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Today is Michaela’s birthdayyyy!! We woke up to tunes about birthdays—the classic happy birthday, elvis’ version, and a few others. While taking out our bags there was a beeeeeautiful sunrise over the water and it automatically made my day. Since I have some experience with packing my bag and have managed to get mine out fairly quicker than most, I gave myself a few minutes to stand there and watch the sun come up. It was wonderful! ☀️ We then enjoyed a nice breakfast of a banana, raisins, delicious fresh rosemary bread lightly toasted with butter, and, of course, coffee! NJ shamed someone who poured their coffee too soon before the trailer was packed—no one fessed up but it’s a big no-no to eat/drink before the trailer is packed.
Me and my team of Ellies then helped clean up the host before route meeting by Beth and town facts by Mikey. Ryan and I had agreed to ride together today and we recruited Sarah & Michaela to come along—we got the birthday girl for her 21st! I think it also helped that Noah was safety Nav today, lol.
Despite me checking my ABC’s (air, brakes, chain), as we rolled
out of the parking lot I noticed my front tire was flat ? How annoying that I haven’t had bike issues during my training, or for the last few years, and now it seems I’m changing a tire everyday and something is always going wrong. Just like Bike & Build, you just have to roll with it.
We finally rolled out and for whatever reason, we started calling out in British accents (I may or may not have started this). By the first light I was cracking up over myself quoting Harry Potter “Give it here Malloy or I’ll knock you off your broom!” I’m not sure why I had myself rolling with that one but the accents and quotes and laughing only continued all day—our favorite call out being “RUBBISH!” instead of something like “debris.” We gotta get through these miles somehow ?
We were crusing and only stopped to let me adjust my saddle (again!) and we rolled on in search of a Starbucks for Magpie (Michaela’s nickname) for her free birthday treat (unfortunately we never stopped at one). We also saw someone advertising free donuts at DD but didn’t stop to celebrate National doughnut day
either.
We rode along a beautiful ride by an inlet and enjoyed the palm trees and houses and shade. Right after I said how beautiful K2C is, we rode through a few huuuuge puddles, which gave us soggy feet and broke my back tail light by getting water logged? A woman recovering from a hamstring injury ride with us for a few miles as we told her about Bike & Build and she complemented how she knew we weren’t from here bc we stop at every stop sign. Safety first!
After a quick snack and pee break by a beautiful water view, we turned away from the water and headed to finish the last 10 miles to lunch. The miles all morning passed easily as Ryan (& Sarah) shared some entertaining stories about first experiences. At lunch we enjoyed PB&J, hearing more about Michaela’s boyfriend, and tracking down our lost sweep team of NJ and Raffi.
After lunch, we rolled on and continued our personal conversation about experiences and eventually found ourselves on a long stretch of road that looked like we were in Jurassic Park. We had to be off the road by 3pm but had
over an hour to ride 18 miles—I knew we could do it! As we were riding, I mentioned how this road, which was not very heavily trafficked & has visibility for days, was an excellent road for a “freedom mile” and asked Michaela how memeorabke she would like to make her 21st birthday. We were all down for it, though Ryan was apprehensive since it’s so early on in the trip, our time crunch, and we were getting close to the host (15+ miles away). We planned to do it at mile 51.6 since Magpie was born at 5:16 but, alas, there was a golf cart man, then a bridge, then an Epcot looking thing, & cars back that all kept cramping our style.
Luckily, at mile 55.2, our opportunity had come and we all fully committed, except for Michaela who only went halfies. Sarah stopped after about .8 thinking she had gone the full 1 mile and Michaela and I pulled over at mile 56.4 so a nice trail that let off the road so that we could get situated. Enthualled that we did it and laneting it couldn’t last longer since it was so hot out today,
we rode on and made it off that stretch of road with only 3 miles to go. Our team was the only one that made it!
We got to the host where we were greeted by the MOST mosquitos and relentless sun so we quickly sought shelter and eventually gained access to the church and laid down on a carpet and some rubber squares in a baby nursery and I ate the other candy bar I bought in memorial of my Dad (last time I went to Florida he had bought me a few candy bars I had never had for my trip, I bought them again and enjoyed the other one on my van day with NJ). We shared a bit more about past experiences and then the team started to roll in.
We took a team vote and opted to go to the pastors house so we could take turns sharing one shower and enjoy his pool while we waited—on a hot day like today, it was a no brainer! We shuttled there and were pleasantly surprised when we found out there were 2 showers to share! Hooray less wait time! Though I was the 4th
to shower, I put my suit back on and sat out in the sun and enjoyed chatting with everyone as Beth, NJ, & Chris played dunking pool games. Eventually all who intended on showering finished up and we rolled out and shuttled back to the church.
We were greeted with both meat and veggie lasagna, salad, Publix tea, & plenty of brownies, cookies, & blueberry dessert to go around. Well fed and so appreciative, we rolled ourselves out of the dinner hall and all laid down for 20 minutes or so while the leaders had their debrief meeting.
Ryan, in his deep, loud, carrying voice announced we were all going out for Magpie’s birthday while NJ sang the tune “Rise and shine we’re going out for magpies Birthday!” to the tune of “Rise & shine and give God the glory glory!” It was too silly! We then began our tretcherous 1.2 mile walk through mosquito lagoon where we get eaten alive by mosquitoes—I have too many all over my body to count! Fed up towards the end, Jess, Annie, & I began to run where we met up with NJ & Jana, who were walking fastly ahead of us, at the bar where we were able to secure getting a long table inside and away from the mosquitoes. And too bad bc it would’ve been an excellent view!
We only stayed for about an hour or so, but it was a great time! I sat by Beth, NJ, Chris, Sarah, Mikey, & Carly and we all shared stories about our own 21st birthday and our most embarrassing drinking stories. Mine were certainly much less climatical than others, but it certainly was fun sharing with others and hearing about their lives!
We then walked back to the host, during which we enjoyed watching a lightening storm and getting a little rained on. I didn’t mind bc I love summer storms—and bc it made the mosquitoes go away (I think)!
We all then retired to our separate quarters, where I updated my blog & offered Kristie to stay with us instead of sleeping in the smelly bike room. Though she did not join us, Annie did join Carly and I—which wasn’t all too surprising since she’s notorious for finding the best sleeping arrangement (she didn’t use her thermarest for about a week! We had a carpet and fan so I guess we won for tonight!
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