Day 18: Dinner Disast!

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This morning we got to enjoy a later wake up call since host breakfast was being provided at 7:30 (usually we eat breakfast around 6am). So despite our town hall meeting discussing having more efficient and organized mornings, today was a bit different. We had quiches from Jeremy & his wife and he joined us for route meeting and prayed a blessing over us. We had a cue sheet debacle (again!) so since I had extra time, I decreased my cassette and OH MAN did it need! There’s something so satisfying getting all that gunk off! I’m sure there’s an excellent metaphor there somewhere about how how Bike & Build helps clear the gunk out of our lives and see things in a new way...

My ride group today was me, Chris, & Jess and with a later start and 76 miles ahead of us, we had our work cut out for us for the day. We rode well on the mostly flat roads and enjoyed some scenery along a river trail at one point. We stopped at a gas station where I enjoyed getting a Reese’s ice cream for myself and a peanut butter snickers to surprise Ryan with later. Today’s sweep challenge was to compliment or do something kind for the person whose number falls after yours (I’m #3 so I had Ryan who’s #4).

At lunch I was fired up to eat a banana and peanut butter tortilla and veggies! I even got to lay down for a bit on the tarp and then slam a Red Bull. We got back on the road and played 20 questions briefly and rode silent for a while, which was also nice. We stopped to take some Bike & Build quiessenial sunflower pictures and tried for some more “Safety is sexy” shots. We rode on pushing 18-20mph in an effort to make into the host by 4pm. With 10 miles to go Chris asked if we wanted to take it up a notch for one last push and I laughed thinking he was kidding. He was not and we were not going to take it up a notch. We finished strong and got to the host minutes before 4 ?

We enjoyed a nice warm hose shower in front of the church while the church ladies prepped dinner and insisted to not let us help them. We met with a woman Kim who is an activist with the East Coast Greenway and shared with us about what she does and her vision for the ECG. She spoke about the trail having “trail angels” much like those from the App Trail and I thought that was brilliant! She took our picture and I’m excited to see what happens in the next few years as the ECG comes together.

We ate dinner with the church since it was their Wednesday evening service and I sat with NJ and Ryan and we chatted with the ladies from the local Habitat for Humanity about Darien and the affiliate. With such a small population and it only getting smaller, jobs and income and housing are all issues here.

Me and the Ellies gave the dinner presentation which went well until the disaster of the video not being properly set up ? Despite our efforts to set it up in advance, it ended up being a hiccup in the presentation but something we were able to overcome and move on from after. We answered some questions and then the pastors of the church offered us all communion. I took part with the church and a few other team members of mine which was sweet.

After dinner, I caught up with the Griffins briefly via FaceTime and I talked to Lauren on the phone as I walked during sunset towards the water to meet up with the team. If you’re a person of prayer, pray for Lauren’s health!

The team and I enjoyed some chips and salsa and margs and played HQ. We walked back to the host together and I crashed in a closet room full of choir robes. At least it was dark & quiet & free of snorers!

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