Sorry it has taken so long to get something posted. Needless to say the past 8 days have been a whirlwind. I am going to go into detail to give you all a clear idea of just how much goes on in a week...
Nine days ago, my first year of teaching came to and end and I packed up the Prius to start my incredible adventure. On Saturday June 16 my parents, big bro Alex and Cristina (Alex's girlfriend) piled in the car and drove me to St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Portland, ME. As we pulled up to the church, there were gaggles of awkward Bike and Builders standing around in circles pretending to be comfortable with the unfamiliarity of the current situation. Who knew it would take less than a week for us to become frighteningly comfortable with each other?!
After a two days of ice breakers, bike safety clinics and unworldly hospitality from the Portland locals, we headed into Fitchburg, ME to spend our first day on a Habitat for Humanity build site. Our group spent the day painting, landscaping and fixing decks on two neighboring homes. One of the best parts of this all was that approximately one year prior to that day Bike and Build's ME2SB11 nailed the first nail into one of the homes we were working on. The work that we completed on that chilly Monday was considered the finishing touches on that house. Imagine that- Bike and Build both started and finished creating a home for a deserving family. It was a great way to put the enormity of our impact into perspective. I can't even put into words how motivating this idea has become.
After our successful build day and some DELISH lobster, gourmet bread and free Ben & Jerry's (all donated by incredible Fitchburg locals-- thanks guys!), we got our bikes ready to start our first day of riding. Tuesday began with a gigantic, unforgettable and GF frittata breakfast donated by Local Sprout's Cafe in Portland. After filling our bellies, ME2SB12 headed to East End Beach to dip our rear wheels in the Atlantic. (This is a B&B tradition symbolizing our westward departure and start of our great journey.) The days ride was just over 65 miles, including a few wrong turns here and there. We spent the night in the Second Christian Congregational Church in Kittery, ME. Our hosts were beyond generous with their feast of pastas, pizza, lentils, rice, fruit and many other goodies for the 33 hungry riders.
The next morning we sleepily shoved sleeping bags and thermarests into our duffels, packed the trailers and headed off to Andover, MA. The day consisted of 107 degree heat, many wrong turns, an hour spent swimming in Lamprey River in Durhman, NH, and some time in a wonderfully kind stranger's pool. It was our first day crossing state lines (trough NH into MA) and it couldn't have been more fun! That night we were lucky enough to be invited into the home of the Webber Family- a true Bike & Build family. ME2SB is a route on B&B that is dedicated to the memory of Chris Webber, an inspiring member of the B&B family. In 2007 Chris passed away as the result of a pedestrian accident in New York City. Chris's family continues to support the efforts of Bike and Build in more ways than they know. Their encouragement and spirit both honor their son in the best way possible- such as hosting a memorial rise each year in Florida, all while changing the lives of riders- new and old alike. We were fed a Thanksgiving feast by the Webbers and their closest friends. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to experience first hand the impact that B&B makes on the family and friends of riders. I just hope I will be able to do the CWM ride this winter!
The next day was a build day in Lawrence, MA. We worked with an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity working on converting an old convent into several different units for a variety of family's. My duties for the day consisted of building a table for the affiliate's board meeting, and using a jackhammer and sledgehammer to demolish a wall- which, might I add, was awesome! The day ended with a visit from my big bro, Alex (who is also a B&B alumni) and another fabulous alum Jessie. Oh, and I can't forget the awesome BBQ that had been donated. I even ate my first hamburger in years! It tasted just as good as I remembered.
From Andover we rode on to Fitchburg, MA. The ride was on the shorter side- 42 miles, but seemed longer as I shared the role of "sweep" with another rider, Cassi. While in the role of sweep, we were responsible for making sure that every other rider made it to our host safely. In other words- we were required to ride behind every rider. The day was hot and muggy, our muscles were getting sore but luckily everyone made it to our host safe and sound.
After Fitchburg we had experienced our first day of actual hills. The ride started moderately hilly and a bit warm. After riding through Gardner, MA, and posing for a picture on the latest chair I have ever seen, a fellow rider's father joined us on our trek. Erin's dad, Jim, was awesomely supportive all day. He patiently stopped with us each time we wanted to snag a picture or talk to locals. R even treated us to some of the tastiest berries I've ever had. When locals responded to our ride on rt 202 with fearful, "Oh my"s, he quickly told us we would made it. And sure enough, we all did. It sucked. But the views were so worth it! Right before our last climb on the treacherous Prescott road, Adrianna's derailed was brutally murdered by a cruel twig. (The derailed is the part of our bike that allows you to change gears. Without it your bike cannot work.) As cell service was unavailable, Anna and I waited with Adrianna until our support van came by en route to the host. After 2 hours of sunbathing we said goodbye to Adrianna, filled our water bottles, ditched our hydration packs in the van and took off to crush the last 20 miles of our ride... And then the lightning came. Luckily we were a few miles from the home of one of Anna's friends from UDel. Eric quickly came to our rescue, dried us off from the rain and fed us pizza. Once the storm passed we finally continued on and arrived at our host in Florence, MA- 63 miles later.
Which brings us to yesterday, which is by far one of my favorite days yet. The group left much earlier in the day, which makes everything seem so much easier. The ride was only 42 miles. The rain from the day before had passed and left us with a mild temperature, clear blue sky and some gorgeous cumulus clouds. We encountered a handful of tough climbs, but unlike the day before these climbs were followed by long, quiet, scenic downhills. So. Much. Fun. Almost everyone arrived at the host in Pittsfield around 1pm, giving us ample time to shower, nap and clean our bikes. Last night the wonderful people of the First United Methodist Church held a community block party for both our group and a church group from NJ that is also staying at the church. It was just another night of overwhelming support from the community.
After our block party, we had our first "town hall meeting" where the group spent time discussing goals, sharing stories, and becoming more of a family. Once the meeting was over, the group rallied and headed to a local tapas bar for some live music and good brews. Luckily our late night was followed by an extra hour of sleep and a day of building in town. After breakfast today we walked to the local Habitat's build site. Some work on cleaning a park, others painted, and my group worked to put up sheet rock in a new home. It was really neat to be able to watch the house change from a shell, to a home with walls.
So that is my detailed, daily update for now! Internet has been spotty, and this is all coming to you much later than I had hoped! Now that we're settling into more of a routine I hope to be posting more often! Keep your eyes peeled, and don't forget to send mail! (Cooper and Nate- your postcards should be coming soon!!)
Thanks for reading and enjoy a few photos!
Alyssa
