No offense to my dear brother-in-law Kevin, but Texas made us all want to die. We zipped through the panhandle in just over two days, but it wasn't fast enough! The land was incredibly desolate, the heat oppressive, and the sights few and very far between. For the most part it was just barren land, with oil drills spaced out every few hundred yards. The oil drills are incredibly creepy. They look kind of like aliens--they are big metal objects which bob up and down into the earth all by themselves. There are no (NO) people around, no one watching or running them. They just sit there, bobbing up and down and making eerie creaking noises and giving me the heebie jeebies.
The other creepy sight came into view several miles out (that's what happens when the land is really flat...yesterday we could see the lunch stop three miles before getting there). Most of the land is a sandy brown, but on the horizon we saw a huge swath of dark brown. As we neared it developed a kind of bumpy texture, unlike the flat-as-a-pancake land around it. Finally we realized what it was: cows. Thousands and thousands and thousands of cows. Cows packed together in pens in the sun with small troughs of water and/or food (we couldn't get close enough to see for sure). When standing at the barbed-wire fence bordering them, the pens stretch as far as you can see. Off in the distance behind them was a large white building. We debated amongst ourselves whether this was the slaughterhouse or whether the cows would be moved to a different location. It was a really creepy sight. I already don't eat beef, but if I did I think seeing this would make me reconsider. (Not that eating chicken is any better. In Arkansas we passed a Tyson factory and it was emitting the worst smell I've ever experienced in my life).
Finally we escaped from Texas and into phenomenally gorgeous New Mexico. We were only there for about 18 hours, but it was beautiful. Yesterday morning's ride was probably one of the best I've ever had in my life. It was cool--a little chilly, actually--and the scenery was gorgeous, with pre-Rockies hills dotting the landscape. I also saw longhorns for the first time, and we got an AWESOME tailwind for the first time. I was pedaling lazily and still cruising along at 27 miles an hour! I felt like I was flying and it was one of the best things on this trip so far.
One other thing: I succumbed and rode in the van on the last day in Texas. I debated for days whether or not I would do it, but the fact was I was exhausted and getting increasingly miserable. I was cycling slower and slower, with the lack of sleep (less than 6 hours every night for nights on end) and the plentiful exercise starting to take its toll. I was starting to get in a pretty bad mood--dreading cycling each day, withdrawing from the group, and feeling pretty down in the dumps. Finally I got fed up and realized that being miserable for the rest of the summer just wasn't worth it, so I skipped a 95 mile day and rode in the van instead. I'm really glad I did. I was able to relax, read my book, do crossword puzzles (thanks Auntie Vic!), call my family, and just take it easy for a day. The next day (yesterday's awesome ride) I was feeling much better and much more like myself. Many people commented on how great it was to see me smiling big smiles again. I didn't realize that everyone had noticed that I hadn't been myself lately. It just goes to show how much we really are becoming a family.
Also, I turned 25! I'm a quarter of a century, and I feel so happy and lucky. I never thought I'd be spending my 25th birthday in Spearman, Texas, that's for sure. I also thought I'd be tres sophisticated and beautiful and perfect and well, that didn't happen either. Turns out you DON'T wake up on your 25th birthday with all the answers, but I think I'm ok with that. I feel so incredibly blessed to have spent 25 glorious years on this phenomenal planet. If I die tomorrow, I know I will have enjoyed more love, laughter, passion, adventure, wonder, and joy than most people do in lifetimes three times as long. In any event, 25 is treating me well so far. I'm growing more content with myself each day, and I'm jumping out of my skin with excitement about the future. I may not have all the answers, but I DO have a few thousand more miles to pedal, and I'm sure I'll come up with some of them along the way.
And thank you SO much to my family and friends and Oliver for the birthday treats and well wishes! I feel so blessed to be in your thoughts, even from far away.
By the way, I'm writing this from Trinidad, Colorado. Hard to believe we've been through 8 states and are less than half-way there!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Arkansas Part Two and Oklahoma Part One
So after far too little time Oliver headed back to Bloomington, and I sallied forth on my cross country journey. The rest of Arkansas was beautiful. The days were LONG (75 miles, then three centuries in a row) but really fun. We had what were probably the biggest ascents and descents I've ever done so far, so it got a lot of us thinking about the Rockies. I also got to swim in two lakes, which was pretty much the most amazing thing ever. Our one complaint was that on both days the lakes arrived early in the days ride; while they were still great it would be REALLY awesome to encounter one around 2 pm. The second lake was especially awesome because there was a big rock we could climb up and jump off of. We actually stayed around there for an hour and a half. It was in the Ozark National Forest and it was gorgeous. We all wanted to stay there all day, but alas, it couldn't be.
The three centuries in a row was certainly a challenge. I didn't get in before 6 pm on any of the days (my latest arrival was 8 pm), and considering we leave at 6:30 am that's a pretty long day. I'm not sure what takes so long. I'm not THAT slow...I'm certainly not the fastest in the group or even in the top third, but I'm not dead last either (unless I'm riding sweep, in which case it's my job to be last). On all three days we did stop fairly frequently--it's pretty much a necessity in the heat--and well, 100 miles is a long way!
Today we had a build day in Oklahoma City. We did framing for a house, which was really interesting. It's pretty cool to arrive in the morning to a slab of concrete and a pile of lumber and leave in the afternoon with a recognizable house there! I pretty much swung a hammer all day, and aside from the 102 degree weather, it was a great day.
As usual, the food is amazing. Our hosts continue to outdo each other, and Amelia's family is providing a perpetual stream of gargantuan quantities of baked goods. We're actually all a little worried about getting fat! No expanding waistlines yet (though at least for yours truly, no whittling ones either) but we'll have to see how it goes.
Oh, and Oklahoma is not flat. At least not yet. Our hosts are promising that we'll reach the Dust Bowl in due course, but so far we've seen almost nothing but hills. It's been extremely beautiful though, particularly our first day in the state. There is a LOT of green; way more than I would have thought. Picture rolling hills thick with green trees, patchwork farmland mixed in, and shiny streams and babbling brooks flowing throughout, and you have eastern Oklahoma.
And yes, I've been singing show tunes nonstop. :-)
The three centuries in a row was certainly a challenge. I didn't get in before 6 pm on any of the days (my latest arrival was 8 pm), and considering we leave at 6:30 am that's a pretty long day. I'm not sure what takes so long. I'm not THAT slow...I'm certainly not the fastest in the group or even in the top third, but I'm not dead last either (unless I'm riding sweep, in which case it's my job to be last). On all three days we did stop fairly frequently--it's pretty much a necessity in the heat--and well, 100 miles is a long way!
Today we had a build day in Oklahoma City. We did framing for a house, which was really interesting. It's pretty cool to arrive in the morning to a slab of concrete and a pile of lumber and leave in the afternoon with a recognizable house there! I pretty much swung a hammer all day, and aside from the 102 degree weather, it was a great day.
As usual, the food is amazing. Our hosts continue to outdo each other, and Amelia's family is providing a perpetual stream of gargantuan quantities of baked goods. We're actually all a little worried about getting fat! No expanding waistlines yet (though at least for yours truly, no whittling ones either) but we'll have to see how it goes.
Oh, and Oklahoma is not flat. At least not yet. Our hosts are promising that we'll reach the Dust Bowl in due course, but so far we've seen almost nothing but hills. It's been extremely beautiful though, particularly our first day in the state. There is a LOT of green; way more than I would have thought. Picture rolling hills thick with green trees, patchwork farmland mixed in, and shiny streams and babbling brooks flowing throughout, and you have eastern Oklahoma.
And yes, I've been singing show tunes nonstop. :-)
Little Rock
So, as it turns out, I have the best boyfriend in the world. I had an inkling this was the case, but it's really true. Last Tuesday as we were coming into Little Rock, we got to ride on this phenomenally gorgeous bike path to get through the city. I was riding with 7 or 8 other people, and we were really enjoying being away from cars and along a river. As I was riding I heard someone call out "hey Abby!" I thought it was kind of weird; the person in question was sitting a bit removed from the path under a tree, and I couldn't really see him. I actually considered just pedalling on--maybe I was just hearing things. But then some cyclists behind me said that someone was calling me so I thought I'd better investigate. I sauntered my bike closer, but still I had absolutely no idea who it was. Finally, when I realized it was him, I (um, very dorkily) half fell, half leapt off my bike and ran towards him. In fact, he was filming the whole thing, and you can watch it here (I didn't hear him say Schnookie or I would have known it was him earlier). Not to be cheesy or anything, but it really was probably one of the best moments of my entire life.
And I don't think I have EVER been so surprised. He had called one of the trip leaders to set it all up, and a couple of the other riders were in on it. But everyone was really great at keeping the secret. He rode the rest of the days ride with us, including over the Big Dam Bridge, the longest pedestrian/bicycle designated bridge in the country (world?). That night we had dinner with the group so he could meet everyone, and everyone was going on and on about how great he was (my favorite was Mary's opinion, which was: "Abby, your boyfriend's a stallion!"). All the other girls with boyfriends back home were extremely jealous, and I can't really blame them. I was jealous of myself!
Oliver rented a room for us for the two nights (we had a day off in Little Rock) and we spent the day sightseeing and trying to stay out of the insane heat. We went to the capitol, and the Clinton Library (the city is frighteningly obsessed with Bill Clinton), and to this nifty tae kwon do monument. The one annoying thing about the tkd monument is that the statues are wearing karate uniforms. Seriously??? We also did plenty of lollygagging in air-conditioned restaurants and bookstores, and it was pretty much heaven on Earth. I wish so much he could have stayed longer, but even so the visit is definitely a memory I'll treasure for a very long time.
And I don't think I have EVER been so surprised. He had called one of the trip leaders to set it all up, and a couple of the other riders were in on it. But everyone was really great at keeping the secret. He rode the rest of the days ride with us, including over the Big Dam Bridge, the longest pedestrian/bicycle designated bridge in the country (world?). That night we had dinner with the group so he could meet everyone, and everyone was going on and on about how great he was (my favorite was Mary's opinion, which was: "Abby, your boyfriend's a stallion!"). All the other girls with boyfriends back home were extremely jealous, and I can't really blame them. I was jealous of myself!
Oliver rented a room for us for the two nights (we had a day off in Little Rock) and we spent the day sightseeing and trying to stay out of the insane heat. We went to the capitol, and the Clinton Library (the city is frighteningly obsessed with Bill Clinton), and to this nifty tae kwon do monument. The one annoying thing about the tkd monument is that the statues are wearing karate uniforms. Seriously??? We also did plenty of lollygagging in air-conditioned restaurants and bookstores, and it was pretty much heaven on Earth. I wish so much he could have stayed longer, but even so the visit is definitely a memory I'll treasure for a very long time.
Mississippi and Arkansas Part One
Well gosh, what to say about Mississippi? Lots of biking was involved! Rolling hills in the east and flat flat flat in the west, which somehow surprised me even though I had no idea exactly what to expect. As I mentioned before, I had some difficulty understanding people, especially in small towns. I have plenty of experience deciphering various accents from the British Isles but considerably less with some accents from my own country.
My favorite town by far was Oxford. Home of Ole Miss and nicknamed the "Little Easy" it has a distinctly New Orleansian feel (not that I've ever been to New Orleans). One thing I thought was interesting is that right in downtown there is a memorial for Confederate soldiers. It is a large statue that says something on it about people giving their lives for a "noble and holy cause." I'm not sure how I feel about the cause being holy, but I do think it's rather nice they have a monument. It's interesting how there are lots of monuments for the "winners" of wars, but not any that I know of for the "losers". But in the end, people on both sides of the war died, and that is never a good thing regardless of what side they are on.
As I said, getting into Arkansas was flat. Mind-numbingly flat. Actually, what was mind numbing wasn't the flatness, but the straightness. Basically we biked along a straight road stretching off into the horizon as far as we could see. Occasionally we'd turn only to be greeted by the same sight. We nearly went insane (Kristen especially) but it was nice to have a break from the hills.
Once Arkansas became more Arkansan, it was really beautiful. It is more of a mixture of rolling hills and flatter farmland, and the combination is really striking. Crossing the Mississippi was pretty great, since I'd never seen it before. Unfortunately though we were on a fairly busy highway and the bridge had no shoulder so we couldn't stop to take pictures or admire the view.
We did have a bit of an adventure later that day though when we crossed the White River. The bridge is 3 miles long (yes) and with literally no shoulder. The locals were all very freaked out about the idea of us crossing it, but we didn't really have a choice, so they convinced us to call a police escort! Normally we are pretty spread out throughout the day, but we all waited at second lunch until everyone had arrived and was ready to cross. The van lead the way and the police car followed behind us flashing lights. It was a blast being all together; we were singing songs at the top of our voices and remarking on our incredible badassitude. The reason the bridge was so long is that the land is very swampy, so there isn't a clear border between the river and the land. Rather, the river just kind of seeps around where it wants to go, and it leaves quite a large berth. The swampy land isn't solid enough to build a road on, so the bridge has to go not only over the river proper, but also all the marshy stuff. It was really beautiful though, and completely unlike any other environment I've been to on Earth.
Halfway through Arkansas we had a day off in Little Rock, which proved to be far and away the best day on the trip...
My favorite town by far was Oxford. Home of Ole Miss and nicknamed the "Little Easy" it has a distinctly New Orleansian feel (not that I've ever been to New Orleans). One thing I thought was interesting is that right in downtown there is a memorial for Confederate soldiers. It is a large statue that says something on it about people giving their lives for a "noble and holy cause." I'm not sure how I feel about the cause being holy, but I do think it's rather nice they have a monument. It's interesting how there are lots of monuments for the "winners" of wars, but not any that I know of for the "losers". But in the end, people on both sides of the war died, and that is never a good thing regardless of what side they are on.
As I said, getting into Arkansas was flat. Mind-numbingly flat. Actually, what was mind numbing wasn't the flatness, but the straightness. Basically we biked along a straight road stretching off into the horizon as far as we could see. Occasionally we'd turn only to be greeted by the same sight. We nearly went insane (Kristen especially) but it was nice to have a break from the hills.
Once Arkansas became more Arkansan, it was really beautiful. It is more of a mixture of rolling hills and flatter farmland, and the combination is really striking. Crossing the Mississippi was pretty great, since I'd never seen it before. Unfortunately though we were on a fairly busy highway and the bridge had no shoulder so we couldn't stop to take pictures or admire the view.
We did have a bit of an adventure later that day though when we crossed the White River. The bridge is 3 miles long (yes) and with literally no shoulder. The locals were all very freaked out about the idea of us crossing it, but we didn't really have a choice, so they convinced us to call a police escort! Normally we are pretty spread out throughout the day, but we all waited at second lunch until everyone had arrived and was ready to cross. The van lead the way and the police car followed behind us flashing lights. It was a blast being all together; we were singing songs at the top of our voices and remarking on our incredible badassitude. The reason the bridge was so long is that the land is very swampy, so there isn't a clear border between the river and the land. Rather, the river just kind of seeps around where it wants to go, and it leaves quite a large berth. The swampy land isn't solid enough to build a road on, so the bridge has to go not only over the river proper, but also all the marshy stuff. It was really beautiful though, and completely unlike any other environment I've been to on Earth.
Halfway through Arkansas we had a day off in Little Rock, which proved to be far and away the best day on the trip...
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Sorry for the lack of post-age, y'all! (Not to be confused with lack of postage, though I am running low on stamps).
Can't write much now as it is after 9 (waaaay past my bed time) and I have a coherency level of zero.
In brief: 4:30 wake-ups, 100 mile days, incessant sun, chafe-age like you would NOT believe (aren't you glad I shared?), gorgeous gorgeous America (Arkansas and Oklahoma are awesome and you should all visit), raddest people on Earth, scarily generous hosts, and yes, a certain Dickensian gentleman who is totally rocking my world.
Love and hugs to all, I WILL update in earnest as soon as I can!
Can't write much now as it is after 9 (waaaay past my bed time) and I have a coherency level of zero.
In brief: 4:30 wake-ups, 100 mile days, incessant sun, chafe-age like you would NOT believe (aren't you glad I shared?), gorgeous gorgeous America (Arkansas and Oklahoma are awesome and you should all visit), raddest people on Earth, scarily generous hosts, and yes, a certain Dickensian gentleman who is totally rocking my world.
Love and hugs to all, I WILL update in earnest as soon as I can!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Sweet Home Alabama!
Whew! So sorry for not updating for an entire state!! But in my defense, we blew through the state in four days (including a build day) and we had very little internet access throughout.
So. I believe I left you before our first century day. Wow that seems like 10,000 years ago. Anyway... The first century was great for me, even though it turned out to be 121 miles!!! On days of 90+ miles we get two lunches, and the first third of the ride flew by. Everyone was pretty pumped up about riding a century, and we were able to get out of the metropolitan area pretty quickly. The ride continued to go smoothly until second lunch; I was definitely ready for a break, but it didn't seem that weird to get back on the bike afterwards, even though usually we would be done by then. For awhile I was with a fairly big group, until we stopped a railway bridge over a river. Everyone was just hanging out, but I was getting pretty anxious to get to the border, so Laura and I took off ahead. We hit a gravel road but since that's what was on the cue sheet, we went down it anyway. We hit pavement soon, but the roads were not marked at all (an annoying commonality in the rural South, it seems) so we asked a man mowing his long to direct us to the highway. His directions seemed quite straight forward, so we went on our way. 15 or 20 minutes later though, Ben called, saying the group had been rerouted to avoid the gravel road. When we explained that we were already quite a way's past the road, and headed to the highway we wanted to end up at, he told us to just keep going.
And so we went. And went. And went and went and went. We were in pretty good spirits; I was being unusually goofy (as in, goofy to an unusually high degree. I realize it's not unusual for me to be goofy) and was having a great time making Laura laugh. It even distracted us from all the hills were going up and down and up and down. Finally, after an hour or so, we hit the highway, only to discover that the westward direction of the highway was going more or less back the same way we had just come. At that point though we just wanted to get there, so we headed west and soon spotted two Bike and Builders up ahead. Yay! People! We're going the right way! We were shocked to discover though, that it was sweep (the two riders who have to stay in the back of the pack). Since Laura and I fell off the map, they were instructed to wait for us before continuing on. We were flabbergasted that after starting in the front, we were now dead last.
The last 10 miles were pretty challenging, since we were already far over mileage for the day. It remained hilly, and while none of the hills were all that remarkable by themselves, a hill that is a non-issue at mile 20 can be rather irksome at mile 110. There were multiple signs saying we had entered Hartwell, but no town in sight, and at the crest of every hill we were simply greeted by another one. Finally, at long last, we arrived at the church with the sun low in the sky. All of our efforts were rewarded handsomely though, with our first genuine southern fried chicken dinner, provided by the church. After dinner we were all pretty exhausted; all I could manage were my chores and a phone call to SDL before collapsing in bed.
The next day we were in store for 87 miles, which became 97 after rerouting from road closures. I found this day pretty swell also. It was hilly--there were three hills which were by far my longest ever, one was over 2 miles! They were tough, but even while climbing (and certainly while descending!) I felt healthy and vigorous and happy to be alive. Several folks had a particularly tough time that day, but I really felt rather peppy throughout the entire thing. I entertained (or annoyed) my companions by singing Beatles tunes and having a solo dance party on my bike. I did end up getting a little lost when we were coming into Birmingham. We were going through some really gorgeous neighborhoods with amazing, unique houses (I later learned that Oliver used to live on one of the streets we biked down!) but we also had to navigate busy streets with plenty of drivers unused to seeing cyclists on the road.
The next two nights we stayed at the Habitat for Humanity volunteer headquarters, and they had BUNKBEDS! That's right, we had two nights in which we didn't sleep on the floor. I was also delighted to find a little nook with a mirror in which to practice--at school I almost always practice with a mirror and this was the first time on this trip I've been able to.
Our build day in Birmingham was my favorite yet. We were working on the finishing touches on two houses. I spent the morning making shelves for a closet with David and Steph, and I got to use power tools! Yes! I have to admit, I did feel pretty badass when I was cutting boards with a loud power saw.
The site supervisor was a very interesting guy. He was recently released from prison for bank robbery, and is a former drug addict, a sad after effect of the car accident which killed his wife and son in 1996. But I tell you, he is one of the happiest people I've ever seen. At lunch he was all smiles and wanted to tell us all "how good the Lord has been to me." He was constantly cracking jokes, rhapsodizing about how much he loves his job ("you couldn't drag me away from Habitat with a team of horses"), and even recited some Edgar Allen Poe poems, which I thought was the best thing ever (people don't recite poetry often enough, says I). It was very moving for me to see someone who had endured so much tragedy and hardship look around and see all the blessings in his life and be joyful about it.
Well, I still have two days to update, but my time is about up on the library computer so I'll have to save those for next time. Hopefully we'll have internet again soon! But for now, I'll just say that: I'm in Mississippi for the first time in my life, and have found many things interesting, not the least of which is the fact that I often have a hard time understanding people. True Southern drawls are no joke!
So. I believe I left you before our first century day. Wow that seems like 10,000 years ago. Anyway... The first century was great for me, even though it turned out to be 121 miles!!! On days of 90+ miles we get two lunches, and the first third of the ride flew by. Everyone was pretty pumped up about riding a century, and we were able to get out of the metropolitan area pretty quickly. The ride continued to go smoothly until second lunch; I was definitely ready for a break, but it didn't seem that weird to get back on the bike afterwards, even though usually we would be done by then. For awhile I was with a fairly big group, until we stopped a railway bridge over a river. Everyone was just hanging out, but I was getting pretty anxious to get to the border, so Laura and I took off ahead. We hit a gravel road but since that's what was on the cue sheet, we went down it anyway. We hit pavement soon, but the roads were not marked at all (an annoying commonality in the rural South, it seems) so we asked a man mowing his long to direct us to the highway. His directions seemed quite straight forward, so we went on our way. 15 or 20 minutes later though, Ben called, saying the group had been rerouted to avoid the gravel road. When we explained that we were already quite a way's past the road, and headed to the highway we wanted to end up at, he told us to just keep going.
And so we went. And went. And went and went and went. We were in pretty good spirits; I was being unusually goofy (as in, goofy to an unusually high degree. I realize it's not unusual for me to be goofy) and was having a great time making Laura laugh. It even distracted us from all the hills were going up and down and up and down. Finally, after an hour or so, we hit the highway, only to discover that the westward direction of the highway was going more or less back the same way we had just come. At that point though we just wanted to get there, so we headed west and soon spotted two Bike and Builders up ahead. Yay! People! We're going the right way! We were shocked to discover though, that it was sweep (the two riders who have to stay in the back of the pack). Since Laura and I fell off the map, they were instructed to wait for us before continuing on. We were flabbergasted that after starting in the front, we were now dead last.
The last 10 miles were pretty challenging, since we were already far over mileage for the day. It remained hilly, and while none of the hills were all that remarkable by themselves, a hill that is a non-issue at mile 20 can be rather irksome at mile 110. There were multiple signs saying we had entered Hartwell, but no town in sight, and at the crest of every hill we were simply greeted by another one. Finally, at long last, we arrived at the church with the sun low in the sky. All of our efforts were rewarded handsomely though, with our first genuine southern fried chicken dinner, provided by the church. After dinner we were all pretty exhausted; all I could manage were my chores and a phone call to SDL before collapsing in bed.
The next day we were in store for 87 miles, which became 97 after rerouting from road closures. I found this day pretty swell also. It was hilly--there were three hills which were by far my longest ever, one was over 2 miles! They were tough, but even while climbing (and certainly while descending!) I felt healthy and vigorous and happy to be alive. Several folks had a particularly tough time that day, but I really felt rather peppy throughout the entire thing. I entertained (or annoyed) my companions by singing Beatles tunes and having a solo dance party on my bike. I did end up getting a little lost when we were coming into Birmingham. We were going through some really gorgeous neighborhoods with amazing, unique houses (I later learned that Oliver used to live on one of the streets we biked down!) but we also had to navigate busy streets with plenty of drivers unused to seeing cyclists on the road.
The next two nights we stayed at the Habitat for Humanity volunteer headquarters, and they had BUNKBEDS! That's right, we had two nights in which we didn't sleep on the floor. I was also delighted to find a little nook with a mirror in which to practice--at school I almost always practice with a mirror and this was the first time on this trip I've been able to.
Our build day in Birmingham was my favorite yet. We were working on the finishing touches on two houses. I spent the morning making shelves for a closet with David and Steph, and I got to use power tools! Yes! I have to admit, I did feel pretty badass when I was cutting boards with a loud power saw.
The site supervisor was a very interesting guy. He was recently released from prison for bank robbery, and is a former drug addict, a sad after effect of the car accident which killed his wife and son in 1996. But I tell you, he is one of the happiest people I've ever seen. At lunch he was all smiles and wanted to tell us all "how good the Lord has been to me." He was constantly cracking jokes, rhapsodizing about how much he loves his job ("you couldn't drag me away from Habitat with a team of horses"), and even recited some Edgar Allen Poe poems, which I thought was the best thing ever (people don't recite poetry often enough, says I). It was very moving for me to see someone who had endured so much tragedy and hardship look around and see all the blessings in his life and be joyful about it.
Well, I still have two days to update, but my time is about up on the library computer so I'll have to save those for next time. Hopefully we'll have internet again soon! But for now, I'll just say that: I'm in Mississippi for the first time in my life, and have found many things interesting, not the least of which is the fact that I often have a hard time understanding people. True Southern drawls are no joke!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Build day in Norcross
Today we worked with Rebuilding Together, an organization which focuses on repairing dilapidated homes of low-income people. We went to the home of Mr. Jones, who turned 89 today. His home is large but is in really bad shape. There is a leaky roof and a rat problem, unstable floors, holes in the walls, and way too much furniture. Some people worked on the roof and built a new railing for the porch stairs, and some (me included) painted the inside. All the rooms were pretty dark, and since Mr. Jones has glaucoma, the dark paint makes it even harder than usual for him to see. Hopefully the white paint will help, though he also depends on us putting back things where we found them so he knows where to expect them.
On a break I sat down and talked to him, and we ended up chatting for the better part of an hour. I learned that he served in the Navy in WWII, was a very skilled ping pong player, went to the World's Fair in 1939 where he saw a television for the first time, and likes Obama because "he always talks about helping people". He dazzled me with his ability to remember exact dates of things. While it's not surprising that he remembers the exact dates of his wife's and son's deaths, I was shocked when he rattled off exact dates of his first plane ride, a trip to San Diego in the 70s, the day he met his wife, and other life events. He asked me about Seattle and how I came to be in Georgia, and told me about how his son "developed cancer and that took him away from here."
It was somewhat frustrating for us to spend so much time on painting, when that really is the least of his needs in a lot of ways. But we can't exactly go through his stuff and convince him to throw things out so he has room to move around (or put in a bed; he currently sleeps on the sofa), nor can we do skilled labor like replacing the floor in the bathroom or tearing out the old appliances in the kitchen. But the Rebuilding Together staff seem dedicated to helping him as much as they can, so I'm hoping Mr. Jones will have a more comfortable place to live in the near future.
After the day of work we had another phenomenal donated dinner. This time a local cafe that is usually only open for breakfast and lunch stayed open just for us, and we had a taco buffet that was delicious. A cover band was playing Beatles tunes and other fun stuff and they passed around shakers and hand drums so we could all get into the action. We sang at the top of our voices and got our groove on and generally had a great time. Afterwards we walked back to the Boys and Girls club, and along the way Chris alerted us to a huge magnolia tree that we could actually get inside. It was like a different world, with branches and deep green leaves all around and the sunlight streaking through. I wished I had discovered it sooner--it would have been a great place read a book or recite sonnets or listen to the whisperings of one's heart that are only heard in places of great beauty.
Tomorrow is a big day: 100 miles of riding. In cycling speak, this is called a century, and is something of a demarcation between cyclists and people who fiddle around on a bike. I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited. We'll be making our second state line crossing, into Alabama, another state I've never visited. We'll be getting up at 4:30, so the 6:30 start time should allow us to take it slow and have the bulk of our riding hours before the day really heats up. If I live to tell the tale, I'll let you know how it goes!
On a break I sat down and talked to him, and we ended up chatting for the better part of an hour. I learned that he served in the Navy in WWII, was a very skilled ping pong player, went to the World's Fair in 1939 where he saw a television for the first time, and likes Obama because "he always talks about helping people". He dazzled me with his ability to remember exact dates of things. While it's not surprising that he remembers the exact dates of his wife's and son's deaths, I was shocked when he rattled off exact dates of his first plane ride, a trip to San Diego in the 70s, the day he met his wife, and other life events. He asked me about Seattle and how I came to be in Georgia, and told me about how his son "developed cancer and that took him away from here."
It was somewhat frustrating for us to spend so much time on painting, when that really is the least of his needs in a lot of ways. But we can't exactly go through his stuff and convince him to throw things out so he has room to move around (or put in a bed; he currently sleeps on the sofa), nor can we do skilled labor like replacing the floor in the bathroom or tearing out the old appliances in the kitchen. But the Rebuilding Together staff seem dedicated to helping him as much as they can, so I'm hoping Mr. Jones will have a more comfortable place to live in the near future.
After the day of work we had another phenomenal donated dinner. This time a local cafe that is usually only open for breakfast and lunch stayed open just for us, and we had a taco buffet that was delicious. A cover band was playing Beatles tunes and other fun stuff and they passed around shakers and hand drums so we could all get into the action. We sang at the top of our voices and got our groove on and generally had a great time. Afterwards we walked back to the Boys and Girls club, and along the way Chris alerted us to a huge magnolia tree that we could actually get inside. It was like a different world, with branches and deep green leaves all around and the sunlight streaking through. I wished I had discovered it sooner--it would have been a great place read a book or recite sonnets or listen to the whisperings of one's heart that are only heard in places of great beauty.
Tomorrow is a big day: 100 miles of riding. In cycling speak, this is called a century, and is something of a demarcation between cyclists and people who fiddle around on a bike. I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited. We'll be making our second state line crossing, into Alabama, another state I've never visited. We'll be getting up at 4:30, so the 6:30 start time should allow us to take it slow and have the bulk of our riding hours before the day really heats up. If I live to tell the tale, I'll let you know how it goes!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Georgia...
...is hilly! Who knew? Not atrociously so, but still, there has been more up and down lately than flat.
So, we left Greenville on Thursday, which turned out to be our first rainy day. It started sprinkling when we gathered for route meeting, and rained the rest of the day with various levels of enthusiasm. I didn't really mind it though. First of all, because it was our first rain day, everyone was even more rowdy than usual. Partly to pump each other up, and partly as a result of releasing our inner kid-playing-out-in-the-rain mentality, I was doing as much laughing as pedaling for most of the morning. Leading the ridiculousness were of course Chris and J Gibbs, who were offering a wacky continuous commentary in outrageous Australian accents.
Thursday was also notable as being our Best Ever Lunch Stop. We stopped at the parents' house of a Bike and Build alum, and they had an amazing spread laid out for us. You see, the typical Bike and Build lunch consists of pb&j on bagels and bread, bananas, apples, carrots, chips or pretzels, and usually cookies of some kind. But luckily, Rachel (the BB alum) alerted her mother that to win our hearts all she need do is not offer any of those things. So we feasted on chicken nuggets from Chik fil-a, homemade mini banana bran muffins, bowls full of grapes and berries, fresh veggies with hummus, and oatmeal M&M cookies warm from the oven. It was heaven!
The main excitement of the afternoon was crossing the state border into Georgia. Near the border we passed by a huge, beautiful lake and were greeted by a sign saying "Welcome to Georgia...we're glad its on your mind." Our first night in Georgia was spent in Hartwell, at a labyrinthine Baptist church with hallways that wove and turned about and got me thoroughly confused on most occasions. I was overjoyed though to find the choir room open, and forwent a shower so I could spend the afternoon working on music (hey, it was raining all day, it's not like I was that gross!).
The next day we continued from Hartwell to Athens, the former stomping ground of Adam, a University of Georgia grad. Athens is hilly! It's a cool college town, though I only saw the main drag as we biked down it, for our church was a bit removed. The best part of this church, Holy Cross Trinity Lutheran, was the FOOD. Several church members prepared an amazing pot luck dinner for us, and we shared it with a dozen or so of the congregation. We showed them our rad Bike and Build video, chatted, laughed, and ate way more than was necessary (at least I did). But they REALLY went above and beyond the call of duty by getting up at 6 am the next morning to prepare us breakfast! When I carried my duffel to the trailer around 6:30, I was shocked to see several ladies from the church setting out bagels and spread (they really spoiled us with Nutella), bowls of fresh fruit, granola bars, and coffee and cocoa. We were certainly incredibly lucky to have them as hosts, and hopefully they will be long-term partners of the Bike and Build family.
Today's ride was pretty great, and brought us to Norcross, a suburb of Atlanta. Highlights of the day included a visit with a miniature horse, or more accurately, Claire yelling "Tiny horse!!" to a group of riders approaching us and causing Kelsey to literally fall on the ground laughing. The terrain was kind of interesting: hilly getting out of Athens, mostly flat in the middle, and then hilly again coming into Norcross. The last dozen or so miles (of 55) were pretty urban, which isn't the best riding, but I didn't mind it. Tonight and tomorrow we're staying that the Boys and Girls Club, and we are pretty much in heaven. Not only is there a computer lab with internet (15 people blogging as I type this) but also pool tables, air hockey, foosball, basketball courts, a flat screen and DVD player, and more sports equipment than you can shake a stick at. Tomorrow we have a build day with the organization Rebuilding Together. I'm not sure what our tasks will be but I will keep you posted!
So, we left Greenville on Thursday, which turned out to be our first rainy day. It started sprinkling when we gathered for route meeting, and rained the rest of the day with various levels of enthusiasm. I didn't really mind it though. First of all, because it was our first rain day, everyone was even more rowdy than usual. Partly to pump each other up, and partly as a result of releasing our inner kid-playing-out-in-the-rain mentality, I was doing as much laughing as pedaling for most of the morning. Leading the ridiculousness were of course Chris and J Gibbs, who were offering a wacky continuous commentary in outrageous Australian accents.
Thursday was also notable as being our Best Ever Lunch Stop. We stopped at the parents' house of a Bike and Build alum, and they had an amazing spread laid out for us. You see, the typical Bike and Build lunch consists of pb&j on bagels and bread, bananas, apples, carrots, chips or pretzels, and usually cookies of some kind. But luckily, Rachel (the BB alum) alerted her mother that to win our hearts all she need do is not offer any of those things. So we feasted on chicken nuggets from Chik fil-a, homemade mini banana bran muffins, bowls full of grapes and berries, fresh veggies with hummus, and oatmeal M&M cookies warm from the oven. It was heaven!
The main excitement of the afternoon was crossing the state border into Georgia. Near the border we passed by a huge, beautiful lake and were greeted by a sign saying "Welcome to Georgia...we're glad its on your mind." Our first night in Georgia was spent in Hartwell, at a labyrinthine Baptist church with hallways that wove and turned about and got me thoroughly confused on most occasions. I was overjoyed though to find the choir room open, and forwent a shower so I could spend the afternoon working on music (hey, it was raining all day, it's not like I was that gross!).
The next day we continued from Hartwell to Athens, the former stomping ground of Adam, a University of Georgia grad. Athens is hilly! It's a cool college town, though I only saw the main drag as we biked down it, for our church was a bit removed. The best part of this church, Holy Cross Trinity Lutheran, was the FOOD. Several church members prepared an amazing pot luck dinner for us, and we shared it with a dozen or so of the congregation. We showed them our rad Bike and Build video, chatted, laughed, and ate way more than was necessary (at least I did). But they REALLY went above and beyond the call of duty by getting up at 6 am the next morning to prepare us breakfast! When I carried my duffel to the trailer around 6:30, I was shocked to see several ladies from the church setting out bagels and spread (they really spoiled us with Nutella), bowls of fresh fruit, granola bars, and coffee and cocoa. We were certainly incredibly lucky to have them as hosts, and hopefully they will be long-term partners of the Bike and Build family.
Today's ride was pretty great, and brought us to Norcross, a suburb of Atlanta. Highlights of the day included a visit with a miniature horse, or more accurately, Claire yelling "Tiny horse!!" to a group of riders approaching us and causing Kelsey to literally fall on the ground laughing. The terrain was kind of interesting: hilly getting out of Athens, mostly flat in the middle, and then hilly again coming into Norcross. The last dozen or so miles (of 55) were pretty urban, which isn't the best riding, but I didn't mind it. Tonight and tomorrow we're staying that the Boys and Girls Club, and we are pretty much in heaven. Not only is there a computer lab with internet (15 people blogging as I type this) but also pool tables, air hockey, foosball, basketball courts, a flat screen and DVD player, and more sports equipment than you can shake a stick at. Tomorrow we have a build day with the organization Rebuilding Together. I'm not sure what our tasks will be but I will keep you posted!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Day off in Greenville, SC (Georgia on my mind...)
I'm not sure which is better: getting to sleep in, or getting to brush my teeth AFTER eating breakfast.
So today was our first day off, and our last full day in South Carolina. I slept until 10, which was bliss, even on a thermarest (mine is surpsingly comfy). I then got to eat breakfast before brushing my teeth, which is a luxury I didn't realize I'd miss so much. Usually we have 45 minutes to get up and get our duffel bags into the trailor. Everything that you're not carrying with you on your bike for the day goes in the duffel, so if you want to brush your teeth you have to do it before you pack your toiletries away. We don't eat breakfast though until after the trailor is all packed, so invariably I start my ride without that minty fresh feeling. Small price to pay for the general awesomeness that is Bike and Build, but still, I relished it while I could.
The past few days have been great. Day four of cycing took us from Columbia to Newberry and was a fantastic route. It was about 55 miles, mostly flat with some rolling hills, and mostly country roads with few cars (though plenty of potholes). I road with Claire and Laura in the morning, and with a whole gaggle of girls in the afternoon. We got a little lost towards the end, but Claire google-mapped us back to the route. It was really fun to ride with a group of girls, and let me tell you, six women in matching spandex are quite the spectacle in Prosperity, South Carolina.
Our hosts in Newberry were all kinds of awesome. We had a huge church gym to sleep in (though some in the group thought sleep was just the secondary activity after basketball) and an awesome dinner provided for us by the church. The pastor was very nice, and I chatted with him for a few minutes when I went to the church office to ask about practicing. He let me practice in the sanctuary, which was one of the most gorgeous I've ever seen, actually. It wasn't all that big, but it had really high vaulted ceilings with white paint on the walls and dark exposed wood which created a really beautiful contrast. It also had a bunch of colorful stained glass windows, but they were just designs, not the grotesque crucifixion ones you often see in Catholic cathedrals. The only ornately religious part was a big cross at the front and that didn't bother be too much, especially when I was facing away from it! I really enjoyed singing in there, and it certainly beats the round building as a practice space.
After I practiced I walked around the hopping downtown of Newberry. I had been alerted that there is an opera house there, so that was my destination. The opera house is really beautiful, and is still in use (though not for opera, unfortunately). I asked the lady at the ticket counter if I could look around and she said sure. When I went in the theater there was no one there so I went ahead and sang three arias on the stage. It was really fun! The theater and stage were small, but what made it fun was the historic look of everything and knowing that it was over a hundred years old.
The rest of the evening in Newberry was very relaxing, and yesterday was another early wake up to get us to Greenville. Riding with us yesterday were Bill West, one of Bike and Build's board members, and several of his friends. We are certainly lucky to have Mr. West on board; he not only hooked us up with our awesome church in Greenville and bought us dinner yesterday and tonight, but also got cycling racer and Lance Armstrong buddy George Hincapie to call Giant and get us a sponsorship. Our slick Giant Defy 2s are all thanks to him!
The route yesterday was phenomenal, and our longest yet at 73 miles. It was also my longest bike ride ever, but it didn't really feel like it. It was a wonderful mix of rolling hills and flats, and actually had two hills that I would consider memorable, a first for this trip so far. The one problem was that not everyone had cue sheets (the directions) and so we had to stay in big groups. Riding in big groups isn't exactly safe, but it sure is fun. Especially in the morning I had an awesome time. I was with 8 or 9 other people, and everyone was being really rowdy and fun. At lunch I was a little annoyed that I couldn't just take off when I wanted to but had to wait for a large group to assemble, but it worked out fine.
Our church in Greenville is also incredibly awesome and huge, and the town is really fantastic. After the bbq dinner Mr. West had catered for us, I walked around main street and the great downtown park with an assortment of awesome folk. The park is really extraordinary, with a beautiful river, several fountains, and lots of green. There is a theater set in the ampitheatre for the outdoor Shakespeare festival, but since no one was on it I went up on the balcony and sang Summertime. Seemed like an appropriate song for the occasion, and Will told me it's his favorite. That reminds me that I also sang while riding my bike that morning and that didn't go quite as well. The group requested Ave Maria, but that is a really hard song to sing while riding a bike! It's a hard song to sing while doing nothing else because of the really long phrases (which aren't really my strong suit to begin with) so when you're also pedaling it's quite a challenge. I told everyone I'd be happy to sing for them while riding again, but next time I'm picking the song!
Anyway, today is our day off, so a lot of lazing around is in store. I'm going to try to find a space to practice at the church later, and then Mr. West rented us a room at the best pizza place in town for dinner. We are definitely getting spoiled here in Greenville!!
Tomorrow is our first state line crossing, into the 28th state I've ever visited, Georgia. High on my to-do list is eating a peach for the first time in my life...
So today was our first day off, and our last full day in South Carolina. I slept until 10, which was bliss, even on a thermarest (mine is surpsingly comfy). I then got to eat breakfast before brushing my teeth, which is a luxury I didn't realize I'd miss so much. Usually we have 45 minutes to get up and get our duffel bags into the trailor. Everything that you're not carrying with you on your bike for the day goes in the duffel, so if you want to brush your teeth you have to do it before you pack your toiletries away. We don't eat breakfast though until after the trailor is all packed, so invariably I start my ride without that minty fresh feeling. Small price to pay for the general awesomeness that is Bike and Build, but still, I relished it while I could.
The past few days have been great. Day four of cycing took us from Columbia to Newberry and was a fantastic route. It was about 55 miles, mostly flat with some rolling hills, and mostly country roads with few cars (though plenty of potholes). I road with Claire and Laura in the morning, and with a whole gaggle of girls in the afternoon. We got a little lost towards the end, but Claire google-mapped us back to the route. It was really fun to ride with a group of girls, and let me tell you, six women in matching spandex are quite the spectacle in Prosperity, South Carolina.
Our hosts in Newberry were all kinds of awesome. We had a huge church gym to sleep in (though some in the group thought sleep was just the secondary activity after basketball) and an awesome dinner provided for us by the church. The pastor was very nice, and I chatted with him for a few minutes when I went to the church office to ask about practicing. He let me practice in the sanctuary, which was one of the most gorgeous I've ever seen, actually. It wasn't all that big, but it had really high vaulted ceilings with white paint on the walls and dark exposed wood which created a really beautiful contrast. It also had a bunch of colorful stained glass windows, but they were just designs, not the grotesque crucifixion ones you often see in Catholic cathedrals. The only ornately religious part was a big cross at the front and that didn't bother be too much, especially when I was facing away from it! I really enjoyed singing in there, and it certainly beats the round building as a practice space.
After I practiced I walked around the hopping downtown of Newberry. I had been alerted that there is an opera house there, so that was my destination. The opera house is really beautiful, and is still in use (though not for opera, unfortunately). I asked the lady at the ticket counter if I could look around and she said sure. When I went in the theater there was no one there so I went ahead and sang three arias on the stage. It was really fun! The theater and stage were small, but what made it fun was the historic look of everything and knowing that it was over a hundred years old.
The rest of the evening in Newberry was very relaxing, and yesterday was another early wake up to get us to Greenville. Riding with us yesterday were Bill West, one of Bike and Build's board members, and several of his friends. We are certainly lucky to have Mr. West on board; he not only hooked us up with our awesome church in Greenville and bought us dinner yesterday and tonight, but also got cycling racer and Lance Armstrong buddy George Hincapie to call Giant and get us a sponsorship. Our slick Giant Defy 2s are all thanks to him!
The route yesterday was phenomenal, and our longest yet at 73 miles. It was also my longest bike ride ever, but it didn't really feel like it. It was a wonderful mix of rolling hills and flats, and actually had two hills that I would consider memorable, a first for this trip so far. The one problem was that not everyone had cue sheets (the directions) and so we had to stay in big groups. Riding in big groups isn't exactly safe, but it sure is fun. Especially in the morning I had an awesome time. I was with 8 or 9 other people, and everyone was being really rowdy and fun. At lunch I was a little annoyed that I couldn't just take off when I wanted to but had to wait for a large group to assemble, but it worked out fine.
Our church in Greenville is also incredibly awesome and huge, and the town is really fantastic. After the bbq dinner Mr. West had catered for us, I walked around main street and the great downtown park with an assortment of awesome folk. The park is really extraordinary, with a beautiful river, several fountains, and lots of green. There is a theater set in the ampitheatre for the outdoor Shakespeare festival, but since no one was on it I went up on the balcony and sang Summertime. Seemed like an appropriate song for the occasion, and Will told me it's his favorite. That reminds me that I also sang while riding my bike that morning and that didn't go quite as well. The group requested Ave Maria, but that is a really hard song to sing while riding a bike! It's a hard song to sing while doing nothing else because of the really long phrases (which aren't really my strong suit to begin with) so when you're also pedaling it's quite a challenge. I told everyone I'd be happy to sing for them while riding again, but next time I'm picking the song!
Anyway, today is our day off, so a lot of lazing around is in store. I'm going to try to find a space to practice at the church later, and then Mr. West rented us a room at the best pizza place in town for dinner. We are definitely getting spoiled here in Greenville!!
Tomorrow is our first state line crossing, into the 28th state I've ever visited, Georgia. High on my to-do list is eating a peach for the first time in my life...
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