check out www.bikeandbuild.org

hey all, thanks for checking in. to get updates on me and the trip look at the route tracker page for Providence to Seattle on www.bikeandbuild.org. We also post photos and journal entries from our group.

Orientation

All the leaders arrive June 4th. We oriented ourselves here in Providence before the riders arrived June 7th. It has been a whirlwind since then. Bikes, safety, maintenance, shake down ride, donated food left and right (we still have some donuts, anyone?) and our first dinner and presentation with Beneficent Church which was wonderful.

Tomorrow we'll volunteer with Herman at Providence Habitat, take care of some last details, paint our trailer and get a good night's sleep. Sunday we leave!

It may be a while before I post again - please see www.bikeandbuild.org for our photos and group journal!

Getting Closer

So today was a million different aspects of Bike and Build all in one day. I awoke bright and early at 5 am, so that I could eat and get on my bike by 5:25 am to make sure I made it out to a bike shop (Smart Cycles) in Glenview by 6 am to take part in a group ride.



It was beautiful out at 5 am. I was pooped all day or I would get up just as early tomorrow - as it stands, its past my bedtime anyway because I gave into the temptation of another cup of coffee.



Anyway, only two other riders showed up - two men in their 30s (I'm horrible at guessing ages, they each had multiple children under the age of 10). They were very nice, but we didn't have a whole lot to talk about. The one lives in "the Glen" a planned community which while very nice looking, feels a little eerie to me - in a Pleasantville mixed with Newtown, MO sort of way. I still shop there, so I guess I've accepted it that much at least. (I Really like the prairie that is in the neighborhood and the education center that goes with it. Illinois is the prairie state, we gotta keep some small chunks of it around.)



They both chatted away about the different bike races, triathalons, marathons and everything else they were involved in. I think that on our ride they were being nice to me, because I got the feeling that they totally could have smoked me. I was glad to not be left in the dust as a slow newbie might be.



After riding I don't know how far, we parted ways them to work and taking children to school and me to make my restful way East and home.



I'm out the door at 10 am. I knock on door after door... for about 20 minutes. No dice. This is not the time to catch stay at home moms for a donation. I'll try back later.



11 am rolls around and I head to the Interfaith Housing Center just a mile and a half or so from my house. As a bike and builder I've gotta put in sweat equity hours with an affordable housing organization. They put me to work doing the tedious, but surprisingly educational task of calling every number on their resource list. I had to check the information - contact, name, services provided, restrictions, target service audience and others of a slew of organizations that provide services relating to housing, so that if a client calls the Interfaith Housing Center about something they don't deal with they can refer them. Talk about a crash course on the resources available in Chicago. I know where to get a meal, clothes, place to stay, counseling if you need any of it.



By this time its 1:30, I head home for a late lunch. Then to an eye appointment (I need contacts so that I can wear sunglasses that aren't prescription). A few odds and ends errands and then I hit the street again at 5 pm.



This time I hit the jackpot - one of the first doors that opens to me is by a cyclist! People who ride bikes seem to really like that Bike and Build has connected them to service. But after that first generous donation I get no after no after. Its discouraging. Apparently there is even another bike and builder who lives down the road from me! She is on another route, so I never encountered her name anywhere. Tomorrow I think I'll look her up just to say hello.



After too many unfruitful knocks and rings I decided to walk a slightly different area - a whole block away. Now I was getting somewhere! I got yes after yes, and after an hour and a half had collected $185.



So now here are my stats:

12:08 am

12 days since I graduated

$3443.12 raised or pledged

0 hosts left to secure

5 days before I arrive in Providence

11 days before we begin to bike

7 days

Current Status:
1:01 pm
10 days since I graduated
$3265 raised or pledged
0 hosts left to secure
7 days before I arrive in Providence
13 days before we begin to bike

Yesterday I took a ride around my home neighborhood. Its pretty, but I was surprised to see "No bikes on roadway" signs very frequently. One driver was also extremely eager to inform me of that law shortly before I passed the first sign to that effect.

In St. Louis it is illegal to ride on the sidewalks. I used to ride on the sidewalks sometimes and more than once I got yelled at by pedestrians. So I switched to the roads, where periodically I'd get yelled at by motorists, but I figured I had the law on my side. I guess I'll have to be more aware about the different bike laws in different places (I'm fairly up on the laws regarding bikes and buses/trains). Laws restricting the roads bikes can take (I'm not talking interstates, even though in some states it is legal to ride on the interstates) make it harder for a bike to be your main transportation, which is a shame.

I hope to avoid buying a car, so my bike will have remain my everything. I'm planning on moving to North Carolina with my friend from Winnetka, so I may cave - public transportation isn't real comprehensive there I hear. We'll see, by the end of this summer I'll be able to tackle some serious distance, so maybe I can make it work.

In the meantime, I'm so excited that I get to get on the road in less than two weeks!

May 26th

So today I moved out of my apartment in St. Louis for good. I write this from the Amtrak train to Chicago from where I’ll catch the Metra to a station two blocks from my parents’ house! I’m doing all this with my bike, talk about convenient.

I have learned a few lessons from moving out:
Start at least a day earlier than you think you need to – at least put things in boxes, and write the address labels for all the boxes ahead
Don’t mail liquids. I wasn’t thinking since I was in such a rush (see above point).
Selling your furniture is like another job! It takes time to keep up with craig’s list emails and such. I didn’t have the time at all.
Sometimes not saying goodbye to everyone you ever knew is easier.
Saying goodbye to the people you really care about is pretty hard.

But I am really excited to get home. I have been riding around St. Louis – if you’re familiar with the neighborhoods this will make more sense, but the other day I rode from my apartment (U City) to my friend’s place (Demun area near the Dorchester), with whom I then rode to a concert in the Shaw neighborhood and left him there so that I could ride east towards the river, then to downtown, past the arch, zigzagged around Washington Ave and then came back down Olive which became Lindell. So my rough estimate would be 16 or 17 miles.

If you ever go to St. Louis you have to walk, bike, something around Forest Park. I like the outer loop – about 6.5 miles I hear, but the inside paths are great, too. You go by the art museum, the history museum, the observatory, the zoo, some restaurants, some ponds… all in all I found it to be a wonderful meditative place. And the large pond at the bottom of Art Hill dates from the World’s Fair at the turn of the century.

I’m going to miss St. Louis.

Time for a countdown

So I haven't posted very much before now, but I think I'm ready.

Current Status:
1:57 am
5 days until I graduate
more that $3,000 raised
2 hosts left to secure
22 days before I arrive in Providence
28 days before we begin to bike

Almost there

Also, Great News! The deadline to apply for our grant program has been extended to June 1st. Anyone know of an affordable housing program or project that needs between $500 and $10,000?

Finally, my bike

I received my bike last Tuesday and my schedule immediately got busy. The box representing my first $1,000 of fundraising as well as the future me as a hardcore cyclist had to sit, first in my living room, then my sunroom... lonely but well padded. Finally, today I left class a little early, my plan was to put the bike together and then run errands for studio (always more supplies to buy). I figured that 3 or 4 miles to and from Home Depot would be a nice taste. It took far longer than I expected, but every moment was wonderful. And once I actually got on the bike, I was in heaven. I am now in love. I only rode a mile to work and a mile back home. I started a little unsure, I've never ridden a road bike before, and my heavy Giant that carries me, groceries, my trumpet, studio supplies, basically anything feels way different. My new Trek is so light that any change in my pedaling actually resulted in a change in my speed! There she is, locked up tight in my basement.

Now, I've been distracted by my bike, but I did have a party to raise money for Bike and Build two Saturdays. I must say it went well - I raised $180 and a bag of popcorn with an evening of hanging out with people I like. People who weren't able to come are still donating (not any more popcorn).

2 and a half months doesn't seem like much time

I'm back at school, and my classes are pretty much over in about one month's time. Bike and Build is definitely helping me be excited (rather than worried or scared) about graduation. As soon as I get done with class, I'll go through the rigamarole of graduation (but not until thoroughly decompressing with all our senior class activities like a gala and a float trip) and head back to my parents' house for a few days. So really, since my time is so chunked up between now and our leave date - June 7th! - 2 and a half months does not seem like a lot of time.

I've written my letters to ask for donations from family friends - I've raised more than $5oo and its just getting going, I've planned a party to collect the $5 and $10 donations from my buddies (college students don't have much to give, but they do love a party), and I'm poised to walk the business district near my apartment. I'm a leader, so I've been calling churches and YMCAs across the country to find places for us to stay - a different place nearly every night. Thank goodness I have 3 coleaders who are taking care of 3/4 of our nights. I've decided that pastors and reverends are pretty nice people to talk to about what we're doing. The only YMCA director that I've chatted with was friendly and quick to agree to hosting us, but a little sleepy. Time will tell if thats a pattern.

As for training, lets just say I'm really glad there isn't snow on the ground. Knock on wood.

snow leopard

snow flea

Spring Break, more time for work

So, I'm using my spring break not only to rest and recuperate, but also to get more work done for Bike and Build. I'm looking for YMCAs and churches in the yellow pages for the towns we're staying in, and calling them up. Then I ask if they can host 35 cyclists, feed us, give us showers, would like a presentation, and most importantly, what is your favorite color? blue, no red. aaah. So far its been ok, I know one of my co-leaders already has at least one of our night's host confirmed, so we won't be camping the Whole way. I am also not just working on Bike and Build stuff, I'm also sleeping. and drinking coffee, because even though I have no 8 am or 9 am classes to be in right now, I still love it. Fundraising is coming along smoothly. Tomorrow I should send out 15 more letters to friends and family. Then I will hit the street and go door to door. Wish me luck!

New job, New Blog

I am a leader for Bike and Build, on their Providence to Seattle 2007 trip. Each of the 32 riders and 4 leaders must raise $4,000 before being allowed to ride. The money not only pays for all the necessities of the organization itself, but Bike and Build awards grants up to $10,000 to affordable housing projects involving young adults. This year they hope to award $120,000 in grants. Not only do the riders raise the money to award, they are also the group that reviews the applications and decides to dish it out.

I have been officially employed by Bike and Build for 3 weeks now and it's going pretty fast. I've loved jumping right in to all my fundraising and planning. I am the contact leader for 3 riders so far, but people are consistently getting added to our list. Its pretty exciting to see a new profile up each week.

Please check out the website at bikeandbuild.org, and if you can, please donate! if you'd like to help me work towards my $4,000 goal, put down my name as the rider you are sponsoring.