and then we graduated...

I wish that I had the picture to post of Carys and me in our regalia on our bikes. Or even better would be a picture of both of our moms trying to get us to pose for a picture in our regalia on our bikes.

I think it summed college up nicely: I worked for four years to earn a hood, parade around in it for a day, and then immediately regress to childhood where you spend all day playing on your bike.

As many of you may have experienced, this trip has definitely given me something to talk about. Little did I know just how much I would appreciate that until I was home for a quick break in late March. As most of us know, somewhere around junior year of college, adults change their conversation from "have you decided on a major" or "you still don't have a boyfriend?" to "what on earth are you going to do after you graduate, especially with that, what was it? Oh, yes, history degree?" Typically, I would respond "hmmm, good question," to which the adult would say "graduate school" and I would reply, "oh no, well at least not yet. And definitely not in history." To this, the adult, perplexed would ask, with just one word: "teach?" and I would say "I hope not," and the adult would say "law school?" and I would say "no way," and the adult would look at me, totally confused as if I didn't know that my parents had spent about a million dollars on my education in hopes that someday I would find gainful employment.

Fortunately for me, Bike and Build has dramatically changed this conversation. Now it carries on in one of two ways. The first, where the adult again asks "what on earth are you going to do after you graduate, especially with that, what was it? Oh, yes, history degree?" My reply has become a casual, "oh, well, I plan to bike across the country." Genius. No one (but my big brother who constantly asks about life beyond the saddle (as if I can imagine that)) probes further into my future plans. They either sense that I am fundraising and change the topic to something like how Abby is getting along at Work Forest, or they ask about every detail of the trip (most likely thinking the thoughts recorded in the post labelled "an introduction to the summer"). For those of you who stuck around, intrigued (or at least faking it) thank you for your interest in my life after William and Mary, (but know that I can't help but think that I fooled you, at least a little bit).

It is my sincere recommendation to anyone future graduate that you find something like Bike and Build (after this summer I will let you know if Bike and Build as a conversation topic was really worth the work) to keep all those 'adults' off your back. It probably has to be a pretty wacky idea if you want to keep them wide-eyed, so don't settle for travelling across Europe, if you want to keep them occupied, tell them that you are living in Atlantis, or traveling to the former planet Pluto, or, the faithful fall-back biking across the one of the seven continents.

Performance Bike

I just wanted to make a quick plug for Performance Bike. I am thankful for their incredible return policy, both online and in store. For a while there, I felt like a gear dealer. I mean, you want padded shorts: meet me in the parking lot, I have some in my trunk, oh no, it was 6 different sizes of the same pair of shoes: check underneath my bed, wait, no; gloves, arm warmers or leg warmers in almost ever size -- closet, desk drawers, dresser... I am sure you get the picture.

the FUNraising BBQ!

Thanks to all who came out to the BBQ! Furthermore, thanks to everyone who came out, brought a side dish (or two, or three) and then made a donation in order to eat said side dish. Special thanks to Mrs. Curtin who made all 80 servings of that delicious macaroni and cheese. If I ever get the recipe, I will post it here; it is worth sharing. I think it is safe to say that no one went home hungry, and that the Theta house was thankful for all of the leftovers. In fact, the only thing that was gobbled up right away was that mac and cheese... Also - thank you to the grill-meisters. Without you, it simply wouldn't have been a BBQ (and Andrew, it was nice of you to share your birthday with Carys).

There is nothing like having 80 of your closest friends come to support you and your crazy adventure to make you realize that there really is no turning back. That night, with your help, we FAR surpassed our fundraising minimums!

limited building experience, yep - that's us.

Bike and Build requires all of its participants to complete eight hours of sweat equity, volunteering for an affordable housing organization in some capacity.

After a good deal of communication with Habitat for Humanity branches in Williamsburg, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Carys' and I were on our way down 64 to swing some hammers, test my rafter-climbing skills and even learn how to do a little bit of fancy cutting with a circular saw.

The build we were participating in was an all-women's build in a string of three Habitat houses in progress. As soon as we got there, we were put to work undoing the job that some other volunteers had done the week before. Nervous that our work would be undone one short week later, we were determined to do everything right. This task required for us to stand on ladders, in the misting rain, and hammer boards out of the walls as (it felt like) we dangled precariously out of the second story frame. Thankfully, I continue to learn about myself, and this time it was that I have a bit of a fear of heights. However, we did catch the eye of the photographer who seemed to record our every move. I keep checking the Norfolk Habitat site in hopes that I might someday add a picture of me dangling over those rafters to this blog.

Unfortunately, because the three sites had one shed of communal tools, Carys and I were asked to cut our work short so that some pressing adjustments could be made on the house next door.
I am really looking forward to this aspect of the summer (in part, of course, because you can't ride a bike if you are hammering a nail).

build THAT? wear WHAT?

It was a big day when my bike arrived to the Carriage House in the biggest cardboard box I have ever received. (As a result of a promise I made to Carys regarding waiting to open mine until hers arrived) it was an even bigger day when Carys' bike showed up in the mail a short while later.

Now, imagine this: two completely inexperienced bikers, two brand-new, but completely unassembled Trek 1000 road bikes, two allen wrenches, four pedals, two seats, two wheels, one very small bedroom, and one manual. Technically we had two manuals, but Carys and I differed in our assembly strategies. Unfortunately, the manual didn't really seem to help me much.

It wasn't too long before we had each, in our own individual ways, created a ride-able two wheeled, two pedaled, vehicle that we promptly rode about 1/3 of a block before realizing that while riding a bike always comes back to you, riding a road bike with tires as thick as my little toe was going to be a completely new challenge.

However, we persevered and that next Saturday we proudly rode our brand new bikes all the way down the street to the bike shop. I was planning on strolling in, receiving accolades for my stellar assembly job and being sent on my way to the Colonial Parkway. Well, we strolled in, but let's just say that instead of the Colonial Parkway, we visited the beloved rec center.

Needless to say, we ended up coughing up the money to have our bikes checked out (read: re-assembled) before actually taking that maiden voyage. Once we had our sweet bikes in riding condition, we felt that they deserved the best. Which, according to the two of us, and our twisted senses of humor, was a completely costumed ride, complete with team USA bibs, jerseys and jackets (compliments of Carys' Colorado cycling buddy).


Now, it has taken us a little while to get accustomed to the gear and the inevitable hollering from the TV room as we exit the Theta house continues to keep me on edge. We still have a long way to go though...there is something out there called chamois butt'r and I'd rather not describe how we will be expected to use it...