andy reagan only the interesting stuff

A tough, needed rest day

Day Off

Needless to say, many of us also spent the day off coping with this loss as well.  I enjoyed the sleeping in, and spent most of the morning doing things on the computer and planning the end of the trip with Mom.  After that I walked around town for awhile, got a milkshake, and then came back to make dinner for the fourth night in a row on dinner crew.  Heather shared her recipe for her award-winning grilled cheese, which won the Tilamook grilled cheese competition her first year in it.  They were the best grilled cheese I've ever had, I think most of the group shared that sentiment.

We were literally across the street

The saddest day

Boise

I didn't realize at the time, but putting myself out in front of the group by so far was a poor choice in terms of safety, although I am a strong rider....and for this, the leaders put me in the van for the day into Boise.  So I didn't ride, but with a tailwind and mostly downhill ride, Mark made it to town in less than two hours including lunch.  I was really let down about not riding, and wrote some angry blog posts that won't ever make it andyreagan.com, but after a while I got over that...when we heard the news that really shook up our trip, and every Bike and Build-er, past and present.

Paige Hicks, a leader on the P2S route, was struck by a truck and killed.  I'm not going to elaborate, but you can read about her and the full letter to the BnB community here: http://www.bikeandbuild.org/cms/content/view/9188/1/

Our trip was very shaken up, as you can imagine, and we spent all night in prayer and comforting each other.  We have learned how strong the Bike and Build family truly is, which has been beyond amazing, and all of thoughts and prayers go out to her family and the riders she led.  We took a video the following day, along with many other things we have done, called Bike and Build IS.  We'll be sending notebooks to her family and the trip, and are wearing tye-dye yarn to symbolize that we now are riding on for her.

90 miles solo: 2 passes, 2 clif bars, and 2 water bottles

Idaho City

Later we would find out that that night, the coldest place in the entire US was Stanley, ID.  I had slept in just my fleece blanket off the ground in a hammock, and it was 34F when we woke up.  I couldn't feel my feet.

To make a long story short, I hopped on my bike early that morning and got an early start to stay warm.  That put me in front of the group where I stayed all day, missing both lunches but somehow finding the stamina to make 91 miles, 90 degree heat, and a 12 mile mountain climb on 40oz. of water and two clif bars.  I got to the host at noon, the same time that sweep made it to the first lunch 30 miles in.  Mark got there a couple hours later and I woke up from my passed-out nap, and ate a ton of food haha.

Sorry it's sideways, can't fix it haha

From the climb

Food!