This spring break, the team got a three-day preview of what our summer will be like. We biked to Bastrop, slept on the floor of a church, and ate peanut butter on everything (bread, bananas, power bars...)

I also had the wonderful opportunity to get to know my teammates better, which led me to realize another thing about this summer: I'm going to miss half of my team terribly.

Since I joined the 2010 team a year early, I based my route decision simply on the cities we're passing through. I still can't believe I'll be visiting San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver on my bike!

Once the rest of my team had been chosen, it felt like I instantly bonded with people on the Sierra route. I found out Emily is a journalism major like me, that Charlie never gets sick of hearing what new restaurants I discover. I can talk with Michael for hours about music or just about anything, and Arvin is always there to tease me about my fashion sense.

But this past spring break, I started to understand how difficult it will be to say goodbye to the Rockies route. I roomed with Kristen and Brittany, two Rockies girls I hadn't really been able to talk to until recently. I had heart-to-hearts with Natasha about our fears regarding the future and learned about what Lauren wants to do with hers.

I love my Sierra mates and stand by my route decision, but if switching to Rockies meant spending my summer with Kate S and Kate P, I'd be just as blessed.

I am so happy to know my teammates and so lucky to be forming lasting friendships with them. I'm sad for the day we have to split up this summer, but I look forward to the inevitable tears and hugs when we reunite in Canada and ride on to Alaska together.

Lots and lots of T4K love.