My name is Kathleen Thompson, and I really just love to ride my bike, honestly. I only started riding last year, upon joining my university’s triathlon club as a freshman, but since then, my newfound passion for cycling has taken off. I have completed multiple triathlons and marathons, and am currently training for a half- Ironman race. In such a short period of time, I have discovered how exhilarating, painful, and truly rewarding the act of simply riding a bike can be. So, when I heard about the opportunity to ride across the entire country from a Facebook group, it sounded absolutely amazing and intriguing at the same time. Also, the pure adventure of the whole journey really played a role in attracting me to this program. Ever since my father died suddenly from a heart attack four years ago, the realization that life is way too short has been deeply imprinted onto my soul. Thus, I gathered conscious very early on in life that one needs to grab at crazy adventures when the occasion arises, and to not hold back. So, in the spirit of my father, that is why I am excited for the possible chance to let go of any apprehensions, and go see the entire country, while only on a bike. America is absolutely gorgeous and massive, and I want to see all of it that I possibly can. This Bike & Build opportunity, I believe, can very well stand as one adventure that needs to be taken.
I do not want to hold back from any portion of this trip. The charity portion of the trip is amazing to me, in that Bike & Build helps people all across the entire country. Additionally, the type of work (building affordable housing) interests me, in that I have had experience in it in the past. I have worked with Habitat for Humanity projects in high school, and found a lot of appreciation for the act of hard work as a labor of love. Every day, I endured heat, sweat, blisters, and long hours, but in the end, someone gained an entire home from part of my efforts. The gratitude shown in the smiling faces of the owners honestly meant more than any of the complaints or trials that I had to undergo. I would love to experience that feeling again. This trip represents the perfect way for one to live in my books: doing good on a bike
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