Anyways, this week has been really interesting. After some amazing days on the Blue Ridge Parkway (and HUGE climbs), we coasted our way into Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I would not argue with the notion that Gatlinburg is the "Myrtle Beach of the Mountains." We will just say it was not our favorite city, which might have had something to do with the fact that we could not even bike through town because of the Memorial Day traffic and piles of pedestrians. We camped in tents that night though, and I will say that was the best night of sleep I have received yet. It was very tough to get up in the morning with the restful sound of rain outside.
I have not spent much time in Tennessee before, so I am learning a lot about the culture of my neighbors. One of the first experiences we had in Tennessee was a build day in Maryville. As unique as its southern pronunciation, Maryville showed us a good time. From carpeted basketball courts to NASCAR themed bowling alleys, we have tasted a southern experience unknown to most, even us North Carolinians. Perhaps the most special part of our time in Maryville was when we were able to complete an entire floor structuring for Stephanie, a new home owner we met and built with. She was very appreciative of our help and told us about her two children. It was a moment that reminded us all of why we are on this trip.
Other memorable moments from Tennessee include many long rides and some slow talkers. Sometimes I feel as if I have stepped smack into the middle of a country song, being played out right before my eyes. It has definitely been an eye-opening few days. It is a wonder just how far away some people live from even basic commodities. We have passed an immense number of yard sales in the last few days, which are located in the most far out places and set up at crazy times, like 11am on a Wednesday. It makes me wonder if these yard sales are a common shopping choice for some of these households? I don't know, but like I said, it has been interesting.
Sweetwater, TN was probably one of my favorite places we have been to so far. The people were extremely friendly and we had an incredible pot luck dinner that stretched on and on and on. And they loaded us up with cookies and pound cake to go! It was a short ride into Sweetwater, so a two and a half hour nap was another highlight of that day. I don't know if I've ever felt so refreshed after a nap before. I felt like a new person.
We stayed at the National Guard Armory in Dunlap, TN last night, which was a really neat host site with very friendly hosts. And tonight we are in Winchester, TN, probably the biggest city we have been to since Gatlinburg. It was a beastly steep climb over Daus Mountain this morning, but an easy afternoon of rollers after lunch. We did a little exploration around downtown this afternoon, making a bit of a stir across town. Thirty two casual young adults roaming in flocks can do that pretty easily I've found. Speaking of roaming, we have seen lots of awesome cow and horse farms in the last few days which has been super entertaining, at least for me!
Okay, I know I haven't done bios in a while, so here is one!
Sami Feld
( Sami is on the left, Cathleen is on the Right)
I believe Sami and I have a lot in common. What I love most about Sami is her desire to help people, and her great smile that reaches all the way up to her eyes. Sami just graduated from NYU with a degree in Public Health. Like myself, she is considering graduate school for public health, or possibly social work. Sami grew up in the San Francisco Bay area in California with her parents, sister Zoe, and dog Buddy, who is an adorable bichon frise. Yes, the fuzzy white yippie dogs. VERY cute, I saw pictures. Her Dad is a doctor and mother was a nurse. AND her sister is headed on a pre-med track at Barnard at Columbia. Naturally, Sami comes from a giving family.
Sami has had some very interesting passions and jobs over the last few years. She has worked with the Clinton foundation, ran a program at NYU which focused on diminishing waste in dining halls by distributing leftoovers to homeless shelters, and even helped set up chicken coops in low income community gardens with an organization called Just Food. The eggs these chickens laid were sold at farmers markets as a source of income for the local families. I got to see some pretty awesome photos from this job too. Sami holding a chicken = GREAT. She has also been active in promoting awareness for the call to free the hikers who are currently being detained in Iran. Her friend Josh Fattal has been detained in Iran since July 31, 2009, when news reports say they accidentally crossed an unmarked border during a hiking trip in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. You can find out more at www.freethehikers.org.
And that's Sami!
Okay I should let someone else use our computer now. But before I do, just one more shout out! One of the guys on our trip, Myles, is competing in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge by entering Bike and Build as a Cause. And he is in the top 150! PLEASE REGISTER AND VOTE ONLINE SO WE CAN GET ANOTHER $5000 FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING! Once you register, you can vote once a day from now until the end of the competition on June 30th. Check it out! www.refresheverything.com/bikeandbuild
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