Oklahoma has proven to be way more than OK!

After spending only 2 days in Oklahoma, I have certainly fallen in love with its people, roads, and scenery. We entered OK on June 21st via police escort on I-44, sans support van due to some mischievous villain slashing our trailer tires in Wichita falls, TX. (Don't worry though, the van is back in ship shape now). It was amazing how much the scenery changed right away after crossing the border. The song "Oklahoma" was running through my head for most of the day-it has spot-on accuracy! Corina and I served as sweep, setting a leisurely pace for our 53-mile ride to Lawton, OK. We had lots of adventures that day involving kites, umbrellas, and horses, and also met some great people including Jim Martin, the mayor of Cookietown, and Rob and Wendy of Rob and Wendy's Convenience Store. Some great conversations were had and we certainly gained some amazing Bike & Build supporters!

The next day we had another short ride into Altus, some of which was very hilly, but the mountainous scenery was fantastic and really gave us the feeling that we are headed west! That morning, we started a photo scavenger hunt that has lasted for two days and has made us do some crazy things, including but not limited to, picking someone else's nose, getting a picture with a real cowboy, and wearing a fake mustache for the entire ride. Various adventures ensued that day including climbing the surrounding rock formations, riding through Native American lands, and exploring some old abandoned houses.

Today, we rode back into Texas with a strong headwind, leaving Oklahoma in the dust. My scavenger hunt team finished a lot of our tasks, and really had a blast doing them! We climbed a total of 800 feet today, leaving me exhausted and ready to sleep for our long day into Amarillo tomorrow!

Successful Sweep Day!

Yesterday, June 11, I got to be "sweep!" Sweep is the pair of 2 riders that bring in the rear every ride day. The responsibility rotates among the team, and Josiah and I had the honor of sweeping everyone up on the ride from Opelousas to Alexandria, Louisiana. We had quite the beautiful day and a relatively smooth ride. It started off in a coffee shop where much of the group stopped to get their caffeine fix. We had some quality people watching time, and had an interesting donation magic experience, but we were soon on our way. It was quite a beautiful ride, and the miles seemed to fly by. At some point, the smell of pine needles filled my nose, reminding me of the miles we have traveled so far, and the memories we have yet to experience.

Josiah and I had a great friend date, and some great roads that facilitated conversation. We took a pit stop at a cool abandoned sugar mill and met an employee of the current chemical plant on the site, who told us a bit of the history of the mill.

We pulled into our host after the 75-mile ride, took our much-needed showers, and got treated to a wonderful dinner by the St. James Episcopal Church staff. It was an early night for most, after some hilarious picture shenanigans (check out our team route's pictures on the B&B website if you haven't already!)

Signing off!

So many states, so little time

Hi Friends! Bike & Build Southern U.S. is currently living it up in New Orleans! It took us almost 2 weeks to cross Florida, but only 3 ride days to make it through Alabama, Mississippi, and into Louisiana.

Our last couple of days in Florida took us through Panama City, Defuniak Springs, and Gulf Breeze (Pensacola). Much of the ride was along the Gulf of Mexico on barrier islands, so our bikes picked up quite a lot of sand. Though the terrain was flat (aside from several steep bridges), the onshore breezes were quite a nuisance.

Our hosts have been so generous since day 1, providing special hose showers to accommodate our large group, treating us to in-house music, and of course, feeding us amazing food! Some of my favorites have included post-ride fruit and cookies, french toast, pancakes, and Nutella! No host has underestimated the massive quantities of food that 32 mouths are capable of consuming, especially after cycling anywhere from 60 to 100 miles.

Speaking of 100 miles, I had my first 'century' ride from Defuniak Springs to Gulf Breeze. It was our first real test of finding that balance between avoiding getting physically burned out and making it to the host in a reasonable amount of time. Some parts were both physically and mentally challenging, but the satisfaction of having completed it was and is a great feeling! A 96-mile day immediately followed, which added to the challenge.

We have been riding through a lot of rain recently, and have come to terms with the feeling of wet chamois (pronounced "shammies") and puddles of water in our shoes. Some of us even composed a rain song that is worth hearing the next time you see me! Though our rides through Mobile, Biloxi (technically Long Beach), and into New Orleans were pretty wet, the rain and clouds certainly helped keep things cool, and we all got to test out our rain gear consisting of everything from jackets, shoe covers, clear lenses, and Josiah's funky leggings. We also used our first alternative mode of transportation to get to Mobile: a ferry! It was quite exciting and, of course, drizzly.

We had our first free day today, but because the concept of not biking is too alien to me, a couple others and I chose to bike around on a Social Justice/Levee/Hurricane Katrina tour that our leader Dan had set up for us. It took us to 3 different types of levees surrounding the lower ninth ward, and was very informative and thought-provoking.

Backtracking a bit, we had one build day in Mobile with Habitat for Humanity. A lot of us worked on laying laminate wood flooring, something that was new to many. Our next days in New Orleans will consist of 5 consecutive build days with the St. Bernard Project, it is sure to be a blast!

Seminole Country

As much as it pains me to say this, I have spent the last 2 days in Tallahassee sleeping on FSU's campus. This Gator is out of her comfort zone!

Rivalries aside, today was our second build day! We had a lot of fun working with Good News Outreach, primarily working on a project that will prevent termite infestations from occurring in the mobile homes. We were especially grateful to the organization for providing us with 3 fantastic meals to keep us fueled for the day!

It was nice to have a day out of the saddle, as the last three days of riding were either over 75 miles or very hilly. It was very taxing, but I am surprisingly excited to get back on my bike tomorrow. Needless to say,  let's hope that feeling continues for many more days. Off to Apalachicola and the Gulf Coast!

Orientation, wheel dipping, and making waves!

Hello all! We have officially made it to St. Augustine! The last three days have been action-packed, informative, and overwhelming, to put things briefly. On May 16th, my awesome parents and I roadtripped to Jacksonville where orientation began. The 32 of us got to re-live the awkward first days of summer camp by playing name games and ice breakers, and soon delved into learning about Bike and Build and all that our next 2.5 months would entail.

The next day, Saturday May 17th, we worked with Atlantic Beaches Habitat for Humanity. The organization does wonders in the area, securing affordable housing in an area in which the cost of living is always on the rise. We all divided and conquered, and were able to make a lot of progress on the the duplexes at the build site.

After a safety presentation by our leader Dan,  day three of orientation began with bike maintenance and drills on communication and general road conduct. Later that day, we went on a shakedown ride through Atlantic Beach to get a feel for riding as a team and navigating safely.

Yesterday, May 18th was our first official ride! We started the day by heading to the beach and performing the ritual "wheel dip" in the Atlantic Ocean, marking the beginning of our cross-country journey.  The next wheel dip will take place in the Pacific ocean, 77 days from today. After about an hour of pictures, we  embarked on our trip south to St. Augustine. The ride was beautiful down A1A, hugging the coast pretty much the entire way. We spent tome in the city, asking primarily local businesses for donations of food - every dollar saved means more money we can donate to the cause.

Today we begin riding west...Palatka here we come!

Thanks for reading, more posts and pictures to come! Be sure to subscribe via email using the box on the right!

I found an awesome map-based trip-sharing web application. I will update this with pictures and stories along the way. Check it out!

The Numbers Game: $700, 400 Miles, and 2 Months Remaining

Howdy Y'all!

There are less than 2 months remaining before the big sendoff from Jacksonville, I have at least 400 miles left of training to complete, and only $700 more to raise! With my bike fully assembled and lots of new gear that has left a burning hole in my wallet, it looks like it will be smooth sailing from here on in! Well, minus the nerves that seem to have already begun, and all of the scholastic obligations that come along with the wrapping up of a semester, oh, and figuring out where to live next year, etc., etc. At least my summer plans are set in stone! Tremendous thanks to everyone who has made this journey so easy thus far! Here are some pictures from my new steed's first ride, to none other than North Central Florida's very own Wacahoota Station!