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Today officially marks one week and a day of being on this Bike and Build adventure.  We have rode almost 300 miles since our departure from Jacksonville, FL. last Saturday.  Still 3,200 to go and 8 more weeks.  However, if all the weeks fly by as quickly as this past week did, then we’ll be in San Francisco before we know it.  Bike and Build does a weird this with time actually.  It feels as though I’ve been gone forever, and yet the time has flown by…strange.

Each day of biking so far has consisted of getting up around 6 (way earlier than I’m used to since graduating), and packing up in a frenzy, consuming something for breakfast, and suiting/sunscreening up.  Then we’re off.  Time on the bike can range from feeling quite pleasant and the miles pass quickly- to feeling hot, miserable, and ready to return home.  Despite the latter of the two, I haven’t given up on a ride yet, despite how difficult it can be.    And I’m glad I’ve found a handful of people to ride with that I don’t slow down too much.  Because in comparison to about 99% of the people here, I am in fact, quite slow- no matter how much I am pedaling.  There is quite a range of ability here, some having even cycled for their colleges.  So since I got my bike about a month or two ago, I’m not quite keeping their pace, obviously.  We’ve been getting to our end location later than expected most days, but we rush to the showers, eat some dinner, hangout, sleep, and repeat.

We are currently on a much needed day off in Marianna, FL. (In their public library).  And while we’re still in my home state, I have seen some beautiful parts to it I would never have seen otherwise.  One thing I’m particularly enjoying is all the wild flowers, they are so beautiful.  Those combined with the shady trees make for some really nice scenery.  But one thing about Florida I was not anticipating was all of the hills we’ve encountered in the past few days.  Those were some rough patches that were thankfully overcome.

All in all, this is definitely a once in a lifetime experience, during the good, and the bad.  An experience that I wouldn’t be fortunate enough to have if it wasn’t for everyone’s help and support!  I’m hoping to get to update this more regularly, but Internet is incredibly hard to come by in these small towns we’re going through.  But until then I’ll be thinking of you all, send some thoughts of speed and safety my way!

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