We rode 79 miles today, crossing the river into Illinois and crossing our second state line! I rode with Neeva, Craig, and Gilbert. It was a beautiful morning with few cars on the roads and expansive views of fields and gentle rolling hills. There were some storm clouds that we were heading away from as they were also being blown farther into the distance; hello headwinds! As we ride west from the Appalachian Mountains, the climbs get smaller, fewer, and farther between. We had an elevation gain of just about 2,000 ft along our ride, which sounds like a breeze (ha) relative to the days we’ve had as of late, but, even on fairly flat terrain, the wind can present quite a challenge. The winds weren’t too crazy today, but they certainly gave us a taste of what we can expect in our future.

We had some good stops today. Before lunch, we had some good finds in the quaint town of Sebree, KY. We stopped in a dairy bar and chatted with some locals, saw a bank established in 1890, an old-fashioned drugstore and soda fountain established in 1910. Our group was there just before the bank or drugstore were open, but we heard a little bit about them from a local outside. Other groups after our group stopped in when they were open and got a neat tour of the bank and even found some coveted post cards at the drug store (they have been surprisingly hard to come by)! We also stopped at a local barbeque joint before lunch, for some good company, delicious food, and because we thought that might hold us over for the six miles we had until our lunch stop.

After lunch, we crossed a bridge over the Ohio River and stopped to celebrate our arrival to Illinois with some photos by the welcome sign. Besides that bridge, the terrain was consistently flat upon entering Illinois. As we took what would be our last snack break before riding into our hosts, a super friendly local cyclist pulled over to chat about our ride. We gave him the rundown and we were all on our way back to getting on the road when rethought, put his car in reverse, and offered us a few blocks of his fresh homemade cheese, and then added in his box of crackers. Boy, were we grateful! Another group of riders came up right at that moment so, of course, we all had an impromptu cheese tasting picnic in celebration of good food and kind strangers; delectable (and spicy) pepper jack and smoked cheddar. It was certainly a morale boost for the homestretch!

After a great ride day, we were welcomed by our wonderful hosts at the First Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg. The space that were staying in is really cool looking and the hosts have been exceptionally accommodating and excited to have us. We ate a lovely dinner of alfredo, veggies, and salad, with live music they had arranged for entertainment. We were joined by state senator, Dale Fowler who provided the catered dinner. After dinner and desert, a couple of our riders and the hosts showed off some dance skills to augment the live music. Overall, it was a wonderful day to ride into and be warmly welcomed into Illinois!

-Amanda

Today’s build day kicked off with enthusiasm, largely provided by Virginia the executive director of the Owensboro Habitat for Humanity we were working with today. She gave us the run down after we shuttled to the main building then we divided into three groups to work on the projects they had.

One group stayed at the main building and helped with some weeding and putting tile down. Another was on the move visiting multiple sites with a trailer to remove debris and eventually met up with the third group who was cleaning out a particular site recently regained by Habitat. I was with that group and we removed carpet, cleaned the fridge, vents, wiped down the walls and removed electrical covers so they could be painted and anything else that needed cleaned. Our day was also filled with interviews with a few media outlets documenting our trip! Check our the article here: https://www.messenger-inquirer.com/news/local/bike-build-cyclists-advocate-for-affordable-housing-lend-a-hand/article_846075c0-2694-5fd3-a113-072a21fdbff8.html

Our whole group reconvened for lunch at a community member’s house who was absolutely amazing and made us baked spaghetti, bread, fruit, brownies, cookies, chips and guacamole and lots of everything. It was so very welcoming and I know I am not the only one who took a quick cat nap after eating. Virginia was also there and shared pictures she had taken of us in the morning and already printed! Also shared some nice jokes and puns over lunch as she says is her tradition with large groups.

We returned to the build site to finish up there then stopped by a Kroger and a bike shop for a quick stop to stock up on snacks and other necessities. Returning to the host we had dinner then a few of us took over the kitchen to cook some of what we got. I saw Victor, Frances, and Melissa working together to make some homemade sushi, which was a fascinating process to me, while I hung out in the kitchen to make some hard boiled eggs. In the evening we also set up the projector to watch a documentary “Should America Offer Reparations for Slavery” in honor of Junteenth. I personally decided to watch from my sleeping bag and surprisingly and accidentally fell asleep and missed the engaging discussion that followed. (Seemed engaging though I only half woke up while it was happening). Still got a head start on some good rest for tomorrow’s ride to Illinois!

-Sam P

Today we rode into Owensboro! The terrain was entirely rolling hills, proving once again that the Appalachians don’t end just because the Blueridge Parkway signs do. The hills were pretty shallow, so they felt like false flats going up, but still gave way to pretty sweet descents. I rode with Paul and Paige, and we absolutely booked it on today’s ride. At lunch, we got milkshakes at a dairy bar around the corner and I used a chocolate malt to concoct a peanut butter and chocolate milkshake sandwich. It wouldn’t be a Kentucky ride if we didn’t see a dog, and Paul and Paige and I found a very recently pregnant pitbull on the side of the road. We got into the host early, helped unload the trailer, and then in true bike and build fashion, topped off a great ride with a sweet sweet nap.

-Frieda

Day 20. Springfield, Kentucky to Leitchfield, Kentucky. Rolling hills are beginning to replace the mountains. I like rolling hills. You get to carry momentum into your uphills, so the uphills aren’t as tough. Cycling is a game of momentum.

Frances doesn’t like the rolling hills. She says, “When you bike on rolling hills, you try to gain speed going down, so you’re pedaling while descending. But you still have to pedal on the uphill. So you’re working the whole time.” No rest for the weary.

Settling into routines can be a challenge. We’ve managed to get our morning routine set in the last few days. We have a harder time coping with the daily morning storms. When we were doing daily mountains, people panted and worked their tails off. It was a specific kind of satisfaction: Once you get to the top, you will eventually be rewarded by the exhilaration of descent.

The ride to Leitchfield surprised me. For 20 miles, the hills rolled. In the changing terrain, I sensed the farm flats and cornfields of the midwest slowly approaching. I wondered whether we were done with mountains for good. The morning rain pounded my glasses and clouded my rear-view mirror. I clenched my teeth and rolled. No thunder: Keep rolling. Frances, Kayla, Paige, and I carried forward without a whiff of fear. We shouted loud, clear calls. We barreled through the first thirty miles this way.

The Appalachian mountains seemed to be fading into the background. But suddenly, we rounded a curve, and before us lay a sweeping field of farmland, framed in the distance by a small mountain range. The road bent around the farm and weaseled through what appeared to be a valley. No ascent, I hoped.

I was wrong. The curve concealed the climb. Leading the charge, I rallied the troops: “Here we go!” We started moving our legs. The unmistakable chunking of our gears shifting down signaled the the grade of the road beneath us. It was no Blue Ridge Parkway, but it was enough to slow us to a crawl. The rain was gone, leaving nothing but the fresh scent of the mountain forest as we climbed.

As the land began to level, I breathed a sigh of relief. I let off the pedals and checked our spacing: Mostly good. Frances and Paige climbed faster than Kayla and I. I braced myself, expecting the exhilaration of descent to follow.

It never came. We reached what appeared to be a great, mostly flat plateau of farm fields. The change puzzled me. I don’t mind steep climbs, and I don’t require a fast descent. But it was the first time we had gone up without coming back down sooner or later.

I’m told Kansas sits around 3,000 feet above sea level. We started at sea level in Yorktown. That’s 3,000 feet up with no foreseeable descent. We have our work cut out for us.

But even if we won’t be exhilarated by descents as often now, I find a new thrill in this: We are ready for the rest. In the next 3,000 some miles, we will discover the full force of our own power. We are prepared to leave a second state behind us, having built for and witnessed housing disparities experienced by Kentuckians. We can look forward to practicing the strength and resilience we will need to make it through the headwinds of the Westerlies over the plains and make it to Portland. We’re not quite a quarter of the way there yet, but we now know we can do it. We’re settling in. We’re ready to ride.

Saddle up!

—eryk

Today we woke up around 4:30 AM for an 83 mile ride from Berea, KY to Springfield, KY. Sean and I swept (meaning we left last with an extra tube and a med kit for cyclist safety) the group.

Not too far into the ride, our group was interrupted by 2 hours of thunder and lightning, which would later result in many of us latter groups being vanned. Luckily for eight of us, this stop included impromptu doughnuts and beverages from the sweet church we took cover in.

After it was all clear, we continued on our way. Most of us cyclists spotted a goat standing on a little house and turned it into a photo op.

Later in the day, Sean and I stumbled upon a cyclist rest stop. It was filled with cold drinks, tasty snacks, and emergency cycling gear. As we chomped on some coconut cookies and stashed some RX bars and homemade banana bread, the owner stopped by to refill. When we asked what motivated her and her husband to set up this little oasis, she said it was simply because they saw so many cyclists passing this way. She and her husband plan to convert the barn on the property into a hostel with a working bathroom and shower for cyclists!

So far, our route has been a reminder of all the kind-hearted people in communities across the country who open their doors to us and genuinely just want to help. Kentucky, we love you!

-Samantha

What a day build day was. We got to sleep in till 7:45! Build day was a little unique as the entire team was divided into multiple groups to conquer the build day; Salvation Army, resource emergency shelter, landscaping painting, and some went to the bike shop to get some much needed repairs. Unfortunately I went with the bike repair crew to get rim tape. The bike shop was cool as the owners had both biked across the country at some point in their lives. It was nice chatting with them, but it took quite some time so we went to the best Egyptian restaurant in town (the only one) please see the picture below. 

Following the build / repair day for everyone we met up with a professor from the college of Berea who was heavily involved in urban farming. We got to learn about how the urban farm supports the community and also the different ways they teach people to be farmers/Gardner’s themselves. The most interesting topic was how bees behave and create their hives. Definitely worth a google if you have a second. That pretty much was the day as the next day we had a 4:30 wake up ….

SHORTEST RIDE OF THE SUMMER. 23 Smiles of pure jubilance. This ride specifically had a little something extra behind it because we all knew it was going to be an easy day, and that we had a pool party to look forward to later in the (which I will get to). I rode with Alexis A. and Sam P. It was a chilly 50 degrees to start the morning and when we started riding it felt as though I was back in early spring, training in Michigan. Somewhat comforting I suppose. Once we got warmed up and shed our under armours, we were over half way done with the ride! Sam and I had some issues with our bikes, but nothing hindering on finishing the ride. The highlight of the ride was stopping at a gas station outside Berea, where there were over 24 flavors of ice cream to pick from, I personally went with espresso cheesecake, which was the right choice.

Once everyone returned from the ride and showered up, we had a town hall meeting to discuss the highs, lows, and issues we as a team had experienced up to that point.

After the work was finished, the fun began! Syd, an alum of the CUS route, and her parents hosted us for dinner and a pool party!!! Before we even got to the house, the van ride over set the tone of the night, singing classics such as The Foundation’s “Build Me Up Buttercup” and Neil Diamond’s timeless jam “Sweet Caroline”. I remember a specific point in time in the van when I was starting out the window looking at the landscape, feeling the breeze as we drove down the country roads, feeling nothing but content. A feeling rarely had, but one that is prevalent with me as I continue this journey across America.

-CTM

Today we rode about 73 miles from Hazard, KY to McKee, KY. I rode with Henry and Andrea. The beginning of the ride had some nice climbs and descents (although not nearly as intense as the more mountainous sections of Virginia).

Kentucky is very beautiful. I noticed that there are above-ground power lines everywhere.

We stopped briefly at a little country store that had this sign in the front window. While we were stopped, I ate the gummi octopi my parents sent me (thanks Mom and Dad!).

After a long uphill climb, my group stopped at the top of the mountain for a pee break. I went behind a big dirt heap and found this daisy.

Henry, Andrea, and I had some great conversations on our ride ranging from voluntourism to first impressions of each other.

At lunch, we had not only the usual offerings, but also leftover KFC that was donated yestersay. I took a glorious nap on this playground bridge and am pretty sure I fell asleep in the middle of eating a biscuit.

After lunch, we continued our good conversations and watched the mountains turn into hills. About 20 miles from the host, I started to have significant shifting issues and was stuck in low gear. Riding the hills in low gear was exhausting, so I got a little grumpy. We stopped at this ice cream place and got some cones toward the end of the ride.

When we arrived in McKee, the host was very generous and provided us with delicious food including homemade French fries, rice and quinoa, corn, and spaghetti lasagna. The showers were a 20 minute walk away, so getting clean took a little bit longer than usual. When I got back from showering, Jude fixed my shifting problems and I degreased and lubed my chain and cassette.

In the evening, about 1/3 of the group went to do laundry (which was apparently quite the ordeal). Most of the rest of the group went to see a waterfall. I stayed in to write this blog post and go to sleep early. Altogether, it was a good day, but now I am tired and ready for sleep.

-Victoria

Today was quite the day! Woke up relatively early to make it to our Build Day on time, but the free coffee our host provided made it all worth it.

Our task for the day was to create an ADA-compliant ramp for the homeowner, install railings on a front deck, and paint the inside of the house. It was a lot of work but definitely achievable with the amount of enthusiasm our group, especially when it came to using the large torque wrench and the laying of concrete.

The volunteers at the worksite gave us the lowdown on the coal industry in and around Kentucky which was very informative and gave us perspectives that we haven’t thought of before.

Lastly, it was one of our group leaders birthdays so we celebrated with Cake at our Build Day debrief. Day was 10/10!

-David K.

84 Miles of Climbing Gratitude

It’s 4:30 AM when the Elkhorn Community Center becomes filled with the chimes of thirty-one alarms. We rise early to pedal eighty-four miles down (or more like up, lots of up) the road to Hazard, Kentucky. Once we complete our daily routine and quirky shake out at route meeting, we each hit the road with our ride groups for the day. Myself, being a Kentucky native, warned my fellow riders of the doggos, views, and mountains to come; promising that it would all be worth it.

And worth it, it was. It’s safe to say that with each mile became another thing to be grateful for. James and Eric were the last to leave the community center, but after a snack stop, they busted out of their “granny gears” and were somehow the first two to make it to the host. We don’t ever race when we ride, so this just goes to say that James and Eric were truly a dynamic duo that pushed themselves despite all the climbs.

The snacks seemed to be a trend among ride groups as Melissa, Andrea, Victor, and Nitti all received FREE ice cream from one of the many kind Kentuckian motorists! Nitti was inspired by more than the ice cream today, that is for sure. Yesterday, she confessed, “It just seems like these climbs are so much harder for me than for everyone else” and today she absolutely rocked the hardest day yet!! She pushed way past the limits her mind had set and literally worked her body until it had nothing left. Needless to say, her motivation and ability to persevere even when the hills got long and steep was truly inspiring. (WAY TO GO, GIRLFRIEND!)

The hills were indeed long and steep as we gained 6,000 feet of elevation. Paige, Anna, Craig, Greg, Wolf, and Adam all shared how they felt so overwhelmingly accomplished as they climbed the hills. Craig explained, “I surprised myself” and also gives a huge shout out to Greg, who’s become known as the literal best hill climbing partner you could ever have.

In the spirit of team work, Sean (who accidentally made a wrong turn and rode a century) and Frieda shared a certain story of camelbak malfunctions going down a hill (you should ask them about it for a good, belly deep laugh).

As we wrapped up the ride, Jude, Henry, Franny, Anna, and Gilly B expressed extra and specific gratitude to all the friendly drivers of Kentucky (thanks for helping keep us safe, y’all)!

Even after the ride, the gratitude continued to pour like the buckets of rain we’ve been experiencing lately. We finished up the day at our host, Mother of Good Counsel Catholic Church. Here we met with MIT cyclists, community members, and the Mayor and principal of the high school, Happy. Happy’s name suits him well, as the smile on his face never diminished even as he shared stories of the recovery of the town in a post coal mining economy. After we enjoyed dinner with the community, we winded down the night with some conversation amongst our team. We organically gathered around a table where we shared everything from our deepest regrets to our greatest attributes and then chanted back at each individual “we love you!” as they finished sharing their stories.  As our conversations came to a close, we snuggled into our sleeping bags as we each set our morning alarms to prepare for a day of service in Hazard, KY.

ALSO— A real big, special, fancy shout out to ANNA, who FINALLY read 3 pages of her book! It’s important, ask her about it if ya get the chance! BIG DEAL! SO PROUD!

~B