Today's subjects are flat tires and volunteering

A little more than two weeks until I leave!  Should I start freaking out yet?  Nah.  I’ll save all that for the day before. 

What, you ask, would I freak out about?  Well, as excited as I am, this trip will be challenging and the thought of it can be overwhelming.  One day at a time for now.  I have been enjoying some of the nearby bike paths that are right outside my house.  One path takes me all the way into Encino and around Balboa golf course.  It’s a little less than 30 miles there and back. 

This past Friday was quite the adventure.  I got to the end of the path, turned around, did a loop around the golf course and decided I wanted to loop again.  Soon enough I realized my bike felt off.  I stopped and looked at the tires.  What do ya know, I already had my first flat.  Bike & Build riders have gotten very useful emails with all kinds of information.  I do remember one that explained what every rider should have with them at all times: ID, money, tire levers, spare tube, road pump, cell phone, and a multi-tool.  I was four for seven and just so happened to be missing everything that would have helped.  I did not have money, a spare tube, or tire levers.  Let me just say, though, that even if I did have the tube and levers I would not have known how to change my tire because I hadn’t educated myself.  But the path I take is very close to the bus stop and it would have been easy to hop on and take the bus all the way back to my place.  But the lack of money kind of screwed me there.  If I were a female bird in this situation, then this would be me:

What to do?  Luckily, my dear friend, Kate O’Neill (pictured below), was both available to pick me up and also owns an SUV to fit my bike.  She trekked through Friday afternoon traffic and arrived an hour later.  I owe her BIG TIME. 

The other day I found out in order for Roy to get to Boston in time we are going to have to part ways on June 6^th.  That’s less than a week from today!  I will be so sad and lonely without him, but will probably be at the gym every day to get ready. 

Oh, also, I recently volunteered my time with Habitat for Humanity.  I went to Pocoima where they have quite a large site.  It was just the laborer, Curtis, and me all day.  I’m pretty sure this is because it was during the week.  He said the Saturdays were usually pretty full of volunteers.  Anyway, it was great.  I did a bunch of different stuff and he noticed I had quite the set of guns so treated me like an equal.  I got the sense he works alone a lot.  He loved to tell me about himself and his three children and the hardships they’ve been through.  It wasn’t until the end of the day when I was leaving and asking him to sign a form that he asked, “So what exactly brought you here today?” and then when I explained Bike & Build he was like, “Oh….. wow.”  Curtis was very helpful, though.  For example, at lunch he told me to leave the same way I came in and warned me if I didn’t, then the territory I was entering was notorious 18^th Street Gang territory.  “Good to know,” I replied….and then nibbled on my PB sandwich.

Curtis also told me the cast of 90210 had been there the week before to volunteer.  He told me they were “all such little people.”  I then started thinking what 90210 would be like if, instead of rich teens at high school, it was rich teens at a construction site. 

“Tricia, we really want to believe your cutting days are behind you, but we’re baffled as to where all the box cutters have gone."

“Adam, you think we haven’t noticed how you coincidentally keep forgetting to bring your brown bag lunch?  When’s the last time you ate a full meal?!”

“Guys, I just went to use the port-a-potty… and found a baby in there.”

“You’re screwing the dry wall supplier, aren’t you, you son of a bitch!”

 Overall, it was a good day.  I’m looking forward to participating in building with a group because I think it will be easier to look back on the day and feel slightly more accomplished.  Curtis and I moved at a good pace, but there were times I did feel like just one person.  Still, one is better than none!