Ranchester & Greybull 07/02-07/03

Hmm long time since I've blogged. So let me jolt my memory.

The ride into Ranchester... knee pain around mile 20. Lame, way to go knee. Typically, Ana was sick that day too, so we took over the van together after the first rest stop. About 300 feet after we took over there was an awesome downhill. Sad. Hmm, oh yes Ranchester was nice, we stayed at a middle school... with SHOWERS!!! I did some serious bike maintenance that day and put on some new brake pads. The few days before this, we've been approaching the Big Horns. This day, they stood right in front of us... so finally putting on these brakes seemed like a good idea. What else... Greg and I were on dishes this day... we power washed those dinner dishes with a hose until they were sparking. It was a cold and wet sacrifice that we made for the team. But we're such good people, we knew it was the right thing to do.

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Ah now this next day was crazy. 5 mile warm up. 18 mile climb. In preparation for this, the team geared up with face grease and roaring music. The knee made it until mile 17ish, having no phone service, I jumped in a truck with Larry and Rachel to the rest. They were good people. They have 8 horses and are from Minnesota and were roadtripping with their motorcycle (in the back of the truck). They were married in 1976 and have a few kids. Like I said, good people. I get to the rest and drive the next 8 miles to the 18 mile downhill. Erik so graciously volunteer to drive the van down the hill so I could ride it (: (: I hit a new high speed, 43.8. Riding down with Conor, Greg, and Steve, I was kind of nervous, but they kept up pretty good. We stopped at a pretty waterfall mid-downhill... it was gorgeous, and the ride through the canyon out of the mountain was incredible.

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We pulled into Dirty Annie's, a little restaurant shop at the bottom and waited for the team. Poor Pi pulls up in a pickup truck all banged up slightly after and he headed for some stitches.

I finished the ride with the speed demons and we caught up with 3 13-14 year old cyclists biking around the west... Pulling into the stayover was my favorite part of the dayy. Jordan appeared in the door wearing roller skates.

Upon entering this rec center... my eyes were blessed with visions of grace... Nathanael skated around and around the gym, twirling and twisting and beautifully skating his 6'4'' figure in circles. Once the whole team arrived, a 1970s skating party naturally erupted and after the owner stopped by... word got out of a bloww up obstacle course and you can only imagine the fun that took off from there! Favorite stayover thus far. Hands down.

Bring on the Moustaches!

Montana brings on a strange transformation for the team, many members find themselves shedding the layers of hair that they've built up on their face, leaving only a thin sliver on their upper lip. Yes, Moustache Montana has begun!Sporting their new looks, the team headed out for Ennis, with magnificent views of mountains, lakes, and the Madison River which we have been following for portions of the last two days. Today's ride was fairly short, allowing us to have some time to relax once we reached Ennis. The pastor at the church we were staying at arranged showers for us at a local RV park, which was refreshing since we hadn't had the opportunity to shower for the last couple days.Afterwards, for dinner, the pastor and the community stepped in and provided a taco bar for dinner. There was more than enough food for everybody, and we were all stuffed before we learned that it was followed by root beer floats. Dinner could not have been better!Tomorrow we look forward to crossing the Continental Divide for the third and final time as we head in to Butte.

Montana Or: Mustache

Mustache Montana!Ennis is a fantastic place.Taco bars!

My life as a drop of water in yellowstone

Sometimes, I wish I was a drop of water.I would start off as snow on top of the mountain, over-looking the beautiful trees, valleys, and the winding road where I4k bikers would later climb up and then cruise down on. When the sun comes out, I would melt into a drop of water and flow down into one of the many waterfalls that a little I4k rider thought she would definitely have stopped to jump in if not for the long climb she still had to do. I would have the time of my life sliding down those rocks and falling into the river below.Flowing along the river, I would see a group of I4k riders skipping stones (or trying to) and dipping their feet in the cool water while munching on some nuts and an apple. I would end up in a lake, where a huge clumsy bison stops to get a drink. A fox comes along and they begin to complain about a group of people on bicycles gawking at them as if they were aliens and getting all excited about being that up close. A chipmunk overhears their conversation and adds that he too heard a bunch of cyclists approaching and hid underground. He was annoyed at how they kept yelling out at him as if he was a horse. A swan nearby bashfully admitted that a group of people on bikes peeked at her through the trees while she was taking a shower.  I would then seep into a crack in the rocks and flow deep underground, where the volcanic heat would energize all my little water-friends. Some of them turn into steam, and when it gets a little too crowded, dear Old Faithful would shoot us out of his hole. Flying up in the air, I would see those I4K riders munching on their pb&js while admiring my acrobatic show.Next, I would end up in a geyser crater, maybe the one called Turquoise Pool. Together with my water-friends, particles, and the sun, we would make a beautiful turquoise color, so that my I4K friends can walk along the boardwalks and admire our artpiece. The thermophiles add a splash of orange around our turquoise water.The heat would then turn me into water vapor, and I would fly up into the air to form a part of a cloud. I would then look down and see my I4K friends discussing about ice, water, density and temperature. Then I would laugh at the little I4K girl who thought to herself that one day, these two I4K science geniuses would win the Nobel Prize for their ingenious insight into how ice is hotter than water. (trust me, you won't want to listen to their logic)

My I4k Trip so far

Wow. Ok, shame on me for taking so long to blog. Where do I begin?! This trip has been one of the most amazing and challenging things I have ever done (I'm sure all other I4kers feel the same). It is crazy to see how far we have all come. I remember being in New York City the day before the trip thinking, "Wow, is this really happening?!" And sure enough, it did. 28 excited and anxious cyclists began an unforgettable journey May 25th, 2010.Each and every day has been a day to remember. There have been physical challenges; not only just the fact that we bike an average of 80 miles a day, but also things such as crossing the Appalachian Mountains, getting through hilly PA, biking over 100 miles in one day, biking through different weather conditions, and biking through the Badlands, the Black Hills, Mt Rushmore, and the Big Horn Mountain. There have been emotional challenges, such as being away from home, family and friends for a whole summer, sleeping on the floor every night, sleeping in a different place every night, and sometimes feeling like you cannot go on (more in the beginning of the trip). AND, most importantly, there have been many countless amazing moments of each and every day, which totally outweigh the challenges and make this trip the most wonderful time of our lives.Throughout this trip, I have had the opportunity to not only get to know 27 strangers, but I have also had the opportunity to meet many generous individuals across the United States, listen to many people share their stories about their cancer journey, tour several cancer centers, and see this country's beauty. Every Portraits interview I've been able to sit in on has been absolutely touching. I admire the courage of those who share their stories with us, as I can only imagine it can be very emotional and scary to relive the experience. Listening to the stories of those who have been affected by cancer has been one of my favorite and most memorable parts of this trip. Between the things that have been said and the emotions that have been displayed during these interviews, I will forever be touched.Just the same with the cancer centers. Touring the cancer centers has been another favorite part of mine. They were very educational in the sense that I learned so much about different cancer treatments. It's nice to have a better understanding of what chemotherapy is and does versus radiology and tomotherapy. I can now have a picture in my mind when someone speaks of their treatment experience, which makes me feel like I can connect better and be closer to the individual that is sharing his or her cancer experience.I am so thankful for all of the generous people we have encountered on this trip; from churches and schools and rec centers letting us stay in their buildings and using their showers, to people cooking us delicious meals, to businesses/people donating food to us, to individuals willing to tell us their cancer story, and to individuals donating money to our cause. These places/people have helped us tremendously to fight against cancer. No matter where we are, there is always someone asking who we are and what we are doing. The expressions and support we get when we respond is unforgettable.Now there is a little over 3 weeks left until we reach San Francisco. I don't call it "the end" because frankly, the Illini 4000 and the individuals involved will never experience an "end" to doing what we do best; fighting cancer.  I am so unbelievably proud of everyone and their hard work to raise money, awareness, and continue biking each and every day. I am extremely thankful for all of our supporters, because without them, we would not have been able to get as far as we have come. So thank you everyone! And pray that we find a cure soon!

South Dakota & Wyoming

And now I will attempt to cover the highlights of my journey through two states :) - South Dakota and Wyoming.South Dakota was amazing and there was so much great scenery to look at while we were riding. I got to ride my bike through the Badlands, which was something I had been excited for a while about. The Badlands were very memorable. We definitely did our fair share of climbing on rocks and exploring. I had my camera out all day and took about a billion pictures because I couldn't control myself. We encountered a lot of wind during the end of our century ride (100 miles) out of the Badlands, which made it seem a lot tougher than before. We passed through the Black Hills and got to see Mt. Rushmore a few days later. I had never been to Mt. Rushmore before so I was excited to see it for the first time. I was really happy with our ride and the amazing scenery we had through South Dakota.... but Wyoming out did South Dakota.Everything from the beginning to the end of Wyoming was awesome. Going through the Big Horns was a long day, but totally worth it. We had an 18 mile uphill to get to the top, which took a pretty long time to climb ... but we also had an 18 mile downhill :)  a little while after that. We stopped a lot during the downhill to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. I was expecting the ride through the Big Horns to be slightly dreadful, but it was the complete opposite. I had so much fun and I saw some amazing stuff! Another highlight was Yellowstone, obviously  :) Even though I missed the ride into Yellowstone because me and a few others had come down with a virus/food poisoning/we still dont know what happened, I still got to camp out that night with the team and do the second part of the the ride through Yellowstone. Thankfully, most of us are recovering from it and some of us are doing a lot better. I'm sure we'll all be in tip-top shape in no time.And now ... were in Montana! Our ride has been beautiful so far. We rode along the Madison River for most of our ride today, and it was amazing! :D I can't wait to see more of Montana!

Rolling out of Yellowstone

Our brief stay in Yellowstone brought about a chilly morning as we woke up to frost on our tents at 7am. Reports said that the temperatures was supposed to fall to 29 degrees that night, making it the chilliest night we had yet to encounter. Camping and the slowness brought about by the cold, led us to a slower than usual departure in the morning, however we had a short day ahead of us as we were traveling just beyond the park boundaries to West Yellowstone, MT. As we departed our campsite, we said good-bye to Max, a touring cyclist we've met up with several times throughout Wyoming. Max planned on staying another day in the park before heading south and eventually out to the Redwoods along the California coast.With a breakfast of cereal, fruit, and Gatorade, graciously provided by Gabrielle's parents and transported by her relatives, we headed out to see the sights in Yellowstone's geyser basin. The day was by no means fast as we crossed the Continental Divide twice, watched Old Faithful erupt, and saw countless other geysers, paint pots, and the occasional bison on the side of the road, but we all were in by evening to enjoy a wonderful dinner of leftover chili, lo mein, and hot dogs. Tonight we gear up and prepare ourselves for crossing Montana...

The Big Horns don't scare me!

I must say, day 41 has been the best day of the trip yet. The 18 mile climb up the Big Horns was rewarded by an 18 mile downhill soon after. Woohoo! I love the mountains. Climbing up the hills is a challenge I enjoy taking on. Feeling your heart beat faster and faster, your breathing get heavier and louder, your legs straining to continue pedaling despite the build up of lactic acid in your already tired muscles - it is a challenge to see hard I can push myself. Of course there are days when I want to take it easy and ride at a relaxing pace. But there are also days when I want to get my heart pumping and experience the adrenaline rush I used to get from running. Mountain climbing gives you that, and much much more. The sense of accomplishment you get when you look down the edge of the mountain and see the long windy road where you started out from half an hour ago way below you, the view of valleys below and snow-spotted mountain tops, feeling like you are at top of the world when you finally reached the highest point, and knowing that an 18 mile downhill awaits.  All these make climbing up the mountain all the more worth it.What was even more exciting was the long hike up to the snow and pile of rocks during our lunch break. Who knew I could play with snow in the summer! It wasn't an easy hike, but it was so much fun. We finally reached the rock structures at the very top of the mountain, and enjoyed the scenery for a while before the cold and hunger chased us back down. The whole round trip took us about 2 hours!Arriving at our stay-over was the next best part. We stayed at a recreational center, and they said we could do anything we wanted. To our delight, they had a skating ring and three huge inflatable bouncy ring/obstacle course/slide! So we blasted some music and skated to our hearts content. We also had bouncy obstacle course/slide races.That was such a energy-draining day I had to fight to keep myself awake on my bike the next day.

Cody, Wyoming: Rodeo Capital of the Nation!

Yesterday we arrived in Cody, WY - it was a lovely 4th of July and a short 53 mile ride in! A generous person was adamant that the I4k attend the world famous Cody Stampede and donated tickets for the entire team. Most of us had never been to a rodeo before so it was a new experience. . . celebrating the 4th in the true Wyoming style.Unfortunately, last night some riders became sick -  several people are under the weather so the decision was made to stay in Cody, WY for our rest day instead of continuing on to Yellowstone today.  In Yellowstone we will be sleeping in tents and the forecast for tonight involved snow, therefore we thought staying in this nice, warm church in Cody would help aid in a speedy recovery for those who are sick. Thanks so much to Christ Episcopal Church for letting us extend out stay.Some riders set up a breakfast at a diner this morning, so many of us went over and were treated to a tasty breakfast of hashbrowns, eggs, and toast.  Otherwise, today is all about resting up for the climb into Yellowstone tomorrow.  Everyone is catching up on sleep and staying hydrated - some speedy recoveries have already been made, so here's hoping to everyone feeling better tomorrow and enjoying the beautiful sights of Yellowstone!

The Bighorns Loom

The team made its way to Ranchester, Wyoming today, and was able to take in some gorgeous scenery along the way. We biked alongside creeks, open fields and quaint little towns during the 58-mile trek. All the while, the snow-capped Bighorn Mountains lay to the left of us, a constant reminder of the impending days and challenges to come.

Given that today's ride was on the shorter side, the team had some time to relax along the way and after arriving at the stayover. The predominantly down hill route made for fast biking in the morning, and helped the team make it to Sheridan just in time to take advantage of both the breakfast and lunch menus at McDonalds. After arriving at Tongue River Middle School (our stayover for the night), some I4Kers took a quick dip in a nearby creek in hopes of escaping the 96 degree weather.In order to prepare for the 18-mile battle up the Bighorns tomorrow, the team loaded up on pasta, lentils, and other healthy foods. We're prepping our bikes, taking it easy, and heading to bed a little early. Wish us luck!

Space Redefined

Space isn't the same as it used to be. It took me a while to realize this subtle difference even though it isn't entirely new to me.There has been a great change in landscape now that we've reached the West. Now, as I ride I can see for miles and miles, but not too long ago my vision was limited by trees or hill sides. I never felt cramped in the East, it was just as beautiful and awe inspiring, but now everything feels so much more open and free. Instead of town after town always surrounded by businesses and people, the landscape now takes center stage interrupted only once in a while by a small settlement. I feel so insignificant as I ride next to mountain ranges with incredibly large clouds overhead. If I stepped into a city right now it would take me quite some time to acclimate to the great change at hand.Space has changed in a more personal way as well. A life on the road with only a back pack and 27 teammates gives new perspective to what space I constitute as myself. It's no longer "my room" or "my apartment" but just my small pile of things. As I unpack each day I create my own personal space made up of t-shirts, bike parts and a sleeping bag. Every morning I take down my space and pack it in a bag, piled in the van with everyone else's lives. During the day the only items I really own are carried on me with my bike. It's no longer "my car stereo" or even "my car" but just me and my bike. Sometimes as I pack in the morning I find unnecessary things I carry around with me. If something doesn't have a practical use, it doesn't last long in my space. I like that.** Big Horn mountains tomorrow morning, get psyched! **

This is a long one (Devil's Tower)

Newcastle to Gillette ~143miWoke up on a carpeted wheelchair ramp in Newcastle, right by the church entrance there. Uncomfortable surfaces make me a morning person. Lots of energy that morning--early wakeup, as Kevin and Shea found a diner that provided us with breakfast. Such generosity. And bacon, sweet bacon.We thanked our hosts profusely and went to a lake that Pi found out about from one of the chefs. Fourteen miles into the ride, we go for a swim. Talk to some fisherpeople about what there is to catch. A dog that Nate describes as the "I am Legend" dog is there, and we play with him a little.By the time Nate, Pi and I get off the lake, we've accepted that we won't be seeing the van for the first rest stop at 20. We hit some kind of crazy tailwind for the next chunk of the ride, into Upton (The Greatest Town on Earth) we're rolling at about 25 without the kind of effort we've come to associate with that speed.Wyoming shoots by all infinite in every direction, rolling hills punctuated with modest but numerous oil derricks and cattle and BNSF railway cars so long that both engine and caboose are hidden behind hills. In the distance, we see Devil's Tower. I don't think anything of it, aside from "that thing must be massive." Pi suggests we go see it, if it's six or seven miles off course. I remember thinking "yeah, maybe if it's six or seven away."In Moorcroft we stop at a subway for lunch (we're far behind still so we've told Jeff we won't meet him here either), and Pi comes back from the gas station with a map in his hands and an "I have a crazy idea" type of look in his eyes. The Tower is 30 miles away. We should go see it. We work out the numbers and figure we can get to the stayover before nightfall if we keep it above 15. After getting the go-ahead, we set off.The terrain is hillier at first. and I have my doubts. The hardest climbs are the unnecessary ones. After the first big hill I felt an internal shift: no turning back, might as well do the thing. The hills and wind are hard to judge on the way out there, and the whole time I'm thinking: will this be harder on the way back? Is this more uphill than downhill? Will there be a headwind? A tailwind? A crosswind?Worry dissolves into wonder when we reach the tower. I'd had a vague recollection of it from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Such a strange formation, this casting of the inside of a volcano long since eroded. We gawk and take pictures. Refuel at a little store with Tower knicknacks. Then back the exact way we came.The sky started doing strange, beautiful things. We rode through a storm on rt. 51, lightning visible but not audible on either side. An archway of blue sky admitted us through the storm with only minimal soaking and headwinds. Upon passing through, we turned around and I distinctly remember seeing Nate and Pi underneath a near-perfect rainbow bisected by a bolt of violet lightning. After that, we raced the sunset to our stayover. We lost, but only by a little.Upon arrival, I could do little but put food into my mouth ferociously and find a surface to sleep on. Couches and chore partners were such a blessing. Wyoming is the best state yet.

Ride Days

Every ride is different. It's not the scenery that makes it different or the route or the mileage. It's how you feel when you wake up.Some days are bubbly. You wake up with a smile on your face and know that it'll be a good day. You hope for mistakes in the cues or gravel roads or punishing climbs because you know that it's just another opportunity to prove yourself and flex your indomitable will. You sleep when you get to the stayover but it's only because people would worry if you didn't. In the remaining hours of daylight you somehow manage to pack in more than most people do in any one full day of a typical summer vacation.There are the quiet days. Days when the only thing on your mind is the road ahead of you and everything else is an unwanted diversion. You put your head down, keep your feet moving and push onwards. You switch your computer from tripometer to clock because like water coming to a boil, miles tick by faster when unobserved. The quiet group doesn't chat. You'd have better luck striking up conversation with a passing RV or a lonely cow munching contentedly on a sage bush. But you know better than to try, because you feel the same as everyone else. If you didn't, you wouldn't be the quiet group.There are story days. Entire books have been unraveled down to the slightest plot point, leaving no detail unturned. There's a thirst for content on some days. It may happen more on particularly straight or flat days with nothing to divert the eye's attention or entertain the mind. It's a safeguard against hypnosis, the very real lulling effect that 70 miles on one road can have on an already fatigued body. It doesn't matter what you are hearing, you just need to know all about it. How does the sun work? How fast can a horse run, and for how long? There's a querying process involved, a prodding of the available resources to check for any scintillating tidbits of knowledge. When a worthwhile morsel is discovered the entire group takes advantage, exhausting their curiosities and waiting with baited breath for the next topic to uncover itself. Entire days pass by in this fashion - the university of the open road.There are bad days. Days when something needs to absorb the ire you feel because it can't be held safely within your own body. Everything is a viable source of blame on these days. Should any rider dare disturb you (likely someone having a bubbly or story day) they'll be left with no doubt that you aren't interested in anything but your own unhappiness and its dissipation into the world. Cars pass too closely. Callouts come too late or too quietly. The pace is too slow but also too fast and the wind is too strong, regardless. If you were a computer, you'd be in desperate need of a restart. If you were a car, a tuneup. But you're not. You're a person on a bike and there's no help for you. Not on a bad day.But every day is a new beginning. It's a roll of the dice and there's no telling what type of day you'll be having. As the team assembles in the morning you scan the crowd and look for like expressions; similar postures and gestures that give away the type of day he or she'll be having. You stick close to these people and make certain to leave close by their sides because more dangerous than snakes and bears combined is to mix up a Bad day with a Story one or a Bubbly with a Quiet.There's only one certainty, really. At the end of the day, we're all Tired.

How we made Wyoming exciting. Gillette, WY 6/30/2010

I heard some rumors that Wyoming could get pretty boring.  Today, I took it upon myself to make good ol' Wyoming exciting.  It all started off with a fantastic breakfast at the Old Mill Inn in Newcastle.  The chef was extremely generous and provided the whole team with a knockout breakfast.  I had way too much bacon for my own good. Kyle, Tracy Conor and I set out.  We managed to find a lake about a half mile off the road at mile 15.  Here we enjoyed a refreshing swim and two very cute dogs of which I named Frisky and Stupid.  In the picture is Frisky. At around mile 30, our group found a long freight train parallel to us.  Naturally, Conor and I made a game out of it and raced the train. I think we won.  We found ourselves pacing at 30mph up a hill with a tailwind to beat it.  Turns out that the train couldn;t go thirty miles an hour.Along the rest of our route, we found a traffic light and some abandoned houses.  Good job Wyoming.  Today's route allowed for alot of conversation, so it was nice to get to know each other even better.  Despite living together with the team for a month straight, you still don't know everything about them.  The stayover was AWESOME.  This church was extremeliy accomodating and interested in our ride.  All of the host sat down with us for dinner and stay for a long time telling us about Wyoming.  One of the women said that parts of Wyoming only had to dial four numbers for phone numbers because their town was so small.  The smallest town in Wyoming is three people.  Apparently, all you need is a post office to make a town. We swam at a nearby recreation center for showers.  I felt like a little kid again.  In fact, I did make a young friend named Anna who gave me a tour of the lazy river and taught me how to jump the lilly pads.  The stayover was so fun that I didn't even worry about the snakes that parked outside the doors of the church.

Hills and bust. Rapid City, SD to Newcastle, WY 6/29/2010

To make it up to Lauren for taking me to the doctor, I agreed to ride up some hills to Mt. Rushmore with her.  Some hills turned into many hills and steep hills.  She worked her butt off to get to the top of Mt. Rushmore where we faced our most challenging hill of the first leg.  On our way through the town before Mt. Rushmore, we passed by the clinic that I went to yesterday.  It took us 6.5 miles to get there yesterday, and it only took us 3 miles of cyucling to get there today.  Man did I feel dumb.  No more directions for me! Mt. Rushmore is much smaller than I imagined.  The people there were very curious about our voyage.  Here are some pictures.  There are some pictures floating around with our prairie dog Brad taking the face of Lincoln. The next leg of the 80 mile ride proved a little more difficult for me.  Actually, extremely difficult for me. I could not breathe deeply at all.  I basically hyperventilated for the next 20 miles.  I was getting dizzy and weak.  I was falling behind.  Me gapping was very surprising to my riding group.  Something was wrong.  I blame it on a couple of things.  The heat at Mt. Rushmore was unbearable.  Our break was very long.  The headwinds were tough and the air had a scent in it that irritated my lungs.  Whatever the case, I felt so horrible at the lunch stop at 46 that I chose to sag the rest of the way into Newcastle, WY.  Here was my pretty view.  Some suggested that it could have been the altitude.  That kind of alarmed be because we were only at 4000 feet.  We have another 9000 to go!  If I can't breathe at 4000 feet, my lungs my shoot out of my mouth at 9000.  My plan is to ride out fast tomorrow to test my lungs.  Probably not a smart idea, but sometimes you have to be crazy to get better!

Rest Day- a swarm of unexpected events. Rapid City 6/28/2010

So I haven't been myself for the past couple of days.  Slightly removed, not my goofy, blonde normal.  I have a lump on my back.  For any other person who doesn't have a history of cancer, this is usually something to not be alarmed about.  I am not one of those people, so something as simple as a dime size lump on my back sets me off.  I begin to panic and overthink things.  Remission is a scary time for someone who has had cancer.  A person in remiossion lives in fear and stress of recurrence.  My chances of recurrence are much better than others, however, the chance is there and I have had way too much time to think about it. I knew I would finally get things settled in Rapid City.  Doctor Day #2.I stared my day off with a slew of phone calls trying to find a doctor closeby to tell my oncologist at home what they see from a medical standpoint.  After I found a place and wrote my cues to get there, I headed to Dairy Queen for brunch.  This trip may be described as a tour of Dairy Queens and gas stations across America. Needless to say, I ordered way too much food and did not fail to finish it.  Two hotdogs, two cheeseburgers and a medium (large) blizzard. Now that my stomach is filled, off to the docor.  Lauren and I treked to the doctor's office.  We arrived to 1600 Mountain View Road, only to find that I wrote the cues down to the wrong office.  Panic.  I got some quick directions from the people that did work there and quickly forgot them.  Lauren was so happy I forgot them so fast!  Another wrong turn.  I called the intended office and asked for diections from where we were.  The receptionist pointed us in the right direction.  Lauren asked if I had asked for an address... I didn't.  However, I said with confidence that it was at 3000 Sheridan Lake.  We were at 1000.  We biked.  Hills.  More hills.  Lauren's knee is hurting.  I begin to get frustrated and worrysome.  I guess I am superstitious on doctor days.  Anything that goes wrong must point to something else that will go wrong.  We were both frustrated. More hills.  I am getting tired.  We didnt have our bike shoes on, so a ride over five miles gets extremely uncomfortable.  We go past the 3000's into the 4000's.  Nothing.  I promise Lauren we are on the right road.... again.  I begin to get angry at myself for not knowing the right way to the doctor's office.  At about 4500, I get a flat.  I stop.  I lean over my handlebars and tear up.  Superstition.  I am overwhelmed with bad omens.  This can't be good. Lauren picks me up and says that she is sure that there isn't much more to go.  That motivates me to walk/run my bike to the office alongside Lauren coasting on her bike.  I begin to think, "I can only expect good news if all this bad stuff just happened."  We arrived at the office at around number 7000.  Oops.  Guess I am never navigating again.The trip to the doctor was quick.  I spent some time registering and checking up with a nurse and then awaited a doctor.  Lauren and I took some dramatic pictures of me in the chair (check her blog).  The doctor walked in, looked at my lump very quickly and said I have nothing to worry about.  Just a sac of blood.  Weird.  At least it doesn't hurt.The rest of our day off was spent making fake Subway applications, wearing deep vee t shirts and napping.  What a day.  Can't wait for Rushmore tomorrow.

Thanksgiving, Ice Cream and Badlands. Chamberlain, SD- Rapid City, SD 6/24-27/2010

Our ride to Chamberlain, SD was fun.  I wanted to ride fast.  Our group was Conor, Greg, Eamon, Nate, and Kevin.  Kevin doesn't normally ride super fast, so today he decided to challenge himself.  It was fun to push him and make him tired.  His work today was remarkable.  Today we experimented with different riding formations and discovered the double echelon.  At one position in the double echelon, the rider would feel no wind at all.  Amazing.  On our way we tried to befriend some curious cows with an olive branch of grass.  Along with the cows were some buffalo who quickly scurried off to run some laps around the field.  No wonder they are so lean and no fat.Our early arrival into Chamberlain allowed us alot of time to walk around town.  Lauren and I went on a mission to a drugstore to pick up medicine.  On our way to the drugstore, we found a couple of other places we would like to visit- including pizza hut, the river valley and the South Dakota Hall of Fame- which includes Bob Barker and Lawrence Welk cool?  We scored 7 pizzas off of pizza hut and made our way to the Missouri River Valley.  In a very lame attempt to hop a fence, Lauren and I quickly changed our minds to walking around the fence.  We never made it to the water, but we enjoyed a beautiful view.  Because it was the 25th of June, the I4k thought it would be appropriate to celebrate Thanksgiving.  Thanks to Eamon, Diana, Mary and other helpers, our meal was excellent with spaghetti, oreo turkeys and apples.  If dinner wasn't enough, I had a McFlurry afterwards.From Chamberlain, it was on to Murdo, SD, a four block town with a gymnasium in which I was knockout champion and an ice cream shop from where I ordered two "Cyclones"  in one sitting.  Call me fat.  The ride was pretty exhausting even though it was only rolling hills.  Lauren's knee hit its threshold at mile thirty.  It was tough to see her fight through hills that she knows she can get up on any other normal day.  At our rest stop we came along a guy who was also riding across the country with his daughter driving his sag van.  He was going to ride with a lung cancer foundation of some sort but the ride that he signed up for fell through.  I think his name is Andy.  Last but not least, Jordan and I briefed the team on snake saftey.  Oh boy.  Murdo- it was nice knowing ya.The ride everyone was excited for was the ride through the Badlands to Wall, SD.  The clouds were ominous as Conor, Pi, Greg and myself zoomed through the first 60 miles to reach the badlands.  We also enjoyed some 90's dance lessons from Lauren.   At the gas station  before entering the Badlands, Conor and GORGED on food.  My snack was a buffalo hot dog with the works, a quart of chocolate milk and six cinnamon rolls.  I think I had almost 2200 calories.  Hmmm....  The Badlands were sick.  It really is just a bunch of pretty rocks and hills.  It is one thing to drive through the Badlands and it is another thing to physically push yourself through the Badlands.  The final view (which I did not have my camera for) was so satisfying, a type of satisfying that I do not think I would have felt if I had drove up them bad boys.    This is a picture of Ana looking over some pretty rocks.Some crazy headwinds later, we enter the city of Wall- home of the famous Wall Drug.  Wall Drug is really disspointing except for its coffee for 5 cents.  Thats right people, 5 cents.  Let's just say I spent 50 cents on coffee at Wall Drug.  The reason Wall Drug is such a buzzkill is because there are advertisments for it almost 150 miles out- making it seem like a huge deal.  NOPE.  It's a department store.  Lame. Max's bike broke a spoke two days ago and he had sagged in the van for a day because his bike was not rideable.  I did not want him to be off his bike for more than one day without even being injured, so I offered him my bike for the ride to Rapid City, SD which he graciously accepted.  He looks pretty good in blue eh?  Our arrival in Rapid City, SD was a relief.  Rest day ahead!  Jordan and I headed up a very positive concerns meeting in which we discussed how the group had been mixing riding groups more often.  The night ended with a sad trip to a closed Dairy Queen.  My legs couldn't be happier for no activity tomorrow.

The Road to Buffalo

The team continued its journey through the great state of Wyoming with a 70-mile ride to Buffalo today. The roads are beginning to show inklings of the terrain to come. No longer is the path a straight, flat shot, but rather is becoming windier and hillier everyday. Today we also had our first view of the Big Horn Mountains; they make the Appalachians look like highway overpasses.Still, there were obstacles to be overcome despite the relatively easy route, and today those obstacles were flat tires. Seven separate riders flatted as they trekked down the wide shoulder of Interstate-90. Flats are always a little discouraging. They take time to patch, hold up the entire group and can cause “flat paranoia.” But the I4Kers took them in stride, and carried on their merry way.The rest of the day was passed rather lazily. Some riders sought out ice cream in downtown Buffalo, some took a swim in a nearby creek, and others just took it easy at St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, our stayover for the night. Whatever way the afternoon was spent, the I4Kers are ready for tomorrow and the mountains to come in the next few days.

HONK

Okay so to describe yesterday, sing the following to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas:On the 37th day of I4K, all these things honked at me: 80 semi trucks, 3 pick ups, 2 motorcycles, 1 camper, 1 minivan, and a car driving on I-90!Jill, Ana, Megan, Priscilla, and I discovered the fun in trying to get as many trucks to honk at us as possible. SUCCESS.Today I rode with Max and Nate.  There were beautiful views of snowy mountains all day, which was wonderful.  Upon arrival in Buffalo, WY, Max and I ventured out to get food donations for dinner.  Thank you to Buffalo for the delicious food!

Buffalo, WY 07/01

We woke up and had a nice breakfast. Then, we had a Beanie Baby giveaway. Each person got a Baby like them. Mine was a butterfly. Her name is Float. (because a butterfly landed on my head the other day). Max got a dog wearing a red scarf because he wears a red scarf. Kyle got a unicorn because he is the unicorn of the sea. Erik got an owl, because he is wise. Steve got a baby chick, because he has lady legs. Jordan got a crazy dinosaur. Then we rode our bikes 70 miles to Buffalo. The Big Horns were along side of us the entire day. But no buffalos. Tear. I rode with Diana, Pi and Stephe. It was fun. Upon arrival, we got ice cream. Typical. Then we had a nice dinner. Pizza, pasta, sandwiches, meatballs. Jordan and Steve are doing "Official Ride Leader Business" 2 feet from me. It involves Vitamin D milk and peanut butter. Pi is reading us a story about coal and uranium and multivacs. That was my day. The end.