Promdale

August 27, 2013

Wrightwood, CA to Palmdale, CA

Today was the second day that we backtracked on our route and got to go back down the mountain we climbed up. I left the host site with Jeff and we made it to first lunch in record time at a record average speed! It was super exhilarating and exciting--I almost wanted to blow past lunch and see how quickly we could make it to the host site.  Luckily we stopped because Andrew's mom surprised us with delicious snacks of veggies, humus, sweet potato chips, and much more.  It was a real feast, and by the time we left lunch everyone had arrived.  Tonight was a big night in ME2SB world.  Tonight was prom night, so accordingly we were calling Palmdale "Promdale".  Before we checked in at the host site, Jeff and I, along with a bunch of other riders, went to the local Goodwill and picked out our outfits for the evening.  The ladies that worked there were awestruck by the fact that we came from Maine and were amused by our prom.  We all came away with some pretty great costumes though!  Dinner with the hosts was great and we learned a lot about what a YouthBuild is and how it works.  Long story short, it is a charter school for students 16-24 that either dropped out of high school or regular high school wasn't working for them.  They also do a lot of leadership building and construction work.  They do a lot to rebuild communities in Palmdale.  Prom was so much fun and every couple or threesome had their own original theme with no repeats.  Everyone went above and beyond what I thought they would do.  Jeff and I were an old couple and my wrinkles looked scarily real.  Prom itself was held at a bowling alley with a bar inside.  I spent most of the night bowling with Jeff, Casey, Sean, Jake, and Ella V though.  It was the best prom ever.