Portland Build Day


After an amazing ride over the Cascades yesterday, we spent today working at a very well-run, organized build site in Portland.


We were split into a couple different groups. Some of us were painting inside an almost complete house while the rest of us built and put up walls on a nearby house. The site we worked on has 23 units and will house more than 75 people in the near future.


All in all, the day went incredibly well. Parents began to arrive from all over the country; Dylan’s parents provided us with lunch and Megan’s parents are taking us all to see Batman tonight. We are really starting to feel the end of the trip’s approach now and everyone is savoring every moment. Our last build day came and went and now we only have two more days until we reach the Pacific.


Anne

The Woes of Van Life
By Janine Zimnie


A common saying on Bike & Build is “The best day in the van is still worse than the worst day on a bike”. It’s true. I watched my friends become increasingly dehydrated, wind burnt, and saddle sored over 85 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing over Mt. Hood into Portland. My day sitting in the air-conditioned van with 2 ill and injured riders was hardly note-worthy. Lame-o. I would trade places with a rider any day. So instead of documenting this banal UHaul experience I will do a countdown of the top ten van moments from CUS ’08.


FYI- the van’s name is Betty


10. When Alana fell asleep in the back of the van without anyone noticing and didn’t wake up until Lois had already driven away from lunch. Alana suddenly bolted into an upright position and scared the crap out of Lois.


9. After the van broke down the first time and I parked the 17 ft. Uhaul at a lunch stop/strawberry farm and everyone packed into the cargo bed to find some shade while eating pbjs.


8. Watching chore groups wedge laundry burritos (or taco salads) into the 2 front seats of the van.


7. Thinking of all the weird places we have pulled the van over for lunch breaks. Gas stations, city parks, turn outs on mountain passes, random dirt roads in Wyoming and Idaho without a town in sight for miles, farms, churches, fire stations, interacting with folks from the rainbow gathering….


6. Gabe’s infamous bachelorette party dance for Ellen and then going to the karaoke bar in Dayville, OR that night and have the store owner say over the microphone say, “Alright, I wanna know who that guy was dancing on top of the Uhaul today!”


5. Driving the 3rd shuttle home from the build day in Steamboat Springs and having a sing-along to In Your Eyes. And that rocking sing-along to Queen in the van on the way back to the church from the pool party at Anne’s in St. Louis.


4. Sleeping on top of Betty when we were camping in Flaming Gorge, WY. And twice sleeping in the bed of the Uhaul on camping nights in Idaho and Oregon.


3. (LOW) Going up Bolt Mountain and having 9 people in the van. (HIGH) Going over the Rockies, Sawtooth, Tetons, and Cascades and being MUCH stronger.


2. Driving the van during the scavenger hunt day in Kansas and driving behind each group to watch & judge their synchronized bicycle routines.


1. Walking home from the Sawtooth in Arco, ID and piling 10 people on Betty’s roof and laughing so much while looking at the stars. How romantic.

Family Love


Maupin, OR


The morning started as we all rolled back to the church fresh from our overnight stays with our host families. Laughter and hugs were shared like a giant family reunion, and as if we hadn’t seen each other the night before (It was the longest time we have all been apart). Over a wonderful all you can eat pancake breakfast, we shared stories of our families and the joys of having your own bed.
This morning tested our ability to fight past that warm-up burn in your legs as we had 3 climbs before lunch. The first climb was steep, but we had a great view of the town as we headed west. On the downhill I went really fast, tucking and enjoying the cool morning weather. I caught up to a few of the fast riders and rode the rolling downhills with them until the second climb. The second climb was a 10 mile, 2500 ft climb. The view was beautiful, although hazy, and it was nice to climb in a little cooler weather. We stopped in the town of Antelope at the café for some free coffee and candy to refuel. I heard the marionberry cobbler was also wonderful! The final climb was our shortest, only 3 miles and 900 ft. As I was riding up the hill, I looked ahead and saw a bunch of switchbacks, and could see some other riders climbing ahead of me (they almost looked like ants in an ant farm). It was a lot of fun to wave down to people as I climbed. As we crested the top of the hill, we saw Mt. Hood!! Only one more day to Portland!

After lunch, we biked only 4 miles before finding Goldie’s Ice Cream shop. I recommend the coffee almond fudge, it was delectable. The “all downhill” into Maupin ended up being rolling hills, but it was a nice treat after the morning climbs. We rode on Bake Oven Road today, and sweep (Alana and Eli) even enjoyed a muffin break on this road. It was true to its name, and very hot with no shade. As we pulled up a hill, the valley appeared with the town of Maupin and the Deschutes River. It was a really fun switchback all the way down into town. As true to Bike and Build, we had a large uphill to the host. We stayed at the Maupin Community Church, and we were greeted with warm smiles and wonderful snacks. Annie even made a lucky few an iced coffee drink! We had a little pre-rinse on the way to showers today, the sprinkler system at the school was on so we had a nice cool treat.
Dinner was really delicious, burgers and veggie burgers with tons of sides. After our presentation, we had our last family meeting. The meeting was filled with laughter and extended highs and lows of the week. We all are getting ready for a long day of climbing tomorrow!

Peace,
Laura

Today we entered the desert part of eastern Oregon. Who knew that Oregon had desert?! Still, the sand colored buttes have their own kind of beauty. Plus, we got to see another one of those “No gas (read: civilization) for 42 miles” which kind of makes you feel like you’re taking a walk on the wild side. We also changed time zones today and so we made excellent biking time after falling back an hour.


We stayed at Burnt River School in Unity, a tiny town nestled in the middle of cow country. Many of us took advantage of the two-for-one meal deal at a cafe or the trip's best burgers at El Dorado Ditch Restaurant and Lounge, where we learned a little more about the former mining town. Unity is most famous for its annual Rat Shoot where people come from all over the country to help control the insidious population of ground squirrels. I know that several members of Bike and Build are planning on returning for next year’s big hunt. Reunion anyone?


Most of us closed out the day by munching on the goodies that were sent to us at our mail drop, but Lee, Kevin and Tony climbed the water tower and watched the sun set. Although we planned on camping out on the football field, representatives from the school told us they had found two rattlesnakes on the field recently. Not wanting to take chances, we set up our tents on the sidewalk next to the school and some of us even decided to take shelter in the locker rooms inside. I just can’t believe how little time we have left! I know we all are savoring each day at this point.


Love to everyone back at home,

Mary

Hello friends, family and well wishers!


I just wanted to draw your attention to the main page of the Bike & Build website, where we have posted details of CUS's arrival in Cannon Beach! This includes information both about the wheel dip ceremony and end of trip celebration. As details about the dinner that evening become finalized, we will post them to the same spot on the website, so please keep checking back.


Thanks! I'll see everyone on the West Coast!


Kristian Sekse

Program Director

Boise Build Day Ballyhoo (our first B&B day of demolition)


Okay. I swear I’m done with the alliteration. Today we biked to our build site to find that we were not constructing, but rather destructing two homes in order to make space for 8 beautiful new duplexes, built ambitiously by Boise’s Habitat for Humanity chapter. The 16-family drive will also include a park. It doesn’t get much better than that, now does it, children? While half of us worked on filling an empty dumpster with myriad two-by-fours and broken television sets, the other half biked to a nearby coffee house to begin the intense yet gratifying process of giving our raised funds to youth-based affordable housing organizations across the country.


(Earlier that week, we had received over 40 grants from these organizations asking for our donations in order to fully or partially fund their projects. Our route, the Central U.S., is unique in that we get to choose, through this process, to whom exactly our money goes to.)


While the coffee house crowd perused application after application over caffeine, the build site crew worked hand in hand with another set of Habitat volunteers from the Old Idaho Penitentiary. That’s right mom, inmates. While the mixing may have started slowly, the curiosity (on both sides) soon overtook whatever barriers may have been in place, and we got to ask just as many questions about their experiences as they did of ours thus far. Now don’t let your imagination run away… Nothing gruesome or inappropriate, just, you know, what it’s like there. Anyways…


By the time the coffee crowd got back for the afternoon shift of work, the build site crew had already done what was needed, and could be seen chatting it up with a bunch of genial, over-tattooed men. It was an experience unlike any other, and we all rode away from the build site having made contact with a way of life we were ignorant of prior to the day. While the country’s affordable housing crisis could use some work, another issue that is given so little attention is the overcrowding of prisons. It’s bigger than just homelessness or prison; it’s an issue of poverty. For a good account of how these two issues, poverty and prison, intertwine, read Sister Helen Prejean’s Dead Man Walking.


For the rest of the day, we continued to look over the 40-odd applications as a whole, judging individually where our money would be best allocated. It would be a long, laborious process spanning many days. Some may call it epic, others, a trial. Each of us knew, though, that the grant process was really what the entire trip was all about. Each of us had at least $4,000 invested in the process, and letting it all go was our summer’s reward.



XOXO,


Tony

After a rare late-morning wake up in the heretofore-bustling gold mining town of Idaho City (current population 484) a particularly energized group of cyclists saw not a five on the alarm clock but a seven! The mood was further augmented by a short 38-mile journey to Boise. Regardless of the fact that no one seemed to know if it was pronounced boy-zee or boy-see, everyone agreed that we should sprint to the city. And so we raced through the Boise Basin averaging over 20 mph for the day; barely noticing the lava flows, porphyritic intrusions, basaltic columns (unless you were an Environmental Science major…) The road followed Moore’s Creek going the right way, the down stream/downhill way, and provided views of ponderosa pine forests and small rapids until we hit the Arrowrock Dam and reservoir. After the reservoir was the day’s singular hill and lunch at the top. After lunch it was 18 miles further to our host and even sweep made it in before noon. Then Boise was thoroughly explored until 6pm when dinner crew wok’d and rolled out some sumptuous stir-fry. And now, because it was such a short day and thus a short journal entry, I present the information that all of you in cyberspace really want to know:


If you could have any accessory on your bike that wouldn’t add any weight to it, what would it be?


Beau – air conditioning


Eli – milkshake machine


Sonya – inflatable hemorrhoid cushion


Genie – water fountain


Joe – craigslist


Andrew – the Pacific Ocean


Corey – a urinal


Liz – a pony


Colin – a mounted machine gun/chariot style wheel spikes


Jackie – monster truck tires


Gabe – Liz’s pony so she doesn’t get one


Ellen – slurpee machine


Quid – City of Compton and a keg


Janine – tandem with Lance Armstrong riding in front of her (siiiiigh…)


Dylan – an actual beard


Will – side car


Lois – a swing


Megan – Gabe wearing the Liberty Bell


Liza – personal masseuse


Lee – the London philharmonic


Mary – rocket pack


Anna – a live band


Emily – a sold out concert that Anna can’t get tickets to because it’s a better band


Nate – lead weights with helium


George – a really, really nice camera


Tony – a music festival


Anne – phone/internet/command center, which allows talking without getting winded


Kevin – Fenway Park


Laura – surround sound system


Alana – cruise control

The Long and Winding Road

That’s right. Today, we took one road. And it had lots of turns. The day started out at 5am when we all struggled to get out of our warm sleeping bags. Once morning routine was completed, about half of the group stayed at the campsite for more breakfast and warm beverages to warm-up with as we determined it was way too cold to start biking. Cindy and her staff at the café informed us that it was actually 31 degrees when we woke up! No wonder we were all huddling together in circles together. The café was wonderful and even had a special sign for us cyclists up. Joe and Gabe both ate a stack of pancakes (3 each as big as a plate). Apparently this had never been completed before but they both tackled it like champs.
By the time we left the café the sun was out and starting to warm things up but for the first time on the trip I actually kept on my base layer and fleece jacket for the first 15 miles (yes it was that cold). The morning flew by as I chatted with Alana and Laura and we marveled at the amazing scenery. We were in forests today with beautiful pine trees, creeks, and water falls around each turn. I think that today was among the most beautiful of the trip and I take back all the sour comments I made regarding the “Scenic” written on the Idaho license plates.

After first lunch we had an awesome 10 mile climb up through a forest (Boise National Forest I believe) that was really pleasant. Though I really enjoy climbing…Though second lunch was at the top, we had more climbing a few miles down the road before we got our reward of 13 miles of mostly down into Idaho City. Once in town people found their way over to the ** Calamity Café** Where they were generous enough to offer us a buy one, get one free deal on anything on the menu. Currently dinner crew is fixing quesadillas which should be wonderful as they made excellent burritos last night!
-Ellen Childress

When you wake up at 5 and there’s already a headwind, you know you’re in trouble. That was the case in Arco this morning, and the wind gave us our fair share of frustration on an otherwise beautiful day. I spent the morning riding with Colin and Andrew as each one of took pulls trying to overcome the wind to no real avail, although there was at least some consolation in sharing a rough experience rather than trying to tackle it alone.


As we headed out from Arco that morning, the moments in which I could pick my head for a bit and try to forget about the wind were the best. We rode on the western side of several peaks scrawled with the graduation years of Arco’s high school classes since the 1920s. The sun didn’t make his appearance until an hour or so into our ride. The sight when he did, however, was gorgeous. A few rays poked through each gap in the wall of rock to our right and illuminated the fields being irrigated in the early morning. Horses and livestock stirred; a few horses even ran alongside us before their fence kept them at bay.


Before long, our ride took us out of Arco’s farmlands and into the desert of eastern Idaho. The landscape was bizarre as we rode by Idaho’s tallest peaks—we passed Mt. Borah around mile 60—yet there wasn’t a tree in sight. Unlike Trail Ridge where huge forests gave way to barren peaks, the whole place was stripped of any vegetation or signs of life at all. The first half of the day culminated in a climb through a pass in the mountains. The wind at this point had done its best to crush our spirits and had almost succeeded when Colin, Andrew, and I rolled up to second lunch to see Alana, Lois, Anna, and Megan performing a choreographed dance routine to the tune of “Like a Prayer” on top of our van, Betty. On a side note, this dance is apparently spreading. Alana has made it her mission to teach everyone she encounters this routine so that one day, somewhere in Singapore, the entire bar will break out in one beautifully synchronized routine.


Whatever the wind did our spirits in the morning, the last part of the day’s ride made for all that. Colin, Andrew, and I took off from lunch to find that the wind had died down and the terrain had become more forgiving. We headed into Grand View Canyon with rock walls blocking any wind and tight curves on a gentle downhill got our paceline moving. I pulled into the canyon until I couldn’t go any faster and pulled off at about 32 mph only to see Colin shoot out from behind me going about 37 or 38. We kept it up, though not quite that fast, into town. Where we all settled into our host ready for our ride to Stanley the next day.



Lee

Idaho Falls- Genie


Our build day in Idaho Falls was great. We started the day with a wonderful breakfast from our host who then helped shuttle us over to the build site. My ride over included a small detour past the falls which was a nice view to start my day. The Idaho Falls habitat was extremely organized and everyone had a job to do all day. Most of us spent the day putting up siding on the back and sides of the house. Other people worked with insulation, roofing, and building a porch. After the build some people explored, napped, did laundry, or relaxed. Dinner was provided at one of the church member’s house. It was a great meal outside in which Sonya entertained us by wonderfully playing the viola. We then went back and either went to bed or watched a movie. Overall a great day.


On a side note- our host gave us a fabulous folding table to use at lunch. I think everyone is happy to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a real table!

We awoke today well rested and ready for the big climb out of Jackson Hole, WY. Our day off left us with fresh legs to tackle the Teton pass, a six mile climb that would have us ascend over 2,000 feet. Gabe helped us get our game faces on by adding a few words of inspiration on our cue sheet for the day. He asked us to reflect upon how much stronger we have grown both physically and mentally over the course of
the summer, and remember the euphoric feeling that we get every time that we conquer another challenge. Everyone attacked the hill and made it up without any problems.


Our generous hosts (the Amblers) provided us with another beautiful breakfast. It was especially cool to look out over the prairie next to their house and see the horses grazing in the fog left over from the night before. The mountains in the background also added to the scenery. It took a few of us an extra cup of coffee to get going as it was COLD outside, but that didn't last long as everyone warmed up when

they began to climb.


After a brief celebration at the top of the hill, a few of the guys attempted to set new land speed record for a bicycle on the descent into Idaho. Nate even packed his bag full of rocks (and his water bottles with dirt) so that he could attain maximum speed down the hill. Many riders hit speed well over 50 mph.


In Teton valley, Idaho we all stopped and got huckleberry milkshakes at a local shop. They were awesome.


The rest of the ride was a journey through the Idaho countryside that bought us over a plateau and finally into Idaho Falls. The First Presbyterian church provided us with a massive potluck which many of the members of the congregation attended.


Most of us went to bed early in order to rest up for the next day's build day.

Jackson by Don Pilzer


The chill of the morning dawn in Pinedale was accompanied by chills of anticipation. Days of sweating it out through the gruelling desert headwinds were finally yielding to a reward day. We're goin' to Jackson! Man, it's cold this morning. Never mind the suntan lotion for now; break out the arm warmers.


We all kicked out hard, lured by the views of the approaching mountains. When we crossed the first pass, the rushing Hoback River joined our path. We rolled downstream with it, escorted by a rollicking friend, and we knew we were in for our first easy day in recent memory. A well deserved one at that. The chief feature of the century ride into Pinedale, Wyoming the day before had been a moderate, steady, direct headwind for at least the last twenty miles. The day before that, we had treacherous road conditions and injuries. The ride into Flaming Gorge, Utah had been sensationally beautiful, but grueling physically.


Look out Jackson Town! As we breezed into that city, a light sprinkle welcomed us. An added thrill was knowing we had crossed North of the forty third parallel (just kidding). Views of the sensational jagged Tetons, horses grazing on the green valley floor, all were visible from the back deck of our host's home. Peace in the valley.


For four days, I had the privilege of being in the company of the most fabulous group of people I have ever met in my fifty two years. Before I had experienced it, I could not have comprehended how Spartan the life is. Hot deserts, hills, winds, rocks, 18 wheelers, mostly peanut butter lunches, ending with a cold floor in a hot church ; transcended by indefatigable spirit and joy. (The women inexplicably manage to look like cover girls through it all.)


Though the wind was not always at our backs that week, it was beautiful to see people pull out their strengths from the quiet places deep within, provide support for others when needed, and best of all, embrace the joy of unlimited possibility that youthful vitality provides.


After a lovely dinner, we rocked the van. This team cannot be stopped!

Our third and final day off began amazingly…as any day would when up three hours later than the now normal 5am. Our generous hosts, Jim and Emily Ambler, had breakfast (complete with coffee) set up for us when we woke up and the view of the pasture and the Tetons from their yard was even more spectacular than the evening before. After breakfast, they led us into Grand Teton National Park on a search for bison. A few picture stops later, we came across a herd of at least fifty bison. We were so close to them, and to make it even better, the Amblers brought a telescope and binoculars with them for our use. The absolute coolest part of the bison viewing was when the herd began moving across the road…on both sides of us. We were surrounded…it was such a cool experience.


The next part of the day involved awesome white water rafting (set up by Colin…YAY, Colin!!!) and on the way to rafting, the Amblers once again showed amazing generosity in treating us to lunch at an awesome little coffee/bagel shop in downtown Jackson. From the coffee shop, we went to Barker-Ewing Rafting Company to being our next adventure (thanks, Colin). The majority of the group had never gone white water rafting before and everyone was really excited to go. On the bus ride to the river, Lois used some of her colored zinc as face paint…Lee became Braveheart, Tony got a tic tac toe board drawn on his face, Colin and Cory got war paint, etc. Once on the river, we were split into three rafts and then it was time to take on the Snake River. I’ve gone rafting numerous times, and I have to say that this was probably the most fun I’ve ever had (thanks, Colin), and the rapids were awesome. We’ve been told that it snowed all the way into June in this area and because of the insane amount of snow, the river is really high, which means very fast rapids…and cold water (52 degrees). Speaking of cold water, my raft (me, Eli, Beau, Will, Lee, Tony, Joe, Anne, Liz and Lois) was the only raft that had everyone jump in. Cory and Mr. Pilzer also jumped in, but that was it. The views were really cool and it was an awesome trip (thanks, Colin).


After rafting, we were all pretty exhausted and everyone lay around in the Ambler’s garage for a few hours before being treated to an awesome dinner at Bar J Chuckwagon by Mary’s mom and aunt. It’s an all you can eat buffet of amazing BBQ chicken and beef, potatoes, apple sauce, spice cake, corn bread, beans and lemonade/coffee. It was so good and there was so much food that very few of us actually went up for seconds (very rare). After the meal, there was a western show that involved singing, fiddling, yodeling and, of course, corny jokes. The musicians gave Bike & Build a shout out and it was really cool to get a round of applause for what we’re doing.


The entire day was AWESOME. The end.

Thank you to the mountains.


Thank you to the 80 miles that welcomed us to Jackson.


Thank you to the Hoback River valley.


Thank you to the rocky cliffs.


Thank you to the 35 miles of downhill.


Thank you to Liz, Laura, and Alana for the wildflowers.


Thank you to bug spray.


Thank you to cheese and crackers when we usually have peanut butter and jelly.


Thank you to Megan for getting a hundred mosquito bites so I didn’t have to.


Thank you to the rainstorm.


Thank you to Jim and Emily Ambler for their warm welcome.


Thank you to the view from Jim and Emily’s porch.


Thank you to Sharon Marks for arranging showers.


Thank you to Don Pilzer for dinner.


Thank you to the day off tomorrow.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY



We awoke this chilly morning to an orange glow from the east. Our campground was quiet except for the few stirs of our fellow bike and builders. Gabe, Emily, Janine and Dylan were careful not to tumble from their sleeping perch atop Betty (the van.) Few others had slept outside, myself being one of them. As we carried out our usual morning routine, the antelope/deer of Flaming Gorge frolicked in and out of the campground. We broke our daily route meeting with a huddle and a cheer… today would be an adventure.




Our route, at first, had us backtrack about 3.5 miles to get out of the park where we had camped. We then turned on Hwy 530 and headed for lunch. This particular morning was an amazing ride. The air was cool. The terrain wasn’t too hard. Everyone was in good spirits. We rode into lunch in little groups. Lunch was very near the top of our toughest climb for the day. After grubbing out on PB and anything sandwiches, we took off towards the long downhill to Green River for a big American cheeseburger and some freedom fries. Not 2 miles later, as we neared the crest of our climb, the road became treacherous. A repaving project was underway, and we were caught in the worst of it. The road had been “shaved” down to make a base for new asphalt to be put in. Riding on the shaved road can be best described as taking a jackhammer, turning it upside down, putting a bike saddle on it, turning it on, and riding it. The faster you went the worse it was. The only other option that presented itself was riding on the 1-2 foot shoulder that was not covered by road shavings. This option presented a whole new danger of having your back wheel slip from beneath you due to the loose dirt. The six miles of what was supposed to be our rewarding downhill had been ruined by silly roadwork, and McDonald’s was the only place to get a burger at the bottom.



We were all digesting the distinctly American Mc-eeDee’s burgers and freedom fries when we learned that our original route had been changed. Instead of taking the interstate, we would take a gravel/dirt service road for 10 miles. I would only make it a few hundred yards down this new road. Near the bottom of the first gravel downhill I lost control of my bike and saw a pile of dirt around a raised manhole. I hit it and jumped it. My best guess is that I launched about 10-12 feet before I landed on my head/arm/hip. After jumping up and pacing around pissed off for about 10 minutes, I began the short walk up the trail where the van would scoop us up and bring us to our destination for the night. The brief ride brought us to a First Baptist Church, and I continued on to the hospital. I learned that my injuries were no worse than superficial scrapes and bruises.




The tough and frustrating day came to an end with restful sleep on our air mattresses. We all pondered what tomorrow’s 100-mile day would have in store for us.

I am from Atlanta, Georgia and have never seen anything west of West Virginia prior to this trip. Everything has been new to me since the first few weeks of the trip. With that said, much of the landscapes have been very similar to ones I have seen in my travels along the east coast. This all changed when we crossed the Rockies, I was face to face with terrain and scenic views I had never encountered anywhere in my life.


Since I began planning for this trip a year ago I had a very concrete idea of what I was going to look forward to and what I was going to see. Without question there have been several regions that surprised me. For example when Ohio was not as flat as a pancake I was surprised. I had always heard that past West Virginia all the way to Colorado was flat. Colorado was a huge milestone for me. It was where I marked being half way done with the trip and what I thought would be the biggest change of scenery of the entire trip.


Now many of you are wondering what any of this has to do with being in Utah. Well, all of what I have shared goes to show you how little I know about the West. Besides the fact that eastern Colorado looks just like west Kansas and east Kansas is actually not flat and very pretty, I have decided to put all of my biases and prejudices aside and take everyday as it comes. Kevin said it best yesterday when he said that “this landscape is unpredictable and all we know about it is what we can see in front of us. We don’t know what could be around that boulder whether it is just more of the same or it is something amazing.”


Today started similar to many days that we have. We tried to wake up at 6am, rather unsuccessfully. I personally have been having a hard time getting enough sleep so I tend to roll around in the clutches of my sleeping bag till 6:15 or occasionally 6:30. (shhh don’t tell the leaders) After breakfast we set off on what we all were expecting to be a difficult day. We had all been briefed about the climb at mile 11 that lasted 10 miles with a 5-8% incline the entire way. Our gain in height was close to 3,000 feet. We have of course done climbed much worse but at 9am it is always difficult, especially if you are not all the way awake.


Our roster was set up as follows. Driving the van was Gabe with Mary riding shotgun because she caught one of the many colds bouncing around in the group. Before the beginning of the big first climb Liza too had decided that she was in no condition to battle the elements and took the day off. We have a guest rider in George’s Dad, Don. He is riding with us for the next couple of days. It is cool to see the similarities between George and his father. They are both tall and thin with big smiles and similar postures. From the short amount of time I spent with the two of them they use many of the same fraises and mannerisms, similar to most father son duos. I have been able to tell a particular sparkle in George since his father arrived. He seems to really be enjoying this quality time with his “D” which George so lovingly refers to him as.


Back to the climb. I rode with Anna for much of the day, something I have not done since earlier in the trip. I had a good time because we have similar paces and did not have to really wait for each other. As we approached the base of the climb we made a small descent into a valley. There were rocks jutting up everywhere with towering rocks all around us. The walls of the canyon loomed over us and, as Anna so accurately put it, it looked “like Mars.” The red of the cliffs was set off by the still rising sun.


The beginning of the climb was marked by a sign that said that the climb was 9 miles long with 10 switchbacks and a continuous 5-8% grade. In our usual style, Anna and I took the hill with only one picture stop on the way up. We counted down the switchbacks and encouraged those who had stopped to catch their breath. By this point the sun was up and very hot. This was the most I had sweated in the dry west. In Atlanta you can walk outside and come back in drenched in sweat but here you really have to earn it. And we were; earning it that is. Everyone was glistening like Greek heroes, like Achilles in the movie Troy.


At one point we could look up and see the guard rail from where the road turns and it looked really steep. We collected our guts as we turned the switchback and attacked it expecting it to fight back like the wall it appeared to be however everyone I talked to has said that it was one of the easiest parts of the climb. For whatever reason, this incline, as steep as it seemed, rolled away from beneath everyone’s wheel with ease. Mind you that was only one section of the whole climb and the rest was pretty hard. At one point in the climb Gabe took the van to the bottom and proceeded to blast inspirational music, slowing next to every rider long enough for them to look up and have their grimace turn into a smile; reaching the top was a glorious feeling, leaving us with a true since of accomplishment.


After a few more rolling hills we had made it to lunch. It was warm enough that everyone had drained most of their water from their camelbacks and we did not have enough water in the coolers for everyone to get full refills. We had plenty of Gatorade so we filled up and went in search for a camp ground with water at it. Most people found a good site down the road a mile or so but a couple of us who left earlier did not stop there and continued going. The topographical map of our route had looked like after the big hill it was almost all down hill. Well that was a poor interpretation of the map. We ended up climbing through an aspen forest which Ellen loved. As she pointed out “we haven’t gone through a legitimate forest since Kansas. Don’t get me wrong there were trees in Colorado but nothing dense enough to call a real forest.”


By 2pm we were still climbing and the temperature was still rising. The heat was intense and the nerves among the front group were shot. We were worried about water since we were in the middle of no where and I was not prepared to climb as much as we did. My legs were really sore and the heat was really getting to me.


Now I am sure my depiction of this next part of the ride will do it any justice however it is my duty to attempt to give you a glimpse of it. We crested a hill and began a 5 mile downhill that was full of twists and turns but at the top we took our first turn and were confronted with a gorge that rivals the Grand Canyon. I have never seen the Grand Canyon however Tony claimed that it reminded him of when he visited it. It has also been described as “the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen” by both me and several others. George loved the “bright red of the canyon walls against the crystal blue of the blue water at the base of the gorge.”


The rock walls truly were amazing and the water’s blue rivaled the pictures I have seen of the Caribbean. The following 5 miles were a twisty descent into the canyon with us getting ever closer to this paradise. It took another 15 miles to make it to our campsite and we passed through Wyoming for a few seconds before returning to Utah. The base of the canyon was significantly hotter and drug the last bit of energy out of us as we made the final small climbs to the campsite.


We had two campsites and got to bath and swim in the lake at the bottom of the gorge. It was cool and refreshing and fun. We had tacos for dinner and half the group slept outside under the stars.


It was a long day for all of us but the beauty made it all worth it. I can only imagine what surprises the rest of the trip has in store for us both in terms of scenery as well as terrain and weather.


Peace-
Will McNulty

Today is the day that we celebrated the existence of the man that all girls want to marry, and all boys want to be—Andrew Sheridan. While his jungle-like beard is a relatively new acquisition, Andrew himself was presented to the planet 26 years ago tomorrow, and the world has been a better place ever since. We cheered on Gabe’s (whose b-day is on its way) and Andrew’s stellarness with confetti and chocolate cakes, which were decorated with frosting depictions of the signature facial hair of the two (mustache and beard, respectively) by Liz and Anne. We stayed at an amazing church in Vernal that provided a lovely fried chicken dinner. We also got to welcome George’s dad to our wild lifestyle, and I’m pretty sure he enjoyed it. How could you not?


Earlier today, we biked from Maybell, Colorado to Vernal, Utah, which is an over 90 mile ride. We passed through the town of Dinosaur, where a lot of fossils of (you guessed it!) dinosaurs were uncovered a while back, and naturally a tourist attraction developed. About half of the riders took a break during the long day and had lunch while in the town, and were preparing to order when a waitress came up to them and asked them why they were eating here, since a free roast beef lunch was being served for cyclists at the local high school. Everyone got excited until they realized that the lunch was for a different cross-country group of frat boys who are also doing it for charitable reasons. While all on CUS ’08 are proud that others are contributing to the needs of society by bikes, there are a few differentiations that must be made to prove how hardcore B&Bers are. While the 30 of us have to get across states with the support of just Betty, our on-the-verge-of-death van, the frat boys have five (FIVE!) support vehicles, one of which has a bathroom. While we receive a pbj lunch every 35 or so miles, the frat boys have a water and snack break every 10 miles. While Bike and Builders travel across the country with the pains of headwind, the frat boys will get a nice, comfy tailwind throughout their trip. But, it should be noted, their pacelining prevents any reward of a tailwind for almost everyone except for whoever is in the back (who would find himself braking frequently so as not to run into his neighbor). Perhaps eventually these boys with uncover their mistake and get to their destination at a much higher average speed than before. Also, Bike and Build has girls. I don’t think there needs to be any explanations there.


While the ride today was tough, there is no doubt that CUS ’08 can handle it, and we are pretty sure we can handle it better than any other cross-country cycling team too! Thanks for reading, and I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, since we sure are!


-Megan O’Brien

Into the Desert


Today we left Steamboat Springs with fresh legs after a day of “rest”, a.k.a. a day of 6 hours of construction. The coffee drinkers in the group got our necessary caffeine fix at a coffee shop around the corner from our host church before setting off. The morning flew by with gentle, rolling hills and possibly a slight tailwind (?!?!) After a month and a half of riding into headwinds, I almost forgot it could come from any other direction. We found Lois with Bett,y the van and Agnes, the trailer waiting for us with lunch in a park in Craig, CO, in the midst of a wood carving exhibit, complete with 12-foot high totem poles and enormous carvings of any animal you can imagine. We also ran into a reporter interested in what we are doing, which always makes me feel like a celebrity. After lunch, the rolling hills that led us out of the mountains gave way to mostly flat desert, with the exception of one enormous hill that didn’t feel so hot immediately after eating about 2 pounds of peanut butter, a large portion of a 3-pound bag of animal crackers, and 2 (or maybe 3…) pieces of the delicious chocolate and raspberry cake left over from dinner last night. The rest of the ride passed pretty uneventfully. We rode into Maybell after 72 miles to find our campground and basically nothing else. There is actually an annual bike ride called “Where the hell is Maybell, CO?” which pretty much sums up the town. We enjoyed an awesome hobo dinner of hamburger meat and veggies, thanks to Laura’s ingenuity and Eli and Colin’s amazing wood-chopping skills. After dinner we had a good discussion about issues in affordable housing, interrupted slightly by the adorable dog that visited us from what was probably the only house in Maybell. At our last campsite, we had intended to make smores, but that plan was thwarted by melted chocolate and the lack of a campfire (so we just ate bags of mini marshmallows.) But tonight heat was not an issue, so we roasted marshmallows and exchanged massages around the campfire before heading to our sleeping bags and tents, crammed together like sardines in the Middle of No Where, Colorado.


-Anna

Today was another great day in the life of a Bike and Builder. It was one of those days that only had two turns to make to arrive at the host. I found that beneficial, because at one point I was forced to use my queue sheet for a Charmin substitute.
The first leg of today’s route was through beautiful desert mountains. We speedily passed some long rolling hills as well as calm ponds, which reflected the mountains. Eventually we crossed two mountain passes. One was called muddy pass, and the other was rabbit ears pass. Neither was terribly challenging, and they were over before we knew it. At the top of Rabbit Ears Pass, we found a giant pile of snow, and many of us began the first snowball fight in June in any of our lives. It was so fun, five of us decided to fill our helmets with six or seven snowballs in each in hopes of ambushing an unsuspecting rider. There we patiently waited for the next person to come around the bend. Some time passed and we waited some more. Finally, around the trees where we were hiding we noticed Cory topping the hill. Wham! Wham! We hit Cory with over 30 snowballs! Later that day when I was showing Gabe the pictures of the snow we found, he said, “Oh yeah, that’s the pile of snow that Kevin and I stopped to pee on.”

We continued to lunch a couple of miles down the road and enjoyed some delectable turkey and cheese sandwiches. (a Bike and Build rarity) While we were finishing our lunch when we got the exciting news that the rest of the ride into Steamboat Springs, CO was downhill. Not only that, but seven of those miles was an 8% grade downhill. It was awesome! When we all got into town, we had a wonderful hamburger dinner provide by Habitat for Humanity, and followed that with a night on the town and some quality rest.


Nate

George Pilzer June 27, 2008


Every day on Bike and Build has been wonderful and unforgettable, but today I think will end up standing out as one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding days on the entire trip! Everyone woke up at 5AM at Eagle Rock High School outside of Estes Park. The morning was beautiful and I watched the sun rise behind Eagle Rock while eating a bunch of hash browns for breakfast and doing the typical morning chores. This looked like the perfect morning with solid blue sky and not a cloud in sight! By 7AM, we were riding out of Eagle Rock and many of the high schoolers were out taking an early morning run. The Rocky Mountains were gorgeous as we saw them in the distance across a cow pasture and today was Bike and Build’s day to go right over them!
The first ten miles of today’s ride were easy as we descended to Fall River and the beginning of the long-awaited Trail Ridge Road (Highest continuously paved road in the Continental United States!). I stopped at a quick mart at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park to get some last minute food and provisions before the mighty climb. I saw a sign that said I was at 8200 feet here and I knew I was climbing to over 12000 today! I saw a few other Bike and Build members also taking a rest here at the base.

The first couple of miles of Trail Ridge Road were glorious! The road went over a hill and into a vast and beautiful river valley with walls of mountains on all sides with snow on many of them. After this valley, the road crossed the Fall River and started snaking up the mountainside. The climb was not that bad because the grade was gentle and steady with several switchbacks. Before I knew it, I had caught up with Janine, James, and a few other Bike and Build members. We were all stopped with a lot of tourists to look at this awesome view of the valley we had ridden through! Way below us, I could see Fall River meandering through a fabulous green valley with the road in it and could hardly believe we had already climbed so high! It felt like nothing and after this stop, it seemed like no time before I saw a sign that said “Two Miles above Sea Level!” (A little over 10000 feet). Mary and I were riding together at this point and we high fived in extreme celebration in addition to taking pictures of each other standing next to the sign. It was really an incredible moment and we were both super excited. So far this climb had seemed like nothing!
The miles that followed the “Two Mile” mark were much steeper and harder than the previous miles had been! We got above the tree line pretty quickly and were riding though barren tundra with snowfields all around. The road crested a hill and the wind was absolutely ferocious. It was whipping into my face and the side winds nearly knocked me off of my bike!!! Despite this wicked wind, the weather remained sunny and the “Never Summer Mountains” appeared in the distance completely embraced in snow. If this view was not awesome enough, I saw a huge herd of about 20 elk!!! I got a great picture of this elk herd crossing grassy snowfields with the Never Summer Mountains and blue sky behind them! (Jackie was lucky enough to see about 15 elk crossing Trail Ridge Road and was even more blessed to have a video camera on her that was ready to go at the time. I got to see the 15 second clip of the herd running across the road. Luckily no cars were passing at the time. It was a really awesome video!!!) Finally, Genie, Megan, and I all reached an outhouse and a sign that said we were over 12000 feet. We all took pictures and celebrated together and the girls were almost crying with joy after making this climb! However, a tourist told us that this was a false summit. Sure enough, we went down a little ways and then had to climb a whole lot with headwinds whipping at us! The good news was that we finally did top out at 12184 feet above sea level (Max elevation for the whole ten week trip!!!) and it was all downhill all the way to lunch from here where we were joined by Kevin. Lunch was at this ski resort type place and still over 12000 feet. We all got out of the cool brisk air and into the heated building for lunch. It was around 1 PM when we finally got here! I had a couple of BBQ Pork sandwiches and a coke. About half of the Bike and Build group was in here resting and chilling. We were all talking about what an unbelievable climb we had just done! Everyone was in high spirits and this was definitely one of the most special moments on the whole trip since leaving Virginia.

The trip down the other side of Trail Ridge Road was pretty awesome and very rewarding after the big climb! It started out as a cold ride down the mountainside, but I could just feel the warm air wafting up from the valley below and pretty soon, we got out of the tundra and back into the pine trees. The next major event of the day was crossing the Continental Divide at Milner Pass. Kevin and I were riding together at this point and got some tourists to take our pictures at the sign. It was really cool because we had rolled down over 1000 feet to get to the Great Divide! This was another huge moment.
The ride down from the Continental Divide was lovely. I passed the Two Miles above Sea Level mark almost immediately and descended through a pine forest into the headwaters of the Colorado River. The pine forest I was in had a really strong and delicious smell! The air just got warmer and warmer and before I knew it, I was looking into another long green valley below with a winding mountain stream snaking across it that could be none other than the Colorado River. This valley looked almost like a mirror image of the other valley on the Eastern side of Trail Ridge, but it was just glorious!

It was downright hot when we finally hit the valley and it was cool looking back up at snowcapped mountains. This valley followed the Colorado River downstream and was almost ten miles of all down and flat to our destination town of Grand Lake which was still at 8200 feet! I got in at 4PM. Many were ahead of me and some were behind me but we all made the whole 50 mile ride over the Rockies except for Liz who had gone to a doctor in Estes Park due to serious eye problems. However, she is fine and will be riding again tomorrow. Lois was driving the van today and she and Liz had their own adventure when they got out and went sledding in the high altitude ( it was Lois’ first time too!). Nobody else got to do that! Over dinner, everybody was talking about what an amazing ride we had had today. Today was definitely so far the most awesome day of this incredible cross country bike epic and almost everyone agrees on this! I feel very lucky to be the one who gets to write about it. I will conclude by saying that words and pictures are not enough to describe what an awesome experience today was. It was one of those events where you would have to be there to understand just how incredibly beautiful and magical everything was! Those afternoon thundershowers forecasted for today never even hit and it was solid blue sky and sun though some of the most incredible scenery in the whole world. As my dad would say, it was “a day for the soul.”

Thursday June 26th, 2008


Today was definitely one of the more challenging and rewarding days we’ve had this summer. With a 5am wake-up, we started out nice and early from Boulder, CO where many of us were fortunate to visit with friends and family. Break-feast consisted of 4 garbage bags full of leftover bagels, muffins, pastries, and 3 rich chocolate cakes donated by Panera. About 10 miles into the ride we started climbing and feeling both the increase in altitude and overabundance of pastries in our stomachs. ‘Climbing’ for me consisted of riding about 20 feet then stopping to catch my breath before riding another 20 feet. Thankfully the entire ride was not as brutal although I can guarantee that our bodies will be hurting tomorrow. Lunch was early on because the majority of the most difficult climbing took place within the first 25 miles.


The afternoon descend from about 9,000 feet was amazing. While I rode my brakes a bit (ie: I had to stop because my hands/wrists hurt from gripping the brakes) several others reached their top speeds of the summer as they fearlessly cruised their way down the winding, scenic mountains. Overall I’d say the highlights of the day were 1) the obviously gorgeous scenery including mountains, valleys, rivers, etc. 2) MAIL DROP… if you haven’t sent your friend/relative a package you should because we all get so excited. 3) Laying our fatigued bodies on our seemingly comfortable therma-rests when we finally reached the beautiful Estes Park 4) Spotting 2 reindeer complete with fussy antlers about 10 feet away from us.


Thanks for checking us out online! Jackie

Today was one of the most relaxing days of the trip. My day consisted of waking up around 10 o’clock and doing absolutely nothing for about six hours. Normally I wouldn’t consider a day full of nothing to be fun but given the fact that nearly every other day is jam packed with festivities, a break from the hectic life that is Bike and Build was super-duper.

That night we journeyed through the quaint neighborhoods of downtown Denver and found ourselves in the house of the most awesome CUS ’07 leader, Kevin. Not only did he arrange the best dinner of the trip the night before, he had most of our crew over to hang out and enjoy a nice little house party to remind us of our lives back home. This night was especially interesting for me because I soon found out that his older brother, Ryan, was one of my opponents during my collegiate hockey years! He played for Appalachian State and I remember him vividly because he was pretty much the only guy scoring their goals. Although my team lost the two games we played, it was awesome to look back at some of the best memories I have of college. I guess that about wraps that day up, until next time.


Colin

June 20, 2008
St. Francis, KS 71.2 miles


Today was our Dia del Fun! At this point in the trip, we are halfway through days and about halfway through mileage. To commemorate this accomplishment, the Fun Committee was established and created a series of events to fill our day.


Most of our day was spent broken into 6 teams for a scavenger hunt from Oberlin to St. Francis. After cleaning up from an awesome mail drop, we were broken into teams and given our tasks. Most groups strategized how they could accumulate the most points in town, while others tried to complete obscure tasks. Our morning in town was highlighted with Chamios butter mustaches, kissing Betty (our van), having a local person give you a tattoo (mine was a banana), etc. Many sounds were heard throughout Oberlin: melodic voices as some serenaded locals, mmms as others ate an entire pie, and the occasional “Will you marry me?” as we proposed to strangers.


My group went to a gas station, where we completed 4 tasks at once. We tried on a Ace hardware uniform, had someone buy us coffee, ate a fruit pie, and drank an entire pop at once. We then got on the road, took pictures in wheat fields and on hay bales, and found the most awkward places to take a picture with a bike (including both Will and Nate climbing a large oil barrel several stories off the ground). Trails of silly string could be seen on the road, as riders had water gun fights and continued the celebration.


Lunch was definitely an event to remember. All of us arrived to lunch at the same time, and massive team sabotage occurred. While Lois tried to protect her water balloon, others were deflating tires trying to take the lead. Some took pictures with their bikes in trees, and other groups started to devise their group dance for later in the afternoon. As in any good day of fun, eating contests are a must. Cousins battled it out in an “eat 5 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches the fastest” contest. And yes, Sonya did beat Eli with an impressive time of 2 minutes 11 seconds (lots of water is key and also trying not to laugh). A Gatorade chugging contest followed, with Gabe stealing the lead in the last seconds.


After lunch, the teams were focused on who could make the best dance on their bikes. Janine was driving the van, and was therefore the master judge. As she rode by, each group preformed a choreographed routine. My group did an amazing rendition of the Macarena. The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to get the last points possible, with people trick or treating, writing jokes in chalk, and getting strangers phone numbers.


As we pulled into the United Methodist Church, we were greeted with a great snack of homemade salsa and chips. Each group had to present their items by 4 pm, so we all rolled in with cameras, salt shakers, and car debris. As the final points were totaled, group 4 made up of Eli, Liz, Tony, Lee and Dylan broke away and won by 3 points. Their coveted prize: free bowling and ice cream.


At the host, Robin made us a fantastic homemade dinner and we celebrated a great day. At night, we all traveled down to the local bowling alley where we bowled the night away and listened to sweet 90s jams on the jukebox. All in all, it was a very fun day.


Some favorite memories included:

Anna: Watching Ellen propose to a Pepsi man, followed by her climbing into his truck with her bicycle.
Beau: Shot gunning that soda was pretty fun. When asked how he felt right afterwards, “it was as if my stomach exploded through my mouth”

Eli: dancing for 3 minutes, with a favorite move of a flying v weaving in and out, with Tony shimmying up to the front, then falling back into the group wave
Emily: Trying to give a cop a doughnut and having him laugh out loud at how stereotypical it was

Gabe: Removing a dead rabbit from a road, using a plastic bag on my hands, so that the teams behind us would not get points for a picture of road kill
Ellen: On one stretch of road, we ended up all riding together in a huge pack. It was awesome to all hang out together and go really fast

Laura: flagging down a farmer while he was using his tractor so that I could ask him to get into his tractor to take a picture
Colin: Racing Quid on the road when we were all together

Sonya: All craziness at lunch, it was ridiculous
Genie: Dancing for Janine, we got 2nd place as we rode under each others arms (it’s a little hard to describe) but it was awesome

Lois: Being attacked by 10 ppl trying to steal and pop her group's water balloon. Screaming, running away, and then locking herself in the van for the rest of lunch. The balloon survived.


Thanks for reading! Peace, Laura

For all of you that would like to vicariously live a day on Bike & Build..Here’s your chance. Follow along and choose you own adventure.


The day starts like many before. Wake up far too early in a church that at this point becomes muddled. Ah yes..the Catholic church in Phillipsburg, KS. You awake to the surprisingly pleasant smell of breakfast being made for you! So far…life is good. Your belongings are crammed into a bag once again. You have filled your Camelback, gold bonded as appropriate, had a fated meeting with Reginald(our pump) and you are ready to hit the road. But wait the photojournalist among us, Lois, demands a group picture in front of the wheat field. Smile pretty and let the games begin.


Turn to page 12
Turn to page 13

Turn to page 14


Page 12. You head out with the front runners. Off to set a pace often mistaken with that of Olympians in Beijing.


Page 13. You’re begin peddling in a coma, knowing that eventually you will awake to find that have indeed found your way through 15 miles.


Page 14. You’ve got to be kidding. Way to kick of the day. Flat #1 and you haven’t even left the parking lot. Looks like you and Liz might have a long day.


A mild morning once again. You marvel at the wheat fields and once again recognize that Kansas is NOT flat. Conversation entertains and you dodge fresh pavement that promises to leave more tar on your tires than on the road. The breakfast burritos once so filling now seem like a thing of the past. Your thoughts turn to lunch. How many more chocolate mint Cliff bars can you eat? What mile are we at?


Turn to page 24
Turn to page 25


Page 24. Your search for coffee proves bountiful. Not only does Norton boast a prison, but a Town and Country diner. After endless miles with nothing, not even a gas station, surely this is a mirage…


Page 25. By specific calculations, lunch cannot be that far..right? Just keep peddling. I’m sure it’s over the next hill…


Turn to page 26.

Turn to page 27.


Page 26. Brilliant choice! Endless cups of coffee are only complimented by homemade pie. Lunch at 10:30 you might ask? Of course. You join Lois, Janine, Emily, and Laura a deluxe diner meal that will be talked about for days. P.S. The raspberry peach pie does not disappoint.


Page 27. Alas, the trailer. Tony…whatever shall I eat? On today’s menu the featured item-Nutella. A four course meal to follow… Banana with Nutella, graham cracker with Nutella, wheat bread with nutella, and of course desert…fingers in the jar-Nutella!


Onward for the next 35 miles. CUS ’07 never rode a day in the rain, however, this my friends is CUS 08. Being the storm troopers that we are, a 20% chance of rain may as well be a precipitation guarantee. You begin to notice the first signs of darkness ahead.


Turn page 50
Turn page 51

Turn to page 52
Turn to page 53


Page 50. You are the strong and steady type. Nothing can stop you from peddling and you head towards that ominous looking cloud with no hesitation. You meet up with Lois and ride straight through, not entirely sure why anyone stopped.


Page 51. Thinking you can outrun the storm, you put your head down and ride. Just when you think you’ve done it, you crest a hill to see black clouds looking certain to form a tunnel. Lightening in the distance makes Janine scream. You decide to join her Emily and Laura under a bridge, videotape a weather channel report, and realize that “zoo” smell coming from your hideout is in fact a nearby decaying animal carcass. Ahhh..rain or shine, it’s time to go!


Page 52. Always the charmer, you join Lee who has befriended a family of four from Denver. You have convinced them somehow to allow you, smelly, wet rider to hide out in there SUV as the storm passes.


Page 53. Rain plus dirt equals mud. You sprint with Eli, Sonya, Anna, Will, Nate and Colin to a storm bunker in the middle of the field. Thinking you have found shelter you soon realize that low lying field easily transforms into a muddy river.


All riders emerge squint eyed and confused, remniscent of munchkins after the wicked witch has left. Everyone finishes the day and is aptly rewarded with Christmas in June (mail drop!) and a signature UMC potluck dinner. Congratulations on completion of your Bike and Build day. Join us tomorrow for a half way mark celebration. The “Fun Committee” promises memorable festivities!

World Record Day!


Today the Bike & Build crew made its way from Beloit to Phillipsburg, KA. The ride was highlighted by a stop in Cawker City; home to the World’s Largest Ball of Twine. The visit to this awe-inspiring American landmark was made possible by some quick thinking on the part of Gabe who re-routed us and saved an extra 16 miles. The stop was highlighted by several twine-related puns and got us thinking about what world record we would each like to hold.


Nate- Most World Records held


Tony- World’s longest period of time holding breath underwater


Liza- World’s longest sung note


Liz- World’s biggest muscles


Megan- World’s longest consecutive laugh


Colin- World’s largest widow’s peak


Sonya- World’s most drastic tan lines


Eli- Fluency in the most languages


George- World’s most puns intended


Jackie- World’s coolest bicycle horn


Anna- World’s largest cookie consumed by a single person


Anne- Grow the world’s largest watermelon


Beau- World’s most times struck by lightning


Gabe- World’s creepiest mustache


Andrew- World’s slowest sandwich eater


Janine- World’s best tree climber


Lois- World’s slowest response to a question


Alana- World’s biggest hair


Emily- World’s most countries visited


*Laura- World’s most people to sign language a song at once


Joe- World’s longest dance marathon


Will- World’s most consecutive hours cycling


Mary- World’s longest watermelon seed spit


Ellen- World’s most consecutive miles riding a bike with no hands


Lee- World’s most children birthed


Cory- World’s hungriest man


Dylan- World’s most twine parody songs written


James- World’s most consecutive viewings of Snakes on a Plane


Genie- World’s most marshmallows in mouth at once


Kevin- World’s richest person ever


Laura actually was in the Guiness Book of World Records for this category for 8 months.


We are truly having the TWINE of our lives!


-DIBBS

Journal 6/17/08


Why we are awesome:
1. James is awesome because he has tiny calves but is still swift like the wind

2. Tony is awesome because of his uncanny ability to shimmy in any situation
3. Beau is awesome because his chops can predict the weather

4. Ellen is awesome because she screams like a banshee when she passes people
5. Lee is awesome because he can bike 25 mph into 50 mph headwind uphill both ways in the snow with one leg

6. Joe is awesome because he sings like Barry White
7. Alana is awesome because every time I look at her she is doing something strange

8. Genie is awesome because she can leap buildings when she sees a snake
9. Kevin is awesome…just because he’s Kevin…that should be sufficient

10. Sonya is awesome because she punches harder than most CUS08 guys
11. Liza is awesome because her shammys are now composed completely of Gold Bond

12. Liz is awesome because she is a master scrapbooker…but she also ate all the popsicles
13. Cory is awesome because he skadooshes people, which I secretly enjoy even when I’m cranky

14. Will is awesome because he has McDonald’s bar tape
15. Megan is awesome because her laugh can cure all major illnesses

16. Nathan is awesome because we are all actually on a planet that he is currently balancing on his chin…and he sweats a lot…always
17. Anna is awesome because few can actually keep up with her at the front of a paceline

18. George is awesome because his watch tan is so intense it can actually tell time
19. Jackie is awesome because she has turquoise shorts and a turtle horn

20. Colin is awesome because he has not gotten lost or fallen since the tragic loss of his widow’s peak
21. Eli is awesome because he has a photo of every inch of this trip

22. Anne is awesome because her parents threw us a pool party
23. Andrew is awesome because a small civilization lives within his wistful beard

24. Laura is awesome because she has friends everywhere…seriously though, it’s absurd
25. Emily is awesome because she is keeping half of the people on this trip in working order

26. Dylan is awesome because he is wicked fast even without his extreme beans
27. Mary is awesome because everyone enjoys riding with her

28. Lois is awesome because she was gone for a while but came back faster and stronger than ever
29. Janine is awesome because every day she rides her bike is the best day ever

30. I am awesome because I wrote this journal


I like bikes…we are awesome


Awesomely yours,


Gabe

Hey all,


After a relaxing day off yesterday, it was nice to ease back into the cycling routine today with an 8 am (!!!) wake-up and an easy 40 mile day. The ride was uneventful with the exception of a gravel road which caused us to change our route slightly—no extra mileage though. Oh, and Beau got his very first flat tire (sorry Beau).We rolled into Clay Center, Kansas fairly early in the day and some of us headed to the local library. One of the librarians was really excited to see us and so she called the local paper to come down and interview us, which they did. Finally, members of the congregation of First Baptist Church cooked us a delicious hamburger dinner. Thanks again!


See you down the road,
Mary

June 14, 2008 – Lawrence to Manhattan, KS (90 miles)



Our morning actually began at 11:03 pm, when one of our rebellious bikers (I’m not going to name names…) decided to come in 3 minutes past curfew, tripping Bishop Seabury Academy’s alarm; a few groggy and sleep-deprived cyclists mistook it for our morning alarm, and Genie apparently mistook the light from the vending machine as the morning sun. So after the restoration of calm and a six-hour cat nap, we actually awoke at 5:00 am to ride for Manhattan, KS. Bill, our host in Lawrence, saw us off with warm gratitude.


I rode with Anne, Liz, and Jackie for most of the day. The ride started out kind of flat, both literally and, well, literally. We were in Kansas, of course, but Anne also got her first flat of the trip, which she fixed with little trouble. After about 30 miles of highway shoulder, we decided to stop at a fruit market right off of the highway. A few other bikers leaving the market recommended the apple cider donuts. We took their recommendation, along with apple cider ice cream and apple cider slushies. Though the stop was only a few miles from lunch, we decided that we could give up peanut butter and jelly for just one day. Also, we were in no hurry. Our Roadwarriors (sweep riders) for the day, Kevin and Eli, weren’t pushing us; they were at the driving range! The rest of the day was relatively quiet near the back of the crowd. The landscape was beautiful – corn fields, wheat fields, rolling hills, and flatness. And trains! Union Pacific trains continuously passed us on the horizon, slowly enough (or rather distant enough) to where we could race them on our bikes.


Another highlight of the day, which had been announced earlier in the morning, was that Bike & Build CUS ’08 would be holding its Prom that night at our host site in Manhattan. Throughout the day, groups of giddy bikers transported back to their days in high school were stopping in and out of thrift shops along the route to Manhattan. The crowd I was with found particular luck at the United Methodist Thrift Shop in Wamego, KS. Kelly, a worker at the store, helped each of us to find exactly what we were looking for – something tacky and old-fashioned, yet form-fitting and “Prom-y.” I bought a pair of nice black pants, a black tie, and a black hat. But what really made my outfit was the multi-colored, multi-fabric, denim vest I found in the women’s section. All of this for under $5.00! We each came out completely satisfied and stoked for the night ahead.


In Manhattan, we stayed at the First United Methodist Church. Church members, led by Diana, one of the church’s pastors, provided an amazing dinner of chicken, pizza, lasagna, Chipotle, corn, potatoes, and so on. The generosity of the church members amounted to tables and tables of food, drink, and dessert. A few of the members hung around for dinner, including two retired science professors from Kansas State University and a Grain Sciences graduate student and his family. After dinner, we each introduced ourselves by walking across the stage in our new suits/dresses/cutoffs/pirate outfits, saying where we were from and why we decided to embark on such a trip, and then having them, the church members, judge us according to our costumes. They decided to make a few separate categories – most professional, best walk, most talented, best couple, etc. Though there were winners and sore, sore losers in the end, everyone had an amazing time! The rest of the night was spent seeing what Manhattan’s night life was made of.


Not too late though… Tornadoes had hit Manhattan only three days before our arrival; houses and entire neighborhoods were affected, as was the university’s campus. Though tomorrow is scheduled as a day off, I think most of us are planning to give up at least part of our day to disaster relief and tornado cleanup. As we’ve been making our way across the country, jumping from host to host, build site to build site, it seems that inclement weather has done the same. We’ve responded to tornadoes in Virginia and Kansas, and slight flooding in Missouri. With what little news we receive on the road, it seems that many more cities across the Midwest were equally affected by tornadoes and much more so by flooding, especially in Iowa. Our deepest regards go out to those people who have lost family members, personal belongings, and homes in all of these natural disasters.

Kansas City, Missouri -- Manhattan, KS


Today's chapter in the story of the Central US's intrepid trek marks Friday the 13th! However, it was more like Flat Day of 13 -- the final tally was Emily with four flats, Janine with four, Laura with two, George with one, Anna with one, and the flat state of Kansas being the lucky 13th. Yes, the twisters in Missouri the night before weren't enough of an auspicious welcome to the ragged edge Tornado Alley. After getting lost and having to abruptly turn around a group of 20 or so cyclists onto a thin median strip we made sure that our short 47 mile day would hit at least 50. We eventually figured it out though and crossed into Kansas! (Or so it would seem, there wasn't any official state sign - typical Kan-sass). We wound through some unexpected hills and particularly pernicious mud and found Gabe with lunch in a park a mere 12 miles from Lawrence, KS. After some girl scout cookie/apple butter/peanut butter sandwiches we cruised to our host at a country club-high school with a pool where Kevin did battle with an eight year-old adversary on the diving board. After cooling down, things heated up on the volleyball court where all gave some and some gave all. In the end it was Team Dibbs, covered in mud and grass stains, that flailed uncoordinatedly towards victory. After dinner we waxed philosophic about affordable housing statistics and bedded down with visions of 90 miles to a day off in Manhattan, KS dancing in our heads...

They awoke before dawn to the chorus of alarms. Each sat up with grim determination set in their chiseled faces. Today would be the day to turn from mere cyclists into biking legends. Today they would slay the hundred mile beast.


The sky fatefully glinted red as an angry sun rose on the world. The riders adorned their armor – they would need each carefully stitched glove, each dutifully washed jersey. They wielded the brave pump Gladys to keep their tubes full and their wheels true. With hearts and minds set on the task at hand, they set off.


Though the task was long, the day was fair. The breeze was refreshing without dampening the speed or spirits of the warriors. Energy nectar gave them strength to push through the distance. As they pedaled, llamas and deer paused their grazing to watch.


They feasted twice, knowing the food must sustain them. Purple beverage overflowed into their chalices. At the second table, each rider branded themselves with messages of welcome, for today they would regain the kinswoman they had lost.


When their muscles grew sore, they pushed through. When their stomachs turned to nausea, they stayed focused. When their spirits waned, their companions took to song and story to keep their hearts light.


At last it was done. They performed the ancient rituals of dance to commemorate the event. Carrot cupcake morsels were bestowed upon each of the riders. As they journeyed to barbeque, the townsfolk gazed upon the glory shining from their faces.


They were now centurions.

The Simple Bare Necessities of Biking.


So today started off as most days do, we woke up at 5 AM; I freaked out at the lights being turned on, so I covered my face with my sweatshirt and pretended that it wasn’t happening. We got dressed, ate breakfast, and then headed out of Marthasville for our next big adventure. Today was the second day we were privileged enough to ride on the Katy Trail…or should I say, the second day that the Katy Trail was privileged to be ridden by such a stunningly attractive group of bikers. Regardless, the Trail provided us with the ability to truly feel free while riding through beautiful forests, beside long, never ending farms and over graceful rivers and streams. The light rain did not discourage us as we pedaled almost 70 miles through the heart of Missouri. It has really been such a treat to ride on a path free of cars and, today, relatively free of other people, so I have had a lot of time to spend talking to friends, singing songs and truly enjoying my surroundings.


I would have to say one of my highlights of today was eating a mid morning snack of cherry cheesecake pie….yeah, that’s right, and a 50 cent cup of unlimited refill coffee at a trailside restaurant around 9:00 this morning. The pie was AWESOME….and did I mention the coffee was only 50 cents? BANGIN’! There was also a 1986 version of Wheel of Fortune playing on the TV, which, combined with the price of the food, made me really believe I was in a time warp.


Tonight we are staying at the First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson City, MO. Dinner was delicious and we got to learn about the Habitat chapter here, which was really interesting. I would like to give a shout out to Winette, who works at the Laundromat I am currently sitting in as she has been extremely helpful to me and the rest of laundry crew as we take on the task of doing 30 people’s laundry.


In conclusion, all I can say is that today was a great day, and one that we will definitely all remember.


With love,


Alana

Today we rode from St. Louis to Marthasville. It was supposed to be a 60 mile ride but much to our surprise and delight it ended up being only 50!! Also we spent bout 40 miles of the ride on the Katy Trail, which is the longest rails to trails project in the U.S. I know I really enjoyed being on a traffic free trail, in the shade, with very little wind. It was pretty wonderful. We stopped for lunch in a little place called Defiance which had great ice cream and a sweet bike shop. Many people acquired biking hats and bells and horns for their bikes. (Sonya's hamburger bell was my favorite). After lunch I rode with 7 of the girls singing and being silly for the rest of the ride into town. We rolled in to the church around 12:45. The afternoon was spent taking showers, getting in an extra lunch, and napping. All in all a great day! Tomorrow we have a 90 mile ride into Jefferson City and another build day coming up on Wednesday.

Today we stayed in St. Louis and completed our fourth build day. We
repainted and cleaned up the yard of an elderly woman's house. The

homeowner was super-friendly and very gracious at the end of the day.
The job was particularly satisfying as we were able to see the

finished product of our labor in the afternoon. It felt good to see a
tangible difference that was a direct result of our efforts.

The group was a bit rambunctious at times today, as a few riders got a little too hopped up on the Mountain Dew that was provided for us.
This resulted in the occasional outbreak of renditions of classic rock

songs such as Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" or the 90's hit "Mmm bop" by
the Hanson brothers. The singing today was inspired by a killer St.

Louis radio station that was playing hits all day long. I think that
people were also excited to be out of the saddle and in their sneakers

today, as the last few days of riding have been challenging due to the
strong headwinds that we are facing in the Midwest.

When the house was all painted and the yard was cleaned up, we took a victory photograph and headed back to our host. After a quick cold
shower, we headed to the Schweitzer's house for a pool party. It was

awesome! The Schweitzer's provided us with another beautiful dinner.
St. Louis style pork steak, grape salad, (don't know what was in there

but it was amazing) coleslaw etc. They had it all. Everyone ate a
massive dinner, hung out in the pool and just relaxed as the afternoon

turned into the evening. It was a much needed break from the grind of
our attempt at biking across this massive country. I want to give a

HUGE shout-out to the Schweitzer's and the Bells for putting on such a
great party for us this afternoon. They treated us very kindly during

our stay here and their generosity did not go unnoticed. Thank you
guys so much.

This evening everyone has started to prepare for tomorrow's ride.
People are cleaning their bikes, getting their laundry, icing their

knees, and going to bed. It was a fun stay in St. Louis but we must
get ready to get back on the road tomorrow and continue our journey

westward

What can I say about today… it will be remembered. There is nothing like riding your bike at a 45 degree angle to the road… that’s for sure. You know the wind’s bad when you stop to take a break and you notice that the birds are flying backwards. It was another day of riding into the storm…except this time we rode into tornados in St. Louis, MO. Actually, it was a really cool experience for me, since I’m from NY and have never witnessed a tornado (still haven’t, but apparently two touched down nearby) and have never heard a tornado sirens that speak… also, there was some really awesome pink lightning, but I think that’s because of my lenses...


Throughout the day, five people got flats (Will, Lee, Joe, Genie and George…twice).


Genie got attacked by a snake. Let’s here what she has to say on the event:
“We were standing there, chatting, under a wooden, metal bridge that the rain was coming through anyway, and I was standing I front of Beau and Gabe…so that stupid snake slithered its way around them. I don’t know. I just looked down and there was a snake on my shoe. Then I screamed. Then I ran and I tripped over my bike and fell down. Then Megan and Liz were screaming…and the boys were just laughing.” Gabe states he didn’t see anything and just couldn’t figure out what was wrong with Genie.


We took bike paths for the majority of today. Even though they added 10-15 miles, it was still nice not to worry about cars in addition to biking straight. We crossed into Missouri today on the coolest bridge…ever. It’s called Chain of Rocks bridge, that used to be part of Route 66. It’s not open to motorists and apparently it’s opened exactly 30 minutes before sunrise and closed exactly 30 minutes after sunset. To the left, we could see St. Louis and the arch. Pretty sweet.


Anne’s and Tony’s parents all brought us dinner, which was amazing. We’re staying on the campus of the University of Missouri, St. Louis and it’s awesome. We have showers, saunas, laundry…everything in one place!


JACKIE’S BACK! YAY!!! Now we’re back up to 29…all we need is Lois and Brian and we’ll be a full family again. Very exciting.

Today we began our Midwestern love affair with the endless plains and the wind that passes across them. After the sky opened in a raging storm to welcome us into Illinois yesterday, we woke this morning to sticky air and a brisk wind that we battled for the 50 miles to Greenville.


The group left Effingham, some of us having stopped at Joe’s Sippers for a quick caffeine fix, and headed through a number of small, southern Illinois towns and the surrounding farms before stopping for a delicious lunch in Vandalia. It was a treat to have Janine’s father biking with us for the morning leg, and his lovely wife creating a beautiful spread of sandwiches, pita chips, fruit, and other goodies to fuel the last 20 miles of the day. And I can say that, although the wind relieved some of the afternoon heat, we were thrilled to crest a hill and see our destination.


Some of the highlights of the day:
-swinging at the swing-set at lunch

-rounding a turn and feeling the direction of the wind shift
-eating real sandwiches (not peanut butter and jelly)

-making pace lines to help shield each other from the wind
-Cory jumping into a pond at the end of the ride

-air conditioning at the church tonight

This morning we left Columbus, Indiana. We slept in the gymnasium there and several of us were fortunate enough to sleep on gymnastic mats. At this point in the trip this sort of thing is viewed as a luxury.


Our route today was a short one with our total mileage being 37 miles. We hung around in Columbus this morning waiting for the visitors’ center to open. Half the group went to a local coffee shop while the other half of the group went around looking at all of the abstract sculptures around the town. Columbus is well known for both its contemporary architecture as well as its statues.


Half way through our beautifully short day we stopped in Nashville, Indiana. This was a small town with lots of quaint shops and restaurants. We had an amazing meal at a local restaurant called the Hob Knob. We were all really excited about sitting down to a meal that we did not have to make or set up.


The Majority of our day was flat but there were two or three small hills that nobody was excited about. Even though they are not near as bad as the mountains it made us work on what I considered to be a lazy day.


Bloomington is the home of the University of Indiana and they have a beautiful campus. We found this out first hand when we swam in one of their fountains on the way into town. Today had been one of our hottest days so far so the cold water felt amazing and rejuvenated us for the rest of the day.


First Methodist Church, the church we are staying in is amazing. We are upstairs in their youth rooms with a kitchen, projector tv, and game room. In addition to our short riding day we had no obligations tonight meaning that we have been lounging around all afternoon. We got in early and have all gotten a lot of rest and relaxation.

Twas the morning after Build Day
And all through the church

Every cyclist was stirring
Even Hurricane George!*


The jerseys were hung from the clothesline with care

With hopes that the B.O. would no longer be there.


With the cyclists in their chamois, and Janine in her sandals
Everyone began to mount their saddles and handles,

When out on Kemper Road there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my pedals to see what was the matter.


Away through the construction we hiked like a flash,

Our bikes on our backs to start our adventurous bash.


The hills and the headwinds and the stench of manure
Did not introduce Indiana as a comfortable tour.


When what to my wandering eyes did appear

But a dead skunk, opossum, and a few deceased deer!
With few potholes to interrupt my cycling trip

I knew in a moment I’d avoid those corpses quick.


Less rapid than semis those cyclists did bike,
But the 90 mile ride was completed by all alike.


On to Columbus, then Bloomington, then Illinois we’ll ride

And eventually in Cannon Beach we’ll see this country’s other side.
To the top of those Rockies, and then the beginning of the Pacific!

We’ll all be quite delighted, for this trip is terrific!


As I rolled out of second lunch** slow as molasses
Gabe and Alana mistook their clips and fell on their…butts.

Nary a scratch was had and many laughs ensued
And, for once, no wheels became untrued!


And then, in eight hours, we heard many cheers

For we finished 90 miles with very few tears.
As I jumped off my bike, and headed towards the church towers

Peggy showed up to take us to a gym’s lovely showers.


Very clean and hungry, the burritos provided were delicious
But the host may have thought our insane appetites were suspicious.

Each person’s 4700 calories*** burned throughout the day
Encouraged a good night’s sleep and a very satisfying stay.


*George likes to sleep in these days

**On 90+ mile days, we get 2 lunches. Mmmm peanut butter and jelly
***30 calories per mile, for 90 miles = 2700 calories. 4700 based on a 2000 calorie diet for an average 150 pound human...although we are far from average




Thanks for reading!
Megan O’Brien

May 30- Friday morning we caught a mistake in the cue sheet just before the route meeting.  We used every resource from the host where we were and the host to where we were going, to GPS in our Host’s car.  We corrected, simplified, and photocopied directions.  The route turned out to be wonderful with only a few hills and manageable traffic.  Liz, Anne, and I decided to push it the first thirty miles till lunch.  We joined up with Beau, Dylan, and Janine and ate lunch at a Deli near the beginning of 516.  The sun and heat made the last few miles challenging.  The Host in Cinci had snacks for us around 4:30 and then dinner at 6:00, I was so full, it was amazing.  We also continued to snack on Oatmeal Blueberry Cookies that were mailed to us by Brian, one of the cyclists from VA Beach who joined us on our first ride to Suffolk.  That night some people went to a Reds game, some went bowling, while myself and a few others hung out at the church to make use of the internet access.  Recent highs would include the magic of Gold Bond and going through the town of Amelia (Hi Amelia!).  The group has adapted and responded well to cope with the loss of our support van while it is being repaired about thirty miles back.



May 31- Saturday we had an amazing breakfast, then to divide and conquer went to two different Cincinnati Habitat build sites.  The build site I was at took down scaffolding, put insulation in walls, and worked with concrete to repair a garage.  I enjoyed the sauna at the YMCA for the second day in a row and then headed back to the church.  Things take a slight turn for the worse here.  Sonya’s parents were visiting with their two dogs and I pet both the one in the parking lot and the one in the van.  As I backed out of the passenger side of the van I was bitten in the face.  I was rushed to the hospital and sewed up by a good doctor on the condition that I stay in Cinci so he could see me through my recovery.  Sonya, Sonya’s Parents- Laura and Ken, Andrew- one of my co-leaders, and Melinda- a member of our host church stayed with me at the hospital to comfort me. Frankly I was good till it was time for the needles to numb me up for the stitches.  Now I am staying with Sonya’s distant relatives and they are just about pampering me.




I saw the doctor again and scheduled to have my stitches removed next Tuesday June 10.  Hopefully after that he will release me from his watchful eye and I’ll be able to rejoin the group in Kansas City, Missouri next Wednesday.  At which point I will take it easy and be designated van driver for a while before biking again.  Over all I’m coping pretty well.  Yesterday Janine and Andrew drove four and a half hours to pick up the van.  Luckily I was between them and the van and quite happy to have visitors.  We multitasked: Janine stayed at my foster home and worked on the budget while Andrew and I got the van.  You’d think for the cost they would have washed it too.  Back at the Markovits’ we were packing lunches to go for Janine and Andrew when it started raining sideways.  So they stayed for dinner and we all had Thai food.  They left quite late but had a snack packed already for the long drive.  Also my foster dad insisted on them taking books on tape for the road.  Andrew declined and Janine took something by the same author as Sex and the City.  On the driveway before leaving we realized that the book on tape was actually CD so Andrew gave Janine the iPod and adapter and took the book on tape.

What an unimaginable and eventful day. I’ll recap in reverse. We just got back to the host location from a local game room where Gabe and I dominated in a little beanbag toss. As usual, we all had a blast getting an abdominal workout from laughter after one of the most exhausting days yet. Right before that, everybody indulged himself or herself in a delicious lasagna dinner provided by the wonderfully hospitable folks from Georgetown, Ohio. This dinner was especially wild, because the van and trailer still had not arrived. That’s because the van broke down on a hill about three miles from lunch and the emergency brake didn’t work, so Gabe was forced to sit in the van with his foot on the brake for a half hour until AAA came to the rescue. It was, and still is an interesting time for the leaders trying to figure out what to do to get our things from point a to point b. While we were waiting, everybody headed to the local bike shop to get repairs and stock up on Chamois Butt’r.
The 65-mile ride today was so exhausting because it was the seventh consecutive day on the saddle. It’s safe to say that everybody is excited for the next build day in Cincinnati. However, the ride was beautiful! We rode through Shawnee State forest where I hit my top speed ever of 47.7 miles per hour. That didn’t come without a bit of effort though. We did have to climb a 23% grade at one point. During the ride in the forest, I had several encounters with some daring animals. At least two huge bugs hit me square in the glasses, and one extraordinary butterfly flew right through my spokes red baron style while I was maintaining a speed of 20 miles per hour. The most frightening incidence involved a chipmunk. This crazy little guy darted across two other rider’s paths straight for mine while I was riding with no hands. I screamed out loud, and watched in slow motion while this bold rodent missed my tire by less than an inch. Just a slight divergence in timing and my day would have been ruined along with the cuddly creatures life.

For breakfast, we stopped in for a complementary feast at a joint Called Tim Horton’s in Portsmouth, Ohio. The food was awesome, and the coffee may have been the best fast-food style coffee I’ve ever laid lips upon. Right before that, I woke up sleepier than I ever have been in my entire life, and here I am at 11:30 tonight about to repeat the whole process.

This morning we woke up to an awesome breakfast of sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits from Tudor’s Biscuit World provided by Andrew’s uncle, Mark Sheridan. Most of the group stopped for coffee at Starbucks in Pullman Plaza before leaving Huntington. We started the ride by crossing the Ohio River, saying goodbye to West Virginia as we entered the third state in our journey. I think everyone really enjoyed our route through the beautiful Ohio countryside, despite a few massive hills that caught us by surprise. But after Bolt Mountain, we’re pretty much ready for anything. We rode through Wayne National Forest after lunch. Emily, Ellen, and I took a detour to Lake Vesuvius, which was definitely worth the extra mileage. The leaders of the pack took advantage of the relatively flat terrain to pick up the pace and roll through the second half of the day. Once in Portsmouth, OH, we were allowed to shower in the SOMC Life Center, where we met a woman who has just finished six triathlons in six days. What an inspiration! Our host, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, fed us a wonderful pizza dinner, which included some fruits and veggies that have been pretty scarce on this trip. I have never enjoyed a salad so much. After dinner, we held a clinic to go over bike safety with some of the kids at the church. We also met as a group for a discussion led by Lee, Joe, Alana, and Genie, of the history of the affordable housing movement in the US. We’re now enjoying free time at the end of another great day for CUS 2008.

Madison, WV to Huntington, WV:


Today was another awesome day of biking! I woke up with the rest of the Bike and Build group in the small town of Madison, West Virginia. Everyone in the group was excited that we got to sleep in today until 7AM rather than waking up at the usual time of 6AM. We packed our gear and rode two miles away into Downtown Madison for breakfast where our super nice host paid for our meal. I had some delicious home fries, bacon, biscuits, and orange juice. The conversations were good and the group was fun. We did not leave the place until almost 10AM. After this, we all got on the road and biked HIghway 3 West. The first five miles of this were four lanes and unpleasant until finally, Route 3 made a left turn onto a quiet two lane country road. This road went over a few hills and through many winding creek beds. I stopped in a field along the way and took a picture. The next several miles I spent loving the West Virginia countryside and pondering love and life. I had one of the deepest and most intellectual conversations with myself ever out here! I decided that the real secret to life is to stop worrying about the destination and enjoy the journey. This coast to coast bike trip is all about that. We will eventually reach the Oregon Coast, but nobody is pouting or upset that it is such a long way away. Instead, we are all enjoying every moment of West Virginia for what it is worth. If one acquires every piece of knowledge that life has to offer, that person has served the purpose of being alive and is ready to die. That is not what a college-aged person is ready for. The fun of being young is that we do not have all of the answers and get to enjoy all the joy and the pain in the search for what the greater meaning of life really is! Similarly with love, it is better not to worry about the right person or the man or woman of one's dreams. If in a relationship of any kind with another person, just forget about whether it will last forever or not and enjoy the experience for what it is in the present. Anyway, I know I got very sidetracked there. I just really wanted to share these thoughts!!! After having these serious thoughts, I rolled into the small town of Hamlin and was told by some Bike and Build members that lunch would not be for another hour and many people were going to buy their lunch at Subway. I backtracked a mile to Subway and realized that nobody else had. However, I still enjoyed lunch. I ate a couple Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches and a small cheese pizza in addition to having a pretty big coke. By 2PM, I was back on the road heading West. Sweep passed me and told me that I should have marked my place better when I dove off for my break. (The chalk fades quickly.) However, next I passed the later group who was waiting for a lunch that still had not arrived. I had already eaten and therefore went on. The ride was awesome and it reminded me a little bit of my home in Upstate South Carolina. The rolling farms were really nice and I pretty soon realized that geographically, we were due North and maybe still a little East of my hometown of Greenville, South Carolina. I live 82 degrees West of the Prime Meridian and Huntington, WV is about that same longitude. However, Greenville is East of the Blue Ridge and Huntington is West of the Blue Ridge. This mountain range is not North and South as many think it is, but North-East and South-West. Georgia is a good ways West of Maine for example! I could tell at the end of the ride that I was exiting the mountains as I climbed one last hill and rolled down into deep lush green colors. It seems greener on this side of the mountains than it did in Eastern Virginia. Maybe just because it is a week or two later in the season. However, I also think that the Blue Ridge is somewhat of a rain shadow with Virginia and the Eastern slopes not getting quite as much rainfall as what falls in the Ohio Valley West of the range. Anyway, it was hot and humid as I descended into tonight's destination at Huntington, WV. This is right on the Ohio River and Ohio is just the other side! It feels awesome to be West of the Blue Ridge and about to start the Ohio Valley section of the ride. Virginia and West Virginia were lovely and there are still ten states to go between here and the West Coast! At the church in Huntington, everybody showered and did laundry. We had a group meeting at 9PM and talked about several issues including helmet safety. I updated this journal until after midnight to wrap up another fabulous day on the most awesome trip of a lifetime!


George Pilzer

“Ooooh Lord”


Today started out with a soul-sucking 5 mile climb and later we learned that was only the bunny hill. After the uphill wake up call, I was desperate for coffee so Emily and I stopped in a small local gas station. Spandexed strangers attract a lot of attention around here. We started talking to the store attendant and a customer about building with Habitat, staying at churches, and bicycling every day. Today’s route was our longest yet- 90 miles through hilly West Virginia.


“Where ya ridin’ to today?
“90 miles