Palmdale Build Day.

Today was our last build day, but by far the best!

We worked alongside with youth builds from Palmdale and East LA. Palmdale was working on a housing complex for homeless youth build students including a wing for teen moms. In the center was a community center for the surrounding neighborhood. We split into teams, some people were tearing down drywall in the housing wing, some were painting the outside. I was framing and sheeting the walls for the community center. When we started, two walls were up. We framed the remaining two and then put up sheeting on almost the entire building. I felt like we knew what we were doing, and the leaders seemed to trust us to get things done right. We worked and I got a nice blister to prove it.

When we got back from the host, we were surprised with one of the Bike & Build directors biking in to meet us. He flew into Santa Barbara the day before and cycled the 120 miles to Palmdale with all his stuff to meet us. Later on one of the other directors, Natalie also made it out. We were glad to have them back. Our host grilled up hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner which was also awesome.

We had final discussions on who would be the recipients of the money we were allotted. Bike & Build has 4 ways of distributing money one of which being competitive grants which the riders help choose who receives the money and how much. We had a very democratic process that was relatively painless.  It was nice to be done with that and be able to enjoy the rest of the night and trip not having to worry about it. We watched a lot of videos we made this summer partially to show Natalie and Justin and also because it had been a long time since we watched ,most of them.

Our last week of riding was all pretty short so we made the most of our nights knowing we could sleep in the next mornings.

Wrightwood-> Palmdale, CA

Finally the day we had been long awaiting: PROM!!

Naturally I had to ride with my prom date today, so Sarah and I took off back down the hill. We backtracked down the mountain past yesterday's lunch stop and then some. It seemed silly because yesterday and today could have been combined no problem but I'm sure there was a good reason for it. Anyways, we took off down the hill and set a record average of over 30 mph. We got to lunch first in record time, most people stopped for coffee.  We almost didn't stop but, we decided to go for a soda. As we were drinking, we got a message that Andrew's mom was bringing us all kinds of goodies. By the time we left everyone else had arrived at lunch. We went from not stopping to staying for well over an hour.

Sarah and I still didn't have proper attire because there were practically no thrift shops the past week. We bypassed the host and headed for the Goodwill. The ladies working there were more than amazed by what we were doing. One kept saying she couldn't wait to get and tell her kids to stop being so lazy. Sarah and I decided to dress as an old couple and found the appropriate attire.   We made it to our host eventually. 

We stayed at a youth build. We had mentioned Youth Builds a lot, but no one really knew what they were. Basically its a charter school for 16-24 year olds at risk. Usually they are high school drop outs looking to get their diploma or GED. Alongside the education they are taught skills to get them into the workforce. Most schools build houses to teach construction but this one also included business, nursing, and wild fire fighting. The students do a lot of volunteering in their community and it teaches them the proper way to behave in society. They also don't have tests but rather must show they understand what's taught to them in real life applications.

Our prom was held at a bowling alley bar, all that within walking distance. Everyone looked awesome. E very couple had a unique theme and no one half-assed it. We sat in the bar for a while but some of us ended up bowling for a while. It ended up being a really fun night. Our host, Danny even came out with us the whole night and even dressed the part.

Victorville ->Wrightwood, CA

Today was my last sweep day with Daniel! We started off the day right with a 7-11 stop to try some Shaq Soda.  Apparently Arizona now has branded soda for Shaq, it wasn't terrible, but I probably won't be purchasing it again. It was a short day, so people stopped for coffee.  We waited with them till they left and rode along behind them . the next group we stopped with were waiting at a gas station.   Daniel and I decided to get some lunch at Taco Bell partially because it's delicious, and also to kill time so we wouldn't have to wait for everyone. 

Eventually we made it to lunch and caught up with people again.  The rest of the trip was going to be uphill so we wanted to give the group ahead plenty of space so we could make the whole trip in one go. We chatted with Ellie and Kristen for a while, packed up the trailer and headed up the hill. We kind of took it each at our own pace. Daniel did it all in the big chain so he was a bit slower so I would hang back and at least stay in sight of him in case anything happened.

We made it up the hill and found a nice little town where everyone was hanging out in various shops. I went to the coffee shop and got a sandwich and hot apple cider. It was cool up there so a hot drink was actually really nice. We were supposed to camp at the very top of the mountain and the forecast called for rain. I wasn't looking forward to sleeping in the cold rain.  Everyone finally left but the girl at the coffee shop began calling potential places for us to stay. There is a church  in the area that also runs a camp. They agreed to let us stay there in their cabins. By the time word got up the hill, the trailer was unpacked and some tents set up. People were reluctant to come back down but eventually everyone came. Daniel and I, as sweep, should always be the last people to the host, but this time we were first. I found that very fitting for me.

The campsite ended up being really cool. I chatted with the directors while waiting for everyone to show up. They gave Daniel and I some blueberry cobbler which was amazing! Dinner crew made tacos which was better than the usual spaghetti and way better than the original plan for chili. After dinner we did town hall and discussed all our grant applications we received (I'll explain later). This took a long time but we got through it. There were a lot of places we wanted to give money but we had a limited amount to give.

Twentynine Palms ->Victorville, AZ

What's best to come after a 120 mile day? How about another 90 miles.

We got up early again for another hot day through the desert. Most people were a little more tired than usual due to the long ride the day before.  I rode with Sarah, which was good because that kept me at a slower pace.  Everything was fine until we encountered a huge hill.  It was kind of the last thing we wanted to see, but we made it to the top and enjoyed a nice downhill.  The rest of the morning was rolling hills and a nice tailwind.  I think after yesterday we were all pretty confident in saying we've biked across the country instead of being still in the process. There wasn't much to see except Joshua trees and at one point an emu!

After lunch we hit nice vast stretches of nothing but sand and headwinds.  I pulled most of the way which was fine because I wasn't nearly as tired as Sarah was. We passed a road side bar-b-que stand, where the lady yelling "cold water" had no problem convincing us to stop.  They gave each of us a bottle of water and we shared our story of what we were doing. It's so nice to be met with such friendly people along our trip. We continued on to the town of Apple Valley where we were originally supposed to stay.  It was a nice place with all kinds of shops along the main road.  Unfortunately we were were staying in the next town of Victorville. It seemed nice at first  with Route 66 signs greeting us, but quickly turned south when we realized all the businesses were boarded up and some people witnessed a fight going on.  We biked as fast as we could to get to the host, but first had to stop at a 7-11 for some slushies! Upon entering the door, the cashier made sure we had our bikes locked up.

We got to the church to find out we missed the shower shuttle, and the showers would close before any other groups could make it.  We had to end up using a wrench to open up the spigot outside to take a hose shower.  Tonight was our last Olympic challenge: the no smile dance off.  Basically you dance, making constant eye contact, and if you smile, you're eliminated.  Most people didn't stand a chance.  It ended up coming down to Sarah and Matt. They danced for probably 10 minutes, before ending in a draw.  Somehow my team got deducted 10 points, but we still ended up coming in overall at first. We chose trailer crew as they typically only have to load the trailer in the morning.

It's hard to believe we only have a week left! 

Parker,AZ->Twentynine Palms, CA

120 miles through the Mojave? sure, why not. 

We got up at 3:30, and left at the still very dark 4:45. Of course I had no headlight, so I couldn't see more than maybe 5 feet ahead, couldn't read the cue sheet, my computer, or even street signs.  I was fortunate to be following a group with a light so that got us out of town with relative ease.  We stopped at the first gas station we found to get Ice water because the water at the campsite sucked.  We crossed the river and entered California when it was at least light enough to get a picture with the sign. I was very tired from waking up so early that I thought I was pretty close to falling asleep on the bike.  Usually I get over this in the first 5 or so miles, but it wasn't happening today.  Fortunately, we came across one more gas station and I chugged a Monster to get going again. that did the trick.

Since there was literally nothing between these two stops,  every 20 or so miles Andrew set out water stops usually in plastic jug-bags on the side of the road for us to fill up if necessary.  We got to first lunch and were surprised when Jake's parents surprised him.  This was the closest they would be to their house, so they brought up Gatorade and M&Ms.  It was too early to be hungry, so I ate my M&M's and took off.  The sun was out at this point and it was getting pretty warm, we were also going into the wind and slightly uphill making it seem like this was going to be a very long day.  We got the next water station, took a short break and took off again.  Fortunately, things turned around from here.  It started getting overcast and the winds turned and were pushing us at times.  There was a point where we didn't even have to pedal because we were going downhill for 4 or 5 miles.  The ride wasn't as bad as we thought, and Casey and I made it to the milage where  second lunch was supposed to be. Of course we were ahead of the van, so we picked a nice spot atop a hill with a nice cooling wind and waited for the can to arrive.  We waited probably 30-40 minutes before the van came and we could eat. 

Of course Andrew had to jinx us and say the rest of the ride was downhill with a tailwind....As soon as we left lunch we were greeted with a downhill and miserable headwind.  We were pedaling hard and still only going maybe 14mph.  Eventually we turned and had the wind on our back again.  We were able to cruise along easy going 20-25 mph.  A Yale Bike Challenge (the original B&B) alum and friend of Kristen met us at mile 100 with more Gatorade and snacks.  We were chatting with him, but realized there was a storm starting to roll in.  We took off just as it began to rain. As we were riding off to one side we saw lighting and could hear thunder but I was never really under it.  The last 10 mile were annoying just because we were basically in town, but still had a pretty decent chunk left to ride.  Eventually we made it to the host. I don't remember the exact  time, but it was surprisingly early, maybe 2 or 3. I settled in for a nap expecting to be waiting for a long time for everyone else, but they were all in well before I expected.  Most people got stuck in the storm which resulted in flash flooding. Some people had to walk through knee deep water in the road to get through some flood rivers.  We had to cook our own dinner tonight, which was fine, and then my chore group went and got ice cream so we could discuss grant applications we were given. 

Mohave Valley-> Parker, AZ

Today started off hot, and wasn't going to get any better.  People were expecting to ride along the Colorado, right along the California border, but that ended up not happening.  Casey and I rode quickly trying to beat the heat.  Lunch was at Lake Havasu at a gas station. We ate quickly, filled up and took off.  We passed signs for the London Bridge and I remembered reading about how the original London Bridge had been moved somewhere in America. Casey didn't believe me, so we stopped checked Wikipedia, confirmed my thoughts and grabbed a  couple pictures. 

The rest of the day was hot.  We were in the desert going up and over hills.  We got to a good second lunch stop, but were way ahead of the trailer.  We decided we had enough water to make it the last 20 or so miles, so we just stopped for a couple snacks before proceeding on. I yet again got another flat. Fortunately I found the source, and removed it. We followed the cue sheet to where our campsite was supposed to be, but it was no where to be found.  We went to a restaurant and got some food and prepared to wait there for a while until other people started showing up. 

Not too long later, Sam showed up.   She was set on finding someone with a boat and getting them to give us a ride.  She walked to the dock/bar and went up to the first people she saw and sure enough they agreed to take us out.  Things turned bad pretty soon.  Rather than having a nice speed boat, they had a pontoon they rented for the weekend and clearly had no idea how to drive.  We rode down to some sandbar and hung out there for a while.  By the time the boat-drivers decided to leave, they were all plenty intoxicated.  The ride back was not the most exciting, we stopped for gas and it took them at least 5 minutes to find where the inlet was.  When it came time to dock and drop us off, they couldn't maneuver the boat into the space and ended in a heated family argument.  I was glad to get off of there and get to our campsite.  Turns out we were 2 or 3 miles away still.

Since we had to get up way early tomorrow(3:30) we decided to not use tents and just sleep on the ground.  That made setting up easy!.  Dinner was provided by an almost-alum(he signed up but couldn't ride due to getting a full time job). He took us to a restaurant within the campgrounds.  Apparently they focus on serving drinks to boaters rather than dinner, as their menu had maybe 20 items on it and they ended up running out of pasta for one person.  We went to bed as early as we could because we were getting up way early to beat as much heat on our longest ride of the trip! 

Kingman-> Mohave Valley, AZ

Today was a unique day for me.  I had a phone interview scheduled for 11:30AM.  I wanted to avoid having to do it on the side of the road so I planned on riding out by myself and getting done as fast as possible.  Fortunately, it was a short day, and was overall downhill.  I think most people stopped for coffee, but we were also expecting it to be hot so people wanted to get done before it got too hot.  Lunch was up and over a mountain pass.  We didn't gain a whole lot of elevation, but the climb went on for a long time.  It was really cool to wind through the mountains on the way up.  I got to lunch and realized I was well ahead of schedule and it would actually be downhill the rest of the day.  I hung out and waited for the next group to show up before I took off. 

The downhill after lunch was awesome.  Usually they're pretty straight and fast, but today's was windy and had sharp banked turns. Even though I had to brake a lot more, it was more fun than just sitting and going straight.  The route rolled through the old mining town of Oatmen.  When the mines shut down, they set the burrros free, and now they just wander through the town aimlessly.  When I went through they weren't actually in town, but I found a pack of them on the opposite side.  I thought one got hit by a car in the middle of the road and was dead, but turns out they just lay down and take naps in the middle of the road whenever they want.  When other people got to town, the burros were actually in the town hanging outside of shops hoping to catch a free meal. 

Once I got into Mohave Valley, the cue sheet had us turn down a dirt road.  I quickly looked at the map and found a reroute that was actually paved. It ended up being further than the cue sheet had listed, but I still made it into town with enough time to find a restaurant, eat lunch, and relax before my interview.  We were staying in a school, so we didn't have access to where we ere staying until 2.  I stayed in the restaurant for a while and then went over to a little park to take a little snooze.  Eventually we got in, took hose showers, and then host provided us pizza for dinner. Some people went and swam in the Colorado, or set up a slip and slide, but I was content with taking an extra nap. 

We had two Olympic challenges tonight: bag weight and Therma-rest rolling.  Bag weight was simply the average team weight of bags. I think we came in 3rd. We're supposed to be limited to 50 pounds, but there were a couple people over that limit.  I think the overall average was around 35 lbs.  Matt and I had been practicing Therma-rest rolling to see who was faster.  We were both down around 30-35 seconds, but I was slightly faster.  I knew I could get it under 30 seconds, so that was my goal.  I ended up winning with a time of 28 seconds again beating the other team by a solid 20-30 seconds.  At this point we pretty much had enough points to have the victory regardless of the last challenge.