Hi everyone! We just finished teaching at aSTEAM Village in Kansas City, an incredible education center that engages students and families in hands-on, community-based STEAM learning. The kids were so engaged and we loved getting to know them and sharing some tidbits of knowledge with them!! Here are some photos from our workshops.
In the afternoon, we got the chance to walk through Kansas City!! After yesterday’s beautiful bike ride, I couldn’t wait to see some more of the city. Also, this is one of the biggest metropolitan areas we’ve visited on this trip, so there was no shortage of attractions to explore!
First, we got to see the Kansas City Central Library, one of the most beautiful libraries I’ve seen. With four floors, I could literally spend the entire day in the library reading and writing. Truly beautiful.
Jaw dropped
Then, we sauntered through the city to Thou Mayest, a coffee shop in the River Market neighborhood. I got an on-tap mango kombucha, which was actually a need. A true need. The kombucha coupled with a reading and journaling session in the comfy couches of Thou Mayest was exactly what I needed to recharge from biking 7 of the past 8 days.
Some of us really needed that cafe break
After Thou Mayest, we headed home to our Warmshowers hosts, Alan and Sandy, who made us a delicious harvest bowl dinner - very sweetgreen core. I’m starting to really understand why the make-your-own-bowl joints like Chipotle and Cava are becoming so popular. Vegetables are actually amazing, and customizing your vegetables is even more amazing. Delish.
Literally had to get sweetgreen the next day because I’m obsessed with vegetables. Mom are you proud?
Overall, Kansas and Kansas City have really surprised me with their natural beauty and kind humans. I never envisioned myself visiting Kansas before embarking on Spokes, but it’s been such an incredible journey through the plains (and rolling hills, @ Eastern Kansas.)
I’m realizing how much I’ve accustomed myself to the crazy daily biking schedule of waking up at 7AM, eating breakfast, biking and being sweaty for the entire day, and getting to our destination at 7PM to have dinner. Living like a nomad is so much fun. It really keeps me on my toes and never lets me get too comfortable, which is a blessing and a curse in many ways.
It’s so different from my day-to-day life at home (the wakeup at 7AM and eating breakfast is the most stark difference) and I feel like I’m going to have some insane lifestyle shock when I get back to San Francisco and start living in my room again. Hopefully, though, I’ll keep the 7AM wakeup, nutritious breakfast, and fitness levels. Will keep you guys updated on that post-trip.
-Will
A beautiful passage from The Joy Luck Club. Hopefully I’ll have this finished by the end of the trip and be able to do a book review