The Much Dreaded Final Post

I have been avoiding this moment for quite some time now. I think I have been home for about a week. And before that, I didn't post for the last week or so of the trip. It's hard to remember exactly what happened that last week of riding, but I do remember this: It was BEAUTIFUL. If Nebraska hadn't been so horrible, and Wyoming such a God-send, Washington would have been my favorite state, but Wyoming because of it's badass-ness takes that superlative. It was tough, but almost easy at the same time (being in cycling shape will do that, but also 2 1/2 months of riding will make you tired). I enjoyed it, and at the same time cursed it and wished we were in Seattle already.

Certain moments stick out. Loup Loup Pass was my favorite mountain pass of the entire trip, mostly because I think I was just feeling really good that day and ended up rocking it. I pedaled my ass off, and felt awesome getting to the top. My body also ended up hating me the next day for this, was pretty tired, and I struggled most of that ride. Our final mountain pass of the trip, Washington Pass, was also pretty incredible. It has the most ridiculous switchback I have ever seen in my life, and it provided great photo opportunities and awesome scenery. The ride into Rockport State Park was ridiculous... I think I stopped like every mile to take a picture because it was just so gorgeous. I have never seen water that aquamarine, green color ever before in my life, and backdropped with mountains topped in snow and green trees... it was breathtaking. Every time I thought I had seen the best view, a mile a two later, it would top it. Going through the tunnel, with cars, with no lights, that was scary (and kind of enxhilirating haha). Meeting Jake Schorr's dad at our second lunch that day and him waiting there for us with fresh strawberries in hand. Buying homemade fudge from the store there. Seeing a baby bear scamper across the road in front of me, Lindsey, Marty, and Eric. Stopping at a winery, tasting some wine, buying some wine, and talking with the bikers there (motorcycle bikers that is lol). Having the thunder and lightning and threat of downpour wake us up at 4am while camping in Early Winters. Michael and Katharine getting lost on the way to Early Winters and making up (which we didn't learn until days later) their hitchhiking journey to Canada. Wagles's 21st bday... kidnapping her and taking her for her first beer. Karaoke in Everett. Picking wild huckleberries and blackberries on the side of the road or bike paths we were on. So many great times in that last week.

I also remember getting to Seattle. I remember riding through the city. I remember seeing the needle for the first time on my left. I snapped a quick shot of it before the stop light we were at turned green. We stopped about a mile or so out from Alki Beach where friends and family were gathered, and had been gathered for hours, waiting for us. We estimated our arrival to be about 11 or noon, and didn't end up getting to Alki until about 1 or maybe closer to 2pm; getting lost, and weaving through city traffic will do that. Stopping at that spot a mile out, seeing the Seattle skyline, the ocean, and everyone's excited faces. I remember being able to smell the ocean. It smelt like the salty air that I've grown up with. It smelt really familiar, and yet at the same time extremely foreign. I guess because I hadn't smelt it since leaving Providence, and also the scenery was new, exciting, and different; it somehow just didn't seem to match up in my head, but I knew we were there when I could smell the salt.

When everyone arrived and we started that last mile together, as one group of 31 new best friends, it was almost surreal. I knew we were here. I could see the needle, the buildings... This was Seattle; we made it. But at the same time it was like it hadn't really set in that this was it. The funniest part was when less than 1/4 mile left, Michael gets a flat. With all the excitement, and anticipation to get there, it was a great way to end the ride with him yelling, "Screw it! I'm riding on the rims!" HAHA

We all got to the beach to the cheers of friends and family waiting. I remember throwing down my bike, ripping off my shoes and socks, my jersey, helmet, and gloves and just running without a thought straight into the ocean with everyone. It was overwhelming. It was incredible. It was cold. The water was so cold that it ended up numbing my entire body for the short few minutes we were probably all in there. Splashing, hugging, yelling, dunking, crying tears of joy and accomplishment. Simply put, it was one of the greatest moments of my life.

I'm sure it was quite a scene to those on Alki Beach that day in West Seattle who had no idea what Bike & Build is or who we were or what we had just done. To see 31 (and yes there were people trying to count us as we were rolling by) cyclsits dressed alike, throwing down their bicycles, and jumping into the freezing cold waters of the Puget Sound, yelling and hugging and jumping up and down like children... I can only imagine. Parents and friends there described it as an amazing site to witness. One dad even compared it to what a baseball team looks like when they win the World Series... how they all jump on each other, and it's like they're little kids again in that moment. All I know is that it was magical. The moment was all I had hoped for, and more.

In the end, looking back on the experince I had this summer, it really is not about that one moment. It's not about reaching Seattle. It really was an accumulation of events all throughout the journey. It's about the little moments, the stories, the inside jokes that developed, and the friendships made. It's about the times when things maybe didn't go exactly how we planned, but we now share that moment with 30 other people, and no one else really understands exactly what that's like no matter how good a storyteller you are (even you Jeff).

We are now connected to these 30 other people for the rest of our lives by the simple fact that we shared our summer together. I can't even begin to explain what that means to me. The people I spent my summer with are all unreal... some of the best people I've ever been privelaged enough to get to know. The experiences I shared with them and the ones I had alone, all helped enhance the person I already was while also learning a little more about myseld. This summer is one I will take with me for the rest of my life, and cherish.

Deja Vu & One Step Closer to Seattle

So we are in Idaho for the second time this summer, and staying in a cute little town called Wallace. It was about a 62 mile ride today from Superior, MT and it was not an easy one. The day started out great with the Methodist church providing us with an awesome breakfast at the Superior Fairgrounds. They made us all the pancakes, eggs, and sausage we could eat. It was all delicious and just what we needed to start off our long, windy, uphill ride. We also happened to be in the right place at the right time, and there was a rodeo starting at 8am (right when we were scheduled to leave). About 10 of us stayed to watch a few events before heading towards Idaho.





It was really cool to watch the cowboys and cowgirls compete in four different events. The first was a women's barrel racing event where there are three barrels and the ladies one at a time race around the barrels in a predetermined course trying to manuever their horses the best and get the fastest time. The women also competed in a roping event where they had to lasso the head of a calf while on their horses. It was pretty sweet to watch the girls, they were pretty tough chicks.





The guys' events were a roping in which they had to rope the head of a calf, and then jump off their horses, throw the calf to the ground, and then hog tie its legs with the fastest time declared as the winner. They also had a team steer roping contest where a team of two (coed event) ropes a steer by one getting the head and the other getting the legs. It was pretty crazy. They only get one chance to do it otherwise they get no time for the run. There are also penalties that can be assessed if they only rope one foot instead of two, etc. It was pretty cool to watch, but I also felt a little bad for the steers and calfs they were roping. It didn't seem like it hurt them too badly, but there were times it seemd a little cruel, and was hard to watch. I was glad we stayed though, and would definitely go to another rodeo. I really liked the barrel racing and I think it would be pretty cool to see bull riding, which they did not have to everyone's disappointment.





The ride today involved a lot of headwinds, which slowed us down quite a bit at times, and two fairly long climbs that came along with two awesome decents. The second climb was nearly 2,000 feet long and brought us into Idaho (deja vu seeing the Idaho sign again) and the Pacific time zone (crazy!). The last four miles into the town of Wallace were awesome. There is a great bike path that parallels highway 90 we were on for the majority of the day, and it was nice to be on such a smoothly paved path away from traffic. Supposedly the bike path continues for quite a while, and we are under the impression we will be able to ride it for a good 20 or 30 miles tomorrow. Tomorrow we are heading to Coeur d'Alene, ID ~ 50 or 60 miles, and then Spokane, WA where we will be having a build day.





I don't know how it's going to feel seeing the Washington state sign, and knowing it is going to be the last state we cross riding our bikes. It will probably be really exciting knowing we have made it this far, but also a little bit of a downer knowing our journey is almost over.





We also recieved at a couple mail drops ago the grant applications from Habitat for Humanity chapters in Nebraska, Iowa, and Washington requesting money from us. Last Wednesday we sat down as a group to review the applications (Chad put together a great presentation for us summarizing all the details of the three organizations and their applications) and we will be deciding which ones to fund, and how much to give them. We have about $10,000 that we can disperse however we feel fit. The rest of the money we raised (we are thinking it will be about $60,000) will be going to the Providence Habitat to fund an entire house to be build in 2009. It's so awesome to see the impact we are making in the affordable housing crisis, and even though it isn't much, it is at least something. After the trip is over I am hoping to stay fairly active with a local Habitat chapter, and of course keep on riding my bike.