Emily's Bike and Build Adventure!: Orientation!

Mother's Day (Sunday) was drop off and the festivities began shortly after I said my goodbyes to M&D. It's only a few months until we meet again at the Pacific but I am so appreciative of everything they've done for me along the way.

The 30 of us began with ice breakers and then proceeded to have presentations on affordable housing (AH) and how to get the most out of our time at Bike and Build. We have been staying in two homes built by Habitat Beaches and have been fed incredibly well the entire time thanks to them!

Day 2 consisted of basic bike maintenance, safety drills, more presentations and a 20 mile shakedown ride around town. The ride felt amazingg because we really had to work as a team (in groups of 6) to do things like merge and own the lane (more on that another day). I must note that within 2 miles I got the first official flat of the trip but changed this one in under 10 minutes- a new PR.

Today we partnered with Habitat Beaches and had our first build day! We worked from 8:30-4:30 on a 70 family housing complex that is just getting started. It was a lot of hammering as I braced the outer wall of one of the homes with fellow B&Ber Dylan. They were as grateful of the time we spent with them as we were to be there.

Tomorrow we do our Atlantic Ocean wheel dip and then are off to St Augustine!