Intro

Welcome to a story, or stories I should say. A compilation of adventure tales. An ongoing itch to see, smell, and touch the world, or at least the deserted roads and rarely trampled mountains of America. Characters within the descriptive paragraphs of these stories carve out the coming and going companions in life; vital life people and pieces that parallel a universe for moments, days, years. And then spear off, leaving granules of magnificent memories of magical places. They leave a lasting trace, a gained sense of courage to stand tall on oxygen deprived mountains and shout absurdities like: I love you Ralph! Ralph is a teenage reindeer stuffed of the finest synthetic polyester fiber poof; he says made in Indonesia but really tells me he is from the North Pole. Delivered through a chimney one December night 20 years ago, we instantly became cuddle buddies upon that morning's sunrise. He is the instigator. The inspiration. And the imagination. He breathes creativity. Laughter. His is a dear companion. And yes, at 4lbs he tags along atop a pack or strapped to a rack. In delirium of 107 degree heat, the small possession of material belongings gain a persona. Innate objects become friends of the road and trails. And as for the humans who accompany, their presence reads priceless. Without O'Reilly, a 29 year old New Hampshirian with superior taste buds, the mathematical six foot four inch tall German, or handful of organic peanut butter and 99 cent jam eating munchkins, there would be a lot less excitement. The encounters we make with our specie, encapsulating the world with their awkward ways and over consumerist love, somehow we have managed to become overly adored creatures. Their generous hearts restore a faith that goodness prevails in the upheaval of a sometimes lost humanity. As for myself, I'm just the navigator, paddling up the stream of life munching on Clif Bars, with an iPhone documenting the frailties and goodies underneath all the simplified complexities in the world we reside. So again, I welcome you to get lost and dream a little through this typed text and your imagination. My name is Kristen Gentilucci. I live in Berkeley California and I love dogs.


Thursday, June 21, 2012

Red Brick Nunnery

Day 3
Build Day with Habitat of Andover M.A.


     The van rolls up, pilled high with 14 early riders needing coffee. Too bad. One upon a time in 1905 there stood an old fabulous deep red brick nunnery, high above the old withered giant shady trees and black staked fence that encloses this treasure. It was like walking into a story book, reading page by page as you pass through the gutted rooms. This was our build project today. The Catholic School still stands strong across the street, in operation from August till June. The last set of white and black dressed nuns moved out of this building in the 2005. Sold to Habitat in 2009, 107 years later this historic stacked set of bricks of the golden olden days in Massachusetts was going to transformed into a set of 10 Affordable Housing units.
     We gutted the basement, cold and damp, chiseled cement off these ancient pieces of brick, jackhammered side steps, and wander this magnificent building lusting at what the stories could have been of our grandparents days. Gas heated at one time, with no insulation except for the solid bricks, this build stands 4 stories high and refuses to be demolished. 
     People love us wherever we go, so far that is. Subway must have donated over 100 sandwiches to us for lunch. Refueled we continued to work till our steam ran out. 
    Ok, now for Burrito Laundry story. You see, trying to work out all the kinks that could possible come up on a ride across the country with 33 riders and a budget of less than $125 a day things get tricky until routine is set. And things like laundry keep getting knocked down to the bottom of the priority list. Now riders stressed and underwearless, washing shammies in bathroom sinks, we attempted to make our first laundry run. 


Here what is looks like:
  • 10 X 30 inch tarp 
  • everyone's shammies, sweaty gross disgusting I dont want to know what, like a heaping mess you'd find after a high school football game in 100 degree weather at the locker room.
  • Roll it up like a burrito. It's heavy, like 100+ lbs heavy. 8ft X 3 ft. (thats a big burrito right!)  
  • Ridiculously get it somehow in the van.
  • Drive to laundry mat
  • Haul Burrito Laundry out, yeah we look ridiculous, and lots of people want to talk to us.
  • 10 loads
  • Dry on HOT HOT HOT if you can imagine why.
  • 2 hours later we are using up 4 parking lot spaces. The trap comes out again, clean clothes go on, then burrito roll once again.
  • Drive back to host site
  • Tell riders they have clean clothes and suddenly all the worries go away.
Tonight I sleep coved away between the shelves of an elementary school library surrounded by stacks of books about witches and flying horses. Once again, it will be sweet dreams.