It’s been 312 days since I first met my Bike & Build family and 232 since we parted ways in California. This weekend the stars aligned perfectly and I was able to reunite with some of the people I hold closest to my heart.
Originally, I had planned to visit Elle for a weekend in Ithaca, NY, where she attends Cornell. However, our plans evolved and
August 6, or Day 73 as some of you may recognize, was a day that thoroughly stuck out for me. It wasn’t necessarily because of the terrain, the wonderful conversation, or even just a general sense of happiness that overcame me nearly every single day. It was a minute in time that I reflect back on. It was a minute of someone else’s sheer joy that stuck out.
I remember a lot from that day, but nothing as vivid as Kate finding the Pacific Crest Trail marker on the road to Cassel, CA. The reaction she had seemed completely random. It seemed unwarranted. I didn’t get it. However, she began to explain that her favorite book “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” by Cheryl Strayed was all about a woman’s crazy solo hike that crossed 1,100 miles of land from the Mojave Desert all the way up to the Bridge of the Gods. Where we stood in that precise moment was where Cheryl had stood just a few years before in one of her most trying moments.
Kate’s personality is a very uplifting one. Rarely does she frown. Only 2 times in one of the most challenging summers of my life, both physically and emotionally, did I see her cry. She always smiles. She always laughs. She makes people feel good about themselves. To see such a wonderful person moved so greatly by what seemed to me to be so insignificant left a great impression.
After my heart was torn into 30 pieces and quite literally flown all over the world I have seen myself searching for a way to find myself again. I often think that this summer was what I was meant to do. Destined to do. It seems like my time now is to be spent finding ways to recreate it, even though I know that to be impossible, even if I were to do Bike and Build all over again. I need to challenge myself, but not in normal ways. Of course I can challenge myself to find a job, but everyone does that. There’s a satisfaction to doing something that relatively few have done before you.
Swimming as a walk-on all 4 years at Arkansas felt like one of those massive accomplishments that cannot be repeated. My next would be Bike and Build. What would be the third? I’ve tried to continue my travels. I enjoy a lifestyle that doesn’t require me to stay in one place for a long period of time. I love living out of a bag. To unpack my bag after vacationing (or riding my bike across the country) feels like that chapter of my life is completely over. Unpacking is my least favorite thing to do in the world. It is simply depressing. That’s why I keep a packed bag in my car at all times. It gives me a false sense of hope that at any given moment I could leave and go see something new.
While I think of new great things to do I have to continue living my life. I have to complete those utterly mundane tasks like doing laundry, the dishes, or cooking dinner. I have to go to the bank and to the grocery store. I have to shop for things like baby showers and weddings, because now is the time of my life where I watch every one I know get married and have babies while I dream of doing things they could never do with an infant. These things aren’t all bad, especially, when they result in me spending hours in the book aisle in Target ( yes, hours, in one aisle, in Target…the selection isn’t huge, but I read nearly every single back cover looking for the perfect read) only to stumble upon “Wild”.
The dirty hiking boots with red laces laid upon a white background all of the sudden stood out from all the other books. I didn’t need to read the back. I just quietly put it in my cart and walked to the front of the store to check out. Once I owned the book I sent Kate a picture of my new purchase and told her how excited I was to read it and she expressed the same excitement for me. She said its what gave her the crazy idea to ride her bike across the country, which is exactly the book I need right now.
As I make it through this book I find my life parallels with Cheryl Strayed’s life in more ways than I’d like. I have found myself living this incredible adventure along with her. I feel her pain, her joys, her desperation. However, the part that has shaken me to my core the most is not the 3 times I cried in the first 150 pages ( I’ve only cried from reading one other book and it happened on the last page), but it was her experience of hiking In the Cassel, CA area.
My memories are so vividly beautiful and happy. I remember the heat and need for water, but it was a walk through a water park compared to Spearman, TX. Cheryl admits her stupidity in carrying minimal water. She admits she quite possibly could have died out there. She could have lost her life and her battle with the PCT in one of the corners of the country I have found to be my absolute favorites. The Cassel community along with the breathtaking beauty of the area is unmatched. The next day we rode up and over Lassen Peak, which is the single most beautiful place on Earth…next to the summit of Independence Pass. It seems so impossible that anyone could have such a vastly different experience than I in a place I came to love so much in such a short amount of time.
As I read on throughout the book I find myself thinking this is something I could do. Give me a pair of hiking boots and a tent and let me at it. I’ve trekked from the east coast to the west coast on my own volition, why not do the same thing from the southern border to the northern? It sounds crazy. It sounds dangerous. It sounds like exactly what I need.
Or maybe I’ll just go ride the Chris Webber Memorial ride with other Bike & Build alumni this holiday season and hope that one day I’ll gather the guts I need to go do something completely Wild.
Photo Cred: Andrew Lassiter
I thought when I left Twin Lakes Beach that cold bittersweet night that I would be putting my bike up for a while. I especially didn’t think I would have another Bike & Build adventure. However, I’m so very happy I was wrong.
I spent the week trying to figure out what was going on in my life. I knew who I was and what I would be doing at any given moment (for the most part any way) while I was riding across the country. Suddenly though, everything changed. I was in a hotel room with my mom. No more 29 people surrounding me. No more biking everyday. No more thermarests. No more sleeping bag. No more cooler food. No more early wake ups to a new song every day. My world had been turned upside down.
When I finished my swimming career I thought my life had completely changed. I had been a competitive swimmer year round since I was 8 years old. My life had in fact changed then, but this was so different from that. The 81 days I spent with Bike & Build will define who I am for the rest of my life. Swimming taught me many things, but I never thought it defined me. My summer has altered the way I think, feel, and act.
The last two nights we had all together I tried to savor every moment. The thought of us all dispersing across the country was too saddening for me to even comprehend. So, I did my best to not let it get to me, but of course at any given moment I would have tears streaming down my face. Goodbyes were often, which didn’t help. I woke up with headaches from crying hangovers. My eyes would barely open because the bags underneath them had become mountains. Those 48 or so hours we had after the beach were easily the saddest of my life, but lest I forget the good times we shared.
The positive moments might be far overshadowed by those of loss and grief, but they are there. The afternoon we spent on the boardwalk and sitting on the beach was perfect. It was peaceful. It was a time to reflect back on the summer while still in the presence of those who I shared it with. It helped me to transition back into my real world life.
We ate dinner together one last time and then went out one last time. It was a bizarre night to say the least, but I would expect nothing less from Bike and Build. The morning after we all moved slowly. It was like the last host clean up in San Jose. However, this time it was exponentially slower. It took over an hour for me to vacuum a single room (granted I had to go in between each individual row of seating).
Many of us rode in Eva, the van, one last time to go to San Francisco. We dropped Nate off at the airport; then Matt at the Greyhound station. I met up with my family at Fisherman’s Wharf and spent the afternoon coordinating one last dinner with Sarah, Stewart, Kate, Dan, Alyssa, and Jackson. It was a total Bike and Build afternoon when it took us literally hours of loitering in the SF Aquarium while discussing logistics on how to get to dinner.
We met at the restaurant, which was within the walkable distance of .6 miles, anything further and we probably would have refused. It was an incredible night just being together. Then, came some of my last goodbyes, which seemed to get harder and harder every time. I think I hugged Sarah and Stew about 15 times each. I didn’t want this summer to be over and saying goodbye to two of my leaders seemed to make it all far too real. I cried massive tears in the car on the way to drop off Dan and Alyssa…and I’m sure everyone in the car knew it too.
When we finally arrived in the hotel that night Kate and I got our own beds. It seemed like too much. I loved getting my own space, but after living so simply this summer it seemed like too much. However, I gladly laid down in my comfortable queen sized bed. We yelled from our separate beds and said goodnight one last time.
The next morning we woke up late, packed our bins and moved my stuff into my mom’s room and took Kate’s to the car. I actually got to drive a real car for the first time since May 24. That was an incredibly bizarre feeling. We drove all the way to Palo Alto, a mere twenty minute drive that would have taken us four or five times longer by bike. There we met up with my mom, got breakfast, and discussed what to do with the rest of our day.
Eventually, we decided to head up to Livermore to go to a few Vineyards and Wineries. It was an excellent decision. The tours didn’t start until 2pm so we decided to get pedicures while we waited. The timing was perfect. We arrived at Wente with 2 minutes to spare. Joe, our tour guide told us all about the process of making both white and red wines and then gave us lots of extra tastings. It was like that at all the places we went, including Crooked Vine and Concannon. The generosity of those who we tell about our adventure seems to never cease. Concannon even gave both Kate and I free signed jerseys from their owner.
At about 6:30 we arrived at the San Francisco airport where I had to say goodbye to Kate. I had to tell myself it would only be a short time before seeing her again in order to keep some semblance of composure. I think I only choked up once, but saying what I thought would be my last goodbye was hard. It ended Bike and Build for me. My demeanor changed. I could feel it instantly. As Stewart would say, “I went to my dark place.”
Luckily, it wasn’t my last goodbye. I was still able to meet up with Alyssa and Dena for lunch and then with Jackson for dinner and again for an epic bike ride. He met up with me at my hotel in Redwood City, just south of Palo Alto. We had decided to ride over the Golden Gate bridge, but weren’t really sure how to get there. We didn’t have chalked directions or cue sheets, so we made it up as we went. Not too long into the ride we met Bob. Bob was a God send. He tried to give us directions on how to best get to san Francisco, but ended up just riding with us until we got to Skyline Drive, which took us almost all of the rest of the way into town. Bob was cool. We liked Bob.
After leaving our new found friend we continued on. It started to get hot and hilly, but I didn’t really mind. I complained of course, but wouldn’t have traded being right there for anything. Then, as we got into South San Francisco the climate quickly changed. We stopped for some food and as soon as we got back on the bike it was absolutely frigid. My teeth were chattering and my body shook as I tried to churn my legs. Eventually, my body warmed up enough to where I could stand it. The sun even started to come out as we got further and further into the city.
We had found a bike path that led us to the Great Highway. Even though we just rode next to the path we were grateful it was there. It was like a security blanket. One of many beautiful parts of the ride came next as we merged on to the Great Highway. It took us right next to the shoreline all the way into Golden Gate Park. It was breathtaking.
The park was also a highlight of the ride. Around every turn there was something unexpected, such as a waterfall that was 2 stories high or the bison just hanging out next to the polo pitch. We slowly made our way through the park and eventually went up a fairly steep incline on our way to the immigrant lookout. It was gorgeous. What I didn’t know was that wasn’t even half as beautiful as the bay.
Next on our tour of the bay area was the old military base. It’s quite possible that back before my grandpa was shipped off to Korea that those barracks are where he stayed. He left America by sailing underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, so I like to think of it as I rode JP there as a bit of a tribute to him. The armory even had an incredible lookout, which was actually the first time I could see the bridge in all its vast glory.
As we made our way to the bridge we weaved in and out of traffic, which got us a bit disoriented. The bridge itself has a large path for pedestrians and bikes and the road for cars, but we missed that memo. We rode right on the bridge with the cars and soon figured out what a huge mistake that was. In case you have never noticed by car, bridges have slits and separations in them so that they can move as necessary. We came upon our first holes in the road and made it over fine. Then, the next time they seemed to get a bit larger, and every time after that they got larger and larger. My front wheel made it over fine, but the back one felt as if it may have dipped into the hole in the ground. However, the final one that did us in was big enough for mountain bike tires to fall through. I slammed on my brakes and clipped out of my pedals, but didn’t manage to stay fully upright. Luckily, the cars behind me were paying attention and stopped for me. My whole front wheel had gotten lodged in the bridge. I could see ocean beneath me. This was not safe. Jackson had also had issues with the bridge so we decided to throw our bikes over the 7 foot fence separating us from the pedestrians.
We took a breather and watched the wind boarders below us in the bay. I might have said it before, but this actually was breathtaking, which was ironic since we were trying to catch our breaths. When we felt like we could ride again we made it to the other side with no problems. We even made it back over to the San Francisco side with barely any issues. In fact, we made it through China town and up and down Lombard street (easily a 14-16% grade) with relatively low problems. It was the public transit system that became the true highlight of the day.
We locked our bikes on the bike rack in the train and went to find some seats together. The only 2 next to each other were by the restroom so we sat down. It smelled terrible. I’m talking worse than our laundry burritos after 3 straight rainy days and then letting our clothes cook out in the hot sun. It was rank. Then, to top it all off we saw two people trying to go into the restroom at the same time to do only God knows what, but refuse to go in at all because of the stench. It wasn’t long after that that we decided to go upstairs and sit in the single seats that had a much more pleasant smell. We reached the Palo Alto station not long after that and waited outside for Denise to come pick us up for dinner.
There was a man yelling at a police officer there. From their argument we gathered that another man had flashed the angered citizen while on the train. There had been a huge scene made on the train and the conductor had kicked him off. The details are far funnier, but they are certainly not appropriate for here. Then, just as the man and the police officer left, a woman approached us and asked for help. She told us she was very sick and needed help figuring out how to get home. We did our best to help, but don’t know much about the bus or train system yet. So, she went on to another man where she told him what to do. She insisted he walk back to where he had just come from and ask when the 22 bus was leaving. It was a short walk and probably could have done it herself. When he said he had to do one thing, but would come back in just a moment to help, she turned to us again for help. She then revealed that her only “medical condition” was diarrhea. She had “eaten something for dinner that wasn’t quite agreeing with her stomach” and she couldn’t wait the 45 minutes for the next train. It took all I had not to laugh right then and there. I thought back to all the times on the bike this summer where I had eaten something that didn’t quite agree with me, but I kept riding the next 60 miles to the host site.
It was a wonderful week that helped me transition back into the real world. I’m still so very lonely, and probably will be forever, or at least until Northern ’14! I can’t imagine a life without Bike and Build as some part of it. Hopefully, in the future I will be able to help coordinate host sites with NC2SD as they come through Memphis or even lead in a couple years. My life was complete while biking and building this summer. Now that its over there is a huge hole in my heart waiting to be filled with reunions. I miss each and every one of my teammates with my whole self. I can’t wait for December to ride the Chris Webber Memorial Ride. What a wonderful life I have.
Eighty one days down, none to go.
The first thing I heard this morning was “All These Things That I Have Done” by The Killers. It was our theme song for the whole summer. When I woke up I instantly started to belt it out, hugged Sarah, and started bawling. Kate hugged me when she got up and it quickly turned into another love fest. We didn’t move for a solid 15 minutes.
When I finally did get up there was another cuddle puddle going on in the hallway so I laid down next to Nate and then Brynne almost instantaneously joined in as well. We sang along with the music playing in the background as we cried ourselves awake.
Things moved in slow motion all morning. It was as if we thought we could avoid saying goodbye if we just refused to do anything. It was a valiant attempt, but in the end didn’t work.
We were provided with a pancake, sausage, egg, and fruit breakfast. All of us seemed more involved in the breakfast table conversation than normal as we reflected back on our journey across America. I enjoyed looking around and watching the interactions throughout our final morning meal. I saw how much things had changed and evolved over the past two months. People who you would never expect to be friends in the real world were family by the end. There were smile, tears, and laughter all throughout the room. That kind of joy is something completely unique to this experience.
Finally, we decided to get up from the tables so we could help clean. Many more people than usual grabbed tables and chairs to place them back in their closet. It seemed almost effortless to get it all done. Once it finally was complete though, it was time for our final route meeting. Sarah requested that on this last day we have Britt give the ceremonial route meeting call. So, she screamed, “ROUTE MEETING NOOOOOOOW” in her best Arnold Schwarzenegger voice. It’s pretty funny coming out of her tiny body.
We all circled up in the same order we were in on the very first day back in Charleston for our first count off. I had Jess to my left and Barrett to my right. As we stood there together we went through our normal routine, which included information about the route and town we were headed to that day. However, the leaders mixed things up a bit.
Stewart prepared a few words for this morning. He made us laugh and cry as we reflected back on the summer of a lifetime. He eloquently spoke about the moments we would rather forget and those we are likely to eternally replay in our minds. His mom, Chippy, watched over as this happened. It was an interesting contrast of worlds. That made what was to happen at the end of the day so much more real. Having family pop in and out over the past few days has begun a transitional process that certainly will help me cope with the all too sudden end of Bike and Build.
When Stewart was done speaking and we were all already dehydrated from crying, his mother thanked us for letting her join in on the morning. We almost got to hear her tell embarrassing stories about him from his childhood, but he cut her off before she could really get going. If only.
Boover then got us pumped up and ready to go as he led the last cheer. Even though we were all excited for the day we all remained sluggish. It wasn’t until 2 1/2 hours after wake up that the first group left. Elle and Stewart were assigned sweep so Maria, Dino, Kate, Nate, Lauren, Brandon, and I decided to ride with them on our final ride.
After herding people out of the parking lot we finally got on our own bikes and headed towards Santa Cruz. Stewart’s mom rode behind us until the first stop light we hit where she took pictures of us before she left us for the San Jose airport. We continued to ride all together, each of us refusing to leave anyone.
All of the sudden we heard someone shouting, “BIKE AND BUILD” from Peet’s Coffee and Tea. We all screeched to a stop, turned around, and went to get a caffeine pick me up. As much as I detest coffee, it was exactly what I needed to get me trough the day. After crying myself to sleep I was exhausted and was completely unsure of how I would make it to the beach.
While at the coffee shop we met lots of people who were curious about the 15 or so people standing in matching spandex. One man, who was a cyclist himself, told us about the ride ahead of us. We thanked him and got on our way. As we attempted to leave the parking lot a police officer stopped us and asked where we were riding. When we told him we were taking highway 9 up and over the mountain he told us to take extreme caution. Apparently, there had already been a bicycle accident on that particular road just a couple hours earlier.
We thanked him for letting us know, but that piece of information created a huge pit in my stomach. This whole summer we have remained relatively lucky and free of any truly devastating injuries or accidents. It was our last day. We had made it so far. What if this was our unlucky day? My nerves were on edge the whole rest of the day.
Solemnly we rode out of the parking lot and got on our way. Then, suddenly, the caffeine hit me. It was a total Kate move web I had to shake my legs to get the jitters out of them. I needed to move quickly and get my heart pumping, but I had no desire to leave my friends. So leg shaking it was.
A few miles down the road most everyone needed a bathroom break. By now we are in mostly inhabited areas where it is impossible to pee on the side of the road without being seen. So, in true bike and build fashion, very one wet behind the gas station we pulled into and relieved themselves on the side of the building while they attempted to cover the security camera. Afterwards Stew walked inside just to covertly make sure that the cashier wasn’t watching them on a monitor behind the register. Luckily, he hadn’t been.
We then got moving again. It wasn’t long after the gas station where we hit the rollers at the bottom of the mountain. Once we hit the real climbing we almost took a wrong turn, which would have taken us up an 11%+ grade hill that I had no desire to climb. We checked GPS and thankfully it said we needed to go back to the lower grade hill.
Once we determined the correct way to go we continued onward and upward. We had 2000 feet to climb before our mile 19 lunch stop. It sounds so insignificant compared to many other rides, but it was undoubtedly a difficult ride. We stopped about halfway up the mountain for a quick break and to let some of the groups ahead of us get some space.
Our rest spot was fairly public for a 2 lane mountain highway…so we used it as a bathroom break. Cyclists whizzed past us (no pun intended) as they raced towards the summit. We were definitely using the slow and steady mindset to get us there.
At about 2 miles from the summit we suddenly hit a traffic block. We couldn’t figure out what was going on until we turned the corner. There were ambulances and fire trucks working together to pull a motorcyclist out of the drop off wooded area. The second I saw that the sinking feeling returned. It brought me back to reality. What we were doing, what we did, it’s not always safe. There’s an inherent danger associated with riding your bike across the country. We just happened to be lucky. With only 38 miles or so left to go, I prayed that we would remain safe.
With a quarter mile left to the top I could hear screaming and shouting. I pinpointed whose voices belonged to whom. I knew they were all up there waiting for us. It was our final significant climb and we all did it together. As I turned the corner to reach the summit I saw the human tunnel they had formed for us, just like the one going up Independence Pass. It gave me chills thinking back on that perfect day. If I were to relive one ride for the entire trip…give me Twin Lakes to Aspen and I’d eternally be happy. That’d be my Groundhog Day if I had a choice.
Upon reaching the summit I looked at the coolers and couldn’t work up an appetite. It had been a long 81 days of semi-cold food. I just didn’t want it again. When I heard there was a hot dog stand I instantly jumped all over that. Protein, right? So Brandon, Stew, and I all went rogue and picked up lunch at the cart.
Again it felt like time was standing still. Nobody wanted to leave the top of the mountain. We just sat there until the first group to leave started to get antsy. It was already 1pm and we were supposed to all be in the beach at 2. We knew that absolutely was no happening, so we just did our best to herd everyone along.
Eventually, after we all had taken a quick 5 minute nap, my sweep group walked over to the Santa Cruz county line sign and took a few pictures before getting on the road. Once we finally got back on our bikes we instantly weren’t sure of which way to go. The cue sheet and the chalk didn’t match up, so we went with the chalk…sorry Sarah.
The chalk direction took us downhill, but not far enough…descents never last long enough. On the way down we also stopped when Jess had a flat tire. Luckily, She was already almost done changing it. However, when I saw her stopped she had a look on her face that didn’t seem quite right. It terrified me to be perfectly honest. I thought that vision I had in my head of something going horrifically wrong was actually coming true. Thankfully, I think that face she made was just from gas or something.
We got back on the road and finished the first descent at a four way stop. We were presented with the question of whether we should take highway 9, a shorter way that didn’t go through the redwoods, or highway 236, which went through the redwoods and was our prescribed route. Stewart, being sweep and a leader voiced his opinion about taking the route we were supposed to take, so we followed along.
We rode a few miles before catching up to our first group. What we didn’t realize was by taking 236 we would have lots of climbing still. Had weaken highway 9 we would have had almost nothing but descent. The only real downhill we had left going through the redwoods was terrifying. I am always the first one to bomb a hill and lay off the brakes as much as possible, but this was different. I could feel every hair on the back of my neck standing up, I heard every noise around me, and my eyes constantly darted all over the road searching for the tiniest thing that could cause an accident. I laid on my brakes, but it never seemed to be enough. I was easily going 25+ mph, but wanted to be going closer to 17-18. Every curve in the road was a blind turn and very rarely was there a single guard rail. I counted 4 times where I came around a turn and I nearly collided head on with a car. Had I been going a tiny bit faster I wouldn’t have been quite so lucky.
Once we got to the bottom of that hill we all regrouped by some massive redwood trees. The largest one there probably had a diameter as long as two of our bikes put together. They were massive, majestic, and awe inspiring. However, I could have gone without seeing them if it meant a less terrifying descent with less mileage that lacked anymore climbing.
We climbed more and more and finally found the highway 9 junction in a small town just outside the Santa Cruz city limits. By then it was nearly 5pm. Again we waited for the group ahead of us to keep moving. Once we finally got moving though, we made excellent time. My group has some very strong legs and decided it was time to get moving. So we did. We rode a steady hard pace until we reached our last real obstacle: Graham Hill Rd. It was an 11% climb that lasted around a mile.
As we approached it all things in the world seemed great…we all knew this climb was coming, but had either forgotten or thought we must have already done it. When we started climbing I felt like I was going to either fall to my side from not going fast enough or fall over backwards from the grade of the hill being too steep. Thankfully, we all stayed upright.
As soon as we crested that last hill, which we nicknamed Grace Graham hill after a girl that was supposed to ride with us, but ended up not coming, we made our final descent. It was the perfect way to come into Santa Cruz. When we neared the meeting spot I could again hear them cheering at the top of their lungs for us. The moment I saw Sarah’s face tears started to pour down my cheeks.
It was in that moment that I realized what we had done. In the words of Maria Chopivsky: “we pedaled for affordable housing y’all!” We became a crazy beautiful family that strangely enough survived mountains, wet road, semis, dogs, railroad tracks, and even each other to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific. We had three miles left on a bike path to make it to the ocean and we would do it all together.
The YOLO bus led the group and those who swept for the final day remained in back. We rode about 10 feet before Hannah got a flat. We yelled at her to keep going, so she did. Then, we took a wrong turn on the bike path. It took a few minutes to figure out which way to go, which gave Hannah some time to pump her tire. Then, as we got closer our nerves were even more on edge. We couldn’t figure out which way to go in one if the bridges, which held us up even longer. Finally, Sarah sped up to the front and took the lead. She too is to the beach, but not without any more mishaps. Some of us in the back got held up at a stop light, which made it difficult to stay grouped together. People wanted to charge ahead without realizing we were back behind them.
As we paraded through town we wanted to make it loud and clear that we were about to do something incredible. So, Kate shouted every ten seconds or so that we had BIKED here from Charleston, SC. And then I would tell “tell two friends.” People waved, cheered, and honked at us as if they knew exactly what was happening. It was an incredible feeling to see all these people we didn’t know excited for us. It was the perfect build up to the perfect ending.
We took a right turn and came down a small hill. It was then that we could finally see our families and friends. We rushed to the beach and out our bikes down, took off our helmets and shoes and lined up. I had Britt on one side f me and Dino on my other side. We all joined hands, got too excited, an took off sprinting down the beach. It was the longest I’ve run since I finished swimming and it was a dead sprint in the sand.
Just as I approached the water I saw Kate to my right so we grabbed hands and ran in together. The frigid water made no difference. I was happy to be there. I was happy to be cold and wet. I was happy to have my loved ones with me in the pacific. I was just happy. I looked around for the faces I had become so very close with. I hugged them hard. I wanted to let them know how much extra love I had for them I that moment. My heart exploded.
When the love fest died down we grouped together in the water…yes, even Kate stayed in the cold water. Then, all of the sudden we burst into song. The themes of our whole summer were Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” and The killer’s “All These Things That I Have Done.” We couldn’t quite remember the beginning of either song so we did what we always did…we had Nate start us off. He was our official resident pop music expert. We followed his lead and sang as loudly as we possible could. We again made a huge spectacle of ourselves while on the beach.
After the songs were over we went to grab our bikes. It was time for the ceremonial front wheel dip. We all lined up and held our bikes out of the water until the count of 3. Everyone got their bikes wet all at once. It was a wonderful moment that I’ll never forget.
We continued to play in the water and take pictures for a few minutes before heading to the host site for showers. Of course on the ride there we all took wrong turns and couldn’t quite figure out where to go. Eventually, we found the Resource Center for Nonviolence, our home for the next two nights.
It was completely necessary to wash the day off of us before going back to the beach for dinner. So when we got to the host site we all headed outside for the hose. Eventually, we figured out the most efficient way to get things done was to basically line up like a firing squad and have Stewart spray every one down. The freezing cold water was plenty of motivation to get done quickly, not to mention we were all starving and wanted to get back to the beach ASAP.
As soon as the first 15 of us were dressed and ready to go we ran the first shuttle. I however got into Hannah’s dad’s car and rode over with her, Andrew, and Jesse. When we arrived there were two campfires and a grill ready to help keep us warm along with a smorgasbord of food and drinks.
We hung out one last time as a complete family there on Twin Lakes Beach. It felt so appropriate being there seeing as so many of us look back so fondly on Twin Lakes, CO. We watched the sun set over the mountains and stargazed in a completely light pollution free sky that night all together. The memories of that night flooded my mind while standing on the Pacific beach. I caught myself just people watching. The past 81 days changed us all. We went from strangers standing in the Atlantic to knowing every in and out about one another. Our biggest fight had involved avocados. It was silly and harmless. We loved each other, we knew how to deal with one another. We are a functionally dysfunctional family.
When the night came to a close we all gathered round a fire pit. A SC2SC alumni told us one of her biggest regrets was that at the end of their last night together they all dispersed without one final goodbye. We decided that couldn’t happen to us. The last time we were all together we said a collective goodbye.
We went around the circle talking about the things we would miss, what we learned from this experience, and what we hoped others took away from Bike and Build. The one that struck me deepest was Laurie’s goodbye. She started by saying “I watched you”, which was something someone wrote as a war fuzzy the first week and became a running joke. She told us we might know her as well as she knows us, but she watched us. She watched interact and become a family. It was a beautiful little speech. One I truly appreciated.
As I stood there I was floored by everything everyone had to say. My heart was broken standing there. I fell in love this summer. I realized that fact states before, but when that happened I didn’t want to think about saying goodbye. My heart grew to accommodate enough love for 29 new people. When we let go of that circle we gathered in close, held a bunch of balloons together and let them go all together. In that moment my heart shattered.
We cleaned up, hugged one another all over again, and headed towards the van. It was time for our first real goodbye when Claire got into the van. She was the first to leave us. Tears streamed down her face as she went around making sure to hug everyone. My mind couldn’t quite comprehend what was happening. Our family was then incomplete and probably never would be all together ever again.
Those of us who stayed back to wait for the second shuttle stood there freezing while reminiscing. We eventually got a ride back to the host and immediately set up the projector for a slide show. Personally, I laid down. Nate then came up and snuggled with me as we fell asleep.
It was absolutely a life changing experience. I learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. I had found myself on Bike and Build. This was my calling. When I was younger I always thought of service hours as a hassle. What I don’t realize was how truly enriching those moments spent working for others are. There will never be anything that could possibly compare to this summer. Even if I were to do it all over again, it would be an entirely different experience. My life was a good one, but this summer made it great.
Thank you to everyone who had a part in helping me to get where I am, whether you were a training partner, a donor, a friend, family member, or a teammate, I couldn’t have done it without a single one of you.
Eighty days down, 1 to go.
Second to last ride. Brentwood to San Jose. I’m not ready for this.
The plan was to have a giant sweep. The group seemed to grow by the second. When we rolled out it had grown to Jackson, Nate, Stew, Sarah, Elle, Brandon, Lauren, Kate, Maria, Jess, and myself. I somehow ended up in the front again with Sarah.
We were told we would have one climb and and the rest would be pretty flat. What they failed to tell us was that it wasn’t just a hill. It was a long up and down climb. We caught the last group at about 9 miles into the ride. We played yo-up with them for a long time, but then a few miles later Sarah and I decided to go ahead. There were far too many people having to stop on the side of the road and it had become unsafe.
At the end of the last part if the hill we saw the magical downhill truck sign. As we descended it we realized Kate and Hannah had caught up to us. I had started to get sad because I had discussed riding with both Kate and Hannah, and when we left I had an overwhelming feeling of guilt. However, when they came up to us I was so very happy.
When we were about 6 miles away from Pleasanton Stew magically showed up. As we rode into Pleasanton we noticed something going on under some tents in a park. We assumed it was some sort of festival, but quickly found out it was just an incredible farmers market. We sampled everything. There was one booth in particular that gave us one of everything he had, which was all gluten free and vegan. Surprisingly it was delicious.
Kate, Hannah, and I left soon thereafter so we could get to lunch while stew and Sarah ate the food they bought at the market. We got in and out of lunch quickly. As I rode off I noticed I felt great, better than ever before while on Bike and Build, but didn’t know why. Then, as I rolled my shoulders I realized I was not wearing my camelbak. When I turned around Hannah’s camelbak suddenly started leaking the Gatorade she accidentally poured into it, and within 10 feet of rolling away from there Kate got a flat. That stretch of road was incredibly unlucky.
When we finally figured our stuff out we rode the next few miles until the next turn. We accidentally missed it, but checked a map and found a way to get back on to the correct road. Thankfully we did that because most everyone else took a left instead of a right and went for a few miles. Then, as we rode down mission blvd Kate got another flat. We ended up just changing the tube and then patching the tire, which for some reason took much longer than usual.
When we got tithe bike trail we decided to forego it due to the extensive bike lanes in the roads. While we rode my mom was trying to catch up to us in the car in order to bring us water. When she found us it was at the precise moment I needed it most. I felt like I was about to die from the heat and exhaustion. I chugged the liter of water and we got on our way.
Then, within .5 miles Kate’s tire began to bubble up and started to deflate. It was absolutely bizarre. I thought I had seen every kind of flat possible, but the bubbler is a new one. We stopped at a gas station and changed the tube again. Kate began to get frustrated, but personally, I felt calm, and at complete peace. With the end coming soon all I wanted was to be with my other half, even if it meant flat tires and exhaustion. It’s going to be far too soon before that isn’t possible everyday.
Eventually, we reached the host site around 5:30 and were the second group to get there. We were the only 8 people there until like 6:15, maybe later. We hose showered and got ready in the bathroom for our 7 pm reservation for the last supper.
We ate at a pizza place with lots of gluten free options for Elle and Sarah. After we finished eating spencer and brandon announced the paper plate awards. The we’re hilarious. I won the “B” award. Apparently when thy tried to figure out what to give me they kept shouting out adjectives for me that started with B but were completely disconnected. I loved it. I was so happy to not just get a generic thing like best smile.
When we got back to the host it became a massive cuddle puddle. There was easily a ten person pile up. We just laid there together like it was the last moment we’d have with all of us. It was beautiful, wonderful, incredible. I never wanted it to end.
I finally got up to go to bed. I put my thermarest as close to Kate as possible. I didn’t care at all that she isn’t a cuddler. I had Riv on my other side and I was so happy. I could have stayed there forever too. We again piled up and cried before going to bed.
I’m in love with 29 people and I don’t know how to say goodbye. My mom always told me before I was born she wasn’t sure how she’d be able to fill her heart with any more love than it already held, but when I arrived, it grew. That’s what happened to me this summer. My heart grew exponentially and it’s filled to the brim. When I look around my chest gets tight and I explode with extra love. America, why can’t you grow an extra 1000 miles to the west?
Tomorrow is it. The final day. I can’t believe it.
Seventy nine days down, 2 to go.
The end is closing in on us far quicker than I ever imagined. I looked at a map today and saw how far into California and how close we are to Santa Cruz now. My jaw hit the floor and I nearly started crying right then and there.
The ride from Davis to Brentwood was about 80 miles and was filled with surprises. Before we left we finally succeeded at doing a Captain America-esque cheer that Brynne made up when we were in Ontario. It set the tone for a great day ahead of us.
When we were given our cue sheets we noticed something different from anything we had ever seen. Sarah had inserted on the directions that we would be taking a ferry across the channel a little over halfway through the ride. She also added in there a cryptic message about how that means nobody would be getting every single inch of the trip as a joke.
When we rolled out I left with a large group again. None of us wanted to miss out on time with one another do we jut left all together. The first part of the ride I spent mostly up front with Kate, Brandon, and Sarah. We spent a fair portion of the beginning on a bike path. Soon though we got on a beautiful road that was great for riding on. There were cyclists everywhere.
At one point I started going a little faster and began to lose the group, but Paul caught up to me fairly quickly. Eventually, Kate, Jackson, and Sarah caught us as well. Kate needed to pee A few miles down the road so we took a break in the shade. Jackson then noticed he had a slow leak and pumped his tire. Just as we were getting back on our bikes I felt something weird I my front wheel. It was flat. I couldn’t just go a few days without having a flat. It’s simply not possible.
While I was changing it, multiple groups passed us. Then, a woman stopped and asked if we needed any assistance. Apparently, she lived just down the road and owns a bike shop. However, by now I have become a complete expert in all things involving flat tires. I know slow leaks, explosions, pinch flats, and even punctures so I needed no help.
I quickly changed it and we rode the next few miles into lunch. I was feeling extremely antsy while we ate so at the first mention of my group leaving I jumped up and was ready to go. I took off so quickly that I lost my group without realizing it, but when I did notice I kept going. I had been feeling emotionally overwhelmed by the thought of everyone leaving to go home so I just needed some time to compose myself.
Unfortunately, I also ended up taking a wrong turn because of that and rode probably an extra 5 or so miles. When I found out I needed to turn around I had no idea if I was still ahead or if I was behind the group. So I rode hard assuming they weren’t all that far behind me and ended up going the correct way. Luckily, I was correct and caught them within the next 10 miles or so.
It was around mile 50, I believe, that we came upon the ferry. The channel looked fairly calm, and my body was beginning to get over heated. So, as we had discussed earlier, Paul and I decided to swim t and send our bikes over in the ferry. We weren’t sure if it was allowed so we asked one of the men who worked on the boat if it was ok. He said that the current was pretty strong. All I heard by that was it is legal. So I said great, and threw my jersey and helmet over to someone to watch. Then, Jackson, Lauren, Matt, Paul, and I went to find a place to get into the water. We attempted to read the current, so we walked a bit upstream on the hot blacktop without shoes on so that we wouldn’t have to fight the current the whole time we were swimming. We walked through a rocky, burr-y, possibly snake filled tall grass to get to the water. I climbed over the drift wood and submerged my overheated body in to the perfect chilly water. It was the easiest open water swim I’ve ever done. At one point though it felt like we weren’t going anywhere.
It put everything into perspective when we realized that the ferry had made it to the other side in the amount of time it took for us to just get to the water line. Many people waited for us on the other side. I walked out of the water with a huge grin on my face. It was absolutely a high for my week.
The last part of the ride was a little hairier. Kate got a flat from a 2 inch nail driving into her tire, which was nearly impossible to pull out. I lost my phone when it popped out of my pocket during a bumpy part of the ride (luckily Paul spotted it and Brandon went to grab it for me). We went up a giant bridge, and finally descended down into Brentwood.
When we arrived at the host we all crashed. I passed out instantly. Then, I woke up to my mom texting me that she was outside the church. Just as I stood up to find her I heard Stewart screaming my name. Apparently, she had wandered inside and he stumbled into her. She handed me memory cards for my camera and a ton of avocados.
Maria, Nate, and Elle had just woken up so we all piled into the sedan and went to Starbucks and Jamba Juice. It was like a mini vacation. Then, just as we were leaving I got a text from Kate saying “WHY DIDN’T YOU WAKE ME UP????” I guess she really wanted to see my mom. In fact she even had a dream about her while we were gone.
When we it back it was time to put out laundry, inventory the trailer, and almost dinner time. We did our last dinner presentation when we finished eating. It was a strange feeling. It was the beginning of the end.
When trailer crew returned from laundry we all joined together in our final town hall circle. The warm fuzzy bag was completely full, which was a first. Alyssa had even written one to every single person. I started to lose control when the highs and lows got started. Tears rolled down my face as I reflected on my last week. I had so many highs and so few lows. Definitely taking the bypass riding into Cassel, swimming the channel, and star gazing in mineral topped the charts for my highs. My low was definitely one of the lowest lows I had for the trip. I had come into the trip thinking I’d take every opportunity to grab life by the balls and when I missed going to the water fall the day riding into Chico. I sat there alone on the side of the road waiting for my friends and realized how incredibly lonely I am going to be in just a few days.
When we finished highs and lows we read every last warm and fuzzy. Britt then finished the meeting with a letter she wrote to us. It was beautiful and wise. That little woman has in fact climbed every mountain and then proceeded to bomb down the other side. She’s a beautiful person that I would follow anywhere.
We then went to bed in a large cuddle puddle. I laid between Sarah and Britt as we tried to decide what song needed to be played on the second to last day. There were many songs thrown around. Some sad, some ridiculous, but we decided on Good Riddance. I went to bed happy and sad simultaneously. It just can’t be over yet, but I’m overjoyed by every experience I’ve shared with my new family. I’m madly in love with each and every one of you.
Seventy eight days down, 3 to go.
We rode to the supposed most bike friendly city in the world today, Davis, CA. It was a fairly short day that was filled with activities. I really enjoyed the whole day.
I left Colusa with a large group yet again that consisted of Brandon, Lauren, Kate, stew, Nate, Maria, and Elle. We spent most of the morning just enjoying each others’ company. Eventually we began to speed up. In fact, so much so that we missed the wild blackberry bushes on the side of the road.
Around mile 40 Elle broke off all of the sudden. I tried to catch her, but it took a solid 8-10 minutes I solid hammering to get there. When I finally made it my butt was on fire, but the look on elles face when she realized she wasn’t alone was worth the burn. We talked about life, love, and how much we weren’t ready for all this to be over just yet. It was an incredible 17 miles.
At the turn at the end of the road we decided to stop and wait for everyone. Our main goal for the day was to get to Davis for all sorts of food. Personally, I wanted In N Out again. When we reached the outskirts of town we split up into the in n out faction and the FroYo faction.
Nate, stew, and I rode back to the church and opened the doors and got the keys for everyone. Meanwhile, the FroYo-ers went for frozen yogurt and went to explore davis. As soon as my group was ready we strolled through town on our bikes in order to explore while on our food mission.
Upon reaching the restaurant an overwhelming sense of relief overcame me. I was so hungry and dehydrated that I felt like that was my last meal I’d ever eat and I was overjoyed that it included red meat.
The groups remained fluid as Jesse and Laurie came and went. Lauren, Brandon, Nate, Jess, and others all left before stew and I as well. When stew and I finally did decide to leave we ride over to the USA Bicycle Hall of Fame museum. The top two floors were interesting, but the basement was where all the really cool stuff was located.
We left not long after we got there so we could eventually make it to the showers, but first we decided to stop by the campus bike shop. They had plenty of stuff for fixies and single speeds, but nothing that really interested me for JP. For whatever reason I had gotten extremely antsy by this point and was ready to leave, but we kept getting held up. So, when we did get on the bike I hurried off toward the church.
We quickly gathered our things for showers and left for the pool where we were to clean up. However, we had plenty of time on our hands so we decided to get in the pool too. One of the feelings I miss most in my post swimming life is the refreshed feeling unfit after having a really tough practice in the pool. So I put on my two piece strapless suit and decided I’d swim some laps. Pushing off the wall was a difficult feat, by I probably swam a total of 1100 if I were to add up all three times I went back to the lap lanes.
After that I decided it is finally time to attempt a swim practice again. I never thought I’d think that, but the day has arrived. When I get home to Memphis it’s going on my laundry list of things to do.
While we were at the pool we watched the cutest baby girl with her grandfather playing in the water. I couldn’t help but think about my USB grandpa and when I was that girl’s age and I was jut learnin to swim and dive in the pool when we were in Destin, FL. I’ve come so far from those days, but wouldn’t be anywhere close to the person I am today without him shaping the person I am now. The best part about that little girl was her diaper though. It stuck out easily a full foot from her body from being completely soaked in water and whatever else. We all laughed and fought over whether our boys would notice that kind if thing when they have kids one day.
It wasn’t all fun at the pool though. Unfortunately, davis is not in fact the most bike friendly city in the world. That title is quite ironic in fact. As we sat on the stairs of the pool stew told us that Alyssa’s bike had been stolen while she walked around downtown. Someone had cut the cable and took her bike and left the other two that were locked up to hers.
Alyssa handled the situation far better than I ever would have. Everyone tried their best, in their own ways, to make her feel better and to help her out. Eventually, she came back to the church with what has been dubbed the YOLO bus, a used cruiser bike that will most certainly get her across the last few miles of our journey. I couldn’t be prouder of her tenacity and good spirits.
While Alyssa was taking care of business we were at the church eating dinner. I sat with a particularly interesting woman. She told me all about her life and how she was now is history teacher at UC Davis. The most intriguing story she told me was about her involvement in the Katrina relief efforts in 2005. As soon as she found a way to make a difference she was down in Houston helping a UMC there gather and ship things to New Orleans. She was hilarious in her matter of fact ways. I couldn’t get enough of her.
After dinner and presentations were over we had our final AH meeting. We discussed how we can stay invoked after bike and build, whether it’s part time, full time, or short term commitments. I want to go every possible thing they listed in the presentation. Somehow I need to find a way to recreate the feeling I get every morning when I wake up here realizing its another day of bike and build and that it doesn’t get any better than this.
The last thing we did before going to bed was vote on paper plate awards. Basically, whoever we were discussing we sent out of the room while we shouted out awards for them. It was wonderful to hear all the positive things we had to say about each other. It only took about thirty minutes to do all of them. By the end of it though I was beyond ready to pass out. So I went straight to bed so I could be happy and well rested for the 70-ish mile ride into Brentwood in the morning.
Seventy seven days down, 4 to go.
It’s finally or last stretch of riding days. This day has come far too soon. I’m not ready for this one bit, but if it has to happen in glad it starts with today. Nate, your birthday is hands down one of my favorite days of the summer.
I woke up and frantically searched for my shower bag, which contained all only toiletries. It was nowhere to be found and I was certain I had left it by my bin. After circling the grounds and strip searching the can multiple times, I decided it was gone. However, someone convinced me to just call the gym where we showered to see if it was there. Luckily, I swallowed my pride and called them. I hate being wrong, and that my mind played tricks on me, but I’m incredibly happy it was sitting in their list and found.
I left this morning with the bachelor(ette) party, which consisted of Sarah, Kate, Maria, Elle, Lauren, Nate, and myself. Jess and Nate were finally to be wed tonight so we had to give them both one last ride before tying the knot. I 100% enjoyed every second of it. Even both of my flats.
The ride was flat and the winds were low, but the heat was high. That’s the precise conditions I prefer, so I was a happy camper. We rode at an easy pace and really smelled the roses. One of the best moments of the day was when we stopped in a pecan orchard and I cracked nuts for everyone. That would have been the perfect time to enjoy nuts, but of course I can’t stand them.
At lunch we met up with the bachelorette party. We all enjoyed a quick break from riding, but quickly got back on the bike. After my flat just before lunch I was constantly worried about getting another flat. They always seem to come in spurts for me, which is completely annoying. I checked it quickly and it was getting low, but it was still rideable. I let it go another few miles until there was no playing around anymore. I had to change yet another flat tire.
Eventually we made it to Colusa, the home of the best casinos in northern California. When we arrived we went straight to the thrift store for costumes to wear to the “wedding”. After we stormed the place we left and finally made it to the host site where we immediately got our swimming stuff and piled into the van. One of the families from the church offered to let us come swim in their pool. It was a perfect afternoon of relaxing. I really think it calmed Nate’s nerves before his big night. Marrying Jess is not something to take lightly.
When we got back from the pool we were oven the opportunity to sit with the community in their helping hand meal program. It was incredible getting to know people from all different walks of life that live in Colusa. They make up a very special and wonderful community.
Once dinner was over we prepared for the big event. Jess put on her dress and Nate his powder blue “suit”. We talked them trough their cold feet and finally the ceremony began. Spencer, as our poet laureate, was made the minister and gave the best nuptial speech I’ve ever heard. It was touching, moving, inspiring. Choose any positive adjective and that would describe it. It was also completely hilarious and I am so happy I have it all on video.
The reception was an incredible was to top off one of my favorite weeks on bike and build, except for all of Colorado. I don’t think anything could top Colorado. California, you are a close second though…don’t worry Elle. At the end of the night when I went to bed it felt like the goodbyes had started to begin. I found myself not wanting to fall asleep because I wanted to soak up every moment. Every passing second becomes exponentially more precious. Sleeping is something I can do at home. I don’t need it while I’m biking across the country!
Off to davis tomorrow…the most bicycle friendly city in the world. At least that’s what they say.
Seventy six days down, 5 to go.
It was our last build day. Sixteen whole days of building with Habitat for Humanities all across the country and our last one was in beautiful Chico, CA. It was a fantastic day.
We woke up, had an excellent breakfast and were shuttled to the build site by about 8. They planned for us to pour concrete all day, but we didn’t know what what exactly that would entail. So when we showed up they gave us shovels and rakes so we could level out the ground for the sidewalks. There was also a team that went I the back yard to dig holes for the fence posts.
There were more people than there were tools so I spent the majority of my morning taking pictures and video of our last build day. I got plenty of material there to help preserve those memories. Luckily, we were efficient and were able to finish the job around 1.
We loaded up into the can and went off to the showers. Somehow I had managed to lose my shower bag so I bummed off of Elle in order to get clean. We hurried through the process since we had an exciting day filled with activities after showers.
The first van load rode back to the build site, which was across the street from the Sierra Nevada brewery. We all walked over to the brewery to wait for our 3 o’clock tour. After we went through the gift shop some of us passed out in front of the building (they actually took a picture of them and put it in their tour sideshow) and the rest of us went on a not so successful search for affordable food. Even though when we looked though the brewery’s menu we decided to forego food we still got a few posters as souvenirs.
By that time the second group had gotten back so we signed in and began the tour. They split us into the “pale ale tour” and the “tumbler tour”. We were shown the guys of the brewery. I was particularly blown away by the tour simply by their openness and their willingness to let us touch the hops, drink the whort, and stand there in the hallway as the owner of the entire company strolled through on the job. I really loved getting to see the brewery in a much more intimate way than that of some of the larger ones.
After the tour we went to the park for dinner. I went back with Sarah to the church to pick up a few stragglers. When we finally got back to the park we had about 15 minutes to eat and get ready to go to Hulleywood. Unfortunately, that meant that we didn’t have time to swim in the river pool, which looked pretty incredible.
Once we annihilated the tacos and then loaded back into the vans. We were invited to go to the Hulley’s home, which they’ve cleverly turned into Hulleywood North. When we walked up to their home the yard was intricately landscaped. The koi pond and pagoda made me feel a bit at home because of the ponds in our backyard. Seeing that brought a huge smile to my face and instantly excited me to go inside.
When we walked inside the whole place was decorated as if it was a movie theater. The arcade in the back room really topped it all off. They prepared us popcorn and served us the “largest soda selection around”. I proceeded to destroy Barrett in a game of Cruisin’ USA, my favorite childhood arcade game, which taught me that speeding is in fact fun.
When the movie was finally ready, all thirty of us set an attendance record and piled into the theater. They had authentic seats, a projector, a stage, curtains…even the lighting was perfect. I actually felt like I had just walked into a movie theater. Then, when the lights turned off and the film began to roll, on the screen a news clip and a welcome reel began to play. They turned back time. It was an incredible experience. My favorite part was that they showed us Wild Target, a movie none of us had seen or even heard of. I loved not going into it with any preconceived notions and ended up liking it a lot. Ron Weasley, you were awesome.
Once the movie ended we all hopped in the van and went back to the church. I quickly got ready for bed and laid down. There was chatter for a while, but eventually I fell asleep. We had a comparatively short day ahead of us and Nates birthday to look forward to.
Off to Colusa in 48 miles!
Seventy five days down, 6 to go.
Rumor has it that the morning music actually sounded, but I beg to differ. I woke up in a complete daze this morning and probably shouldn’t have been given a bike to ride on dangerous, curvy, steep, narrow roads for 71 miles. I do however distinctly remember refusing to get out of bed, which was a futile effort to feel more rested.
We were served blueberry oat bran cakes and the best breakfast casserole I’ve ever had for our morning meal. After eating, route meeting, and cleaning up I got into the In n Out burger group. Our plan was an excellent one to power through the day, skip lunch, and go straight for burgers.
I rolled out with Brandon, Dino, Nate, Kate, Elle, Maria, Stew around 7 am. Somehow we misread the cue sheet and took a left right out of the driveway and continued I go the wrong way for about a mile until we figured out something was wrong. When we finally got going the right way we were almost immediately greeted by a summit. It was not even 2.6 miles into the ride when I reached the top.
We all stopped to take a picture together and then plummeted down one of the best descents we’ve had yet. It still holds no comparison to the one coming down from the volcano though. The turns were just tight enough to give me an adrenaline rush, but just wide enough to keep me from having to wear out my brake pads.
That really set the time for the day. We knew we were going to descend about 4000 feet into Chico, but what we didn’t know was that we would be soon 4000 total feet and climbing and somewhere in there descend a total of 8000 feet. It was literally the most mentally and physically challenging 4000 feet descent I’ve ever done.
Around mile 20 we took our turn onto the road where we were instructed to ride single file or ride shotty in the van. We had started to spread out and somehow I didn’t notice when Nate stopped to wait for those behind us. I followed stew and Dino into the forested area hammering fairly hard. My surroundings were breath taking. I was completely lost in myself, the river running next to the road and the mountains to my right and my left.
When I realized I was all alone I stopped and waited for everyone to catch up. As I waited for K8 and N8 plus 8 Jenna, britt, and a whole lot of others passes. I couldn’t figure out where they had went, but just as I was thinking of turning around to find them they came Steadily up the hill.
I jumped back in the line and we climbed until mile 36 or so where we saw Sarah pulled over for lunch. We had started that climb around 3000 and at our highest point were at 4600. When we left lunch we thought we’d descend the rest of the way. We were completely incorrect. There were a few 1000 foot descents mixed in there after long steep climbs.
Our final break was around mile 65 just before the final down hill. We decided that we would forego showers so that we could go to in n out on the way to the host site. The double double I ate was definitely worth it. On the way to the host from the restaurant Brandon, Kate and I stopped at the nutrition shop for the free protein shake samples that the guy dancing in the corner promised us. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the mint chocolate chip post workout recovery drink they gave us.
Then, when we finally got to the church we were given a gift from God himself. The first shower shuttle was just returning and decided they would run a second one. We were thinking we wouldn’t shower at all, but then when we heard we could go late we thought we’d have to bike, but then the van swooped in and saved the day.
After a long wonderful shower we went back to the church. It was nearly dinner time and the parishioners were starting to show up with food for the potluck. The tri tip and Mac n cheese completed my life. I was still full from in n out, but managed to devour a full meal. I even survived giving quite possibly our last dinner presentation while swearing bullets. I wasn’t sure if it was the meat sweats or if it was from the sweltering heat.
Post dinner I bummed around for a bit. Jesse had shaven his massive beard so many people were buzzing about that. Even the guys I met from the church talked about it. They were awesome. They told me some great bars to take Jess to for her 21st bday last night even.
All the old people piled into the van around 930 and spent the night on 2nd street. The Bear Garden, Duffy’s, and some underground place were our home for the night.
It was a lot of fun getting to hang out with everyone before we leave. It’s a short week left before we part ways. Every moment from here on out is one to treasure.
ginaBARGIACHI 