I've gotten the question: What was your favorite part of the trip? I find this impossible to answer as there were so many amazing moments. How can I just pick one? A couple of my favorite parts about this trip include: completing the century ride into DC, riding through Gettysburg, the endless amount of support and love we received from our hosts and strangers, the amazing people I got to know throughout the trip, and the tons of food I was able to eat. On the flip side, the only things I disliked about the trip was how short it was. The two weeks was just enough time to get to know people, but I wish I could have had at least double, if not triple the time.
I've also been asked how I changed during the trip. Measurement-wise, my body didn't change. I took measurements of my calves, thighs, and waist before and after the trip. They were exactly the same. I did gain a few pounds, and my legs are much harder/stronger than they were before. I also got some pretty sweet tanlines on my legs and wrists. I feel I changed in a different way though. The last year has been a journey into finding myself - What do I want out of life and how do I get it? This trip has opened my eyes to many different things. I know I want to continue to help people. I want to continue to bike. I want to continue to make a change. Maybe I didn't answer the question above, but this trip helped me realize more about myself.
I had a few goals before the trip, and looking back, I think I did pretty well.
1. Be a "yes" woman - I was very open to new opportunities. I may not have said yes to everything, but I was more often than not willing to do something.
2. Not walk or get vanned for any part of this trip - I walked a small portion of the day in DC and I was vanned for a few miles on the ride out of Frederick. I wasn't happy about these when they were occurring, but things happen. It was a matter of safety that caused me to not complete this goal, but I feel I came close enough to be happy with it.
3. Take as many pictures as possible - I took almost 400 pictures in 2 weeks. Mission accomplished.
4. Ride with each person - I rode with everyone for at least a mile. I didn't ride with Saskia, Caroline, or Jillian as much as I had hoped, but I enjoyed my time while riding with them.
5. Blog daily - I feel I kept up my blog as much as possible. Some nights, I didn't have the energy or time to blog, and one day my blog didn't publish. Hopefully you all enjoyed it :)
So what's my next challenge? My next challenge is to run a marathon. I plan on running the New Orleans Rock n Roll Marathon on Feb 2, 2014. Oh yeah... I also conquered the Manayunk Wall before I left Philadelphia. It really wasn't too terrible, but I can't imagine doing it time after time like they do in the race.
Will I do another B&B trip? Oh, yes. I'll be back :)
Thank you to everyone for reading my blog! It means so much to me to have such a wonderful group of people supporting me. Without your support, your donations, and your thoughts and prayers, this trip wouldn't be possible. A few specific shout outs:
- My parents - they took care of my dog for a couple months while I was out traveling for work and biking. I couldn't ask for a better support system :) Love you both!
- Brian - he got me interested in B&B and was there every step of my training and fundraising. My best friend is pretty awesome!
- The Bicycle Escape - they helped me learn the sport of biking and helped teach me about bike maintenance. My bike shop is the best!
Life is like a Bicycle - to keep your balance, you must keep moving :)
