Hey it's Hannah! This is my blog, documenting the various adventures I may encounter on my bicycle trip to Washington DC. Tomorrow (April 5), at 4 pm, our journey will begin, and I am so PSYCHED!!!! As of right now the weather people are calling for sunshine and highs of 52 degrees, so it looks like we won't be frozen to our bicycle seats, always a plus. I'll tell you something, riding a bike by the side of a highway while the wind is whipping you around, and your feet are freezing more with each passing minute, will not be your most favorable biking memories. Needless to say, I'll be bringing double the amount of socks on this trip.
        A lot of people have asked me things like "Are you excited?" or " Are you nervous?" But not many people have actually asked me why I'm going, I've just kind of been shoving the information into their heads. So, I thought I might enlighten you with the full story. Last year I had heard about a group of  crazy people from PAIPL making the seemingly tremendous journey from my small town home, all the way to the big, Washington DC. I hadn't known much about it at the time, surely not that by the same time next year, I myself would be one of those crazy people.
       A few months ago, my dad asked me If I would be intereste
d in a ride like this. I wasn't sure of my answer at first, but I found that I really, really wanted to do this. By February, I found myself learning more and more about this movement, and PAIPL in general.
     I'll be riding on the back of a tandem bicycle, or as I like to call it, the BBT. Bicycle built for two. My father Jess Ballenger, will be upfront steering and taking the wind, while I sit in the back and peddle as hard as I can.There will be four other awesome people going with us on their own bikes,  (yes, we will be the first tandem going to Washington on this trip.) 
       In DC, we'll be headed to capital hill to speak with congress representatives, about the growing problems of climate change. Along the way, I'll be collecting prayers and letters for the healing of the earth and for a safe journey, to bring with me. I'm going because I fell passionately about climate change, and I feel that If I can bike to Washington, then maybe the world isn't too far gone.
       To me the bikes are like a symbol, showing everybody that we don't need shiny jets and silver briefcases to make us mean business. The helmets do enough of that on their own.