Kabito, AZ

This morning I woke up feeling like I just biked 117 miles the day before. Maybe because i had. Everyone was sore and tired but we all got on our bikes anyway. Tiff was sick this morning so I was riding with Lama and Jillian and Sadie. I started my coughing, gagging, I'm going to vomit soon routine around mile 10. Not a good sign. If I had been riding with Tiff we would have pulled over, I would have vomited and we would have been on our way. However that was not the case today. So here I am bent over on the side of the road vomiting at 6 am ish across from the beautiful Baby Rocks. ugh. So Lama called the van to come and get me :( I wasn't happy but I was also in no condition to argue today. Then we found out that Steph had taken a serious spill and needed to go to the hospital. Will picked me up and then dropped me off at the McDonalds the next town over then he was off to deal with the Steph situation. Needless to say I ended up meeting a beautiful dog and buying her McDonalds for breakfast. Who doesn't love the golden arches right? Then I walked over to Burger King where some of the other riders were hanging out. As riders rolled out the sick crew ended up napping on the floor of the Burger King Play Place. You know you are in a dark place when you fall asleep on the floor of a public restaurant. lol. Tomorrow we ride to UTAH!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!

Arizona and the Four Corners

The ride out of Farmington was very exciting. We knew that it would be a long day due largely to the fact that we were facing another century ride but everyone was excited none the less. We crossed another state line!!!! Hello Arizona :) Goodbye New Mexico :( Landscape gets more and more beautiful everyday. The ride was going really well today so Tiff and I decided to take the 10 mile detour to see the four corners. this has been on my to do list for quite some time and we were so close anyways!!! The four corners was a lot of fun. We took some group pictures and hung out for a while before heading back out. The second half of the day was just as beautiful as the first but we could see the rain clouds approaching. Tiff and I just kept pedaling and pedaling. I got some really awesome pictures of the rain and landscape. This was definitely a very challenging ride but together we climb and descended. When we arrived at the host and looked at our odometers we realized that we had done a grueling 117 miles!!! Holy Crap. I never thought that I would ride 117 miles on my bike in one day but I did. This whole experience is so surreal!!! I find myself thinking "If I can ride my bike 117 miles through Arizona in July I can do just about anything."

Farmington, NM

The ride into Farmington was a century but it was so so enjoyable. The day was mostly down hill and the weather was beautiful!!! We had a tail wind most of the day which also mad the day wonderful. Dance party at lunch, ice cream, peeing behind random bushes. This was an excellent day. Our host loves Bike & Build and has hosted us for the past few years so as soon as we arrived at the school they had snacks and drinks ready for us. They had shuttles for the showers at the local YMCA as well. Dinner was a pot luck and we actually ate with several members of the congregation. It was really nice talking with members of the community about what we are doing and why we are doing it. I enjoyed meeting a women who works at the nature center here in Farmington. After dinner we gave a presentation and then everyone kind of spread out. Some watched movies, some played guitar, some told jokes, others just spent time one on one with each other. I really love this team.

The next day we built with an organization called ECHO. We actually did a demolition and started a rebuild. Riding to the build sight was fun. I spent most of the day measuring and cutting boards. Others worked on the roof and other s took care of scraps and did some landscaping. Lunch was provided by ECHO (subway!!!) And our sight coordinator challenged the team to a hammering contest. Most of the guys took a swing at it, I think Kelly was the only girl to take part. After lunch we finished up on the build sight and headed back to the host.I took a short nap before leaving. My chore group was in charge of running a bike clinic for some local kids so we headed over to the community center. A handful of kids showed up and none had bikes but we did meet one boy who loves to bike and is seriously considering Bike & Build when he turns 18!!! I really hope that he does.

Headed to Cuba on the 4th of July!?!?!

This morning we woke to more of the beauty that is Abique Lake. I really love it here. Sunrise was beautiful! Everyone got pumped for the 4th of July!! American flags and red white and blue were everywhere. After our route meeting we were on our way to Cuba...NM. Riding out of Abique had a fair share of climbing but it was just so gorgeous. At one point we stopped to take photos. You could see everything. Exactly where we had come from just days before!!! It still amazes me that we are already in New Mexico. We started in Florida and here we are. Crazy. After biking for a little while we stopped for a team photo, about half way up the mountain, in front of the lake. Riding into Cuba Tiff and I saw some horses. The horses with the mountainous back drop made me feel like I was in a western movie! After arriving we took naps and then hit up a thrift store for prom apparel. Some good stuff was purchased I assure you. Purp Squad cooked us a great meal. Handmade veggies burgers for us veggies :) The evening was complete with pie and punch. The boys also drew names for prom tonight so the prom posals should be starting soon. I am excited to see who comes up with what and who has who. The evening wound down and concluded with pleasant conversation in good company as always.

Abique Lake, NM

Today's ride was my favorite so far!!! Everything was so beautiful from start to finish. I am starting to understand why they call New Mexico the land of enchantment. Today's landscape was everything from mountains to valleys. We found trees again!! We found green grass again! I didn't even realize how much I missed it until I saw it again today. We arrived at the host fairly early and explored the small town for a bit. We stopped by the local library and explored the church and the landscape around it as well. Then we all shuttled to showers and some people went for a dip in the lake. I was not about to dive into ice cold water so I watched and then ended up taking a walk with Tiff and Mark. We got a ride from some nice park rangers to the showers. Showers are so refreshing at the end of a bike day. After showers we headed back for dinner. Donation magic pizza. Then Mark and I took a walk and enjoyed the scenery. I got to talk to him about Americorps and who knows maybe I will apply at some point. After our walk I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures of the sun set it was so incredible. During my picture taking I ran into Tiff and we decided to explore the land some more. We found a creek and some beautiful little houses. The sun set over th mountain was breath taking. But it gets better!!! We found cats :) And boy did we love on these little guys. One part of me was overjoyed that we had found animals. The other part of me was sad that I had to leave them outside and then the realist in me concluded that these cats were probably homeless and unaltered. They would contribute to the overpopulation problem and there was nothing I could do :( I will save the world one animal at a time but not today. Tomorrow perhaps. After our cuddle session it was pretty dark so we headed back to the host and hung out in our room for a while. Some people were watching a movie and it was hard to fall asleep so I talked with a teammate for a while before finally falling asleep.

Santa Fe, NM

The ride into Santa Fe was a lot of fun. I am really enjoying the landscape here in New Mexico. This is definitely my favorite state thus far :) Today's ride had lots of up and downs but my body is adjusting more and more with each ride. Tiff has had a few nose bleeds due to the altitude but I have been lucky so far. Today we only had one lunch stop and it was a few miles past where we expected it to be but it was worth it because it took us to the top of the hill. At lunch we met a guy who is biking from California to Virginia!! It was nice to talk with him and hear about his journey. After lunch there was more climbing but everything was so beautiful that it was hard to get discouraged. Almost into town we stumbled across a wonderful restaurant called Real Food Nation :) The best veggie food. It's so refreshing to have food options again I have to say. I ate entirely too much food and then hit the road again. Tiff and I got a little lost on our way to the host but we were able to find our way to the host. We are staying at Our Lady of Guadelupe Church. The church is beautiful! It is surrounded by roses and other beautiful flowers. The area of the church that they have us staying in is very similar to a class room. The shower here is very interesting to say the least... closet converted into shower with absolutely no temp control what so ever lol. Elayna came to see me tonight!!!! Brettly cleaned my bike so that I could visit and then a bunch of us hit the town to explore. Santa Fe is beautiful. Definitely some place that I need to come back to at some point in my life. Catching up with Elayna was so so so much fun. I truly have great friends.

Building here has also been nice. When we got to the work sight they divided us into groups to do a men's build and a women's build. I spent most of the day laying down black paper and covering it with chicken wire so that the plaster can be sprayed on within the next few days. I spent most of the day working with Elayna, Prachi, and Sadie. All in all we had a good time. I even conquered my fear of the ladder once again. I love build days and I am really glad that I was able to share this one with Elayna. Back on the bike tomorrow!!!

Mosquero NM

4:30 wake ups started today. I never thought that I would ever be happy to get up at 4:30 in the morning but surprisingly I was. Beating the heat is the key to my riding success so if that means waking before the roosters I am all about it. Today's ride went well. Tiff and I were able to finish the day strong despite the rising temps and the ridiculous wind. The first 30 miles went by super fast. We rode past a some horses and they got excited and started running next to us! It was wonderful. Right before lunch the wind picked up and blasted us. There is nothing like pedaling as hard as you can into a strong head wind and going no where. Slightly frustrating but just another challenge. The rest at first lunch was much needed. The ride from first to second lunch was very hot. There wasn't a lot to see today either considering there were no towns in between our previous host and our current destination. As the heat bared her ugly head Tiff and I decided to talk things out to take our mind off of the temp. It's still amazing to me that you can spend everyday with someone and still find things to talk about :) I know that Tiff and I are going to be friends for a very long time! After finally arriving at second lunch I wanted to die. Lunch was at the only house in sight. Sitting in the shade, drinking cold water and petting the resident border collie named Hank really helped recharge and refuel. After lunch Tiff and I plugged around and then it happened. I bonked. It didn't occur to me at the time that this is what was happening though. I just remember thinking I was kinda tired and then I saw a dog so I got off of my bike to pet it. Then it wasn't there and the white line was moving so I just decided to walk my bike. I eventually made it to the shade tree that Tiff was waiting under for me. We sat for a while and drank water. She tried to get me to eat but I didn't want to so I threw my bar in the dirt. Then Corey pulled up with Vanessa and told me that I needed to get in the van. I was not so convinced so I started walking my bike. Yup that's right. I thought I would walk my bike the last 30ish miles up a mountain. Needless to say this was a bad idea and Corey made me get in the van. I was frustrated but this was for the best. Dinner was rice and beans and some other veggies. As soon as my head hit my thermarest I was out.

Hello New Mexico

Waking up this morning was a beautiful thing. The air was crisp, it even had a chill to it and it immediately reminded me of my home state and all of the chilling training rides I did in Michigan to prepare for this journey! I have never been so happy to be cold in my life :) Tiff and I faced the day rolling out at the front of the pack. Then we followed our que sheet onto a dirt road with lots of bumps that were not kind to my lady parts. Eventually we ended up back on the smooth pavement. We started out slow but quickly started picking up the pace. I cannot even explain how refreshing this weather was!! Before we knew it we were the second group to roll into lunch! After fueling up on food and peeing behind a tarp we were ready to hit the road again. Kristina joined us for the second leg and told us that we were cruising at 20mph!!! The ride went by so quickly. We ended up finishing first!!!! That's right Dream Team crossed the state line into New Mexico first AND arrived at the host first! The beautiful thing about this is that you have time to explore the town and you get first dibs on the best sleeping spot :) After finishing the day's ride by 10 am we had lots of time for naps and lunch. After lunch I cleaned Fiona again and hung out with everyone. Mark and I exchanged shoulder rubs! I also talked someone into head scratches which are the best!!! Tiff made broccoli sandwiches for the veggies for dinner. Delicious. Other highlights of the day included yellow wild flowers lining the road all morning long. I love me some yellow flowers!!! A beautiful sky from grey to blue to pink throughout the day. Journal time and a ridiculous but adorable dog jewelry box from a fellow rider :) I am loving New Mexico and it's only the first day!!!

Dalhart, TX

The ride out of Amarillo showed us our fist major rolling hills. Everything before this has been a baby in comparison. The scenery today has been absolutely amazing. I started off my ride with Tiffany and then we rode with Brettly and Richard for a little bit and then Alex joined us as well. I got my first flat today! Our last day in Texas and then I get a flat!!! But I was able to change it by myself. It may have taken a while but I did it. We spent the morning climbing before lunch. Climbing and climbing and climbing. After lunch things were a lot flatter and not as visually exciting but we pedaled on none the less. The day was full of coaching from Sargent Harcourt. At times I don't want to hear what he has to say but I also know that he is just trying to make us better cyclists. After riding in to our host town we stopped at Dairy Queen for some donation magic, courtesy of Steph :) Ice cream is so very refreshing at the end of your ride! After Dairy Queen we arrived at the host and settled in before dinner. The hosts for the night invited us out to their ranch for dinner. One thing I have learned about Texas since this whole trip started is that they pride themselves on everything, but especially their beef. The "Welcome to Beef Country" sign at the beginning of the state made my heart heart a little for all of the cattle living here. Anyways, this host was very nice and had veggie burger for the vegetarians of the group! Thank God. I have really come to appreciate places with vegetarian options. The further west we head the harder it is to find meatless options. Dinner was nice. We all sat outside and talked. Some people took a dip in the pool. I pet the old lab that lived here :) Nice conversations with Sadie and Sonja as well. After dinner we headed back to the host and got our laundry around. I had a few more conversations with Mark and Brettly and then I cleaned Fiona and called it a night. Tonight I am sleeping under a table! Bike & Build is doing wonders for my ability to sleep anywhere and fall asleep at any time!

Amarillo, TX

Puking has become a regular morning activity for me. It's just how my body reacts to the heat I guess. I have come to realize that not getting caught is the key to riding your bike for the day. Despite my efforts this morning I was found out and had to start my day in the van. Vanessa and I have a love hate relationship at this point. I love what she does for others but I hate have to ride in her myself. Tiffany, Jillian, Josh A. and I started the day in the van together. Josh puked a ridiculous amount of vomit into a gallon size bag. So gross but also hilarious. You probably had to be there I guess. At first lunch Kelly's mom provided us with sandwiches and veggies which were delicious and a very nice change from the usual peanut butter and jelly. Tiffany, Sonia and I all filled water balloons to surprise the team with later on in the day but they all popped in transit. At second lunch Grant's parents surprised us all with Dairy Queen!!! This was a good day for food :) Sitting in Dairy Queen us vanners got inspired to ride the rest of the day since we were all feeling pretty good at this point. Josh and Jillian took off! Jillian quickly turned around and came back :( She wasn't quite as ready as she wanted to be. Next Tiff and I took off. We beasted through the rest of the day stopping when we needed to. Tiff found an awesome pair of shades under an overpass. We stopped when we needed to and reminded each other to stay hydrated and together we rode into Amarillo!!!!! After getting settled into our host we hung out with Kristen and chatted with Brettly and Richard. Everyone else was out and about. Then I took some quite time to journal. I always get the best sleeping spot so journaling is easy but this time I did not. Brettly scored this sweet little cubby that was nice and quite so I stole his spot for a while and reflected on this crazy journey that is Bike & Build. Once again I fell asleep super early so I woke up at like 2 am wide awake. I layed there for a while and then ended up getting up around 7am even though it was a day off. Kristen gave Kelly and I our gifts from South Africa! I got some button earrings, a sticker for my bin, and a head band thing that I really like. I had strawberry shortcake for breakfast and then went to church for the first time since the start of Bike & Build. The lesson was about giving and receiving. They also talked a lot about homelessness which always takes me back to Detroit and reminds me why I wanted to pedal for affordable housing in the first place. After church I hit up the local bike shop and got a new bit valve. Then Tiff and I headed to Coleman's to hangout with everyone and have some girl talk. After lunch I rode with Kelly and Kristen and Renee and Marlene out to the canyon. It was absolutely beautiful and it immediately got me excited for the Grand Canyon!!! Coleman's mom made us all dinner and we all got to hangout some more before heading to the Cadillac Graveyard to spray paint some cars. SUS '11 represent. Amarillo has been wonderful.

Memphis, TX: Yup back into Texas

Today we rode out of Oklahoma and back into Texas. My riding partners for the day were Mark and Sonia. Parts of today's ride were very flat and other parts were fairly hilly. I love being able to look back and see exactly how far you have come!!! Everything was beautiful today. Each day I realize more and more how much I love nature and that everything truly is beautiful in it's own way. Halfway to first lunch we stopped to pet some horses and I pet a cattle dog! Possibly my favorite dog of the trip so far. We also saw a HUGE spider on the side of the road. It was SO gross. Mark got a picture. We also rode through the small town of Duke, OK and it had this really cool painting on the side of one of the buildings. Small town America is surprisingly refreshing during the rides. After arriving at lunch I was surprised by Kristen!!!!! AHHHHH. I had forgotten how much I missed her until I saw her come bounding out from behind our trailer. Rolling out of lunch with Kristen and Kelly was so so nice! We hadn't all ridden our Giants together before this because Kristen was in SOuth Africa. What a moment we were having. The afternoon heated up and drug on as always in Texas. We had stopped at a shade bush, if you could even call it that, and once again my body decided vomiting would be a good idea. Dehydrated again. This is an ongoing battle for me. Kelly's mom picked me up so that I didn't have to ride in the van. Arriving at the host I was able to talk with Steph for a while and wait for everyone to get in. When Jillian arrived she had quite the story for me involving Lyndsey being an angel in white. Jillian had bonked. hard. After everyone made it in we started shuttling to showers. Pulling up to our shower destination was exactly what I had pictured Texas to be. An elderly women standing on her porch sweeping the dust off. Flowers and a rocking chair decorating the porch! After showering Kristen and I were able to talk to the home owner a little bit about small town Texas and it's history.

Altus OK

This morning when I woke up I felt like crap. I was definitely dehydrated from sweeping yesterday and not hydrating before bed but I was determined to finish the day anyways. The morning started out with chores as usual and then a local new station came a filmed us getting ready to ride because they were doing a story on us. Tiffany and I rode together in the morning and that girl is a saint because I was definitely on the struggle bus. But she didn't get frustrated or call the van on me. She patiently went crazy slow and encouraged me to make it to lunch. Right before first lunch I really needed to stop so we found a random garage in the middle of no where and stopped. We were greeted by a huge german shepherd that thought he was tough but quickly realized that we weren't afraid and he was actually a big softy. Laying on the cold concrete floor was just what I needed. After our break we busted out the last miles until lunch. First lunch was a blur. I napped in some "grass" but it was so pokey that I decided to move to the concrete and sleep in the shade of the trailer. As the last group was getting ready to ride out they woke me up and ask if I was getting in the van. I said no. I was determined to finish this day. So I got back on my bike. A few miles later Tiffany was really struggling so we all stopped with her. We napped under a shade tree and Grant and Kelly sprayed us with a hose. Cold water is so refreshing. The Texas heat is brutal. After some encouragement from Corey, Kelly, Grant, Tiffany, and Brettly I decided to give this ride another go, suddenly feeling energized. Feeling energized in the middle of Texas between the hours of 11-2 doesn't happen often for me so I knew I needed to get on the road. I pushed myself along riding a few miles and then stopping under overpasses for shade if I needed to. (trees are nonexistent in this part of Texas)Brettly caught up to me at some point and we rode together to second lunch. I was very grateful to be riding with a partner because I really was feeling like crap but I also felt bad because I know that he is one of the strongest riders and we were going 10 mph at some points. He was very patient though and just made jokes and asked me questions about life to take my mind off of the struggling. At second lunch I puked a lot and then basically passed out. Will told me to get into the van for a few mins because the air would help and it did. I must have fallen asleep.I vaguely remember talking to Brettly and Mel but I have no idea what I said. Then the next thing I knew we were at the host. I was angry that I didn't finish the ride but I also realized that it is very important to respect your body and it's limits. All in all I rode 60ish miles of the day, severely dehydrated and in the extreme heat that is Texas. Not too bad I guess.

Witchita Falls, TX

Today's ride I swept with David, this means it was our job to finish last and make sure that all of our teammates make it in safely. The morning started with lots of small rolling hills and low traffic roads. Then we started riding on the interstate which is always less enjoyable because of the traffic and debree on the shoulder of the road. Jillian got a flat early on in the day so we stopped to help her with that. The rest of the morning was pretty uneventful. Richard, Tiffany, and Corey stopped to pet some donkeys right before lunch so we stopped with them for a little bit as well. Shortly after that Tiff got a flat so we had a snack break/flat party. It really started heating up between first lunch and second lunch which always makes the ride harder but never impossible. David and I stopped at a rest area and took a nap in the shade tree before second lunch. By the time we got to second lunch we were feeling pretty good, due to our nap, so we wanted to make it a quick stop. Brettly and Richard were just rolling out as we got there. We waited for Mel to get around and then we hit the road again. Later on in the ride Mel got really hot so we stopped at a shade tree and I took some awesome pictures of the clouds. After the van came for Mel, David and I hit the road once again. We pounded out the last 15ish miles and then got ready for dinner. Dinner was delicious. Several people watched some Harry Potter afterwards but once again I journaled and fell asleep early.

Rained Out: Dallas to Decatur

So we all woke up this morning to a massive storm. Corey announced that we wouldn't be riding today due to weather and everyone was pretty bummed. Sleeping in was nice and breakfast with Sally was also enjoyable. Then we all packed up the van and trailer and packed all of our bikes into trailers as well. Then we started our drive to Decatur. Riding in a car together was so weird. Lots of napping in the van before arriving at our host.

Building in Garland

So I woke up this morning excited because I knew that it was a build day but then I quickley got less excited as I realized that I could not open my right eye. Not only couldn't I open my eye but it was also swollen and extremely painful. So after finding Will and explaining the situation it was clear that I could not build today and that I should probably go to the doctor. Sonia and I headed to a walk in clinic that was near by. The doctor took one look at my eye and told me that I needed to go to the hospital. I was a little panicked but what can you do? So we headed to the hospital where I later found out that I had somehow managed to get a severe scratch to my cornea!!! Everything is bigger in Texas, including cornea scratches! So I got lots of meds and then had to wear a patch over my eye as well as sunglasses. I am still super bummed that I missed out on building but glad that I finally figured out my migraines, or so I think! This evening Sally got us all tickets to a Rangers game. We all got bobble heads as well. It was really nice to get dressed up and go to a real world event with the whole Bike & Build family. Many good chats, good food, great company. Took a walk with leader Sonia, took pictures of Kristina sleeping and then of course more chatting with Tiffany! After the game we all piled into one of Sally's vans and headed back to her house for some late night swimming! Sally is the best host ever.

Garland, TX : Home of the famous Sally

Waking up this morning to find out that my migraine was still here and in full force really sucked. Another day in the van. The highlight of the day was definitely writing chalk messages to the team throughout the day. Sadly most people were ahead of our chalk :( Lunch stop was good. I had good conversations with Brettly and Tiffany. Good people. Arriving at Sally was definitely the highlight of the day. She greeted each of us with a huge hello, immediately followed by "would you like a chocolate or vanilla shake?" EPIC. So much food and such a kind lady. I met her dogs as well. One of which was a rescued boston terrier :) Gosh I really love rescue stories :) Sally also got us all tickets to the rodeo in Dallas that night. Although I don't like the rodeo it was very very nice of Sally. To avoid watching the rodeo and keep a positive outlook I hung out in the drinking room for the night. Lyndsey, Tiffany, Josh A. Mark, Steph and Lama all hung out for a while too. Good company and good conversation.

Athens TX

This morning I woke up with another migraine :( Not sure what the trigger is because I haven't had any in so so long. Needless to say as much as I wanted to ride my bike today I knew it just wasn't possible. Mark packed my bin for me and BWalsh and Epstein helped me to the bathroom and held my hair as I vomited. That is true friendship. Although I hated being in the van today it also gave me the chance to encourage fellow riders as they rolled in and out of lunch stops. Tiffany and Mel were in the van today as well so I had conversation partners. At the end of the day we bought chocolate milk and ice cream for everyone to boost morale and say job well done. The last 6 riders didn't roll in until after 8 pm. They were on the road for over 13 hours!!!! I hid from my host mom for the night so that I could watch everyone finish :) After dinner we split into pairs and got to stay at people's homes for the night. Sadie and I stayed with a very nice couple with two children and a basset hound. Sleeping in a bed and having a hot shower was more than refreshing. The kindness of strangers is so crazy to me!

Welcome to the Lone Star State

Today we said goodbye to Louisiana and hello to Texas!!!! The morning started out nice. The roads had minimal traffic and the scenery was beautiful as always. I rode with Tiffany and Kelly for the first part of the morning and then we picked up Prachi and Christina and even rode with Corey for a little while. The roads were tree covered and so so beautiful. It reminded me of the park back home which always makes me happy. Right before the state line we came across a sign that read "Dream No Small Dream" We all stopped to take pictures and as everyone was getting their shots I realized that on Bike & Build anything is possible!!! Each and every person has goals and dreams and they are dedicated to making them come true. Not only are they determined to succeed though. They are also determined to make this world a better place along the way!!! After everyone had their pictures we rode the last mile to the state line where Coleman greeting everyone with a high five, waving the Texas flag all the while. The whole team waited at the state line and we got an awesome team photo. SUS does a people pyramid! After lunch Prachi and I rode alone for a while climbing up and down hill after hill. Eventually Kelly, Jillian, Sonia and Tiffany caught up to us. More hills. Up and down. But I reached a new top speed of 27 mph going down hill! That was FUN. After arriving in Carthage we toured a museum, visited a chocolate shop, and then headed to lunch at a local mexican diner. Once again we sweep into a town and take over. 30 some young bikers in spandex!!! After lunch Kelly, Sonia and I decided to finish out the day together. The last 6 miles were the hardest. Arriving at the host was refreshing. this is our first home stay of the trip and it was very nice to be inside a house again. I met the family pet, a golden retriever named Digger. It's so nice being around dogs again. After everyone settled in we walked to the neighbors pool and everyone splashed around for a while. Dinner was a delicious mac and cheese with broccoli! After dinner we had another AH presentation and then I crashed for the night.

Grand Cain, LA

Today was our very first War Paint Wednesday!!! Fiona and I supplied a lot of the war paint today lol I think it might be time to clean her chain. Coleman prepared a speech! "This is My Bicycle" was very inspiring and it really got everyone pumped up. We had breakfast at the campus cafeteria and there was so much variety. I think every morning should start with chocolate milk :) While eating breakfast we all got the stare down from several high school cheerleaders who were there as well. I cannot imagine how we look to people in the real world. This massive group of 30ish young people in spandex always ready to eat! I started the morning out riding with Tiffany and Christina but then surprised myself again and ended up speeding up and riding with Mark and David. I like riding with those two. Today's ride was a short day so everyone was really pumped to finish early. Then we met some hills. Mark was a champ and trudged up and down each hill with me. I reached an all time low and went 8 mph. ugh. I also lost my bit valve on one of the down hills but decided not to stop for it and loose all of my momentum. After hammering out some serious rolling hills we stopped for some much needed Sonic. Finishing the day was an accomplishment for me. Each day I push my body more than I have ever before! A nap was in order once we arrived at the host and it was lovely as always. After dinner we gave a presentation to the church and it's members. Kelly and Brettly were very distracting lol Another beautiful day.

Natchitoches, LA

So this morning I woke up puking, dehydrated once again. I think my body hates me sometimes. We had a nice big breakfast and then everyone got their tattoos for Tat-Tuesday. Tiff drew me a pretty awesome octopus holding a martini. A bunch of us gathered and prayed before our ride, something that started after news of Christina. I was pumped and all read to go and then Corey told me that he had heard that I had been puking and was probably dehydrated. So I was stuck in the van :( I love Vanessa and what she stands for but I hate having to ride in the van. It feels like defeat. So I spent the morning re hydrating and then at lunch I decided it was time Fiona and I stretched our legs! So I rode out of lunch with Dre and Josh A. Dre was riding with a very nice painting that he had found along the ride today. Not sure how many miles into the ride but I guess it doesn't matter. We found a lake and some of us got into the water for a bit. We left the lake with Alyssa and Jillian. I really enjoyed riding with everyone because I generally don't get to ride with these guys. Josh and I were able to talk quite a bit and Dre entertained us with his musical talents of course! The last few miles were rough because I was still fairly dehydrated but Dre was very encouraging and made sure that I finished the ride. After arriving at the host we took a walk to Taco Bell and enjoyed the food and each others company. After T-Bell I had a nice nap on my thermarest and then rolled out my legs and opened mail. Kelly's mom is really great at making sure that we get mail at every drop! I love her. a. lot. Dinner was served by a campus ministry so we walked to campus and then got to hangout for a while on campus before dinner was served. There weren't really any vegetarian options so they made us our own special food. So nice of them and definitely appreciated. After dinner I was ready to crash but it was our turn to clean out the van. So we cleaned and then sent a text to Noelle telling her that we missed her! It's still weird without her here. BWalsh and Christina gave the AH presentation. After that it was bed time for me!

Mustache Monday

Where to begin!!! This morning was the start of our themed days of the week. Today being our very first Mustache Monday. This morning all of the ladies gathered in the girl's bathroom and drew mustaches on each others faces. Jillian's was the best by far. Pictures to come very very soon. The themes really put some excitement in our morning routines. It was great seeing everyone embrace the activity. Steph and Tiffany were a little skeptical at first but they joined in the fun anyways, after all we are a team. So mustaches are a pretty great way to start a day but then it got better!! At our route meeting we learned that we would have a police escort for the first few miles. Can you say AWESOME?!?!?! I'm not going to lie, I felt pretty important, not to mention bad ass starting my day off with a police escort :) Today I started off riding with leader Sonia. We were plugging along at about 15 mph, not a bad pace, but then we both got a burst of energy and ended up cruising around 18 mph all the way into lunch. This lunch was one of my favorites. Location : Random side of the road nothingness. BEAUTIFUL. I had no idea that Louisiana was so beautiful. It has been a very pleasant surprise. After lunch I was feeling even more energized! I ended up riding faster than usual and caught up with Mark and David. We wanted to wait for Sonia so we pulled over under a huge shade tree. Shade is something that I have really come to appreciate since starting this whole thing. Anyways while relaxing under this shade tree a little dog came running over. Turns out his name was Busy Boy and he was a stray that the neighbor couple rescued. My favorite kind of dog is a rescue dog ;) After spending some time with Busy and talking with his owner we found out that she and her husband actually know the pastor of the church we will be staying at tonight! Connections. After the shade break Mark, David and I continued to plug along. We stopped at a McDonald s for a while. I had some much needed ice cream and then we continued on our journey. The roads were busy but we all took turns leading and talking. I was worried about slowing the boys down but then I ended up leading them at 18-20 mph!! My cycling is improving so much these days. Towards the end of the ride I needed to pull over and rehydrate. This is an ongoing battle for me. The boy were very patient though. We named ourselves the Orange Pineapples during today's ride. Arriving at the host we were greeted with cookies, and pretzels, and lemonade. Tonight David and I gave our affordable housing presentation on Homelessness and Affordable Housing. I was really glad that I was able to share some of my stories from my time in Detroit with everyone. After the presentation we all piled into vehicles and headed to Richard's parent's house for some swimming and snacks. He has dogs so naturally I was a happy camper. Everyone really enjoyed themselves and I was really glad that we got to meet Richard's family!! All in all a pretty great day.

Opelusas, LA

Today's ride was beautiful!!! I really enjoyed everything about it :) I started the day riding with Christina. Love that girl. Early on in the ride we came across a giant rooster in a random parking lot so naturally everyone stopped and took their picture with the giant cock. Then we crossed the Mighty Mississippi! It's so hard to believe that we have already come this far. Bike and Build is a whirlwind. Anyways, along the ride we picked up Tiffany and Prachi and the four of us road together for a while. Riding together and talking and laughing about life was a lot of fun. We stopped for pictures with a tractor and a corn field. Lots of photo shenanigans :) Riding into lunch I was feeling really great. Lunch was a short stop today. Tiff and I took off towards our host feeling really energized! We had some good conversations about life, I'm sure this was just the beginning of many great conversation. Together we went at our own pace, stopping because we wanted to not because we needed to! I feel my body getting stronger every day :) Other highlights included mastering the bike lean for the first time (Fionia and Agnus are going to be great friends) and taking pictures of cows and enjoying America the beautiful.

Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge. It was a long ride in but everyone made it. We found out that Noelle will be leaving us due to complications with her nose :( The Blue Barracudas are really going to miss her positive attitude and her wonderful work ethic. The build site that we worked with had us nailing together boards most of the morning. There wasn't enough work for everyone so we all took turns with the hammers. I got some pretty good shots of people in action. We saw a really awesome lizard on a tree when we were taking a water break. I also met the most adorable terrier mix on the build site! Dogs make my life better :) After all of the work was done we headed back to the host. We were locked out for a while so Tiff, Brettly and I wandered around back and tried to get in but we were unsuccessful so we just shared a strawberry granola bar and talked about life. After we got into the host Mark lowered the projection screen, which made the stage pitch black. I had quite possibly the best nap of my life! (Bike and Build takes naps to the next level) After my nap Mark and Corey walked with me to a local place famous for it's root beer floats. The floats were good but the conversation was better! I got to share my philosophies on animals and shelter dogs, rescue dogs and pit bulls with Corey!! Any time that I can share what I know about animal rescue and pit bull education I am overjoyed. After floats we all hung out for a while and exchanged back rubs. Dre, Sonja, and BWalsh all got into their sleeping bags and did caterpillar races :) SO SO funny! Some of Brettly's friends visited as well so the team got to meet them also. Dinner was donation magic pizza and doughnuts :) After dinner we busted out the bounce house and Alyssa got some really awesome shots of people jumping into the bounce house. Afterwards I was able to talk to Kelly and leader Sonia for a while. I really love bike and build.

Building in NOLA with the Saint Bernard Project

Building in NOLA has been absolutely incredible. Typically Bike and Build stops to build in areas we are biking through for one or maybe two days at a time. However SUS stops and builds in New Orleans for a week each summer. We are working with an organization called The Saint Bernard Project. The Saint Bernard Project is working on homes within the Saint Bernard Perish and they do some really awesome things. Our site supervisors for the week also happen to be past Bike and Builders who are currently in Americorps :):):) For the week the team has been split in two working on two separate build sites. Nate is my site supervisor for the week and we started out working on a house that needed to be finished. I spent the day doing odds and ends such as scrapping junk off of the newly installed flooring and making sure everything was swept and looking pretty. I worked with Dre, Mel, and Edie for most of the day. Others worked on finishing up railing on the stairs and scraping paint off of windows from a previous group that had volunteered but caused more harm than good.

On our second build day we headed to a new location that was close enough to bike to!!!! Again we split into groups according to tasks and I ended up taping off windows and painting for the day with Christine C. Alyssa, Edie, Kenan, and Josh A. ( Josh had chosen me as his person to pick on for the day! Lucky me lol) Painting in this house has been fun because we are literally painting the entire house. It's nice to see the transformation day by day and even hour buy hour. The home owner stopped by and it was nice to meet him. An elderly gentleman born and raised in NOLa. Unfortunately I don't really know anything else about him or his story because I was unable to talk to him for very long :( All in all the day was wonderful. Filled with lots of lunch time jokes, conversations over paint, and bonding.

After returning "home" for the day Steph and I walked to Walmart so that she could restock her food bin. ( She has a peanut allergy so she has to keep all of her food separate) The walk was nice and relaxing and it was good having one one one time. Walmart was a blast and we got a ton of food :) After arriving back at our host for the night we had dinner. Mark's parents cooked for us. Dinner for the evening was beans and rice and I actually enjoyed it. Kristen should be proud!

After dinner the leaders gathered the entire team for an announcement. It was then that we found out a leader on SC2SC, Christina G., was struck by an SUV and killed. It's hard to describe the whirlwind of emotions that we went through. Although I didn't know Christina it didn't matter. She was one of us. Although she wasn't one of my teammates she was someone's teammate. I am deeply deeply saddened by the loss of a fellow rider and my thoughts and prayers go out to the entire SC2SC team as well as the Bike and Build community and Christina's family. Hearing this news was not at all easy and it really just reminded me that what we are doing is dangerous. Each and every day that we get on the road, even if we as cyclists do everything right, there is always that risk. Many many prayers for peace of mind and healing of hearts. However, even in tragedy there is good. Seeing the entire team and Bike and Build community come together and love on one another during this difficult time has been a wonderful wonderful thing. SO MUCH LOVE. SO MUCH SUPPORT. We are a family and we will get through this together. It is with that mindset that we face each new day. We ride united for Christina.

Day Off NOLA Style

We had our first day of on Saturday and it was super fun. Being able to sleep in was absolutely wonderful! After waking up I started my day with some cinnamon toast crunch. I would highly recommend doing that:) After everyone was around and ready a huge group of us headed for the bus stop. Riding on the bus is always fun because generally we take up half of the bus each time. After arriving at the french quarter we stopped for some McDonalds and then broke off into groups. I explored the city with Prachi, Dre, Kelly, Kelsey, Sadie, Alyssa, and Lama. We went to the french quarter and we looked at a ton of local art that lined the streets. We went inside The Catherdral of St. Louis and it was breathtakingly beautiful! High ceilings with art painted on top, intricute stained glass windows, hard wood floors. Just absolutely beautiful. After the catherdral we decided to stop for lunch at a local place called La Divina. I had a delicious sandwhich with mushrooms, eggplant and olives. After lunch we took in more of the city. We stopped and admired the architecture and the flowers and the the culture. We ran into a few other Bike and Builders on our way to the French Market. While there a man made some remark about my tan lines and then laughed lol Eventually we ran into Alex, Steph Sonia, Coleman and Edie and we all decided to take a trolly ride together. On the trolly we were able to tell lots of people about Bike and Build and get them excited about it all. Around 6 a large group of girls decided to head home and take showers before going out for a nice dinner. A group of 12 of us ended up eating at a local place called THhe Gumbo Shop. I had my reservations but it turned out to be delicious! I had the best garlic mashed potatoes and of course dessert :) Dinner conversation with Steph, Kelly, and Tiffany was lovely as always. After our nice layed back dinner we pilled 6 girls into one cab lol Alyssa, Kelsey, Prachi and I crammed in the back and Kelly sat on Christine's lap in the front seat. The cab ride was very enjoyable and we learned a lot from our cabbie. He is from Pakistan. He knows a lot about agriculture from living in that region. He holds a masters degree in law from his home country and he is very very proud of his children's intelligence. Getting to know him instead of just riding in the cab quietly has been one of the many many highs that are Bike and Build!

Biloxi to New Orleans

I woke up this morning determined to finish the day without riding in Vanessa even if it took me all day. I would not be defeated this time. After reviewing the cue sheet and noting that today's ride was 95 miles in length I hopped on my bike and we were off. Today I rode with Alyssa and Kelly. Riding along the water for a good part of the day was definitely a highlight. I conquered the first bridge without any problems at all and then we were at first lunch. My body felt great and I couldn't wait to continue. After lunch we joined Sonja, Josh E, Coleman, Galen and Lyndsey. Riding with new people was awesome!! The roads were not busy at all and again the landscape was beautiful. We encountered a HUGE bridge, that from the distance looked like a wall. I swear it was vertical!!! But again, I would not be defeated today so I powered up the hill and then down the hill:) We made it to second lunch without any issues what so ever. My body felt great which made me happy because I think I am finally getting acclimated to the heat and the biking:) The last leg went well also. I ended up riding with Kelly, Alyssa, and Galen. We had a slight reroute when we were about 15 miles from our host and I was starting to get tired but Christine and Lama talked me up the last bridge! I love team encouragement :) Riding into NOLA was somewhat scary because traffic was very busy and not exactly cyclist friendly. About 8 miles out I just wanted to stop but I powered through because it was busy and I knew that everyone was supporting me. Prachi and Lama encouraged me for a while and then it was only three miles left and then we were at our host and then I realized that I JUST BIKED 96 MILES!!!! Arriving in NOLA at our host was a surreal moment for me because I remember two years ago watched SUS09 pedal out from Biloxi headed to New Orleans and I remember thinking how crazy and bad ass they were and now I have done that!!! What!?!?! Is this real life? We are staying at Camp Hope this week while we build and the facility is wonderful. We have washers and dryers, 15ish showers and BEDS!!!! Beds with pillows!!!! AMAZING.

Mobile to Biloxi

The Mobile to Biloxi ride was very interesting. The roads didn't have any shoulder but thanks to the early hour we were riding and some constructions the roads were not to bad. It was very humid but still comfortable that morning. Riding out of Alabama has been my favorite ride so far. Trees overhung the road providing lots of shade. The pavement was smooth the entire time and the bright red/ orange sand was a beautiful constrast to the fresh black pavement. The morning went very very well. Kelly and I rode with Jillian which was nice because I haven't ridden with her before :) Crossing into Mississippi was fun. There was no state line so we chalked it in and took our pictures by the chalk :) Mississippi gave us a nice warm welcome with it's crappy roads. There was a very very long stretch with nothing but bumps. Not ideal for your butt or lady parts. After we got through the bumps we passed over a "Entering KKK Territory" message that had been spray painted across the road. I cannot tell you how mad this made me. It reminded me that we are in fact in the deep south, hate and ignorance and discrimination do still exsist and that my job as a follower of Chirst and decent human being is to love everyone, even the difficult.

Our first lunch stop was great and I was ready to get back on the road. Coleman decided that he would join our group so we headed out. 10 minutes later I had to ride in the van after having acollision with Jillian. I was so so so angry because I was having a great day and my body was feeling great and I hate riding in the van but what can you do. When life gives you lemons make lemonade I guess. So after arriving back at first lunch i was overjoyed to see three dogs :):):) Two healers and a rat terrier. The boys gave them very interesting names but I don't remember what they were. Being the dog nerd that I am I aged them all and noted that none of them were spayed or neutered. In fact I have yet to find a dog that has been altered. This just further inspires me to educate people on the importance of spay and neuter and the huge need for shelter animals to find homes. anyways, back to Bike and Build. The day finished fine and riding in the van and encouraging the other riders as we pass is a lot of fun. Tomorrow we ride to NOLA!!!!

Mobile, AL

My first ride after arriving back was a 90 mile ride into Mobile, AL and I was so excited that I was able to ride with the team when we crossed our first state line!!!!! The ride had some hills but we didn't let that get to us. Temp was somewhere around the 93ish mark. Kelly and I plugged along but about 5 miles before second lunch I started crashing:( Kelly was very patient and talked me through the last five miles and we arrived safely at second lunch. Christina and Alyssa were so nice and had waited for us to arrive so that we could all ride together. Sadly I was too hot and dehydrated so I was unable to finish the day so I joined Mel and Tiffany in the van. At first I was really beating myself up about it but then I realized that I completed a 63 mile ride and that's not nothing. Today I rode in the van but tomorrow is a new day!!!Dinner was very good. Our hosts provided us with lots of salads and fresh fruit. It's so exciting to be in one place for 3 whole nights! I am sharing a room with Tiffany- love this girl- David and Mark. After dinner Galen started a people pile where we all layed our head on each others' bellys and got our heads scratched:) Gotta love team bonding!

Build day number one started out awesome as well. We all pill ed in VANessa- our van's name:) and headed to Starbucks where we each received a free drink of our choice and a pastry. I had a WONDERFUL cranberry/orange scone. Excellent way to start the day. After breakfast we hit the road!!! On the way to the build site we all rocked out and rocked the van at red lights. It was a good time. After arriving at the build site Justin gave us the low down on the house we would be working on. It was a repossessed home so we needed to fix a whole list of things but then the home owner would be able to move in. After signing waivers and such we broke into groups and received tasks. I worked with Eddie, Brettly, Richard and Alyssa and we tore our old carpet and nails and then we painted an entire master bedroom after Brettly patched some holes that were i n the drywall. Lunch was fun- i got Taco Bell because the rest of the team had pulled pork sandwiches. Christine C. lead a few ladies in a dance party as well. Overall the day went well. Other highlights include hearing Katy Perry's ET approximately 6 times throughout the day. This is Will's favorite lol once I got home and showered I was able to Skype with Kristen!!! All in all a great day :) Build day number two went just as smoothly as day number one. The team got a lot done!! Prachi's group finished the flooring in all three bed rooms. My crew painted almost everything there was to be painted. Groups working outside got siding put up and other things accomplished. At the end of the work day Justin told us that all of the work that we did would have taken him about 8-10 days and we did it in 2!!!! He also told us we are welcome to come back anytime and that this Habitat has 3 dedications in the next 3 weeks!!!! So the highlight of this day for me was defiantly meeting the home owners. None of us were expecting to meet her but apparently there was an article in the paper and so she made it her mission to find us and thank us for all of our work. Her story was heart breaking but I am so glad that I got to hear it. Her mother was a drug addict and so she lived with her grandparents growing up. She lives in a dangerous neighborhood with shootings everyday. She has been battling a rare form of liver cancer for over 10 years and she is only 27. She just lost her job. Her life has not been easy by any means but she was both faithful and joyful!!! She just kept saying thank you and that this isn't just a house it's a life change for her I think that's really important to recognize. We aren't just painting or siding or whatever. We are putting people into homes. We are helping them have a better, brighter future. We are making a difference and for me that is the only reason I am able to bike every day. Mobile has been fun!! Onto our third state line tomorrow!!!!!

Wheel Dip and Ride #1

So I am incredibly behind in blogging and am trying to play catch up lol So orientation went well as you all have heard. The 21st was our official wheel dip. Everyone was SUPER PUMPED! The leaders each gave short speeches and then we dipped our wheels in the Atlantic Ocean and officially started our trip!!! After dipping our wheels we all lined up to rinse our bikes and break into safe riding groups. During that time I happen to stumble upon a beautiful senior german sheperd! Thats right I found a dog right before the start of my first ride :D For those of you that don't know I have made it my life's mission to love on as many furry friends as possible throughout Bike and Build and my life really :) Anyways back to the ride. The first 25 miles went beautifully!!! Kelly lead us out of Jacksonville and on our way out we road through some very pretty areas. We also passed a TON of cyclists. Jacksonville is very cyclist friendly it seems:) Passing all of these bikers just reminded me that I have not only joined the Bike and Build community but also the larger community of cyclist. First lunch went well and for a while Kelly and I were riding in the middle of the pack. Several gas stations along the way let us fill our Camelbacks with ice and water. I am already learning that it doesn't take much to make me happy because ice water rocked my world. About halfway to second lunch Kelly and I caught up to Prachi, Eddie, and Mark so we all road together into second lunch. I was getting very tired and the heat was rising but we all made it to sencond lunch. I had my first fall pulling into lunch lol There was a bunch of sand on the shoulder where we needed to pull over and as you might guess road bikes aren't good in sand so I just tipped over. No major injuries just a giant purplish bruise to mark the occassion. After eating lunch I felt much much better so Kelly and I continued along our journey. Highlights of the last leg of the journey include more ice water, Kelly got her picture with her street sign and encouraged me when I struggled and we made it up a MASSIVE bridge that was at the end of our journey. All in all a great day with a few challenges.

Orientation!!!!!

Ahhh! So the road trip down with Kelly Kelsey Renee and drew went very well. We had good weather the whole way down and I very much enjoyed everyone's company. We arrived at orientation very nervous but the nerves quickly subsided when Renee handed me a letter from Kristen. I thank god for that girl daily! So encouraging:) after everyone arrived orientation began. Lots of icebreAkers. Let me repeat. lots.of.ice beakers. But don't worry I survived. We were also given teams, I am on team blue barracuta and my team consists of Eddie, mark, noelle, steph, and David m. We are in charge of filling the water coolers in the mornings for now. Day two we woke up to music and got started with our day right away. More icebreakers followed by how to change a tire and properly clean your bike. I am proud to say that I successfully changed my tires with a little help from Prachi and Coleman. After learning how to treat our bikes we did some drills in a parking lot near our church. We practiced signaling, stopping quickly, and obstacle course. Overall drills went well the stopping fast was a little nerve racking but I did it without falling!!! After drills it was time to hit the road for our shakedown ride! Things started off great but then due to some construction we had to reroute and that caused some confusion. We rode through a residential area with lots of stops which was good practice clipping in and out and signaling. We also stopped at the beach and dipped our feet in. Something about the ocean just makes me happy:) dinner was wonderful as well. Getting to know each other is so great! Things I am learning already: attitude is everything, I am very grateful for food, water, and showers, and sunshine makes the world a better place. Wheel dip is tomorrow and then we ride!!!!!!

Mail Drops!!!

Hey Hey!!! Mail drops are out :):):) This means that you can send me mail this summer! Info listed below!!!


Southern U.S.

May 23
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Perry, FL 32348

June 02
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Biloxi, MS 39530

June 06
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Arabi, LA 70032

June 14
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Natchitoches, LA 71458

June 18
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Garland, TX 75040

June 27
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Dalhart, TX 79022

July 05
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Farmington, NM 87401

July 12
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Fredonia, AZ 86022

July 18
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Overton, NV 89040

July 25
Bike & Build
Attn: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Lancaster, CA 93534

August 01
Bike & Build
Atth: CYCLIST NAME
General Delivery
Coalinga, CA 93210

Items that would be nice to receive include but are not limited to letters, pictures, verses, stickers, crackers, luna bars, gummy bears and any other random thing that you would like to send. Thank you once again for all of your support! Bike and Build starts in 7 days!!!!

It's starting to feel real now...

So over the past month I have been training and collecting gear and preparing for this incredible journey that is my summer with Bike and Build and today it finally hit me. THIS.IS.REAL. Many miles logged on my bike. Rides in wind, rain, and snow. Rides with friends and solo rides. Short commutes to work and long rides to different towns. Months of collecting biking gear and learning all about my new baby. And in eight short days I will be in Jacksonville FL meeting the rest of my team. Meeting the people I am going to spend the entire summer growing with and experiencing the country in a unique way. I.AM.STOKED. and once again THIS.IS.REAL. and I cannot wait for it to start!!!!!!!!

AAAAHHHH!!!! I Reached $4000!!!!!!!!

It's so hard to believe that literally seven days ago I felt like I was ridiculously behind in fundraising and I was starting to have doubts. In seven days $1600 was raised for affordable housing and I have reach my fundraising minimum!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I will say again AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! This whole thing becomes more real with each passing day. It is slowly sinking in more and more each time. I really am biking across the country for affordable housing this summer!!!!!!! This is real life!!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! A HUGE thank you to anyone and everyone who has supported me over the past 6 months. Your encouragement and prayers and finacial support have made this journey possible! Thank you and I love you!!!

Let's Ride 65!!!

Where to begin lol Yesterday Kelly and I got up around 6-6:30 am got all of our gear on and our bikes ready and we were out the door by 7am. We saw a beautiful sunrise, the first of many I am sure, and then we swung over to Woldt to pick Kelsey up! Then we were off. Riding together we had decided that this day would be our 65 mile ride day:) The ride into Clare went very well. The skies were cloudy but no rain and a blistering 35 degrees out. Gotta love Michigan weather:) Kelsey lead us into Clare where we were able to atop and meet her family, which includes two dogs and a 16 year old cat!!!! I was SO pumped! I love meeting old cats:) Anyways her dad had prepared a wonderful waffle breakfast and her mom had made blueberry syrup that was wonderful! After breakfast we hit the road again. We made it to Farwell pretty easily. The roads were smooth and the shoulder was wide:) Kelly, of course, provided most of the musical entertainment:) We found hills on our way out of Farwell. Shout out to Kelly for encouraging me up that hill even though she was struggling as well. After climbing some hills we ran into a problem...one of the roads we had wanted to take home turns to dirt! So we all decided that it was probably best to go back the way that we came from. So we hit the hills again singing and laughing together bonding over our experience. We arrived at Farwell without issue, stopped for a bathroom break and then the real fun began!!! In the short time that we were stopped Michigan's sense of humor kicked in and it started snowing. The forecast for the day had been rain showers at 2pm not snow at noon. We decided to make the best out of the situation and ride on at a faster pace. By the time we got to Clare the snow had started to pick up and we were starting to get cold despite all of our layers. But we pedaled onward. At about halfway to Rosebush the snow was pouring down and it was no longer safe for us to ride so we pulled over and collectively decided to stop for the day. Right after coming to this conclusion...wait for it....it thunders!!! Yup that's right thunder snow in April! Laughing at the irony of the situation we started hoofing it towards Rosebush. Thankfully a nice couple stopped and offered to give us a ride into town. So we called for our rides and waited at a gas station after talking to the people who gave us a ride about Bike and Build. Rides arrived and I was never so happy to have heat in my life. After coming home and attempting to unthaw we decided that the hot tub was a must. Lots of hot tub time and stretching and we were finally feeling more like people and less like human Popsicles. All in all a great day of fellowship and biking but not quite what we had in mind for the day. I have decided that biking in snow makes us hardcore. (picture at the top is the view from our apt)

More Fundraising and AHHHAHHH! Moments!

Last night Kelly and I were able to have our spaghetti dinner fundraiser here in Mount Pleasant at His House Christian Fellowship. Each time I have a fundraiser I am completely blown away by people's generousity and last night was no different. 95% of the food was provided by the Siegersmas and the Dykes. Desserts poured in from all over. From set up to break down everything went smoothly. We had a great turn out of family and friends from all over!!! Also, we had a surprise visit from Cory, one of our trip leaders!!! This idea of spending my summer biking across the country is finally starting to set in. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! In 6ish short weeks I will be biking across the country with 33 amazing people:):):) Anyways, back to the dinner. I just want to say thank you to a few people. To the Dyke family and the Siegersma family, thank you so much for all of your support throughout this journey. You are beautiful people and you inspire me daily. To my family, thank you so much for your support at the dinner last night! Your attendance and support means so so so much! To Lizzy and Alisha, thank you for all of your prayers and encouragement. You are beautiful women of God! Keep fighting the good fight:) To all of my fabulous roommates past, present and future, thank you for always being there. Thank you for encouraging and supporting me all along the way. Thank you for being a part of my life. You mean the world to me. To HIs House at CMU and all of it's staff, thank you for opening my eyes to the good news and thank you for allowing me to call HIs House my home church. Without the church none of this would be possible! Finally, thank you to everyone else who was able to come out adn support Kelly and I last night. Almost $1000 was raised for affordable housing!!!!! Kelly and I are in our final leg of fundraising!!!! WOW I REALLY AM BIKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS SUMMER!!!!!!

In the Words of of Bon Jovi... Whooah We're Half Way There!!!!

I am very happy to report that I have reached my halfway goal of $2000 raised for affordable housing!!!!! a HUGE THANK YOU to all of my friends, co-workers and life group ladies for all of your support, monetarily, emotionally and physically. You are wonderful. Just saying... Letters and meeting with people to talk about Bike and Build and affordable housing are still going out and being set up. I also have a bake sale at our local Rite Aid coming up on Friday, March 18th from 10am to 2pm so if you are in the area and looking for some sweet treats stop by!

In addition to fundraising, I have also been doing plenty of training :) My bike arrived undamaged after a 3 week detour to Pennsylvania and has been assembled and adjusted by our local bike shop here, Motorless Motion!!!Then Kelly and Maeghan helped me but my bike computer and Tiger onto my bike, compliments of the Kristen Dyke:) We had some crazy Michigan weather which resulted in a Mid February thaw, so I was able to ride my bike OUTSIDE on the road for a few days before the snow dumped on us again!!!! That was absolutely WONDERFUL and to say that I cannot wait for the snow to melt and the roads to clear is the understatement of the winter. So until I am able to ride outside I will continue training on Kelly's indoor trainer. I love the trainer because it allows me to ride my super awesome bike but riding inside is not the same as being outside, observing the nature, in the sunshine.

That's really all I have for now. I know it was short and sweet and somewhat scatterbrained but hey that's me and that's why you love me :D

Summer

P.S. My bike needs a name!!! I am taking suggestions but I have decided that she is a girl so keep that in mind :):):):)

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

This post is dedicated to Marelene and the entire Dyke family as well as Renee and the Siegersma family. With out all of your help and hard work the dinner would not have been a success. I am far more greatful than you will ever know. Thank you.

As many of you know I had my first spaghetti dinner fundraiser this past week at 1st Allendale CRC. The dinner was a HUGE success and because of the generosity of so many almost 800 dollars was raised to support me on my journey, but more importantly to support the affordable housing cause!!!!!!!!!!! A HUGE thank you goes out to the Dyke family for all of their hard work. Their willingness to love and serve is truly inspiring and I hope that if I have a family some day that we model their example of what it means to be Christians. Another HUGE thank you to the Siegersma family. The dinner and break down would not have run as efficiently with out all of your help. So thank you so very much! Other thanks you include but are not limited to the members from my Biloxi, MS team that came out to support me. It has been far to long since I had seen all of you and your support means the world to me:) Also, thank you to all of the members of my Cedar Rapids, Iowa team as well. It was so nice catching up with all of you and I cannot express how much I appreciate your support so thank you again. Special thanks to Nancy Rotman. Your dessert was LOVELY and I cannot even begin to explain how much I enjoy your company. You are a truly inspiring women and I hope that we remain friends for years to come. Your joy is contagious :) Another HUGE thank you to 1st Allendale CRC for letting me host my dinner there and for allowing me to serve along side your members for the past two years. Without those experiences Bike and Build and affordable housing cause would not have been on my heart. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Finally a very very special thank you to all of the people that I did not know that came out to support me and the cause simply because they were passionate and able to give. Your gifts mean so much to me.

Other Bike and Build fundraisers are in the works! I will let you know once I have more details :) Until then the first portion of fundraising letters has gone out and the second round will be leaving soon!!! If you would like to donate and haven't done so yet go online to www.bikeandbuild.org/donate and select my name from the list of participants!!!!

With Gratitude, Peace, and Love,

~Summer