Hello everybody!!! Welcome to the 2024 Spokes inaugural blog post.
We are just two days away from our scheduled departure, and we are so excited!!!
I’m Kawther, one of six spokes biking from Stanford to Washington DC this summer. I’m glad I get to document and share this journey with all who will listen. I know I’ll be learning a lot this summer, and I hope I can share some of it with all of you!
With that said, I cannot lie, I’m feeling extremely nervous as we approach our day of departure. Just yesterday I was reading about Gordon Ramsay’s recent cycling accident. All I can say to that is, you can definitely count on me wearing my helmet, Gordon. In fact, I love helmets.
I might even start wearing one when I’m not riding my bike, just to stay safe.
Besides thinking about helmets, I’ve also been spending a lot of time thinking about how this trip will unfold. After several years at Stanford, things have gotten a little monotonous, so I’m hoping cycling, teaching, and meeting people across America will awaken a new sense of gratitude and zest for life within me.
I’ve gotta say, I’m most excited about experiencing America for the first time. Even though I’ve lived here my whole life, I don’t think I can confidently say I’ve truly been immersed and engaged in America as it truly stands. I have so much to learn about how people from different walks of life see and interact with the world. I think meeting all kinds of different people will be the most transformative part of this whole experience (and maybe my entire life). I hope that I meet people who challenge my beliefs in a good way and force me to consider things I’ve never thought about before.
I’m also so excited to do two of my favorite things: bike and teach! I think there is nothing as meditative as going on a long bike ride. And I love kids and listening to all their musings.
Basically, there is so much to be excited about.
I could go on and on about my thoughts on this trip, but I think I’ll save that for future blog posts. In the meantime, stay tuned for more posts from the rest of our lovely team!
Warmly,
Kawther