Sunday 28 June 2009

What a week! I can't believe it's been a week since we started to ride out of Portsmouth, NH on the 21st! Today we rode about 75 miles from Indian Lake, NY to Boonville, NY. Before that we were in Silver Bay, NY where we stayed at the Silver Bay YMCA...and let me tell you, I've never seen a YMCA like that before. It was more like a resort than a gym. There were triathletes there, too, according to signs that said, "triathletes register here" etc. It was cool to ride in dressed in our Bike&Build jerseys, though. I felt so "professional" lol. Anyway, the last few days were hilly...very hilly. In Vermont we climed Bethle Mountain. That was difficult. Then, there were the Adirondacks. The slope was not as steep, but it was a constant 3% or so grade for miles and miles. Today, on the other hand, we rode out of the Adirondacks and it was a much easier day. Fun roads, flat, pretty wide shoulders. I wish I could post pictures...which I probaby could, but I don't want to hog the computer. Plus, we're watching "Breaking Away" I think, and I don't want to miss that. (We've got a projector to watch the film). Anyway...I'll probaby write again in a week or so. This is so much fun...the landscapes are beautiful. Our morning routine time is getting cut more and more each day...which is nice. Ok....until next time! laters

22 June 2009, riding day 2

So today we rode about 35 miles from Concord to New London, NH. Yesterday was about 65 miles from Portsmouth to Concord, NH. They were pretty nice, rolling hills and today had a couple climbs, but they weren't bad. I rode sweep with Julia from Iowa, and that was nice, we seem to have good "teamwork." Sweep is kind of fun because we could take our time. We just had to make sure we were coming in behind everyone else. There were a few snags today with people missing a couple of turns, but the were able to find their ways back to the queue sheet. Yay! I'm impressed because I would have back-tracked...if I was even able to figure out I missed the turn. Anyway, we saw some really beautiful sights. I'm still awed by New England even though I'm "used" to the sights and whatnot. The weather hasn't been the greatest, kinda rainy and dreary, but warm enough that it's not very uncomfortable. Today is laundry day, which makes everybody happy. We were also able to shower at the Colby-Sawyer college's sports facility. Again, everyone was very happy. Well, I'm using one of the computers at the Colby-Sawyer college library, and other people are waiting to use it, so I should go.
Until next time!

19 June 2009

Wow, I don't know what to write. We arrived here in Portsmouth yesterday and played all the usual "icebreaker" games. And then some more this morning. The weather has been rainy, overcast, and dreary, and the sun just decided to peek out from behind the clouds for a minute or two. Earlier we went on a shakedown ride (like a practice ride) around Portsmouth. It was fun, nice and short. I still can't imagine what the summer will be like. It's unreal. Sunday we begin the cross country ride, and I'm sure I'll be in tears when my parents and brother come to see us all off. Saturday, which is tomorrow! we will be working on a house (or two different houses, I guess) painting the interior, and then one more site, I forget what we'll be doing...but it's because they do not need 30 people at any one of the sites. Yeah...so...more stories to be posted when we've got a few more miles under our belt. until then....:-)

16 June 2009

Today I finally went on the 65+ mile ride that I had agreed to do before the trip starts. I rode a 33 mile loop...twice. I went up to Jacksonville, VT, then down 112 to Colrain, MA, and then took Adamsville Rd to Heath, MA, hit 8A to #9 Rd to home, repeat. It was actually nice, except that I had to use my "back-up" bike that does not have the nice ergonomic saddle on it. ouch! If you had not heard, my bike was in the shop (yes, I got it back today!) because the plastic barring on the bottom bracket was broken. So I had to wait for the part to arrive so that the mechanic could fix it. And not a moment too soon! Tomorrow I will drive to Bradley Airport to pick up the three people who will stay the night, and we will all be going up to Portsmouth together. I can't believe that in 48 hours, I will be there! hurray!

11 June 2009

T minus one week until I'll be in Portsmouth with all the other Northern US '09 Bike and Builders! It's hard to believe time has flown by so fast!

I'd like to thank each and every person who donated; I reached my fundraising goal (and then some) a few days ago! Now all I have to do is ride a few more miles in preparation for this summer. I can't even imagine how it will be, amazing I wager. But it's the whole experience that I cannot fathom. How will it be riding so many miles almost every day? And then building 9 days this summer? What will it be like to sleep on just a thermarest and a sleeping bag every night? My family never did much camping or traveling while my brothers and I were growing up, so this whole trip will be something new.

In other news, the bicycling is going well. Today I biked down to Greenfield, MA (it was about a 23 mile ride, mostly down-hill) to pick up my car, which was in the shop getting fixed so that I can drive it to Portsmouth. I did that late in the afternoon so that I could then go on a group ride out of Bicycles Unlimited, also in Greenfield. That ended up being a 22 mile ride. So all in all, today I tallied 45 miles. That brings my total pre-trip milage (since I started counting) up to 497 miles. However, I have not yet gone on that 65+ miler that we're supposed to get in before the trip begins. It's getting down to the wire, so I'm going to attempt it Saturday. If that doesn't work, Monday I might be able to fit it in.

One more thing! It's been a while so I'm trying to sum up a lot, I suppose. Last weekend and the one before I completed the volunteer hours also required pre-trip. The first weekend was helping to put loam down for a family's back yard, so that they can have a lawn! Then last weekend I helped at a site in Northampton, MA. We mostly set up staging, but that was tricky work! It's fun to volunteer time for this kind of thing, I like good, hard work. This summer is going to be amazing, how could it not?

until next time!