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