far West as he wanted for his land. So now there are sister cities (or brother cities I guess) in West Texas and Louisiana.

16. In Louisiana, they call counties 'parishes' which was very confusing at first. I just thought there were a ton of churches.

Okay that’s all I have time for. Love ya’ll lots!

07.02 Baton Rouge, LA

Today we began our direction change from just heading west to heading northwest. We’ll be in Louisiana for a few days and then begins our tour of Texas. It was a difficult day. After five days of no biking, my body didn’t appreciate the 85 miles in the awful heat and humidity (it hit 99 degrees…it was already 96 around 7:30am). The roads were horrible, so bumpy and uneven with lots of traffic and roadkill and bugs. Thankfully I didn’t get any flats or have any setbacks today, and Team Tardy actually arrived at the church second. It will be a day that will go down in history. Good thing we did too or Marco would have had to present Bike and Build to 100 little kids all by himself. Instead, I got the job, haha. It was fun though. The church we are staying at in Baton Rouge has a summer day camp and we talked to the elementary school kids about what we’re doing (photo explained). Basically, I explained the program in the simplest form possible and then they just went crazy asking questions. Have you seen any snakes on the road? What do you eat for lunch? Yesterday was my birthday. Did you ride on my street? They also made me lift a bike in the air over my head, because some kid said only boys could do it. It was entertaining all around. Dinner was provided by the church and was awesome…salad, bbq pulled pork, green beans, lasagna, corn muffins and peach and apple cobbler. Tomorrow we get to ‘sleep in’ until 5:45am…yesssss!

Randoms:

*I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet that my bike is named Ella. No particular reason; I just like it.

*Belated shout outs for the mail drop from last Thursday: Mom for the card/candy and Tansey/McF for the certificate of awesomeness. Totally made my day J

*Aunt Cathy – Saw a Cathy Street today!

*Shout out to the Koski family who sponsored my ride through Baton Rouge. I couldn’t find a postcard here but you’ll get one, I promise!

06.29-07.01 New Orleans, LA

It's our last night in New Orleans and I am definitely sad to leave though I am excited to get back on my bike. Stange...I never thought I would actually be excited to get back in the saddle but when you are used to being on the move, sometimes staying in one place for too long gets tiring. But this stay was definitely worth it. Let's recap...

Friday was our third build day and I went back to the same house as I did on Thursday to finish painting. There actually wasn't much for us to do because we had the wrong kind of paint/not enough ladders etc so we had to sit around a lot which made the day that much longer. Plus Evan arrived at 10am and I was anxious to go see him. We finally finished around 3pm and I jumped in the shower and caught a cab to Evan's hotel in the French Quarter. He stayed at the French Market Inn on Decatur street. Only $50 a night for a really nice room. Not bad. We walked around the Quarter for a while, had beignets at Cafe du Monde and eventually ate dinner. I was insistent on having famous New Orleans Po-boys (basically sandwiches with fried fish) which turned out to not be such a good idea because we both felt pretty ill afterwards. Doughnuts...fried pickles...fried fish...not so great. But we felt good enough to go exploring later that night. We walked to Frenchmen Street to check out the Spotted Cat. A band was just finishing so we left to Bourbon Street and sat for some real jazz (check out the photos/video). On Saturday, Evan was supposed to work with us, but the Po-Boys really hit him hard and he had to take the day to...get it all out of his system. ick. I felt so bad, especially because it ended up being my favorite work day. We went to paint and prime the interior of a house and the family was there helping out and chatting with us. They were so nice and helpful and even bought us lunch! Shrimp scampi, caesar salad, chips and cookies from Semma Lee's (???). It was just an all around awesome day, especially because we felt so productive. We primed the whole house, two coats (almost). And the family was going to continue working that weekend. Saturday night was great too. Evan and I met up with my cousins Tracy and Paul who drove in from Hattiesburg, MS. We had dinner on Bourbon Street (I had alligator soup! It really does taste like chicken) and then headed to Pat O'Brien's, which is a famous 'irish' bar. There was a dueling piano bar and a great outdoor patio and I experienced my first 'hurricane' which is an intense mixed drink. Delicious but dangerous. Afterwards Evan and I headed back to the Spotted Cat to meet up with some Bike and Builders. We of course had to hit the dance floor a bit and it was so much fun :) I actually do not have any pictures from Saturday...funny how the best days usually only get recorded in our minds.

Today we got to sleep in finally! First time that I have slept past 6:45am in almost a month. Evan and I got a delicious breakfast (I eat sooo much nowadays) and then headed to the Aquarium to meet Tracy and Paul and their two boys, Collin and Alex. We enjoyed the fish (I will never be too old for aquariums) and Evan and I saw a showing of the Imax movie called Hurricane on the Bayou about the wetland loss because of humans and hurricanes. We had a great dinner and then I had to get back to the Bike and Build house for a group meeting. It was so great having Evan here this weekend. A bit of familiarity is comforting and it was awesome having someone to explore the city with. He leaves tomorrow morning...way after I do because we're waking up at 4:30am...Baton Rouge here we come!

So the most anticipated part of our trip is coming to an end. Now I realize how much biking I have ahead of me...about 3000 miles. And deserts...and mountains...and San Francisco! The hardest part is yet to come...Texas in July. But I'm psyched and I know we'll get through it.

Happy July! Much love.