So I think today is the first day I'm actually posting on my blog the day of a ride! Well, we left Yellowstone today but not exactly on our bikes. We were not allowed to ride out of the park into Wyoming due to road work and some nasty downhills, so for the first 27 miles of our ride, 14 of us packed into the van and thank God for the Almanza's and their truck who were able to transport all of our bikes. Unfortunately, the 27 mile ride put us right at the end of the uphill... It was smooth sailing through the new scenery of Wyoming. However, lunch hit and BAM, another headwind! So it wasn't a perfectly smooth day but can't really complain. When we arrived in Cody, MT there was some kids selling lemonade on their front lawn which was across the street from the church we are staying at. A few of our crew decided to go get some lemonade and after conversing with the kids the next thing you know the kids asked their mom if we could do dinner with them and next thing you know we bombard this family's home for a nice spaghetti dinner with lemonade:) We have seriously met some extraordinary people along our journey this far. To open your home to 15 perfect strangers and cook them dinner and share your lives together is truly amazing. There really are some great people in this world! Tomorrow, we head for Bighorn National Forest. The first 75 miles should be lovely. If the scenery is anything like today, we'll have plenty to look at during our flat stretch. However, the last 10 miles we climb about 3,500 feet... yikes! I'm a little nervous, not gonna lie, but I've conquered each of the treacherous climbs thus far so I'm hoping I can do the same tomorrow. Prayers are always appreciated:)

Saturday, 7/2- To West Yellowstone! HOLY WIND!!!! The day started out wonderfully. We were all thinking this would be a shorter, relatively easy day. A nice ride with some rolling hills with the mountains all around and then suddenly... WHAM! The wind hit us like a ton of bricks!! A group of 7 of us tried to huddle together and block the wind from one another but it seemed as if the wind was coming from every side. This was definitely our slowest day thus far. At one point it took us about 40 minutes to go 3 miles... insane! By lunch we were famished... tired, hot and hungry... not a good combination. After lunch, the ride continued... up a hill of course. After the hill, however, the ride continued along a beautiful lake... beautiful scenery is often the cure for getting through a tough ride. Finally, we arrived at our KOA greeted by Nancy Almanza, mom of Samantha Almanza, a former LV in RI, who cooked us the most amazing camping style burritos paired with a beer... or 3... delicious!

Sunday, 7/3- YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK!!!!!! After a late start getting through the gates, we started our journey through Yellowstone... WOW! I will definitely say, the ride had its ups and downs... in many ways. The thousands of cars driving and stopping and parking and honking... a down. Seeing elk and bison on the side of the road... up... although a little intimidating at times! Riding up the hills... 8% grade up for 3 miles... steep uphill that seemed to never end... steep uphill after what we thought was our final uphill... hard uphill... a downer. And unfortunately, what went up had quite a pathetic down on the other side. But I have to say, regardless of anything else, Yellowstone is amazing. We saw wildlife up close and personal, we walked through the many phenomenal geysers and stood over remarkable waterfalls all under blue skies with the sun shinning down (hot as it may be). Another long day. We stopped often and soaked in everything we could. It was the latest we arrived to camp thus far but well worth it. When we got to camp we were welcomed by signs warning to keep ALL things locked away in the car/trailer in order to keep the bears away. As exciting as I think it would be to see a bear, at camp might be a little too up close and personal. Tomorrow... a rest day in Yellowstone on the 4th:)

Monday, 7/4 REST DAY- As I explained to my fellow riders, and as many who know me would agree... I’m not good at resting. I did sleep in a little... 8am or so. We all headed to Old Faithful which I thought was amazing as well. Afterward, half went back to camp to rest, and I, of course, went with the other half to squeeze as much into the rest of our day as possible! We explored some more geysers, saw a lot of Bison, and stood in awe of the astonishing waterfalls. No, I did not rest, but I had a great day:)

So internet access has been limited throughout our recent travels so I've been writing and saving on my computer so here's from this past week...

I’m exhausted! Between mother nature’s “gift,” no sleep in large due to some EXTREME snorers, and climbing through the steep (yet gorgeous) Rockies in Montana, I’m ready for a good night sleep and a fresh start tomorrow! These last few days I have to say have had their challenges (for sure!), however, I can’t begin to explain how happy I am to be on this journey. The last three days have challenged us physically and mentally as we have climbed several thousand feet over only a few miles at a time. With each climb, however, comes a reward... multiple actually. #1-The feeling of accomplishment after a climb where in the beginning you start looking for places to take breaks and then when you reach that point you realize you can keep going and before you know it you’ve reached the top... and #2- see this amazing country that takes your breath away. Today, my three fellow riders and friends had a particularly difficult day together and really pushed and motivated one another after 59 miles of riding up our final hill... about 1200 feet in 3 miles under the hot sun. At the top of the hill we saw snow-capped mountains for miles and blue sky overhead. After reaching the top and congratulating one another, we took pictures and looked down at the town below... 11 miles downhill to the town of Ennis. Which brings me to reward #3- After the uphill is the downhill... sometimes a little scary, I’m not gonna lie, but I love it!

A little recap...

Tuesday, 6/28, we traveled 66 miles (which is now considered a short day) from Missoula to Darby, MT. If was really quite a pleasant drive. We stopped for lunch at a cute little cafe where we were met by another reporter looking to do a story on us. However, the reporter was not nearly as exciting as the Huckleberry rootbeer floats! When we arrived in Darby, a small, quaint town reminding me of an old country western movie, we were greeted at a church, where we’d be staying for the night, by some wonderful paritioners who made us spaghetti AND treated us to breakfast at the local diner the next morning...what a treat. So far we were off to a good start after our break day...

Wednesday, 6/29, it begins... with an unsettled stomach... for many reasons!... we headed out of Darby for Wisdom, MT. I volunteered to be “sweep” for the day, which means I’m the caboose, staying at the back of the pack. My friend, Mari, and I were both feeling a little sluggish and decided we’d stop at every historical marker or well, anything really... taking our time. Well, our pace, especially mine, up our hill of the day (4000 feet over 7ish miles) did not get any faster... quite a bit slower as you can imagine... and we got caught a mile from the top in a thunder storm (don’t worry, we didn’t get struck by lightning), but as we approached the top where our fellow riders were waiting and we were gathering for lunch, the downpour began! And you can believe, our pace all of a sudden, picked up faster than at any other point during the day. We ended up having to wait in the visitor center for over an hour for the thunder and now lightning to subside. Once back on our bikes, we headed UP again, to the top of the hill before our downhill:) And it was lovely! Along the way we met several other bikers including a gentleman, probably around our aged, biking by himself, completely self-supported from Virginia heading to Oregon averaging 100 miles a day... amazing. Once in Wisdom, we were greeted by a man who owned the “RV park” where we were camping out... lets just say there was a lot to be desired... but it was just fine by us... especially when Br. Ed decided to treat us all to pizza and beer. Now let me paint a picture of this town, Wisdom... 4 streets... 1 pizza place... 2 bars... 116 people... and as Br. Ed counted- 4 trillion mosquitoes... it was a night to remember... especially with the 45 mile an hour winds!

Thursday, 6/30, Wisdom to Dillon... 65 miles... 2 long, steep hills... no sleep...

Another beautiful day with scenery that a picture could never capture. The climbs were hard but doable... we all encouraged and supported one another... and thank goodness for our support van... at the top of the first hill with PB and J ready! In Dillon we were again hosted at a Catholic church where the Priest welcomed us and paritioners cooked for us... well... it was a joint effort... some of them cooked, Stacy and I made grilled cheese and father got subway sandwiches... dinner for Kings and Queens! Following dinner we had an open discussion about poverty and what our ride is all about and also heard about the wonderful work being done in their community. It really was one of my favorite nights thus far. Sharing experiences all within a shared mission. And when I say favorite nights, that was before the night actually started because when we all layed our heads down, some of us slept well, and the rest of us, who don’t snore, were up all night! Needless to say, I was not in a good mood this morning!

Today, Friday- First day of July- wow how time flies! My hardest day was today. My body hurt, I was exhausted, I was hot, the mosquitos had eaten me alive, and I just couldn’t put my game face on. Several times I debated with myself to get into the van and call it quits for the day. However, with the amazing support of my friends (and I suppose some stubbornness:)), I kept going and glad I did. We stopped through some very old, cute towns including an extended stop in Virginia City where we’d been hearing about this great old candy store and charged up the last hill which didn’t end up killing me as I thought it might. All said and done, I survived and believe that what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. We are now in Ennis headed for West Yellowstone tomorrow and then on to Yellowstone with a rest day on the 4th! Looking forward to the holiday in one of the most spectacular places in the country.

This trip thus far has truly been an amazing experience and what I have enjoyed the most is the scenery, the small towns and most of all, the amazing people we’ve met along the way. From church hosts to other cyclists to random people who have stopped to hear about what we’re doing... there really are some great people in this world and I’m glad I’m getting to meet them:)

So I know its been a while since I've posted anything... its been quite an adventurous week! Here's the breakdown...

Day 3- Saturday 6/18- was rainy but great. My childhood friend Megan (McMahan) Matters and her husband Dave joined me for the 73 mile ride from Portland, OR to Hood River... my part of the state! Although it was wet...very wet... it was a great day to spend with one of my oldest friends going through Multnoma Falls and up to Hood River and seeing Mt. Hood... right where we grew up! By the time we reached Hood River the skies cleared and it was a gorgeous day. The ride itself was long with some SERIOUS hills but we made it. Following the ride Megan and I made our way to our side of the mountain into Welches for our 6th grade teacher, Ms McDougall's, retirement party. It was a great opportunity to see old friends and teachers... lucky timing!

Sunday 6/19- After 3 days on the road we had our first rest day. Everyone spent the day exploring Hood River... breweries were top on most people's list! And I have to say, our hospitality was top notch... several families from St. Mary's Church in Hood River hosted us, providing cozy beds, tasty meals, hot showers and some of us were fortunate enough to dip in a pool or soak in a hot tub overlooking Mt. Hood! A wonderful break day indeed!

Day 4- Monday 6/20- We made our way through Hood River up the Gorge to Biggs Junction and across the river to Maryhill, WA for our first camping experience after a 54 mile ride. The ride was gorgeous. In all the time I've lived in Oregon and been up and down the Gorge, I've never seen it like this. The views were amazing and the ride felt great... at least for the first half! Once we crossed into Washington, the wind was so strong I thought it was going to swoop my bike right from under me...don't worry, it wasn't that serious, but it was tough! Our stay at the Maryhill campground wasn't quite what it was in Hood River... we set up tents, blew up sleeping pads, paid 50 cents for 3minute showers (and short 3 minute showers they were!) and made "hobo packs" for dinner over the fire which consisted of cut potatoes, veggies, cheese and beans thrown into tin foil, wrapped and put on the fire... they were actually quite delicious... and of course, followed by s'mores:) Some of our hosts from Hood River came and joined us for the night as well providing us with some musical entertainment of guitar playing and singing. It was a good night. All of us tried to get to bed early and prepare for our longest day yet... 91 miles!!

Day 5- Tuesday 6/21- After leisurely starts in Oregon, we realized that we should probably head out earlier as to not be riding too long in the hot sun and allow plenty of time to get to our destination as only one person from our group had ever road this long before. We headed out of camp around 7:15am spending most of the ride in Washington continuing along the Columbia River. The ride consisted of rolling hills through the desert or eastern Washington. All was well until about that 80 mile mark when I just wanted to be done. We crossed back over to Oregon and finished in Hermiston where Kathy at Our Lady of Angel's Church was waiting for us outside with cold bottles of water... just what the doctor ordered after a LONG, HOT day of biking. Once everyone arrived, the Knights of Columbus prepared a wonderful dinner for us. We were all pretty exhausted... it was the first day I really felt the ride. Needless to say, bedtime was pretty early!

Day 6- Wednesday 6/22- We planned for a 6:30 start but we tend to run about 30-60 minutes late, so when we were out around 7 we were happy with our timely departure! Unfortunately, for the first month or so, we don't have a driver for the support van so we are all taking turns... I volunteered to drive today which turned out to be really great. We departed from Hermiston and went along the river back into Washington. It is really amazing how we've been back and forth between the 2 states and yet the landscape changed so dramatically several times. At this stage, we had been through the coast, the city, the mountains and luscious greenery to the desert and now heading into green rolling hills which most of us described to be the windows background of most people computers...beautiful. It was a very hot day and several of the riders were struggling with the heat and sore bodies. I was happy to be able to support them when they needed, providing food and water, moral support, cheering, and a breather pick-up here and there. This really is a team effort and we all are here supporting one another which is amazing. We're all gonna make it together! The entire group ended in Dayton, WA where we were again greeted by an amazing church congregation who provided the best pot-luck dinner as well as showers and even did our laundry for us! A great stop for the night! At this point along the trip, my favorite part has been the people we've met. From our hosts to others along the route. Today, while I was driving, I pulled over for a pit stop for the riders and a man pulled along side me who had been following us for several miles because he saw our van and was wanting to know more about what we were doing. We've also had several people we've met along the way inquire about our mission and gone to our website to support us financially and follow our journey... its really been amazing!

Day 7- Thursday 6/23- Back on my bike...On to Idaho... We followed the Lewis and Clark trail route weaving us through Washington where we met several other bikers... including a gentleman, Ron, celebrating his 70th birthday heading to Missoula as well as a group of 4 from Portland heading to NYC to make it for the 10th anniversary of 9/11 as one of the riders lost her dad during the tragedy. Our group invited the riders to join us for lunch at a res stop overlooking the hills and we all made our way together to Lewiston, ID where we stayed at another church who welcomed us with open arms. Our riding companions joined us as well. We were happy to now be able to extend help to fellow riders, who, unlike us, were supporting themselves across the country. We got to spend some time in Lewiston exploring the small town before heading to bed in preparation for our dreaded 99 mile day...

Day 8- Friday 6/24- We were all quite nervous for our 99 mile adventure today... especially with how tired we all were after our 91 miler... and tonight our ending destination was a campground! The ride was actual not too difficult. It was relatively flat and not too hot. We kept it slow and steady and when we made it to our camp site we realized that we actually hit the 100 mile mark... a century ride... which we were all soooo excited about... quite an accomplishment!

Day 9- Saruday 6/25- Lowell to Powell, ID- An "easy" day following our century ride. I've got to say, I felt much better than had anticipated after riding 100 miles. We had a "short" 65 mile day along the Loscha river. It was a gorgeous day and really reminded me of home with the river and mountains of trees. In the distance you could see the snow-capped peaks of the rockies... right where we were headed! It is interesting how much our judgement has change from what's easy vs. hard and long vs. short rides. Today really was one of my favorites. It was flat, beautiful and relaxing (relatively speaking of course). We finished at a camp site but happy to be eating at the lodge where we enjoyed a wonderful meal and a beer. Delicious. After dinner several of us hiked 1.5 miles (as if we needed more exercise!) to the Jerry Johnson Hot Springs where we got to soak our muscles in steaming water next to the river surrounded by nature. Simply amazing. And for a while got to forget about our upcoming ride, anticipated to be our most difficult ride yet...

Day 10- Sunday 6/26- We headed out of camp for our climb up LoLo Pass leaving Idaho and entering Montana. The first 8 miles were a tease of ups and downs before the 5 mile uphill climbing 2,000 feet! To our surprise, we all did just fine. We're more capable than we give ourselves credit. In such a short time we've been able to really prove what our bodies can do. Its amazing. I have to say, however, there's no way we could have been this successful day 1, or even a few short days ago. I'm really proud of us all. We we all reached the top, we took pictures in front of the many signs signifying just where we were... leaving Idaho, entering Montana, entering Mountain time, 5,200 feet elevation! The views were amazing... and did I mention there was snow?! Now keep in mind, what goes up, must come down... and that's just what we did for the next 40+miles down LoLo Pass and eventually into Missoula, Montana where we were again greeted by a generous church with a spaghetti dinner prepared! We ate, we showered, we did laundry, we slept! Looking forward to a much needed rest day after 7 days on the bike...

Monday 6/27- REST DAY in Missoula! What a beautiful town! We all scattered about, taking care of bike repairs, getting post cards, exploring the city and resting. We got to visit the headquarters of Adventure Cycling who put together cycling routes around the country, many of which we are using, and took a picture which is now posted on their wall of fame! I think all of us would like to spend a little more time in Missoula!

Tomorrow we get back on the road. I hope to be able to keep up with my blog a little better from here on out but thanks for your patience! Remember, you can follow us on our website at www.lvsride.com/social where you can read stories, see pictures and watch videos of what we're doing day in and day out. It truly is amazing:)

Today was a beautiful, perfect ride into Portland. Sunny skies and not too hot! We were able to see Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood all at the same time. It was simply amazing. Makes me miss this great state! Tomorrow we head up to Hood River which I'm super excited about, however, the weather is suppose to change... rain... welcome back! But I also get to enjoy the ride with my good childhood friend, Megan (McMahan) Matters and her husband, David. They are joining this 73mile trek tomorrow to ride along side me and cheer me on. Rain or shine it should be a great day! Can't wait. So far, this journey has started out pretty good:) Off to bed...

Day 1... a success!

This morning we put our back tires into the Pacific Ocean and I can’t begin to describe what an amazing and surreal experience it was. After a few bumps in the road (we got a little lost!) we headed into Astoria for Clatskanie, OR. To my surprise, my nerves never really set in, just excitement. It was a gorgeous, perfect Oregon day. Not to hot (obviously!) but no rain and lots of sun. Riding along the water and through the bright green trees was something straight off a post card. As far as the ride, we did hit a couple decent hills but I felt pretty good... we’ll see how I feel tomorrow!

I have to say, I was kind of feeling concerned with (lets be honest, dreading) my decision to write a blog. Its not generally my thing! However, as I was riding, I was constantly feeling excited to have the opportunity to share my experience with my family and friends. I really do want to thank all of you for your support and I hope you all know that it is your support and encouragement thats going to be getting me through the tough days.

Now, I REALLY encourage you all to follow the LVs Ride website (www.lvsride.com/social) to get day by day updates, interviews, articles, pictures and more! Also, we have a filmmaker who is documenting our trip and posting clips on our website. You can also go to www.YouTube.com/lvsride and see the video trailers that he has made. They are awesome!

Yay for a good start....

9 hours and counting...

The last 2 days we have been spending together as a group getting to know one another, learning all we need to know (hopefully!) about biker safety and such, went for a short ride through downtown Portland and visited a wonderful soup kitchen in Portland called Blanchet House. Our plan is to visit many places like the Blanchet House to learn what others are doing to help end the cycle of poverty and share with them our mission as well.

We are now in Warrenton, OR and will head to the beach in the morning and put our back tires in the Pacific. Tomorrow's ride is 45 miles with a few looong hills (we drove the route today). The weather is cool but calm. I'm looking forward to a great day... if I get some sleep that is! On that note, its time to say good night. Thanks for all your support!

Hi Everyone!!

I couldn't be more excited to share my experience with you all this summer! You can also visit www.lvsride.com/social to follow our group. I would also love to hear how you all are doing as well! Here's to a great summer...