Today was a pretty fun day as far as training goes. We all woke up and barely made it downstairs on time. I don't think any of us wanted to get up half an hour earlier than we did today so we definitely did our best to get there on time. Once we got the team gathered together we did our morning meeting and then headed to breakfast. After breakfast we loaded up the vans and set out for Marymoore Park which is where we did our practice ride today.
Most of the early afternoon was spent on the practice route. It was a twenty mile stretch of road that circled a lake we were on. The lake was gorgeous. As crew we were required to set up stops every so many miles and we also marked turns for the cyclists so that they didn't get lost. They said this year was the first time they haven't had any cyclists get lost on this route so that means the crew was doing something right! I think our crew has pretty great chemistry though as far as communicating though.
After the route was finished we headed on over to the velodrome. A velodrome is an outdoor track for bicycles. It's mainly used for races but can also be used to work on speed and techniques on a bicycle as it goes in an endless circle. It was really cool to see the cyclists on it. Once everyone had gone a few laps on the velodrome we all headed to the vans for lunch with the crew chief. Most of our lunches consist of the same thing. Two meat, one cheese sandwiches, chips, an apple, or cookies. Tides you over, that's for sure.
Once we all made it back to the hotel we were able to have some free time which I absolutely indulged in by taking a nap. Once I woke up and all the other guys had gone to swim or something they regretted it and said they wished they had taken advantage of it as well. We then gathered the team again and headed out to dinner. We decided to go to a place called Bucca de Beppo. It's an Italian restaurant a few blocks from the hotel and they do what's called family style. We ordered spaghetti with marinara and another pasta that was absolutely delicious. The way family style works is that you get two big bowls of pasta and then you all share it at the table. It was truly an experience since I claim to work at an Italian restaurant.
After dinner, we all introduced ourselves to the parents and family friends that came to dinner and the CEO of Push America, Chad Coltrane, spoke. The first thing he spoke about was how he was probably going to tear up during his speech. He recounted his experience on the bike riding in the Journey of Hope years ago and how he wishes so bad that he could have another chance on the bike. He spoke about this gentleman that rode a few years back and how he only rode for himself. He didn't help his brothers or his crew. He rode for the soul purpose of self-fulfillment. Late in the year that same guy talked to those at the Push America office and said that he regretted that. He said he regretted doing it only for himself because he missed the opportunity to make the Journey of Hope one of the best memories of his life.
Once Chad finished the story he did in fact start to tear up. He discussed how this summer has the potential to become one of the greatest memories of our lives and how if the opportunity comes to step out of our comfort zone that we need to take it. That opportunities may come around again, but not the kind that we'll experience on this trip. He highly encourage us to take that one opportunity because it can mean the difference between a summer of hope, a summer of memories, a summer of putting others first or a summer of regrets, a summer wasted, a summer that a Pi Kapp that really wanted to be there could have had.
I plan on taking every single opportunity the Journey of Hope throws at me. I may have to step out of my comfort zone but I worked far too hard for this to end up regretting anything I do this summer.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Day 8: Friendship Visit
Today was the cyclists first day using their bikes in Seattle. It started off with us being late to the morning meeting which causes us to have to wake up thirty minutes sooner the following day. Once everyone got together, we headed for the Space Needle so the cyclists could start on their skills assessment training. This consisted of them partaking in four different exercises to get accustomed to the tricks of the trade on the bicycles. The first one was a cone obstacle course that required sharp turns and being able to maneuver their bikes really well. Only a few cyclists were able to get through all of their rounds in the course without falling over. Once that was over they proceeded on to the pace lining exercise where they practiced going around in a circle and pulling/falling back in their pace lines as well as calling out when there was debris or traffic coming. After that they were required to ride up a small incline and practice looking back and calling out what numbers we held up in the air. They also were required to practice grabbing a drink from the water bottles too. The last exercise was just practicing changing a tire. A lot of cyclists encounter flats during the summer and it's imperative that they are able to change them quickly so that they don't slow down the group.
After that we broke for breakfast and also went up to Kerry Park for our team picture. The setting was truly wonderful and the weather was perfect. We all got together and were able to take pictures with Seattle in the background as well as with other cyclists. I was able to snag a really cool picture of the back of the jerseys with Seattle in the background. It was really tight. I also got a pretty cool picture of myself with Seattle in the background too. Then we all got together and got in the order that we will be taking our pictures in for the rest of the summer. We took our official team photo which is confidential until the end of the summer or I would totally post it.
Once lunch was over we got the chance to hear our cycling coach, Dean speak. He works at the Velodrome in Indianapolis and helps out Push America a lot. After he spoke the cyclists got to ask some questions about their bikes and helped some of them one on one with some issues they were having. Afterwords we were dismissed for a few hours of free time, FINALLY. I more than took advantage of the opportunity and took a much needed nap. When I woke up it was time to go to our friendship visit which was at the Sculpture Park in downtown Seattle. We were hanging out with the Arc of King County and having dinner with them as well. The park overlooked the water and while there we got to hang out with a lot of the staff and friends of the Arc. We met this guy, Eric, who was truly a sight to see. He had a thirst for life and was determined to meet every person there. He was very cool and when we went to say our goodbyes he said, "it was nice to meet you. Keep that smile," to every single guy. It is weird to think because we take our smiles for granted, and I wouldn't have thought that if I hadn't come in contact with Eric. Tomorrow is our practice ride and we have to get up thirty minutes earlier. I'm pretty stoked to get this thing started. Thursday can't come soon enough!
Keep your smile.
After that we broke for breakfast and also went up to Kerry Park for our team picture. The setting was truly wonderful and the weather was perfect. We all got together and were able to take pictures with Seattle in the background as well as with other cyclists. I was able to snag a really cool picture of the back of the jerseys with Seattle in the background. It was really tight. I also got a pretty cool picture of myself with Seattle in the background too. Then we all got together and got in the order that we will be taking our pictures in for the rest of the summer. We took our official team photo which is confidential until the end of the summer or I would totally post it.
Once lunch was over we got the chance to hear our cycling coach, Dean speak. He works at the Velodrome in Indianapolis and helps out Push America a lot. After he spoke the cyclists got to ask some questions about their bikes and helped some of them one on one with some issues they were having. Afterwords we were dismissed for a few hours of free time, FINALLY. I more than took advantage of the opportunity and took a much needed nap. When I woke up it was time to go to our friendship visit which was at the Sculpture Park in downtown Seattle. We were hanging out with the Arc of King County and having dinner with them as well. The park overlooked the water and while there we got to hang out with a lot of the staff and friends of the Arc. We met this guy, Eric, who was truly a sight to see. He had a thirst for life and was determined to meet every person there. He was very cool and when we went to say our goodbyes he said, "it was nice to meet you. Keep that smile," to every single guy. It is weird to think because we take our smiles for granted, and I wouldn't have thought that if I hadn't come in contact with Eric. Tomorrow is our practice ride and we have to get up thirty minutes earlier. I'm pretty stoked to get this thing started. Thursday can't come soon enough!
Keep your smile.
Day 7: Getting Closer
I apologize for not posting an update last night but yesterday was pretty exhausting and I knew we would have a rather long day today so I just figured it would be easier to recap.
Yesterday was the day that the cyclists arrived. All of the crew members had different duties assigned to them and since I couldn't drive, I was dropped off at the airport at around 10 in the morning for the first cyclist and there were two vans that were making rotations all day to and from the airport. I was the first contact the cyclists got when they arrived and as PR Coordinator, I think that was befitting of me. I tried to be as enthusiastic as I could. I was there for a solid five hours or so and it was great getting to meet them all one on one before we were all thrown together for dinner. Once I returned from the airport, all the guys got together and changed into our team tux. That means that we all put on our Mountain Khaki shorts and our JOH shirts. We then piled into the vans and made our way to the University of Washington. Once there we started walking towards the Alpha Delta house. That's the chapter designation at UW and they were sponsoring our dinner. We also had our first Pi Alpha ritual. Even though I can't elaborate on what actually went on, it caused me to think a lot about the true reasons I chose to participate in the JOH. I am doing this to leave a legacy at Marshall. I'm doing this to give the brothers that come after me someone to look up to, someone to ask questions to, someone to have there to help them achieve their goals. I feel that if I really want to be able to educate the new members, as that is my job as Warden, that I need to be as well versed in matters of the fraternity as I can. There is no better way than to be able to describe what it is like to be a Pi Alpha.
Once we got back from the dinner we got to go exploring around Seattle and we went to the Space Needle for this folklike festival that was really cool. There were all different types of cuisine from different cultures being served, all sorts of styles of music, and one of the most diverse crowds I've ever seen. After that we all headed to sleep due to the long day we all knew was ahead of us.
Today was spent covering the policies and procedures with the cyclists. We got to make it a bit more fun though because we were able to talk about it in small groups and then we got to act out situations and discuss what we did wrong and right in each situation. It was nice because we got to put a visual experience with the situations and that helps to better understand whats appropriate in some instances. After that we got a visit from a Pi Alpha that rode the TransAmerica route in the early 2000s and he brought us Vietnamese sandwiches for lunch that were some of the most delicious sandwiches I've ever had. We then went back to skits before going to REI once more with the cyslists. The flagship REI store is in Seattle and is absolutely phenomenal. The cyclists were able to pick up some last minute things they needed and after that we headed to Pike Place for dinner.
Dinner was being sponsored once again by the Dickey family. We were originally given some money and able to decided where we wanted to go. Then we decided to all eat together and we went to this wonderful place called Ivars. It is a seafood restaurant on the water in Seattle and Sloan,whose parents sponsored the dinner, celebrated his birthday there and his his parents bought all of the cyclists cake in celebration. It was truly one of the best meals I've ever had and it was so nice of his family to sponsor it. Many kudos to the Dickey family!
After the dinner we all gathered for a picture with his parents and then we headed back to the hotel. We stopped along the way to get some pictures of the sunset and then had a meeting on the deck outside of our rooms about the following day. Tomorrow is the skill assessment day for the cyclists which means they'll be going over some basic skills and helpful hints for cyclists on the road. They'll be practicing making turns, signaling, using their pace lines, and all sorts of things. We have to be ready to roll out at 6:30 which means I have to be up at almost 5:30 in order to get ready. It's already midnight here so I'm not really going to get a lot of sleep tonight.
We only have a few more days until the kick off on Thursday and it's truly amazing how close we're all becoming even though we've only been here a few days together. Even though we don't really have a choice since we're spending the next 75 days together, its coming naturally. I don't feel like I have to work in order to create conversation with these guys and that's something that you come to truly value in a relationship with your friends. I may not know all of these guys very well yet, but I can already tell that the guys on this trip are the creme de la creme when it comes to Pi Kapps. I am so blessed to have this experience.
Yesterday was the day that the cyclists arrived. All of the crew members had different duties assigned to them and since I couldn't drive, I was dropped off at the airport at around 10 in the morning for the first cyclist and there were two vans that were making rotations all day to and from the airport. I was the first contact the cyclists got when they arrived and as PR Coordinator, I think that was befitting of me. I tried to be as enthusiastic as I could. I was there for a solid five hours or so and it was great getting to meet them all one on one before we were all thrown together for dinner. Once I returned from the airport, all the guys got together and changed into our team tux. That means that we all put on our Mountain Khaki shorts and our JOH shirts. We then piled into the vans and made our way to the University of Washington. Once there we started walking towards the Alpha Delta house. That's the chapter designation at UW and they were sponsoring our dinner. We also had our first Pi Alpha ritual. Even though I can't elaborate on what actually went on, it caused me to think a lot about the true reasons I chose to participate in the JOH. I am doing this to leave a legacy at Marshall. I'm doing this to give the brothers that come after me someone to look up to, someone to ask questions to, someone to have there to help them achieve their goals. I feel that if I really want to be able to educate the new members, as that is my job as Warden, that I need to be as well versed in matters of the fraternity as I can. There is no better way than to be able to describe what it is like to be a Pi Alpha.
Once we got back from the dinner we got to go exploring around Seattle and we went to the Space Needle for this folklike festival that was really cool. There were all different types of cuisine from different cultures being served, all sorts of styles of music, and one of the most diverse crowds I've ever seen. After that we all headed to sleep due to the long day we all knew was ahead of us.
Today was spent covering the policies and procedures with the cyclists. We got to make it a bit more fun though because we were able to talk about it in small groups and then we got to act out situations and discuss what we did wrong and right in each situation. It was nice because we got to put a visual experience with the situations and that helps to better understand whats appropriate in some instances. After that we got a visit from a Pi Alpha that rode the TransAmerica route in the early 2000s and he brought us Vietnamese sandwiches for lunch that were some of the most delicious sandwiches I've ever had. We then went back to skits before going to REI once more with the cyslists. The flagship REI store is in Seattle and is absolutely phenomenal. The cyclists were able to pick up some last minute things they needed and after that we headed to Pike Place for dinner.
Dinner was being sponsored once again by the Dickey family. We were originally given some money and able to decided where we wanted to go. Then we decided to all eat together and we went to this wonderful place called Ivars. It is a seafood restaurant on the water in Seattle and Sloan,whose parents sponsored the dinner, celebrated his birthday there and his his parents bought all of the cyclists cake in celebration. It was truly one of the best meals I've ever had and it was so nice of his family to sponsor it. Many kudos to the Dickey family!
After the dinner we all gathered for a picture with his parents and then we headed back to the hotel. We stopped along the way to get some pictures of the sunset and then had a meeting on the deck outside of our rooms about the following day. Tomorrow is the skill assessment day for the cyclists which means they'll be going over some basic skills and helpful hints for cyclists on the road. They'll be practicing making turns, signaling, using their pace lines, and all sorts of things. We have to be ready to roll out at 6:30 which means I have to be up at almost 5:30 in order to get ready. It's already midnight here so I'm not really going to get a lot of sleep tonight.
We only have a few more days until the kick off on Thursday and it's truly amazing how close we're all becoming even though we've only been here a few days together. Even though we don't really have a choice since we're spending the next 75 days together, its coming naturally. I don't feel like I have to work in order to create conversation with these guys and that's something that you come to truly value in a relationship with your friends. I may not know all of these guys very well yet, but I can already tell that the guys on this trip are the creme de la creme when it comes to Pi Kapps. I am so blessed to have this experience.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Day 5: Practice Route
Today was a pretty fast moving day and was pretty fun, I'd say. We spent the majority of the day organizing things for the sponsors of the trip like getting t shirts ready for those people that provided meals or for those who are sponsoring our lodging. After that we sat down and talked about difficult conversations and how to handle rowdy cyclists as well as rowdy people that might be riding along with us.
After that discussion we got together and discussed the route that we would be going on during the afternoon. It was our first practice route around Seattle to see how we handle setting up crew stops and how well we work together as a team. They intentionally switched a few of the directions so that we would mess up and have to figure out how to get back on track. Once we got out of the downtown portion of the city we got our bearings and were able to get things together pretty quickly. We went about 20-25 miles out of the city before we decided to head back for dinner. It took us a little longer than it normally would only because it was the first run we'd been doing together. Overall it went pretty well though.
We finished up around 6:30 today and have the rest of the evening to ourselves. Some of the guys are going out but I'm just super excited for tomorrow when all the cyclists arrive. I'll be at the airport all day welcoming the guys as they arrive and directing them where to go. Tomorrow is when all the real fun starts. Tomorrow is when cycling orientation begins.
After that discussion we got together and discussed the route that we would be going on during the afternoon. It was our first practice route around Seattle to see how we handle setting up crew stops and how well we work together as a team. They intentionally switched a few of the directions so that we would mess up and have to figure out how to get back on track. Once we got out of the downtown portion of the city we got our bearings and were able to get things together pretty quickly. We went about 20-25 miles out of the city before we decided to head back for dinner. It took us a little longer than it normally would only because it was the first run we'd been doing together. Overall it went pretty well though.
We finished up around 6:30 today and have the rest of the evening to ourselves. Some of the guys are going out but I'm just super excited for tomorrow when all the cyclists arrive. I'll be at the airport all day welcoming the guys as they arrive and directing them where to go. Tomorrow is when all the real fun starts. Tomorrow is when cycling orientation begins.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Day 4: Bainbridge Island
Today was by far the most fun day I've had. We started off with our training which wasn't too bad. We learned how to put the luggage racks on the top of the vehicles, took inventory of the supplies we got, and put some decals on the vehicles too. We also got our shipment of ClifBar in and oh my gosh did they hook us up for the summer. I was counting well over 700 ClifBars just in our first shipment. We get another in Denver, CO too. Also during the day we were able to sit down one-on-one with our director and talk about our responsibilities as a part of the Crew.
Since I'm the Public Relations Coordinator for the trip I will be working with contacting the media in each of the cities we stop at. I will already have a list of contacts to go by but I will be updating it as well as adding new contacts. I will also be in charge of picking up any sorts of media that we are in. If we're featured in a newscast or a newspaper it is my job to collect that and present it to the national office.
We also got the team packets ready for distribution and obtained a few items for ourselves as well. We got our team tux shirts as they're called. They're just grey shirts with the sponsors all over the back and the 25th JOH logo on the front. They're really nice. We also got our Pi Alpha dog tags too. When you complete a summer Push event like the Journey of Hope, Build America, or Gear Up Florida then you are entered into an elite society within Pi Kappa Phi, the Pi Alpha Society. It is a group of fraternity brothers that participate in the summer events and they have their own ritual and set of events that they do throughout the year. It's a pretty major honor to become one. I truly cannot believe this is still happening. Oh! So we also got together the team packets which consisted of the same t shirts we got and then the cyclists also get a pair of nice socks, a team jersey, and two team shorts. They also get Pi Alpha dog tags too.
Once everything had been finished for the day, we set out for dinner. One of the riders, Sloan Dickey from GWU, has a summer home on Bainbridge Island here in Seattle and invited us out to have dinner with his family. We took a ferry out to the island and caught it literally at the last minute as they were getting ready to pull out. Once out there we were given chips, watermelon, and some of the best sloppy joes ever. The view from their house was absolutely phenomenal. It sat right on the water and had an area beneath the house where we had s'mores and played catch with their dog. It was so surreal to just stand on the bank of the water and see Seattle in the distance as well as Mount Rainier. I've never seen naturally snow capped mountains before and it was truly spectacular.
Tomorrow is our last full day as a crew before the cyclists arrive on Sunday. I have no clue what kind of training we have in store. I'm sure it will be just as tiring if not more since we have to get everything finalized for the cyclists arrival.
Since I'm the Public Relations Coordinator for the trip I will be working with contacting the media in each of the cities we stop at. I will already have a list of contacts to go by but I will be updating it as well as adding new contacts. I will also be in charge of picking up any sorts of media that we are in. If we're featured in a newscast or a newspaper it is my job to collect that and present it to the national office.
We also got the team packets ready for distribution and obtained a few items for ourselves as well. We got our team tux shirts as they're called. They're just grey shirts with the sponsors all over the back and the 25th JOH logo on the front. They're really nice. We also got our Pi Alpha dog tags too. When you complete a summer Push event like the Journey of Hope, Build America, or Gear Up Florida then you are entered into an elite society within Pi Kappa Phi, the Pi Alpha Society. It is a group of fraternity brothers that participate in the summer events and they have their own ritual and set of events that they do throughout the year. It's a pretty major honor to become one. I truly cannot believe this is still happening. Oh! So we also got together the team packets which consisted of the same t shirts we got and then the cyclists also get a pair of nice socks, a team jersey, and two team shorts. They also get Pi Alpha dog tags too.
Once everything had been finished for the day, we set out for dinner. One of the riders, Sloan Dickey from GWU, has a summer home on Bainbridge Island here in Seattle and invited us out to have dinner with his family. We took a ferry out to the island and caught it literally at the last minute as they were getting ready to pull out. Once out there we were given chips, watermelon, and some of the best sloppy joes ever. The view from their house was absolutely phenomenal. It sat right on the water and had an area beneath the house where we had s'mores and played catch with their dog. It was so surreal to just stand on the bank of the water and see Seattle in the distance as well as Mount Rainier. I've never seen naturally snow capped mountains before and it was truly spectacular.
Tomorrow is our last full day as a crew before the cyclists arrive on Sunday. I have no clue what kind of training we have in store. I'm sure it will be just as tiring if not more since we have to get everything finalized for the cyclists arrival.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Day 3: CPR & Marriage
Today's training was a little on the boring side, but it was highly effective in that the entire crew was trained in CPR. Our instructor was really cool and personable and made the course a lot easier to understand. He basically told us things have changed so much over the past years that if we had learned anything about it prior to the training to throw away that knowledge. I always thought it would be awkward to have to make out with a dummy when practicing CPR and I was entirely right. So awkward.
After training we went to pick up the vehicles for the summer. I got a call before I got out west and since I'm not 21 I am not covered by the insurance policy when driving a car so I will be unable to drive at all this summer which is a both a blessing and a bummer. A blessing so I don't have to worry about it, and a bummer because I was sort of looking forward to it.
We decided to go to REI, a much larger Dick's Sporting Goods/Gander Mountain. It has everything outdoorsy you could ever want. The one we went to here in Seattle is the flagship store and was really cool. It had a little jungle/forest area outside where there were waterfalls and bike paths if you wanted to test out a bicycle. All of this in the very heart of the city too! After we got done browsing around the store we went upstairs and they had a local restaurant attached called World Wrapps. They featured wraps that were based upon different cultures around the globe. I had a Polynesian Wrap and it was full of rice, vegetables, pulled pork, and a very sweet sauce. Absolutely delicious!
Once we were done with dinner we were set free for the rest of the evening and made our way back to Bruno's. Some of the guys had gone back there last night after we were dismissed to watch the game. We went back and while the other guys drank I enjoyed myself some of the spiciest salsa I've ever had. This little hole in the wall is a must check out if you ever come to Seattle. If you're sitting at the bar, Bruno's is open to the street and we were watching the Pacers/Heat game and a group of ladies come up to the bar starting hollering about how they had found a group of "gents." Apparently one of the ladies was getting married and she, with her entourage, were walking around Seattle with a list of things that she had to have done as her bachelorette party. So one of the crew members decided to propose to her as one of her tasks. She also had things on the list such as getting one of the guys numbers, having her name tattooed on someone with a sharpie, and many more.
After Bruno's we decided to walk back towards the hotel before stopping at a McDonalds for fourthmeal since food is limited here. While on the way we saw a man dancing on the sidewalk with no music. He was also screaming loudly as if he was singing along to the music playing inside his head. Tomorrow is another full day of preparation as the cyclists arrive on Sunday. We've still got to decal the vans, distribute t shirts, and many other tasks. It's shaping up to be an extremely great summer though.
After training we went to pick up the vehicles for the summer. I got a call before I got out west and since I'm not 21 I am not covered by the insurance policy when driving a car so I will be unable to drive at all this summer which is a both a blessing and a bummer. A blessing so I don't have to worry about it, and a bummer because I was sort of looking forward to it.
We decided to go to REI, a much larger Dick's Sporting Goods/Gander Mountain. It has everything outdoorsy you could ever want. The one we went to here in Seattle is the flagship store and was really cool. It had a little jungle/forest area outside where there were waterfalls and bike paths if you wanted to test out a bicycle. All of this in the very heart of the city too! After we got done browsing around the store we went upstairs and they had a local restaurant attached called World Wrapps. They featured wraps that were based upon different cultures around the globe. I had a Polynesian Wrap and it was full of rice, vegetables, pulled pork, and a very sweet sauce. Absolutely delicious!
Once we were done with dinner we were set free for the rest of the evening and made our way back to Bruno's. Some of the guys had gone back there last night after we were dismissed to watch the game. We went back and while the other guys drank I enjoyed myself some of the spiciest salsa I've ever had. This little hole in the wall is a must check out if you ever come to Seattle. If you're sitting at the bar, Bruno's is open to the street and we were watching the Pacers/Heat game and a group of ladies come up to the bar starting hollering about how they had found a group of "gents." Apparently one of the ladies was getting married and she, with her entourage, were walking around Seattle with a list of things that she had to have done as her bachelorette party. So one of the crew members decided to propose to her as one of her tasks. She also had things on the list such as getting one of the guys numbers, having her name tattooed on someone with a sharpie, and many more.
After Bruno's we decided to walk back towards the hotel before stopping at a McDonalds for fourthmeal since food is limited here. While on the way we saw a man dancing on the sidewalk with no music. He was also screaming loudly as if he was singing along to the music playing inside his head. Tomorrow is another full day of preparation as the cyclists arrive on Sunday. We've still got to decal the vans, distribute t shirts, and many other tasks. It's shaping up to be an extremely great summer though.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Day 2: Jet Lag and Avengers
First and foremost, I apologize for not posting an update yesterday
as I was extremely exhausted and passed out as soon as our crew was
dismissed.
Yesterday my flight left at six in the morning and I had two layovers. I was flying from Charleston to New York City to LaGaurdia airport. Then from LaGuardia I was flying to D.C. to catch my connecting flight to Seattle. My flight from NYC to DC got delayed about 40 minutes and that really threw me for a spin. I landed in D.C. with literally just ten minutes to get off of my current plane in order to make the next one. As much as I hate to admit this, I literally took off my flip flops and bolted through Washington Dulles airport because Lord knows it is so difficult to run in them.
I made it to my connecting flight as the last few people was boarding and was definitely winded. Thankfully I was only going from concourse D to C so it wasn't THAT far of a run. As I got on to the plane to Seattle, I attempted to find my seat and catch up on some sleep that was much needed since I didn't sleep that well the night before my first flight. I ended up passing out as soon as I was able to get comfortable and woke up with about three hours left in my flight. I then realized that I needed to use the restroom so I wrestled my way into the aisle and a lady that was in front of me caught the attention of my letters. She started talking to me about how her daughter goes to Virginia Tech, how she is a Zeta, and how he's dating a Pike, which she got confused with my letters since they are only a one letter difference. She then preceded to tell me how it's changed her daughters life and how it's the best thing she has ever done.
As I made my way back to my seat after using the lavatory, the guy sitting next to me turns around and asks if I enjoy "those Pi Kapps," and I quickly jump to how it is easily one of the greatest decisions of my life and how much I enjoy it. He then precedes to tell me he is a Pi Kapp from Virginia Tech! I couldn't believe that I was really sitting beside a Pi Kapp on my plane ride to the Journey of Hope. So then I inform him that the JOH is what I'm flying out to Seattle for and his eyes lit up and he was asking me a few questions about it. Then we talked a little more about Pi Kapp before I decided to watch Mean Girls until we landed.
Once I arrived safely in Seattle I made my way to baggage claim to find out that due to the rush to make my connecting flight that my luggage did not make it to Seattle. I then had it addressed to my hotel to arrive later that evening on the next flight to Seattle. When I was picked up I went straight to the hotel with my crew members and we put our stuff away and went to dinner at a fabulous place called Sport. It's got some extremely great sports memorabilia from basketballs signed and baseballs autographed to jerseys and a ton of other things. We all had dinner and briefed on a few things before being released for free time.
Once we got back to the hotel I informed the front desk of my late bag arrival and told them to call me when it arrived. I then went up to my room about seven in the evening here and passed out before I hit the pillow. I woke up around three in the morning to find that I had not received a call about my bag so I went downstairs and it still hadn't arrived. I went back to bed and sure enough received the call about thirty minutes later.
Once the first full day got started we went over policies and procedures, rules, regulations, and a bunch of other information about safety for the trip. We broke for lunch and went to this place called Bruno's after all the programming for dinner. It's an Italian and Mexican restaurant that was absolutely fantastic. We went to the original Starbucks on Pike Place and also walked around downtown Seattle and was able to see all the shops like H&M, Tiffany & Co., Nordstrom, a Nike store, etc. After that we all decided to catch The Avengers since there was so much hype and none of us had seen it. Tomorrow we begin CPR training and it's about a five hour class.
The time change is hard to get used to. I want to call a bunch of friends and talk to them about my first full day but it's already tomorrow back home. Weird. I'm still getting used to not constantly having my keys on my side since they're one of the three objects I generally never lose. I'm extremely thankful that we're in a hotel right now though because I know these days are limited.
Yesterday my flight left at six in the morning and I had two layovers. I was flying from Charleston to New York City to LaGaurdia airport. Then from LaGuardia I was flying to D.C. to catch my connecting flight to Seattle. My flight from NYC to DC got delayed about 40 minutes and that really threw me for a spin. I landed in D.C. with literally just ten minutes to get off of my current plane in order to make the next one. As much as I hate to admit this, I literally took off my flip flops and bolted through Washington Dulles airport because Lord knows it is so difficult to run in them.
I made it to my connecting flight as the last few people was boarding and was definitely winded. Thankfully I was only going from concourse D to C so it wasn't THAT far of a run. As I got on to the plane to Seattle, I attempted to find my seat and catch up on some sleep that was much needed since I didn't sleep that well the night before my first flight. I ended up passing out as soon as I was able to get comfortable and woke up with about three hours left in my flight. I then realized that I needed to use the restroom so I wrestled my way into the aisle and a lady that was in front of me caught the attention of my letters. She started talking to me about how her daughter goes to Virginia Tech, how she is a Zeta, and how he's dating a Pike, which she got confused with my letters since they are only a one letter difference. She then preceded to tell me how it's changed her daughters life and how it's the best thing she has ever done.
As I made my way back to my seat after using the lavatory, the guy sitting next to me turns around and asks if I enjoy "those Pi Kapps," and I quickly jump to how it is easily one of the greatest decisions of my life and how much I enjoy it. He then precedes to tell me he is a Pi Kapp from Virginia Tech! I couldn't believe that I was really sitting beside a Pi Kapp on my plane ride to the Journey of Hope. So then I inform him that the JOH is what I'm flying out to Seattle for and his eyes lit up and he was asking me a few questions about it. Then we talked a little more about Pi Kapp before I decided to watch Mean Girls until we landed.
Once I arrived safely in Seattle I made my way to baggage claim to find out that due to the rush to make my connecting flight that my luggage did not make it to Seattle. I then had it addressed to my hotel to arrive later that evening on the next flight to Seattle. When I was picked up I went straight to the hotel with my crew members and we put our stuff away and went to dinner at a fabulous place called Sport. It's got some extremely great sports memorabilia from basketballs signed and baseballs autographed to jerseys and a ton of other things. We all had dinner and briefed on a few things before being released for free time.
Once we got back to the hotel I informed the front desk of my late bag arrival and told them to call me when it arrived. I then went up to my room about seven in the evening here and passed out before I hit the pillow. I woke up around three in the morning to find that I had not received a call about my bag so I went downstairs and it still hadn't arrived. I went back to bed and sure enough received the call about thirty minutes later.
Once the first full day got started we went over policies and procedures, rules, regulations, and a bunch of other information about safety for the trip. We broke for lunch and went to this place called Bruno's after all the programming for dinner. It's an Italian and Mexican restaurant that was absolutely fantastic. We went to the original Starbucks on Pike Place and also walked around downtown Seattle and was able to see all the shops like H&M, Tiffany & Co., Nordstrom, a Nike store, etc. After that we all decided to catch The Avengers since there was so much hype and none of us had seen it. Tomorrow we begin CPR training and it's about a five hour class.
The time change is hard to get used to. I want to call a bunch of friends and talk to them about my first full day but it's already tomorrow back home. Weird. I'm still getting used to not constantly having my keys on my side since they're one of the three objects I generally never lose. I'm extremely thankful that we're in a hotel right now though because I know these days are limited.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Day 0: Reflection
The Journey of Hope is a 4,000 mile cross-country cycling event that begins in Seattle, Washington or San Francisco, California and ends in Washington, D.C. This summer is the 25 anniversary of the event . This summer I've been given the unique opportunity to participate in the JOH as a crew member, leading a team of cyclists across the country. I depart tomorrow morning for Seattle at six in the morning and won't return until mid August.
As I'm sitting on my couch thinking about the experience I am about to embark on, I can't help but remember the moments that have helped to lead me to participate in this phenomenal event. The first was when I met with Tyler Johannson, an expansion coordinator for the fraternity, who came to Marshall to find the re-founding fathers of the Zeta Pi chapter. He discussed with me Push America, an entity of Pi Kappa Phi that owns and operates the Journey of Hope, which was a pivotal point in my decision to join the fraternity as I had experience working with people with disabilities throughout high school. He also spoke about the JOH and the other events that Push America sponsors during the summer like Gear Up Florida and Build America.
In July of 2011 we found out that the men on the Journey of Hope were going to pass through Huntington and stop at the Mountain State Centers for Independent Living, an organization we work closely with downtown, in order to present them with a grant they had been awarded from Push America. During the teams stop I was able to talk to a member of the team from Arizona State University. He discussed how difficult is was to train for the experience and how to fund raise all of the necessary money. Unbeknownst to me at the time was that this was the true spark of how I got interested. Being able to have that conversation gave me not necessarily a face for the JOH, but it gave me a personal experience of how someone was able to push through the hardships of training, fundraising, and generally preparing for the JOH.
Then in January, when I attended Mid-Year, a yearly training opportunity for new officers, Dave Knavel, director of team events, spoke about his experience with the JOH serving on the crew and being a cyclist. After hearing him speak and seeing the videos produced by Push America there was a question and answer session about with him for those interested. I went right up and listened to him answer questions multiple men had. I had never felt before then that participating was even remotely feasible. He solidified the thoughts I was having and I knew as soon as I returned home that I was going to sign up.
As I returned home from Mid-Year I spoke with my parents about it and what their thoughts were. I relayed to them the feelings I received from hearing about the experience and how I didn't believe there was anything else that I would want to do more. After much thought, consideration, and discussion about who to contact for fundraising, how to pay for my plane ticket, and many other aspects, I convinced them that it was the perfect idea. I sincerely believe this experience will help me to grow personally, professionally, and I believe it will instill in me the true values of this fraternity that I love so much.
I can't tell you what to expect from me because I'm not entirely sure myself. I know what I think this experience will be, and I know what I want it to be for me. My only hope is that it is as truly wonderful and life changing as people have told me it is. I'll be the first member from the Zeta Pi chapter at Marshall to participate in the Journey of Hope and to know that I'm representing my brothers in an elite group of Pi Kappa Phi gives me so much pride. I don't know what it is going to be like sleeping on an air mattress all summer. I don't know what it is going to be like to ride in a car cross-country from Seattle to D.C.. I don't know what it is going to be like to spend the next 76 days with men from across the country that I've never met before either. I do however know that if you follow me along the way, we can find out together. God bless my fraternity.
As I'm sitting on my couch thinking about the experience I am about to embark on, I can't help but remember the moments that have helped to lead me to participate in this phenomenal event. The first was when I met with Tyler Johannson, an expansion coordinator for the fraternity, who came to Marshall to find the re-founding fathers of the Zeta Pi chapter. He discussed with me Push America, an entity of Pi Kappa Phi that owns and operates the Journey of Hope, which was a pivotal point in my decision to join the fraternity as I had experience working with people with disabilities throughout high school. He also spoke about the JOH and the other events that Push America sponsors during the summer like Gear Up Florida and Build America.
In July of 2011 we found out that the men on the Journey of Hope were going to pass through Huntington and stop at the Mountain State Centers for Independent Living, an organization we work closely with downtown, in order to present them with a grant they had been awarded from Push America. During the teams stop I was able to talk to a member of the team from Arizona State University. He discussed how difficult is was to train for the experience and how to fund raise all of the necessary money. Unbeknownst to me at the time was that this was the true spark of how I got interested. Being able to have that conversation gave me not necessarily a face for the JOH, but it gave me a personal experience of how someone was able to push through the hardships of training, fundraising, and generally preparing for the JOH.
Then in January, when I attended Mid-Year, a yearly training opportunity for new officers, Dave Knavel, director of team events, spoke about his experience with the JOH serving on the crew and being a cyclist. After hearing him speak and seeing the videos produced by Push America there was a question and answer session about with him for those interested. I went right up and listened to him answer questions multiple men had. I had never felt before then that participating was even remotely feasible. He solidified the thoughts I was having and I knew as soon as I returned home that I was going to sign up.
As I returned home from Mid-Year I spoke with my parents about it and what their thoughts were. I relayed to them the feelings I received from hearing about the experience and how I didn't believe there was anything else that I would want to do more. After much thought, consideration, and discussion about who to contact for fundraising, how to pay for my plane ticket, and many other aspects, I convinced them that it was the perfect idea. I sincerely believe this experience will help me to grow personally, professionally, and I believe it will instill in me the true values of this fraternity that I love so much.
I can't tell you what to expect from me because I'm not entirely sure myself. I know what I think this experience will be, and I know what I want it to be for me. My only hope is that it is as truly wonderful and life changing as people have told me it is. I'll be the first member from the Zeta Pi chapter at Marshall to participate in the Journey of Hope and to know that I'm representing my brothers in an elite group of Pi Kappa Phi gives me so much pride. I don't know what it is going to be like sleeping on an air mattress all summer. I don't know what it is going to be like to ride in a car cross-country from Seattle to D.C.. I don't know what it is going to be like to spend the next 76 days with men from across the country that I've never met before either. I do however know that if you follow me along the way, we can find out together. God bless my fraternity.
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