My trek began with my rear wheel in the Pacific and finished with my front wheel in the Atlantic, the 3800 miles in between were filled with laughter and tears, triumph and pain. I spent the summer of 2007 on a cross-country bike trip raising awareness and money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. I was a shy, insecure freshman of thirteen when my friend introduced me to 10th Gear Christian Youth Cyclists. The small bike club was organizing their longest ride ever that summer and though I lacked any biking experience I enthusiastically joined the tour.
The journey encompassed 24 teen riders travelling from Seaside, OR to Plymouth, MA over a period of 66 days. The early riding was brutal, we averaged 70 miles a day and I was constantly tired and sore. Over time my stamina slowly increased. Though I gradually became accustom to pedaling 8 hours a day, weather and terrain proved a relentless challenge. We spent days grinding through the Rocky Mountains, crossing the continental divide several times, often climbing 35 miles without relief. The temperature changes were dramatic, swinging up to 50 degrees in a single day. In some of the more challenging stretches we crossed the Dakotas over a 7 day, 110+ degree heat wave with 20 mph headwinds and Pennsylvania in a 3 day, 60 degree torrential rain storm. We rode on bike paths, country roads, city streets and six lane highways and suffered countless breakdowns, flat tires and crashes. The riding was an incredible mental and physical challenge and truly dominated our time but the journey was really about so much more.
The success of a cross country bike trip is dependent on teamwork. Each day we divided into groups to load and unload the trailer, set up the tents, cook and clean, and lead the ride teams. Working closely with people, in such a stressful environment, taught me valuable lessons on teamwork and group dynamics. I found patience for those who wouldn't do their share of the work and learned often the best way to engage people is to stop talking and start working. For the team to work well and have fun it was important for me to find ways to encourage my team members that were struggling, recognize and value each team member for their contribution and focus on leading by example rather than lectures or complaints.
In learning to be a good teammate I became increasingly confident in my ability to rely on myself. Each day, though exhausted, I took care of my personal responsibilities as a rider and team member. I woke on time, ate (a lot), packed my personal gear and had it ready on time for those loading. At each day's destination I helped with my team chores, ate dinner, read maps and maintained my bike. In the evening I chronicled the day in my journal and attended evening devotions. Through it all I learned to place my trust in God. When I was too tired and scared to continue I turned my weakness and fear over to Him and just kept pedaling.
It was incredible to experience America on the back of a bike, living and riding intimately with the beauty of the Rockies, Yellowstone National Park, and the Badlands of South Dakota as a back drop. The scenery and wildlife were incredible but the people even more so. Throughout the trip the kindness of strangers was unimaginable. People we met donated money to our cause, willingly fed us, and welcomed us in their homes and barns. Complete strangers fixed our orthodontia issues, gave us books and ice cream from their shops and transported us over construction zones.
I feel so fortunate to have experienced the kindness and decency that exists all across this nation. The good will shown to us was generous and without expectation. We referred to people as our road angels. My gratitude from these encounters continues to affect me to this day. I often find myself trying to be that road angel for others I encounter in my life.
The members of our cycling club, 10th Gear Christian Youth Cyclists, chose the Jett Foundation as the charity to support on the ride and nicknamed the tour the Jettride. The Jett Foundation is dedicated to curing Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Duchenne's is a genetic disease that rapidly degenerates muscles, paralyzing and killing most afflicted boys in their teens. The experience of riding for others gave a tremendous sense of purpose to the journey. I became an ambassador for Duchenne's talking to people throughout the country about this devastating disease and meeting the afflicted boys and their families. The Jettride fostered my earlier interest in healthcare. The pain, suffering and optimistic spirit of these boys has compelled me to pursue a career serving children with health issues.
Hundreds of hours and thousands miles on a bike becomes more mental than physical. My mind kept telling me to quit riding and go home, it was a constant battle to keep working, stay cheerful and remain appreciative of this opportunity. The goal was so clear cut but often seemed insurmountable; breaking up each hour, day, and leg of the trip into smaller achievable pieces helped me press forward. The journey was humbling, but it gave me confidence that even when tasked with a seemingly impossible challenge I can persevere and succeed if I work hard, adapt to difficulties and put my faith in God. I look forward to the challenges ahead of me as I enter college. I remain confident that I will be a successful serving the college community as a leader, teammate, student and friend.
Thank you for the consideration of my application, academic credentials and personal attributes for admission.
My trek began with my rear wheel in the Pacific and finished with my front wheel in the Atlantic, the 3800 miles in between were filled with laughter and tears, triumph and pain. ---- this is a cool sentence, but it is a run on sentence. Replace that comma with a period or semi-colon.
Though I gradually became accustomed to pedaling 8 hours a day, ----wow, amazing.. that must have been hard!!
Less is more, cut cut cut:
The success of a cross country bike trip is dependent depends on teamwork.
Working closely with people, in such a stressful environment, taught me valuable lessons on teamwork and group dynamics. ---- I don't think you really showed that this is a "stressful" environment. Maybe a bit more explanation will be useful to support this idea.
Nice job! I think this is a great idea for an essay.
Hundreds of hours and thousands miles on a bike becomes become more mental than physical.
I think the ending is a little too general. Is there a way to make a connection between the work you did on the ride and the work you will do as a professional? Any way to mention some of your intentions for these upcoming years?
:-)
