O-H-I-O!

Avon Lake, OH

My penn-state friends will kill me for writing my title like that...but I can't help it! I've never been so excited to be in Ohio!!! We're here already!?

We broke our record today - fastest ride yet - rode 80 miles in 90 minutes... and without a sweat! Ya, ok, I'm not that good... it was due to an intense day of storms that were heading toward Cleveland. It was disappointing to not get to ride today, but safety first, and riding in lighting on a metal bike just seems like not the best of ideas.

So i'll back up to the past week of riding. Today is friday... (or is it?) I never seem to know what day it is anymore... but since Monday it has been HOT HOT HOT! The relatively flat terrain has been GREAT! I don't know what would happen if we were climbing the Adirondacks in 90 degree heat - my camelbak has been a huge lifesaver, as well as Jillian's 50 SPF sunblock. 3 days of impressive heat rash on my legs has convinced me to change from the 2 applications of SPF 30 per day, to now 3 applications of the SPF 50. Fingers crossed this works!

I haven't really talked much about our build-sites yet. We've had 4 scheduled, but only 3 came to fruition- and all 3 have been amazing. With lack of time, I'll talk about our 2nd build site in Lebanon, NH. 7 of my fellow cyclists and I headed on a one-hour car ride to our site with COVER, a non-profit organization devoted to repairing low-income family's homes. The home we worked on had rotten wooden siding on their small trailer, a squirrel living in the siding (and munching on electrical wires), and thousands of ants in the woodwork. COVER used our volunteering assistance to help repair some of the boards, wrap the home in Tyvek, and put up vinyl siding. The family was very grateful, and we were all happy to help. We've been in the presence of 2 families who were brought to tears while we were working with another affordable housing organization, habitat for humanity... it's hard to even comprehend the difference we are making in some of these people's lives.

I'm so thankful to have had such a wonderful experience so far. These 3 weeks have FLOWN by - to think we're nearly 1/3 of the way done is hard to believe! And my legs are sore, but its not major PAIN anymore! YAY~!