Care package shout out

Big thanks go out to aunt barbie uncl Bobby, Mom , and moriah for sending me care packages! It was great to get to illinos and have cliff bars waiting my arrival! If anyone is thinking about sending anything I have discovered that shot blocks and Gue works the best and tastes good to.
I have been averaging about two various energy bars/gues a day! The past week has been great we have finally hit flat ground back in Ohio and are making our way to the rockies. On the forth of July we left dayton ohio after our build day with a police escort for the first ten miles. It took three police cars yo a complish zero stops out of town. Itreminded me of when you see the president and he has various cars zooming around him. Midway through the police escort a dog decided to run away from it's ower and lead our pack sprinting for several miles in front of the police car. after we were dropped of at our respective bike path that would lead us to our first century our group huddled and sang the
star spangled banner. We all had mini flags bellowing in the wind attached to our camelbaks. The forth was hands down the one as of late.
Other highlights of the past week have been our day off in Pontiac Illinois and luractual riding hours on the bike. It's interesting because as the trip goes on long milage seems to go by faster and our perspectives are changing. 60 is the new 40 miles as someone said today while we eTched the final world cup game at a local pub here in mt Vernon. Hope all is well with everyone! More updAtes to come as we make our way through Iowa.

O-hi-O

These Past couple days have been full of donation magic. For those who don't know what donation magic(dm) is it is the magical moment when a generous person donates somethig to our group for free. In the past couple days we got a free diner meal comped by the owner at Freda diner! Then we got 10 percent off at two bike shops and today we got free chipotle donated for lunch. I guess when you travel around Ina pack of thirty spandex wearing bikers pepole take notice! The other great thing in the past few days is the terrain change! We hit Ohio and I felt like I was back in Illinois! It is flat and all the corn a person could want. Hope all in well where you are. Tomorrow we head to dayton!

Coudersport PA ....Hills, hills, and more hills

Today we rode from wellsboro to coudersport Pennsylvania! Although our ride was only 45 miles there were quit z bit of hills! Nothing like the 70 mile day we did with a mountain included. The trip is really fun so far and a great change in pace from wor and school . Although topics from work or school find there way into our riding days. Yesterday I stopped to go to the bathroom at the local tri county electri. Provider and they sure new about the company I work for . They went on about how each year riders stop in to use the restroom! It was afun ride that included ice cream and fun card games after we arrived at our host. Until next time! P.s shout out to sarah Collins for sending me mh first mail drop card!

Lance Armstrong 17 miles - Bike & Build 85 Miles - Point Goes to Bike & Build

So it is the beginning.... and in the beginning my butt is the main topic on my mind. After 5 days of biking mu butt is the sorest part of my body. Not my legs, not my arms but the butt.

We started in providence went through pomfrett CT, granby CT, kent CT, poughkipsey NY, and have temporariliy landed in Binghamton NY. We are lounging in a United Methodist Church which has the first couches we have seen in days! A sweet ping pong table, tv, and several computers thus the reason I am blogging.

The riding to date has been a gradual building of milage each day starting at about 45 and ending with 85 miles today. Although this was the longest day becase of the lack of mountains it was not quite as hard as yesterday.

Send packages of sweets, cliff, bars, and any awesome stickers you would like to see on my bike!

The addresses are here... http://www.bikeandbuild.org/cms/component/option,com_wrapper/Itemid,347/

Until next time!
Much Love,
Kaitlin

Almost bike and build time

I have officially gotten to providence and am hanging out with cormac, jack, suz and Kevin! Spent a few days here which were lovely now it's time for orientation. Updates to come soon on our first ride day!

Birthday and I'm not going to be here BBQ party

All are invited to my B-day BBQ also nike named "I am not going to be here for the summer party".

Its May 30th (real b-day is the 25th :) and hopefully will include a fire to roast mallos and create smores!

Check back soon for details aka the location and exact starting time!

Botanic Gardens and Back... The Long Way

This weekend was an exciting one. Both my roommates got bikes. Elsbeth (also known as Obby) purchased a road bike and has been super pumped to ride it. Thus we went on a really long ride on Monday night after work. Even as the clouds rolled in making rain seem enevitable.

We set out and took Sheriden all the way to the botanic gardens and then cut through the Forest Preserve on the way back. It was fun to have a riding partner ;) made the time pass much more quickly!

Only thing left to get before I see if everything can fit in my duffel are some cliff bars, and maybe a book or two.

Any suggestions?

Almost to the Start

School is finished, wrapping up last minute earrinds around the apartment, trying to finish projects or at least pass them off to coworkers, and then I am off. First to visit my grandparents and then I head to Providence. I will be staying with Susann and Kevin (my cousins!) who live in the providence area. It should be loads of fun catching up with family while also getting ready to start riding.

I am SO ready for the summer to start.... I feel like I have been preping for decades, checking and rechecking my gear, bike, fundraising, blog, twitter, and the list goes on.

12 more days of work and 23 more days until the official start of the trip! At work now adays I have become so antsy... I can hardly stand it. It has not helped that it has been horrible weather and prevented me from riding to and from work the past couple days.

Until next time :)

Bike Computer, and a 50 mile WET ride

So I believe I rounded out all the nifty gadgets I will need for this summer by installing my cay eye strada bike computer! With the help of my former boss I got it to work. It is wonderful! I have been wondering how fast I go and what it takes to keep up with the pros... or the so called pros of the lakefront bike path and with this computer I can tell how fast I am going and how fast other people are going to by trying to keep up!

It is wonderful. I think I might try out a Chicago Cycle Club ride this month. With my computer I can confidently say I can keep a steady pace of 17 mph! oh yeah... its all bike (not really my skills! ha).

On the training side of things I put in a 50 mile ride this weekend... which was necessary since I skipped out last weekend but very painful. It was raining the whole time and after I was 25 miles away from home I turned around and fought the 18 mph winds it took SOO much longer on the way home. Strength training I guess but painful all the same!

While Biking I Noticed...

Every time I set out on my bike a little ways down the street I notice signs permanently attached to trees that read "Please pick up after your dog, Do not in any circumstances leave dog waste on this property!" This sign strikes me as odd... in a neighborhood that trys to be "Green". Is it more green to leave dog poo on the grass that is biodegradable or hang a laminated paper sign on a tree with a nail? The signs are so ugly and a little dog poop is not going to hurt anyone... it might even help your grass.

So for every one's sake take the signs down. It might make for a happier tree and more "green" looking block!

End rant here.

On the biking note I am going to attempt my 65 mile ride this weekend on Saturday morning and try out the camel back for the first time!

Here is my first shot at using the flip camera

NUUN, Bike Fitting, and 50 Mile ride

Preparation for the trip is in full swing and pretty exciting as well! I got a bike fitting this week at the LBS and my bike feels amazing. He did everything from video tape me to measuring my arches in my feet, my in-seem, and my shoulder width. He made tons of adjustments to my seat handle bars stem seat hit, etc.

On a hydrating note I received the NUUN I ordered and plan on using it this weekend on my long ride (hopefully 60 miles). NUUN gave B&B a 50 % discount. Its great hydration tablets that you drop in your water after a lot of physical activity!

This past weekend I went on my first 50 mile ride and it was a huge success! I made it all the way to the botanic gardens on the forest preserve path. When I got home I was not nearly as wiped out as I expected.

Finally I finished my Sweat equity this past weekend with a Rebuild project with LARRI. It was formed for local towns in Indiana after severe flooding hit in various impoverished neighborhood. We worked all day tearing down industrial shelving and organizing building supplies for the various houses that are going to be worked on over the next few months. I will be going out with the team one last time before I leave for the summer. met some cool people and it was a pretty productive day!

Pedals in Place and Flip Camera are a GO!

Hey All - This past weekend I got my clip less pedals installed on the new bike and took it out for a 50 mile ride this weekend up to the botanic gardens. The bike is awesome, light, fast, and fun to ride. My goal in the next couple weeks is to get use to wearing spandex. Sunday I went out in full swagger and made a public appearance in 7 eleven and Subway.... people do look at you weird but the butt pad is totally worth it.

On another exciting note my flip camera came yesterday. It is pretty awesome. As soon as I figure out out to post videos you shall see the first ever Flip camera video exclusively posted here.

The BIke Has Arrived

Happy Easter everyone! I flew home to CA for Easter and it was lovely to catch up with family. My mom and bro bought a little puppy named Cooper. He is absolutely one of the cutest puppies I have seen in a while. We spent most of the weekend playing and being entertained by him.

I came home Monday night to the largest package I have ever received in my life! The bike :) I have to give a shout out to Marc... thank you for the ride home as I don't think I would have made it home with the bike traveling case (which I got for really cheap in CA!).

I immediately opened the box (that I could probably fit in!) and found all sorts of gear goodies as well as a white gleaming new bike inside. I was able to put it together quite easily although I have yet to take it for a spin. I cant get the pedals off my old bike to put them on the new one.... gotta go to the LBS for their powerful wrench skills.

for now take a look at the new bike! http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/model/avail.1.white.silver/3881/36263/

Clipless Fall - This is What it Looks Like

For your viewing enjoyment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZddUxFzy16M&feature=related

Slow Motion Fall & Clipless Pedals

What I have been told is inevitable... actually happened. Yes I took a big spill due to still being clipped into my bike in the middle of the intersection while crossing the street with a friend. Midway through the intersection I realized that the cars were not going to be so nice and did not stop for us to cross. All the while trying to multitask and unclip. I managed to complete my first slow motion fall while still being attached to my bike.

Big thanks goes out to Megan, who I ride home from work with sometimes as she was laughing so hard the tears started to roll. Falling with a friend present was much less embarrassing than doing it on your own. I chalk it up to anything is better with friends around, even eating pavement.

Update on the fundraising a big thanks goes out to Jackie and Joe as I believe if all my corporate matching comes through my fundraising is complete!

And my bike should arrive any day now :) Things are coming together. Now lets hope I don't eat any more pavement.

Until next time faithful blog readers. Pedal safe!

The bike is in the air!

Two big updates.... my bike is in transit and on its way to chicago :) and secondly I secured a huge bike traveling box for half the cost!

And scored a huge donation from a friend this weekend!

Overall it was one great weekend.

Whats Wrong with your Eyes?

That is the line I heard all day today. Due to an irritation (possible wind burn from biking) I have puffy red eye irritation marks around my eyes. At work today my coworkers were all like "what happened" I myself didn't think it was that bad but I I guess I was wrong.

SO ... the solution was to take two benedryll. The only problem with that is I am currently struggling to stay awake in night class. Hopefully I will make it and not have to go back to the doctor for this redness!

Gear. Gear. and More Spandex

Well. It is official I have become a true, hardcore, wearing spandex, clip in, bike gear nerd. Yes I promised myself I would never do this but the time has come when all the gear including the but pad (that I recently found out is called a Chamois) is worth in when riding more than 10 miles.

Attached is a picture of the bike that B&B is shipping my way in a week! Im excited :)

Anybody up for a long mile ride?

Early Morning Blues

As of today I biked two of the five days to work this week. Which is not a good record. The main problem is sleep. If you have known me for any amount of time you know that I love sleep. It is essential for my body to function and I will sleep continually if not woken. This is a problem when it comes to getting up early for things (aka biking to work).

My main motivation for getting up and biking is to see the breathtaking sunrise that occurs over lake michigan. With the time change the sun is rising at the same time I am on the lake front trail with leads to amazing views.

Any ideas of how to get up earlier? let me know your strategy.

Starting Out with A Bang

Howdy! I write this first post optimistic about biking yet blown away that it is already march. As I started preparing for this summer I was preping to start ramping up training in March quite rapidly but march started off unlike many other months. On March first I was hit by a car on my bike. Most would think this was horriblly scaring but it was not that bad. It did look like a movie and I wish the witnesses had caught it on camera as I flew in the air did a flip and landed on the hood of the driver's car.

With all the action that happened I walked away with three giant bruises. No broken bones, fractures, or even a broken bike.

Welcome to march, welcome to biking a rediculous amount of miles and welcome to the dangers that come with biking in Chicago.

Hope you enjoy this blog as it tracks my journey toward Seattle.

Training update - 10 miles each way from work (once). 490 miles to go.
Fundraising update - $2080 dollars. $2020 to go.

Until next time faithful blog readers.