Category: Friends

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Day 1 in Ethiopia

Harya and her dad meet me with smiling faces after I make it through the visa, immigration, and customs lines at the Addis Ababa Airport.  We exchange hugs and handshakes before piling into their 1950’s classic, white VW Bug.  This is my first opportunity to meet both of Harya’s parents and her aunt, and everyone is so warm and welcoming.  Almost immediately after entering their home, I am greeted with a strong cup of delicious Ethiopian coffee.  Given both my tired state and my love of coffee, I can’t imagine a better start to the day.

After a restful morning and an Ethiopian breakfast, Hileena, another Stanford friend of Harya and mine, comes and picks us up.  We take a driving tour of Addis, eat an Ethiopian lunch at Zola, intersperse coffee stops throughout the day to make sure that my energy stays up and my body stays caffeinated, and we slowly collect more of Hileena’s and Harya’s friends.  The afternoon includes ice cream and a couple beers at a very local pub where good-tasting local beers are the equivalent of only $0.50.  In the evening, the whole crew grabs dinner at a Turkish restaurant followed by a nightcap at a bar called the Black Rose.

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One very memorable adventure today occurs on our way to dinner.  As Hileena’s car climbs a rather steep hill to find a restaurant with a view, the passengers eventually file out as to allow the car every opportunity to be able to make it to the top.  Unfortunately, the car stalls and does not want to start its engine once more.  The road is dark and people of all ages and sizes start coming towards the car to investigate the scene.  Some of these approaching individuals definitely feel a little shadier than others.  Soon cars are arriving from different directions that need to pass us, and in order to allow them to do so, we end up pushing the car to the side of the road.  We all then pile back into the car and close the windows so that we can discuss a strategy without having to listen to the advice of our developing audience.  We decide that the restaurant on top of the hill isn’t worth the climb, and that we will try to start the car by gently pushing it back the down the hill.  We are rewarded with the engine starting.  We get back into the car, and continue onwards to a different restaurant.

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Nine hours in London

The trip starts with a stressful layover in Newark, NJ that included waiting for a 3-hour delayed flight, a thunder storm, circling above our destination, landing at the wrong airport in Hartford CT, and then finally getting lucky because my connecting flight in Newark was delayed enough to allow my first flight time to take off again and get there.  After the redeye to London Heathrow, even though it is delayed by several hours, I am excited to exit the airport for some fresh drizzly air, some non-airport food, and a little touring around with my good friend Nabihah.

It is almost too convenient to take the Tube into London, where I first get off at South Kensington to meet Nabihah for lunch at a pub where I consume some local cuisine of fish and chips, a beer, and a coffee.  Following “lunch” (the quotations are there because my body is a little confused what meal I should be eating at the moment, but the clock shows a late lunch), we walk around and find some delectable cookies to take with us on the Tube to our next destination, Big Ben.  We walk all around Big Ben and proceed towards Buckingham Palace, because no trip to England is complete without seeing at least one soldier with a black fuzzy hat.  Finally, before we part this great afternoon together, in true English style, we stop at a fancy afternoon tea spot and enjoy some hot tea and scones (scones is pronounced with a soft “o” in London).

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Although only in town for a couple short hours, Nabihah showed me around her hometown of London all the while pointing out spots from her childhood memories.  I am now ready for my second redeye in less than 24 hours as I head onwards to Ethiopia to visit my great college friend, Harya.

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Week 6 – Bike & Build

7/21 – 7/23: Joplin, MO
Mileage: 80
Host: Byers Avenue United Methodist Church

The sweepstakes for today’s ride is to make a music video, and Kristin, Ella V, Amanda, and I do just that. We pick up a couple cliché songs to sing and we film scenes as the day progresses.

Another big topic of debate today is determining the type of farm animal mounted on a roadside roof. We are certain that it is male; however, its exact species is quite questionable. The debate is never settled despite quality photographic evidence.

We then get to enjoy two quality build days in the great town of Joplin, which provides us with one of the best rooftop bars we encounter the entire trip to date. Also, at the Habitat build sites in Joplin we have the pleasure and the privilege of meeting Matt McGee, the Christian music all-star. Thanks to our previous build site, we are armed with posters and pictures with which to tease McGee.

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7/24: Vinita, OK
Mileage: 61
Host: Vinita First United Methodist Church

Van day. I am at lunch all day to the point where it feels like I have at least three lunches. Some of our riders label this day as the “Best Day Ever” because the pace is slow, the stops are plentiful, and the lunch stop is awesome. The last group of riders to pass through lunch bust out the guitar and we start singing Christmas songs because Christmas in July is coming soon.

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7/25 – 7/26: Tulsa, OK
Mileage: 66
Host: First Presbyterian Church – The Powerhouse

On the ride into Tulsa, we cross the halfway mark for the trip. Sam and Kristin chalk the area full of our names and celebratory messages for making it this far. Funnily, they actually chalk the wrong area because they slightly misread the day’s cue sheet. Nonetheless, it is still close to the right spot and we celebrate over the markings with dance, song, and general merriment.

Fortunately and unfortunately, our build day in Tulsa is cancelled. This gives us a day off to explore the city and rest. There was some rain (as this was the reason for the build’s cancellation), but we have a great time regardless. On our second evening in Tulsa, we celebrate Christmas in July with a gift exchange, cake, and a burning fire projected on the wall.

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7/27: Chandler, OK
Mileage: 69
Host: First United Methodist Church, 122 W 10th Street

This day was full of fun stops from whether those be saving turtles, eating a second brunch at a train-themed diner, stopping at a restaurant that inspired characters in Pixar’s Cars, or just generally enjoying the atmosphere that surrounds Route 66. The day is then made complete when the evening’s entertainment includes a local Chandler Rodeo complete with kids chasing goats, bull riding, and all sorts of horse-riding competitions. Overall, this is a fun Oklahoma day.

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Week 5 – Bike & Build

7/14: Salem, IL
Mileage: 61
Host: Grace United Methodist Church, 116 E Schwartz

The road to Salem is relatively short and flat, and we take full advantage. We lounge at every stop, nap under many a tree, and get to our host site early enough to enjoy some personal time or some time at a great nearby swimming pool.

During one of my several naps today, a local bicyclists passes by and stops to learn about what we are doing and where we are going. We learn that this young man, probably in his mid-thirties, also traversed America via bicycle going from west to east along a more southern route. His experience, however, was drastically different from ours because he chose to go it alone. So much of our trip is dictated by the people we are surrounding ourselves with, and as a result, I could not image trying to bicycle close to 4000 miles all by myself. As an aside, he also had to carry all his gear with him, and I am also very happy for our sag wagon carrying all of our things.

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7/15 – 7/16: St. Louis, MO
Mileage: 82
Host: University of Missouri, St. Louis

Despite it being a long ride, incredibly hot and humid, my body behaves itself and I feel okay. At each gas station, I would refill my bladder in my camelback with very cold ice water that would make me feel like it wasn’t so miserable outside. Riding through East St. Louis is also a bit of an adventure. Several of us at different points are talked to my local police asking what we are doing in this area and if we know where we are. As it becomes apparent, East St. Louis is not the safest of areas and stopping for a break or water whilst riding through is not a good option.

I know that I am feeling a little better when I arrive in the first riding group to get to the host site. Then to add to that feeling, my scab from the divot in the side of my thigh naturally falls off during my afternoon shower. It is easy to say that things are looking up.

The build day is also of note because we get to put up walls. There is something very gratifying about being able to erect a wall. What used to be a platform quickly starts to take on the shape of a home, progress is easily measured as each wall is pushed up, and lots of hands are needed throughout the process of preparing, lifting, and then securing said walls.

Throughout our time in St. Louis we get to explore the city. We check out the restaurants and bars around Washington University, and we do the obligatory journey to the base of the St. Louis Gateway Arch, which surprisingly was even more impressive than I had expected.

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7/17: Belle, MO
Mileage: 100
Host: Belle High School, 504 West Third St

The day again is quite toasty outside, but this weather has become the rule and no longer the exception. And not only is it hot, but the humidity feels like we are sitting in a recently finished dryer cycle just waiting for someone to come and open up the dryer door and collect us so that we can breathe again.

That said, today I can’t really complain because my escape from this oppressive weather was inside the van. It is one of my van days. I still wish that I am out there riding with everyone in solidarity, enjoying the sites, smells, and feel of the road, but occasionally as I feel the A/C on my face, I recognize the advantage of riding the van. I have some company as well. Alex, who has been riding in the van since her injury a little while back, is very helpful when it comes to coordinating the day for the riders.

We arrive in Belle, MO just at the tail end of a parade, put together a dinner from donations from a couple pizza places, a sandwich place, and fruit and veggies from Walmart, take showers that only come in the temperature of scolding hot, and then break for the night. Some venture over to a town fair that features very competitive events such as tractor pulling, and some just fall asleep from the exhaustion of the day.

7/18: Lake Ozark, MO
Mileage: 87
Host: Faithbridge Church, Osage Beach, MO

Again, to no one’s surprise it is another hot and muggy day. I ride with Kaitlin and Sarah, and we dance our way through the day. Dancing is not meant figuratively to depict the fervor in which we ride, but it is in fact intended to mean that we take many a break to dance.

Another highlight of the day is stopping at a town called Meta, MO for lunch where we found a very reasonably priced diner and probably ate too heavily given the day to come. Nonetheless, we enjoyed ourselves and still survived the afternoon even if with a couple extra GI exclamations.

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7/19 – 7/20: Springfield, MO
Mileage: 95
Host: South Street Christian Church

This day had all the makings of an awful, challenging day. I was riding sweep, which meant that me and another rider had to be the last two riders of the pack. The temperature was in the 90’s with at least 90% humidity. The ride was close to 100 miles. And it was our third such bicycling day in a row meaning that many of us are wearing down a little. Having to remain in the back of the pack as the group and their bicycles begin to get a little tired might not always be preferable. That said, Kaitlin (the other sweep rider) and I had an awesome day and probably one of my more memorable rides of the trip.

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Week 4 – Bike & Build

7/9 – 7/10: Yellow Springs, OH
Mileage: 55
Host: Antioch College

My body gets rocked today starting at 2am and not in the same physical way that the bicycling and building had been doing previously. I must have eaten something that I shouldn’t have and as a result I am making panicked trips to the bathroom throughout the night and then returning to my sleeping bag pale and in a sweat. I repeat this a few too many times.

Understandably, I am in no condition to ride let alone be awake. I spend most of the day asleep in one of the vans many open rows. I wake up for a brief time during lunch where I consume several sips of Gatorade before returning to my slumber. We arrive in Antioch college, I force myself to eat some very bland food, and then after a quick Bike & Build presentation and a small scoop of ice cream, I proceed to sleep for close to twelve hours and wake up the next day considerably stronger.

Although still not 100% as my body is still thoroughly dehydrated and seemingly exhausted, I am able to participate in the build day. We move a shed, paint a house, and weather seal another. In addition, we get a tour of a passive house, which I learn is a house that is incredibly insulated and therefore requires very little energy. The walls are thick, the water heater cooperates with the dryer so that they can exchange energy in an efficient way, and all of the appliances use very little electricity. Interestingly, this kind of house is still not really economically feasible because in order to make it an economic investment, the house will need to be lived in for upwards of over fifty years, which is not always achievable.

For a quick GI update, I am not eating normal foods and replenishing my water supply; therefore, I’m excited that I should be able to ride the next day.

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7/11: Rushville, IN
Mileage: 101
Host: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 426 N Morgan St

A lot happens today on the road, especially given that we are on the road for over 100 miles, but what I will remember most from this day is that one of the riders, Alex, gets into a very scary accident with another cyclist. She ends up hitting her helmeted head against the pavement and suffers a concussion. In addition, her acromioclavicular ligament is hurt, which if more serious could have prevented her from riding the rest of the trip (luckily, this is not the case). Frighteningly, Alex alsohas a posttraumatic seizure just after hitting the ground, and although I am not on the scene to witness it, just hearing the story third-hand is enough to send shivers throughout my body. Alex spends the night in the hospital with a couple other riders and seems to be handing everything as well as possible.

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7/12: Bloomington, IN
Mileage: 86
Host: Sherwood Oaks Christian Church

Today is a very long van day for me totaling about 370 miles—a longer distance than traveling from the San Francisco Bay Area down to my folks place near Los Angeles. The miles added up as follows: I drove to the lunch spot around mile 45 where I leave the trailer so that riders can help themselves to the coolers and prepare themselves lunch from our leftovers. I then back track and drive the 100 miles from the day prior because Alex was at a hospital near our host in Yellow Springs, OH. We all wait a little while at the Greene Memorial Hospital in Xenia, OH because the orthopedic surgeon still needs to clear Alex to ride (even if after a couple weeks of rest). Together, we drive back to the lunch spot to reattach the trailer to the van and then complete the day’s route all the way to Bloomington, Indiana.

Upon arriving at the Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, I was very ready for a little food and a beer, and as luck would have it, a handful of riders are heading out to the Upland Brewery in town. The church is nice to give us a brief tour of the beautiful town before dropping us off at the brewery where I end my day with a delicious bowl of chili and a couple beers.

Although Alex will not be riding for at least a week, things seem a little more normal now. The whole group is back together after having been separated for a night—this rarely happens on this trip, and usually we end up even sleeping in the same room all together. I’m excited to get back on my bicycle tomorrow.

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7/13: Sumner, IL
Mileage: 95
Host: Sumner United Methodist Church

Today is a long day but a good day. I find a town named after my alma mater, and seeing how I bleed cardinal, I had no choice but to stop and take a couple selfies of me and the relevant signs. Later we find a pool around half way where we cool off and take a much needed break on this incredibly hot and humid day. It might have reached close to 100 degrees with no lack of humidity.

Also of note today is that we cross our first time zone as we leave Indiana and enter Illinois. State boundaries are always exciting, but couple them with a time change and it is almost too much excitement with which to contend. In short, our day was broken up with fun intermediate stops such as the pool and the state boundary, and this made the 95 miles seem much shorter.

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Bike & Build does laundry

Living on the road, although very far from real life, still comes with its challenges and its chores. The group is divided into five different rotating chore groups to tackle exactly these. There is an overnight crew to make sure we aren’t forgetting anything at our hosts. The cooler crew packs and unpacks the coolers each day in the host’s refrigerators and cleans the dishes from lunch. The dinner and presentation crew cleans up (and sometimes prepares) dinner as well as presents to the host about what Bike & Build is all about. The trailer and van crew packs the trailer each morning bright and early, and is also responsible for keeping our lovely van clean. And lastly, the breakfast and laundry crew puts out and cleans up breakfast as well as performs the laundry ritual, which is scheduled for every third day.

The way laundry crew performs their task is a window into how much of our trip across the country operates. First, there is a strict schedule in that it is every third day. Given that we are all allowed a 4500 cubic inch duffle bag or backpack, which must also fit our sleeping bags and air mattresses, packing lots of clothes is impossible and frequent laundry is necessary. In addition, riding with dirty spandex can not only smell really bad but can also lead to all sorts of spreadable and disgusting bacterial growth. Thus, laundry is always done on extra hot! We tell riders if they have delicate clothes, they should probably just go ahead and ship those home. There will be no special batches of laundry.

Our laundry ritual starts in the late afternoon after we shower, and the laundry crew sets our a giant tarp on the ground and sends out mass text messages to get our clothes out there as soon as possible. We all tie up our clothes using a laundry loop to keep the chaos to a manageable level, and then we throw our laundry “clumps” upon the heap of smelly clothes. The laundry tarp is then carefully wrapped burrito-style so that no clothes can leak out on its journey from host floor to van to laundromat. After washing the clothes on hot with lots of detergent, drying takes place. Nothing makes the whole team love laundry crew more than receiving perfectly dry and slightly warm laundry. That said, we unfortunately realize that this is more of a luxury than a right and are always anxious upon the return of our clothes.

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Clean clothes keep the Bike & Build machine running smoothly just as all of the tasks of the other chore groups, and now by halfway through the trip, living like this almost seems normal.

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Today’s goal is to ride

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There is something incredibly liberating about a day’s goal being to get from point A to point B aboard a bicycle.  All of a sudden riding for 80 miles or more, although still daunting, no longer seems impossible.  A slow and steady pace with healthy breaks will still make this goal accomplishable.  Given that, we stop along the way for snacks, for mini-golf, for carnival rides, for lots of pictures, and for really any other excuse that we might be able to find to explore a new area.

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Week 1 – Bike & Build

6/15 – 6/18: Portland, ME
Mileage: n/a (arrived by airplane)
Host: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 678 Washington Ave

After a couple days on our own, the trip leaders are joined by the 24 other riders whom we will help safely reach the other side of the country. We play name games, give presentations on what they should expect, share a couple meals, run through a couple practice rides, and stress anything safety-related whenever possible. We teach our riders how to care for their bikes, how to communicate on the road, and how to prevent common bicycling errors. Policies and rules are discussed, fears and anxieties are addressed, and general excitement for the adventure to come is shared.

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We also get to have our first build day at the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland. We install windows and put up insulation, climbing around scaffolding and up ladders all the while. There is a slight drizzle and breeze making the day almost too chilly, but the pizza provided by Habitat helps to warm us all up.

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6/19: Kittery, ME
Mileage: 71
Host: Second Christian Congregational Church, 33 Government St

First ride. First day on the road. We dip our rear tires in the Atlantic and are on our way. Some riders are better acquainting themselves with cue sheets, riding as a group, and learning how to communicate with each other. A couple groups of riders may have gotten themselves a little turned around throughout the day. Lunch is had in a beautiful park in Kennebunk, ME, and a sigh of relief is shared upon completing this first slightly trying yet absolutely beautiful ride.

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6/20: Andover, MA
Mileage: 60
Host: The Pike School, 34 Sunset Rock Road

We start the day with a little more routine than before. Chore groups complete their tasks. Riders prepare the bicycles with more ease. Morning route meeting is relatively efficient and seemingly smooth. And the spacing between rider groups almost seems natural. After bicycling for about 60 miles including some challenging hills near the end, we have our fabulous dinner with the Webbers and start feeling a little more comfortable with the idea that we might be doing this for the next several months.

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6/21 – 6/22: Fitchburg, MA
Mileage: 44
Host: First Parish Church Universalist Unitarian of Fitchburg, 923 Main St

Today was a shorter ride coming in at just over 40 miles, and it was nice arriving at the host a litter earlier. The extra time meant we could take a slightly more leisurely shower at the nearby YMCA as well as enjoy some of Neil’s anecdotes. Neil greeted us at the First Parish Church and even though he was a bit older than the rest of us, he spent the night on the floor in a sleeping bag in solidarity. Both mornings—one before our build day and one before our bike ride—Neil serenaded us as we woke in the chapel. Neil was full of facts, stories, and just general enthusiasm.

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The build day was particularly exciting as we were asked to move about 30 tons of stones to fill a trench in the backyard. We finished the task with 2 minutes to spare at the end of the day. It was fun seeing the hustle in our team after lunch.

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The Webbers

I have now officially begun what will be a 77-day adventure across the country with Bike & Build starting in Portland, Maine and ending in Santa Barbara, California.  I chose to apply to be a trip leader for a Bike & Build ride because it allows me to further my interest in cycling while figuring out a way to give back.  I feel so fortunate to have grown up in the family and the household that I did, and I feel that providing that stability for other families is a meaningful way for me to contribute to something much larger than myself.

In addition, after our second long day of cycling, tonight’s dinner hosted by the very gracious Webber family has made me realize another purpose to why I am excited to be a part of this organization this summer.  Chris Webber, the Webber’s late son, was also a trip leader back in 2005 and was later hired as Bike & Build’s first Program Director in 2006.  Tragically, Chris was hit and killed in a pedestrian accident in New York City in 2007.  Since then, his family and friends have hosted Bike & Builders traveling through Andover, MA every June.

We enter their warm home through the turkey aromas of the kitchen, which immediately makes me think of Thanksgiving, of family, and of tradition, and I realize that this whole Bike & Build phenomenon is larger than I had imagined.  The number of lives that this organization has touched extends far beyond those who are living in the homes built by its riders or even the riders themselves.  The families and friends of past and current riders are just as much a part of this group, of this tradition.  We get to know the Webbers and their friends, enjoy a delicious Bike & Build Thanksgiving-esque feast complete with mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce, and more, and this is all followed with a presentation by one of our riders, Sam.

Sam had been approached several months back while still at university by someone who had been best friends with Chris Webber since attending day care together.  This best friend told the story of Chris, what he stood for, the type of person he was, and his tragic ending.  This meeting was emotional in every way—laughter was shared as great Chris stories were relayed and tears were shed from the magnitude of the loss.  This meeting led to Sam painting a beautiful picture of Chris that she graciously let all of the rest of us riders sign around the edge.  As Sam recounted this story and presented the Webbers with this vibrant painting of their son, most of the room was in tears.

The point of this story is not one of sadness, but of love, of community, and of support, all three of which Bike & Build seems to effortlessly foster.  Over the past 3 days—one day of building and two of riding—I already feel this community within my group of riders.  That said, it may help that these last several days have felt like a month due to how much happens in a day and the amount of effort we have already put in towards this adventure.

Tomorrow, I will wear a pair of bicycles socks that the Webbers gave us in memory of Chris, but even more importantly, I will wear them in celebration of his life and the persisting sense of community that he instilled into the Bike & Build organization.  I want to say thank you to the Webbers and to all of my co-riders on this trip even though less than 1 week has passed on our 11-week adventure.

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While in Scotland

We see snow at Loch Ness. It hails during our Glenfiddich tasting. There’s at least some rain everywhere else. But we also get our share of sunshine, and the fleeting ephemeral nature of it makes it that much more special. Here are the a list of the places in Scotland that we visited while constantly being teased by the clouds.

Lodgings:

Cherrytree Villa Guesthouse, East Mayfield 9, Edinburgh

Inch Hotel, Fort Augustus*

Highlander Inn, Craigellachie*

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Food:

The Holyrood 9A, 9A Holyrood Road, Edinburgh*

The Tea Rooms, Edinburgh Castle

The Elephant House, 21 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh

The Piemaker, 38 South Bridge, Edinburgh*

Clachaig Inn, Glencoe, Argyll**

Mitchells, St. Andrews, Fife

Artisan Roast, 57 Broughton Street, Edinburgh**

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Kilderkin, 65-67 Canongate, Edinburgh**

The Old Bell, 233-235 Causewayside, Edinburgh

Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown, Banffshire*

Fiddichside Inn, Craigellachie, Banffshire**

Highlander Inn, Craigellachie**

The Macallan Distilleries, Craigellachie*

Tomintoul Distillery, Ballindalloch, Banffshire**

Conan Doyle, 71 York Place, Edinburgh

BrewDog, 143 Cowgate, Edinburgh*

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Activities:

Royal Mile, High Street, Edinburgh

Stirling Castle, Stirlingshire

Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glenfinnan, Highland

Loch Ness, Inverness-shire**

Urquhart Castle, Dumnadrochit, Inverness*

St. Andrews Cathedral

The Old Course, St. Andrews