A Bike&Build Blog?

I am sitting in Soma coffee house in Bloomington, Indiana with a cup of Huckleberry tea and slice of zuccini bread. This back room looks like a cozy basement, low ceilings, dim lighting, a small library built into the wall with old books and games- the wall behind me is covered in a collage of various maps. The menu up front is written in bright chalk highlighting vegan items, the bulletin board features fliers for the latest radical events, a roller derby bout, the sprockettes, a brunch of drag? This is the coffee shop I look for everywhere I go. It has the safe, familiar, comfort that I love, miss and and so appreciate while I'm constantly on the move. 

It has been an adventure like no other, and I wish this were not the first time I prioritized a blog entry. We have biked from the east coast to the midwest- insane. The first couple of weeks were pretty crazy. Trying to meet everyone, get organized and develop routine and logistically guide a team of 32 from place to place each night is no easy task. Sleepless nights, van trouble every other day, bike breakdowns and a few minor accidents. And bike rides! All the mountains of the northeast, rain almost every day, flats, our first century ride, learning how to ride through the pain. But it has been beautiful and challenging in more ways than I ever anticipated.

I love our team. Everyone is different, different from me, it's new and fabulous. Generally pretty light hearted, fun loving and absolutely hilarious- we have a shared sense of humor and very funny group.

I've been surprised by just how different every day is for me. Each ride is a new experience changing depending on who I ride with, the terrain and weather, how I feel and what we pass by. I loved the northeast. Western MA and New York were beautiful- the sweet descents make all the climbs worth it. Pennsylvania- also nice, though tough endless rolling hills and an introduction to headwinds. Into Ohio we finally hit flatlands, heat and winds. It's crazy to experience the terrain changing, especially looking forward to when we reach the desert and it's completely different from the northeast we started in. 

There have been some amazing stops, especially this past week. I had an amazing day off in Pittsburg- went out exploring the city, found a bicycle themed cafe (over the bar- of course I LOVED it!) and checked out an awesome bicycle film festival. We new we would have fun in Columbus- had people to show us the hot spots.

The ride into Yellow Springs was incredible. Leaving Columbus we had about 30 easy miles of bike paths. Quick paceline to lunch at a picnic area on the bike path where press came and met us. Interviews and photos followed an amazing lunch thanks to Columbus friend donations, fruit, snacks, turkey and cheese even! Second half of the day on the bike path, slow social riding, perfect weather. We came upon train tracks and shortly approached a stopped car. Throwing down our bikes, we climbed to the top, looking out over the beautiful Ohio country- corn fields, farms, perfectly defined clouds in the bright blue sky. A moment I will never forget, perfect in so many ways. Our ride finished easily bringing us into Yellow Springs early. A beautiful surprise town- none of us had known much about it. We were shuttled from our church to showers at the houses of the most hospitable, warm people. Real towels, coffee and cookies, internet and the nicest shower I have ever seen in my life. Yellow Springs reminded me of Northampton. Small, progressive, hippie shops, no chains, several coffee shops, warm community feel. We had the best day and most delicious potluck dinner. The day ended with a beer at the local bar, right after we got back from a free trip to the famous ice cream complex just outside of town. A perfect day.

Bike&Build is hard. There is no time at all. We never get enough sleep or muscular rest- it's hard to eat enough and prioritize any self care. Hours fighting headwinds, trying to stay positive and just keep riding through all the pain. But it is great too- amazing. Beautiful, fun, and I must be learning and growing a lot. I have more stories to share here and will hopefully soon have the time.