New York

June 27

Pittsfield, MA to Poughkeepsie, NY: 80.2 miles

I woke up with a swelling sensation in my right eye. I rushed to the bathroom and saw the horrific sight of what appeared to be poison ivy on my face. The leaders suggested that I sit out the first half of the day so I could get the necessary treatments at CVS. Jeff, one of the leaders, brought me to a nearby CVS and I picked up some Zanfel cream and Benadryl. The instructions for applying the cream indicated that water was necessary for forming a paste and rinsing it off my face. So, there I was in all my swollen glory, standing in the middle of a CVS parking lot putting a strangely textured cream on my face and showering myself with a water bottle while rush hour traffic passed by. It was not my finest moment. I was bummed out that I missed the morning half of the ride, but completed the latter 40 miles. the ride was another tri-state one, crossing between MA, CT, and NY. We arrived at a Oakwood Friends School, a boarding school in Poughkeepsie, where we would be staying the night. Our dinner was donated to us by Olive Garden. The amenities at the school included beds and a common room with a TV - we were living in luxury. I slept so well that night.

New York countryside:

June 28

Poughkeepsie, NY to Port Jervis, NY: 59.9 miles

I could hardly open my right eye. I looked in the mirror and saw a face that was much more red and swollen than the day before. My face seemed to have grown by 20% and it was becoming embarrassing to be seen in public. I took some Benadryl hoping that the swelling would eventually subside. I also started showing symptoms of a cold. I felt cursed. But I was not going to let these things stop me from riding. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I am biking across the country. How exciting is that?! On the way to Port Jervis, my group stopped at a General Store, and after telling the owner about our trip, she generously gave us Kind bars and fruit. Towards the end of the ride, we experienced a thrilling 4 mile long descent. On the way down, I struck a pothole and my phone flew off my bike. I picked it up and found my front screen shattered. As I pondered how I could be having such a slew of bad luck, I remembered that I walked under numerous ladders during our first build day in Portland, ME. I will owe the many unfortunate circumstances I experienced in the past week to that superstition. We arrived at the United Methodist Church in Port Jarvis. A nice woman there served us salad and homemade baked ziti, followed by ice cream. Afterwards, I visited a nearby ER to treat my swollen face. I am so glad I did because the meds worked within just a few days!