There are no words

It as been over a week since we have completed out journey and I am still finding it difficult to put in words how I feel. I am still traveling around so Internet access is of course very limited. I will put up a much longer recap of everything once things finally settle down a bit. But in short, the trip was truly a life changing experience, I was able to see and do things I never though were possible and all for a great cause. I am honestly tearing up a bit as I write this so I will just leave you all with this picture of a few of us at the end.

Almost there...

So here we are. 30 miles out from our final destination of San Diego. We got our first far off view of the Pacific today and it was quite exciting. We have come so far and gone through so many obstacles to get here. The last couple of days have been particularly hard for our group. Tomorrow it all comes to a glorious end. Stay tuned for a solid recap to come.

Yet another quick update

Hey all,
So sadly this leg of the trip does not allow for much time on the Internet so the blog posts are still going to be few and far between. We have journeyed through much of Arizona and it has been a very interesting experience. The first part was through the northern region in many different Indian reservations. Much of this land was very desolate but had some beautiful canyons and rock formations.

We then traveled into the Grand Canyon. It was easily the most impressive and awe inspiring scenery that we have come across. The pictures you see of it simply do not do it justice. I only wish we had more time to spend in it, to go hiking and exploring. I am already making plans to come back again.

We are currently in Prescott AZ and have just finished up our final build days. We have only 7 more ride days till our final destination of San Diego. It is mind blowing to think of everything we have done and how far we have come. I am ready for a break but I know already that I don't want such an amazing trip to end.

On a tragic note, one of our Riders had to leave our trip yesterday. She sustained an injury in the Rockies and an infection has spread prompting medical care. She should be fine but it was horribly heartbreaking for her and for us to have to leave the trip so close to the end. Jackie if you are reading this, we miss you already and wish you a quick recovery. We can't wait to see you in San Diego.

Quick Update

Not much time these days to post but hopefully in the next few days I will add more. We are pretty much out of the Rockies right now and it is safe to say that it was an amazing experience. The views were just incredible and my riding ability has really improved. I have really come into my own as a rider and have become not to shabby at climbing these mountains. Colorado is a very beautiful state and I am excited to see what AZ has to offer. We are entering the final portions of the trip and every one is starting to get excited and sad for the end and San Diego.

Recap of the past 9 days

It has been awhile since I have typed but Internet access has been limited. I will try and sum up the past days but it is hard to remember that far back due to the over stimulation we get day to day. The human mind just can quite remember all of that.

June 14th

Today we went through the Ozarks and they were the easiest climb yet. Mostly due to the fact that we have been biking for about a month so far. It got pretty rainy at the end but it was nice to continue to see a more exciting side of AK.

June 15th
Today we left AK, quickly dipped into MI and went into OK. This morning started with lots of bad luck for me and many hiccups along the way. The day improved greatly though throughout the day and crossing the 2 state lines was a nice touch.

June 16th
This day started off with me getting two flats during the ride which really set me back. I had a problem with one of my spokes and I had to switch to an older wheel which is a lot more susceptible to flats. All in all it was a good ride but was very hot towards the end. The church in Bartlesville OK we stayed at was very deluxe and we got very good treatment. We even had welcome in the sign. That night we went out and did some group blowing together which was a lot of fun.

June 17th
We had a day off in Bartlesville OK today and most of it was spent relaxing. A couple of us went down town to check out the city. It was a lot bigger than I at first realized and there was a lot to see. The later 1/2 of the day I went to see the movie UP (which I highly recommend) and the end was capped off with a church picnic which were were invited to attend.

June 18th
Today was the first day of our 8 day stretch of riding and it was my best day yet. The OK scenery was very beautiful and a real treat to ride through. I was very surprised with all OK and how the rolling hills and plains looked. We took a detour to go to a local water park which was a lot of fun. It was small but the whole group being together made it very enjoyable.

June 19th
This day was one of our tougher days but was another good riding day for me. We had intense winds all day long. Some were so strong we had to lean our bikes at a 45 degree angle to brace against the wind. It was very challenging but for the most part I was able to keep up with our top riders and pace line with them. It was a hard day but I was very proud and happy by the end of it.

June 20th

Today was another solid day of riding. We left OK for KS today which at first looked very similar. We then traveled through the rain and into the Gypsum Hills. These hills were extraordinary to look at and really made you feel like you were out west. We camped this night under a very massive starry sky in what was in most people's minds one of our best nights yet.

June 21st

In day 4 of 8 of our longest stretch was yet again another strong ride day for myself. I was cruising along most of the day and led the group for awhile. I got a little tired towards the end but was still one of the first to get to our host sight. I also saw KS go for hilly to the very flat KS that I had expected, complete with many wheat and corn fields.


June 22nd

Which finally brings us to today. We had a shorter day (only 57 miles) and so it was decided that we should do a scavenger hunt. At first I wasn't really feeling it but it ended up being a lot of fun and got to have many stories that I will be sure to share with you all soon. We got to meet many locals along the way and see sights we probably would have missed if we were just riding.

If you have made it this far thanks for reading all of that. I will try to be more up to date in the future. We have about 300 miles to cover in the next 3 days and we cross into CO tomorrow. Until then.

Arkansas

Well we made it to good old Arkansas. After crossing the mighty Mississippi river we hit some crazy flat lands. The head winds were rough and I was told got up to about 15 mph or so but I am not really sure. The roads were also brutal as there were many cracks and pot holes to be found. One very instant change that was notice is the people in AK were very cycling friendly and seemed to welcome us quite a bit. This first day in AK was really rough for me and had some frustrations given the conditions.

The next day we road into Littlerock AK and while most of the ride was the same as yesterday the ending was quite spectacular. We came through a nice park and then over the largest pedestrian bridge to cross over the AK river. It was very beautiful and a nice change of pace from the AK flat lands. The Littlerock cycling club invited us to their annual picnic and it was nice to talk to a bunch of other cyclists. Overall I was very impressed with Littlerock and would like to come back to see more of it.

Today we had our first scheduled Century (100 miles). I had to run sweep today which means you and another rider stay at the back of the back to make sure no one gets lost or left behind. It was a hard, long day but by the last 20 miles I felt the strongest on a bike that I have all trip. It was great to come in strong and get lots of praise from the whole group for doing sweep on such a long day. I feel good now but we have about 1100 more miles to do over the next 2 weeks so we shall see what tomorrow will hold.

Memphis TN

Well we are finally in Memphis TN. After 7 straight days of riding we are able to enjoy a day off. We traveled over some very beautiful countryside. There were lots of dogs in TN, lots of dogs. I have become quite good and the quick burst of speed while yelling to quickly escape any rough dog situations that arise.

We stayed at two national guard bases during the stretch. It was nice to change up the host site and get to talk to some different types of people. We did some site seeing around TN and went to an underground cavern as a group. It was very quaint and made more enjoyable by having everyone there. Towards the end of the 7 day stretch the body and mind were beginning to get pretty tired so ti will be interesting to see how I hold up with the rest of the journey.

We road into Memphis yesterday and went out on the town. First we went to a minor league baseball game then hit up some blues clubs and bars. It was very cool to talk to all the different people out about what we are doing and why. We even got a lot of people to clap for us after we left one bar.

We have had a lot of people spend time in the van recently for either injuries or for breaking rules. Apparently on about 5 people on last years trip were able to bike every mile of the trip. It has been interesting watch the group dynamics change and get tested over the course of this trip and we are not even half way done, there should be plenty of drama to come.

We ride into AK tomorrow and cross the Mississippi river. It should be an exciting but very tough day. Tn has flow by time wise and I am wondering if the other states will do the same.

Build day video

Here is a video of us on a build day if you are interested http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z6uDj78wB4

A disappointing day

Well where to start......
We have finished crossing the applications but not without some disappointments along the way. After leaving Asheville we had to cross so major mountains and the blue ridge park way. This meant going over two major mountains with as much as 9% grade. The first one was long but I made it to the top and enjoyed the nice ride down. I even got to talk to some friendly motorcyclists. The second mountain was a different story. As I climbed the sun had started to drop. The leaders had to make a decision as we had been biking for about 11 hours and so all riders who were not at the top of the mountain by 530 would be put in the Van. I was about 4 or 5 miles away when I got pulled. It was very frustrating and disappointing not to make it to the top and cross over into TN on my own power but it was the right call to make. In all a third of our trip was pulled off the road for the day.

The other days in TN have been pretty relaxed with easy rides and a build day. I still greatly enjoy the build days as I am able to feel more confident with them than with riding. Tomorrow and Thursday should be trough rides, we shall see how the body holds up.

What a day...

We awoke at 5 am this morning. We knew there was a long ride ahead of us and the terrain mountainous. We got our directions and 65 miles was how far but with the hills it would be a challenge. We went off in the foggy morning. We encountered many hills and some were quite challenging. After about 25 miles or so we began our decent into Lake Lure.

The lake was spectacular. Very beautiful with these looming mountain ranges all around it. We went through the town and stopped at a few tourist spots. The river was wildly flowing and there was a nice waterfall coming down the mountain. It is definitely an area that I want to come back to and hike. We stopped for lunch near the river to refuel. It was there that we started out long climb

9 miles straight up. It was quite an ordeal. I stopped many times along the way and met some nice ladies who said they were proud of me going up this mountain. After much pain and suffering I finally made it to the top. 2882 (or something like that) was our height and a sign said we were at the eastern continental divide. After that climb we had a 2 mile ride down hill and then just another 20 miles to our sleep site at UNC Asheville.

Although the climb was hard and slow, this day was by far the best day of the trip for me so far. The ride was successful, the sights were beautiful, and the personal accomplishment of making it to the top was like no other. We shall see if all of these up coming mountains treat me as good.

Recap then Mountains.....

Hi there,
It has been awhile since I have posted so I will do a bit of a recap. The day after we arrived in Chapel Hill we had our first build day. We framed up a house for Habitat in addition to some other odd jobs. It was a good day of volunteering as framing is always fun work that you can easily see your progress with. It was also nice to finally be good at something this trip. I felt my construction skills were put to good use. The day concluded with some light festivities in Chapel Hills Franklin street.

The next day was a day off so we went to one of the riders house for a pool party. It was very unreal to go from cycling and building to normal summer actives but it was a lot of fun and provided so much needed relaxation. The next day I sadly left the group to go up to Richmond for a good friends wedding.

The wedding was a lot of fun and it was good to see old friends again. It made me remember how much I miss the old crew and that I should take more time to keep up with them. It was rather weird seeing a good friend get married but nice to see him settle down with someone I know he loves every much. The next day after a good bit of traveling I was back with the team in Charlotte NC.

While it was weird being away it almost felt like home returning to them. The next day was another build day which went relatively well. We replaced a roof in a house and while the work was good there was not quite enough for 31 people. After the work we headed off to yet another pool party at a very nice house in Charlotte. IT was again quite a bit of fun but I was starting to fall asleep pretty early on.

Today we did about 88 miles or so and it felt good to be back in the saddle. The only thing that really hurts now is some new keen pain that has sprung up. I am currently icing it as I type and hopefully it wont amount to too much. I took it relatively easy today knowing that the real challenge would be tomorrow. Tomorrow morning we wake up at 5 to head to Ashville NC and this will mark are first day of real mountains. It should be difficult but I am looking forward to getting it over with. The trip has been a blast so far but I am starting to get a little home sick given that there is so much more to go. My determination is strong and as long as my body holds out I will continue on.

Century and Chapel Hill

Greetings from Chapel Hill,
Today was a pretty relaxed day but yesterday was the big one. The trip was suppose to be around 84 miles but do so some errors on our directions we ended up going about 100 miles, or a Century as the bike lingo goes. The first part of the day was pretty easy but I started to fade in the middle. Around mile 70 or so I got my second wind and when we learned that we were going to have go to another 20+ miles my second wind seem to kick in. Our trip leader said that we might be the earliest trip on record to do a century this soon. I felt pretty accomplished by the end of the day but definitely felt the toll on my body. Sleep came very soon that night.

Today wasn't bad except for a few major hills. I am sure though, that these will pail in comparison to the up coming mountains. We got a very warm reception from the folks at Chapel Hill and our first build day is tomorrow. Until then...

Two steps forward, one step back?

Greetings from Greenville, NC. home of East Carolina University. Today started with so much promise. The congregation at the church we stayed at gave us a very tasty breakfast and while the weather was cold and windy at least there was no rain. We started off and broke into smaller groups. Right in the beginning we had an accident as one of the guys I was with, Nahn, went over some train tracks and took a big spill. After patching him back up we heading off again. Only then to get have to stop when another rider, Greg, had 2 flats. We eventually made it to lunch by the lake.

Then I got a flat on top of a large, busy bridge. Once it was finally fixed we started to roll on but then I began to crash. The last 15 miles were super brutal. I was in a lot of pain and just could keep my legs going. It was very rough and I got very frustrated more than once. But with Sweep's help I was able to push in through and make it here in one piece. I would very much like to go tour the city we are in but I need my rest if I am going to make it through the 79 miles tomorrow. 2 more ride days and I am through 1/2 of the 2 week push which I should be in relatively good shape by the end. Seems pretty far now but its time to push on. To quote a Floydian "On ward and upward"

Day One and Two

Greatings from Belhaven NC!
The last couple of days have gone by super slow but in a good way. Orientation was a little rough as everyone was trying to get to know each other and I was very concerned with my bike skills. We did a 20+ mile ride and I was worried with how much that hurt but the only thing to was to keep going.

The first day we had the ceremony and stood in the Atlantic to dip our wheels in. Then we headed off from Nags Head with a police escort to bike 65 miles to our destination. I would be lying if I said the trip was easy. We battled harsh sun rays, large amounts of rain, some strong winds, and even a dog or two. But in the end I made it and was able to enjoy the great hospitality of our hosts in Swan Quarter. I must say that was perhaps one of the top meals I have had in my life.

Today was much easier but filled with rain. We only did about 35 miles or so and most of us arrived at our destination before 1030 am but rather soaked. I felt a lot stronger today and a lot more in control of my bike. I am more optimistic about the rest of the trip but we will see how I feel by the end of the week.

Two things have stuck on most in my mind about this trip so far. One is being able to travel at a slower pace than a car and really take in the surrounding scenery. Every place so far looks amazing and I am excited to be able to see the lands change as we travel forth. The second thing and easily the most important is the kindness and generosity so many have soon us on this trip so far. It was been really spectacular having all sorts of people welcome you into their homes, giving you food, showers and even a hot tub offer. All the people we meet seem to take the affordable housing issue very seriously which is very refreshing. Everyone in the three stops we have had so far have been so welcoming it is almost overwhelming at times.

Although there is much more to tell I feel I should wrap this post up. I will end by saying this: Although the road its long, and the pain will be (and currently is) great; the cause is just and the experience is like no other, I must push on.

Tomorrow is the big day.

So tomorrow I arrive in Nags Head to begin my journey to San Diego.  I am sure it will be an awkward couple of days as we all try and get to know each other and our vast amount of gear.  I am very nervous about this trip but very excited as well.  Nervous in that I am not sure how I will be able to keep up with everyone given that I don't think I trained nearly enough.  Excited for the amazing trip I am sure it will be.  To all of those who have supported me financially, mentally, and emotionally in the past couple of months  I thank you.  It's time to hold my breath and take the plunge.  

Thank you

The fundraising has been going very well so far, and is almost done. I have been very humbled by the amount of super people have given me, especially from my home town of Floyd VA. The outpour of donations has been so generous that I have not even needed to send out a large portion of letters that I was planning on. I am only a couple hundred dollars away, so if you haven’t donated yet there is still time. I just wanted to give a big thank you to all who have blown me away with their generosity.

So it begins...

Welcome everyone. This is the spot where I will be putting all my thoughts and feelings about this whole wild experience I am about to go on. By living the cause of affordable housing day in and day out for over 2 months and 4000 miles most participants leave these kinds of trips with a strong dedication to the housing cause. It is my hope, that as my readers and amazing sponsors, what I experience will be able to come across through this blog to you all. That you too will adopt the cause of affordable housing as your own and take part of my experience with you. Thank you all for your support in this crazy endeavor.