Providence, RI

Here is a quick review of the last three days spent in beautiful Providence, Rhode Island:

Day 1: Orientation

Day was spent mostly meeting new riders, learning names, and talking about policies and the like. Super good times, other riders are amazing, I know we're gonna be quite a team.

Day 2: Orientation Continues

After a delicious breakfast at a local diner, we spent the afternoon in safety, bicycle handling, and bicycle repair clinics learning the skills that may come in handy on the road. Learned some pretty awesome stuff about fixing up the 'ol machine I never knew. Later that day we went for a 12 mile shake-down ride. Exciting times w/ 32 cyclists racing through the busy streets of the city. The evening held a delicious BBQ thanks to members of the church we are staying at. Entertainment for the evening consisted of a small beagle that was overly excited about our trip leader Marc. Pictures hopefully to come.

Day 3: First Build Day

Today I had the brilliant idea to volunteer as one of the riders to the build. Here's our issue: 15 person van w/ 32 builders. Assuming one person is always driving, there would have to be 3 shuttles to any location, the last one only w/ 2 passengers. Therefore they ask that a few people volunteer to ride there bicycles to the build sites to save on gas. This is where the plot thickens. It was the first day of rain. Therefore before even our first day of actual riding I found myself negotiating the streets of Providence in a thickening storm. Fun was had and a soggy group of riders spent the afternoon in a warehouse building walls for a pre-fab Habitat house that is going up in a few weeks. The build itself was awesome because great temperature and indoors out of the rain, not to mention framing itself is a great time. Our team of 5 builders, Team 4 (Walls), constructed four walls in only a few short hours which I would put down as machine efficiency.

Tomorrow is the first day of riding and I'm so pumped to get on the road. Everyone is starting to get stir crazy. Expect amusing pictures and anecdotes from the road in days to come.

Peace, Love and Chamois Butt'r

-Brent