Wake up 0600
Received assignment 0715
Kremmling, CO 41.6 miles
Began developing strategy 0716
I spent the first few miles getting used to the terrain, taking time gathering information and documenting my surroundings. Then once I had gotten a feel for the road I picked up the pace and started gaining ground toward my target. I closed in and acted normal allowing the mountains to be at ease with my presence and when everything was peaceful and unsuspecting I implemented my mission...Laura was killed with one comparison of tan lines while sitting outside a pool of natural sulfur hot springs. But my next task would not come as easily because the mountains lure you in with their beauty and just when you think you will be biking along the Colorado River through canyons another mountain pass with arrive and you will find yourself once again the victim. But as today stands I completed my mission in high spirits refreshed in the hot springs, enjoying the luxuries that arrive in the mail, and perhaps most importantly still alive in the game of Assassins and ready to take on another day of biking--no matter what comes next my senses are alert enjoy more sights while watching my back and climb through another mountain pass. I heart the Rockies!!

-Sarah Nelson

Yea, so today was totally sweet. Pretty much the whole CUS team smashed the Rockies back into the earth and filled the hole with the remains of the Appalachians. It couldn’t have been done without a mega awesome breakfast provided by our annual host at Estes Park. Breakfast Burritos, chips, salsa, guacamole, and organic granola? Yea…it was gone in ten minutes. The group left the most epic breakfast ever for the most epic warm up ever instructed by CUS rider Aaron Cote. Just remember, take the mountain, take the mountain (lunge right and pull in), now release the mountain, release the mountain (lunge left and release). Thirty minutes later, the whole team regrouped at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, and the epicness began to reach a new level of epicness. Imagine yourself on a bike, climbing 4,000 feet in less than 10 miles. Sounds terrible right? Ok, now imagine those same circumstances, but surround yourself by majestic snow capped mountains, crystal clear rushing streams, broad evergreen trees, and 31 of the greatest people you’ve ever met. That only adds up to one thing. The best ride of your life.

There was no possible way to be in a bad mood while climbing up the Rockies on America’s highest paved road. Pictures cannot describe the scenes we saw. You have to see it with your own eyes and do it on a bike to experience the sense of team spirit and self accomplishment that we felt. As our riders began to pull up to the visitor center at the top of Trail Ridge Rd (12,000 ft!!!), we were continuously greeted by strangers offering us tons of credit for the task we just performed. When the sweep riders rolled up, the whole team was yelling with excitement and cheering them on, like they had just won the Tour de France. That’s when the party started. Trip leader, Barbara “Babs” Joseph pulled up the van with music blaring, and random strangers watched with excitement as we danced our hearts out in the parking lot. Soon we again realized how hard it is to breath at 12,000 ft, and caught our breath to prepare for the most epic Bananas cheer in history. Go Bananas!!! Adrenalin was pumping as we cruised down the mountains to our destination in Grand Lake. This day will be forever remembered in our hearts and minds, and the unity we felt that day will never be forgotten. On to Oregon.

-Brendan Newman, as imagined by John Tracy

Today was the build day in Denver. We were supposed to wake up at 6:15, but I overslept and ended up waking up naturally at 6:45. I had to hurry up and get ready. I was really at mad Aaron because he ate the rest of the cocoa crispies and I really wanted them for breakfast. But, all was well because I got to have frosted flakes (and Aaron did not actually personally finish them off). I was in the first van ride over (GO ODDS!) and we got to the Habitat site. We had a bunch of time to lounge about, so Alicia and I wandered around then ended up lying down in the middle road on each others stomachs. This soon became a phenomenon and soon the whole group was playing the "haha" game, a form of entertainment I learned back during my Girl Scout days. The other group got the site around 9 am, at which point I was overcome with intense feelings of hunger (because over the past couple days we had been eating "lunch" on the road at around this time). I rummaged in the van to find a packet of almonds (which I found out later belonged to Haley).

I chatted with Dana in the van for a while about her soon-to-be-boyfriend who was going to arrive in the afternoon. Then everyone later loaded up into the van with us and the drove off to the house we were actually working on. The Denver airport was getting rid of a couple of houses near the runways, so it was our job to salvage items that could be sold for a profit at the habitat restore. The house had not been lived in for a year and was overrun by insects, birds and mice. It was dirty work to say the least.

One of the highlights was meeting a guy named Bobby who had done the central route in 2004, we chatted about our different, but very similar experiences, for a bit. Today, I removed some lamps, gutters, and cabinets to be salvaged and sent to the store. Lunch came (THANK GOD -I was hungggryyy) and the H4H had provided us with succulent fried chicken, chips, and fruit. We finished the day at the site and took a great drive through downtown Denver (which I got to see for the first time). When we got back to the host, we showered at the 24-hour fitness down the road which was a pleasant experience, except that I forgot my towel. But that's cool, my fellow riders laid down for me. Then, it was nap time for me and an REI mecca shop run for others. A special thanks goes out to Einstein Bagels and Heidi's on Colorado Boulevard for great food donations.
--Dictated, but not read, Kate "I love Lady Gaga" McQueston

Yo homies, it’s your boy Thug Life. I’m here to tell you cats about my ride into Denver. It was so dope. We set that pace line up early and kept it poppin’ all the way into our first lunch stop, at mile 40. We roll deep when we sittin’ on those 23 double-m’s.

The headwinds were frontin’ on 36, but I wasn’t shook. I just switched into the drops and got on my grind, switching into that high gear and working the pedals. My boy Kanye once sang “you need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie.” No disrespect to Kanye to-the, but my brakes weren’t even touched all day like they was kryptonite and I was Superman.

We hit the second grub stop at mile 65. You best believe I was hungry after a ride like that, but I didn’t want to chill too long and lose my touch, so I jumped back on my sled and kept cruising into Denver.

When we got by the airport it looked like a storm was brewing. I mean, those clouds were whack. Some clowns got picked up by the support van, but I was like “mannn, I’m not feeling that.” So I rode the last 10 miles (a dime spot, as we say on the bike paths), like I had Jake chasing me.

We got into Denver by late afternoon, and are staying with our fly hosts, Christ Church United Methodist on Colorado Boulevard.

-Thug Life

The original plan for June 25th called for a grueling 130-mile trip to somewhere in Colorado, but thanks to the planning and quick thinking of Andrew "Buffalo" Buttaro (fomented by a tip from our lovely hostess), the damage was reduced to 93 miles. That was super neat. In our minds, the new destination of Lindon was a quaint haven exactly halfway between Saint Francis and Denver.

At the route meeting, however, The Buffalo was frank. He warned us that Lindon was "more of an area than a town," and as we completely skipped the town data portion of the meeting, the uneasiness set in. We had also discovered that we were out of food. Then, we learned that shopping options were scarce between Saint Francis and Lindon, and began to seriously grapple with the option of drawing straws for who was to be eaten. In the end, heroic leader Babs saved us from becoming Alive (Part 2). At first lunch she provided succulent eats like Oreos, mild cheddar cheese, Rold Golds and the requisite PB&J, all of which were preferable to eating Dave Kozy's legs. Thanks Babs.

Myself and a few of the guys spent the miles between first and second lunch in a paceline, taking advantage of the agreeable terrain and wind conditions. Brendan had clearly hooked us up that morning at the Bike and Build Weather Control Center. There was an epic second lunch moment around mile 65 when the only thing visible on the horizon, literally, the only thing, was the trailer. Babs, continuing on her heroic streak, had unhitched the trailer and was driving 90439 miles out of the way to pick up the mail drop that was sent to the wrong city. She will later be immortalized in a bronze bust, which will then be auctioned for charity (affordable housing, duh).

As we approached mile 93, I kept looking for any sign of human life. To no avail. We discovered that calling Lindon even an "area" was a bit of a stretch. It was more of a spattering of a handful of sheds and houses cloaked in an awkward stillness. But in the middle of all of this was a splendid church facility, the Lindon Baptist Country Chapel, or something like that, which we were lucky enough to call our home for the night.

Things proceeded normally throughout the evening, with outdoor showers of questionable appropriateness, impromptu grilled cheeses, and gorging on the bounty of the mail drops. Stephen "Thug Life" Reader was kind enough to share his luscious German chocolate, and someone received quite possibly the coolest thing ever - candy sushi. It was Swedish Fish (which are so good it's just not fair) wrapped in Fruit Roll-ups with other stuff in there too. High five, whoever was responsible for that little taste of heaven.

Then the king of pop died.

At the end of the night we watched Matthew McConaahghesysy and that one guy from LOST light up the big screen in We Are Marshall. It was an uplifting and joyous film that put us all in good spirits before bed.

-Aaron "Wild Bill" Cote

OMG, today was totes fun! We all got on our bikes bright and early in Oberlin, KS, and set off for St. Francis, which is a super cute town in northwest KS (last stop in the Sunflower State!). My bike looks so pretty, since if I know one thing, it’s how to accessorize. It’s like I always say, “if you’re going to bike across the country, look good doing it.”

When we first started riding some of the boys (oh, boys) snuck out some water balloons and threw them at us. I was a little annoyed because I had just put on my bestest jersey (custom made Dolce Bike & Build jersey, Hincapie is so LC), but then I was like, “whatever, I’m over it.”

We had a lunch on the side of a hill as we were approaching St. Francis. Afterward, I rode with some of my BFF’s like Aaron (so cute), Fox (I love her!), Boss (chillest dude EVER), and Haley (who’s, like, so athletic, I just love her too). Andrew drove the van today and did such a good job, he’s just so great.

Our hosts in St. Francis were totes awesome. They made us a great dinner, and Pastor Morita Truman did everything to make us feel at home. We stopped at a Mexican restaurant for a snack, it was delish.

Last night in Kansas, I can’t believe it!

-Elle Woods

We left Phillipsburg early in the morning and rode through a surreal morning fog. The Buffalo and I waxed philosophic about cows, then the group stopped for McDonalds and I fell in love with the McGriddle all over again. Kate and I discussed all the reasons it is the superior item on the McDonalds breakfast menu. She is a fan of the bacon, egg, and cheese, but I respectfully disagree and ordered a sausage, egg, and cheese. Dave actually had to be restrained from climbing over the counter and consuming every drop of coffee in the restaurant.

We arrived fairly early in Oberlin, and our church had a great location on the cobbled streets. While still suffering in a cloud of mystery created by situations like The Town Hall Farter or whether or not to veer 90 degrees off the only road visible for miles because of insufficient chalking, it was comforting to be within 100 feet of one of life's sureties, the Dollar General. I actually visited the Dollar General four times in one afternoon, purchasing everything from a Li'l Chub to cherry sours to a gallon of fruit punch flavored drink. The fruit punch flavored drink (known to some as the fabled "red drank") seemed like a good idea because I was hot and thirsty, although around 5:00 I had to lie down for a few moments because my body reached terminal sugar capacity and my head began to throb.

Dinner was nothing short of epic, and we had the opportunity to chat with many parishioners and locals who came out to hear about our cause. The spread was unbelievable - seriously, I blacked out while filling up my plate - and The Buffalo executed one of his finest lunch line shuffles.

I would be remiss to overlook the Sunshine Chairs' most excellent paper plate awards. They boosted everyone's spirits before bed time, and many were lucky enough to drift off to the sounds of The Prince of Egypt. Yes, that is Jeff Goldblum as the voice of Aaron.

-Aaron "Tie with a Sport" Cote

Today was mostly flat, and green. We had a strong head wind after lunch. We saw a lot of wind farms with the big turbines. We had never seen them before. We woke up early, and left by 7 AM. That means we got to lunch before 10 AM. It was very hot today (about 95 degrees) and also very humid. Lunch has been very nice lately because of all the food donations we have received in the past few days. When we got to the church, some people went to the pool, others played scrabble, and of course, some took a nap. We are getting ready for a tough next 5 days until we get to Denver, CO. Tonight the church is providing us dinner, and we will be giving a bike clinic to members of the community.

We had big times in the “Little Apple,” for our first day off. We awoke today for the first time in many weeks without the sound of an alarm heralding the coming of a new dawn. As we rolled out of our all too familiar thermarest which we have all grown so accustomed to rolling up every morning, we were able to simply straighten it out in a corner out of the way and begin to decide what we were going to do with a whole day free of biking and building.

It began with a visit from students at the K-State University who were studying to be massage therapists we willingly offered them our knotted muscles to be worked on in order to advance their studies. As we were being worked over and the last 1500 miles got soothed away by their dexterous digits we were also able to receive the free services of a chiropractor. We spread ourselves out on her bench and she realigned our spines with resounding cracks that allowed us to regain some of our lost mobility from all of that saddle time.

With our bodies rejuvenated we dove into a pool created of homemade goodies that were sent in the last maildrop and gorged ourselves on all sorts of tasty treats. Many riders took the opportunity to read and respond to the letters they received and others decided to try hitting up some nearby parks for games of disc golf. We rounded off the evening with a showing of “Man on Fire” we all got into it and by the end we were all pretending to be Denzel, quoting lines from the film. It was an incredible change of pace but we still decided to hit the hay early and get ready for the next days of riding through Kansas.

After a great build day in Kansas City, everyone was feeling eager to be back in the saddle for a day of riding. Today’s mileage was on the light side, checking in at just under 50 miles, but the Kansas heat made it feel a lot longer. Lucky for us the good folks at Bishop Seabury Academy let us use their pool facility, so Bike & Builders could kick back with a relaxing swim and hang poolside. Some relaxed a bit too much and fell asleep on the lounge chairs outside, and become unwilling contestants in the “worst sunburn of the summer” competition.

Inside, though, the Academy provided us with a great dinner and a cool place to sleep. Most B&Bers rolled out their thermarests early, since we have an early 4 am wakeup tomorrow to beat the heat on our ride to Manhattan. Manhattan is another Kansas college town, home to Kansas State University. The University of Kansas is located in Lawrence but unfortunately we didn’t have much time to explore the school and the downtown.

That’s all – early lights out on Day 1 of Kansas.

-Andrew Buttaro

This morning in Philadelphia: Brendan awoke, mounted his bicycle, and rode swiftly across town to the Bike and Build Weather Control Center. Seeing that Central US had a century day, he cranked up the rain and wind and made sure that later on the sun would come out so that everyone would experience temperature extremes throughout the course of the day.

Meanwhile, the mood was tense in Sedalia. After a coma-inducing dinner at First Baptist Church the night before, an elite group of riders had chosen to hit the sack before 7:00 pm. Most followed closely behind, so that when Haley “Empty Threats” Colvin spearheaded the 4:00 am wake-up, there were nothing but bright eyes and bushy tails. But outside, the Bike-and-Build-controlled weather patterns were stirring. Rain and lightning brewed while riders stuffed their gullets with delicious melons, bagels, and cream cheese, surely a gift from the Bike and Build gods.

The first half of the 100-mile ride was plagued by relentless precipitation that could only be described as torrential. Nonstop hills and gusting winds helped to make it extra-special. First lunch provided valuable sustenance around mile 42, and the group continued on. It was around mile 65 that Missouri decided to “show-me” what a Midwest sunburn felt like. Shortly thereafter we discovered that the Missouri DOT must have run out of money in 1980. At the outskirts of Kansas City, the temperatures reached mind-numbing highs as myself and fellow warrior Dave stopped in for some delicious McDonalds. The last ten miles passed very slowly, but the feeling as we pulled into the All Souls Unitarian Church on 45th street made the entire battle worth it. Riders turned in exceptionally strong performances across the board, and we were all rewarded with an absolutely wonderful dinner moments ago. Tomorrow, we build here in Kansas City – luscious!

-Aaron Cote, aka “Goose”

The day started out bright and early with a wake up call at 5:00am. We all groggily opened our eyes and began the chores of an early morning. Rolling up the thermarests and packing away a sleeping bag seems to take forever with a little less sleep than average. Once bags are packed away in the trailer, we all scarf down a cold cereal breakfast (my favorite being a new addition to the cereal cache of Blueberry Muffin Top Squares – yum)! Tires are pumped up to 120psi, brakes are checked for rubbing and cables are tensioned.

At the morning route meeting it was decided that we would make a last minute change to the cue sheet. Instead of cycling for a third day on the Katy Trail for about 80 miles, we all decided to take a more direct route on Route 50 for only 61 miles. We all traded gravel and a tunnel of greenery for a few less miles, traffic and more headwinds. A fast morning, quick lunch and speedy afternoon led to everyone making it in before 1:30! Holy cow!

Many of the groups made some stops along the way to use up some time, flea markets, Starbucks and of course TB were all common stops before heading into the host site of First Baptist Church of Sedalia, MO. Showers were on site which is always a huge bonus and dinner was at a sharp 5:00 pm. After enjoying our afternoon of journal writing, reading, and napping – we scarfed our faces with delicious spaghetti, marinara or meat sauce, garlic bead (with cheese) and a Caesar salad. Texas cake and Jello cake were perfect for a sweet craving once dinner was over. A presentation was done during the church meeting and now everyone is brushing teeth and getting ready to hit the sack already at 7:00 pm! We have an epic century (106 miles to be exact) tomorrow and we’re waking up at….4:00am. Lets hope the weather holds up!

- Jen Dvorsky

We woke up early today, got packed up and ready to ride. Then, we attacked the breakfast cereals like a pack of spandex-clad cerealtarians. After breakfast, we rode about 30 miles down the Katy Trail. It was much more scenic than some of the roads we've ridden on. Flora AND Fauna! The group stopped at a bridge over the Massie Creek and all jumped in. We pedaled until lunch which ended up being generously hosted by a very nice family we met on the road. They let us swim and hit a few golf balls on their property. It was probably the most relaxing lunch stop in the history of Bike and Build. Afterward, we all got back on the bike and continued on. We got to see more of what the Katy trail had to offer. We biked another 40 miles after lunch. Seeing the capital building from the trail as we rode into Jefferson City was amazing. We crossed the bridge and made it to our host site. All in all, it was another great day on the road and I'm looking forward to the adventures tomorrow will bring.

Today was not a bad ride into Washington, MO since we were mostly on the Katy trail, one of the longest Rails to Trails product to date. It was full of beautiful scenery and lots of little rest areas along the way. The weather was definitely hot, but we were sheltered on the trail. Unfortunately, our van was stuck in the mud during lunch, so we all ate at various places on the way – our first hot lunch in a long long time. The van is back and safe now, but I guess it took a lot of help from some big trucks. Ha!

Dinner is very soon so I should leave the library. We have a very busy night with a presentation, our first bike clinic for the kids here, and a town hall meeting for our group. I just hope we can get some sleep because we’re starting to rack up the miles to prepare for our first century!

-Dan Fitzmaurice

I'm going down-down baby, yo' street in a Range Rover...

Kate began memorizing Nelly lyrics (Mark is a big fan of this) as soon as we crossed the Mississippi; which is a massive, massive moving body of water by the way. I could not believe how huge it was and how fast it moved. On the bridge over it, Dave, Aaron, Steve, John, and myself met a gentleman who told us how to bike downtown to the arch by following a bike path that ran along the Mississippi. We took the path and were absolutely elated upon seeing the arch. Very cool structure. And we even went a few blocks down and checked out the new St. Louis Cardinals' stadium. Also a very sweet structure. The field is actually set below ground and the view from even outside the stadium was great. We continued biking to our host site where Boss' family was and my aunt, mom, and grandma were also waiting! After getting there I went on a run with Alicia which was awesome. She may have more energy than anyone I've met in my entire life. She told me that she once went on something like an 18 mile run with her friend at 3am one night because she was bored. Really? Just impressive. We went out for some good times, did some bowling with Alicia, walked home in the rain and then Mark and I night-capped with a solid hours worth of sauna. Good conversation and a good sweat completed an incredible day.

Suzanne didn't go over the Mississippi, it got out of her way.

BeeGee signing off.

My day to journal for B + B! This wind is picking up, but today wasn’t bad. We rode 48 miles. It was mostly flat with few hills. I think everyone is getting pretty comfortable with riding in a group. Riding with 40 other people regardless of pace or ability keeps you going. Sometimes I wonder if any of us would ride the distance we do even if time was on our side without the people involved with Bike and Build. This trip certainly proves he great benefits of having friends or ge3tting to know people. I’m sure you all ant to know about the daily life, struggles, thoughts, and successes… but I’m going to tell you about everyone here instead. The stuff you wouldn’t know, unless you were here. Briefly…

Brian O. “BOS” – Bounces in moon shoes and leads morning cheers the best.]
Haylee – Preparing for an Iron Man, runs after she rides.
Aaron – Goofy in the way that makes you feel comfortable with yourself.
B. Pots – Allergic to peanuts, has a British accent.
Suzanne – Gives the greatest massages.
Laura – the energizer bunny.
Dan – Trip supervisor.
Julie – Only girl that wears a bib.
Justin – the beast, climbs mountains like a goat.. or something that is comfortable on a mountain.
Katie – doesn’t walk, but dances across the room.
John – Outraces the van.
Nick – Personal chef/group sweetheart.
Brian G. – “Iron Brian,” the spokesman.
Emily – Lives at CUS’ start point, Virginia Beach!
Christina – Carries a pony on her rides.
Dave = Coffee
Barbara – a.m. DJ
Brian P. “B$” – favorite place: Subway.
Steven “Thug Life” – Rite of passage: Mohawk!
Sarah N. – Could sing you any Disney song or musical.
Mark – Could make a novel about5 grass growing a bestseller.
Dana – Stuck in the van, but made a grand debut.. every morning!
Kira – Keeps an Illinois license plate on her bike.
Courtney – heard she was accepted to medical school only days ago!
Andrew – Would rather not use the cue sheet.
Jen – group optimist.
Bridget – Easiest to have a good conversation with.
Jen D. – Will be voted Mustang Sally for best legs.
Jenny – Does not like lemons or meat.
Alicia – Loves her eyes.

These are just tidbits about5 the riders on this trip. They are ALL great to be around. Everything is learning something about one another – from better riding to juggling, French to patience. These people are unforgettable.

Today’s ride into Columbus, Indiana started with a brisk breeze and a really pleasant descent of a hill that gave us the right momentum for our longest day yet. In the course of our 90 mile day, a lot of good, hearty, classic Bike&Build moments occurred. First, it was a state sign day as we were entering Indiana. Unfortunately, the route we were on did not include a real state-issued state sign, but some riders created a sign on the road with chalk welcoming everyone into Indiana. We were hugging, doing handstands, and taking pictures that proved we had knocked out another state in our cross-country journey.

Then, we found a new friend. At lunch there was a stray kitten that kept us company while we ate a fabulous lunch of leftovers. I am not much of a cat person, but I have to admit that when some riders suggested making the cat our mascot, I seriously considered it as a viable option. Alas, we are a dirty and chaotic bunch that could not take proper care of a cat, but maybe I’ll buy a replacement stuffed animal to fill the void that some of us felt after leaving our lunch spot and our new friend.

The highlight of the day was certainly after lunch as we passed through the town of Greensburg. There was an annual strawberry festival that we had the good fortune of coming across. Though we purchased five or so strawberry shortcake platters, the amazing locals that we met and told our Bike&Build story to offered at least ten more free strawberry shortcakes. It was soooooo yummy!!! We spent a good hour in this town, interacting with people and hearing the story of how a tree remains on top of the town clock tower. We were also interviewed by the Greensburg Daily newspaper, so check out the article online if you can.

Though the mileage was significant, I think people realized how strong they have become, because the ride was pretty much a breeze. It was also the first time that people took advantage of the fun spot along the route, whether it be a stop for a new shirt at the Goodwill store, some fresh strawberries at the local market, or dipping our feet in a creek off the side of the road. Indiana has treated us well already.

-Barbara Joseph

The day began with an early start. We ate the usual breakfast of cereal and fruit. Today was a border crossing day, and the border was early in the trip so we all rode together in a huge group across the bridge that separated Ohio and West Virginia. We hopped over onto the side walk on the side of the bridge, and Boss-Man took a stunning group picture of our clan, under the "Welcome to Ohio" sign. After that we cruised into Ohio, riding on a large road until a police car turned on its sirens and stopped us. We thought that bikes might not have been allowed on the road, but really he just stopped to ask us about our trip and give us some directions. There were a ton of turns in the afternoon so the chalking on the road really helpful.

I rode for a long time with Boss, B-money and B-Pots. At some point in the ride Boss and I rode over a bridge, and we spat into the river below for a full hour. We cheered on a couple other riders as they passed us. The last 5 miles of the ride were brutal. We had two massive climbs and I was running out of water. Finally getting to the host site, 7th Day Adventist Church, was such a relief. We went to shower, where I ran into a boy wearing the infamous yellow Boss shirt. The pastor there had it set up so that we could go to an all you can eat pizza buffet for dinner, which was enjoyable, with the exception of Boss spilling his entire ice-tea into my lap. We met yet another cat named Silvertail back at the host site, where I cleaned my bike and then went to bed.

-Kate McQueston

The trip into Huntington was FLAT, a much welcomed relief from the mountains. We didn't have as long a trip today so we took our time meandering through the area. We stopped at Java Joes which was closed but graciously let us use their bathroom…we look for bathroom stops all the time. After eating peanut butter and honey for lunch, I actually took a nap in the shade. BIG MISTAKE! When I woke up I felt so drained I could hardly get back on my bike. I felt like I was going in reverse. Lucky for me there were no mountains to conquer. But riding with Jenny as well as seeing the sights such as a pink elephant on the side of the street got me through

This is the home of Marshall University, which we explored from many angles as we encountered multiple one way streets which kept leading to the campus. We are staying in, you guessed it, the First Presbyterian Church (There are a lot of Firsts; which one, by the way, is actually the first First Presbyterian? ) I was able to attend the evening church service at the church. At night, we played an intense game of psychiatrist. (Anyone who doesn’t know what the game entails…be ready for a treat!) We started with 5 people, others joined in one at a time until there were 20 of us playing. It was a great, relaxing time! Apparently we bike on relatively flat land for quite a while now which seems good, but I am sure I will soon miss the diversity and the beauty of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. Tomorrow, OHIO.

Heading into Charleston, a capital city, we "climbed every mountain... til we found our dreams". Others on the trip have not experienced mountains like this too often and some have marveled for the first time at the beauty of West Virginia, which often gets a bad rap. I am lucky to have known mountains, WV, and West Virginians. Mt. Olive was a not-so-welcome detour as many riders followed the van up a 13% grade mountain…thanks Brian But we switched our route so we did not have to backtrack. Once in Charleston, we visited a Sustainable Living Fair (hey, Rebecca!). We stayed at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Charleston where the women of the church fixed us the best Alfredo sauce ever prepared. During dinner a guy from a local bike shop came and fixed some of our bikes for free!! The evening news came to interview us; in that process we learned that a boat had sunk in the river, which provided our evening entertainment.

Charleston has been great. After a solid 80 mile ride, we arrived at St. John’s Episcopal in the downtown area. Hot, tired and sweaty, we were greeted by friendly members of the church and, perhaps more importantly, fresh watermelon. After filling up on snacks people raced across the state to get in a shower at the YWCA, which was just about to close but was nice enough to stay open to let our group clean off.

We had a few hours before dinner, so a bunch of people took advantage of the down time to walk to the quaint, historic area downtown to grab ice cream or check out a coffee shop with much-appreciated internet access. At the same time, a rep from a local bike store came in and helped tune-up our bikes.

Dinner was fantastic, and we followed-up with a great presentation to the church members. Some people were tired-out by the ride and rested after dinner, and others took a walk along the river to see some of the local hang-outs.

All in all, Charleston was a great stop. On to Huntington!

-Andrew Buttaro

This morning was probably the best wakeup yet, me and Aaron noticed that it was a really nice night and that the trailer would make a solid location for sleeping. Leaving the door down we could look outside while still being sheltered from the rain. The trailer was parked right next to the improvised shooting range. Last night I had noticed that there were bb guns hanging on the wall, I asked the Maggie if we could shoot them and she said she would do us one better. She owned her dad’s old 20 gauge shotgun and said she would set up something for us to shoot. So we went out next to the trailer and set up some cans. As she was showing us how to load it and fire we all felt pretty hardcore until she started explaining that it was incredibly low powered and that it was a gift to her dad when he was 8 years old yet we were still intimated by it. Nick was hesitant to shoot saying he didn’t want to, after enough peer pressure he finally gave in. After shooting it you could see him crack a smile and he said he was glad, Bike & Build is all about the peer pressure for fun.

But the best was morning, Matt, who owned the house came into the living room while we were all doing our morning routine and set down what looked like a pair of roller skates but instead of wheels it had two leaf springs on the bottom, I recognized them immediately as moon boots. I personally had never worn them but that at moment I knew that sunscreen could wait, I had important life goals to accomplish. I jumped in them and tied them up, upon standing up I just looked at Matt and he gave me the go ahead and I starting jumping around the house. As this was a small house and there were 31 people crammed inside it was probably too crowded for me to be jumping around the house getting 3 feet of air, but it was so good. I continued to run around and jump for a few more minutes and then decided to get my day started. The ride into Summersville was nice, not a bad 60 miles. Upon getting in town me, Mark, Steve and John went to succulent Burger King and gorged ourselves on many burgers. It had been my first experience with fast food since trip start and it was much welcome, good times were had.

-Brian

Today was momentous in that we crossed our first state line, traversing from Virginia into West Virginia (appropriately deemed the Mountain State). We departed the host site in Lexington, VA and hit the road for Marlinton, WV. The morning ride took us along a gorge with rushing water, during which I rode side-by-side with Brian (one of the four) discussing our mountain treks and overseas adventures. Following an invigorating ascent during which I exceeded thirty-seven miles per hour, I arrived to a well selected lunch locale, Lickity Splitz. The group paused to refuel on peanut butter and jelly, bananas, pretzels, and ice cream.

After waiting out a short drizzle, we hit the road to encounter an afternoon of strenuous climbing. The first ascent took us up a mountain to Dan Ingalls Overlook, where I was greeted by a line of high fives and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” resonating from the van. The latter three climbs were toughed out with Sarah Nelson by my side (actually ahead of me, motivating me to keep pedaling). We crossed our first state line together as we entered West Virginia and stopped to take photos at a historical state sign. After a relaxing three-mile ascent and more pedaling, we arrived in downtown Marlinton and rested our legs at a coffee shop that doubled as a bike shop. Sarah treated me to a macadamia nut cookie which was much enjoyed.

We then relocated to outside (the shop was closing) and sat on the sidewalk with others while waiting for the van to return to bring us to the farmhouse where we would be staying. With another 73.9 miles under our belts, we ate dinner (spaghetti, salad, and brownies), showered, and crawled in our sleeping bags to dream of what the next day would hold.

-Laura Pelascandolo

Today we rode from Charlottesville, VA to Lexington, VA on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The first 20 miles were just some standard rolling mountains. I used my granny gear the whole time but it wasn't too intense. We eventually hit a 4 mile climb up Mount Afton and that was the most intense climb I have ever endured. When Brian, Kate, and myself reached the top of the mountain, we met up with Haley and some others. We did a Banana cheer and celebrated the climb. We were officially on the Blue Ridge Parkway then.. It was intense. I was so tired on the climbs that sometimes I really just wanted to give up. I was really glad I had the support of Kate and B-Pots because they pushed me through the day. We rode the first 45 miles of the Blue Ridge. The weather was foggy and raining the whole day, but it was still a beautiful ride. We finally hit the ended of the parkway and had a 4 mile 8% downgrade into Buena Vista, VA. On the way down I reached my new top speed of 41.3!! As I was coasting into town, I saw a subway and had to stop. We were 7 miles away from Lexington so I downed a $5 foot long. The energy from the delicious sandwich helped my tired body slowly pedal uphill to Lexington. When we got there, the faster riders were all outside and they cheered us in. It was a great feeling to see the support of the team and to have friends pushing me to keep going on such a rough day. This has been the hardest day yet, but I look forward to more days like this in the future!

After our first real encounter with rolling hills on our ride into Dillwyn, VA yesterday, today seemed like a piece of cake. What was supposed to be 50 miles on a bike turned into a mere 39, for which everyone was pretty thankful. Hills weren't too bad, and the views on the second half of the ride were much more scenic than any we'd had up to this point. I've been to Charlottesville plenty of times, but I never lose appreciation for how pretty the town and the surrounding area are. As I already said, the hills didn't give us much trouble, but I should mention that in order to actually get in to Charlottesville, you need to go through one insance climb on Monticello Avenue. Fittingly, though, that's really the last part of the ride. And on the other end of the spectrum, I hit my all-time max speed (42.92 mph) on one of the downhills leading up to it.

We're staying at a vacated sorority house, meaning we have on-site showers and, most importantly, real beds! John and I got in before lunch and decided to solicit a donation from the local Taco Bell. Needless to say, the few hills we had to deal with on the ride back to our host site were much more difficult with a pound of Mexican food in our stomachs. Ate more food at Mellow Mushroom Pizza, got a brief tour of the campus (Jen Riedel is an actual tour guide for UVA), and had a really relaxing night on the front porch. Everyone's really excited to finally get to our first build day...or at least to not be on a bicycle for more than 18 hours...or at least to sleep in the same place for more than one night. Really, there's just a lot to be excited about.

-Stephen Reader

Today’s journey for CUS’09 started out with a mega hip breakfast consisting of luscious fruit, crisp cereal, and refreshing coffee/OJ. We left our gracious host in Suffolk with high spirits, and were very thankful for all of Ron, David and the rest of the staff’s help. After a quick meeting, we headed out on the winding back roads of Virginia around 9 a.m. For many Bike and Builders, coming upon a vast field of wheat and having that perfect picture opportunity is like a blessing from heaven. Today was definitely that day for many of us. Mother Nature gave us incredible weather for our journey, which made all of the scenery that much more beautiful. We passed through wheat fields, corn fields, and even got to enjoy the smell of fresh honey suckle covering the country side. 35 miles after leaving Suffolk, we reached the quaint little town of Waverly, Virginia. Here we were warmly welcomed by Pastor Keith Whitfield of Waverly Baptist Church. Not only did he give us a great place to stay, but he provided what seemed to be a fully stocked kitchen for a professional chef. The freezer was loaded with scrumptious pizzas that we all enjoyed thoroughly for dinner. Before dinner, a few of us headed over to the general store where this wonderful lady treated us to free sodas.

That kind of random hospitality will be much appreciated throughout the rest of the trip, there is no doubt. After a full day of eating, riding, eating, cleaning clothes, eating again, and playing around little bit, the team winded down to prepare for the next day’s approximate 60 mile ride. Morale is high, and energy is strong. This trip looks to get better and better.

Day 1 of 72! Today was an epic ride. Well, maybe just a 40 mile cruise into Suffolk, VA, but after months of build-up it felt great to finally start riding.

After dipping our tires in the Atlantic, we set off from VA beach, biking along the boardwalk until we hit some more rural routes that would take us into Suffolk. We had a great stop for lunch in the middle of a field along a beautiful country road. The rest of the ride was through peanut fields, which made for good scenery for 30 riders and induced nightmares for one cyclist who will remain unnamed.

When we rolled into town we dropped off our bikes at our host, the Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church , and headed to the YMCA for showers.

One day down, 71 more and 12 states to go!

-Andrew Buttaro