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!