Confluence, PA - Bedford, PA - Gettysburg, PA - Poolsville, MD

One of my only regrets from this trip is that I didn't document it in a much detail as I would have liked to. I suppose when I want to remember the specifics I can just refer back to Olivia's blog.

The rides going into Bedford and Gettysburg were some of the most climbing we had all trip- over 12,000 feet in 2 days. I took a nice spill about 5 miles out of Gettysburg on some train tracks (my own fault for not going over them at the proper angle). I was lucky to escape with only some funky looking scrapes a little gravel in my arm. The day off in Gettysburg was fun, spent most of the day in a tattoo shop with some fellow riders. 4 of us got cycling related tattoos. Mine is a bike with an infinity sign as the wheels on my ankle and I'm very pleased with it. The rest of the day was spent at a kickin all you can eat salad bar with Cara and Melanie. We stayed in the dorms at Gettysburg College which were kinda funky but a bed is a bed! Nice break fom camping.

Today we rode into our 12th state, Maryland. We only had 62 miles to travel so we made it with plenty of time to hang out at the community pool. We are camping on the lawn on the high school here, and 4 of us are stuffing into Nelle's tent to snuggle tonight! Our last dinner as a group was sad, I have really grown fond of each and every person on the trip. Tomorrow is the big day as we roll into DC and I know we're all crazy excited but it's gonna be sad parting ways. Lynn warned us that people have trouble adjusting back to their normal schedules, and I know I will be no exception. I am excited to get home and see everyone, but this trip has been so unbelievable. The Meyers family who held a brunch for us asked me to describe the trip in one word and I've been thinking a lot about it and I've come up with two. The first is unreal, because coming from someone who has never been so out of my comfort zone, I have also never been this satisfied. My bike is kind of just a place where I can let my mind zone out and enjoy the moment. We have all had those times of pure frustration where we think to ourselves that we never want to ride again, but those are few and far between and there are so many more moments of pure elation it makes all the moments of struggle worth it. The second word I would choose is freeing. I have never felt so free of stress and self-doubt. I love the constant movement we've experienced the past 7 weeks.

We have really become a team and it is so beautiful to watch people who are so completely different work together so well. I'm off to do some haircuts to pretty everyone up for the finish line tomorrow :)

Day 42: Washington, PA to Confluence, PA

We spent today climbing lots of hills for the first 20 miles and the next 70 on a lovely bike path that goes from Pittsburgh to D.C. We will only be on it for another 20 miles tomorrow then it's back to the roads. We are officially over 3000 miles into our journey! It doesn't feel like we've ridden that far. This morning when we woke up it was 48º. It got up to mid 60's today but this weather is NUTS for end of july. Tip for any future riders: don't send all your cold weather gear home. We are all wishing we hadn't. Whoops. Tonight Laura bought 2 rooms at a lovely bed and breakfast half a mile from the campsite and invited all the girls to stay (thank you Laura!!). The next two days are supposed to be difficult ones but only 4 more days of riding and 1 more rest day and then we're in DC!

Days 38-42

Sorry I'm awful at updating this. Service has been crappy and I'm usually wiped out by the time I crawl into my tent. We spent a few nights in Ohio (Sandusky, Burton, and New Waterford) and tonight we are in Washington, PA. I was not excited by Sandusky at all, with nothing really going on (except Cedar Point amusement park which I had no interest in) but I did have a wonderful deep tissue massage with Laura. On the ride out of Sandusky we got to ride along Lake Erie for most of the day which was absolutely gorgeous. We've seen some really beautiful sunrises this trip, and this week especially. The weather has been a bit chilly but I'm not complaining at all! We've only had about 3 days this whole trip in the 90's and this week has been mostly 70's. We also keep missing the rain. A lot of towns we go to, like the one last night for instance, they had like 18 days straight of rain. You would never know from the looks of it when we roll through though! Now that we're in PA we are done with the longer, flatter rides and have shorter days with a lot more climbing. It feels like we're back on the east coast. We entered into the heartland of fracking today and they are actually fracking below the campsite as I write. It breaks my heart to see such raping of the land with complete disregard to human well-being. The American Lung Association publicly speaks out against fracking because destroying the air quality is just one of the many externalities that people tend to disregard when they talk about how "wonderful" it is for the economy. I could go on all night, but if you're interested to learn about fracking you should check out the movie Gasland by Josh Fox. Tonight Cara and I are having a sleepover with Nelle in her tent cause it's huge and we're too lazy to set up our own. Tomorrow we head to Confluence, PA.

Day 35: Morris, IL to Valparaiso, IN & Day 36: Valparaiso, IN to Kendallville, IN

Yesterday we had an 85 mile ride into Indiana. We've only got 2 days in Indiana and that is plenty for me. The roads are awful! Yesterday was the first day I was just not really in the mood to be riding. We were up at 4, so I was tired and usually wake myself up by the time I reach the first checkpoint, but I was dragging all day. Laura was feeling the same so we took it easy and rode together. Chocolate milk has become the official drink of the trip, and as soon as I got my IV of choclate milk when I got in I felt much better. We stayed in dorms last night and I got a much needed wonderful nights sleep and felt totally refreshed for our big day today.

Today we rode 110 miles through cornfields and Amish country. We encountered a lot of folks riding their horse and buggys which is not something you see everyday. It's very interesting to me to see them, but also to observe how our group reacts to them. It's just that's it's so different than any of us live, so it's like they're a whole different species when really they're just people too. It got me thinkin about something we talked about in one of my human rights classes in terms of where the line is drawn between religion/culture and oppression. We were discussing it in the context of muslim women, but that could apply for Amish folks as well. Do they only follow all these rules because they feel that not doing so is not an option or do wach and every one of them truly believe in it and consciously choose to? I'm not Amish (obviously), so I don't know but I am curious. Tom and I rode together today and were talking about what kind of stuff we think about when we ride. We have like 6+ hours to let our minds wander everyday, so I'm curious what everyone else thinks of and have started asking people. My thoughts mostly consist of stuff like the Amish thing, and a whole lot of "what am I doing with my life?" hah! Another thing that I think about while riding through endless fields of corn is how funky it is that our food has turned into science experiments. One of the slogans on a lot of the corn marker signs is "serving with science". All the fields are named like XX13859-HPJ and I'm not sure where these mass food experimentations fit on a scale from bad ideas to really bad ideas. I have seen one organic farm this whole trip! Eek! Speaking of food, there was a bangin ice cream shop perfectly situated at mile 100 today. Just what we needed to make it the last 10 miles! And since we missed national ice cream day yesterday, we had to make up for it today.

We crossed into our third time zone today so we're back on normal time for me. Tonight we are staying at a campground and it's perfect camping weather!

Day 34: Belvidere, IL to Morris, IL

Another century ride closer to home! Well actually today I clocked 110.02 on my odometer by the time I made it to camp. It was the easiest and most enjoyable ride I've done over 100 miles. It was very flat and lots of farms and cornfields so I was able to zone out for most of the day. I zoned a little too hard at some points because I did miss 2 turns but realized I was going the wrong way pretty quickly. Cara and I rode together after the first rest stop and listened to some girl power music to help pass the time. It also helped that we had a slight wind at our backs to keep us movin fast. Illinois is a lot prettier than I expected. This morning we were riding through the farms at sunrise and maybe I'm just getting my period, but I was so overwhelmed by the beauty I just wanted to sit on the side of the road and cry haha! I didn't, and it wasn't any more beautiful than some of the other sights we've seen along the way, but I guess I'm appreciating them more since the trip will be wrapping up soon. We are camping on the lawn of a country club and had dinner in camp tonight. Team 2, my group, was responsible for preparing it. We had lots of different types of salad from Costco, as well as cold cuts and fresh corn on the cob that Lynn picked up from a farmstand today. This is the longest week of the trip in terms of miles that we will travel, but when I finished my ride today it was the first century ride I didn't just collapse into a nap. I actually felt like I could have gone more and kind of wanted to. We welcomed a new rider tonight who will be joining us for a week, Olivia's friend Ali. Tomorrow is only 80 miles, which compared to what we have been doing should be a breeze!

Day 41: Viroqua, WI to Madison, WI; Day 32: Rest Day; Day 33: Madison, WI to Belvidere, IL

We had a century ride going into Madison which was filled with gorgeous scenery and lots of hills and really friendly baby cows! It was a long day but there was a frozen yogurt place situated about 95 miles in so it was perfect. Madison was so freaking cool. Maybe because it's the first taste of a real city I've had in a while, but I think it's just an overall awesome place. It kind of reminded me of a more relaxed New York and a bit more of a college town. It seems to be a big party school, from what I heard there are about a third of the 45, 000 students involved in greek life. That has no appeal to me whatsoever, but there are a whole lot of activist-type co-ops which I find to be so fascinating. I was able to visit with Natalie, a friend from my high school who now attends UW Madison, and lives in a co-op and it was bangin. They have their own chickens and grow some of their own food (we planted some basil with her housemates while I was visiting) and are a very DIY bunch. One of her housemates is even making her own mattress out of alpaca fur and the fluffy part of wheat plants! So cool! There are over 30 people (little kids all the way up to adults) who live there and it just seems incredible. I love the idea of collective living- it's amazing how much more can get done when you have a group to split all the work up. That was definitely the highlight of my visit and got me thinking once again how I would love to live in a collective someday. I don't know of all that many in NYC though. Other than hangin at the co-op I went to a bike store, got some lunch with the riders, cut some more hair, and explored a little. They also took me swimming in the lake there, which was beautiful and I'm really glad they didn't tell me about all the big fish until the end of my stay. One day in Madison was certainly not enough. It really got me thinking how different my life could be if I left New York. Not that I plan to anytime soon, but there are a number of places I think I'd like to try living for a bit.

Today we left Madison for Belvidere, IL. Lots of rolling hills and cornfields and MORE ALPACAS!! There was a pen of them on the side of the road today and they were so sassy. We are staying at a campground tonight in the middle of the nothing that is Belvidere. Illinois is our 8th state and they have been flyin by recently! Tomorrow is a 109 mile ride eek! I can't believe we only have 2 weeks left til we arrive in D.C.!

Day 30: Winona, MN to Viroqua, WI

We are now in the 7th of the 12 states we will pass through on our cross country journey. Wisconsin was the state I was most excited for; I've heard a lot of good things about it from friends that came from or ended up living here. The ride today was only supposed to be 65 miles, but we had a reroute due to construction and I got some bonus miles when Tom, Luke, and I missed our turn and went a bit out of the way. In the end, it turned out to be around 80 miles total. It was our first really hot day of the trip- 95º and 95% humidity, eek! It was bearable though, and when you're moving on the bike at least there's a breeze. Our first rest stop was the home of the Meyers family, who as young girls started serving refreshments and baked goods to Big Riders when they came to their town and over a decade later are still hooking us up as we pass through! It was a delicious spread with tables set up on the lawn and photos and interviews of all the previous Big Riders. Thank you Meyers family! The next exciting thing was crossing the state line and the Misissippi River. We stopped at both points to get some pictures and enjoy the view and then carried on with our day. Once we crossed into Wisconsin it started to get a lot prettier and a lot more hilly. We had some of the steepest inclines we've encountered thus far today (about 11% grade). I am super excited to get to Madison tomorrow and meet up with a friend from high school and do some exploring on my day off!

Day 26: Tyler, MN to New Ulm, MN; Day 26: Rest Day; Day 28: New Ulm, MN to Owatonna, MN; Day 29: Owatonna, MN to Winona, MN

I've been falling behind with the blog again so I will try to recap the past few days tonight. Day 26 took us into New Ulm, MN and it was our sixth day of riding in a row. We were all feeling it in our muscles and were very appreciative of our rest day. I got a wonderful massage and a lot of the ladies spent the whole day at the spa, getting their nails done and the works! After my massage, I walked around and explored New Ulm a bit. It's a predominantly German population there which I wouldn't have expected, and although I'm not big on German food, I did manage to spend the remainder of my day digging around the two used bookstores in town. We stayed in dorms for the two nights in New Ulm, but were back to camping the next night. The ride to get to Owatonna was a little over 70 miles and for the first 50 I was right behind the biggest of the big dogs, Tim, who offered two hours of pull time through a headwind in exchange for his haircut, which I gladly accepted. Even though he had to do most of the work as we headed into the wind it was still a challenge for me to keep up because he averages 20+ mph. To my surprise I was able to stay on his tail until the wind shifted and hit us from the side. We got to camp around noon and set up our tents at the county fairground. I read and napped my afternoon away until it was time to eat. After dinner at the most incredible $10.99 Grand Buffet I have ever seen, I got to play hair salon again and we have 3 more riders lookin fabulous!

Today was a 90 mile ride to Winona, although it seemed to go pretty quick. We stopped along the way for some cool breaks. One was a coffeeshop with bangin smoothies at the 2000 mile mark (yes 2000 miles, I can't believe it either). It doesn't feel like we've gone that far! The next fun stop was to swim in a creek, something I've been itching to do this whole trip so when Nelle, John, and I saw one that looked decently clean we hopped on the opportunity! The water was probably about 50º but we were so hot it felt wonderful. That reminds me, once again I must say how lucky we have been with the weather. Maybe it's our positive vibes that are keeping the rain away, but we've been told a few times in the past days how places an hour away from our route have been hit with like 8" of rain in a day. Other than some little showers here and there, we haven't seen any of that (thankfully)! We are staying in some really fancy dorms tonight (the Ritz Carlton as Laura called it). Minnesota has been pretty cool, but so many freaking mosquitoes! Tomorrow we cross the Mississippi River and our next state border into Wisconsin. Bring us all the cheese curds!

Day 25: De Smet, SD to Tyler, MN

Hi there! Today was a 78 mile ride into our 6th state this trip. We had a fair amount of wind hitting us from the side and front which slowed us all down quite a bit. I didn't realize how tired my body was getting. It is our 5th day of riding in a row, and even though the past few days have been relatively short in comparison to others, it certainly takes a toll and slows you down after a while. Thankfully, we only have one more day of riding then a rest day in New Ulm. We are camping on the lawn of the high school here and it's pretty windy. Hoping my tent won't fly away with me in it during the night!

All this time on the bike has given me a whole lot of time to let my mind wander. Most of my time these days is spent thinking about racism and trying to somehow overcome the white supremacy that has been engrained in the minds of children so young, before we are even concious enough to realize it. I hope I don't sound like an asshole right now, because I know it's not something that can just be "solved", and as a white girl I can only understand the struggle to a certain extent, but I was told to write this blog like no one would be reading it so that's what I'm trying to do. With all the Trayvonn Martin stuff going on, getting a taste of the indigenous slaughtering that took place in some areas we have passed through, and seeing firsthand how some of my African American and Hispanic friends are treated by society on a daily basis it is truly appalling. I met Trayvonn's parents the week after the shooting at a rally in NYC and it breaks my heart. I think that getting out of the city for the summer has done me a whole lot of good and I've been able to clear a lot of things up for myself.

On a lighter note though, I also spend a lot of time thinking about things like how these little snakes we see have enough slime to slither across the road without gettin all scratched up. How do they do that?!

Day 24: Miller, SD to De Smet, SD

Somehow I've numbered the days wrong and I'm too lazy to go back and change them but today is day 24! Halfway through our 48 day ride, we also crossed our halfway point in terms of mileage today. We are now in De Smet, SD and 1700 miles into the trip. This town was home to the author of Little House on the Prarie which is apparently a big deal cause they have a museum and a ton of signs around, but I guess in a small town like this where not too much goes on that is their claim to fame so it's a big deal. I didn't go to the museum. I didn't read the books so I wasn't all that interested. The ride today was a 75 mile ride which got us into town around 12:30. I rode with Cara and Nelle today and we kinda futzed around and took our time. The ride was pretty, especially at sunrise again, but nothing too crazy to see. Lots of farmlands. We got in and had Dairy Queen and it was glorious. Not sure why there are none of those at home but it might be an issue because we have been hittin them up all along the route.

This morning at the first rest stop was the first time on the whole trip that all 14 of us have been at a rest stop at the same time so we took a group photo. Actually, like 14 because everyone wanted one, not realizing we could just as easily email them to one another. I realized though, standing there with the whole group, what a truly pleasant crowd it is and how lucky we are to all get along so well. I like to take my time getting to know people but I'm excited to call all these folks my friends. It really is a great bunch and I'm excited to see what the second half of the trip has in store for us!

Day 21: Kadoka, SD to Pierre, SD & Day 22: Pierre, SD to Miller, SD

Now that we are out of the mountains and have entered the plains, the weather (specifically the wind) can make our days wonderful or miserable. Luckily, the past two days we've had nice tailwinds helping to push us along. Yesterday was a 96 mile ride into the capitol of South Dakota- Pierre. The group had a combined 13 flats, none of which where mine, so I ended up riding alone until the last few miles when I got lost coming into town and was scooped up by Jeff, Tom, and Luke. I followed them to camp and there was a diner across the street so obviously we had to stop. The food was great, thankfully since it was the only restaurant around, and I ended up back there with another group for dinner. The naps after a century ride are the best naps I have ever taken. I lay down anywhere and pass out like a brick. It's wonderful.

Today we had a great pace going and got into Miller by 10:00, just in time for the breakfast specials at the restaurant in town. We had our first breakfast in the dark at 5:00 this morning and we were on the road by 5:30 before the sun was up. I am rarely ever up this early at home but it was beautiful to see the sunrise as we rode alongside these open South Dakota fields. Everyone told us this would be the most boring state but we're already about halfway through and everyday there has been new scenery to enjoy. We have lunch around 8:00 so we're not sure what to call our meal when we reach the destination. That doesn't stop us though. I always laugh because we can't make it through one meal without discusing our next. I spent the rest of my afternoon napping and giving haircuts to my fellow Big Riders. We are staying in the band room of the high school here which doubled as a salon today. After walking around trying to find a place that would serve us dinner before 5:30 since our bedtime was quickly approaching, we ended up back at the same place we ate this morning. I get to sleep in til 5:00 tomorrow but I think it's just about time to pass out.

Day 18: Gillette, WY to Newcastle, WY; Day 19: Newcastle, WY to Rapid City, SD; Day 20 (rest day); Day 21: Rapid City, SD to Kadoka, SD

My apologies for falling so behind with the blog. I have been so exhausted at the end of the days I usually just pass out. Last week after our 113 mile day everyone was pretty shot. Even though the other days were only 76 & 81 miles, we all seemed to be dragging a bit.

It was my first 4th of July spent in Wyoming, and probably my only I ever will. Wyoming was okay. The fireworks were cool. The town fireworks were done right over the coal refinery (really safe, eh?), and there were some little ones going off all around u. We stayed at the senior center and a bunch of folks from the town came there to watch the fireworks. Between those going and the trains whizzing by honking their horns all night, we had a very peaceful sleep.

After crossing another state border, the rest day in Rapid City was pretty cool. My parents flew all the way out from NY to hang out and spend the weekend in South Dakota. We went to Custer State Park where we saw a buffalo who came up to the road and marched alongside the cars for a bit. He was huge! I had been wishing I saw a buffalo when riding through the day before but after seeing the size of this guy I'm relieved I didn't. We also saw some wild goats who were really friendly until some dumb kid stood behind the mom and tried to play with her baby and she kicked him. He was okay so it was funny. We also went to check out Mt. Rushmore which I wasn't all that impressed with. Big rock faces, big whoop! Glad I saw it though as long as we were so close. Then we had dinner in town and I said goodbye when they dropped me off at the dorms. It was nice to see them and I can't believe they would fly all that way to spend a weekend with me!

Today we went through the badlands and it was awesome! It was a whole lot more exciting than I expected it to be. We stopped along the way and took pictures and went to the gift shop and visitors center, where we saw rocks that were 65 million years old which Laura thought might make a nice countertop. After a bit of rain this morning it cleared up, but in the afternoon we were hit with a nasty headwind. The last 20 miles we had 20 mph headwinds with gusts up to 30 mph. Jeff and I conquered the last leg together and made some cow friends along the way.

Also, shout out to Susan from Kadoka, the lady with 9 cats who works as a handyman and funeral singer and cleaning lady. She overheard a rider asking to buy a cake at the restaurant, and when they didn't have any she offered to run home and bake us one. Thanks to her we were able to have a little surprise birthday party for our director Lynn!

Day 17: Sheradon, WY to Gillette, WY

I passed out pretty quickly last night and forgot to add some things. First, and most exciting, we saw a wild bull! I had never met a bull before. I still have yet to get my close up picture with a cow, I'm thinking Wisconsin might be the place to do that. I am also hoping to see a buffalo before the trip is over. Also, we rode through an Indian reservation yesterday and it was incredibly depressing. I know there are a whole bunch of issues that the native american community is especially prone to like alcoholism and suicide, and for some reason stupidly thought that the reservation would be full of teepees and fun stuff like that but it was mostly liquor stores and casinos. On a happier note I bought some little portable speakers last night in Sheradon and they seem to be working pretty well.

Today was the longest ride of the Big Ride... 113 miles! It was the longest ride I had ever done in a day. It was also the most elevation in one day we have done so far- over 4600 feet of climbing. We stated with a 15 mile climb and that was the last of the climbs mentioned on the directions so I figured it would be flat from there on out. I'm very glad they didn't include on the cue sheet that the last 70 miles were hills because my motivation to crawl out of bed at 4 am would have been non-existant. It was those hills that always looks like you're at the last one until you get to the top and see another. In the days leading up to this ride I figured I would be miserable and counting down the miles til we reached town, but I actually started off in a great mood and it stayed with me for the whole day. I rode with Jeff Ericson most of the day and it worked out well because he said I pulled him along and I know there were points in the day I wanted to stop for a break but knowing he was blocking the wind and pulling me made me keep going. We averaged just about 17 mph and got into Gillette about 1:00 where we got a second lunch with Jeff Sloan, Tom, and Melanie. I made it 113 miles without falling off my bike then pulling out of the restaurant parking lot I didn't unclip my feet fast enough and tumbled over like a champ. A woman passing by told me it was very graceful, though! Tonight we are thankful to be staying in the air conditioned gym of the high school here. We definitely lucked out with the weather today; we were warned of previous years with temperatures over 100 or crazy headwinds, neither of which we faced. It's refreshing to know the longest ride is behind us.

As difficult as the days can be, I love this routine and having absolutely nothing to worry about other than chugging along on my bike all day and proving to myself that this is a doable journey. I'm not sure where we go tomorrow but I guess I will find out :)

Day 16: Hardin, MT to Sheradon, WY

It's only 8:00 but I am so ready to pass out. Today was a lovely 85 mile ride across another state border. There was a strong headwind so we practiced our paceline techniques which made it a whole lot faster and easier. At one point there was 9 of us all riding together, going about 19 mph when riding alone I was struggling along at 13 mph. We are now in Wyoming and from what I've seen so far I'm not sure why anyone would voluntarily live here. Tomorrow is the longest route of the whole trip- 112.3 miles. The alarm is set for 4:00 and we will be hitting the road earlier than usual to try and avoid the wind and heat later in the day. Sorry for keepin it short tonight but I need my beauty rest!

Day 15: Billings, MT to Hardin, MT

Yesterday was our third rest day and we were in Billings, MT. We stayed in the dorms at the University of Montana, which was only about a mile from downtown Billings. We got a delicious breakfast at a diner in the morning and all agreed that it was the best oatmeal we had ever had. We then walked around town and stopped at the grocery store to pick up our next meal because there is no such thing as too much food on the Big Ride. Turns out that with the exception of the grocery store, nothing is open at 8:00 on a Sunday morning in Billings so we headed back to the dorms for a few hours to nap and do laundry. Later in the afternoon we headed back downtown for a second lunch and to check out the Billings Art Museum. We heard about a symphony in the park happening that afternoon which we wanted to check out because there was also going to be a petting zoo. We were really hoping to see some more alpacas. As it turns out, this was not your average petting zoo. It is where you can go and touch the instruments before the concert so we were thoroughly disappointed. Once we got our Montana-made ice cream we only stayed for 2 songs before heading home. Two of the girls and I grabbed some dinner at a restaurant across the street from the dorms and then called it a night.

Today was a short 55 mile ride to Hardin. We were on the road by 6:15 and I rode with the boys (the big dogs as they're called). Or tried to keep up I should say, they lost me for a while but I caught up at the rest stops and we rode the last leg into town together. There was a pretty nice climb out of Billings which didn't really phase me as much as it would have in the beginning. I feel myself getting stronger. Even the most miserable of hills are worth it though, some of the downhills have such absolutely breathtaking views it reminds me why I love cycling. We made it in by 10:00 and stopped for 2 more breakfasts in town then proceeded to the campground. After setting up my tent, I spent the day sitting by the pool and breezing through my book. We've lucked out with the weather recently and it looks like the rest of the week is supposed to be nice as well! Tonight after another fabulous meal by Beyond Basil, Nelle's mom (a previous Big Rider) drove us to see Little Big Horn Battlefield. It was pretty cool, we saw the museum and drove around the grounds.

I hit the 1000 mile mark this afternoon! It's been a beautiful few days in Montana and crazy to think that we've gone so far in only 2 weeks. Tomorrow we cross into Wyoming!

Day 13: Harlowton, MT to Billings, MT

Today was a 91 mile ride through the high plains of Montana. I spent the morning riding with Cara and we were speeding through the route with a tailwind at our backs and were able to hit the lunch checkpoint by 9:00. A fellow cross country rider crossed our path and joined the group for lunch. He was heading from DC to San Francisco all by himself. After lunch I got my third flat of the trip about 60 miles into the day. I stopped to change my tube and was rescued by Jeff, Melanie, and Olivia who had already done their share of changing tires earlier in the day. Jeff had two, Olivia had two, they stopped to help me, and we caught up with Cara a little down the road and helped her change her two flats as well. So between the five of us we had seven flats today. Anyone who tells you those gatorshell tires are bombproof has never biked in Montana. We finally made it to Billings around 2:00 after fighting the heat and headwinds which we encountered in the afternoon. We are staying in the dorms at the University of Montana tonight and tomorrow.

I was hoping this trip would be all the adventure I need to hold me over for a while, but that doesn't seem to be the case. It's been so great that I am already thinking about the future journies I want to take. And Jack Kerouac is not helping to quell my quest for adventure, either. I really can't express how wonderful it has been to get out of my usual surroundings and routine lifestyle and dive into something like this. I decided I'm not really afraid of anything anymore. After years of holding myself back from doing a lot of things I wish I had, I'm realizing that the possibilities are really endless when you stop letting fear dictate your life! Tomorrow we have a day off and although some of the Big Riders head to do crossfit to work out on our days off my plan is to eat and sleep and try and get myself some bike speakers.

Day 12: Townsend, MT to Harlowton, MT

I am 101 miles and 2 flat tires closer to the east coast! It was bound to happen eventually and to be honest I'm surprised I was able to escape getting a flat all throughout my training and the Big Ride up until this point. I discovered the first when pumping up my tires this morning at camp which was a rather convenient time to find it. I had a feeling it had something to do with the patch of wet cement I accidently rolled through yestersay to avoid being splatted by a logging truck (my apologies to the very angry pavement guys, whoops).

The ride today started with a 25 mile climb through Helena National Forest then the rest of the day was nice rolling hills. With the tailwind helping us along after lunch Laura, Cara, and I were averaging about 22 mph for a good 40 miles or so. I got my second flat about 10 miles from the end, and Tom, the trip mechanic, came to the rescue with another spare tube since I had already used the one I was carrying earlier in the day. It was a gorgeous ride and one of the most open landscapes I have ever seen. You can look for miles and it's just plains and hills and road. It reminds you how small you are in the scope of this massive world.

Day 10: Missoula, MT to Avon, MT & Day 11: Avon, MT to Townsend, MT

Day 9 was a rest day in Missoula and I had a lovely day! Walked around the town a bit and ended up stumbling across the Missoula Art Museum which we decided to check out since it was free. I wasn't expecting much because I wasn't sure what kind of art is produced in the middle of Montana but I was blown away! One of the exhibits was a really criticial political collection and probably cooler than any I've seen in NYC. It was by a local guy and was all about the corporate statehood and about what a load of poop it is enslaving yourself with massive amounts of debt to attend art school. The other exhibit was old photographs that were embroidered with quotes from famous authors which was also pretty neat. Then we stopped at the office for adventure cycling, a nonprofit that promotes traveling by bike and produces a lot of the cross country bike routes. We got a tour and they put our picture up on the wall as they do for all the cross-country travelers who pass through. They had some bikes hanging up that had gone crazy distances, one of them traveled the entire length of the African continent (through the Sahara and everything)! We met a fellow traveler who was moving back east and decided to ship her stuff and ride her bike back all alone. Admirable, but I don't think I could do that by myself! I really hope this isn't the last of my long distance biking though, I think it's such a wonderful mode of (free) transportation. After that we headed to an event for the American Lung Association at a local bike shop where some riders and senators talked about the importance of clean air. We finished the day off with dinner at a wonderful Italian restaurant as a group before heading back to the dorms to sleep off our food comas.

Day 10 was a century ride from Missoula to Avon. It was a long day but an enjoyable ride since the 50% chance of thunderstorms didn't end up happening. We climbed about 5000 feet yesterday in preparation for the Continental Divide. We stayed at a Mormon summer camp with delicious food (lots of pie) and pretty nice acomodations. We've been spoiled so far this trip! We haven't had to camp as much as I thought we would and most of our meals have been prepared by the places we stay. I am trying to enjoy it while it lasts because I'm sure soon we'll be sleeping outside and cooking for ourselves. Avon didn't really have much of anything going on except some houses, a cafe, and lots of "don't try meth not even once" signs.

Today was an easy 60 mile day from Avon to Townsend. It's nuts that 60 miles used to be a long day trip for me but now it's nothing and we're settled in camp by early afternoon. We passed over the Continental Divide this morning about 10 miles into the route. The last bit of the climb up was not as bad as I had imagined and the 12 mile downhill that followed was definitely one of the highlights of my trip so far. Partially because it's like "holy crap I just biked over the Continental Divide" which sounds a lot scarier than it actually is, and also because the view was incredible and we were able to get some serious speed (I got up to 40 mph before I started freaking out that I was going too fast). We are camping on the luxuorious football field at the high school in Townsend tonight and it's perfect camping weather. The next 2 days are century rides so the rest day in Billings will be a day of doing as much nothing as possible.

Day 7: Sandpoint to Thompson Falls & Day 8: Thompson Falls to Missoula

It's been an exhausting two days! Yesterday all the riders agree it was a tough ride- only 88 miles but lots of hills and a bit of a headwind. We crossed into Montana and also switched time zones which made all the phones freak out. It was a difficult but beautiful ride along the water. I had no idea Idaho was so pretty! We stayed at a high school last night where we had the option of sleeping on the gym floor or setting up tents on the lawn. Most of the girls went into the gym while the guys tried to be tough and stick it out in the tents... until the sprinklers came on in the night and everyone ended up inside. A lot of people have been having knee pain which I have luckily escaped thus far, but with a little ice and some minor bike adjustments many seem to be doing a lot better.

Today I clocked 105 miles on my bike computer and it was the longest ride we've had so far. I had done a few century rides on Long Island but they were all totally flat and even though there were only a few sections of climbing today, they were enough to wear me out. We stopped for lunch on a turnoff from state road 200 with a beautiful view of the Rockies. The weather held up for most of the day with the exception of some showers in the morning and late afternoon. I spent most of my day riding with a fellow rider Laura and we saw some lovely wildlife- mostly horses and cows. We also encountered a herd of sheep which turned out to be pretty funny because I think they were afraid of Laura's Boston accent and the whole herd of them scrambled the other direction and started bugging out and baa-ing at us as we rode by chatting. The most exciting animal I've seen so far, other than the alpacas of course, was a bald eagle that was hanging out along the route on the way to Thompson Falls.

Yesterday I began my second book of the trip- Jack Kerouac's "On the Road". I can't think of a better time to read it than when I myself am on the road. Besides the fact that he is a brilliant writer, I'm facsinted by the search for freedom he describes. I think that freedom is a really subjective concept. I also think no cost traveling is the best kind, whether it be by bike as I am experiencing or hitchhiking around as he discusses or hopping trains or anything else. It's especially great timing to introduce Kerouac into my life because he mentions his time in Missoula in the first portion of the book and today on the way into town I saw some folks trying to hitch rides and it really got me thinking. One of them could be the next Kerouac for all we know! I haven't been this excited about a book in a really long time so I just needed to share.

Day 6: Spokane to Sandpoint

Yesterday was our day off in Spokane. I wasn't really a fan of the city itself (not very bike friendly), although I enjoyed my day of rest. After breakfast we went to REI to pick up some little last minute things before we hit the road again. Lynn told us that when she did the Big Ride on all of her rest days she went for a massage. I had never had one before and we found a place that agreed to give us a discount so I gave it a shot and it was absolutely wonderful. I felt totally restored and it made riding today even more enjoyable so I think I might have to do that again sometime.

Today was an exciting day for a number of reasons. For starters, we crossed our first state border! We left Washington and are now in Idaho. More importantly though, two other riders and I stopped at an alpaca farm this afternoon. We saw a sign and followed the driveway to find a house with a woman who bred alpacas. She let us go in the pen with them and we even got to hold a three week old baby! I had never met an alpaca before so it was pretty cool. We had a 78 mile ride with chilly but nice weather and beautiful scenery. It was much more pleasant riding conditions than the rain and 39º we encountered on Thursday. At our lunch stop there was a rodeo parade going on so we hung around a little longer than usual to watch that and got candy hurled at our face by the people in the parade.

I'm thinking about investing in some bike speakers so if anyone has any suggestions they would be helpful. I've started playing music from my phone a bit but it really wastes the battery so I'm thinking about getting some speakers to play the ipod. Speaking of which, shout out to Allie's cousin Aubrey for lending me her old ipod since mine died in the fire! I really appreciate it.

Idaho is beautiful and I'm a little dissappointed we only have one night here. We rode into town for dinner and did a little exploring around and Sandpoint is a really cute town. There is a beach here and you look beyond the water and see the mountains and it's unlike anything I've ever seen. Tonight we are camping on the lawn of a health club who was kind enough to let us use all of their facilities, including the hot tub and massage bed. I have breakfast duty in the morning which means I need to be packed up and ready to go by 5:45 so it's going to be an early night. Also, keep an eye out cause something cool is happening with the moon tonight (some kind of eclipse or something).

Day 4: Odessa to Spokane

Odessa only gets about 10 inches of rain per year, but in the (less than) 24 hours we were there they got 2 1/2. In all fairness, we didn't get any rain in Seattle where it always rains so I guess it all evens out. Today was rainy again and significantly colder. The group learned after yesterday to bring more layers than you think you need and it came in handy today. We stopped at the first check point and all hopped in the van with Lynn, one of the coordinators, to warm up and add a layer of garbage bags to our bike gear since it was cold enough to potentially get hypothermia. They actually keep you surprisingly warm. It was a 77 mile ride, but it's amazing how much faster you ride when you want to escape the nasty weather. On nice days I average about 13-14 mph but today we were bookin it and that number was closer to 18. It also helped that we had a bit of a tailwind this morning.

As nice as it is to be visiting all these small towns, I'm definitely more of a city person so it's cool to be in Spokane where there is civilization and things to do. We have the day off tomorrow which my legs are very happy about. We will be staying in some dorms tonight and tomorrow (with real beds!) so it should be swell. I can't believe that we've already traveled over 325 miles.

I think I'm over the initial shock of how difficult this trip is going to be. I also feel like I'm getting physically stronger so I guess that helps too. Anyway, I'm having a wonderful time so far and I'm excited to see what the rest of the country has to offer. I'm off to have dinner #1 with some fellow riders

Day 3: Vantage to Odessa

83 miles in the rain is not as miserable as it sounds! We had about an hour of riding before the rain began, but it lasted the rest of the day. It was a lot of rolling hills and in total we climbed about 4,000 feet today, although I find them much more bearable than the ups and downs we've encountered thus far. Some of the best advice I've gotten is from my bike club back in NYC: don't look more than three feet in front of you on the hills. It makes it go by a lot faster and easier. I rode with Cara, one of my fellow big riders, for majority of the day and it is so much better riding with other people than riding alone. We are staying in the high school gym tonight so we didn't have to set up tents, which left more time for hangin out and eating! We walked to town for first dinner, then came back and had a second dinner in the school cafeteria here. After dinner Charlton, one of the ride leaders, gave us a class on some cycling mistakes he's been seeing, how to improve our skills, and tips for dealing with nasty weather. Tomorrow is a 77 mile ride to Spokane then we have a day of rest.

Day 2: Easton to Vantage

Today our journey took us to Vantage, WA. We were told by riders from previous years that it was one of the most beautiful rides of the whole trip. I'm not sure what the rest of the ride looks like but there were some truly breathtaking views this morning. It started with green, mountainous scenery then we moved onto the other side of the mountains which were more dry and open. There were no crazy inclines like we hit yesterday, although there was one stretch that was 15 miles uphill. However, what goes up must come down and the last 10 of the 72 miles were almost effortless. I'm definitely more of a fan of the downhill part. We stopped for a bathroom break at the Petrified Forest and it's amazing to stand on some of these roads next to fields that continue beyond the horizon and listen and hear nothing at all. It's quite a change from New York City.

As someone who enjoys eating way too much, this is the ideal trip. The American Lung Association CEO told us at our starting ceremony yesterday that as a group of 14 we will consume 2 million calories by the time we reach DC, and I am well on my way. Teams of riders prepare the meals for the group, and we also have a granola bar company sponsoring us so food is plentiful!

It's been fun to see all the little towns along the route. We went through a town this morning with a population of 500, which to me seems pretty tiny. Vantage is also a small town- so small that the town dump is one of the main attractions in the tourist brochure. We are all set up at the campsite and it's only 7 but I'm about ready to pass out. I could get used to this whole eat, bike, eat, bike, eat, eat more, sleep routine we have going on. It is so nice to leave my normal life behind and have nothing else to worry about for the next seven weeks.

Day 1: Seattle to Easton

Well today was the first day of the Big Ride Across America! It's the day I've been waiting for since I signed up in November. I have been traveling around the west coast with a friend for about two weeks, visiting some of her family members who were gracious enough to let us stay with them for a few days in Three Rivers, CA and here in Seattle, WA as well (thank you!!). After a bit of a bad luck streak missing a connecting flight from Salt Lake City to Seattle because we were sitting at the gate too busy talking to notice our flight boarded and left without us, as well as a fire our first day in Three Rivers that burned all of our stuff, it seems my luck has turned around! A big thank you to Garick at Speedy Reedy bike shop in Seattle for putting my bike together and also directing me to where I would be able to replace all my bike gear. I'd also like to mention Danny at Gregg's Cycles in Seattle who took his time and stayed late to help me replace all my gear that was lost. So if you are a cyclist and live in the Seattle area I would highly recommend these shops. Thankfully I was able to scramble all my things together just in time for the ride.

Yesterday was the orientation where we were told how our days would go and also went over some precautionary safety stuff. Once I met my lovely fellow riders and got the run down of how the trip was going to go it calmed any nerves I had built up. Leading up to the trip I kind of figured I would be so anxious I would want to poop myself the night before,, but I layed down last night more excited than anything.

We woke up bright and early this morning for breakfast at the dorms then had a sending off ceremony with some people from the American Lung Association. Our 94 mile ride today took us from Seattle to Easton, mostly along I-90 and some bike paths. It started at sea level and we are currently at 3500 feet, although I think it's safe to say we climbed a lot more than that because we had some pretty sweet downhills throughout the day. We went over the cascade mountains and that was quite a climb. I was glad to have a big ride alumni riding alongside to chat and pass the time as we made our way up the mountain. It's only the first day and I think it's safe to say that I have never done anything nearly this challenging in my life. I think I understand what people mean when they talk about giving something 110%: when your legs are so tired they feel as if they're about to buckle but you still have 20 miles to go and there is no stopping. That being said, I believe that all good things require a bit of struggle. I think the part of this experience that I'm the most psyched for is the fact that we don't have to ride the same road or stay in the same place for the next 7 weeks. And that I have a stack of wonderful books waiting to be read. I've been craving adventure and wanting to see the country so I think this is exactly what I need. Next stop, Vantage, WA!

Welcome to my blog!

Hello friends! Everyone I've spoken with about my Big Ride Across America has asked if I have a blog, so I figured since the Big Ride is just around the corner I should start one. For those of you who don't know, I will be riding my bicycle 3,300 miles from Seattle, WA to Washington, D.C. with the American Lung Association. The trip will take 7 weeks and I could not think of a better way to spend my summer!

I am a student at Hunter College, studying Human Rights and Urban Studies and living in NYC. When I signed up for the ride, it was kind of out of impulse, because I knew if I thought about it too much I would chicken out... but I signed up and I'm very glad I did. Training has been quite enjoyable thus far, especially now that I have a wonderful new bike and the warm weather on my side. I joined the New York Cycle Club and have been riding a lot with them, as well as on my own. Although Manhattan is not the ideal place to train for a cross country bike ride, I've been riding around New Jersey and Long Island quite a bit. I did my first century ride (100 miles) yesterday and I'm still standing so there is hope :)

I am really excited to be riding with the American Lung Association for a number of reasons. First, because they not only provide individuals with the resources to fight for their own personal health, but they are working tirelessly to protect the health of humanity as a whole by publicly speaking out against harmful practices that pollute our precious air like fracking. I believe that clean air is a right, not a privilege. Also, I am honored to be riding with them because my grandfather passed away from lung cancer in 1999, so this is a cause that is very close to my heart.

My goal is to raise $6500 for the American Lung Association and as of right now, I have a little over $1000 left to go. If you would like to donate to my Big Ride Across America, you can do so here: http://action.lung.org/site/TR/Bike/ALAMP_Mountain_Pacific?px=5054311&pg=personal&fr_id=6630

Thank you all so much for your support. I have been blown away by the generosity from friends, family, and even perfect strangers who have contributed and encouraged me.

Although I don't have all that much to report right now, once I am on the road I hope to be posting updates everyday so be sure to keep checking back :)