Date: Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 12:07 AM
Subject: Humanity's Thanks
Thank you all for your generous donations to habitat in light of the Bucket 100! This lovely 120(!) mile ride through rural Indiana was to make sure habitat for humanity can afford to give homes to those in need. Altogether we raised $500 out of a little over $4000 in total. There were 22 people in total riding this year. All in all, 12.5% contribution is a great turn out, thanks!
Anybody interested in the contents of the trip should keep reading.
The starting point of the ride resided in the inferior* Indiana University where 22 riders would meet. The students from Purdue, including yours truly, were bused down to IU's campus the day before where we would spend the night in a church. However due to miscommunications the church was locked for the night by the time we got there. This was discovered after the bus left. We got into contact with members of the student body who were very apologetic about our predicament and offered their student body house as lodging... 2 miles from the church. ~15 students and no bus, we restored to the best option: the moving van. We hopped in the back an took a blind ride through campus.
The next morning we rolled up our sleeping bags and headed for the starting point. Everyone else drove in that morning and gathered for the introductions/safety/how-to shpeals. Soon the police drove up and escorted us through campus as we began. We left behind IU quickly through a bit of forest and hills (who knew Indiana had elevation?) and hit the flattest stretch of road anywhere.
Most of the group quickly took off zooming on their mutant seasoned biker legging and souped up bikes leaving slower group, including me, behind. About an hour in we hit an Orchard with a big sign out front advertising fresh apple cider. There was no way we could pass that up.
The rest of the trip was considerably less interesting. Just flat farmland with corn, soybeans, more corn and cows.
Oh hey! A post office!
More farmland.
After what seemed like an excruciating 120 miles we reached our destination: Danville High School. The halfway point. A whole 60 miles between us and Purdue still remained.
ARRRGH
We rested for the evening and set out in the morning.
60 miles into the wind later, we puffed up chaucy Hill, the last hill. Finally the end was in sight. After the grueling ride I was ready to get some food. However once we arrived organizers of the event greeted us but no food. Oh well, at least it was over.
Thank you all again.
-Steven Jacque
*IU might not be inferior it's just a requirement for a Purdue student
