The beginning

If you're reading this, you no doubt know by now that I'm biking across the country this summer. If not, check out www.firstgiving.com/sharifmorad and drop a little dough for some instant karma. Moreover, if you know the deal and you had planned on donating, there is still time! Everything helps - www.bikeandbuild.org/donate

It is my hope that I will maintain this blog over the summer to keep everyone informed about my trip with pictures and journal entries. If you contributed to support my cause, or are curious, or just like reading about something awesome, this is for you. Also, if you know somebody in San Diego who likes guests - you should tell me. It would be a little disappointing to spend 2 months biking to California and then only stay there for too short a time, to say the least. Also, also, tell me if you're reading this so I know who my audience is!

I've spent the last couple of months fundraising, building houses (with Habitat in Valdosta, Georgia over spring break), balancing all this with school, and of course, biking a lot. Biking has never really been anything I was that into, but then again, having a little 2 month cycling trip across America wasn't really on my radar either until a couple months ago. I guess that says something about me.

Many of you are probably curious to see my bike, and after all the support I've received, I'm happy to appease those inquisitive minds.

This is the bike I rode as a young boy:





And now, 16 years later, I've got one less wheel and no more girls on my back:






Everyone keeps asking me, why? Why do this, Sharif? And I don't really have an answer. This idea of this trip in itself is alluring enough to me. It might sound strange, but biking an average of 70 miles a day across the country while raising awareness/money for affordable housing, with a bunch of other like minded crazies is exactly what I want to be doing right now. It is going to be beautiful and there is not a day that has passed where I haven't been psyched about this. Seriously people! Your lives are the memories you have and the relationships you build. It sounds so simple, but thats it... and thats how I want to remember my summer 2009. I guess the real question is why not?


"The people who work for a living are doing what they most want to do. Just as much as the people who play for a living"


I'll be keeping that in mind as finals begin to loom over me... for now I guess I'm stuck working. Although I would hardly call biking across America "play." ;)