Build Days in Asheville

After completing a very difficult 85 mile day on the Blue Ridge Parkway into Asheville, everyone prepared for our next two build days. The 32 riders were split up into 3 different build sites. I went with 7 other riders to work with Mountain Housing Opportunities to put in a wheelchair ramp in at a man's home. MHO works with low income housing to help with necessary repairs and additions. The man who's house we were working on was named Robey. He had just had a double hip replacement and was having difficulty walking up and down the the stairs into his home.

The work site was only a few miles from the church that we were staying in, so the group of us rode our bikes their the two mornings. Everyone worked together really well and we were able to complete the ramp in only a day and a half. It was really gratifying to be able to see our project completed. Bike and Build is an amazing program, but since we are constantly on the move, we are rarely able to see the final product. Working with MHO and being able to talk directly to the person whose house was being worked on made the experience far more personal.

Robey was a really interesting character. One of 13 brothers and sisters he had grown up outside of Asheville on a family owned farm. For both days, he stood on the porch chit-chatting with us and telling us that we had "about whipped the porch" in his heavy southern accent. He proudly showed us his collection of hand made model cars and doll houses, as well as his extensive collection of Elvis memorabilia. All of the workers were given an extra push when we saw how much he appreciated us coming and working on his house. I left the previous two work days exhausted, but in Asheville I felt energized. Our work was making a dramatic effect on a persons life and we were able to watch the experience take place. It was a really powerful two build days.

The rides have been difficult, but everyone is falling into a routine. Wake up, pack, take your bin to the trailer, eat breakfast, do chores, route meeting, ride. It is amazing how quickly someone can adapt to an entirely different way of life. The intense physical activity has been difficult, but manageable. Plus, seeing everyone else working so hard and finishing the route in such high spirits gives me such a burst of energy that it clouds any negative thoughts that I may have had during the ride. I have been experiencing such a high after each of our rides, it is like nothing that I have ever experienced.

An amazing day!

In every way conceivable, today’s ride was the most fulfilling and enjoyable bike ride that I have been experienced. No one really knew what to expect during our morning route meeting. The 63 miles from Taylorsville to Newland seemed short. We were all expecting hills, but I do not think anyone could have predicted what we encountered. After a few rolling hills and about 20 miles, the grade began to increase and downhills became less and less common. We had encountered our first mountain. The climb was extremely difficult and quite slow going, but the feeling of accomplishment and comradely once we reached the top made the 10 miles and 2500 feet worth it.

After an extended lunch, I got back on the road to finish the final 23 miles to our host sight. The final leg of the ride took us on an 11-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The short stint on the Parkway was breathtaking. Our entrance point onto the Parkway was at the crest of a hill, so we immediately got to experience a heart pounding decent. The remainder of the ride rose and fell, reaching a maximum altitude of 4400 feet. Never in my life have I ridden in such a beautiful place. I had to stop multiple times to take in the view from the bridges. We got off the Parkway and descended 3 miles on quick switchbacks into the town of Newland.

All of the riders are on such a high after today’s ride. Tomorrow we get back on the Parkway for our ride into Ashville. We will have two build days in Ashville working with the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. As sore and tired as I am, I cannot wait to get back on my bike and see more of the beautiful North Carolina countryside.

Wake Forest

Nags Head to Swan Quarter to Belhaven to Greenville to Wake Forest. What a week! The last few days have been a blur of riding, eating, and sleeping. Not much else. The group usually starts our days between 6:00am and 6:30am. After eating breakfast and loading up the trailor we have a group meeting, where we are given our directions for the day. The rides are an absolute blast. The routes that we have be on have been mostly back country roads with little car traffic. We can sometimes ride two abreast which allows the riders to talk and joke. The conversation along the way makes the rides go by a lot quicker.

Our host sites have been incredible. The hospitality that we have been shown has been truly amazing. I can't remember the last time that I have eaten this well. At least not in college anyway. The churches have have greeted us with open arms and been strangely eager to welcome 32 sweaty bike riders into their nice clean building.

The other riders have are great. I have been trying to make a point to get to know all of the other people on the trip. Everyone is here to achieve a common goal and that definitly shows when we are interacting and joking around. We can all have fun and joke, but when it is time to get serious and give our presentations to the communities in the different towns everyone gets down to work and doesn't loose sight of the goal that we are trying to achieve. After only a week on the trip it is hard to imagine how this summer could get any better. The scenery, the riding, the people, the service have all come together to make this trip fantastic.

It would be to much to give an overview of every ride that we have done so far, but I do want to give a run down of our ride today. This morning a fellow rider (Sam) and myself went to Starbucks for some coffee before heading out on the ride. The scheduled milage for today was 85, but I think I ended up going around 90-95 total. The first 40 miles went by in a flash. After leaving Greenville we went through a few small towns and stopped for lunch just past Wilson. After filling up on PB&J we set out to finish the final 40 miles. Unfortunatly that is when the hills started to make their presence felt. As a resident of Central Florida for the majority of my life, I consider anything over an overpass a fairly substantial hill. Around mile 60 the group that I was with found a neat old gas station and rested for about 30 minutes. Filling up on ClifBars, GU and Gatoraid. The 25 miles heading into Wake Forest were really fun, but in a sadistic sort of way. The ache in my legs was present, but never a hinderance. I have truely found a new love for the sport of cycling. Riding at 22 MPH in a pace line brings an uncontrolable smile to my face everytime.

Tomorrow we are riding into Chapel Hill for our first 2 Build Days. There are a few of the riders who know the area well and are excited about showing everyone around. The past 7 days have been amazing and I can't wait to see what the next 63 have in store

5/13/2010

It is the day before orientation and my parents and I drove up to South Carolina and are staying in a hotel. We got a late start on the trip and didn't hit the road until arount 1. We got about 2/3rds of the way to Nags Head before deciding to pull off and get a hotel room in Florence SC. The drive up has been undeventful and has pretty much consisted of listening to A Brave New World and napping. Hopefully we can get an early start out so we don't have to be rushed getting to the orientation tomorrow afternoon. I still have no idea what orientation will be like or who the other riders are. Overall I am not very nervous, but I have been experiencing bursts of anxiety over the trip.b These usually pass quickly and I try not to let them bother me. However, I am going to remain positive and enjoy whate3ver this experience has in store for me.

3 days away

It is hard to believe that I am just a few days away from embarking on this journey. The outpouring of support that I have received from so many of my friends, teachers, and even complete strangers has meant so much. It is such an honor to know that people believe so much in me that they are willing to dedicate their time, money, and hard work into helping me achieve my goal. The incredibly generous donations that I have received have helped me surpass my original fundraising goal by almost $1500. Every single dollar that I have received has only motivated me more to keep pushing and to prove that I am deserving of the generosity that I have been shown.

In just three days I will be making the drive up to the Outer Banks in preparation to start my summer trip. While I feel that I am not as prepared physically as I could be, I am still very confident about my ability to finish this trip without experiencing a complete breakdown. It has been difficult to fit in training while preparing for finals and graduation. I'm sure that I will be not speding more time in the saddle about a week into the ride, but that is why they invented biofreeze. Aside from the physical aspects, I feel that keeping mentally strong will be just as hard, if not harder, to do than keep my body functioning. I am fully expecting numerous minor breakdowns, but nothing that I won't be able to recover from. Although I have not met any of the other members of my group in person, through the magic of the internet I have already made some good friendships and I cannot wait to meet everyone in person.

These next three days are going to be extremely busy. I will be splitting my time between Deland and Titusville. Packing, unpacking, moving, driving, researching. I can't wait. There are only a few more supplies that I need to buy, but for the most part I have everything that I will need. I just bought the ISM Adamo Typhoon Saddle. With only a few days to go before I set off, I was not sure if I wanted to risk buying a new seat. The seat that I have been using has worked well, but I was nervous that I would begin to experience problems in the middle of the trip. The unique design of the ISM saddle relieves pressure directed and increase blood flow to the groin. As that part of my body is very important to me, I want to do everything in my power to protect it.