[update]

Please visit evandana.com to read how Bike & Build is influencing my life currently.

[photos]

Seattle, WA (fin)

Here I sit in small diner chararacteristic of Seattle's unique style, reflecting on the past months of traveling and the preparation for it.

We touched hearts and houses in small towns and big cities as we pedaled east to west. After a day of riding, we would talk with community members about their experiences and learn about local affordable housing issues. Following dinner, I enjoyed presenting Bike & Build's missions and daily life to the community (partly because of the public speaking practice). We were able to participate actively in the ensuing conversations because of our individual presentations to each other about affordable housing topics. By then helping to build houses, we not only learned new skills, but also were able to meet the owners, sometimes. We discussed the process for securing a Habitat house while pounding nails or screwing up drywall. We played a small part in realizing future homeowner's dreams through raising awareness and raising walls.

As the trip progressed, I not only learned about affordable housing issues across the country, but also about the origins of Bike & Build. Roughly speaking, the primary intent of Marc Bush (B&B's founder) was to influence youth towards community involvement and increased bike-awareness. He then chose to use affordable housing and biking across the country as the medium to wed and accomplish these goals. And, honestly, I do feel more of a desire to volunteer in my community and to bike instead of drive. I aim to combine community service into my career as a means by which to strengthen and broaden my skills and interests.

I biked roughly from 8am until 4pm, 6 days a week, and it was a time of mindless spinning and mindfull meditation. Being confident in my own pace proved to be the biggest challenge I faced the whole trip. (Ok, Shoshomi and Sioux City, you rest as the exceptions.) I was very self-conscious every time I sped on ahead because of the general "anti-competition" attitude of the group. Now, I wasn't racing against anyone else, but against my own willpower, determination, and burning legs. I spun smoothest and tolerated the hard saddle when I was pushing myself. What brought me to accept my own pace independent of others' was though discussing stories of another rider's similar struggle. Finding the viewpoint that there will be differing judgements regardless of my daily pace, helped me to choose my own path without worrying about possible disapproval. I see this mindset being helpful in making leadership decisions in an industrial design career because of it's subjective nature.

I am honored to have shared the summer with 29 other amazing people, who each contributed positively to the group dynamics. With 2/3 of the riders over 21 years old, our group's average age was a bit higher than the typical B&B group. Everyone played some part in contributing to the calmer and more thoughtful attitudes that helped us to work together. For example, our weekly Town Hall Meetings (designed to allow concerns and compliments to be aired publically) became more enjoyable by starting with a getting-to-know-you-questions game. We also read anynonomous Way-To-Go's to bolster good feelings and recognize small acts of kindness. These tactics coupled with the non-competitive atmosphere really helped rollover petty personality conflicts without problems.

By traveling across the country, through places I may never visit again, I mulled the passage of time and circumstance. The weeks lurched by as we passed endless fields, hills, and towns of all sizes. By what scale should I weight my options for how I spend my time? Finding a balance between enjoying a good pace groove and poking around a small town store meant choosing between the physical moment and inquisitive mind. I listened to intuition and my body to decide where to go and at what speed, but most importantly, I was grateful for the opportunity to make the choice. Every choice yeilded a unique experience to enjoy and from which to learn. There are neat places I found unexpectedly hidden: unique and curious architecture, for example, that isn't charted on tourist information. Similarly, many people I met shared interesting stories and attitudes that weren't apparent from first glance. I am continually amazed by how much I don't know I don't know.

Riding down the chute through the finishline and splashing into the Pacific feels more like a transition than the end of the journey. I will move onward, more aware of myself and my country, promoting cycling and community service.

Thanks to everyone who made this trip possible though donations, organization, and of course, my fellow riders.

-Evan

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Wallace, ID

Last night we stayed in Superior, MT and were enthralled with the Rodeo! Some of the highlights include Steer Wrestling and Bull Riding. (Hopefully, more pictures will follow!) Steer Wrestling involves jumping off of a speeding horse onto a running steer (in this case a young calf with horns) and pull it to the ground by the horns. Then, through brute strength, roll the calf over a full turn. Yeah, most cowboys missed jumping onto the steer, let alone the rest of it.

In one fell swoop, we crossed the final time zone change, into Idaho, and through Outlook Pass. We climbed up to Outlook Pass, a measly 4660ft above sea level, without much ado. We knew we had reached the base of the pass when the headwind died and the grade increased a bit. The mile of ascent without headwind was easier than the 14 miles preceding it. The descent was quite enjoyable as the moderate grade and headwind helped to keep our pace less than ridiculous.

The most enjoyable part of todays ride was the quiet and serene paved bike path snaking along a river for the last 10 miles into the quiet and colorful town of Wallace.

Well, my computer finally kicked the bucket, so I'll be much more sparse in my blogs. Photos may also be fewer and father between. Sorry, folks. Put up some good comments or emails to me, though, so I can stay updated!

Missoula, MT (83+ miles)

As we cycled on, the mountains revealed themselves gradually though the haze from nearby fires. It's no surprhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifise that we have seen many signs warning of an extremely high chance of fire due to the dry season. I've also heard that the average summer temperature has risen 15ºF in the past few years. Glad I'm traveling on a bike!

What if everyone were to tour the country by bike, or at least commute en velo? Adventure Cycling is a non-profit dedicated entirely to encouraging touring on two leg-powered wheels. Their office here in Missoula is a fantastic example of how they will achieve this. I strolled up to their door and pulled three times before I was convinced that it was locked and after-hours. But, Julie came to the door, greeted me with a smile, and offered a quick tour. They have a great selection of maps and tour prepping information. Plus, they offer drinks, ice cream, and internet to touring cyclists, gratuit!

I'm making this journal entry from a really neat shop called Liquid Planet. Check out the pictures of the interior. They have products and organic treats for people who enjoy beverages (beer, wine, tea, coffee, smoothies) like a hobby.

The horrendous headwinds of yesterday's late start were happily dodged as we rolled into the bike-friendly city of Missoula. Now this is actually a city: we don't double the population, there are multiple coffee shops and, more importantly, bike shops. Plus, we're lucky enough to have multiple HOT showers available at our gorgeously "archetectured" church-host and all our meals covered during the day off, too!

The feel of the downtown, the people, and the river, are quite appealing to me. We're all excited about spending our day off, in a town whose streets are lined with locked up bikes - ones that aren't ours! As a whole the town's population seems to be quite fit, athletic, and friendly. People take time to fully explain directions to a confused cyclist. Store clerks might have a conversation with you. Yeah, weird.

The ride into town brought us up a few rises and down more slopes on a fairly wide shoulder. It was great to have the room to chit-chat with Eric and Bronwyn without anxiety about being hit by a logging truck's caboose. We cruised along and a ripe quick pace that afforded us enough time for a dip in the rocky stream.

Lincoln, MT (56 miles)

Well, we just finished crossing the Continental Divide for the third time in the past week. Flesher Pass wasn't as long, as steep, or as high as Teton Pass, but we didn't start it until after 35 miles of headwind uphill. Our initial descent from the top was also great, but the rest of the downhill was robbed by the intense gusts in our face.

This morning's breakfast in Helena was absolutely scrumptious! We woke up to heaping stacks of blueberry pancakes, OJ, sausage, and homefries! 6 pancakes have never sat so well in my stomach. Delicious!

Bozeman, MT (92 miles)

We started in West Yellowstone this morning wearing our leg and arm warmers up the climb into the state park only to descend into the heat of Bozeman 92 miles later. Tree lined forests flanked the road as my sluggish legs were reminded of cold en route up the first few miles. After that, the road turned downwards for the REST OF THE RIDE! We cruised down by Yellowstone's streams and mountains at a comfortable 22mph. We finally reaped the due rewards of our previous 3000 miles of ups, downs, and more ups.

I cruised up to the first lunch stop (with quite chilled fingers) and enjoyed three pb&j's surrounded by the gorgeousness of nature. I then enjoyed relaxing by a river before playing on the swingset at second lunch.

So nice and relaxing.

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[photos]

Ashton, ID (72 miles)

I had a great stay with the Cummings' the other night in Landers with Sam. We each took turns, some of us better musically equipped than the other, playing the super-duper-electro-ORGAN-erator. Really neat.

The next day I was astounded with the amazing beauty of the mountains as the patchy clouds highlighted a few peaks at a time. We had a 30 mile climb (moderate-low grade), on which I stopped more with the descent than the climb. Due to some construction, we were trucked 4 miles over some gravel, but rode the bulk of it. After crossing the Continental Divide, which divides the watersheds for the Atlantic and Pacific, we saw signs for "10% grade [down] for next 17 miles". Wow. We stopped frequently, some due to the cold wet air, but mostly for the view. I'll let the pictures do the talking though. There was so much more astounding landscape, but only photos will do it justice.

Today we crossed the Teton Pass, at 8468 ft - a 2k+ climb in 5.5 miles. Yeah, it was steep. It took me the first third of it to accept the grade, accept the effort necessary, and just settle into a groove. I was climbing solo through thick clouds for who knows how long. Occasionally the grade would weaken, but never decline. Then as I rounded a bend, the sun snuck into a corner of the mountain and illuminated it in the majesty that it deserved...

A few more stretches of dense clouds later, I crept out above the clouds to see them below me, and a nearby mountain peak reaching out of the sea of white. All those phrases poets said are actually true. I almost chocked on its beauty. I was tearing. I was laughing. It took my breath away. I flew up the last 200m, with exclamations of accomplishment and awe. I then climbed to the peak of the nearby mountain and saw the clouds stretch out endlessly below me, and I thought for a second that I must be flying.

Wow.

Dubois, WY (76 miles)

Wow. So there's more to tell than I have time. I'm using the internet courtesy of Wind River Gear, who has opened their computer to me so that I can check my email. Yeah, some people and buisnesses are that nice.

Last night we split up and stayed with individuals from Landers, in their homes! It was amazing to have that "home" feel!

The ride today! Oh the ride! The layered rocks strewn out for miles and miles, reaching to the sky, under flirtatious clouds. Oh, outstanding! And some nice mountain flower scents!

Expect an update when I get the next chance to go online.

Wow.

Lusk, WY (82 miles)

I really enjoyed the views today as the buttes rose out of the horizon; we could feel the approach of the Rockies! The wind was kind and the sun gently hid behind spotty clouds. I felt good enough to eat a 1/2 typical B&B breakfast (equal to about half a day's worth of cereal and banana for the average person), which served me well for the first half of the ride. However, I bonked hard up the only hill (very mild grade, but 3 miles long) because my core had no energy from not eating much yesterday. (I had been feeling queasy for a few days prior.) So I took it easy the rest of the ride. We played some word games to make the ride more enjoyable.

Having been slightly sick recently, it makes me more aware of how well everything else works. I become far more appreciative of not suffering severe knee problems, numb hands, or prohibitive saddle sores. Slight injuries are a great reminder that larger injuries have been dodged. On that note, we all are so grateful for the delicious meals, friendly folk, and sleeping quarters every night.

I didn't have my cyclocomputer in a spot where I could see it, so I rode the whole day not knowing how fast or how far I was going. Usually, I'm pretty unconsiously obsessive about this data under the guise that I need it to make the right turns according to our cue sheet. However, since our route was to take 81.5 miles on Route 20 westbound, I figured I could go without for a day. I enjoyed letting my body tell me how fast or slow to go, instead of my spedometer. I also found that I relaxed about "the miles left to go" before it gets hot, because all I could do was ride the same pace, anyway. I think I'll try this again while the route is a straight-shot, as a way to focus more in the moment.

Oh, did we mention we did 566 miles last week, but who's counting?

Upon reaching our destination I promptly downed a Gatorade and took a siesta. This has become my enjoyable post-ride practice, as of late. I further enjoyed a ridiculously cold popsicle (which clung to my lips so surprisingly well I lost some skin to it) and a trip to the local library. While waiting for dinner, in a lethargic state, I slid into a teeny room packed with couches to watch a few episodes of "the Office". Us being used to close quarters, weren't phased one bit as the room filled quickly past the typical occupancy, threefold.

Dinner was delicious! We had a great pasta dish with veggies and chicken, plus a rice-salad-esque mix with fruit, and so much more! Oh, did http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifI mention Snickerdoodles! Delicious!

During dinner I had the pleasure of talking with Loydaine (I hope I spelled your name right!) and learned some crazy stuff about the Wyoming weather. Apparently, it could snow any month of the year in these parts, and still be 50º on Christmas! 50-60 mph winds aren't uncommon, and consequentially, the weather can change drastically with short notice. Loydaine and Tom have been fantastically helpful in coordinating our stay and just wait to hear what they set up for us tomorrow night....

(Visit bikeandbuild.org for the rest of the group journal entries.)

Chadron, NE (day off)

I don't feel so well today. I am trying to avoid getting the sickness that's going around, and thus far I've dodged the bullet, but at the expense of my energy. I'm quite tired. I should be fine by tomorrow assuming that I rest up well enough.

Last night I saw Transformers, the Movie at the teeny little theatre in town. It was terribly great. Or, greatly terrible? Either way, I enjoyed it thoroughly as I was expecting to be entertained by CG and a simple plot.

This morning, I helped make the pancake breakfast as best I could, but wasn't feeling up to the benefits of my efforts! Boo! I tell you I'm looking forward to getting my healthy appetite back!

Have no worries though, friends and family, I'll be cycling tomorrow!

Valentine, NE (84 miles)

Sidenote: There was an article in the Lowell Sun last Friday about Bike & Build and my experience thus far. If you didn't get a chance to read it in the paper (I hear it was on the 3rd page with a photo!) you can find it online.

Breakfast today was exactly what we want. Cereal, toast, fruit, muffins, and enough for seconds, thirds, and fourths.

Today seemed like two separate days weather-wise. This morning, it was cool and only mildly breezy. This afternoon, it was quite hot and we faced intense headwinds. The shoulder on the road was pretty good and there weren't any climbs, so we're pretty happy overall.

I needed a solo ride today and just sank into my aero bars, legs spinning away at circles. I watched the ground blur and streak through my shadow, with my head down on this straight, flat terrain.

I took a nice leisurely lunch break nap on a picnic table in the shade. This was in a town, that looked exactly like what you would imagine a "small old western town" to look like. There was a saloon (L-Bow Bar), an antique store, a bank, and not much else.

A muscle in my lower back/butt was mighty tight today, so about 10 miles after lunch, at the first tree I saw, I pulled over to stretch. I happened upon a napping Amelia, and looked up to see Grandma's Playhouse and Ice Cream Shop. Delightful. I chatted with Amelia for a bit, then "Grandma" drove in and opened up her shop. I had some delicious sorbet, lemon, lime, and raspberry! And she filled our waterbottles with ice and water. Such a treat!

Then, a few more miles down the road, we saw Bill, who is walking backwards across the country. I believe he drives down some miles, walks backwards to some point, then forwards, always facing West. He also set many other records, such as 2-finger push-ups. Neat.

We had to wait a bit after reaching the church to find out where to shower. Did you know you can take a nearly heart-stoppingly-cold shower and almost enjoy it after a day in the sun?

Sioux City, IA (101 miles)

Today we climbed 7,200 feet of rolling uphills though the wind for 7 and a half hours. Yup, I'm wiped. I also just overate to the point where I needed to lay down on the floor for a bit before anything else, even before showering. (Thanks to the local YMCA for providing a great meal!)

There is no such thing as an "easy" day with terrain, mileage, and wind like today. You gotta just keep chugging. Then do it again. I made the mistake of powering up hills with gusto the first half of the day only to always find more headwind on the plateau at the top before the ever elusive downhill, which we seemed to only find on rare occasion.

But don't get me wrong, the views were breathtaking (ok, so were the hills). Clear blue sky all around in the morning and in the afternoon, a patchwork of cumulous cotton balls generously spaced curved down past the horizon on both sides. Their shadows slowly walked the endless hills of corn and soy, occasionally welcoming us into their shade. The cool air rushed at us no slower than 15mph, and that's before moving on our bikes. Some improvised songs from Marie and Sam brought light to the ride and helped get over the lunchbelly slump.

A tough crank today reaped a meager 12-15mph. No matter what speed I sought to transition up a hill though momentum, I was humbled by the wind, incline, and miles under my belt. Upon reaching the crest, which would normally allow for some recouping of energy, the wind would now be able to best greet us, full force. And our rewards for the efforts on each hill were not well cashed today, as the wind's force on the downhill rendered it more similar to a slight incline.

Congrats to everyone who finishes the ride today. Oh, and it's only day 2 of 7 straight, with an average around 80. So much for "the wind at our backs", but still I say, "Bring me that horizon!"

Ames, IA (Build Day)

Well, my legs are happy as can be taking the day off. Everyone has demonstrated remarkable napping skills on various terrain and regardless of background commotion due the the past 7 straight days of riding. Being a bit tired myself, I need a calculator to add up the total mileage, so here's the breakdown of the mileage from the past week: 77-48-64-87-102-83-43. Yup, that's a lot for me.

I feel like there are many aspects of the trip that I accept as commonplace, but that you (those not on the trip) wouldn't know anything about. Last night, my chore group was assigned to give a presentation to our hosts. These presentations aren't directed by our leaders; it's up to us to coordinate together to give information about Bike & Build, our cause, fundraising and where the money goes, a day in the life, and how we impact and are impacted by the communities we visit. The past few presentations have been getting increasingly better in their succinct message about poverty housing (as opposed to simply sharing fun stories from the road). Our presentation went smoothly, and in my opinion it stands the best, thus far.

Weather permitting we will be helping Habitat for Humanity pound nails and frame a local house today. The storm has served us well though by giving us some free time this morning, and hopefully cooling off the weather for the next few days ahead.

I feel that the next week will be chock full of long rides. Legs, rest up fast!

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Ames, IA (43 miles)

After a grueling day in the hot sun and hardy headwinds yesterday, we all enjoyed the easy 43 miler today. Instead of writing much about the previous days, I'll just post some photos from the past months.

Oh, and I did a century two days ago!

Cedar Rapids, IA (102 miles)

My first century! (Ok, well the other day I did 88, I might have added an extra 12 dawdling around the town later that night in search of ice cream. But, that aside...)

It was a HOT one today! My bike was reading over 104 degrees at one point! It's funny, the heat and my blister (from the hours of dodgeball we played at the YMCA yesterday) were bothering me more for the first 60 than the rest of the ride. I had a great ride with Elle today, and we passed the time with some good discussions about global issues: natural disasters, what motivates people, and the heirarchy of needs. Oh, and I roared ferociously at all 5 dogs that tried to nip our heels at our outset.

We were treated this evening (after a fabulous meal) to visit a family living in a local Habitat House! It was fantastic to be able to put faces, names, and stories with our cause. The daugter is considering traveling around Europe with a group on a similar mission, but playing music instead of biking.

I would write more, but I'm wiped, and have to wake up in less than 8 hours. Hope you're all doing great!

Pontiac, IL (48 miles)

Today's ride seemed longer than both yesterday's 78, and Saturday's 88. Don't get me wrong though, the views were amazing: more sky than one can possibly take in. It surreal to feel the sphere of sky above the relatively flat fields of corn and soy. All of the fields become eachother as the gravel roads blurr into streaks below our tires. Today we took more back country roads (some weren't so well paved) which resulted in some confusion about the directions. Yesterday and Saturday, we were on one road for all but the last 5 miles or so.

Saturday, I felt great. We started out route 26 and stuck on it for 70 something miles. I had seen Patrick go out a few minutes ahead of me and decided to try to catch up to him for some good ol' conversation. While plugging along into the light wind at 22/23mph, my legs were a testament to the speed, but didn't falter. I seemed to have found my groove that day, where I could maintain a nice solid resistance around each circular pedal stroke. There's something almost hypnotizing, relaxing and exhilarating, to this rhythm of pedaling and green corn fields. The fields would rise and fall as the crops changed form soy to corn and occasionally to a road. Only some of you will know this feeling I'm trying to describe. And those will also know that on the rare occasion it all clicks together, you must let your body go and enjoy the ride.

Sunday, I had a great time in Chicago despite the best efforts of Amtrack. Frustration with the busses instead of trains aside, I enjoyed meeting up with Dave from CAB (who lives in Ohio) to tour around Chicago for the afternoon. We did an Architectural River Boat tour of the city's most prominent buildings, and I was thoroughly interested. Particularly, I was fascinated by the buildings that were built above existing traintrack, without disrupting the train schedule while being built. We then meandered around the Milennium park to interact with the giant reflective kidney bean (look up pictures of this stuff!) and the big towers of people's faces that spat water.

Monday, we started out our ride with 3 friendly cyclists from nearby colleges who were recently dedicating the majority of their time to training for a 1/2 ironman triathalon. It was great to be able to fly down the roads (with wind at our backs for the first time!!!) and hear their stories. Where as Mary thought she was going to do only about 30 miles that day, the three of them ended up doing about 96 because they rode out 46 miles with us! But it seemed so easy!

I'm off to shower soon as we should probably paint the van tonight since it's such a short day. (We went straight through to have lunch at our destination today.)

Wishing everyone an great 4th of July!

Lafayette, IN (88 miles)

I spoke with Bridget of the Lowell Sun the other day about Bike and Build, so watch the paper for the article!

We have a day off tomorrow!!! I will be capitalizing on this opportunity to visit Chicago and meet up with a great college friend, Dave from CAB!

The ride today was the most excellent ride I have had yet. I just felt great the whole time! I rode hard on this long flat road (78 miles on the same one) mostly above 22/23mph. The aero bars are my new love. They helped me relax and get into a really comfortable position. I don't know that they'd be that great in hilly New England, but are perfectly suited for Indiana!

New Albany, OH (40 down, 6 to go)

I'm enjoying this 6-star resort, some refer to it as Logan's house. This fine residence might look like a nice house in a gorgeous neighborhood, but the amenities are perfectly suited to bike&builders: A/C, three internet stations, a wide array of drinks, pool (with towels and a frisbee!), food, and I've only been here for a short bit!

Ok, so we're spoiled. Last night we each got a room to ourselves, with a mattress, sheets, and a pillow! And, we all gorged ourselves on the great cafeteria breakfast of french toast, eggs, apple butter, etc...

PLUS, later tonight we're going to a baseball game, gratuit!

AND tomorrow's a build day!

I think this is what we earned on all those hills and sunny flat windy roads, or the days building, or the late chores.

Yeah, spoiled. But it feels sooo good.

Gambier, OH (73 miles)

Derrick's back! As a surprise, he was there upon arrival last night at the YMCA. He had broken his hip with a side of road rash while biking to Kent, CT, but his doctor's said riding wasn't goint to make it worse. Well, I don't think he told the doctors the extent of our trip, but they said that biking wouldn't make it worse.

It was pretty hot today. Our two lunch stops, helped us keep cool today, though. Not to mention we were thoroughly amused by the Amish buggies that we passed en route. I even saw a buggy on the corner of someone's yard, with a "for sale" sign in it. Silly Amish, who's going to motor by and decide to pick up a buggy on a whim?

After two days of chilling out at a comfortable pace, I caught a glimpse of being in a big race - as if I was in Breaking Away or in one of Bobke's stories - and just took off. We were theoretically about a mile from the second lunch spot and had just pulled out of a beautiful 73º shady road, when I started to rock the crank arm. I just spun circles. Spun, spun, spun. I kept a pretty decent resistance for a few miles, but the thought of passing lunch slowed me down a bit 6 miles later. Luckily I decided to stop and check out the "longest covered bridge in Ohio", which just happended to be the hidden lunch spot. When I went to chaulk the road, I realized I had just sped past the other markings.

About 7 of us were treated to a nice 9 mile ride on a shaded bike path for the last leg of the trek. Oh what a difference the shade makes! It's so enjoyable to be able to ride 3 across and chat without worrying about cars or potholes.

Thus far, I've dodged flat tires (knock on wood for me) and hope I can keep this up as long as possible! My bike is getting mighty dirty, and I think I might give it a good cleaning on our upcoming build day. Several people ate it yesterday on railroad crossings, wish them quick healing (just scrapes) and hope that we all learn quick enough to avoid any more mishaps. I think in total there've been about a dozen small falls that drew some blood.

Hope all's well with the rest of you! (You can send me email, I just might not be able to read it on a relaible schedule.)

Oh, and I'm almost at 900 miles since the trip started!

Youngstown, OH (54 miles)

It was pretty exciting to see the Ohio sign today, as I hadn't yet visited this state!

We rode some great rolling hills today after Pastor Sam showed us a hilly shortcut. There was a great medley of long gradual climbs and steep medium climbs. I was feeling kinda lazy today and stuck in the high gears up the hills, just spinning slowly. I tackled one big climb all in the highest gear, standing the whole time. It was a good push. My wrist is still soar (more so after helping to unload everyone's bag from the trailer). But feeling OK.

Last night Pastor Sam gave me some advice on how to change the setup of my bike to make it more comfortable. I dropped the handlebars by two collars and tilted them down, too. I also moved the seat forward to relieve some pain from the seat that was building. The seat adjustment seems to have worked, but we also had a day off and an easy 50 today. The handlebar change now lets me hunker down a bit more and grip the hoods while my forearms rest on the bars, this is awesome for my wrist.

The scenery was gorgeous again today, and the temperature, fantastic. A nice cool morning and sub-80 degree and sunny day made for another amazingly beautiful meandering ride. Our lunch stop was next to a barn, across the street from a farmhouse, in the middle of a slew of fields. The family came out and gave us cantelope, drinks, and then s'more mix for the road.

I wish I could upload some pics off my camera (with a freshly broken screen) to show you all how it looks while I'm riding, but you'll just have to imagine it.

Enjoy!

Early AM in Franklin, PA

Today we leave early from this nice little town to head for Ohio! We were lucky enough to swap our build day from today to yesterday, because this town had work for us, and Ohio's first town didn't. Plus we all love the size and feel of this town as it's a great balance between quaint and comfortable. They have more than one intersection, and at least one great ice cream stand! There are parks, and formidable sized banks! We are lucky enough to be staying at a great church right in the center of it all!

My wrist is hurting today as much as yesterday, but I'm going to ride anyway. I hope that it's just soar from Thursday's ride in over the bumpy sidewalk while looking for the church. Hopefully. Pastor Sam (there is a Subway sub named after him) being the major cyclist that he is, adjusted my handlebar position (and everyone else's) to make it more aggreable for my body.

It looks cool outside, and I hope it stays that way. My heat rash is fading away, finally. I hear we have some short (relatively speaking) and steep (absolutely) climbs today, bring it on!

Well, I must go pack up and then scramble for breakfast before all the bananas are eaten.

Wishing you all well!

-Evan

Quothe The Cyclist

(The following post is my contribution to the daily journal entry we take turns writing. Please follow the bikeandbuild.org route tracker for the full listing of journal entries for our group. I apologize for not posting photos, but it is difficult without reliable internet or personal computer.)

78 miles from Clark’s Summit (near Scranton) to Standing Stone (not Towanda)

Once upon our daylight waking,
While we sought food and early packing
Before many and many miles of spinning our wheels,

When we were ready, nearly departing,
Our travels were blessed by the local father, Bob Martin,
Wishing us well and with moving stories, hope imparting.

Ah, distinctly, I remember,
It was the day after a late slumber,
And our legs were freshly recovered from the first few hundred miles.

As a pack we traveled, nearly half our group together,
We pedaled down PA roads, approaching the lunch shelter,
Our van with trailer provided several pb’s and filled our water bottles.

With chalk on the roads, and determination in our shoes,
We sped onward by the views, absorbing the greens and blues,
To Towanda we spun, 78 miles in the heat almost done!

Our directions weren’t so complete,
Another town we were supposed to meet,
But not knowing where to go, we saddled down our two-wheeled steeds.

There under a tree we waited,
Chowed down on a tub of cookies donated,
A reporter stopped by to take our story, before some river splashing glory.

Happily, the van did pick us up,
To the showers and then to sup’,
In a small church by a gorgeous hill, hay bales strewn about.

With the piano playfully tapping,
We laid down our bags for a night of deep napping,
I’m proud of our journey, and look forward to the morrow!

Upon some reflection these things I have learned:
Peanut butter in cereal with bananas is far from absurd,
And I’ve found 30 friends who share my appetite for cycling and food.

Scranton, PA

In order to view our daily group journal entry, please visit: http://www.bikeandbuild.org/cms/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,208/

I'll be writing tomorrow's entry, and we'll hopefully be able to post it soon. Internet access is less than consistent. Ok, enough on that.

We're all greatly enjoying our first "day off", which started with an enjoyable gross-matinee (8:30!). I biked pretty hard all week and racked up 380+ miles already! Thursday's ride was a great beautiful and hilly 76miles into White Lake, NY. I pushed it hard most of the way and really felt it on yesterday's 74miles.

The group I'm traveling with is absolutely phenominal! We're bonding unbelievably quickly and all getting along great. I think it's working out significantly better than any other group trip because at the heart of it we all are passionate about biking and community service.

We are quite busy each day, with very little (if any) down time. Our day starts with packing up and breakfast, then biking, eating, biking, eating (etc...), showering, eating, presenting our cause to our local host, bike maintenance, and sleeping. Yeah, busy. Yeah, a blast!

Wishing you all the best!

Bring Me That Horizon!

"And even though there's no way of knowing where to go, I promise I'm going. Now, bring me that horizon."

Yesterday was my last day of work at Swing Ltd. before the trip. Looking back, it was a great job with fantastic people. And though seemingly haphazard circumstances, working at Swing is what brought me to do Bike and Build.

I started at Swing in February '06 back when I was still living at my parents' house. Since then I have moved twice, and will likely be in a new place when I return from Seattle. I've changed more than just residence in that year, though. I feel that I've become more decisive, proactive, confident, and focused as a way to deal with the stresses of the job and balancing life goals. I also realized just how important it is for me to relax so that I can see things more clearly - solutions will come on their own if I let them.

Highlights from my time at Swing thus far:
• Winning the "Swing River Race Boat Contest": improvised boats floating down the flooded parking lot
• Trading a Powerwheels for a Schwinn
• Manwalks - and letting Will come, too
• Dwainisms
• Calling James' wife at 10pm from a bar to confirm that they met online
• Skateboarding down the warehouse
• Watching Mark skateboard around
• Racing the scooter course
• The pizza-eating challenge
• Horseshoes at lunch
• On a rainy day, getting more wet in front of the design door than walking from my car
• 3something AM working on Saks Off 5th
• The unfortunate timing of Will's comment near the SUV
• Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes!
• PBHB (peanut butter, honey, banana) for months 1-3
• Christmas party trivia game
• Baseball in the field
• Julian's enlightening wisdom
• Fresh baguette sandwiches split with Sarah

Thank you all for a great time, and a productive environment!

The Last Bikepath Ride

I bet today is the last time I'll do the bikepath from Arlington to Belmont and back. It felt great to finally get out and spin for an hour.

I stopped to help some mother and her daughter(?) who were hunched over a bike. Last summer, someone helped me fix my flat when I had no tools, so I couldn't resist asking if they needed any tools. They didn't look like they would even have had a multi-tool on them. It ends up I just placed her rear brake cable back into tension in its holder on the main tube. Cake. They were quite thankful, and I was happy to contribute to making the bikepath mentality a bit better on the whole.

I guess it almost compensates for cruising past everyone as if they were standing still... :P

Being Honest Is A Better Fit

So the deal with Bike & Build is that once I raised the first $1000 in donations, they give me a bike (or $ towards one) through a bike shop called Zanes in CT. So I raise my money, choose my Trek 1500, talk to Zanes, and two days later I have two boxes on my doorstep. I figured they shipped the wheels separate from the frame. Nope.

They sent me TWO bikes!!! After careful inspection I figured out that one was the Trek 1500 exactly as I requested (wait, no, they upgraded the derailers for me... sweeeet). And the other was a Trek 4300 mountain bike size 18 (a bit too big for me). As elated to have a new mountain bike as I was, I didn't open it up in case they noticed and wanted it back.

[Quick side note: my previous roommate at Fairmont St was quite the &^%$#@!* and stole my old mountain bike when he moved out while I was at work. Despite reporting the stolen bike to the police, it never materialized into my possession. I figured if I kept the 4300, it would be my comeuppance.]

A few weeks passed with the 4300 sitting in my office, unopened. I wanted to keep it, but I anticipated feeling a bit guilty if I committed to keeping it. I was so busy that I really wasn't intentionally delaying dealing with it - although it did let me know that they had no idea I had it. So I called them and asked about "my shipment of the 4300" to which she replied, "You're all set, do you have any questions?" Well, yes, but I responded that I was quite satisfied.

I couldn't let this go if I was going to be out biking all summer, I didn't want it hanging over me at all. So I called them up again, and told them I had an "extra bike" from their shipment and explained the details of how the label said it was for me, but I hadn't ordered it. They figured out to whom it was supposed to be shipped, and soon it was back en route. I'm quite sorry that someone had to go without a bike due to my delay. A few conversations later I was being asked if there was anything I needed for my 1500, and yesterday I received a nice package in the mail.

As it turns out, the 4300 wouldn't have helped me on my cross-country trek, but the stuff they sent will be very useful. So, thanks Zanes.

Razor Burn

Don't shave your legs for the first time without reading up on how to do it. It's quite painful.

Why do it: (1) better situation if you get gnarled up, (2) ticks bounce off your legs rather than have something to cling to, and (3) more comfortable(?).

If you are going to do it:
Read up on tips from the internet. There are some decent tips out there.
Shave in the direction of the hair for the first few times. (Really, it makes a difference.)
Baby oil, moisturizer, and baby oil.

I'm glad I experimented with this weeks before the trip began, or I'd be quite the grumpy camper.

Waa-wa-Wachusett

Yesterday I had the pleasure of heading out to Wachusett with three of the Westford Wheelers: Michael Dwyer, Peter Nelson, and Bill Seldon. In the warm morning, Peter and Bill accompanied us to the Bolton flats at a nice social pace though the shady back roads. I am quite happy that I kept reminding myself to spin easy on the hills en route to the mountain. As we approached Sterling, I became a little more apprehensive of the big climb, but was well distracted with the amazing views - I had been asking, "Are we at the base yet?" several times during our approach.

Upon turning onto the Wachusett roads, it was quite obvious where the mountain started. The first long straight away rose constantly upwards with a vanishing bend that suggested this was only the beginning. I am still surprised with the ease of the ascent. I fell into a great cadence in a granny gear and just keep chugging along. My legs didn't feel dead, I wasn't fighting my body, I was just spinning my legs. Because there were no cars yesterday, we were able to take the "wrong way" up - shorter and steeper.

During the climb, the sayings of Steve Prefontaine (a 5k runner from Oregon and at the origin of Nike) were drifting through my head: "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." and "A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts." Needless to say, I rocked the last 300 meters around the final bend as the climb started to catch up to me.

The way back all blurred together from zoning out to just the road and nature. There are short views that stand out: shadows dancing across the road with a full green canopy on a windy descent, views that stretched for miles farther than we traveled, and rushing of fresh air and sun delighting my arms, legs, and face. I wasn't winded until the last few miles - and on such a warm day I'm quite happy with that! I couldn't have asked for any better! I guess I'm lucky that Michael had punished his legs on Thursday and had a race the following day.

Regardless, I had a fantastic semi-involuntary nap shortly after getting off the saddle. I feel a great sense of accomplishment having ridden 20 miles farther than my previous best, and climbing the mountain so well in the middle.

And you know what? I feel great today! A bit tight, but otherwise fantastic!

Thanks Michael, Bill, and Peter! [And thanks to flickr.com users for the photos.]

Don't Ride Close in Towns!

Ok, so last week was pretty rough. Sorry I haven't written in a while. I backdated this blog to the relevant day.

There we are, the 3 swing lunch cyclists, heading out for a quick ride, venting and laughing as we go. I picked up the pace a bit as I got into my rant, then slowed down a bit to make sure not to loose the other 2. Keith flew by me shortly thereafter, and I naturally jumped in line - careful to leave at least a bike length back and a few feet to the side as we were approaching Concord center. Within seconds I catch a glimpse of white coming to a screeching stop over his left shoulder. (A car going the opposite direction had stopped just short of taking a left turn that would have surely flattened us.) As Keith swerved right and threw on the brakes, I reached for my brakes - less than an inch from my fingers, yet too far. I had just touched the levers when his bike was next to mine and then his front wheel turned sideways. A split second later I was thinking, "So this is what it feels like to crash on a road bike going pretty fast." Our bikes, with us on them, were quickly horizontal, and just when I thought James might be able to avoid adding to the pile-up, his front wheel was over my back tire.

I was more concerned about the condition of my new bike than my heath directly afterwards. I guess I'm lucky to be thinking that way. I had the slightest scrapes ever possible, and some late onset whiplash (always wear a helmet!). Keith was sent to the hospital with a chip on the wrist and a fractured elbow.

My bike saw some $350 of repair at International Bike in Brighton, and it still should have a new front wheel, too. Wow. 3 seconds and all that change! Bent handlebars, bent rims, tweaked cog. Days off of riding.

DON'T RIDE CLOSE IN TOWNS!

O'Naturals Community Night

Last night almost 20 people showed up to O'Naturals specifically to support me - 10% of all purchases benefitted Bike & Build. It was fantastic to have such a great turnout! I met some new people, and put faces to names.

I want to thank everyone who came!

Notably, Bob, thanks for the insight about the impact of the stories that I will later share. He related a small anecdote about how the young boys in Africa spark life into the older generations when retelling the exciting stories of their "coming of age adventure period".

Thanks Ken, for coming all the way from Framingham! It was great to meet you, and I wish you luck on all of your charitable events!

And of course, thank you Mr. and Mrs. Gould for your unrelenting laughter. It inspired my mom to ride the PMC, and that in turn got me into cycling.

Another Ride with Everett

Ok, so I hadn't posted in about a week because I spent last weekend exploring Reykjavik, Iceland. Absolutely fantastic landscape - comparable to the moon! During our car rental experience, we got lost and ended up on top of a volcanic crater, how often does that happen?! I did manage to squeeze in a few hours touring around the city on a 500 pound mountain bike - oh how I missed my new bike!

Back to the usual grind, I did about 2 hours today with Everett. This time not only was I smarter about not doing 40 miles of hills the day before, but I also took the first hour easier. Constantly reminding myself to spin easy on the hills in the first half, helped give me a kick on the way back. About an hour and a half in, we did some speed-work with a paceline at about 25mph. This felt great! Pushing hard at 25mph for a minute or so, then getting carried at the same speed. This is obviously the way to head across the country. I still have some pacing to learn though, as I was dropped like a rock on the last hill, but I do see some significant improvement over the last ride.

I really enjoy the great conversations with people I wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity, if it weren't for Bike & Build.

Biking and Biking

4.5! Yup, that's how many hours I rode today! Roughly, 70 miles, I think. Obviously my longest by far. Not including last weekend, that doubled my previous max.

I went out for 2h15min solo in the morning, had a two hour rest, then out again with a group. It was fantastic to have great company! Patrick, Kate, and Ryan (my roommate, his girlfriend, and the guy downstairs) all are quite fit and able to cover the distance without a problem. For instance, in the two-family house where I live, there are 4 people - and 15 bikes!

Biking and Building

I started the day bright and early on the roof of a house scraping paint, and ended the day with a 2 hour easy ride. I was one of about forty people helping to reface a house in Lowell with Rebuilding Together. We scraped paint, I replaced some siding, and then we painted. It gave me a good feel for how the blitz build projects may go this summer. They were a great crew to work with. (see the Lowell Sun article)

Pictured left is Nolan, who is reaching the top of the window thanks to 10-fingers from me and 10 from Elana. See Rebuilding Together's photos.

Busy Week - and New Bike!

My new bike came yesterday! I can't wait to have the time to put it all together at the right measurements! (Anyone have a good deal on bike fitting?) I love it already!

I did get out for a 35min run on Tuesday (thanks Mark!), which was apparently not long after the weekend's riding, based on how tired my legs still felt.

I didn't manage to get on my bike other than a little bit today. For some reason I'm not psyched to bike to work. I think I may just drive to work (I know, I know, the gas inefficiency bugs me too) and then bike around Concord before of after work. The roads I would commute on with my bike aren't as biker friendly as the ones closer to Concord.


During lunch I walked to a few places in west Concord and talked about my trip, asking for donations for the Community Night at O'Naturals in Acton on May 15th (4-8pm). I got the standard refusal lines from some shops, and some unexpected interest from others. I'd like to particularly thank Mari-Anne from Enclave!

The pictures here are from a small spot during my short rides today. I dropped my car off to get tuned, and used the opportunity to then bike to work from there, and then back afterwards. It worked out to be a great warm up... just a quick short jaunt.

"I Love Hills!" and 46.8

Saturday, I went on a great hill tour around the Westford area with my mom (who is training for her second PMC). We rode easy (for me) most of the time, and then I would branch off for a few minutes whenever I saw a hill on a side street. I was quite proud to have done my longest ride to date with my mom, 40.2 miles. I felt great afterwards, except a bit winded in my lungs. I think I'm not yet used to this gorgeous 80º sunshine.

Today, I rode with the president of Swing Ltd. around the whole state (not quite, but the 46.8 miles felt far). My legs felt great throughout the first 25 miles, even on the uphills. But as we drew on towards mile 35, I couldn't demolish the inclines as I would have liked. My left hip was sore roughly halfway through, and aggravated by powerful spinning. Oh, and I learned not to eat a salad and fish within an hour after riding. That didn't end so well.

Lovin' the biker's tan though!

Come Hell or High Water

I can't even count the number of times this title had gone through my head while riding to and from work yesterday. I had already run to the gym, worked out, and run home, before getting on my bike at 8am to head to West Concord. Needless to say, I started out a bit slower than usual.

The title started out as a mantra about riding through being tired and through any weather. On my way home, it became more of a demand for the challenges to come and find me!

I must say, yesterday was quite tiring as I only had a bit of time to rest before tackling the tasks that needed attending at home.

Special thanks to Mom and Dad for helping out with my wearable gear, it would hardly be possible without it. Thanks!

Trek 1500!

I ordered the bike today! The 52cm Trek 1500 (with and Alpha SLR Aluminum frame, Bontrager Approved carbon fork, Bontrager Select wheels, Shimano 105 52/42/30 crank, and Shimano 105 rear derailler.)

I got out for a quick ride down the bikepath and back this morning, in the drizzle (37º). A bit slower than Saturday's ride by 7min or so, but not bad for 7am.

Thanks to those who comment on this blog and all those who support me in this trip! It's an oasis of thought during the long stretches of road.

Bag Gloves

Surprisingly, I wasn't that tired when I pulled myself out of bed at 6:08 (after less than a full snooze button cycle). Nor was the cold wet weather too harsh on my sleepy muscles. A quick jog down to the gym, a few weights lifted (not as aggressively as after a frustrating commute) and a quick jog back. Somehow I had figured this would take until 8:15. Somehow I got back at 7:15. Had I been able to calculate this, I would have enjoyed a nice warm stationary bike ride at the gym while reading up on the latest Runner's World for inspiration. That not being the case though....

I jumped on my bike with shorts and short gloves and pushed the wind for a few miles. I am obviously still learning how poor my estimation of windchill is though, as my fingers went to ice within minutes. I stopped by a Starbucks for some warmth and water... but that wouldn't help the icy digits on the way back... Aha! What about a bag over them? I swung into Walgreens and nabbed some "thank you for shopping" bags, tied them up to be the right size and, voila! My new windbreaking "gloves" worked beautifully! (It wasn't until the last few minutes that they were painfully cold again.)

I bet this whole "bag glove" idea will prove to be helpful somewhere between Providence and Seattle as a solution in a pinch.

Lunch Rides

So we finally got out for some lunch rides after the cold snap. Leave it to New England to throw some snow in the mix between sunny 60º days. "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes."

(Pictured left: The two "Swing"ers I ride with at lunch. Yeah, we don't shower afterwards, and surprisingly no complaints yet...)

Yesterday felt really tough, more than just fighting the headwind that never let up. Today, felt much better. I sunk in behind Keith and James for a bit at the beginning, and it reminded me how incredibly effective slipstreams are at increasing speed and longevity of a ride! Needless to say, I soon cranked up to the lead and pushed the wind the rest of the ride. Hey, there were hills, what could I do? Not attack? Ha!

Oh, I'm going with the 52 despite some advice to go smaller. Most have agreed with the rationale that I can always get smaller components to fit the bike to me best. On the other hand, a friend says that it'll be tough to work up to the core strength (abs and traps) for good posture - and she's a P2S alum working as a physical trainer. I hope my core strength's pretty good, or I'll have to just thank her for the unheeded advice.

Sunday Ride

I took a nice 2 hour ride with Bela out to Lexington center from Westford today in the brisk 37º weather (a max of 47º). Beautiful (albeit a bit windy) return ride through the cranberry bogs and Great Brooke Farm. My fingers weren't too bad thanks to the borrowed gloves from Pops.

Bike Options and Cold Weather

On this sunny, yet deceivingly cold day, I tested the fit of the Trek 1000 and 1500 in both the 50cm and 52cm sizes from Belmont Wheel Works. Previously I had anticipated that the 50cm would be the best fit, in accordance with the online frame calculator based on inseam. However well it did fit, it felt somewhat similar in size to my current midget of a bike. In contrast, the first few minutes of the 52cm were quite awkward as I clumsily tried to understand this new size. Soon, though, the 52 started to feel like a Cadillac – with the luxury of room to stretch about, without being detrimental. I must say I'm a bit torn between the two based on sizing. I might need to compare them again unless some good advice justifies erring on either side.

Regarding the rest of the test ride, I particularly noticed the lightweight, ease of shifting, a bit more responsiveness on the hills, and a bit more throw from the roadbumps. Obviously either the 1000 or 1500 would be a great fit in either size, but it will take a bit to get used to the different way that it will ride. It'll be great to have one bike that I can leave at work for lunchtime rides and one for longer weekend rides.

Please leave a comment if you have some good advice on this comparison.

I'm a bit bummed I didn't get out much on the bike this week. I partly blame the weather, but know that I could have ridden indoors. I have to figure out the cold finger issue if I'm going to tough it outside, as yesterday's ride was painfully cold on my fingers despite doubling up on gloves! Hopefully this upcoming week will permit riding to work once or twice as this would be the easiest way to fit the time into my schedule.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Trek 1000

I stopped by Belmont Wheel Works to test out the Trek 1000 and learn about it. After much discussion with Fabio, we concluded that it really is a good fit for me. Somewhere between the T1000 and the T1500 in either the 50cm or 52cm. I think a 51cm would be perfect... but since this isn't an option, I will most likely go for the smaller of the two as it seems to be calling to me. I'm pumped to get to test ride these on Saturday! (Hopefully I'll be able to get some sponsorship from them as well!)

Mark your calendars: O'Naturals Community Night event scheduled for Tuesday, May 15th from 4pm-8pm. They will be donating 10% of all proceeds to Bike & Build in my name!

I will be participating in Rebuilding Together day in Lowell on April 28th to fulfill half of my "sweat equity" requirements.

Some possible freelance web work on the horizon to help fund this trip! (Check back for more on this later.)

Bummed about the cold snap preventing lunch/evening rides! I guess it's back to the stationary wheels for me today.

Need Warmer Fingers

In the name of preparing for 2 months of consecutive days of riding, rain or shine, I intentionally challenged myself with this morning's cold and rainy commute to work (from Westford).

After my face became accustomed to the cold wind, the only part of me that was frigid was my fingers. In fact, they still don't feel quite right. They were so numb and bitterly cold I had to stop to warm them up. Breaking was almost scary without full control of my fingers. I'm glad I am learning about my limits before I hit the road in Providence.

On the plus, the new shorts that I bought yesterday at Belmont Wheelworks annual sale were well worth the price, as I had no discomfort whatsoever from my seat.

I hope it's a bit warmer for my fingers on the ride home!

A Belated Thanks to Keith

So the person responsible for my ability to start cycling in the first place, certainly demands some due credit. I was interested in road bikes as I am quite familiar with their cousin, the mountain bike. But to truly love a sport, you must have the right equipment to do it right, and do it often.

Recognizing my enthusiasm and athletic energy, Kieth casually suggested that he might be able to give me his wife's old bike. To be honest, I didn't think it would come to fruition like most casual - but well intended - comments. Lo and behold, a few days later, I come to work and see the old Schwinn.

Steel grey with a bright pink "SCHWINN" running down the crossbar and covered in dust, there she stood. No tires, no tubes. The remnants of an old computer hung like a resilient spider web to the frame. Little did I know that this 15 year old bike would lead me to take on a cross-country trek in the name of ameliorating poverty housing.

She was ready to wake from the long hibernation after a lengthy trip to Belmont Wheel Works for the necessary repairs, equipment, pump, tools, maintenance supplies, shoes, and clips. Although slightly awkward compared to the clunky mountain bike, she rode beautifully all the way down the bikepath from Arlington to Belmont and back. And thus it started!

Since then, I've enjoyed many a ride from work during lunch hour with Keith and James. The 16.5 mile "Carlisle" loop repeatedly relieves stress from the morning to let us return to work refreshed, albeit muscles spent.

Powering through the hills, absorbing the blue sky and sun, slicing through the wind, yes, it's a phenominal way to spend lunch hour.

Thanks, Keith, for making it possible.

Training Schedule

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pia1VEBDSlfzabdBgb58Aaw

Thus far I have only entered January's riding / running schedule. But I will be posting February and March's soon. Yoga and weight training are probably not going to make it onto the spreadsheets, but for those who thing my workout is sometimes light, add in 2 powerful sessions of free-weights and at least one yoga class per week.

Saddles

I tried a new saddle monday night on the trainer. It looks quite techie and feels super light. On the other hand, it's much more rigid than the squishy one I was used to. Yesterday I took it out for a light spin (can't ride for long during rush hour) to see how it would fare on the roads. Not too bad, but I don't think I have it set up correctly. It also created some slight chaffing, but is this the "breaking in period" or should I bail on it? I'm going to give it a 12mile ride to work today, and bring the old one as a backup in case I want to swap it.

Fundraising is going slow as of late. I've rolled out a few good conversations and generated some good interest, but there is still a long way to go.

Ok, back to writing letters!

It's a Go! (45min bike, 20min run)

OK GO! I'm not going to lie and say that making this decision has been easy. I've definitely had moments of doubt. You know, the "what if's". Job. Housing. Money. Time. Is this the right thing to do? Yes!

(There's no way to guarantee that any other possibility would leave me any better off. It's up to me to make this work out for the best, as with every other option.)

Walking outside on the ice-coated snow along the Mystic Valley river tonight, feeling the wind, feeling the last rays of light, I really love to be outdoors. I want to give back to the community. I've been so fortunate to have been raised without any needs unmet. I can't understand what it would be like otherwise. I love to build. I'm excited, I'm anxious. I'm going to go for it.

The "what if's" can't shake me from this resolution, as much as they may try. I can't say that I've put put them all behind me, but learning to separate fears from intuition will be an invaluable lesson. Even now I'm struggling to end the self-fulfilling prophecy of doubt. Debating the issue on account of fear will only hurt the cause. I'm picking a direction and I'm going to run with it, eyes open. Let's see what's down this path. Dodge the obstacles with grace or use them as stairs to a better road.

Let's FUNdraise! Any suggestions?

Training: This'll be the easiest part. But that doesn't mean it'll be easy. I've been biking on stationary bikes several times throughout the week. Put in 45minutes on the bike and 20minutes running at the gym this morning, and feel great. I can't wait until I can hit the roads again!