Bike & Build: Summer 2010

2010-06-07T12:57:00.001-07:00

There was a torrential downpour this morning to greet Mr. Allen on his first B&B ride.
Joe says "hi Mom."
Also, today marked another state line crossing. Though, we didn't run across a "Welcome to Indiana" sign. Instead, we rode on a state line road that separated Ohio from Indiana.
Furthermore, we were met with a 30 mph head wind during a brief segment of our trip that made going forward a struggle. To combat this problem, I drafted off Mr. Allen who had enough stuff on his bike to make a nice sail.
Lastly, I ended the day at a local ice cream parlour that was modeled after it's original look in 1900.

2010-06-05T20:56:00.001-07:00

Today, was a build day. We worked on 3 seperate houses and nearly put up entire roofs on all 3 of them. By the end of the day, we all left the site with a great sense of accomplisment and everyone really enjoyed their work.
Later that night, I was able to meet up with Naveed, a good CWRU friend from Cincinnati, who drove out to see Joe and I. I was happy to see him and it was nice to see a familar face. Long ride tomorrow...

2010-06-05T20:49:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, was my first day to ride sweep and it was pretty uneventful. My only excitement came when I had to change a flat.
We also had a rider drop out and we are now down to only 31 riders. He will be greatly missed, I wish him the best of luck and I respect his decision.
For our night out, we went to a karaoke place in the suburbs of Cincinnati and took over the bar. It was an fun-filled night and I ended up singing my first karaoke EVER.

2010-06-03T18:26:00.001-07:00

Today, was a very eventful day for the CUS route with some highs and some very unfortunate lows. So that I end on a high note, I'll begin with the worst.
We had some very unfortunate crashes today and one ended with a hospitalization. Fortunately, everyone is OK and today's doings were an unfriendly reminder about safety.
The highs are that the murals in Portsmouth were BEAUTIFUL. I ended up taking a 4 minute video of the entire thing. Then, we crossed the Ohio River to add Kentucky to our list of states even though it wasn't part of our route. The last eventful thing that happened today was that I fixed my bar tape and saved $15 by doing it myself : )

2010-06-02T18:08:00.001-07:00

O-H...I-O!!! It took a whooping 2 miles to cross the border this morning and now, I've done nearly a complete circle.
Also, Joe and I have ran into more CWRU alums over the past couple days than I have in my entire life. Today's encounter came after a much needed ice cream break from a lady who wanted us to check out the floodwall murals in our host's town. I never got around to it, but I plan on making a quick stop in the morning before we ride out.

2010-06-01T18:49:00.001-07:00

It was another day in paradise on B&B. The best part is, I get to sleep on a cot tonight! Though, I'm going to need more of these nights to get caught up on sleep. Waking up at 5:00-5:30 in the morning can really wear on you.

2010-05-31T18:13:00.001-07:00

Today's ride was long, yet marked the beginning of our easier rides. The mountains are past us and now all we have left are the rolling hills in West Virginia before we hit the Ohio valley. My only qualm with today's ride was a sudden downpour 2 miles away from our host's destination. Although it was very refreshing, I would have much rather preferred arriving dry (minus the sweat).
Our hosts offered a delicious array of foods and afterwards, we were treated to 2 presentations by local advocates of green housing. The presentations fostered many questions with a lit of enthusiasm.
Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-30T18:04:00.001-07:00

We had some more uphill battles today, but unlike the day before, we all knew had to push our bodies to get to the top. One climb was 5 miles long and put us at 4545 feet- the longest and highest we've done thus far.
Our hosts welcomed us with an Italian cuisine and some cobbler and ice cream that slid down our throats. It was the perfect combination after a hard ride.
Finally, we ended the day by going for a quick dip in the nearby Summerville Lake.

2010-05-30T13:08:00.001-07:00

I have played competitive sports my entire life and I have never pushed my body more than what I did yesterday. I made it. Better yet, we crossed our first state line into West Virginia!
Though, the biggest highlight of the day was the church that hosted us. They provided us with an early Thanksgiving feast for dinner and rocked out with some of our more musically inclined B&Bers.
Yesterday, was awesome!

2010-05-28T17:35:00.001-07:00

To say that today's ride was exhasting would be an understatement. For starters, we woke up extra early (5 am) to prepare for the long day. The first 20 miles were very pleasant with many rolling hills, but everything after that were long ascents coupled with breathtaking descents.
During our first ascent, we came across June Curry. The Cookie Lady, who has been providing bikers with snacks and housing for decades. Her home for cyclists was filled from floor to ceiling with postcards from all over the world, cycling jerseys and t-shirts, biking articles, as well as other random biking memorabilia.
The entire day was filled with false peaks and false final descents. Yet, when the final descent finally came, all the climbing was worth it. We flew down a winding, 4 mile pass going an easy 40+ mph.
In summation, I would do today's route again in a heartbeat.

2010-05-27T19:31:00.001-07:00

Today, was our last day with Habitat For Humanity in Charlottesville and there was still a lot of work to be done. Luckily, I spent a lot of time working with Joe, which made the time fly by. Inbetween our jokes and laughs, we moved appliances, stripped paint, applied paint, put up blinds, and completed many more small tasks. The best part of the day was eating popsicles in the early afternoon of a +90 degrees day in Charlottesville.
The worst part of my day was finding out that Bernadino (yes, I named my bike) had 2 broken spokes. I ended up fixing the problem with the help of several other B&Bers, but I still have an "untrued" wheel that will hopefully get fixed tomorrow morning before our ascent into the mountains.
Lastly, dinner was a BBQ provided by Gabe (a soon to be 3-peat B&Ber) and his lovely mother, which was very delicious and ended with me having to hunch over I was so full.

2010-05-26T22:24:00.001-07:00

Today, marked our very first build day and my project involved putting the final touches on a home in the outskirts of Charlottesville. Personally, I was in charge of putting up window blinds, insulation that had fallen down, and weeding. Despite the hard labor and hot weather, I really enjoyed the work, and as a result, feel personally attached to the house.

For dinner, Whitney Roper, a B&B alum, provided a delicious spread that could feed a small army while Derrick's mother made some refreshing fruit smoothies.

The night ended with another great night of beer specials, yet, this time, no crazy shenanigans occurred.

2010-05-26T04:06:00.001-07:00

Yesterday's ride into Charlottesville was argueably our most scenic route. The rolling and swerving hills made the route difficult, but also a biker's dream.
Yesterday also marked the first night the group could go out for drinks and have a good time. We ended up at the South Street Brewery for their $2.50 pint specials and then headed over to a karaoke bar. To polish off the night we went to Little John's for some sandwiches and then did some running around through the UVA campus.
All in all, yesterday was a stupendous day.

2010-05-25T16:09:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the late post, but Dillwyn, a town with less than 1,000 residents, isn't really an ideal WIFI hotspot location. Also, my memory is exhausted from today's ride, so I can highlight only a couple events.
For starters, we were greeted by a CUS '06 alumnus at our lunch location because he knew we were in the area. Here, he took a group photo of all of us because he worked at the newspaper company near by. The best part of his visit was that he chalked the roads of the remainder of our ride so we would know which turns to make.
When we arrived at our destination, the dinner crew and I went to the local Food Lion to grab ingredients for burritos. Once again, we had another successful meal. However, the best part was when a couple brought over some delicious dessert when they heard what we were doing this summer.
Afterwards, we hung out with our (family of 12) neighbors. We played soccer with them, taught them yoga, let them sign our trailer, and in general, had a great time.
Our night ended with our first affordable housing presentations and Joe and Emma set the bar high.

2010-05-23T17:55:00.001-07:00

We had our first rainy day, which made cycling a little miserable. To complicate matters, I decided to ride in my very first paceline with the fastest cyclists in our trip. I rode with them the entire mornining with an average speed of 21 mph! I am still befuddled as to how I kept up.
After a very long lunch with loads of food and hydration, I hit the road again at a much more leisurely pace only to be greeted by some very hilly terrain. As a reward for my climbing accomplisments, I made sure to stop and pet a donkey and some goats near the end of our ride.
Tonight, we are staying at Fort Pickett and have our very own beds to sleep in! Better yet, Joe and I are in the only room with bunk beds. Everyone else has their own room. I like to think that we came out on top.
Today was also the first day to cook our own food, which was my group's responsibility. We went to Wal-Mart to grab our ingredients and I ended up getting a $20 gift card by talking to the manager about what Bike & Build does. Our final result was gado gado and it was AMAZING! Props to Emma for the wonderful suggestion.
We ended the day with some bike cleaning and some group highs and lows. It ended up being a very comical hour.

2010-05-22T14:47:00.001-07:00

Today, was the beginning of a typical day that I will see many times in the future. To begin, I had to cleverly come up with a meal to eat for breakfast. I chose to put peanut butter (our staple this summer) and a knock-off Lucky Charms inbetween two loaves of bread. Suprisingly, it was quite good. Then, we hit the streets and came across gravel "roads" that made you cringe every time you heard your tire run over every single rock. Next, came lunch, which I cleverly crafted a potato salad and Frito sandwich. Don't be surprised if you see this option in restaurants in the near future. Afterwards, we hit the road again but stopped soon after to take some "riding" photos in a field of wheat. The last adventure involved our very first encouter with a stray country dog that wanted some biker for an afternoon snack. Fortunately, Derrick (who's 23rd birthday is today!) scared the dog away with a loud, stern "NO". Our day ended in a not-so-typical way in the small town of Waverly, VA. Emma had to research the town and mentioned that the main attraction was the Miles B. Carpenter Museum, which is home to the oldest peanut museum in the USA. Most of the group walked to the museum and were greeted by a lovely, old lady who was able to tell us everything about the town and the museum. We learned about peanuts, wood, and Carpenter's folk art. His work included wood carvings of Siamese twins, rabbit dogs, and many more bizarre pieces. If you are ever driving by Waverly, I highly recommend a stop.
Lastly, the hospitable folks at United Methodist Church, who are putting us up for the evening, are also providing us with dinner. Unfortnatley, I'm posting before dinner but I'm sure it will be delicious.

2010-05-21T16:54:00.001-07:00

After the conclusion of our very first ride day, I am left with a day I will always remember.
To begin, the group dipped our tires in the Atlantic Ocean to symbolize the start of our journey. Afterwards, we hit the open road on a beautiful, sunny day in Virginia Beach.
To my knowledge, we only had two hiccups along the trip. To begin, Andy ran over some glass about 30 seconds into our ride and experienced the first flat amongst all the riders. Props to him. The last incidence unfortunately happened with me and involved an 18-wheeler and a trash can that poked out onto a one-lane road. Let's just say the current score is Will-1 Trash Can-0. In all seriousness, though, it was a good thing the trash can was fairly empty or else the score sheet might have been a little different and might have involved the 18-wheeler.
Fortutanely, I cannot end a post on a negative note and have a story that made the day memorable for my tummy. About 10 miles away from Suffolk, a strawberry farm appeared from a brush of trees and you can probably guess who stopped and ate some of the best strawberries the country has to offer. Nothing beats eating fruit from it's tree/ vine/ whatever they grow on.
The day ended with a group yoga class taught by Emily, a lovely Italian meal provides by our hosts, Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church, followed with a group bicycle clean.
With a sore butt to show for all the riding we did today, I am ready to hit the road again tomorrow.

2010-05-20T17:32:00.001-07:00

During our last day of orientation we had a health and hygiene clinic ( yes, young adults still need it), a bike maintenance clicic, a bike safety clinic, lunch provided by a SUS '09 alumni, Ashley, and her family, a short shakedown ride to loosen up the muscles (Derrick and I were the only two to jump in Broad Bay at the end of the ride), a bike clinic for children (they were soooo cute), dinner provided by the First Presbyterian Church, and painting of our trailer. Talk about a busy, busy day. The best part is our trip tomorrow has been extended 20 miles for a total of 60! The leaders decided it would be better to bypass the "bikers are prohibited" super scary highway. I agree.

2010-05-19T20:17:00.001-07:00

Day 1 of orientation- success.
The day started with a couple of last minute purchases, followed with some wandering around on the boardwalk before orientation began. During our very long, 32-person icebreaker we had to come up with an adjective that started with the first letter in our name, followed with an action that is paired with that adjective. Mine was "Wonderful Will"; don't ask about the action.
We then preceeded to grind out all the necessary orienatation tasks, such as learning what is required from us. In the end, we were treated to a nice burrito dinner and wrapped everything up by 10:00 pm.
All in all, everyone is very chill and fun to be around and it should amount to a very enjoyable summer.

2010-05-18T18:37:00.001-07:00

Joe and I are finally in Virginia Beach gearing up for the start of our orientation tomorrow. Bring on the ice breakers!
Lastly, from now on, all of my blogs will be "mobile" and come from my iPhone.

Lemonade

2010-05-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

A couple kids were selling lemonade today and I couldn't help but take a little detour from my ride to grab a cup. Talk about a great way to quench your thirst : )

May

2010-05-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

It's May. Bike & Build is in May. BIKE & BUILD IS IN MAY!

Wow, has it really crept up on Joe and me. In less than 3 weeks, we'll be in Virginia Beach, VA. For me, the trip has seemed surreal up until now because I felt like I was fundraising and doing bike rides for a trip that never got any closer. I don't feel that way anymore. It's 3 weeks away. In those 3 weeks, I have to finish my final exams, complete my volunteer requirement, enjoy the last week with my friends during senior week, graduate, and plan for Bike & Build. Oh, and I probably should prepare for my future a bit and get ready for medical school too. Yet, besides all the tasks that still need to be completed, I'm pumped. Cheers to May!

Veale Bike-a-thon

2010-04-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Joe and I held a last-minute Bike-a-thon at the Veale Center. For the amount of preparation we put into the event, the outcome was very good. Veale was holding one of Case's biggest pre-frosh events of the year, and as a result, we were able to talk to a different population while also giving our input about Case Western Reserve. We came across students and faculty as well and everyone was very receptive about what Joe and I were doing with Bike & Build. Hopefully, we'll have a couple more of these in the future.

School... What School?

2010-03-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

All of my spring breaks have consisted of going to the south and grabbing as much warm weather as I can before making my way up to Cleveland, were warm weather and the sun are on permanent vacation. This return, however, has been a climatic surprise with a complete turnaround in weather. With a ride along the lake on Tuesday, a St. Patrick's day celebration downtown on Wednesday, and another ride to Case Western's farm and back on Thursday, it's hard to remember that I am still up here for school. Let's hope the weather is here to stay, because hoping on my bike and riding in beautiful weather is an addiction I cannot kick.

Spring Break

2010-03-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

This spring break, I was treated with some very kind hospitality from the people at Bike Barn, a local Houstonian all-in-one bike shop with locations all over the area. Since joining up with Bike & Build, I have contacted several businesses for help in my endeavor this summer. Lee, one of the owners from Bike Barn, really liked what I was doing through Bike & Build and said that she wanted to help me out. She insisted I go to their Champions location, where Curt, the store manager, was going to take care of me. Here, I was met with an entire staff knowledgeable about cycling, and as a result, I left the store with everything I needed for my trip this summer. I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience at Bike Barn and plan on continuing my relationship well into the future.

FIRST RIDE

2010-02-22T14:37:00.000-08:00

Joe and I cleared the dust off our bikes and took to the road this past Saturday. However, as with everything else in our biking experience thus far, we had to begin with at least one roadblock.

This outing's obstacle was an underinflated front tire. And with two newbies manning the bike pump, it took a solid 20 minutes to fix. Yet, after embarrassing ourselves in front of a handful of pedestrians, Joe and I set out to hit every pothole in our university's vicinity. Sadly, we came home victorious and managed to put a whopping 5 miles on our odometers. Although this is far off from our expected travels on any given day, it was nice to finally get the hairs off our tires. Longer and more road-friendly rides are in our near future.

Friends

2010-02-16T14:36:00.000-08:00

Thus far, one of the most enjoyable aspects of training has been riding with my roommates and friends. The spectrum of biking abilities has ranged from the experienced road cyclist to the "my last bike had a Spider-Man decal and streamers on it". Regardless of ability, each ride has been both entertaining and physically exhausting for every party.

I hope this trend of riding with friends continues because it serves as another way for Joe and me to inform our community about what we will be doing this summer. Furthermore, it gives us inspiration to train during the icy winter, because, trust me, riding on a stationary bike can become very mundane and monotonous ever so quickly.

February Updates

2010-02-11T14:35:00.000-08:00

Much has happened since I last blogged. I now know where I'll be attending medical school! : ) The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Up to this point, my excitement and enthusiasm has been surreal. Those who have talked to me about it probably get the feeling that I'll be sipping on Coronas under an umbrella while tanning on one of Galveston's finest beaches. Unfortunately, I know that my fantasy will not hold up once UTMB begins and the closest I will get to a beach is when I stare out of the library window.

I have also realized that my first bike ride on the road might take longer than expected. This past weekend I was in Pittsburgh during its fourth largest snowstorm in history- a whopping 24+ inches of snow. Talk about some fun driving conditions ; ) Although Cleveland wasn't hit as hard, the effects from the snowstorm that is sweeping the country was definitely felt at home.

Lastly, fundraising has been going very well and I cannot thank my family and friends enough. I am touched by all the individuals out there that are supporting my bike ride and would like to reassure them that their efforts will not go unnoticed. Families from all over the nation will have newly built homes to reside in as a result of the young Bike and Build riders who will help put them up this summer. At this time of year, a warm home is a blessing for many and everyone who has contributed will have a part in the work that will take place this summer. Thank you.

Monkey Mechanics

2010-01-29T14:28:00.000-08:00

Bike and Build informs each participant that by the end of the trip, he or she will know how to maintain and take care of a bicycle. Unfortunately, this glimpse of hope may be out of reach for Joe and me. For example, Joe has already single-handedly impaired his bicycle by tinkering with his shifters in hopes of finding "perfect" shifting. Something tells me that disassembling and reassembling an intricate component system isn't the smartest endeavor for an Economics major.

Likewise, my track record is also less than stellar. Upon receiving my bike, I spent over an hour trying to figure out how to inflate ONE tire. Heaven forbid I ever get a flat on the trip, because in all honesty, I have no idea how I eventually inflated the tire. Some would call it beginner's luck.

At this moment, Joe and I are in a dilemma. We will need to either 1) become good friends with a mechanic on our trip or 2) learn these skills ourselves. I think you can guess which one I'm leaning towards...

A Beautiful Cleveland Day

2010-01-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

Today was unlike any winter day in Cleveland. The sun was out to say hello and the temperature was far from dropping below freezing. It was the perfect day to bring out the road bike and take it for a "spin".

Unfortunately, as luck would have it, I came down with an illness the night before and was left bedridden for the majority of the day, wishing my health had held up a little longer. Nevertheless, I joined Joe for our usual spinning workout at the gym, but modified the exercise so that it was shorter and less intense. Without question, I would have preferred the open air, but I was grateful to have gotten at least a light workout in.

In summary, my first ride will have to wait another day.

Bike Training

2010-01-20T14:26:00.000-08:00

Other than my occasional hallway rides, where there is a high probability that you'll see me crash into the wall while I practice unclipping my pedals, the majority of my training has been inside, on a spin bike. While still new to things, much of my vocabulary with my fellow Bike and Build rider, Joe, mimics the conversation of a couple having sex for the first time with phrases like "am I in yet?" (referring to my shoes being clipped into my pedals) and "my ass hurts" (referring to the hour spent sitting on a very uncomfortable bike seat). Regardless, as much as it sucks to be so clueless and foreign to a new hobby, I really am enjoying the learning process and the training has been both exhausting and rewarding. Hopefully, if Cleveland decides to be amiable in the near future, we'll get some warm weather and Joe and I will be able to hit the open road for the first time.