Holstee Manifesto

So I definitely found this and stole it from another rider Emily, but I think it's pretty awesome & I wanted to share it with you. It is something called the Holstee Manifesto, which you can read the full thing in the picture below...for the purpose of this video it was turned into a cycling related one.

One of my favorites is "Open your mind, arms and heart to new things & people" & I think that's what this summer will be full of. I am setting off on a journey across the country. I know none of the people I'll be biking with except what I've seen on Facebook & one or two I'll hopefully meet before orientation. But this summer I'll have a chance to not only meet all sorts of like-minded people who are participating in B & B, but also all those we come in contact with while biking, those we build with, those kind enough to give us shelter & those we stop & buy food from along the way. (It's estimated we'll burn 7000-8000 calories on an average day! Yikes!)

One last note: sadly, no bike ride today. It  was storming this morning when I woke up. It finally cleared, but I walked outside and nearly fell over the wind was so strong. I figured I better call it a day. : /

Ride #2: Rackin' up the miles

Today was filled with B&B goodness, errands and other such things. My parents have been such a huge help so far throughout this whole process & I know they will continue to be, & for that I am so grateful. I had mentioned the idea of a business card, or something of similar size, that could quickly convey the essentials about my trip & also include essential information, such as my blog address, email, & B&B website. So, while I was still tossing the idea around in my head my Dad got the ball rolling. I met with Karen from Minutemen Press in Southgate today and went over some mock ups with her. They are making a few changes & will have them to me before I leave NKY on Thursday. So I'm pretty pumped, this will be a great way to spread the word to potential donors & people in general.

Despite my generally sore behind I headed out for another ride today, 10.42 miles in 43 minutes, so around 14.5 mph. I rode around the same route as yesterday, but ventured back into a few more subdivision like areas & made a few adjustments to the height of my seat. I think I finally found the right height, though one of my next purchases, besides chamois (cycling shorts, pronounced shammeys) will be a different saddle/seat. I have big problems if this is as comfortable as they get. Haha.

Also, I hand-delivered a few fundraising letters which is something that I hadn't done. I have a few donors I am going to thank personally before I leave home, people I haven't seen around but want to make sure they know how much I appreciate their donation. & tonight, after this post, I plan to finish up a fundraising letter that will be sent out to various people in an attempt to generate more funds. The $2000 fundraising deadline is March 16th, which is SUPER close. I've raised $1623 so far, which is awesome, but still almost $3000 from my end goal of $4500. So I have a ways to go, but I'm confident I can make it.

So, 11.90 miles yesterday + 10.42 miles today + 10 various miles ridden up & down Locust St. by my house in PGH = 32.32 miles / 500, only 467.68 more miles to ride & with 79 days until B&B starts that leaves me with an average of 5.92 miles per day. I can do it! :)

Again, once I get back to PGH there will be more pictures, my Mom snapped quite a few today before I headed out. I was rockin' some wacky gear, including some flowered spandex from my HS rowing days. Awww yeah!

First Official Ride

A picture as proof will later be edited into this post just as soon as I make it back to my camera cord in Pittsburgh.

It's spring break this week & fortunately the weather is actually pretty spring like. It's around 60 degrees today here in NKY so I headed out for a bike ride. According to Google maps I rode 11.90 miles at around 14 mph. So, not terrible? I really have no reference for if this is any good or not. I was out for around an hour including a few water breaks. I was on real roads the whole time & for the most part all drivers were very considerate, though all very much in a hurry to get around me. One car passed me with only a few inches to spare in what I considered to be a very frightening 5 seconds. All in all a nice day & a nice ride. Now...to wait & see if I'll be sore tomorrow...

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

1600 lbs of peanut butter @ the Bike & Build office. Word on the street is it's half creamy, half crunchy, and some additional percentage almond butter. The important fact here is that there will be access to crunchy peanut butter. A familiar and much desired luxury that I prefer not to live without. Haha.

Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There's something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym. ~ Bill Nye the Science Guy

Just a quick post. Found the above quote & figured it deserved posting. Not that I drive to the gym, but I am a serious offender of walking to the gym to run on the treadmill. Haha, and as much as I run outside I won't even try to pretend I don't spend a serious amount of time on a treadmill. So, I'm excited to be spending a whole summer exercising outside...well I say that now... I may change my tune when its 104 degrees and humid or 293857293410937 degrees in North Texas and civilization is MILES away. But for now, I'm pumped.


& in other news. Spring break starts tomorrow, and though I won't be home 'til Saturday evening, I've checked out the weather & it looks like I'll be able to put some quality miles in. Some of the roads near my house in Pittsburgh are intimidating, high traffic, many potholes, not something a novice rider should really learn on. So I'm excited to be back in KY where everything is a little bit slower, the roads better maintained & the speed limit slower. My goal is 150 miles while I'm home over break, plus whatever running I get in. Bring it on!

Bike & Build Video

Check out this cool video that a Bike & Builder put together, even on a Monday it still managed to get me pumped for the summer!

89 Days 'til SUS '12!

"A bicycle does get you there and more.... And there is always the thin edge of danger to keep you alert and comfortably apprehensive. Dogs become dogs again and snap at your raincoat; potholes become personal. And getting there is all the fun."
~ Bill Emerson


Went out for a nice long-ish run this morning, only 9 miles, but the weather was perfect and I decided that when I got home it would be the perfect time to take my bike out for another spin. I, and my roommate agreed, that he was likely to fit in my car if I put the back seat down. Well, after much shoving, pushing, and frustration I have determined that as is he (the bike) will not fit in my car. On his side with pedals attached he is too tall to make it under the divide between trunk and backseat. So...instead of riding in a local park like I planned (I was so not in the mood to disassemble, reassemble & disassemble again.) I spent some time riding around the few low traffic streets near my house. I'm not quite ready to take it to the real streets with stop lights, heavy traffic, & more potholes than real road. But I'm getting there. I figured out how to downshift, which I figure will at some point come in handy. Haha.

I've been generally looking around at bicycle quotes & comics & found the one above. Seemed to be pretty true. Only 89 days 'til the start of SUS '12 (my route). I'm slowly working my way to my fundraising goal of $4500. BUT...don't forget to buy a t-shirt, my goal is to sell 100, right now I'm at 10, so 10% of the way! They're only $15!!! A few posts back there is a picture of the design, and you can check out my Facebook as well for the picture. Leave a comment here or send me an e-mail to order one! :)

Affordable Housing Myth

Myth
People who live in high-density and affordable housing
won’t fit into my neighborhood.
Fact
People who need affordable housing already live and work
in your community.

According to government definitions of affordable housing, families should devote no more than 30% of their income to rent or mortgage payments and utilities. Affordable housing often means housing whose residents don’t pay too large a share of their incomes on rent or a mortgage. Households earning lower incomes can have a variety of occupational and educational backgrounds. Families earning less than four-fifths (80%) of the area’s median income are officially lower income households; families earning less than half of the median are known as very low-income households. For example, a starting elementary or high-school teacher in Mountain View (Santa Clara County), with a gross monthly income of around $3,200, can afford to pay $960 a month in rent, which qualifies as low-income if the teacher lives alone; if the salary must support a spouse and a child, the family
would be a very low-income household. A starting air-traffic controller in San Diego County, with income barely higher than $31,000 a year, would also qualify for affordable housing. Librarians, sheriffs’ deputies, nurses, fire fighters, and many other vital members of our communities all need affordable housing. People motivated by these concerns may just need to “meet” the residents of high-density and affordable housing. Residents often have been long time
members of the community, and will continue to make contributions to
their neighborhoods.

From an article entitled "Myths & Facts About Affordable & High Density Housing" regarding the current state of affordable housing in the state of California.

"New" Route

There has been a slight change in route, we now are only riding 3921 miles (big change from that 3995 we were riding! HA!) BUT...this means we will get to bike through YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK!!! This in addition to hitting up 4 corners, the Grand Canyon (CAN'T WAIT!) & Zion National Park there will be plenty to make up for the hell that is sure to be North Texas in July. :)

Don't forget to donate if you haven't already!

AND...only 98 days til Jacksonville & the start of SUS 2012!

BIKE BIKE BIKE BIKE BIKE!!!

I can hardly contain my excitement, so excuse the serious overuse of CAPITAL letters and EXCLAMATION points!!! My bike arrived via UPS today. I RUSHED home after work. Only to find the instructions much more complicated than anticipated after reading of another rider's ease in the assembly process. After about forty minutes or so of confusion I produced something resembling a bike...I recruited my roommate Joe to help me test out the saddle height. After some intense readjustment it was time to head out for a brief ride. Keep in mind the last time I was on a bike that wasn't stationary was probably 8 or so years ago. & the last time I was on a road bike...never. I must admit I was pretty apprehensive heading out, and I don't think my lack of riding experience did much to assure my roommates I would survive my jaunt down the street. But nonetheless I strapped on my helmet and headed off!!! I am glad to report I made it safely to and from my "destination"! And on the way back even figured out how to upshift gears, downshifting is still a mystery, but I'm sure I can read up on it in the morning. Check out the pictures, and visit my Facebook for more pictures if you so desire! I've already decided it's a he, and just as I name my cars I must name what will be my vehicle of sorts for over 4,000 miles this summer. So I'm of course taking suggestions for names, and we'll see what feels right.

Also, don't forget you can order a t-shirt by e-mailing me at modrallj@gmail.com just make sure to include your name, size(s) and phone number. They'll be $15 with an additional charge for anything over an XL. Delivery can be provided to those in PGH & NKY/Cincinnati. But shipping can be provided for a small additional charge as well. :) My goal is to sell no less than 100, so far I've got orders for 8, so 92 more to go!!!! Don't forget they make great gifts. Haha.