Day 25... We're in ARKANSAS!

I know I haven't been good about updating very often, but we stay very busy and rarely have internet access. But I have a little bit of time on the comp, so i'll give ya'll a quick update. I'm trying a different approach to posts.. let's see how it goes.....

-We're in Brinkley, Arkansas! We crossed over from Tennessee this morning via the bridge over the Mississippi River.. it was pretty sweet. Pictures were taken, but not posted yet (surprise surprise...)
-My knee is still damaged! Yes. The knee still hurts, but it has improved. Supposedly we're heading into the Ozarks tomorrow, so wish me luck with that. It's gotten to the point where my knee is okay most of the time... but still is strained on climbs.
-Memphis was a lot of fun. We got to go downtown and party on the famous Beale St Monday night. Yesterday was a day off... and I spent the majority of it sitting around, except for the pool party, which was awesome. Didn't get to Graceland like I'd hoped, i heard it was expensive. But did get some Memphis-style barbecue from the Commissary. Amazingness.
-I did not ride today, nor did Dennis and Alex. The three of us were "vanned" for misbehavior. We won't go into details, but basically we were bad bike n' builders, so we were punished for the day. But we're all riding tomorrow!
-A few days ago we passed thru Lynchburg, TN... home of the Jack Daniels Distillery. Of course we stopped and took the hour-long tour. It was a dream come true. Tons of pics to come.. eventually. We also had a pool -party in Pulaski, TN, with the MAYOR of Pulaski. He was insane, and absolutely a blast.
-The tan lines are getting extreme, and our legs are getting ridiculously strong. I guess it was a matter of time.
-I miss my family! A bunch of us sat around yesterday evening at the pool party in Memphis, exchanging stories of family traditions, memories, etc. Not that I didn't miss them before, but after last night, I miss them like crazy. Luckily I'm meeting them in Hilton Head immediately after BnB.
-Our trip is over 1/3 completed! It has seemed to fly by, and it's gonna end before we know it. We're already in our 3rd state... then Oklahoma... then Kansas... and less than 2 weeks from now..... Colorado ALREADY. It's been amazing, I don't want it to end.
-Still not a huge fan of cycling. Downhills are a blast (~40mph... curves... exhilarating), and pacelining is fun too (average 26mph over a 20 mile span, and it's almost effortless). But all in all, it's still just a mode of transportation.
-Supposedly my Diploma showed up at the house. I guess I'm officially a college graduate now! But... still no job. Anyone reading this want to employ me? My plan right now, assuming I don't get a teaching job, is to move to the beach, wait tables/ bartend at night, and substitute teach during the day. I figure it's an easy way to get my foot in the door of a school system, and then when a position becomes available, it'll be mine for the taking...
-Tomorrow we head into Little Rock, Arkansas. I'm not sure what to expect yet, but at least we have a build day on Friday! Amazingly, it'll be our 5th build day already. Oh, for those who are wondering, I'll update the mileage.......
Mileage to date...
According to website: 1213 According to cue sheets: 1249 My Actual: 1134 (thanks to injuries and today's punishment, where we missed 84 miles...it's ok, i'll make up for it eventually)
Days w/ Rain: 6 Build Days: 4 Days off: 2

Oh, and for anyone interested.. I know i'm a slacker when it comes to posting pictures and updating my blog, but other members on my team are not as lazy as I am. Go to our website's route tracker, http://bikeandbuild.org/rider/route.php?route=NC2SD&year=2009, and you can access our entire team's journal (updated daily by a different person every time), our pictures, and everyone's blogs (especially check out Nhan's and Sharif's... they're good about updates) via the links on the right. Hope everyone at home, etc is doing well! I'm doing GREAT! Thanks for all the continued support, and keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Later ya'll!