Prescott, AZ

We have been in Prescott, AZ since Tuesday afternoon. Fortunately, we arrived after some monsoons and as a result have had relatively cool weather. Prescott is known for it's Wild West themed downtown, including Whiskey Row. There is an active, young culture here, with a few colleges in the area. We were lucky to stay in Mile High Middle School right next to downtown, allowing us to freely explore the town on foot when we weren't biking and building.

Prescott marked our last two build days of the trip (::tear::). However, they were very rewarding, enlightening days. I was in a group of 10 other riders both days, framing a home for Rebecca in Prescott Valley. Over the course of two days, we constructed and raised all the interior and exterior walls for her house, among other odd projects that involved filling up trenches and leveling the garage with dirt. These were all new tasks for me, and by the end of today I felt like an expert. It was amazing to see the transformation of the space from concrete slab to an actual house.

Perhaps the most rewarding part of working with Prescott Habitat was being able to meet all the directors and supervisors involved in the organization, as well as the homeowners who are benefiting tremendously from it. Last night, we had a community potluck dinner, where a homeowner shared the helplessness she felt before she had a home, and the new-found liveliness and comfort she and her daughters have gained with their home. "We can focus on the more important things," she told us, "now that we don't have to move around all the time." She had quite the story, and it was great to know we are out helping people like her. We were also fortunate enough to meet the future homeowner of the house we were building. She couldn't express in words how grateful she was for our work, but told us that she hoped we could all have a dream come true that was important to us as this home was important to her.

Overall, it's been a great experience staying here these past few nights. Tomorrow it's on to biking the remaining 6 days of our trip. Cheers!