Amazing Adventure #1: Complete

I did it! I actually managed to ride my bike, with a pack (~70 pounds), from Boston, Massachusetts to Kingston, Pennsylvania! On top of that, I was able to chat with come great folks about their beliefs and direct them to the LIVESTRONG donation site on this blog. I will be posting their interviews on this blog...as soon as I figure out how to post audio... Also, pictures are on the way as well. Didn't get to take as many as I would have liked, but it was harder than I thought to ride AND talk AND take pictures...

To all of those I've met on my journey, THANK YOU! Thank you so much for your kindness and willingness to speak with me, some of you quite candidly, about your lives, faiths, and beliefs. I hope that each and every one of you keeps in touch with me! Email me... comment on the blog... and tell you friends!

The experience on the road was most definitely a major life altering one, and also quite humbling. There is a lot of thinking and self examining to be done when alone on a bike for 12 hours a day for 6 days. I think that even my own faiths and beliefs have changed after hearing your stories and just all of the time by myself. I found myself going through such a range of emotions while riding. MUCH of the ride was on hills. Turns out I'm not very good at the hills. I know I mentioned in an earlier blog that I didn't have an ideal bike. Not only was the bike not ideal, it was just plain awful! I would HIGHLY recommend NOT using a mountain bike for any type of touring, especially if its a little to big for the frame of your body. I came across some major pain issues in my shoulders, wrists, and knees. Yay for pain relievers and anti-inflamitories!

I have one more big thank you before I sign off for today (and try to get some rest!) and that is to my human map and riding buddy, David Colacito. He helped me train for this, he rode the route with me (far ahead of me about 95 percent of the time) and was super encouraging. This was a blast back to the past for him as he did many many tours in his time here on earth, and I'm grateful to have had him in my presence and in my life. Thanks David!

I will be consulting my soggy journal (got caught in a downpour...didn't put my journal back in the plastic bag) and updating according to topic. Of course, I will probably go off topic from time to time, so tune in and keep following!

Thanks again to everyone who I've come in contact with through this. You are all amazing inspirations to me!

Till next time...

H

xo

First Ride Starts Tomorrow!

I'm in Boston!

I'm spending time with an old friend, then on the road for 6 days to document what YOU believe in, and raise some money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. I have to apologize for the lack of blogging, seeing how my plans changed a million times, I didn't want to give anyone false information on my tour!

This past week I've done some last minute fund raising, and I would like to thank everyone SO much for their generous donations....and just to get the record straight? NO donation is TOO SMALL!! I will be posting a complete list upon my return to northeastern PA so that I do not neglect to mention any of the donors.

Just so everyone has a LITTLE insight as to what I'm in for, I'll explain just a little about my training, my bike, my packing process, and my nerves. For those of you who DO tour often on a bike, this will seem like cake to you!

Training. That consisted of rides during the week as I could squeeze them in, ranging from 10-25 miles, and then one or two longer rides of the weekend averaging 50 miles per day. I'm not that quick, especially because I'm using a Trek mountain bike that I've converted in to a touring bike.

My bike. The difference I've found with the Trek mountain bike versus a touring bike like a Surly Longhaul Trucker or a Fuji are many, but not enough to deter me from my mission, or spend money on a new bike... YET.

Firstly, the gears go much higher than a standard touring bike, however the crank is shorter, so it makes for more pedaling and less moving. The good thing about the gears going so high and low are that I can go into a gear that will get me up a very steep hill a little easier. Another downside to the mountain bike would be the tires. I went with "slicks" on the rims to cut down on the friction that a normal knobby mountain tire would have, but they are still quite cumbersome and have a lot more contact with the pavement than a road tire, and are a bit softer because of their PSI capacity. The slicks have a 75-80 PSI capacity, where as a road or touring tire has anywhere from 100-110 PSI. Most noticeable for me is the positioning of the handlebars. I have an elbow issue that prevents me from straightening my right elbow, therefore applying more pressure and stress on my shoulder. I've been experiencing some pretty intense shoulder pain, so much so that my previous knee pain seems inconsequential. The handle bars are wider apart, and are ahead of me causing me to lean a bit forward, putting stress on the shoulder, and on my bottom. All in all, not an ideal situation, but not terrible.

Packing. Wow. This was hard. Try telling a girl she has two small small small bags to pack all of her clothes, toiletries, bicycle repair equipment and food for 6-7 days. Did I mention the bags were small? SO. What did I pack exactly? I'll try to give you an idea.

In my right rear bag, I decided to put tops and undies. As far as tops, since I am wearing a yellow "Bike and Believe" shirt, I packed one tank top, one long sleeved shirt, and a small thin towel. Also, 3 pairs of socks and 4 pairs of undies. In my outer pouch, I packed a small container of toiletries including sample packs of shampoo, body soap, tooth brush and paste, wet wipes, moisturizer (for saddle sores...you can imagine what they are...), face wipes, and q tips.

In my left rear bag, I started with a windbreaker/rain jacket, sweatshirt, flip flops, shorts, long active wear pants, first aid kit, spoon and fork tied in an old sock with rubber band (to eliminate a horrible sound...), spare tire tubes, tools, and patch kit.

In my handlebar bag, I have maps, a knife, pepper spray, journal, pen, camera, iPod and recorder, and chargers for the iPod, camera, and my Blackberry, donation cards, sanitizer, wipes (I packed a lot of these), bottle opener, glasses/sunglasses case, sun screen, lip balm with sunscreen in it, and a flashlight.

Starting in the morning, I have to look forward to 60-75 miles of riding for the next 6 days, camping when we get tired, and talking to as many people as I can about what they believe in.

Wish me luck...

H
xo

THANK YOU DONORS!!

I would just like to thank the people who attended my fundraiser at Something Special, and post their names at the end of this post.  Hopefully this will inspire more of you to make donations of your own! 

Two ways / two KINDS of donations. 

1. Donate to the RIDE: Donate to help us eat, fix flat tires, purchase much needed equipment to get this project off the ground. ALSO, if you or someone you know owns or has access to NEW touring equipment that would help our mission, that works too! Just drop an email through this blog. 

2. Donate directly to LIVESTRONG: Click the link on the side of the blog that says "Donate to LIVESTRONG on behalf of the ride!" This will help me raise the money I am hoping to raise on the road for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

You can also email me at: BikeandBelieve@gmail.com 

Thank you to the following supporters from the May 20th fund raiser:

Jan Sailus and the Something Special Staff

Arlene Sindago

Bill Griffith

Rachel Sailus

Laure McPherson

Bill "Ubie" Ulichney

Eileen, Alan, Max and Henry Rosen

Alan Waclowski

Tony Alberti

Brandon Frashefski

Rachel Glassi

Allison Maslow

Andy Loughney

Phil Jevin

Jennifer Presper

Billy Joe Herbert

Alice and Lou Lyons

Greg Korin

Jill Kersteen

Betty Gaia

Ron Araya

David Baloga

Dr. George Moses

Bob Schmitz

THANK YOU! 

More updates to come...

xo

Heidi

Long time no update... here it is!

FIRSTLY, I would like to thank those of you who have already made some donations to this ride. It is much appreciated! Keep 'em coming! I can't do it without you!

I'd also like to recognize AROUND TOWN BIKES in Wilkes-Barre for their support and sponsorship for the ride, and Jan Sailus and the Something Special Bakery Cafe staff for their help in my benefit fund raising event (this Wednesday, May 20th 7pm!).

Now down to business...

The time has come to iron out a few details with the ride. Much has happened since my last post. Due to funding, and timing, and for the sake of preparedness, I've decided to do a northeast tour as a "practice run" for the long haul. This trip will be this summer starting in Boston, and coming back down to Wilkes-Barre. I've decided this route due to the southern route of the cross-country journey, and thought I might get some different perspectives from interviewees in the northeast.

I've been riding every week, increasing my miles, and hoping to kick off the northeast tour in July. This will be run just as if we were going cross country, documenting and interviewing along the way.

Through riding these past few weeks after NEVER really riding before, I realized something - riding hurts your butt! It's becoming increasingly clear how important good equipment is for a ride like this, and the ability to pack lightly. I will be riding the "weekend warrior" style until my schedule opens up to accommodate more consistent every-day riding, and looking forward to interviewing some local people on what they believe in.

Stay tuned...

H

moving forward...

I've been getting a lot of feedback about this ride, and it's purpose. I've also been hearing a lot of stories of what my friends and their friends and relatives believe in...and the stories are fascinating. People are telling me what they believe in from what religion they are, to how they celebrate God, or how they believe in our government; they are all valid, yet different ways of expressing what they believe in - and this is just the sort of thing I'm looking for.

In upcoming posts, I would like to publish some key points made in those interviews. I think this will give me a catalyst for questions that I can ask when traveling, knowing that I won't have too much time from place to place to question people.

Every day, I am filled with more inspiration and more of a direction with this ride. I started out just wanting to do something that would maybe help me make a change for the better in my life, and help me go in a direction that I will be able to fulfill my dreams yet still be able to help others. I thought that 40 days on the road with the bare essentials would definitely be a starting point; in a way, I wanted to strip all the material things in my life and see what I was actually made of, and not what I'm trying to make of myself. However, I did not want to make this whole bike ride about me. I am a multi-tasker. It's what I do. I have a bunch of jobs to keep my mind always moving, and try to network and combine things that make sense. In this case, I thought that since I would be reaching out to so many people, why not spread a message along with the question? I find that it's easy to talk to people and share a message when you genuinely want to hear what THEY have to say...and I like that. Having found out that another person close to me has been affected by cancer, and I'm hearing stories every day about friends of friends, makes me feel like I'm moving in the right direction by involving LIVESTRONG with my journey.

In the meantime, I'm organizing a few different fund raisers to raise money for equipment and to make this trip possible. If anyone has any ideas for fundraising (besides selling candy bars...I'll end up eating them all...) please send your ideas my way!

Until next time, I'll keep moving forward... Thank you for your support.

LIVESTRONG on board!

Now we have a cause! Simply riding across the country, mile by painstaking mile didn't really give me enough *umph* or drive, as it were... So as I have done in the past with other events I have organized, I have decided to team up with a benefactor. Wasn't too hard to think of one. I have a long history of cancer in my family, including some very close to me. LIVESTRONG just seemed like the perfect partner in crime. So NOW, along with finding out what gets people through tough times and what they believe in, I will be raising awareness for cancer, through the LIVESTRONG foundation, better known as the Lance Armstrong Foundation. You can make direct contributions to the cause by going to:

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/heidianderic

Help us help the world. BELIEVE we can :) Our new slogan: BIKE AND BELIEVE

More updates soon to follow...

-Heidi

i'm not a cyclist, but this is my quest...

In September of this year, 2009, I plan to bike across America. Yes, all the way.  Yes, a bicycle, not a motorcycle. The more I read about it when I had come to this decision, the more I realized more people do this than I had originally thought. I am not a cyclist. I am not a journalist. I am not a spiritual or religious leader. I am not even a "blogger;" but as they say, ya gotta start somewhere. Let me take a few steps back and tell you why I came to this decision... 

" [I am]Caught up in the middle of faith, religion, and how I fit into it all."

I've always been fascinated by the beliefs of others. What makes people believe in what they believe in? Why do people have faith? Does it have to do with their past? Upbringing? How many types of faith are there? Where does religion come into play? Is religion purely God related? I have so many questions... and I have a few of my own answers.

Growing up, I went to Saint Ignatius Catholic church in Pennsylvania. Here are the ten most prominent things I can remember learning about growing up Catholic:

1. People treat you differently if your mother is divorced, and your parents don't go to mass with you.

2. You don't have to be a Catholic to be in the church youth group.  You don't even have to be Christian.

3. Catholics make me feel guilty...and I don't know why.

4. Confession scares me.

5. There is a priest, and the two kinds are a Father and a Monsignor (and then some other guys wearing white robes).

6. When chanting prayers with others, be as monotone as possible, and stick together.

7. Sing as quietly as possible during mass, and don't even try to sing harmony. People will look at you funny.

8. Whoopie Goldberg told me on a video at my confirmation lock-in that if I have sex before marriage, I will have a horrible, unfulfilled life.

9. If your parents aren't involved with the church, you feel REALLY out of place as a kid.

10. Did I mention I felt guilty? A lot?

After receiving confirmation, and the bishop questioning my confirmation name (Bishop: "Heidi James.... James???" *pokes Heidi in the eye with his thumb with chrism on it), I had decided that I wasn't happy with my religion. Something was missing... maybe I just didn't pay attention in catechism... or maybe something traumatic had happened in my life that made me start questioning life itself, and I did not think at the time that the church had any answers for me.  I was going through a bunch of changes, and felt very lost. 

A few years later, I became heavily involved with theatre and got cast in my first lead role: Baby Rose in "Babes in Arms" at the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre. There I met two very influential men: Father Joe, and Dave. I'll talk about Fr. Joe in later blogs...but first about dave. Little did I know I would meet a man who I would come to be friends with, date (briefly...whoops...), and ultimately become friends with again. Not only are we friends now, I would consider him my best friend. Dave was Catholic; not only was he catholic, he had considered priesthood, and had studied religion and philosophy in college, and subsequently left the seminary (for personal reasons) and became director of worship and music at several churches in the Diocese of Scranton ever since. 

"Religion is a 'ritual observance of faith.'"

Naturally, I was quite the curious creature... Why would such a handsome, down to earth, straight, real guy be so interested in Catholicism? Well, I had a few things wrong. Turns out, I just happened to have a pretty crappy introduction to Catholicism. Without going into to much boring detail (for now, at least), Dave and I spoke pretty regularly about religion, and where his views strayed from the more conservative side of Catholicism. Wait - so you can be Catholic AND have your own views?? This is crazy! ... and thus began my spiritual quest to find God again. 

Looking back on many years after meeting Dave, I have attended hundreds of masses, been to Jewish services, visited Buddhist temples, and really tried to grasp this whole "faith" thing.  My godfather says that he is religious - to be spiritual is one thing, and he doesn't believe that if you are a Catholic, you can call yourself "spiritual." My interpretation is that you have to be just that: religious. Here's where the differences between "faith" and "religion" start to peek through. Let's take the word "religious." I am religious about brushing my teeth. or I am a religious person.  One indicates habit or feeling strongly about an action, and the other often refers to a set of organized beliefs, or faith.  Now. Wait. What? Let's crack out the dictionary. We will begin with religion. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion) 

re⋅li⋅gion

[ri-lij-uhn] Show IPA Pronunciation  

–noun

1.	a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

2.	a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.

3.	the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.

4.	the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.

5.	the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.

6.	something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.

7.	religions, Archaic. religious rites.

8.	Archaic. strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one's vow.

—Idiom

9.	get religion, Informal. a. to acquire a deep conviction of the validity of religious beliefs and practices. b. to resolve to mend one's errant ways: The company got religion and stopped making dangerous products.

Origin: 
1150–1200; ME religioun (<>religion) <>religiōn- (s. of religiō) conscientiousness, piety, equiv. to relig(āre) to tie, fasten (re- re-+ ligāre to bind, tie; cf. ligament ) + -iōn- -ion; cf. rely 

This was followed by several other interpretations and meanings, but all basically referring to the above mentioned definitions. 

The results for "faith" were a bit overwhelming. If you'd like to check out the 13 definitions of "faith" from the online dictionary, feel free to go to:  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith

SO... here I am. Caught up in the middle of faith, religion, and how I fit into it all. Wouldn't you like to know what someone thinks ten states away, who was brought up in surroundings you've only read about? Me too. So I've decided to travel the country, by bicycle (a modern day pilgrimage as it were), in search of faith. Tape recorder, camera, pad and pen in hand.

Your faith. Your beliefs. Tell me your faith.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrimage