Happiness is riding a bicycle

"It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle."- Ernest Hemingway

This has been an incredible weekend, and I honestly feel happy. Not that "yeah I've having a good day" type of happy, but actual happiness. It all started with a trip up to Yellow Springs to get some breakfast with my friend at the Sunrise Cafe. Though I frequent the ' Springs often, I realized that I usually only eat pizza and ice cream when I go up there. To say that my breakfast was delicious would be an understatement. Everything was cooked from scratch with organic, local products, and you can definitely tell that it's different from the usual "oatmeal from a box" that I eat for breakfast each morning. I will definitely have to make it up there for breakfast again! It was also great to get a chance to hang out with someone I've been fortunate enough to meet at my favorite coffee shop in town. You can't beat great food, an awesome atmosphere, and wonderful company. After breakfast I got a chance to find out some secret spots in Y.S. that I didn't know about before, and have some interesting conversations. I love getting to learn about other people, you can learn so much from other people that you may never learn otherwise.

Saturday was another awesome day that included an awesome bike ride to get tea. Why I had never biked to get my tea before, I don't know, but I think I'm going to try to do it more often. It was great riding down there, got a chance to start re-reading Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer (I forgot how awesome that book is), and of course enjoy some delicious tea. When I travel places, even when its a shorter ride such as my ride to get tea, I feel empowered by what I was able to do (even if its only a total of 20 miles), and it makes me happy. After I showered, I decided to treat myself to a wonderful dinner of BBQ and Virgil's rootbeer (aka the best rootbeer in the world). I also stopped back at the coffee shop on the way to get my food to say goodbye to my friend who is leaving for South Africa for a trip (and pick up a drink for my friend). Saturday was filled with spending time with great people. I truly am blessed to have such wonderful people in my life, and I hope that they know how much I appreciate having them around.

Now we get to Sunday, which has been a day of reflection (and working on homework). Though I spent the first part of the day being lazy at home, I ended up heading to the coffee shop to work on some homework. I managed to get some of it done, but I will probably be spending a good portion of the evening working on the rest. After doing some homework, I came home, and picked up my bike and rode out to a park in Kettering to do some more reading (for pleasure, not homework). The ride was fun, though the way to the park included a very big hill (which I slowly, but steadily climbed up), and hanging out at the park, cooling off with my feet  in the water, and just reading and relaxing was very nice. I've also heard from some friends from the trip, which always makes me happy.

This has been an incredible weekend, and I think its going to help me get through the long week of classes I have ahead. Not only do I have the class that I've been going to for a while now, I am also starting another class this week. I'll be commuting about 45 minutes- an hour from Monday through Thursday this week. My Tuesday Thursday class is three and a half hours long, and I'm not sure how it's going to go yet. I just keep reminding myself that taking these classes now will lead me to graduation in May. Less than a year to go! The finish line is just ahead, but I have to climb a big hill to get there.

On this day in B2SB'10 History

Day 6
North Hampton to Pittsfield

Ride to Pittsfield:

• Hilly/Mountains for 40 mile ride
• Started at ~100 ft. elevation, maxed at around 2000 ft. 
• 40 mph downhill
• Tough ride, but did pretty well
• Learned to lube chain
• "donation magic" dinner
• MA Dance Party! 
• Last day in Mass., tomorrow NY! 
• Stayed in interesting church
• Town fairly boring, not much around. 
• Tomorrow sweep with Steve

Miles Rode: 40

Sleeping in: Chapel

Cue Sheet

Furry Friends

Well hello there! 

Inside of Church we stayed at in Pittsfield. 

On This Day in B2SB'10 History (for June 23rd)

Day 6- (June 23rd)

Fitchburg to North Hampton

Bike to North Hampton: 

• Pancake breakfast
• Stop for Ice Cream
• Very frustrating ride until lunch break, though Brandt and Kristine (sweep) were very encouraging. 
• Great view at lunch and during ride. 
• Lots of major hills, slow climb better than frustration with trying to push too hard. 
• staying in awesome church that Rev. Jonathan Edwards preached at. 
• Great dinner at Ali's house (former B2SB leader)
• Good info from Ali (painful, but worth it!)
• 2 more days until next build day
• Gigantic slice of pizza
• nice talk with Susan outside. 

Miles Biked: ~60

Sleeping In: Chapel

Cue Sheet

Break at the Park

Of course we stopped for Ice Cream

Gorgeous view for lunch

Largest slice of pizza I've ever eaten... and it was delicious! 

On This Day in B2SB'10 History (for June 22nd)

Day 5- June 22nd

Ride from Andover to Fitchburg

Bike to Fitchburg: 

• Lots of hills and valleys (some tougher than others)
• Stopped at woods for a few.
• Made pit stop at park for photos
• Rode a lot with Susan and Anne
• Saw Puppet Theater
• UPS Truck Parade
• Neal Anderson- former teacher- talked about science of "bonking" (not enough glucose for your brain), religious affiliation of early Presidents (Unitarian Universalism), and everything else. 
• Celebrated Kelsey's birthday. 
• Candlestick Bowling. 

Miles Biked: ~45 + detours

Sleeping In: Sanctuary

Cue Sheet

Hanging out at Groton Woods

The Puppet Theater! 

Apparently Red Riding Hood was the performance that day

Agreed. Sign outside of church we stayed at in Fitchburg. 

On This Day in B2SB'10 History (for June 21st)

Day 4- June 21st

Build Day: Andover

First Build Day: 

• Built with Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity at old convent that is being turned into a 10 family space. 
• Demo galore! Took down plaster and wood for 2 rooms. Covered in plaster but we did a lot of work overall and really helped the group out. 
• Long, cold shower (I was covered in plaster)
• went back to Webbers for Thanksgiving dinner, literally. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, etc. 
• Talked as a large group with family about why we are doing Bike & Build, and about Chris. 
• Ate cake
• came back to Pike to chill and get ready to ride tomorrow! 

Miles Rode: ~ 0

Sleeping in: Library

Group Outside of the building we were going to work on that day. 

We did that. There used to be old drywall and tiles. 

No more old drywall. 

On This Day in B2SB'10 History (for June 20th)

Well... I am already behind on this... but I am going to catch it all up.

Day 3: Boston to Andover, MA
June 20th

First Official Ride Day!

• Dipped our tires in the Atlantic at the beach. 
• Headed out for a short 24 mile ride to Andover. 
• Ride turned into about 30 mile ride with lots of hills. (got very, very lost)
• Slightly frustrating ride, but made it through. 
• Got to Pike School (K-9). Best school ever! 
• Showered, played with parachute, kickball, Bball, and watched Brasil vs. Ivory Coast in World Cup Soccer in huge theater. 
• Went to Chris Webber's parents house, and had the best food yet! Great time filled with lots of games! I think we have an awesome group... things are looking good. 

Miles Traveled: ~30

Slept In Library

1st Official Cue Sheet! 

Group at the Wheel Dip Ceremony (Photo Credit- Michael George)

Parachute! (Photo Credit- Michael George)

One of the First Group Sing-a-longs (Photo Credit- Michael George)

On This in B2SB'10 History- Shakedown Ride

Entry for today:

Boston
Day 2
June 19th, 2010

More orientation stuff:
- got to have our first breakfast together
- learned new bike maintenance tricks, though I still need practice
- learned bike safety stuff
- went bike shopping after few missed turns in a hot van
- got new tires on the bike
- sleeping in the chapel of the church, interesting
- Also, had awesome shakedown ride to Deer Island and Water Treatment Plant. Absolutely gorgeous!
The Big Day is Tomorrow!

Miles Traveled: ~10.4
Slept in Chapel of church

Group Photo near the Water Treatment Plant. 

On this day in B2SB'10 History

Today is the one year anniversary of the beginning of my Bike & Build trip last summer. As a way to somewhat relive the magic, I've decided to post a recap of what I wrote in my journal (which I usually just did bullet points to make it easier) for that day, as well as the cue sheet for the day. It's a really happy, yet sad, day today, because though I'm excited that today is our anniversary, I wish I was spending it with the group... and preparing to start the trip all over. Anyhoo... happiness abounds in the rest of this post. ENJOY!

First Day of Orientation:

- Meet and greet, lots of ice breakers

- Fun game of "Cowboy, Princess, Spoon" (mingle, mingle, "cowboy"= one person plays horse, other plays cowboy, "princess"= one person jumps into the arms of another, "spoon" = 3 people on the ground spooning).

- Also played game of "HA" that turned into lots of loud crazy noises and some fake vomit sounds.

         -Big circle- one person starts, points arms at other person and two people next to point arms at                

         center person. This will probably be a popular game this summer.

- Dinner was good- Spaghetti and cupcakes... can't beat that.

- Overall, everyone seems great! Lots of different personalities with lots of different stories. Summer looks like it shall be FANTASTIC!

- No riding today, tomorrow is shakedown

Chalking for Christina Genco

As any Bike & Builder knows, sidewalk chalk is just as important as a well tuned bicycle and chamois cream when you are on the road. Though we had cue sheets for each ride day, we would use chalk to mark turns, reroute riders if there is a change in the cue sheet (BBRRWAWA- that's for any B2SB'10ers who may read this), and also leave messages to fellow riders to help keep them going on the long ride. In a way to truly show our appreciation and love for Christina Genco, the Bike & Build rider from SC2SC'11 that passed away while on the road this summer, the Bike & Build community came together and created a memorial in the best way we know how: sidewalk chalk drawings. Not only did members from other trips that are currently on the road chalk for Christina, but Bike & Build alumni from all around the world also participated. We are truly a family, and we share our love from different parts of this wonderful world. I'm posting a link to the facebook page that has the photos of the chalk drawings done for Christina, because I think it is a great way to remember an incredible person. Christina shall live on in the lives of all those who she touched during her time on this Earth, and all of Bike & Build shall ride on for her. B&B lives loves rides for Christina.

Link to photos: Chalk Memorial for Christina Photos

Great Article about Christina Genco

Another Bike & Builder from my route posted this article on Facebook, and I wanted to share it with everyone who reads this blog. I really enjoyed hearing more about Christina's life, and how much she was loved by her family and friends. Though I never met her, she sounds like a truly incredible person, and I know she has touched the lives of many. Please check out the article, and share it with others. Thanks!

Here is the link:
Life Well-Lived

More Information About Christina Genco

Information about the memorial service for Christina Genco has been posted on the Bike & Build site as well as on their Facebook page. I'm hoping that by passing along this information, people who would like to celebrate her life and all the things she accomplished during her time here on this Earth will find a way to make it to the service or will donate to one of the funds that are being set up in her honor. Though I never had the chance to meet Christina, I still feel a connection to her because of Bike & Build. She may no longer be in this world, but I know her spirit will live on in all the lives that she has touched. Here are links to more information:

Information about Services and Donating to Fund

Jeremy Story's account of Christina's Last Day

Please continue to keep Christina's family, friends, and the Bike & Build family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you!

Bicyclists Want Greater Protection From Drivers

This article was posted on the Bike & Build Facebook page, and apparently the organization discussed in the article had a scheduled meeting to discuss this issue the same day as Christina Genco's accident. I thought I would share the article with everyone, to hopefully encourage people to keep this discussion going. Here is the link to the article: Bicyclists Want Greater Protection From Drivers.

Also, I encourage everyone to be aware of the laws in your state involving cyclists and sharing the roadways. You can find a wealth of information from the League of American Bicyclists website: State Bike Laws Center. I can't emphasize enough that people need to be safe on the roadways. Be aware of those around you, and be smart about what you are doing! Whether you are driving or cycling, make sure that you are smart about what you are doing, and SHARE THE ROADS!

B&B Lives Loves Rides- RIP Christina Genco

Today has been filled with mixed emotions, and it's only 1pm. Last night I found out that a rider on SC2SC'11 passed away after being hit by a car while on the road. Though I did not know her personally, Bike & Build is a giant family, and we all feel a connection with each other no matter if we've met or not. Since I've heard the news, I have had it on my mind, and members from my group are finding ways to send our love to the riders on that trip to show that we are thinking about them during this time. The news of this accident reminded me of last summer when we found out about another Bike & Build rider named Paige who was in an accident and passed away. When you ride on your bike, you realize that it is dangerous to be sharing the roads with drivers, but you don't really think that an accident could happen until it does happen. After Paige's accident, members of another group sent out bracelets for the riders to wear in her honor, and I haven't taken that bracelet off since I got it in Arizona last summer. It's hard to think that now 2 members of the Bike & Build family have passed away while participating in the trip, but I know that they will remain in my thoughts and in the thoughts of other members of the Bike & Build family. For information about the accident involving Christina Genco's accident, please visit Bike & Build's webpage, or follow this link: Information about Christina Genco's Accident. Please keep her family, friends, and the members of Bike & Build in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time, and I'll be posting information about how people can help once that becomes available.

In some sort of cosmic fate or who knows what, I came to Boston Stoker today, and I met a man named George who had actually participated in a ride from Cincinnati to North Dakota. Though I had never met him before, we started chatting, and we got on the topic of riding bicycles (because I tend to sway topics in that direction probably). When I found out about his ride, which he did on a tandem with a friend, I was immediately intrigued and excited to meet someone else who had accomplished something of that nature. Apparently he was able to make it his honors thesis project, and used the experience for writing, photography, etc. to support his thesis. I find it really neat to be able to share stories with other people who have accomplished similar things as to what I did on Bike & Build. We are able to automatically build this connection as cyclists, and it's also interesting to hear how their experiences were compared to my own.

Even in times of great sorrow for the passing of a Bike & Builder, I am able to see the love that unites us all. My family in B2SB'10 has come together to help those who are on the road right now for Bike & Build, and we continue to share our love even after we have completed our journey. Though I don't think I'll truly ever understand how much Bike & Build has changed me as a person, and how incredible the feat of cycling across the country really is, I do know that I am truly grateful for my new Bike & Build family and all the love they bring into my life. They are truly some of the greatest people I have ever been fortunate enough to meet, and I'm constantly inspired by all the great things they do for others.

B&B Lives Loves Rides. RIP Christina Genco.

Wheels- Fields on Fire

 For those of you who aren't located in Southwest Ohio, you may not have had heard of this wonderful young band out of Yellow Springs, OH named Wheels. These fellows have created a folksy sound reminiscent of The Avett Brothers, and their debut album "Fields on Fire" is out now. I was instantly hooked to their music when I heard one of their songs on WYSO's (the local NPR station based out of Yellow Springs) indie rock show Kaleidoscope. The lovely harmony on the vocals, the stand-up bass, and fantastic mandolin playing, it had all the makings of a great sound. The next morning, I was lucky enough to catch their live performance on another WYSO music show before I headed into class, and after hearing their live cover of an Avett Brothers song, I was ready to buy their cd. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't make it out to their cd release party (though it was ok, because I was in CT), I went up to Yellow Springs this weekend and picked it up from Toxic Beauty Records. Usually when I buy a new cd, I listen to it once or twice, and then switch it out for something else. I haven't done that with this album, it has been fantastic music to listen to and sing along with as I drive around with the windows down to enjoy the nice summer air. Though most people who check out this blog probably aren't from Yellow Springs, or anywhere near there to drive and pick up the album, I highly suggest checking out their facebook page and purchasing a copy of the album. You will not be disappointed. The well crafted lyrics will draw you in, and before you know it you'll be singing along as you listen to it. Check out their facebook page here: Wheels Facebook Page, and then head over to their website to purchase the album: Wheels Website.

Here is a live video of Wheels performing "Sticks & Stones" from their album live at Newport in Columbus:

Enjoy!

El Chupacabra esta en Yellow Springs!

Ok... so it probably wasn't El Chupacabra, but I have never seen bones like this while out hiking. It was kind of creepy... partly because I'm not sure what the animal was... and partly because I'm kind of afraid of what ate the animal since the bones were a decent size. I also found a wounded butterfly on the path and moved it to a safer spots so it didn't get trampled by some unsuspecting hiker who wasn't looking down while walking along the path. Needless to say, it was an interesting hike at John Bryan today. It had been a while since I've hiked there, but it was pretty relaxing. It's still as beautiful as ever, but there were a ton of downed trees probably from all the crazy weather we've had recently. Anyhoo... below are some photos of "El Chupacabra" and my butterfly friend. If you know what kind of animal the bones probably came from, let me know, because I am curious. The photos aren't great, but I'm posting them with hopes of finding out what it is. Thanks!

CT Reunion Recap Part Deux: Shovin' It Down Their Throats!

As promised, I shall continue to describe the wonderful CT Reunion happenings from last weekend. I'm not sure if I mentioned this in the previous blog, but one of the fun activities from Friday evening was making signs for our fundraising for Joplin plan. Now, we are a pretty creative group of individuals, and we have a ton of fundraising experience since each of us had to fundraise $4,000 in order to participate in Bike & Build. Though we had a variety of ideas of ways to fundraise while we were in CT, we ended up taking signs out to a street corner in the town that Adam's parents live in, and fundraising that way. I'll get to that in Part Tres of the Reunion recap, but I would just like to mention how hilarious people can be when they are trying to think of creative ideas while sleepy from traveling all day. Let's just say there aren't many words that rhyme with Joplin, and that makes clever slogans hard to come by.

Onto Saturday! We all eventually woke up after a nice nights sleep on various floor locations in the apartment. A group of people made the group a lovely breakfast of pancakes (traditional and chocolate chip variety), bacon, and fruit. Allison and her awesome boyfriend Charlie came in from Boston, and though we all kept telling ourselves that we would finally get up and leave, we decided that we should first watch a show involving rival gangs of monkeys called "Street Monkeys" that was narrated by the one and only Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame. The show was hilarious to say the least, and the special commentary we added made it all that much more delightful. After watching an episode of that, we finally decided to head to Hartford for old timey baseball.

If you've never seen old school baseball games, I highly suggest checking it out. Essentially there are baseball games setup where the teams play with the rules from the early days of baseball (no gloves, no helmets, etc.) and they even wear the old types of uniforms. The actual rules of the game are different than modern times, but we were lucky enough to meet one of the players who explained things to us. It was great to see them play, and then we managed to get some photos with one of the teams. At one point, one of the players from a team who was about to play asked us if we would be interested in actually playing. I could barely contain my excitement about being able to do this, but after we started pondering who would play what position, we found out that we couldn't do it due to waivers and insurance reasons. It was quite a bummer, but I understood why they said that. Some of the group had gone out for a run earlier in the day, and they met up with us at the park later in the day. Since we didn't get a chance to play 1860s rules baseball, we decided to play ultimate frisbee.

At this point, we had managed to make a new friend named Adam. Apparently he was going to be a part of our baseball team, but since that didn't work out, he came and played ultimate frisbee with us. Though a lot of us had never played this before (including me), it turned out to be a pretty competitive game. My team got ahead by two scores (I have no idea how the scoring works in Ultimate Frisbee, so instead of saying 2 runs, 2 goals, or 2 touchdowns which would make me sound like I'm not sure what sport I was actually participating in, I'll stick with the scores), and we were about to throw off to the other team to start things back up. The other team stopped for a second to have a group huddle to plan their strategy, so my team decided to do the same though we really had no strategy to discuss. We pondered the idea of throwing the frisbee down the field, and then doing miniature tanks down the field just to confuse them/ be funny. Then someone suggested that we should hold off on that idea so we could score some more points and make sure we didn't lose the game. One of my teammates, who shall remain nameless, said with a very confident bravado "Let's shove it down their throats!", and then we broke up the huddle to start the game back up. After a few tosses, we ended up getting the frisbee back in our possession, and the person who said what would become one of the quotes of the weekend got the frisbee and tried to throw it down the field to a teammate. Well... he ended up "shoving it down their throats" because he hit Adam (our new friend who is not a Bike & Builder) who was on the other team and got him square in the nose. Though it looked like a nasty hit, Adam appeared to be alright, minus the bruise on the bridge of his nose, and we decided that it might be a smart idea to stop playing Ultimate Frisbee for the day.

After all the excitement of old time baseball, ultimate frisbee, and almost breaking a stranger's nose on accident, we decided to get some lunch at a local Hartford brewery. Adam ended up coming out to lunch with us, and we all got a chance to eat some really delicious food, and talk and have fun. It was cool to get to know Adam, and I think he enjoyed hearing about how we all know each other from Bike & Build. After we ate our delicious food, we departed from Adam and Hartford, and a group of us went to the bike shop to visit our Adam at work. In true B2SB '10 fashion, we decided to organize a cheer for Adam that we would shout when we went into his shop. Luckily no customers were in the shop when we did it, otherwise they would have probably been very confused. When we came into the shop, we did our special cheer for Adam, and somehow he wasn't completely embarrassed by our obnoxious entrance, but we got a chance to see all the cool things he has at his shop. There were some really awesome bikes at the shop, and some folks tried out the unicycle to see if they could do it. I think we are all going to need some practice before we decide to do Bike & Build: Unicycle Edition, but people really had fun checking out the shop.

We had to figure out dinner plans after all the excitement of the day, and we decided to relive one of our favorite meals from Bike & Build, TACO NIGHT! With the help of Kelsey and the "dinner crew", we had a wonderful feast full of tacos, fruit salad, chips and queso, and other gloriousness. This was the beginning of what would be a wild and wonderful evening!

In CT Reunion Recap Part Tres: Rubik's Cube Party- Teeth or Toes, I'll fill you all in on one of the greatest party ideas I've ever heard of/ participated in. If you are thinking about having a big shindig in the future, the next part of this recap will help you prepare for what could be the greatest party ever!

Hooray Bikes!

Today I decided to throw on the spandex and go for a nice bike ride to celebrate not having class or having a ton of homework to work on this weekend. Though I wasn't really sure where I wanted to go (like always), I ended up heading north on the bike path and ended up going to Sinclair Park and then bike. I decided to make a few pit stops along the way just to relax and enjoy the scenery so I hung out at Riverscape for a bit and also closed my eyes for a few while laying on the wonderful grass at Carrillon Park. As any Bike & Builder knows, it is important to find good grass for napping when you bike, thus I decided to make the pit stop. Of course the bells started to ring right as I closed my eyes, so I didn't get a nap in, but the grass was delightful none the less. Overall I got in a nice 30 mile ride, and I hope that I'll get to ride some more this weekend. I have been slacking on the whole physical activity thing lately, so it will be nice to get back in the swing of things. Tonight I'm not sure what I'll end up doing. Of course a stop for tea will be in order at some point, but I'm not sure if I'm going to check out the festivities for First Fridays or not. We shall see.

CT Reunion: Return of the Rowdie

And now to get onto the greatest thing since I've posted last... the CT Bike & Build Reunion! To say that I needed this to happen would not really give a clear idea of how much I missed my Bike & Build family. I haven't had the chance to go to a B&B reunion since New Years, and that is too long to not see my family. After a few flights involving sitting next to multiple crying babies and minor delays, I arrived in Hartford, and was greeted by my favorite sweet tea drinker Suso (aka Susan). It was so nice to see her, and of course I gave her a big hug immediately when we saw each other. Though I hadn't seen her since January, it was like no time had passed, we immediately jumped right into talking about things and laughing. We hung out at the airport for a bit until Adam was able to come pick us up and take us back to his apartment. Again, it was great to see Adam, who I hadn't seen since the Bike & Build Thanksgiving reunion. The excitement of seeing more and more B&Bers made my jet lagged body feel reinvigorated, and I knew it was just the beginning of an incredible weekend. Once we got back to his place, I was greeted with even more B&B love, as I saw Max and MG who had already been hanging out in Hartford, and Kate and Mack had just rolled in from their journey via bicycle from Boston to Adam's place in CT. Apparently their ride was a lot tougher than they were expecting, but like true B&Bers, they kept on pedaling and made the whole hilly, hot, and horrendous 97 mile trek without giving up. Brava Kate and Mack! Anyhoo... we all hung out that evening, had a nice cookout of burgers and hot dogs, and waited for the rest of the folks who were coming in to arrive. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my good friend Gillian (who didn't announce to the group that she was coming) walk through the door with the group who drove up from the DC. We managed to get 15 people of the 32 into Hartford, and some of these folks I hadn't seen since we landed in Santa Barbara! It was like an amazing family reunion... except these people were actually happy to see each other and were not forced into going because other family members were guilting them into coming! Now... because this blog post will get incredibly long (too late), I'm going to finish up the recap of the CT reunion in my next blog post. If you thought that all of the excitement has already happened, we aren't even close to reach the maximum excitement level from the trip. We still have Rubik's cubes, Ultimate Frisbee, Jumpin' for Joplin, and of course Flip 'n Slip to discuss along with other exciting things to come! Keep your eyes peeled for CT Reunion Recap Part Deux: Shovin' It Down Their Throats!

Recap on Life

I honestly have no idea what my last real blog post was about, so I'm not sure where I should start off this wonderful new blog post to catch folks up on the goings on of my life. I've decided I'm going to arbitrarily pick a point within the last month and go from there. So... since May 15th-ish... my life has been crazy busy. I have started back up at Miami (well... their more affordable branch campuses), and I am glad to be back. My professor right now is the wonderfully delightful Mike H, who I was fortunate enough to have a few of his classes back in the day. Though he is an art professor, he is teaching my first class for the BIS (Bachelors of Integrative Studies) degree, and it is actually going really well. I've always enjoyed his teaching style, and we actually get to do things that require some creativity, so I can finally kick start the right side of my brain after a year and a half of being focused on Bio and science courses. I'm kind of worried that the whole "if you don't use it, you'll lose it" principle has taken its effect on my creative side, but hopefully there is still an inkling of creativity left in this ol' brain to save me.

While I've been going to MU for summer classes, I have also been finishing up the spring quarter at WSU. Since I have classes at MU in West Chester on Monday and Wednesday evening and on Tuesday and Thursday at WSU in the morning, I always wonder if I'm going to get confused and head in the wrong direction on I-75 while trying to get to class. Luckily I haven't made that mistake, and I think I am done with WSU now, so I will have one less thing to worry about. The final in my Bio class is optional, so if I did decently well in the class without the final, I'm not going to go on Tuesday. I took my last exam in there this morning and did alright, so I think I should be good. It will be nice to not have to commute there twice a week and to West Chester another two days. I actually enjoy traveling and driving, but the commute has been kind of crazy and I'll appreciate not having to pay for gas as often. This will also give me more time to ride bikes. Andre and I have not been spending enough time together... so it will be nice to rekindle my relationship with him... though he is a bit worn down and needs to fixing up so he doesn't give up on me.

Speaking of riding bikes... I purchased a new book today called Major and it's the story of Major Taylor who had an amazing cycling career in the late 1800s and early 1900s... though not many people know about it. I honestly only know of his name, because there is a cycling group in Dayton named after him. As I'm starting to read his story, I'm learning a lot about him and it's pretty interesting stuff. If you are interested in cycling, you might want to check out the book. Major: A Black Athlete, A White Era, and the Fight to be the World's Fastest Human Being.

So... that's what has been going on in my life... except for the greatest thing to since New Years in Chicago... but that will be posted in the next blog. It's so great that it will require multiple posts to recap. Prepare yourself!

Be Back Soon

I have taken a bit of a hiatus from posting on my blog due to be overwhelmed with homework and other more exciting things. I shall post a recap of all the goings on in my life very soon, but until then, this will have to due. I have three papers to finish and an art show to set up for tomorrow, and then an exam on Thursday (that I will hopefully do well enough on that I won't have to take the final next Tuesday). After my exam, you'll get to hear all about my wonderful trip to CT, craziness with my current school situation, and my plan to create a Craigslist posting that will lead to a blog about the crazy responses I will most likely (and kind of hopefully) get from people. Anyhoo... back to homework. T-minus 43 hours and 20 minutes until my life will be a lot less crazy.

So Many Exciting Things, So Little Time

Tonight is one of the best nights to live in Dayton! Urban Nights only happens twice a year, but it is definitely is something that I look forward to every time it rolls around. The lineup for the evening is even better than last year's, because Captain of Industry will be playing a show at Gilly's, and this will be their first show in about 2 years. It's going to be a busy night, but I hope to get everything in, because I love to support this city and all the things it likes to offer.

Plan for the Evening:
5:30- Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights (Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights)
6:00- Urban Nights (Urban Nights Dayton)
9:00- Captain of Industry Show! (Captain of Industry at Gilly's)

I'll probably try to sneak in a ride on one of the new Tricabs somewhere in there too. Check out their Facebook page and "like" them (Tricab).

Anyhoo... that's what is going on with Dayton.

As for me, I got my bike fixed up, and got to ride 30 miles yesterday on the new chain. It's definitely nice to have a chain that doesn't have 4500 miles on it. I hope that I'll be able to do a big ride soon, because I seem to not be doing any rides above 30 miles. I love taking the day and riding all day, but I'm not sure if my legs will be happy with me. I also hope to do more miles of walking/running soon too, because I need to start building up for the half marathon (or marathon) in October. It's nice to have some athletic goals to accomplish, but I'm going to be disappointed if I can't keep up with it.

Single White Female Seeks...

Single White Female, Age 25, seeks single male bike mechanic, age 23-29 for romantic relationship involving bicycle rides, free bicycle repairs/ routine maintenance, and occasional hand holding. Free bicycle repairs/ routine maintenance will be rewarded with hugs and a possible high five (for major repairs). Beards not required but appreciated. Interested males feel free to send a message.

I'm pondering putting out a personal ad with the above, mainly to find cheap bike maintenance, because I'm terrible at it. Tonight I decided to finally clean my bike, and I thought I would attempt to fix my gear problem, since I was working on it, but that ended up taking a whole lot longer than I was anticipating. I also ended up making it worse than it was in the process, so I'm going to take it to the shop tomorrow to hopefully get it fixed (for cheap). I did learn how to take off a front derailer in the process though, and that was pretty cool to actually figure out how to put it back on properly afterwards. The whole thing reminded me of a story from the trip. I was cleaning my bike one night, and I took apart my cassette to clean it thoroughly (the gunk that was built up in it was impressive). I had my friend Adam from the trip show me how to do it, but I apparently misheard him on how to put it back on properly. Needless to say, the next morning, we are heading out of the town we were staying in, and my bike starting making a really weird noise. Luckily I started towards the front of the pack, and Steve stopped to help out, because my cassette was literally falling apart on my bike. We had the van stop to get the tools, and Steve fixed it right up for me. I was lucky to have good bike mechanics around, because I would have spent a lot keeping my bike maintained without them. This is why I've decided to seek out a bike mechanic boyfriend, because not only would I be able to learn about/ receive free bike maintenance, I would also be able to hopefully end up in a good relationship as well. We'll see how it goes.

Besides bike stuff, I decided to kick my butt at the gym after my tests today. I did 3.5ish miles on the treadmill in about 43ish minutes. Not too shabby in my book, since I haven't run since the Dayton Peace Accords 5k a week and a half ago. I also did a full body workout with the weights as well, so hopefully I'm not regretting this decision tomorrow.

The Bio tests today were interesting. I'm not sure how well I did on my lecture test, though apparently everyone thought it was really hard. I didn't think it was so much "hard", as it was confusing. Since this class isn't really going to help me once I transfer to MUM, I've kind of lost motivation to do well in the class, though I'm still going to go, because I find it interesting. The lab practical in the afternoon was awful though. I apparently didn't understand what they were asking us to study, and thus I wasn't sure about a lot of answers. I got my lab report done though, so hopefully that will help keep my lab grade up. I guess I secretly want to still do well, but I don't want to have to work hard to do so. I guess taking a less stressful approach to it isn't a bad idea... I'll have enough to worry about in the Fall when I'm trying to finish up my last year of credits for the Bachelors. It will be so nice to be done!

Screeeeching Eagles Ride Again

Tonight has been a glorious evening filled with quality time with a friend I've been missing. First the gang got together for some good ol' Chinese buffet food, which though not very tasty, you can eat as much as you want and that's not too bad before you get to burn off a bunch of calories biking. After eating, we met back up and went for a awesome night ride to a friend's house. It has been a long time since I've gotten to ride at night, and a really long time since I got to do that with my friends Ryan and Cotterman. Though we didn't go for a huge ride, it was still really nice to have the gang together. I ended up departing back to the house before them, but then I ended up meeting back up with them downtown, because they didn't feel like riding back home. A quick to Starbucks on the way back, and then I dropped them back off. Even though we only got to hang out for a bit this evening, I think it was just what I needed. Hopefully we'll be able to grab lunch tomorrow before Ryan heads back to Cleveland, but I'm still glad I got to hang out with him. Eating Chinese food and biking was much better than the studying that I really should have been doing. Now... I better glance over this stuff real quick... and then head to bed. 6:40am is going to come way too fast... and 8:30am is going to seem way too early for a Biology test... but I don't care... because the Screeeeching Eagles got to ride again!

Miami Valley Cycling Summit

Hey everyone! If you haven't already heard, the Miami Valley Cycling Summit is coming up here in Dayton, and it's not too late to register for the event. This is going to be a fantastic way to share ideas, meet fellow cyclists, and be a part of making the Miami Valley an even better cycling community. Before the summit, there will also be a Bike to Work Day Pancake Breakfast (free pancakes= awesome!)! For information about the Bike to Work Day Pancake Breakfast at Riverscape Metropark, check out their facebook event page: Bike to Work Day Pancake Breakfast. Information and registration for the Miami Valley Cycling Summit can be found here: Miami Valley Cycling Summit.

The night before the cycling summit, kick off the event the night before with a special screening of the movie Veer at The Neon in Dayton. The proceeds from ticket sales will go towards Bike Miami Valley, a cycling advocacy group here in southwest Ohio. The movie will be showing at 7:30 on May 19th, and tickets are only $5! You can find out more information here: Veer Showing at The Neon. Here is a preview of the film:

I hope everyone comes out to celebrate Bike Month with these great events being held in Dayton!

Why? Daytrotter Session

Why? is a fantastic band based out of Cincinnati (though they spent some time out in Oakland), and their unique sound and wonderfully crafted lyrics are something to appreciated. They've had quite a few albums, EPs, etc., but one of my favorites is "Elephant Eyelash" (HIGHLY SUGGEST). Anyhoo... Daytrotter just released a session they did with Why? yesterday. Like anything Why? does, it is pretty awesome. Yoni's voice and lyrics along with Josiah's incredible musicianship make for incredible music. You can check out their session here: Why? Daytrotter Session. I also suggest checking out the session Yoni did by himself for Daytrotter which includes an awesome cover of Bob Dylan's "As I Went Out One Morning". That session can be found here: Yoni Wolf Daytrotter Session. As with all the Daytrotter sessions, you can download the music for FREE! It's a great way to find new music, and if you've never been formally introduced to Why? before, here is your chance. Check it out!

Also, the Bicycle Art Show at Press in Dayton is definitely worth checking out. The pieces are really interesting, and I think it's always nice to support local artists and businesses. Apparently there is going to be an After Party at Press tomorrow evening to celebrate the Scavenger Hunt and Bike Polo events being held tomorrow. As with most events at Press, it will probably be packed and a lot of fun, so head out to Press tomorrow night to celebrate with area bike polo enthusiasts and bicycle fans. The roller races will also be happening tomorrow (I believe/ I hope), which will definitely be worth the trip by itself. If you've never seen roller races, check out the video from Babelgum here: Vice Versa Rollapaluza. It is intense, and I can only imagine how incredible it will be live.

TONIGHT TONIGHT! And this weekend...

Come downtown for tons of bicycle related fun! Press will have their Bicycle Art Show (with the rumor of roller races as well)! The Tricabs will be out and about starting today! Courteous Mass ride at 5:30 starting at Fifth Third Field! And then there is a Bike Polo tourney this weekend, and a Bike Scavenger Hunt Saturday evening that will be starting at The Neon! So many bicycle related things, I can't wait! Get on your bike and RIDE DAYTON!

Bicycles... is there anything they can't do?

Today has been much better than I thought it would be. Not only did I manage to go to class (my allergies have been hellish the past few days), but I also made myself enjoy this awesome weather and get out on the bike. I took it very easy today, but it was still amazing! I hung out at Carillon Park for a bit (while trying to figure out if I had a flat tire/ degunk my bike a bit), went over to Boston Stoker for some tea, biked around downtown, and then headed home on the bike path. I didn't even bother getting near the path where it usually gets flooded when it rains (since it's rained every day since Saturday), but luckily it's pretty easy to hop on and off the path if you know where to go. Though I was out for a while, I only ended up doing just over 20 miles. It was 20 more miles than I thought I would get to do though, so that makes me happy.

Tomorrow is a big day for the Dayton biking community as well. It's the first day for the Tricab (Tricab Dayton Facebook), and the Bicycle Art Show is opening at Press on Wayne Avenue in Dayton as well for First Fridays. If you are looking for a ride tomorrow, there is the monthly Courteous Mass (Courteous Mass Dayton) ride starting around 5:30 at Fifth Third Field. Hopefully everything will go well, and the rain will stay away for another day.

I hope everyone is enjoying Bike Month! Also, remember Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights (Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights Facebook Page) is next Friday as well! Hope to see a ton of people there! Get out and bike!

Tour de Cure: Cincinnati

Here is a great one day ride through the beautiful back country roads in Greene and Warren counties in Ohio. The ride is a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association, and has a wide variety of routes for all different types of experience levels (6, 35, 70 miles). If you are looking for a great way to get involved with a charity bike ride, but don't have the time to commit to a multi-day event, this appears to be a great one to check out. The registration fee is only $25 (with a minimum of $150 to be fundraised), which is very reasonable for people who have never tried to fundraise for a charity before. Of course there are incentives to fundraise more, but you only have to fundraise $150 to join the ride. The ride is on Saturday, June 18th and starts at the Warren County Fairgrounds. Here is a link to the ride's website: Tour de Cure: Cincinnati. Check it out and get involved!

Win Win

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Win Win at The Neon in Dayton. I'm not sure what it was the originally made me want to see the movie when I saw the preview, was it the interesting story line? Paul Giamatti and Jeffrey Tambor? Or the Ohio tattoo on the kid that wrestles in the movie? I'm pretty sure it was mostly to see the Ohio tattoo, but luckily the movie was incredible. If you haven't seen the movie, definitely check it out. It's one of those stories that draws you in, makes you laugh, and then tugs at your heart strings at the end. Here is a brief synopsis of the film, courtesy of IMDb.com (because I know I would probably end up ruining the story if I told you myself):


"Disheartened attorney Mike Flaherty (Giamatti), who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach, stumbles across a star athlete through some questionable business dealings while trying to support his family. Just as it looks like he will get a double payday, the boy's mother shows up fresh from rehab and flat broke, threatening to derail everything."


If you live in the Dayton area, I believe the film will be shown at The Neon until Thursday night, so make sure to go down there and check it out. For people who live elsewhere, hopefully you can find it in a local theater. It's sometimes hard to find a good film that not only is funny, but smart as well, but here it is. Go see it! 

Rural Alberta Advantage- "Under the Knife"

Check out this new video from the Rural Alberta Advantage's song "Under the Knife" from their latest release "Departing" which was released earlier this year. This version of the song is a more intimate version of the song, where instead of having the whole band, we just find Nils Edenloff sitting at a piano playing the tune inside a beautiful church. Though the entire album from which this song comes from is superb, I think this is one of my favorite songs from it. If you haven't already heard of Rural Alberta Advantage, check them out! They are gaining a lot of respect from fans after their incredible debut album "Departing" and the follow up which I mentioned earlier called "Departing". This group is incredibly talented, and I highly suggest checking out both albums. For a taste of the new album, check out the video below: 

Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights

It's that time of the year again, URBAN NIGHTS in Dayton! To kick off the evening, there is a group bike ride starting at Fifth Third Field at 5:30 pm on May 13th. The ride is amazing, because not only do you get to ride with hundreds of other people, you actually get a police escort around town, so you don't have to worry about traffic. Who doesn't love that? I highly suggest coming out for this ride, it is a ton of fun! If you would like more information, check out the event page on Facebook: Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights. Afterwards, you can enjoy all the other great events happening for Urban Nights in Dayton. To check out what else is going on that evening, check out the Urban Nights Facebook page: Urban Nights.

Also, this Friday, May 6th, there is a Bicycle Art Show at Press in Dayton. Press is a newer coffee shop in Dayton, and each month they have a new art show opening for First Fridays. If you are in the Dayton area, come check out the show! There will be art (obviously), drinks, a live dj, and I'm guessing a lot of bikers. The shows are always fun, and you can't beat a chance to support a local business in Dayton. After checking out the show, you can wander around town and check out the other First Fridays events in Dayton. For more information about the Bicycle Art Show at Press, you can check out the event page on Facebook: Bicycle Art Show at Press. Also, make sure to like Press on Facebook: Press.

Second 5k- 3rd Place

Today I ran in my second my 5k (in two weeks), and I actually won a medal! I managed to get 3rd place for my age group with a time of about 36 minutes. The 5k was for the Dayton International Peace Museum in Dayton, OH (the only peace museum in the United States), and the running was around Riverscape. I wasn't sure how well I would do, since it was on asphalt and I'm used to running on the treadmill. I was able to keep a better pace than usual, and ended up running a lot more of it than I usually can. Though running is still nowhere near as much fun as riding bikes, I actually had a lot of fun today. I was able to keep pace with this one woman who was running (she ended up getting second in my age group), and it was funny when I finished, because she said that I was her inspiration while she was mine. It was nice chatting with her at the end, because apparently she had also done one other 5k this year. She had mentioned how she is hoping to do the Air Force Marathon this year (I think there is also a 10k for that), and I think that might be a good goal to shoot for to make sure I can be prepared for the Columbus Marathon in October, though I would do a shorter distance than the marathon portion. I never thought I would be talking so much about running, but apparently I'm starting to enjoy it. It's nice to have friends who are also interested in it as well, because I think we keep each other motivated. My friend Kelly who ran today as well improved her time by 10 minutes from last week (and won a t-shirt in the raffle)! Though I know I won't be able to make such drastic improvements each race, I'm really glad that I'm starting off stronger than I thought I would.

Now that I've taken a much needed nap after the run, I am going to get ready to hang out with my friend Tracy who is back in town from New Jersey. I haven't seen her in almost a year, so it will be great to hang out, have fun, and celebrate everything. We are planning on hitting up a local Mexican restaurant, so I'll probably eat many baskets full of chips and salsa/ queso, because it is very delicious. Then we are planning on going bowling afterwards, which I haven't done in a while, so that will be a lot of fun. I can't wait. I need to start getting ready though, and I probably should stop and get a tea from Boston Stoker since I haven't had one all day. Mmmm... tea...

Pedicabs Coming to Dayton!

If you've ever been to Pittsburgh, Boston, or a lot of other big metropolitan areas, you've probably seen a pedicab before. Not only are pedicabs amazing forms of transportation (because bicycles are involved), but they are a great and cheapish way to get around town. I remember taking a pedicab across the bridge in Pittsburgh (because the pedicab driver was nice enough to take us over for free since we were on Bike & Build and were poor), and it was awesome. Pedicab drivers have amazing strength, because well, you are hauling around two or three people, and you are the only one doing any work. I'm thinking I might try to get a job with the Pedicab service in Dayton that is starting up, though I'm not really sure how to go about that yet, since I just found out about it. I just think it would be fun, and I'm not too concerned about the money (you get paid in tips, not hourly). I'm just posting this to share this exciting news with everyone though! Come to Dayton! Not only do we have awesome bike paths, but now we'll have PEDICAPS! Check out the article about the new business: Dayton Tricab, and then like them on Facebook (Dayton Tricab Facebook Page). Hooray Bikes!

To The Nutmeg State!

Today has been a pretty incredible day! My BIO lecture was really interesting, probably because I'm a dork who really enjoys plants. It was nice that I actually retained a lot of the information from my previous Botany classes, so a lot of it sounded familiar. We have our next test in that class in less than 2 weeks, but I think that I'm going to start doing some review this weekend once I finish up the reading/notes for the chapters we covered this week. I've also found a study buddy in the class, so hopefully that will also help for the next test.

After class, I came home and took a quick nap (8:30 classes are early... and I stay up late). I got up and headed downtown to take some photos at the Dayton Art Institute for the photography contest I'm planning on entering. Apparently the deadline has been pushed back until next Friday (due to all the rain that we've been having in Dayton), so I think I'm going to hold off on submitting my photos to see if I can find some time to take more photos and have more to choose from. I really liked one of the photos I took today though, so that might be one of the two I'll submit.

Of course I headed to Boston Stoker after that for some much needed tea and study time. The shop was packed today, so I had to listen to my iPod to try and drown out the chatter around me. I was able to get most of the first of two chapters I need to read done, so I'll probably finish that up tonight at home.

Once I got back home, I booked my flight to the Nutmeg State (aka Connecticut)! You may be saying to yourself, why are you excited about going to Connecticut? Well... that's rude of you to think that just because it's Connecticut... there must be nothing to do there. Ok... I honestly don't know anything about the state, but I do know that I'll be meeting up with a bunch of my Bike & Build friends for a big memorial day weekend reunion! I can't wait to see everyone... I haven't seen any B2SB'10 folks since New Years in Chicago I think... and most of the people going I haven't seen since Thanksgiving or even when we got to Santa Barbara. It's going to be great! I'm pretty excited, and I'm glad that I decided to fly instead of take Megabus, though it's more expensive, I won't be spending almost an entire day traveling on buses. Woo hoo!

Well... I better get some reading done. Tomorrow I'm going to volunteer with Dayton Habitat for Humanity in the morning, run down to MUM to drop off some paperwork (I'm officially back in the system), and probably do some studying afterwards. If it's nice outside, I'll have to jump on the bike at some point... it's been too long! Can't wait to start the weekend!

Pan Ohio Hope Ride

Fellow Cyclists! Looking for a nice ride for a great cause? Here is a 4 day ride through beautiful Ohio that is fully supported and includes food and lodging for riders. The ride goes from Cleveland to Cincinnati, and you can choose how many days you participate. If you would like more information, here is the link to the website for the ride: Pan Ohio Hope Ride. The ride is from July 28-31. Check it out!

Heading Back Home to MUM

Today has been a good day full of seeing people that I don't see enough or haven't seen in years. To start my day, I went out to a late "brunch" with Cotterman and Jamie at The Brunch Club in Dayton. I had only been there once before with Ryan, and I was glad that my memories of it being delicious and filling were right. Pancakes are as delicious as I remember them being almost 5 months ago when I had them last. I've been craving them for weeks, and I finally got a chance to enjoy some. Though it's hard to top Suso's chocolate chip pancakes that she would make for us on the trip, these were still pretty high up on the list. It was nice to have something that wasn't oatmeal and orange juice for once. I think I may have to get real breakfast a little more often, though not all the time, because it's probably not terribly healthy. After "brunch" I came home for a bit to digest my copious amounts of pancakes, and then headed down to MUM to talk to Mike about possibly coming back to school there. Mike is one of my old professors, and he is so incredibly nice, it was awesome to see him. It made me feel like I was coming back home. From the sounds of it, I can probably get done by the end of next summer. I have put in my application to go back to MUM, and once that goes through, I'm going to sign up for classes for summer (just one), and back to full time in the fall. I'll have to split my time between MUM and the Hamilton campus, but from the sounds of it, Mike said that one of my professors there is a really great professor. I'm really excited to come back, and be able to see the finish line for this degree. From the sounds of it, I will also be able to get a good foundation to find work with a non-profit environmental group, which is what I'm thinking I would like to do. Hopefully this all works out, and I can be on my way to a real job in the near-ish future. Of course I'll probably think about graduate school too, but the idea of Americorps for a year is still there too. It's a nice feeling to be excited for the future, instead of incredibly stressed about all the courses I still need to take before I'll get into the courses I'm excited about. Hooray for the future!

The Antlers- Burst Apart

The Antlers new album "Burst Apart" is being released on May 10th. I've already listened to the live set they did of the album while performing at SXSW, and right now I'm listening to the actual recording thanks to NPR (you can listen to it here: The Antlers- Burst Apart). Like most of their fans, I found out about the band when "Hospice" was released, and I fell in love immediately. To say that "Hospice" was a powerful album would be a major understatement. The emotions flood every song, and it's hard to not feel the pain when listening to the lyrics that Peter Silberman pours out with his unique vocals. Once I heard this album, I immediately hoped that they would release yet another record, and I checked out Peter's first album that he released as The Antlers as well (which is also worth checking out).

Now the day has almost come for the new Antlers album that their fans have eagerly been anticipating, and I have to say, I'm pretty relieved that it's not as heartwrenching as "Hospice" is with its conceptual story. I don't think anything could compare to that album, if they attempted to do something like that again. If that's what fans are looking for, they probably are going to be confused by "Burst Apart", but I hope that fans give this new album a careful listen, because it is definitely a solid piece of work. The sound is a lot different than "Hospice" and their other recordings, but I can definitely appreciate it when bands let their sound grow with them instead of trying to maintain the same music with new lyrics. That method to song writing limits the possibilities for the band, and also becomes quite boring for the listener. Of course there is also the other method where the band completely changes their sound, and their fans are left to wonder what happened to their music. You have to walk a fine line when writing albums I believe, don't make it too similar to other albums, that's boring, but don't change the sound so dramatically that your fans can't even recognize your music. Luckily, fans of The Antlers should be pretty excited when May 10th comes around, because Peter Silberman and company have crafted a new album that is different from their other work, but doesn't stray too far from the path that has helped them gain many fans in the indie rock scene. I have to say, I can't wait until they come around the midwest on tour this year, I think they will definitely be a show that shouldn't be missed!

Bike & Build Capitol Ride

I'm not sure who reads this blog, but I thought I would throw this information out there just in case there are any thrill seeking young individuals who would be interested in working with an incredible organization this summer. As an alumni of Bike & Build (B2SB '10), I can honestly say that Bike & Build is the greatest summer ever! Not only do you get to ride bikes with fantastic people from all around the country (and sometimes around the world), you get to help raise awareness and money for amazing affordable housing groups. Though I did a cross country trip, Bike & Build is currently looking for individuals for their two week (or one week) Capitol Ride that goes from Philadelphia to Washington DC. The idea is the same as with the ride I participated in: fundraise money before the trip, meet up in a city with your fellow Bike & Builders, ride bikes, have fun, help build houses, have the greatest experience ever! If you are curious about the organization, want more information about the ride, or want to support the cause with a donation, check out this website: Bike & Build Capitol Ride. You can also check out the page for the main Bike & Build site: Bike & Build. Also, if you have a Facebook account, "like" them to keep informed about all the great things the organization is involved in: Bike & Build Facebook Page.

For questions or information about Bike & Build, you can also ask me, and I can try to answer or can probably help you find the answer you are looking for.

EAT. SLEEP. BIKE. BUILD.

Best. Idea. Ever.

So... I've had this idea for some time now... but I've been mulling over how to go about it. Though I don't want to blab all the fancy details, I will give you some hints... it involves bicycles, people, Dayton, and community development. For those of you who aren't in Dayton (because I have no idea who reads this thing besides me), we are a Bronze level "Bike Friendly City", and have started increasing opportunities for biking around the area. We have a lot of great bike paths in and around the surrounding Miami Valley, and we are starting to see more and more bike lanes within Dayton. Also, last summer, a special Bike Hub was opened at Riverscape to give people who bike a way to safely lock up their bicycles inside, and I believe the hub also includes lockers and things of that nature so that people who decide to commute by bicycle to work (or the area) have a place to change, etc. I love how much the city has embraced bicycles recently, and I would like to expand upon it, while also helping out the local businesses in the area. If I could get this idea going, I think it would be a great way for more people to interact in Dayton, and possibly bring more people into the city from the surrounding area even.

Now what I need to do is figure out a good way of going about getting this plan together. I think I need to find some like minded individuals who could help organize this whole idea. If I managed to get this together by the middle of the summer, we could organize a big "hey here we are" type of thing for the second Urban Nights event in town, and hopefully carry on activities through the fall (though winter will be hard to get people to come out and bike). Should I set up a blog on here for the idea? Or should I try to figure out how to put together a website (and email, which would be the easy part)? I suppose I could do both, though I don't know anything about website design. Hmmm... this could be a great thing for the city! I really need to start bouncing this idea off some individuals to see what they think. I hope I can get this rolling... I want to make this happen!