Day 47 - The Safety Santa War...

Not much to report today, just the same thing we have been doing the last week. We got pretty far on the house today and tomorrow we are going to get a crane in order to get the roof trusses up which will be exciting. I've never worked with a crane before!

The guys who work here on a daily basis have adopted a "safety Santa," which is a dilapidated Christmas decoration that is placed somewhere on the build site to always remind us to be cautious. There is a rift between the people working on the big house versus the people working on the garage. So naturally, a war has broken out between the two groups and it circulates around safety Santa. The first day, Santa was put inside a port-a-potty to try and scare people and it definitely was pretty startling. Then, the house crew wired him to the scaffolding. The garage crew quickly formed a plan to get Santa back and sent a few people up there to take him down by force. House crew won him back and nailed him to the house, high up on a 2x4. 

Lacy posing in front of the rigged up Santa

Of course, it wasn't long before garage crew stole him back using Marcus as a spy. Santa is currently about 10 feet in the air on a 2x4 on the garage and house crew is plotting to get him back! 

Last day of building tomorrow! Then we're back on the road to Hartsel, CO. 

Morning light reflecting off our trailer 

Day 46 - Wall Raising and the Braden's

"Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!"

That is basically what it sounds like on the build site every day as 28 of us wield hammers and drive in nail after nail into the Klein family's future home. We are all getting pretty good at hammering by now so, naturally, games have arisen. We had a competition over who could sink in a nail with the least amount of swings. Ethan was crowned the hammer king after he sunk a nail with a single hammer strike. I called it beginner's luck... until he did it five more times. He's definitely he champ. 

Today, we finished flooring the second floor and then worked on framing it. Walls were raised with a shout of excitement: "Byah!!!!" Then they were nailed to the floor with the enthusiasm of 10 hyperactive woodpeckers.

Part of the team, raising a wall... Byah!

Other riders worked on wrapping and roofing a garage out back while others framed the first floor of the building. This is my first time working on a two story Habitat home and it is very interesting to be up on the scaffolding pounding in nails and raising walls 10 feet above the group. 

 Amanda showing off her drilling skillz

The hours flew by today! Before we knew it, we were piling in the van to go to the showers. The hot tub in the spa was not working today so instead, Eliza, Emma, Rachel, and I went to check out the indoor water park. I kid you not, the water slides we rode on were the most intense water slides I have ever been on. They were so fast that you hydroplaned across the water after exiting the slides. We felt like children as we excitedly got out of the pool and ran back up the stairs to go down the slide again and again. 

The night was made perfect by the Braden's. They are the relatives of my family's friends and they just so happen I live just outside of Colorado Springs. When they heard we were coming through, they contacted us and offered to have us over for dinner. We didn't have dinner provided tonight so we gladly accepted the offer. 

As we shuttled to the Braden's house, the rain that had been falling stopped and the biggest rainbow I have ever seen spanned across the side. It was so bright that we could see the spot in the side where it started! There was no pot of gold at the end though. We drove through the Garden of the Gods on the way there which was so gorgeous especially with a rainbow in the sky. Everyone in the van had their faces pressed against the windows with their mouths gaped open. 

Double rainbow!

When we arrived at the Braden's, we could barely believe our eyes. Their house was absolutely incredible and they had the best view from their back porch that I had ever seen. Mountains rose up all around us and the city lay in a valley down below. Everyone was in awe of the view and just so excited to be inside of a house. 

View from the back porch!

The Braden's were so hospitable and we enjoyed sharing stories with them and feasting on lasagna. We finished off the night by watching the Tour de France. It was a perfect day and we could t thank the Braden's enough for welcoming us into their home!!! More building tomorrow, the house is really starting to look like a house!

The team, sooooo happy!!!

Day 45 - More Building

We got a good start on the second floor today. Hopefully, we'll finish it tomorrow and at to start raising the walls!!! I'll try to take more pictures tomorrow! The family we're working for us so grateful. They never stop saving thank you and go out of their way to individually thank every one of us. I am so happy that they are getting a house!

My fried Kat got asked to the Bike and build prom today. We are planning to have a fun prom when we get to Idaho and every boy has picked a girl out of a hat. There are also two girls acting as guys so that the numbers are even. All the girls are getting antsy waiting for the guys to ask them. Eliza started off the proposals by setting up an awesome scavenger hunt for Kat and then surprising her at the trailer! It was really funny! Hopefully the other proposals will get rolling soon! That's all I have!

Sunset in Colorado Springs 

Day 44 - Last Day Off

Happy Fourth of July!!! Mom and Abby left early this morning on a plane so we said our goodbyes last night. It was sad to see them go, but I know they were excited to get back to see the rest of the family in Wisconsin for the fourth. It won't be too long before I will be home again. 

We spent our fourth and final day off in Memorial Park in downtown Colorado Springs. There was a big Fourth of July festival going on that we wanted to check out. It was great to be able to wake up with the sun already risen and to take our own time getting ready for the day. We headed downtown at about 1:30 and found a spot on the lawn underneath some trees. We got there before it was really crowded. 

After we claimed a spot, a group of us walked to a nearby lake to swim. The water was nice and the atmosphere felt like a big block party. There were kids running around with their faces painted, hot dogs being sold at stands, and music being blared from stereos. We swam for a bit and then laid in the sun and reflected on our trip, recounting the funny things that had happened. It's crazy that less than two months ago we were all still complete strangers. Now my teammates feel like my family and it's hard to imagine life without them. 

We walked back from the lake after a while and found that the rest of the group had set up a slack line between two trees and were taking turns trying to walk across it. Slack lining is similar to tight rope walking except the rope is wider and not as taut. It was really hard but we were all getting the hang of it after a while. JD and Ethan were the best at it and were showing off their moves. The best I could do was flail my arms wildly at my sides while attempting not to fall off. I managed to make it halfway across after a lot of practice. 

Toward the end of the night, a symphony played while fireworks were shot into the sky. Our team loves to dance so we jumped around to a few songs and made sure to change as many lyrics as we could to "U.S.A." Whether we're slack lining or dancing like crazy people, we always manage to make a scene and lots of people stood and watched us. Some joined in dancing! We are definitely the life of the party wherever we go!

A sea of people!

It was a special Fourth of July for all of us because we had seen so much of the country that we are all feeling super patriotic. "America the Beautiful" was played tonight and the lyrics, "from sea to shining sea," really stuck out to me because we're heading from ocean to ocean. It is incredible to be able to see all landscapes of our beautiful country by bike and it's insane to us that we are already in Colorado. I wish this trip would never end.  

We had three guys bike up Pike's Peak today: Kevin, Dan, and Marcus. They managed to make it to the top, but they were totally exhausted afterwards. Pike's Peak is supposed to be one of the toughest, if it's not the toughest, climb in the United States! We are just all glad they made it back safe. Storms appear quickly on the mountains and it is dangerous to be stuck in a lightning storm way up high. The mountains are so wild, they have to be respected!

Tomorrow, we start another build day. The house is slowly but surely being constructed and hopefully we'll get a lot of work done tomorrow!

We crazy!

Day 43 - Build Day #2

Colorado is quickly turning into our favorite state. It was a beautiful morning and we dressed in our "We Ride for Christina" t-shirts in honor of Christina Genco and piled in the van. We spent the morning finishing the woodwork in the house and then Mom and Abby came to help!

Abby and me on the build site

They helped hammer in some nails and wrap the house in waterproof sheeting. They really got the full Bike and Build experience during their visit! They were surprised at their ability to hammer in nails. They got to meet and talk to a lot I my teammates. Seeing the house being built really puts our trip and our mission into perspective. 

During lunch hour, Mom and Abby left to do some more site-seeing around Colorado Springs. We finished up wrapping the house and started to do work on building up the second story. Four o'clock came quickly and we wrapped up our work and headed to the showers. This week we're really spoiled and we're getting to shower at a spa. It's awesome because there is a hot tub and sauna and steam room. We feel like kings and queens.  

Later, Mom, Abby, Kat, Sarah, and I went to check out the Garden of the Gods. It was so beautiful and we took tons of pictures. 

Abby, Mom, and me

Sarah and me cracking up

Balancing by the balancing rock!

Tomorrow we have a day off for the Fourth of July and we are planning to be go to a place called Memorial Park where there will be a lake for us to swim in and fireworks to watch! It should be fun!

Day 42 - Colorado Springs Build Day #1

After riding more than 2,200 miles to get here, we are finally in Colorado Springs, the city of our week-long blitz build. Our group has collectively raised $150,000 for Bike and Build's mission and $55,000 of that money goes directly to Pike's Peak Habitat for Humanity to sponsor the house we are building this week. It's awesome to be here and Colorado Springs feels like home to us. The blitz build seems as though it was one of the main purposes for our route to exist so it is a very important week for us all. We will build an entire house! 

We met the Kleine family, the people who will be living in this house, and they are amazing people. They have four children and could not be more exited to earn their own Habitat house for their children to grow up in. They're especially excited for each child to have their own room, a luxury they don't have in their current situation. I am so glad we are able to help them!

Today, we framed walls and set up the scaffolding around the building. Another group worked on the garage in the backyard. The sound of hammers echoed throughout the structure all day. Kat, Amanda, Cassie, Travis, and I worked on the scaffolding which took long because we had to level each platform. It was a great day and we got a lot of work down. Kat and I were so happy that we danced on the scaffolding together and admired the purple mountains in the background. It's crazy to think that some people have that view everyday!

After building, Mom and Abby picked me up and we went out to dinner. Then we went to the store and shopped for a little while. We ran into a few of my teammates at the store which was pretty funny. We just can't get away from each other!

Another build day tomorrow! Sorry I didn't post last night, I fell asleep!

Day 41 - Mom and Abby Visit!

After a short 57 mile ride today, I was welcomed to the host site by my mom and little sister, Abby!!!! They flew all the way from Chicago to come see me and I was so excited to see them! There is nothing like getting off your bike and running into the arms of your family! Everyone on the team gave them a warm welcome and Mom and Abby definitely got a good taste of Bike and Build culture tonight. They got to come to dinner and see how much food we eat after a riding day. I got to go back to the hotel they're staying at and take a nap in a real bed!!!! I haven't been in a bed since Georgia so that was a real treat!

The team is always excited to see parents because we all miss our families. When Sarah's parents visited, she instructed them, "Everyone here misses their parents so they will probably try and hug you. They probably smell bad, but just go with it." I gave Mom and Abby the same advice. 

The bike ride was pretty uneventful. I could barely focus on the scenery around me because I was so pumped to know I would be seeing Abby and Mom that night. Colorado Springs is the biggest city we have been to in a while and we forgot what sprawling suburbia looks like. We'll have a lot of time this week to explore it because we have a blitz build with Pike's Peak Habitat for Humanity and we will be here all week!

Mom and Abby are staying at a hotel nearby and will probably come on site sometime this week to build with us! We will probably also go check out the Garden of the Gods and other Colorado Springs tourist destinations. They are here until the 3rd. I am so happy!!!

Well, that's all I have! Goodnight all!