Hello, Grand Canyon State!

So apparently we will actually make it to Santa Barbara. Crossing into Arizona was another solidification of this fact, although the road to Flagstaff has been a long one. The last few days of riding, though difficult, have been some of the most beautiful of the trip. Riding out of Socorro, we passed mountains covered in mist with a rainbow across them. It looked like heaven. Until we started climbing, gaining 4,000 feet of elevation in one day. That particular day felt like we were all going to die on the road, especially when vultures started circling above us (this is not a joke. It was very creepy.). One of the highlights of the last couple of days was going to the Very Large Array, which is a huge field full of radio transmitters (Contact, anyone?), where we all got the dorky satisfaction of learning about black holes and taking pictures next to huge dishes that weigh 230 tons. The next biggest highlight of the last couple of days was Pie Town, NM, a town of 60 people (the elk outnumber the residents 3 to 1) that was apparently a trading post that got its name for the pies made by the niece of the owner. Since then, they have specialized in pies. Since we at Bike and Build specialize in eating pies, we made beautiful music together. I will write once I have learned more about Arizona. All I know about it right now is that it is hot and doesn't observe daylight savings time.

Land of Enchantment

New Mexico has, so far, had quite a lot to offer a weary traveller. A day off in Roswell, for example, allowed me to learn all sorts of exciting new alien facts. For example, did you know that a mysterious code was discovered on the scraps of space ships that landed in Roswell, or that Mayans were actually the first space travellers? Yeah. Just try to challenge any of this information to the UFO Museum staff and you're in for a world of trouble. I also made such valuable purchases as a bumper sticker that says "Ship Happens" and a t-shirt that says "Trust No One."
We rode out of Roswell today into the Sacramento mountain range. A long, continual ascent occupied our time for the first 80 miles, with the reward of a 15 mile downhill. The mountains themselves were beautiful and the riding was perhaps some of the most enjoyable of the trip so far. We also rode through some memorable places, including Lincoln, NM, where Billy the Kid reigned and famously shot the sheriff (AND the deputy). Also of note was Capitan, NM, the home of Smokey the Bear (Apparently he was originally a real bear. Also, apparently there are bears in New Mexico. Yikes. I'm having enough trouble avoiding rattlesnakes.). Capitan celebrates its heritage by having literally everything in the town Smokey the Bear themed. This includes, but is not limited to, a Smokey the Bear Museum and Gift Shop and Smokey's Restaurant and General Store.
We're heading into a long stretch until we hit Flagstaff -- long days, continual ascents, and desert conditions. Certainly I will reach Arizona with the muscles of a Marine, the reflexes of a jungle cat, and the ability to bite the head off a rattlesnake, Survivorman-style. Wish me luck in this endeavor.

I Guess Everything is Bigger Here

So we have just completed a day of building in Amarillo, TX. Texas has been notable for its extreme heat, wind, and extremely large sized (TexaSize) fries and drinks. Even more noteworthy than all of this, however, is "The Big Texan," a restaurant/theme park/tourist trap that we all frequented last night. The Big Texan features a shooting range, waiters in costumes, a huge concrete steer, and the 72 ounce steak challenge. The challenge is to eat 72 ounces of steak (and side dishes) within an hour. The participant in the challenge sits on a stage in front of a huge ticking clock displayed in front of the entire restaurant. After riding 100 miles to get to Amarillo, we were fairly certain that one of our riders had a good chance of victory. The brave participant, Jorge, started to much enthusiasm. We literally filled the restaurant with chanting ("What Time is it?" "Game time!", "Dogs in the house!", etc.). Despite an excellent showing, however, Jorge was only able to complete about 60 ounces. Mind you, this is still an almost inconceivably large amount of meat. And we are very proud of him.
As an addendum, after this story you can probably guess how the vegetarians on the trip have been doing in Texas. As one of our hosts said, "I hope you're not looking for anything light to eat. Because you won't find that in Texas."

You're Doing Fine, Oklahoma

In an unexpected twist, Oklahoma has become my favorite state to bike through so far. Yes, that's right. Oklahoma. Riding through Kansas and into Oklahoma on our first day, we spent a glorious afternoon swimming and frolicking through sunflower fields. Oh, and biking. Though slightly hillier than I expected (this is largely because I had images of pancake-flat riding) and as hot as the surface of the sun, Oklahoma has by far exceeded all expectations. It even has armadillos! I have yet to see a live one, but the amount of them I see on the road leads me to believe that they are plentiful, and that I may have a chance to see one before leaving their territory. My worst experience in this state has been my epic huge mistake to stay up late watching "No Country for Old Men" in Vinita, OK (Birthplace of Dr. Phil. Bit of trivia.). It was a mistake for several reasons: a. Javier Bardem is really creepy in a haunting way and under no circumstances should be viewed before sleeping b. Watching people being needlessly ed by a serial killer in a countryside much like the one I am riding through did not sit well with me the next day c. Well, I guess it was just two reasons. It actually is a really good movie. The days have also been very short recently. This is, I suppose, a welcome respite, but given that I know we are gearing up for some long painful days in the Southwest, the break is bittersweet.

Treking through the Show-Me State

Rarely, it seems, do I have two blog posts from the same state. We are going through them at a pretty decent clip. Today, however, I follow up my post from St. Louis with one from Joplin, MO. We have been going Southwest (I sense a theme here) across the state, having adventures along the way. Two long days in the Ozarks (two centuries in a row. Ouch.) were rewarded by a build day in Springfield, MO, where we stayed yesterday. The build day was hot, humid, and involved alot of hammering on a blitz build being done by the Habitat chapter there. It was rewarding work because it was so tangibly productive. We saw a boxy form transform into a house with a roof, insulation, and a few appliances. It made me dream (ever-so briefly) about a life in construction. Too bad I have no skills. Or upper body strength.
To be honest with myself (and my readers), the highlight of Springfield was actually the Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World, a fishing store that was so much more. A sign over the door reading "Welcome hunters, fishermen, and other liars" welcomed us into a wonderland of camo, trucker hats, guns, waterfalls, live fish, live DUCKS, a starbucks, a barber shop, a restaurant, and many more ridiculous and wonderful things. After an hour of rampaging around the store in a full-on camo jumpsuit, I was as tired as I am after most riding days. And as exhilarated. Well, maybe not. But almost.
I feel that the Bass Pro Shop is pretty indicative of my experience with Missouri. More pick-up trucks, more camo, and fewer leashes and gates for dogs.
Will write from Oklahoma.

Meet me in St. Louis

So it's official. Just like Lewis and Clark, we are heading West. And now I know that we will surely make it because we crossed the Mississippi yesterday, marking the difference between "I guess that's a pretty far way to bike" and "Oh my God you must be jacked" territory. We sped through the Land of Lincoln, my home state, at a pretty serious clip. Blink, and we might have missed Lawrenceville or Salem, the two towns in which we stayed. The most memorable part of Illinois was certainly the 4th of July, not for any particular celebration, but because of our stay in the donated rooms of the Gas Lite Motel. That's right. Double beds. Sheets. Pillows. TV. A shower only shared by 3-4 people. God bless America.
Other than that, Illinois was marked by easy, flat riding and the disturbing scenery of the remnants of the recent flooding. From Bloomington through Illinois, we repeatedly encountered FEMA workers there to look over the damage, and several locals told horrific stories of flood damage. One elderly woman in Lawrenceville told a story about how her kitchen had been completely flooded, and as her family attempted to head out to safety, her dog ran forward first and was electrocuted, inadvertently sacrificing himself for his owners. Stories like that seemed to be fairly commonplace in the area and gave a startling new face to the recent news. I can only hope that FEMA operations are successful and that those with flood damage recieve some amount of aid.
On a happier note, the sun has come out for our day in St. Louis and the arch, the zoo and (of course) the ubiquitous trip to the bike shop are all in order. Will write again soon.
Westward ho!

Hoosierville

Hello from Bloomington, home of the Hoosiers and a little bit of sanity as we prepare for a day of building. Our ride through Indiana thus far has been very welcoming, very sunny, and very windy, but the good riding conditions were marred (for me) when my friend and riding buddy hit a pothole and was thrown from her bike. Having to take a friend to the ER was scary, but she was lucky enough (or unlucky enough) to have escaped with 11 stitches, 5 on her chin and 6 on her knee. So safety has been on the forefront of everyone's mind in the past couple of days, even though accidents like the one she was in were no fault of her own. Nevertheless, being extra careful has been the name of the game for me riding through Indiana.
On a happier note, we have passed through some beautiful and hilly countryside since I last was able to write, including some beautiful farmland and highlights like the world's largest basket (as predicted by my mother). I am fortunate enough to have my Mom and Grandma here to see me tonight so I will get to go to a REAL restaurant and have a meal where I don't feel like I have to gorge myself so that the 30 other hungry wolves that I'm riding with don't eat all my food. This being said, I will likely gorge myself anyway. How can I help it? The food is free and my Grandma brought apple pie.

Ah. And a final thought. To all of you Hoosiers. As I rode into Indiana, I took a picture next to the "Welcome to Indiana" state sign (obviously) and noted to my dismay that underneath the sign saying "Crossroads of America" the Indiana population had tacked on the phrase "Lincoln's boyhood home." The people of Indiana very well know that ILLINOIS is the land of Lincoln. Stop riding on our coattails.