Hello from Warren, PA

Well, I've been on the road with Bike & Build for 10 days now, and we've made it to Warren, PA. It's been a blast so far - definitely physically challenging, but the people in the group are all so fantastic and fun and interesting that it gets me through even the toughest days.

The trip began with a three-day orientation in Providence, in which I learned to change a flat tire and painted the interior of a Habitat house. We headed out on the 15th after dipping our wheels in the "Atlantic Ocean" near the Brown boathouse. It was strange feeling like I was finally leaving Brown and Providence for good this time. There are four of us from Brown on the trip, pictured below in front of some reservoir in Connecticut.

L-R: me, Paige, Chaz, Theise

So what's a typical day on the road like? We wake up at 6 (or earlier if we have a long day) and have our stuff packed and out at the trailer by 6:30. Breakfast and get ready by 7:00. Clean the host site, pump up tires, and leave by 7:30. We head out in small groups (usually two to six riders) and go at our own pace throughout the day. Lunch happens somewhere around halfway - we stop wherever we see the van pulled over. PB&Js have never tasted so good. After lunch, we have until 4:00 to get into the next host location. We average about 70 miles per day - so far the range has been 30 to 85 miles. We've been staying in churches, schools, and YMCAs, and they've all been incredibly hospitable. Most places have provided us with an awesome dinner, often a potluck during which we get a chance to meet members of the community. Between arrival and dinner, we take showers and, time permitting, explore the town. Between dinner and lights out at 11:00, we usually relax and play games.

Chris seems to have gotten taller...

Connecticut was full of rolling hills, which I knew about, because I live there. The day we went to Granby was fun because we passed through a corner of Ellington, my hometown!

New York was, well, pretty tough. The trip to Poughkeepsie was supposed to be a nice short day, but everyone took a wrong turn. Luckily, I had been riding in the last group, so we actually went the least far out of the way and ended up arriving first! That may never happen again...I tend to be among the last to roll in to the host location. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

The trip to Roscoe was definitely the most difficult day yet, and perhaps will be the most difficult day of the whole trip. It was a hot, humid day, and I was feeling sluggish, as were the people with whom I was riding. Maddy dubbed us the Struggle Bus - truly an accurate description. Each time I saw a new hill I wasn't sure I would make it, and when we got to the accursed Mulig Road, the steepest hill I have ever seen, I almost cried. Somehow I made it up the hill, and got into this machine-like zone of exhaustion and just wanting to finish the day, and I booked it the rest of the way to the host site. I guess it was a good test of my ability to just push through when I'm hurting and tired. Everyone was in bed and sound asleep by 9:00 that night.

Binghamton was our longest day yet, at 85 miles, yet after Roscoe it didn't seem so bad and ended up being a pleasant journey. We got a day off in Binghamton, as our build day had fallen through. It was just what I needed to recharge from a grueling two days. We found a pool, went to the movies, ate at a great little diner, and just relaxed.

L-R: Ben, me, Maddy

Pennsylvania has been gorgeous so far, with mostly scenic rides past farms, mountains, and lakes. Route 6 was a bit scary because there were so many trucks passing so close to us, but otherwise it's been great. Yesterday, on our ride to Coudersport, we got caught in our first real downpour. Luckily there didn't seem to be much thunder and lightening, but it was raining hard. The four of us who were riding together had fun, though, continuing to shout through the rain, and we were on level ground so we didn't feel unsafe. On the contrary, it was a welcome cooling shower. We made it just fine to the top of the 2424-foot summit.

L-R: Amy, Jake, Brett, Vidya, me

I have a few videos that might be fun to post, but I'm getting pretty tired at this point so it may have to wait till next time. I'll try not to go so long without an update next time! Tomorrow we bike 67 miles to Franklin.

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.

The Graduate

As May 30, I am officially a graduate of Brown University.

I'm still kind of in denial about the whole thing. It feels like I'm just on break, like I'll go back to Brown at the end of the summer - even with all the preparations I've been making for next year. Having been to three prior Commencements, a lot of it felt like I was just pretending to graduate. A few moments made it real, however. Standing with the band seniors as we danced along to the band's performance of "Bad Romance." Walking through the Van Wickle Gates with my amazing friend Adrienne, surrounded by rows and rows of cheering friends, professors, and alums. Hearing Ruth Simmons congratulate our class on the grounds of the First Baptist Church in America. Feeling my heart swell with pride at the amazing accomplishments of my friends who had graduated Magna Cum Laude or who had made various honor societies. Trying not to cry as I gave a goodbye hug to my housemate, Masumi, one of my best friends since freshman year.

So here I am, graduated, with a Bachelor of Arts in Gender & Sexuality Studies. It feels like a big accomplishment. Even if we Brown students are, as honorary degree recipient Morgan Freeman put it, "a raucous bunch of miscreants," we've worked hard in school our whole lives and it's come down to this. I'm excited to leave, though. There is much that I will miss about Brown - being able to choose from myriad free concerts, plays, lectures, films, etc. on any given day/night; beautiful College Hill and quirky Providence; the general atmosphere of constant questioning and inquisitive learning; being able to take for granted (most of the time) a certain level of curiosity and understanding about social justice; and most of all, the close proximity to some of the most incredible people I have ever met. The friends I have made at Brown are worth every penny of the student loans I'll be paying off for what seems like eternity. At the same time, I am beyond excited to get out into the world. There is something about the college atmosphere that frustrated me after four years - I'm excited to have more of a work/life balance, to not constantly be at school. Most of all, I can't wait to dig in and get some hands-on experience, to directly affect change after years of intellectualizing it. And I can't wait to get to know a new city - in many ways, the ultimate city.

The day is best captured in pictures.

The band seniors celebrate.

Brown Band and seniors.

 Conductors of past and present!  

(L-R: Eli '08, Bryan '11, Scuzzo '10, D-Wash '07, Matt '05)

 

 Some of my best friends.

(L-R: Adrienne, Baird, me, Masumi)

 

Deodorant was essential.

Always wear sunscreen.

 Heading down the hill amongst cheering crowds.

Posing at the Van Wickle Gates.

My beautiful family.

A toast to the Gender & Sexuality Studies graduates.  
(L-R: Ana Carmen, Alanna, me, Ryan, Daniela. Not pictured: Jini)

And now, for your entertainment, Morgan Freeman.

Long-overdue update!

Wow, so I have completely neglected this blog for an entire semester. Boo. In that time, much has happened. I finished my capstone paper on Christian-based reproductive rights activism. I turned 22. I wore pajamas while playing sax while ice skating. The Huskies won again (love my UConn women). I ran my first ever (two!) 5k races and survived. I went to DC for spring break and saw the cherry blossoms. I started to manage my OCD. I took an amazing (and intense) Malian dance class. I got my bike fitted and upgraded and did a ton of training to prepare for Bike & Build. Which brings me to the three current, most important updates:

Update the first: I had to get my appendix out this weekend. Very unexpected, but mine actually ended up being a bizarre and lucky case. I'd had abdominal pains for about two weeks before anyone realized that it was appendicitis - normally the appendix will burst within 48 hours of the first symptoms, but mine somehow never even perforated! Things certainly could have turned out much worse than they did and I feel incredibly lucky. The surgery happened in Providence (luckily my mom was able to get there by the time I got out of surgery), but I have been home recuperating since Sunday. The plan is to go back to Brown today, though I will still need to take it easy.

It was actually good timing, if having one's appendix out during finals of senior spring can be considered good timing: a week or two later and it would have interfered with graduation. But as it is, I should be able to get all my work done and hopefully will be feeling back to normal by senior week, and it shouldn't affect my biking plans at all (except put a dent in my hard-fought training). Related fun fact: Apparently my heart rate was so low that the nurse wrote "Athlete" on my info sheet so that no one would be alarmed! Looks like all my training really has done me good - I'd never been classified as an athlete before!

Based on the fact that at this time last year I was about to get my tonsils out, I can only conclude that my body is shedding its vestigial organs and making me into a more streamlined, efficient human being. Excellent.

Update the second: I have a job starting in September!! I just got the job offer and accepted it yesterday. It's an AmeriCorps position in New York City, working at a school-based health clinic at a public high school in Manhattan. Students in this school don't get sex education until 12th grade, at which point, as you can imagine, it is often much too late. So my main role will be to teach sex education to 9th and 10th grade classes! I will have a lot of flexibility about the curriculum and the structure of the classes, which is really exciting. I will also be doing some one-on-one counseling in the health clinic as well as potentially coordinating a peer sex ed program. This sounds like the perfect job for me right now and an amazing chance to get a lot of hands-on experience and training in the field. I couldn't be more excited! Next step - find inexpensive housing in NYC!

Update the third: I have now raised $3,606 for Bike & Build - which means I need just $394 more to reach my goal! I'm in the home stretch! As I mentioned, I've been working hard at training (biking, running, spinning, dancing) and have also gone on a build with Habitat for Humanity in Providence, where I put up siding on a house. I also have another build planned for next weekend with some of the other Brown students on my trip. The next step will be working on a presentation that will be shown on the road involving case studies of Habitat and Rebuilding Together homeowners, in conjunction with fellow P2Ser Anthony. I'll do my best to post any relevant and interesting info that I come across!

In conclusion, if you find it in your heart to help me through the home stretch, it would be much appreciated. Simply go to www.bikeandbuild.org/donate and find my name. Any little bit will help make affordable housing a reality across the nation!

Merry Christmas!

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!

"His music never stops praying."

From Alex Ross's new (New Yorker-sanctioned) blog, a beautiful quote from contemporary Hungarian composer György Kurtág, upon being asked if he was a believer:

I do not know. I toy with the idea. Consciously, I am certainly an atheist, but I do not say it out loud, because if I look at Bach, I cannot be an atheist. Then I have to accept the way he believed. His music never stops praying. And how can I get closer if I look at him from the outside? I do not believe in the Gospels in a literal fashion, but a Bach fugue has the Crucifixion in it—as the nails are being driven in. In music, I am always looking for the hammering of the nails…. That is a dual vision. My brain rejects it all. But my brain isn’t worth much.