orientation!

I apologize for to those of you who work office jobs and have been desperately checking my blog for updates. I have been a little bit busy bicycling across America. The best news is that we are all alive. Just last night, the leaders commented on how thankful they are that we are an extremely athletic group...however, let me tell you - it is hard to pat yourself on the back when every muscle in your body is aching.

Monday was our first day and it got off to an awful start as Carys and I found ourselves lost in downtown Providence with only an hour or so to buy a whole bunch more gear and then lug everything to the quad on Brown's campus. Desperate, I pulled up next to the only cyclist we had seen in 20 minutes, slowed, and rolled down Carys' window. Lucky us, not only could he point us in the right direction, but he was on his way to work at the same shop that we would visit during Bike and Build orientation. Talk about Providence.

Orientation was filled with name games, something called amoeba tag and plenty of trainwreck (think Art Davies' Field Day meets William and Mary orientation). We also attended clinics on everything from bike maintenance, safety and a crash course in "on-the-road" first aid (where the EMT told us that we could use a rain jacket to make a boat...I think I have gone crazy). As a result of the lack of space, I guess, we were sent to run drills in a parking garage. Somehow, it was difficult for me to pretend that the half-tennis balls were really objects worth dodging.

During our time in Providence we stayed in the Great Room at St. Martin's Episcopal Church. Basically, that means that I slept in the hearth. My thermarest took a little bit of getting used to, but I think that I am starting to get so worn out during the day that falling asleep is one of my smaller issues.

On Tuesday, we had a bit of a crash course in "getting-to-know" one another as we were ushered to the Brown Recreation Center to shower. Athletes always argue that communal showers foster a sense of cohesiveness, bonding...whatever. Having to wait in line, naked, for the communal shower didn't really make me feel like part of the team. It made me feel like a first-class weirdo.

In our spare time, we painted the trailer. On one side is the Golden Gate Bridge - the seemingly unattainable. On the other side, the right side, the side we will always see as it passes us, is a picture of a cyclist climbing uphill - the seemingly inevitable.

Fortunately, all the kids on the trip are really wonderful, eccentric characters. There are boys that shave their legs, boys that wax their legs, boys with leg hair and girls. The people who came expecting to "push it out" all trip have actually been very helpful to those of us who are just praying that we "at least make it."

On our last day of orientation, we volunteered at a local Habitat for Humanity Build. While there, I not only dug post holes, but I created a gravel pit. Needless to say, that song has now been in my head for three days. It was a lot of fun pitching in there, and the house was started two years ago by the Providence to Seattle route. Next week they are turning it over to the homeowners. I believe that the building aspect of the trip is not only to ensure that we are working for a cause, but also so that we aren't just getting our legs sore. On our "off" days at the build site, it seems that we will work the other muscles that aren't affected by biking.