Missouri

Day 20 – Hannibal, MO – 46 miles

Today we slept in (to 6:00 am), left late (9:00 am) and still arrived at the host location by 12:30 despite outrageous headwinds and constant on and off rain throughout the morning. We were able to see the full extent of flooding due to the severe weather as we crossed the Mississippi River and again when we visited historic Hannibal. The levies had been blocked up and sandbagged by the time we arrived, with all shops and landmarks outside of the city walls under several feet of water. Luckily there had been a flood back in 1993 that prepared the city for a future incident so damage done by the current situation is minimal. It has been very unique seeing the effects of natural disasters firsthand in our journey, much of it reminiscent of the hurricanes that hit the gulf coast a few years ago. I hope for both ours and the sakes of the local residents that we have seen the last of inclement weather, though I have a sneaking suspicion that we should be looking forward to many more wet rides in the near future.

While in town, we also stopped by the Mark Twain museum because apparently he grew up frolicking in the streets of Hannibal. Nearly every building and store is named after Mark (Samuel Clemens) so we experienced a little of America’s literary history along the way.






























Day 21 – Moberly, MO – 68 miles

Today was a beautiful day through the surprisingly large rolling hills of Missouri. The first major road we traveled on was undergoing construction so we were able to frolic about on a double wide lane we had to ourselves for about 15 miles. Gotta love riding without worrying about 18-wheelers blowing past you. We enjoyed PB&J Time at Mark Twain Lake (big surprise there) around mile 34, and finished the ride by 1:45. We passed through the smallest town yet today, with a population of 44. Quite the happening place. We also passed by the towns of Paris and Florida. I like to see that town naming in the Midwest is as uncreative as possible. Our host for the evening is the Destiny Resource Center, and is an amazing paradise of games and even 3 showers on location. Definitely one of the most enjoyable stops yet. Tomorrow we push off on a 90+ mile day so its early to bed for the evening. Speaking of beds, it was brought up today that many of us have not slept in real beds in over 5 weeks. Kind of wild but I can’t say I have had any difficulty passing out every evening on the ‘ol Thermarest. Looking forward to a mattress come August but for now I am content in my evening cocoon.

Illinois

Day 17 – Effingham, IL – 100 miles

First Century ride!!! (100 miles in a day) It actually only took 98 miles to reach Effingham so a few of us went out and did some town exploration in order to reach our 100 mile mark. Good times.

Today was an excessively long day. The day began by blowing away a quick 20 miles because I was riding with the lead group and it apparently turned into a race so we were averaging speeds between 21 and 23 miles per hour. After an hour of the tom-foolery Dustin and I decided we were bored and so stopped on the side of the road to recollect some of the group and we headed off for PBJ time. We crossed the Wabash River into Illinois around mile 28 and stopped for picture time. One thing we’ve noticed in our travels across the Midwest is the love for President Abe Lincoln. Already three states have claimed Lincoln as their most famous resident: Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. The Lincoln-mania is to the extent that they all have Lincoln references on their state signs at border crossings.














The fun truly began when we got our first tailwind of the trip around mile 35 and went sailing right past our turn. We realized our mistake 3 miles down the road when we stopped to ask for directions. I local offered an alternative route for us though, claiming it would shave “15 miles off our ride.” As you can imagine our excitement at hearing this, we called the van and told them we wouldn’t be showing up for lunch before stopping into the Illinois Café for a bite to eat. We were all treated to by far our best lunch of the trip by a woman named Sharon whom we talked with during our meal. Back on the road we faced a stiff headwind for the remaining 60 miles of our ride which left everyone feeling more worn out than we have since we left the mountains. We averaged between 12 and 14 mph on strait flat ground while drafting and riding as fast as we could because the wind was so strong. Never thought I would say it, but I’m looking forward to getting into the mountains so the wind will finally be held back.

Day 18 – Taylorville, IL – 64 miles

Today we continued our journey farther into the farmlands of the Midwest. The corn stalks are getting taller and I’m looking forward to seeing husks forming. The ride was shorter and wind milder in comparison to yesterday’s monstrosity, so everyone was excited to take it easy on the road. Therefore, several of us decided to stop about 15 miles outside of Taylorville at the sight of a bowling alley. Nothing draws looks more than six college students in spandex in a setting that would normally demand less aero-dynamic clothing. We naturally spent much of our time talking with other patrons about the organization.

Two games of bowling were played, each with a small wager on it. In the first round, the lowest scorer would have to sleep with his helmet on, and in the second round the losing team would have to be food slaves to the winning team for a day; aka make them PB&Js, fix plates at dinner, fill their water bottles in the morning. Needless to say, Dustin will have an unfortunate night of sleep tonight and thanks to my gutter ball in the 10th frame after two 150+ point games, my team will be playing waiter to the winners later this week. Sorry guys.

Back on the road, we found that there was a bike bath running parallel to route 29 for the last 15 miles of our trip into Taylorville. This made the remainder of our trip outstanding because it meant we could ride 2 abreast and carry on without always watching over our shoulders for motorists. Road safety has been a big topic for discussion with the group over the past weeks as we have found ourselves on some rather large roads that require us to constantly be alert for traffic and road obstructions as well. When preparing for the trip I envisioned the daily rides as a time when we would be alone with our thoughts, and a time to reflect on life. It is amazing however, how much thought and mental energy goes into the mere act of riding due to the other cyclists around you, traffic zooming by, and obstacles in your path such as road-kill. With diligence, we have been able to stay safe on the roads with minimal scrapes and bruises.

The YMCA we stayed at is definitely the nicest facilities we have seen so far on our trip. We got to cool off after our ride at the indoor swimming pool which may have easily passed for a water park, boasting such attributes as a lazy river, whirl pool, and even a serious water slide. Much of the team spent a solid 2 hours acting the same age as the 4th graders we shared the pool with, having an absolutely ridiculous time. The evening was topped off with dinner donated by a local pizza restaurant. Delicious.

Day 19 – Pittsfield, IL – 0 miles

We finally caught up with the severe weather that has been plaguing the Midwest. The team awoke this morning to the sounds of rumbling thunder outside our cozy YMCA. After our usual hour and a half ride prep, we were informed by the leaders that the storms were going to be too intense for the day and we would be shuttling riders to Pittsfield. Though many of us were keen to ride on in the rain as we had several times before, one look outside at the cracking lightning let us know that it would not be a wise choice to be the highest point on roads. Since the cargo van can only hold 15 of our 31 riders, the first group trundled into the van, and headed out for the next stop. Those of us left behind spent the next five hours running rampant in our YMCA wonderland. As we couldn’t continue punishing our bodies with 90 mile rides, we hit the weight room for a while, played some racquetball, and generally carried on in boisterous manner. Our rides finally showed up about noon so we loaded up the bicycles and headed to Pittsfield.

After dinner we had an event we like to call “Bike and Build Prom” in which we pumped some music into the dining hall of the church and had a pseudo dance party. We had bumped into three self-contained cyclists cycling cross country, so they joined in our shenanigans for the evening. We have met several touring groups on the road and it looks like it must be a completely different experience than what we are undertaking. It must be such an adventure to be on the road by your self with no planned stops, though the progress is much slower due to the heavily weighted bicycles laden down with gear.

Kentuckiana

Day 17 - Bedford, IN - 84 miles

Today's ride was largely unremarkable with the exception of several "long-cuts" our group took while trying to find our way out of Louisville. We eventually made it into Indiana by crossing the Ohio river for the third time so far, into an area dubbed "Kentuckiana" by the locals. Apparently no one knows their way around this area, as motorists seemed to have a very difficult time pointing out a major highway to us that was only one street over. We eventually made it to our host for the evening which was an enormous baptist church in Bedford who was an increadible host considering they had been given three days notification before our arrival. After dinner, several of the riders took me out for a celebration of recieving test scores I was anxiously awaiting. We went exploring the town and met several interesting locals along the way. One man introduced himself as "Dallas, like the football team" but was ironically a Colts fan according to his head-wear.

I'm sure thats it is obvious from past posts, but I feel so fortunate to be spending my final college summer with some absolutely outstanding people. It takes a unique person to be excited about undertaking such a project and I don't think we could have ended up with a better group.

Day 18 - Linton, IN - 46 miles

Another short day was enjoyed by the riders this morning. We were able to wake up late (6 am) and enjoy an enormous breakfast courtesy of the baptist church congregation. The ride was quick and without issues, most riders arriving around noon at the host for the evening. Linton is a small town but large enough to be "Wal-Mart worthy" so we have spent most of the remaining day exploring. Word on the street is that the Colts football team may be making a guest appearance at the Freedom Festival that is going on. Not sure what the festival is all about but I will assume the approaching fourth of July holiday. More word on these exciting events if I make it out of the library before the dinner bell is wrung, but for now I am camped out working on grad school applications. Fun.

Plaid, Mint Juleps, and Horse Racing

Note: For those of you looking for friends or family in photos posted on this blog, clicking on the photos enlarges them to a size that will allow to do discern more readily the identity of helmeted cyclists.

Day 16 – Louisville, KY – 86 miles

First day riding sweep. “Sweep” is the term given to the two riders designated each day to ride in the back of the group carrying spare supplies and medical equipment in case of any accidents or tire issues. My sweep partner for the day was Elizabeth, and we had ourselves a great time since we had no choice but to stay behind. We kicked off our ride with a brunch stop at a coffee shop in Georgetown, KY which was a delicious change to the traditional oatmeal, cereal, and peanut butter we have on most mornings. We met up with Tony and Sam very soon after our stop because apparently they decided to eat breakfast at a restaurant about 100 ft down the road from where we stopped. Our motley crew rode the rest of the morning into the state capital where lunch was held on a hill overlooking the capital building. Very scenic.

In order to stay behind the pack we took a post-lunch stop at a fairly sketchy “Fun-Park” where they had mini-golf and go-carts. We chose too take a few laps on the go-carts and enjoyed the unusual sensation of accelerating without exerting ourselves. We ended up patching three flat tires over the course of the day and fortunately our skills as first responders turned out to be unnecessary as everyone arrived in Louisville safe and sound.

First day off tomorrow!

Day Off – Louisville, KY – 31 miles

Notice first of all, that somehow on a day off we still managed to rake in 31 miles according to my odometer. Allow me to explain:

We all woke up this morning after an amazing 10+ hour sleep feeling better than ever. We enjoyed a brief breakfast before giving our noble steeds (bicycles) their well-due 1000 mile tune up. There is nothing like riding a perfectly tuned machine that runs silently along the streets and changes gears exactly when you want it to rather than getting stuck in highest gear on a 30% grade hill. Such an even is less than exciting.

We jumped on our bikes and took to the street around noon in search of Churchill Downs, the legendary horse racing track. After seeing more of Louisville than we bargained for and meeting many locals asking for directions, we arrived at a track that was truly larger than life. It was a beautiful place and we were fortunate enough to get free admittance thanks to Matt’s gift of gab. Three races later and $4.80 richer in Jesse’s case, we left the Downs to find a looming storm. We practiced our speed skills, making back the gym in record time, just as the clouds opened up.

We had planned on catching a baseball game as well, but it got rained out so we satisfied ourselves with playing silly games in the gym. Back on the road tomorrow but only for 5 days of riding before another day off near St. Louis, MO. Can’t wait!

1000 Miles!

Day 14 – Portsmouth, OH – 45 miles

Today was a fantastic day on two wheels and off. As can be noted by the mileage above, it was a very short and leisurely ride. Note: I still can’t believe I can call 45 miles “short and leisurely” but I guess its all relative. Anyways, conditions were perfect. Mid – 70s temperature and clear blue skies. We did not have cue sheets today so we rode the first portion as an entire group of 30 cyclists and eventually turned to reading chalk marks left on the road for directions left by the van. We took route 139 south through Ohio and saw some outstanding countryside on a fairly quiet road. We even stopped for delicious milkshakes halfway through and enjoyed the laid back attitude of the day. The group rolled into the church around 12:30 regardless of our slow pace and so theres only one thing to do after a day of riding, and that’s get back on the bikes and go exploring. So we spent the next few hours zooming about the city which had some great murals along the levies next to the Ohio River. Looks like we are almost ready to enter yet another state early tomorrow morning: Kentucky! Home of…. KFC I assume.

Two more days of riding until our first day off! I don’t even know what to do will all that time. Maybe I’ll go for a ride…..

Day 15 – Paris, KY – 93 miles

Another long day was in store for us when we crossed the Ohio River for the second time. We entered Kentucky and had a moderately hilly day of riding with several great points to it. First of all today my odometer hit 1000 Miles!!!!! We stopped just before our 40 mile lunch break on the top of a Kentucky hill and did a small dance in front of a very confused local’s house. We explained our excitement to the startled lawn chair jockey, chalked a proclamation of achievement in the road for the rest of the team, and coasted the last half mile into town for Peanut Butter and Jelly Time.

Around mile 67, we stopped at a service station along route 32 in KY and talked to the folks working there. We ended up spending 45 minutes talking to the residents about their town, received a decent donation for the organization, and even got a reporter from the local newspaper to come out and take pictures for an article on us. We eventually rolled into Paris where we took up residence at the YMCA for the evening and got 14 Pizzas donated for dinner. An amazing day of donations I must say.

While riding today I began making a list of themes I’ve noticed for the summer. I will post new ones periodically but so far two of them are:

Being Chased by Dogs: Apparently bicycles give off a sound any dog in a 20 mile radius can hear, telling them to run after us. Nearly every rider has been chased by this point and it is occurring on a daily basis. A good point about heading west however, has been that the farther west we go, the smaller and cuter the dogs get. Today’s ride was marked my chauauas and Pomeranians running along fences and out into the road to try and get us. Cuteness unmatched anywhere.

Public Urination: When you are on a bicycle for seven hours a day, you find you need to excrete regularly and at inconvenient times. Thus we have come to take after a pack of dogs, roaming the countryside and marking our territory. Incidents on this matter vary but I’m sure we have surprised more than one motorist. As a side note, today I mastered urination while riding a bicycle. A small victory but a victory nonetheless. This process allows a rider to relieve himself without stopping a group to answer the call of the wild. Just make sure you are at the back of the line before you attempt this.

Winds from the West

Day 13 - Wellston, OH - 80 miles

Another fantastic day as far as the weather is concerned. We spent our first 30 miles on a fairly large highway due to one of the back roads we were supposed to take being closed so we decided to test our speedster skills and made it to Peanut Butter Jelly Time in short order. Scenery along route 681 through the countryside was beautiful with mostly rolling hills, definitely not what I had expected from Ohio. Speaking of being in Ohio, I need to keep my mouth shut and not mention being a Florida Gator until we're out of the Buckeye State as I learned yesterday speaking with some locals. Sounds like there are still a few sore spots after the last two national championship showdowns.

After PBJ Time, we got back on the road and the winds let loose. We traveled another 30 miles at an average of about 11 mph on flat ground because of the ferocious winds. Its so frustrating because even though you should be able to go close to 20 mph in a pack in those conditions, it feels like everyone is riding with their brakes on. You just can't seem to make any headway. Despite the conditions we still rolled into town around 3ish and were given a tour of the town on the way to showers by the host at Trinity United Methodist Church. The town used to be a coal mining community, but when the mines were closed the community dried up.

Not many photos were taken today so I'm putting up a few of my favorites from so far. Enjoy.

Ohio We Go

Day 12 – Marietta, OH – 94 miles

Let me preface this by saying that today was not supposed to be a 94 mile ride, however thanks to a few detours we took we set a new long-distance record. I can’t believe it was only 6 miles short of a century (100 miles) ride. Anyways, the day was absolutely perfect in both weather and terrain. Mostly level terrain through the beautiful West Virginia mountains gave us some outstanding sights to see while cruising through the cool shaded roads. We were chased by everything from dogs to billy goats but most escaped unscathed. The day ended crossing the mighty Ohio River and entering the town of Marietta. Everyone is so tired that we will probably all be out cold by 9:00.

Physical Update: Everyone is finally becoming acclimated to the daily grind of being on a bicycle. Joints and back are still sore but most issues are under control with proper icing and care. My muscles do not feel like they’re going to fall off each morning when I wake up as long as appropriate stretching is done, though after today I’m sure I will be feeling it in the morning. Personally, back pain and knee pain are the only lasting problem outside of the epic battle against saddle sores. No one is free of the horrors that meet our backsides due to 6+ hours a day in the saddle. I’m hoping that as time continues, supporting muscles will strengthen and neither will be much of an issue. Until then, Advil and stretches are the name of the game.

Town Hall meeting is tonight. This is when everyone is allowed to voice their opinions about the group and how we have been doing as a team. I think so far we have been able to establish outstanding team dynamics, with minimal disputes between riders. Our fearless leaders have been doing an excellent job with the thousand jobs that are left to them.

Shout outs:

The ‘Rents back in Tampa: You guys are the best. Thanks so much for all the help you’ve given me, not to mention the delicious goodies on mail day. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you both. Can’t wait to see you in August!

Kristin: Congrats on becoming the first ever Dr. Finklea! I wish I was getting out to San Diego before the move but I will still come to visit over on the east coast. Who knows, maybe the forces of fate will put me in a grad school near DC. Hope you're enjoying your last months as a californian.

Madame Mannix: Keep up your great work in NYC. Get pumped b/c MCATs come out in about a week! Miss you so much.

Fantastic Four of Apt 144: My stuff had best not be taped to the ceiling when I get back. Keep things real in Gainesvegas.

Conley the Canadian: When are you getting back from saving the world in South America? Hope your travels have taken you to some exciting places. I will be at the airport in spirit.

Christopher Obera: Hope you have been learning awesome German things to teach me in the fall. I want to learn to say more than “Here is the couch.” Be prepared.

Shane’s Mom: Glad you’ve been enjoying the blog. Shane and I seem to find ourselves riding together most days so many a pictures should feature the man himself.

Wild and Wonderful West Virginia

Day 10 - Parsons, WV - 76 miles

Today we left Maryland and entered the great state of West Virginia, aka "The Mountaineering State." The state lived up to its name and gave us a long day of essentially gradual uphill grades with a pretty serious 5 mile climb around mile 30. Definately the longest climb so far but the views from the top were fantastic and lunch was enjoyed at the summit. As a side note, it was decided that 9:30 in the morning is too early for "lunch" so we've coined our first stop as "peanut butter & jelly time" (see the Buckwheat Boys 1990's smash hit song). The ride wrapped up with an amazing 5.5 mile downhill that we all took at an average 40 mph. Thats what our rides are all about. We did not have shower facilities, so bathing took place in a river right besides the church we stayed at for the evening. The town of Parsons was very small, and we learned from talking to residents at the laundramat that there was a terrible flood in 1985 that basically wiped out the town and it hadn't been able to recover ever since. You could definately tell from the shambles that many of the buildings were in which is a shame because the landscape was just phenomenal. Best luck to the town pulling things together.

Day 11 -Weston, WV - 58 miles

We continued into the heart of West Virginia today on one of the more notable rides yet. Firstly, conditions stunk. We left the church around 7:30 am and it began pouring down rain about a half mile into the ride. Keep in mind that the temperatures were in the range of 55-60 F. While this was a nice change from our recent heat streak, it was still uncomfortable riding in wet shorts. However, I am greatful for the rain because it led us to one of our greatest stops yet of the trip thus far. At about mile 6, we were completely soaked to the bone when we saw one of our leaders, Amy, flagging us down from the front porch of a house just off the road so we pulled a U-turn and ran in for cover. Enter Crazy Ed. We don't actually have any conformation on the name of the house's resident so we decided to call him crazy Ed. Ed was one of the friendliest people I have met on our adventures and we spent a solid half hour with him hearing his unique opinions of the world. For a complete list of what Ed was for and against, please contact me at a later time as this is absolutely hilarious and has made for some of our most ridiculous jokes. After the rain began to slow we took to the streets again and finished out a relatively short day in good time. As an interesting evening adventure, many of the riders went to check out the old insane asylum in town which is claimed to be one of the most haunted places in america, and was featured on the television show Ghost Hunters.

Back on the Streets

Day 8 - Knobsville, PA - 71 miles

The concesus for today was not a terribly difficult ride. We put nearly 40 miles behind us before we took a lunch break at a delightful small cemetary on a hillside. Views were gorgeous as per usual. We ran parrallel to a ridge of mountains for most of today, which eventually curved into our path and so we had no choice but two tackle two passes before we ended up in our lodging for the evening at Ye Olde Campgrounds. This was quite a camping experience as it decided to rain right after we set up tents, but we managed to stay mostly dry hanging around the pavilions. An awsome game of ultimate frisbee was enjoyed by many of the riders and there was even a small bluegrass band that was playing in one of the pavilions nearby. Luke and Paul made a great fire for eveyone to have smores at, though I sadly say I missed this because my Floridian tendencies kicked in when I saw the fireflies come out. Shane and I spent the next hour or more running around in a field like little kids trying to catch the fireflies which tended to stay in the deeper bush. Overall everyone had a blast being outside for the night instead of another church sanctuary.

Day 9 - Cumberland, MD - 75 miles

Today we took it off road. Our cue sheets (the daily directions leaders hand out each morning) were slightly difficult to navigate though that is understandable b/c leaders are expected to plan routes that keep us off major roads for safety purposes so it is a challenging task. We therefore ended up rolling along a gravel and mud road through the foothills of blue ridge mtn before bursting from the foliage back onto the summit road for a 2 mile climb to the 2200 ft top. The scenery along the road today was beautiful again and the temperature wasn't too bad either thanks to a cloud cover for most of the day. The unfortunate downside to this was that about 2 miles from our host for the night, it began to pour so we took shelter on someones front porch until we decided it wasn't letting up and rode in the rain. In the final mile of the ride, Colin popped off his chain which then bent out of position, so we spent the evening trying to fix that only to find that the new chain we put on was too long. Looks like he will be starting tomorrow's ride on Amy's bike because it is her day to drive the wagon.

With tomorrow's promise of West Virginia (the mountaineering state) climbs, I feel it is time to reflect on the hardest part of daily uphill battles: the mental game. It would seem that everyone is capable of riding a bike up a seemingly impossible hill as long as they have the proper gearing. The entire challenge comes in making yourself believe that you can do it and that you don't need to stop halfway just because your legs are burning from exertion. I've only stopped on a hill once so far and oddly enough it was a relatively short climb. My problem is that I let myself think that I couldn't make it when in reality had I just slowed my pace and taken deep breaths, I could have made it without a hitch. I realized this as Dustin, Matt and I reached the top of a grueling 30 minute mountain climb in which we were telling stories to take our minds off the physical distress. As long as you are in control of your own thoughts and can block out the little voice thats telling you to quit and go home, anything is possible. Then again, after tomorrow I may be singing a completely different tune. Mountains here we come.

Saddle Sores and More

Day 6 - Reading, PA - 74

Two roads categorized today's ride. Firstly, the day began with back to back mountain climbs. While the area of road only stretched about 5 miles, it took the majority of the group around 45 minutes to get over these obstacles. This is because at times we would bottom out around 3.5 mph and could probably be passed by things like snails and slugs. Eventually we all crested the top though, and I managed to hit a new top speed of 47.4 mph. After an afternoon of not so difficult hills, we then finished the ride about 2 miles from our host destination with an ascent of "hill road." This strip of pavement at about a 60% grade it seemed, took us forever to climb because we adopted the switchback method of sweeping back and forth across the road to make the climb less steep and actually ridable. Tired and out of breath we coasted into town just in time to avoid a ridiculous hail storm that caused a necessary pick up for many of our riders who did not make timely arrivals. Everyone was so tired than many were asleep by 7 pm and didn't wake up until the following morning for a 6 am wakeup call.

Day 7 - Harrisburg, PA - 56

An absolutely awsome day of riding over mostly flat terrain and several notable stops. The morning began rough when we saw on our directions to bear a right onto 422. Little did we know that there was an Interstate 422 followed by a business 422, so we merged onto the big road and made it a full exit before we decided that we should be around 65 mph whizzing cars. We got off and re-routed ourselves back to the proper 422 where we made great time to the 30 mile lunch break by a dairy queen (Ice cream breaks will be a major theme of the summer) and so we hung out for about an hour before the support van showed up. The van was late because it had to get food since the previous night's storm stole a cooler and a tub of food in the choas of collecting people and their bikes. Regardless, after dinner we made another 15 mile trek before we arrived at HERSHEY PARK!!!!!! Awsome. Colin tried to talk a security guard to letting us get into the park for a free coaster ride, but we were redirected to Chocolate World where we proceeded to make a scene on the automated tour of the pseudo-factory. We consumed far too much chocolate samples and jumped on our bikes for a final few miles and arrived in town about 3ish.

Later in the evening we were treated to a great picnic at the local park by a pair of families who had children that were Bike and Build alumni. While there I was shown up at shuffle board by a 6-year-old, played an awsome game of kickball, and learned how to double-dutch from a couple of cheerleaders from the local high school.

Note: Double dutch has become the new past time of P2SF. Anyone who wants a Dutch-Off is welcome to bring the competition.

Build Day - Harrisburg, PA

Today the group was split into two teams, one working on renovating a new headquarters for the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, and the other setting trusses on a two-story house down the street. I have never had the nerve-racking opportunity to help set and secure trusses (the big triangular structures that make the roofs of houses slanted) on 20* foot ladders, but it was quite an experience. I wouldn't say I am afraid of heights, but swinging a heavy hammer around at such heights definately got the blood pumping. It was an awsome experience to help set the framework for the house, which many of our builders had never had the opportunity to do. Overall and awesome afternoon and everyone is excited to hit the road in search of our next build site.

Medical Update:

Saddle sores finally appeared on day 7 of riding after back-to-back days wearing the same shorts due to an issue with the trailer being unable to bring our gear to the Stroudsburg host. I believed them to be a myth but was proven wrong. For those of you unfamiliar with saddle sores, it is the equivelant of daiper rash because of being in wet and rubbing spandex 8-10 hours a day. Muscles are sore but slowly become accustomed to the rigors of daily riding. Many people have met the horrors of back, neck, wrist, and knee pain due to repeated stress, but luckily I have been able to avoid any major issues in any of these areas, with only minor knee problems. Icing and advil will continue as per usual. As a side note, advil should totally sponsor Bike and Build, as we are keeping them in business single handedly.

Days in the Saddle

Days three, four, and five have not been an easy task for most of us riders. Conditions have ranged from cold and rainy to blazing hot and dry above 100 degrees. I will recap as quickly as possible as I have only been able to get about a 10 minute internet access card at the local library.

Day 3 - Danbury, CT - 65 miles total

Hills and more hills. Today was probably the most challenging day for any of the riders. The hills did not break and it was in a pretty intense heat. On the brightside, I hit a new personal high speed on the hills at 44.0 mph. Let me tell you, there is nothing more invigorating than plunging down a hill on a bicycle at those kinds of speeds. A group of five of us were riding together when Dustin blew a flat so we stopped to find an awsome rope swing into a local river which we took about 45 minutes to enjoy.

Day 4 - Middletown, NY - 75 miles total

Best views so far on the trip but we difinately hit mountains. The highlights for the day included an awsome 4 mile downhill bomb that we took at an average of 35 mph. Past West Point and followed the Hudson River for a while, getting some unbelievable views. Heat was intense and we ran into some afternoon storms, but we only had about ten miles left so we pushed through until we arrived in town. We missed the shower hours at the local YMCA so the fire station across the road was kind enough to let us use there showers. Needless to say it had three very shiny golden poles that we begged and pleaded to slide down, but to no avail. Maybe next time.

Day 5 - Stroudsburg, PA - 65 miles total

Great day of riding. We arrived by 1 pm b/c there was so little distance to travel. There were only two difficult sections at the beginning and end of the trip, with the majority of the trip traveling through a beautiful park running along a river (the name of which I've forgotten b/c I don't update the blog often enough. I rode with self proclaimed team "Finklea and the Jets" and we actually lived up to the name, holding between 18 and 25 mph through the majority of the park. We must have really eaten our wheaties this morning because everyone had some extra get-up-and-go. Because of our fast pace, we made it to the host location by 1 pm where the host was kind enough to drive all of us

-Brent

Hills

Today we became cyclists. Not a group of only-ride-when-its-pretty-outside-or-we-feel-up-to-it cyclists. Real cyclist. We started our day at the chipper time 0f 6:30, waking up at St. Paul's Church. I am on trailer crew this week and so it was my duty to help load up for the day. When I exited the church around 7am, I found quite a heavy rain staring me in the face. This was not the case at 7:45 when we suited up and hit the road for the day. Cloudy and overcast, but at least no rain.

The first hour went without a hitch, and we put close to 20 miles behind us. However, as we approached what we thought to be our turn, a fellow rider named Molly came riding by in the opposite direction to tell us that the directions were wrong and we had missed our turn.

Day pretty boring so far? Cutting to the good stuff.

15 minutes later, our group of about 7 riders found ourselves huddled in a auto shop's garage while we ask yet again for directions while a torrential rain soaks our bikes waiting outside. Not just a drizzle, rather a storm that would make Florida in the spring time proud. Needless to say such a obstacle would not dissuade eager cyclists such as ourselves, we took to the streets in the 60 degree downpour, for quite a "damp" jaunt through the town. After another half hour of riding we took shelter outside of a dairy queen, where the van met us w/ delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in conditions that our leader described as "near hypothermic."

Post-lunch and getting colder still, we decided that there was no other choice around it, we would have to finish the last 30 miles in our sopping jerseys and spandex. Then we found the hills. These are what I would have probably considered "mountains" as I was able to achieve a top speed of 41.6 MPH down the side of one. I used to think 27 gears was way too many for a bicycle, but I see now that it is not nearly enough.

Moral of the story is that we tackled some pretty mean obstacles today, saw some beautiful scenery, and gained some serious confidence on what we can get through. While we were greasing our chains and cleaning off the muck, all most of us could say was "I can't wait to hit the road again tomorrow."

Cheers,
Brent

On The Road Again

First day of riding has finally arrived! The day began with a ceremonial "wheel dip" in the Atlantic Ocean which was actually a small boat dock at an inlet near to the university, but salty Atlantic water nonetheless. Big news as even NBC news showed up to video the ceremony so keep your eyes and ears peeled. We then paraded off through downtown providence using a rough estimation of directions to the open road. We finally made our way to US-14 where we spent the majority of our 37 mile treck getting to Plainfield, CT. The town is small and quaint but we had an amazing showing from the church we are staying at show up to a delicious cookout. Prior to the cookout we taught a bicycle safety class to some pip-sqeaks from the church, followed by an amazing field day of running amuck in the church yard. Overall an awsome first day and feeling great with minimal soreness. Day two here we come!

At the Wheel Dipping. Woohoo Atlantic!

Excited cyclists milling around w/ past riders and family.

Shane crossing an awesome causeway halfway through our ride.

We strongly considered picking up a team mascot.

Peace out Rhode Island.

Hellooooooo Connecticut!

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