Orientation & Shakedown Ride

So far things are good. We are just hanging out at Brown U. not doing all too much. There has been getting to know people, which so far seems ok. People seem really nice and I think I will end up getting along fine with everyone. There has been passing of information about just daily chores (we have chore groups that switch responsibilities every week), bike safety, riding in the van if you are sick or injured, hygiene (yeah we get to shower!), host sites and being nice to the people letting us stay with them and feeding us for free, and other just basic what to expect this summer. There has been a lot of free time and just hanging out and eating.

We went on what they called a "Shakedown Ride" today, which was just a slow 20 mile ride to make sure everyone was comfortable riding in a group, clipping into their pedals, and that everyone's bike is working properly. It was kind of a tease I think to most of us since we are all pretty anxious to get on the road and start this adventure. It was good though. I am starting to feel a lot more comfortable on hills, and the leaders of our group have also done a really good job as far as setting the tone for the trip. Go at you're own pace, we are all going to make it in the end, and most of all have fun!

Tonight all that is on the agenda is dinner at 7 (seems really far away right now, I'm starving!) and then some guest speakers from the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity to talk with us about affordable housing, the cause we have all worked so hard to fundraise for, and have decided to dedicate our summers to. Tomorrow we get to have our first build day, yay! And then Saturday is finally the big day we are all waiting for... first day of biking! I really think this is going to be the most incredible summer of my life and cannot wait to see how it all turns out.

As I have already said, I am going to try and post as much as possible to this, but I did go to the Brown bookstore today and bought a journal to write in just in case I cannot get to a computer. I don't want the days to get all fuzzy and not be able to remember what happened where, etc. Also, for those of you who did not already know this, you can follow my group's trip on the Bike & Build website. www.bikeandbuild.org Click on the Providence to Seattle route and there is a route tracker which shows you where we are on that day as well as any pictures that anyone on the trip has uploaded. The leaders were showing us all this morning how the website worked and everything we could do with it and it's really cool. One person is also assigned a few days throughout the trip where they are responsible for writing the journal entry for our group on the website. So you guys can all check that out too if you want to get a better perspective of what's going on everyday. Miss everyone already, and the biking hasn't even officially started!