a little more thoughtful post

So it turns out I got on a computer 2 days in a row! Woohoo!

Today we worked with the Newburg chapter of Habitat. We mainly moved bricks and furniture (kind of like in Alabama) but they showed us houses they'd put up in a blitz build. They seem like an awesome chapter with a big neighborhood plan in mind. They are working with a developer on a mixed community with habitat houses and then cheaper houses for fireman and teachers. They are relatively new (1999) and I think they really have potential to grow.

Since I have a little more time now I guess instead of listing what we did I'll go into a little more of what I'm thinking/feeling.

This is hard. Physically, mentally, and just in general. I'm tired half the time (we're in bed by 9:30 usually) and we don't have all that much free time with biking every day.

That being said, I'm having a great time. The people on the trip are all good people, and while there are conflicts arising about one thing or another, we get along pretty well. There is nobody that I can't stand to be around. I haven't really settled into a riding group which is kind of good because I can keep my own pace and ride with different people, but it would be nice to always have someone along on the rides. That will hopefully come with time.

As a group, we've also started doing an 8 minute ab routine (KILLER) but I've gotten in too late for it the last couple of days. It's a fun bonding thing when we do it together. Also, nothing is off limits in this trip. There is no personal space/privacy which is kind of cool in a sense (not so cool in other). No topic is off limits and we lost modesty awhile ago. We know more about each others peeing habits than anything else.

As far as the biking goes, I have done more than I ever thought I could. To be honest, I didn't train much at all. In the last week (since last thursday) I have ridden arouind 274 miles and through a mountain range (the berkshires). I've ridden in the cold rain. We've gained a lot of elevation (4100 ft one day, 5300 another, not sure about the rest). It has not been as easy path so far but I've made it. On 2 days I've walked some of the hills but yesterday I did not walk any of it. My bike is not being my friend right now but that doesn't matter. This next week is going to be the most difficult riding of the week. I'm going to take it one mile, one hill at a time and just try to get through it all.

Additionally, the hosts we've had have been great. Tonight is the first night that we've had to make ourselves dinner because every other night we've either been given money or been cooked for. The reactions of people to our trip have been overwhelmingly friendly and encouraging. I've gained a lot from our interactions with the host.

Speaking of hosts, I wonder what they think when we ATTACK food. No joke, food is put in front of us and it's gone pretty quickly. We're all hungry all the time and I love that we can eat. Everybody is joining in on the love of food.

Some things that have happened to me on the road:
~A woman pulled up to me at a light, rolled down her window, said "boston to santa barbara? good luck"
~Another car passed me yelling "you all are retarded!"
~HONK HONK HONK HONK HONK. Newsflash, if I'm at the side of the road I can't move over any farther without going off it. DEAL WITH IT AND MOVE PAST.
~Traffic doesn't phase me nearly as much as it did before. I'm a lot more comfortable on the road
~I'm sure there's more, I just can't think of it now.

Tomorrow we're off to Port Jarvis?, NY, 57 miles away (easy? compared to yesterday's ride). It's amazing how thinking has changed. I never really know where we're going til the night before cause I don't look at the schedule much. We're making a 6 mile detour into new jersey in the next two days.

Updates to come...