one last drive to Providence

It's finally come. I head back to Providence tomorrow for Bike & Build orientation, and we ride out on Tuesday the 15th. I'm ridiculously excited to meet everyone after a fair amount of Facebook stalking, and to tie up some loose ends in Providence. I wonder if it will finally sink in that I've left.

At one day to departure, I have raised a grand total of...drumroll please...$4,273.69! (The 69 cents comes from a bandie, of course - one Sara Powell.) Special thanks goes to the amazing Adrienne, whose donation tipped me over the edge of the $4,000 minimum. Remember, if you donated but haven't yet requested a postcard, it's not too late! In any case, I couldn't have done this without the help of a whole lot of amazing people. Family, friends, and community members have shown me so much support and given from their hearts to the cause of affordable housing. If you meant to donate but didn't get around to it, there's still time! Just go to www.bikeandbuild.org/donate and find my name.

I would also like to give a big thanks to Landry's Bicycles. If you're in the Boston area, check out Landry's for the best quality bikes, equipment, and expertise. Landry's also happens to be owned by my uncles and aunt, and they are support of bike advocacy and lots of charity causes. In any case, they not only sold me my beautiful Trek Pilot 1.2 WSD a few years ago, but in preparation for Bike & Build, they also gave me a fitting and helped me choose all the equipment I needed. Everyone who works there is wicked friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to help. Without Landry's (and especially my Uncle Peter), I would not have had the same level of confidence and comfort with my bike/equipment that I do. My Uncle Tom even took me on a few training rides last week (see the picture at the top) and completely revolutionized the way I cycle. Seriously. After riding with him, I felt like I could easily go for days without a problem.

If you want to track my progress across the country, the website has a handy route tracker with links to a photo album and other goodies. Speaking of goodies, there will be a number of mail drops along the way if you feel inspired to send me a letter (Grandma, I know you will!). I haven't decided where I am going to post pictures (since not everyone can access Facebook), but I'll let y'all know when I do. Finally, I will intermittently have computer/internet access, so I'll try to update this as often as possible, and emails will reach me eventually. If you'd like a more reliable way of contacting me, however, I'll be available by phone. Unless I'm in the middle of nowhere, in which case I can't always guarantee that Verizon will come through.

That seems to be all of the housekeeping details. I can't wait to get out there and start riding! Portia* and I have been through a lot of good times together and I anticipate many more. Just as soon as I learn to change a tire.





*Fun fact: I chose the name Portia because it sounded supremely elegant (and Porche-like?), and my bike is a stunning creature. I suppose I wouldn't have thought of the name if it hadn't been for Portia de Rossi, also a stunning creature, so I must give her credit. For added adorableness, I later decided to name my other (hybrid) bike Ellen.

I've reached 3.4% of my fundraising goal - help keep it coming!

Okay, now is the time when I begin fundraising in earnest for Bike & Build. I've already gotten a few donations from amazing people. My dear friend Saskia (who did the same B&B route last summer) gets the prize for being first, and most enthusiastic.

As I've mentioned before, between now and June, I have to raise $4,000 for the cause. Most of this money will go toward affordable housing initiatives, including Habitat for Humanity in Providence, with a small amount spent on program costs. This trip is going to be the hardest thing I've ever done, for a cause that I feel very strongly about, and I need your help. Your donation, in addition to helping to make this entire trip possible, will go directly toward putting a roof over someone's head. Lots of people giving just a little can make an enormous difference.

As an added incentive, if you donate, you can request a postcard from one of the states I'll be biking through (RI, CT, NY, PA, OH, IN, IL, IA, SD, NE, WY, ID, MT, or WA). I'll also be updating this blog as often as I can, so you can keep up with my progress. And if you're going to be near the route this summer, I'd love to meet up with you. That especially goes for Seattleites!

For more information, or to check out my profile, go to www.bikeandbuild.org - the easiest way to contribute is to do so online by clicking on "Donate" and scrolling down to my name. If that doesn't work, you can send a check to Bike and Build with my name in the memo section (instructions included on the "Donate" page).

Thank you in advance for your support - it really means a lot to me. Feel free to spread the word and let me know if you have any questions! I also hope to do some blog posts very soon about the affordable housing issue.

Next step - START TRAINING!

...this is going to be the greatest summer of all time. OF ALL TIME.

I may not know what I'm doing next year, but I do know what I'll be doing for the three months immediately following graduation: riding my bike from Providence to Seattle.

For those of you who haven't heard of Bike & Build, it's a phenomenal organization that raises awareness and money for affordable housing projects by organizing cross-country bike trips. On my particular trip, we will start off building at a Habitat for Humanity site in Providence, before heading west for the next two months. Averaging about 75 miles per day, we will also stop at 7 more build sites on our way to Seattle. At each host location, we will give a presentation about the affordable housing crisis, to raise local awareness for this important issue. When more than 5.1 million Americans live in "worst-case" housing conditions, and more than 13 million Americans are forced to pay over 50% of their income on housing, this needs to be a pressing national issue.

Personally, I have been invested in this issue since the beginning of high school. I was a part of a very active youth group that, on the week-long service trips we took each year, would inevitably be told by the organization with which we were working that we were so efficient at building that they had to scramble to keep up. During my first trip, I helped to rehabilitate houses in Appalachia. I had never seen the effects of economic inequality as dramatically as I did in this Virginia coal-mining town, and the experience stuck with me. I loved the hands-on work of building, the feeling that we were tangibly making a difference in the lives of others, with a product we could see by the end of the week.

If I know you personally, you'll definitely be hearing more from me about this, since I have to raise $4,000 for the cause. But if anyone out there is feeling generous, please don't hesitate to visit my profile on B&B's website and donate!

Throughout the trip I'll be updating this blog as regularly as I can. If you'd like a postcard (from any of these states), give me a donation and then email me your address and which state you'd like.

And like I said - don't worry; you'll be hearing about this again. My level of excitement about this summer is essentially off the chart. Biking + Building = a surefire recipe for success.