What a week! A week ago today, we were just arriving in New York City and now here I am in Washington, DC! It's been quite the experience and this is only the beginning. Today is our first day off from riding since we started and I already feel strange not waking up and hopping right back on my bike. I'm so happy that we've had so many opportunities to reconnect with the cause already. In Baltimore, I got to help out with a portrait of two women at the Hope Lodge who were an inspiring reminder of how much optimism really matters. Yesterday as we rode into DC, we passed by the National Institutes of Health where I worked last summer doing research. It hit me just how very lucky I am to have had all these experiences throughout college that have interconnected and motivated me to pursue my future career as a physician. This ride is showing me a lot about who these people are that I want to help in the future, and I think that's what the Portraits Project is all about. I can't wait to continue making a difference this summer, and for the rest of my life.