The team's arrival into San Francisco was a huge success! Brad Topol, '08/'09 rider and current I4K Alumni Coordinator, flew in from Chicago and drove the last two days. It was a huge help, as the team was able to cross the Golden Gate Bridge as an entire unit. Several family members and friends greeted the team at Baker Beach and the SF alumni club provided the team with a catered lunch. Thank you! Baker Beach was a great place to end the ride - right on the ocean.As the summer is winding down, many members of the team have parted ways, but many will return to Champaign and some will continue to serve the Illini 4000 in different capacities as it prepares for its 6th year recruitment, fundraising and community involvement.
San Francisco Conclusion
The team's arrival into San Francisco was a huge success! Brad Topol, '08/'09 rider and current I4K Alumni Coordinator, flew in from Chicago and drove the last two days. It was a huge help, as the team was able to cross the Golden Gate Bridge as an entire unit. Several family members and friends greeted the team at Baker Beach and the SF alumni club provided the team with a catered lunch. Thank you! Baker Beach was a great place to end the ride - right on the ocean.As the summer is winding down, many members of the team have parted ways, but many will return to Champaign and some will continue to serve the Illini 4000 in different capacities as it prepares for its 6th year recruitment, fundraising and community involvement.
And so it ends
I can't believe I am sitting here in San Raphael, California. I'm amazed that this is day 70 of 72. I was thinking while riding yesterday that these hills are the last hills I will get to experience. Even though hills are hard, I tried my absolute best to have a good attitude because I know its the end. Unfortunately, I've had a poor attitude the last few days because they have been so hard since my body is exhausted and almost unwilling to do anything. In addition, California has been a tough state with hills as big as mountains and a severe heat that has made it even worse! However, I have still persevered and here I am today. I was thinking this morning how this would be the last time I wake up with 25 other people in the same room. I keep thinking how everything will be for the last time and I don't even know what I'm gonna do when I cross the finish line. It's absolutely insane. I can't believe that it's the end. Though my attitude was poor, I now wish I could have just a couple more days, just a little more time with people and with this experience. Though I have had plenty of time to take it all in, I feel like I still need to contemplate what has happened over the past 70 days. I'm so sad and happy at the same time but I wouldn't have it any other way. It has been such an honor to have been selected for this experience. I'm so thankful for each and every day that I have had and for every memory I will have for the rest of my life. This is by far the most amazing adventure of my life and I know its only going to get better from here on out. I guess I'll see some of you on the flip side of the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE in San Francisco. Here...we....go.
WHAT?!?!?!?!?!
This is too weird. Can it really be? Tomorrow is the day, the day we have been waiting for, dreaming about, and thinking about for the last year. Coast to coast, New York to San Fransisco. It is too surreal to be true.Today was a fun day spent hanging out and having fun. We were in no hurry, as rest stops arranged around Grocery Outlet Bargain Markets and In 'n' out led to hours of chowin down on world class gourmet dining and enjoying our last few hours together. We started the day off with a grand feast of eggs, muffins, juices, bananas, and sausage! WOHOOOO! The breakfast bonanza was followed up by a mosher of epic proportions. Maggie and Marc double teamed it. They awarded each person a "most likely to". After an hour of moshering, we finally departed. The first In 'n' Out of the trip!!!! Everybody was super excited. After the long day of lounging, eating, and the occasional pedaling, we grilled out at the church and feasted. Getting ready for bed, we are excited, nervous, dreading, and looking forward to our final ride together tomorrow towards the destination of our year long goal. San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge!
Almost There
Tomorrow we will be arriving in San Francisco and the feeling could not be more bittersweet. Riding eleven days straight has been the most physically exhausting part of this journey. Yet rolling along the ocean, and through the Redwoods has been beautiful and so rewarding. I guess that all of my assumptions that California would be flat were wrong, but as Greg said the other day, these hills are our final test before we can roll across the Golden Gate Bridge.Tomorrow I will take the advice, If you are going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair, and do just that as we complete this epic journey.
Day 68 Willits to Healdsburg
Day 68 Willits, CA to Healdsburg, CA It's still hard to believe only three days left. That’s the first thing came to my mind when I woke up. Three, two, one… Although nobody would like to mention this, everyone knows how valuable the rest time is. In the morning, everyone had oatmeal as breakfast, as always. After that, when we came to the Mosher moment, everyone was supposed to talk about what you learned from this trip. It’s a beautiful moment. Many teammates said that they learned how to appreciate more about life or even a small thing, like shower, which is usually taken for granted. Some people said, this trip helped them know more about this country, people and cultures. More importantly, we’ve learned so many amazing stories from those cancer survivors. Their experience will encourage and inspire us in our lives. Therefore I believe this trip made us both physically and mentally strong. After this meaningful Mosher time, every group started pedaling and then started a new day. On the way to the stay-over, there are a lot of winery yards, which all my group members enjoyed a lot. Even though the weather was kind of hot, everyone still enjoyed the riding a lot and truly felt the valuable time of being together. San Francisco, we are coming. Golden Gate Bridge, wait for us. Two days left. We are going to make this across-country-riding real.
The final stretch begins
For the last couple days we have been traveling along the Pacific Coast on highway 101. It has been awesome. A couple days ago we got to ride through the sand dunes which we stopped to climb. In addition we got to get seafood and enjoy some lovely sunsets on the beach. Biking along the coast has been amazing.To get us pumped, we were fortunate to have Katie and Ron provide us with a Christmas in July feast complete with decorations and Christmas cheer! We had potatoes and sausage along with red and green decorations around the church we were at. Kudos to them for making it a good one! Today we rode a short 60 miles, but a tough set nonetheless, in and out of the coast line. We were able to bike through the mists of the ocean which caught us while we were cruising downhill in the hills along the coast. We have been able to spend time at the beach and to stop in neat little towns for fish and chips and great art galleries. The last few days have been awesome to us and we are looking to catch some more nice days lost in the Redwood forest! BTW we finally crossed the border into California today! We saw a sign that said we are only 361 miles away from San Francisco. However, I think we have some more miles since we are not on 101 the whole way so it will take us a little longer. It's been an insane ride but I think many of us are looking forward to some time at home! Can't wait to see all the visiting families and friends on Sunday! Thanks for keeping track of us. Also, we might be seeing a whale and her calf chilling in the ocean tomorrow so pray for us that we do!!!!!!!! Okie dokes its bedtime! Good Night!
July 24 In Search of Gold Beach(es)
Today was a glorious day, and a continuation of our journey south along the pacific coast. We left the piers and fishing vessels of Bandon at 8 this morning. The fog had rolled in, and we could barely see the other side of the bay. Paper cutout fish fluttered above the walkway overlooking the sea, and school children's impressions of bunny rabbits lined the railings. It is the year of the rabbit after all! We traveled along the coast for a majority of the day and the perpetual fog evoked an aura of adventure and mystery. Jagged rocks jut forth from the sea and coastline mountains characterized our travels. We had a lunch stop at Port Orford and many riders indulged in seafood. After Port Orford, our route left US-101 and traveled along a windy road between a range of mountains. As we reached the mouth of the Rouge river, we crossed over a long bridge and entered the town of Gold Beach. We stayed at First Baptist Chruch and were treated to Dairy Queen by the Topol family. It was delicious! Many riders went to sleep early tonight to catch up on much needed sleep.
A Recap of Oregon
We started Oregon along the Columbia river gorge, going through some of the toughest winds ever. Thankfully we hit them later in the day so that helped because we could knock out quite a few miles in the morning. We spent one day climbing on highway 30 through the scenic route, up and down some of the most beautiful hills of our trip. It was just awesome. We stopped in towns to get fresh and organic fruits that tasted better than anything I have eaten in a long time. We also ate a million berries that we picked off wild berry trees on the side of the road! We were fortunate to meet a woman who has done 16 Ironmans while on our way to Portland. She was awesome, and the University of Illinois Alumni greeted us with some delightful meals on the way and in Portland. We then took a nice little trip in Portland where we ate some delectable doughnuts from Voodoo doughnuts which is a specialty shop with plenty of weird flavors. While in Portland we all did a bunch of different things including visiting a sweet book shop, checking out a rose garden, eating amazing food from carts in the middle of the streets, hopping around thrift stores, and touring the campus of Portland State University. After Portland we took some nice long 90 milers into Corvalis and Florence. Both towns were lovely and Florence brought us FINALLY to the Pacific Ocean. We completed our cross country tour and set out along our journey to California.
San Francisco Arrival Information
With our riders about to begin their final stretch down the Pacific coast, it's time to think about how we're going to wrap it all up. Once again, the San Francisco Alumni Club has graciously volunteered to put something together. It all starts at 10:30am on July 31st at Baker Beach, just south of the Golden Gate Bridge (map). Riders are expected to arrive around 11am. The Alumni Club is ordering box lunches for the event, please visit the Alumni Club's website before Wednesday, July 27th to place your order. The alumni club will be providing lunches for the riders. Please bring your own beverages and seating. Things should wrap up around 12:30pm. Questions about the event should be directed to Sylva Kung (vp_events_eastbay@sfbayillini.org).We look forward to seeing you there!
Bike Camp visits Camp Mak-a-dream
Tomorrow we will be rolling into Portland and even I am in disbelief of the fact that we have ridden our bikes all the way here, from New York none the less. I have been thinking a lot about the fact that the 2009 team’s ending city was Portland, and while I am excited to visit such an amazing city, I am not yet ready for this journey to end.Since my last blog I had the opportunity to visit an active session of Camp Mak-a-dream, a summer camp outside of Missoula, Montana. A group of six, including myself woke up early on our rest day and drove to the camp, unsure of what to expect. It was sibling’s week at camp, and very similar to Camp Kesem, all of the campers in attendance had sisters and brothers or close family members that were affected by cancer. The other riders and I had the chance to conduct several portraits, tour the camp, and visit with campers but most of all, I got to experience a different perspective than I have ever encountered when it comes to cancer. Coaxing a thirteen year old boy to sit still and talk to a few strangers while at his second day of camp was not exactly the easiest thing to do, but it was a portrait I will never forget. Talking about this particular camper’s experience while his sister was undergoing treatment was difficult; he expressed his frustrations about not knowing what was going on, to having to wait in the hospital all the time, to feeling helpless and alone. What was amazing about his story was the energy at which he approached everything, his willingness to share his experience, and to find a silver lining. He also explained how he channeled his frustrations into movie making, creating his own dramas to get his mind off of what was going on with his sister’s illness. If these young campers were brave enough to make it through their family’s battle with cancer, then I know that I can find the strength to make it through these last couple weeks of the trip.While we are out of the Mountains, the terrain still has not completely flattened out, and the wind has picked up quite a bit the closer we have gotten to the coast. I can’t complain though, as we have had some amazing riding days traveling along the banks of the Columbia River George jumping from Washington to Oregon and back again. I am more than excited to hit the coast, and look forward to dipping my tires in the Pacific! Be sure to check back here for updates soon!
July 17, A Gorge-ous Day
After reentering Washington early this morning, the Illini 4000 for Cancer team had their work cut out for them. We just didn't know it yet.
Our team got out of our stayover quickly, and we were ready way to the Colombia River Gorge. We had been warned of this part of the route from past riders, hosts, and passersbys, however, we were hesitant to believe that such conditions were coming our way, and accordingly, ride groups took off from the get-go.
What the team found out after mile fifty, though, was rather unexpected. The winds picked up exponentially, and our entire team could feel it. After all, encountering a popular windsurfing area is normally a good indicator that a blustery ride is on the horizon, and it was. Teams were blown about for the last few miles of the ride before finally reaching Mary Hill State Park and getting some food.
The day's ride was certainly a trying experience, but there was nothing that was insurmountable. Thus, our group will sleep well tonight knowing that something had been accomplished and that purpose drove their last eight-five miles.
Wishes Fulfilled
When I was younger, I would always wish on my eyelashes. Whenever I found an eyelash on my hand or on my face, I made sure to make a wish. From like age 5-15, I wished to go to Paris. At age 16, I went to Paris on an exchange. From age 15 until age 19, I wished to study abroad. At age 20 I studied abroad in Australia. I was so fortunate to have my dreams come true over time. I know its a silly thing that I picked up, but I actually really believed in it and my wishes did end up coming true. The other day for the first time on this trip, I noticed an eyelash on my hand (probably haven't had any because the wind whips them right off of my face). The funny thing was that I had nothing to wish for and I have never had that situation. I have always had something I needed or wanted that I could wish for, but I really had nothing this time around. I didn't even wish for this trip ever and it just popped up as the best opportunity of my life and here I stand completely satisfied and for once without anything else to wish for. I think that's the wonderful thing about an experience like this one. The small things really make you realize what you have and what you are going to miss about an experience like this.The past few days have all been wonderful riding days despite some craziness; then again, who are we kidding we are riding our bikes across the country so craziness should be expected. The days have been so simply great, there isn't much that we do different but somehow the simplicity is so perfect. I keep seeing more and more how much this experience has already helped me to build my character and how much it is going to change my life from now on and I feel so lucky to sit here with the chance to reflect on everything given the end is so near. All I can say is that my wishes and dreams are already fulfilled so I'm just gonna have to learn to dream bigger.
Moshers
Gotta say, I love Moshers, they are so entertaining. Eric Mosher doesn't even know about the best part about his name haha. Today we had another great Mosh as usual. This morning we did a talent sh0w with Christian playing some lovely Mariachi music and Manchild (Connor Yanz) busting out some Postal Service. The best part however, was the ridiculousness that ensued after, not to say that those two aren't talented but ridiculousness is so entertaining.There were some interesting instruments at the church so we decided to do a slam poetry session. It was absolutely hysterical. We had Sean on the African drums, Bopp with some weird shaker thing, Gabrielle on the chimes, and Manny and Lee rapping about Peanut Butter and Jelly with Sean chiming in random words like "rebirth" every now and then. It was awesome. I was dying of laughter. Unfortunately no one recorded this which is so sad because it was awesome. I guess I'll just have to keep that one in my memory.This is the I4K that no one sees that occurs when no one else is around and its beautiful. The other day we were in Phillipsburg, Montana and some of the boys blasted some music and randomly had a dance session that a few of us were privy to witness, it was so hilarious I can't even begin to describe it. The boys crack me up so much. They are so silly and easy going. I love the carefree attitude that we all have adopted on this trip, it's so fun. We all just laugh all the time. We do ridiculous things and it's totally accepted. I will miss that when I have to be proper again. Nevertheless I guess I will continue to let the good times roll/hilariousness ensue until I get back :)
Idaho Does Exist!
We were in and out of Montana in a hurry it seemed like and we are going into Washington tomorrow morning. We only have 15 more days of our ride and from what we are told the ride only gets better. I am not sure I believe that thought because the last week has been some of the most beautiful country I could possibly imagine. We got to camp in a couple of national forests and it was all made better because we followed a river for over 100 miles down hill. One of the coolest things that I was able to do was just recently when we were in the Clearwater National Forest and there was an elk that was just born. It was stuck in the rocks and couldn't walk. I stopped and a couple of us got to help it get back on flat ground. The country is awesome, it reminds me a lot of Alaska. I never pictured Idaho to look like this, I thought it would be a bunch of potato fields. I was wrong!!! and I am glad I was. I am so glad that we went from east to west. I couldn't imagine going from this to Ohio and Pennsylvania. So for now.... To the Pacific...
Ida-WHOA
The past two days have been filled with awe, as the 2011 Illini 4000 team traveled out of Missoula, over LoLo Pass, and entered Idaho. Though the climb out of Missoula was difficult at points, the team was excited to find that the peak of the pass was at the entrance of a new state and time. The day became even easier as the downhill featured a bounty of wildlife (such as Moose, Deer, and Antelope). With a relaxing night gathered around the fire and eating smores, the team fell asleep very easily.The next day began cooler and cloudier, but the knowledge of only riding 57 miles made the team's spirit high (that and the awesome shakedown Mosher by Josh). The morning ride began just where it ended; alongside the Lochsa River westward. With a scenery of forest pines to the left, random creeks and waterfalls to the right, and a continuous downhill road, the ride went by smoothly. When the last team came back a mass nap ensued, which was quickly followed by a majority of the team eating at a local Mexican restaurant. To say the least, the team has fully enjoyed its stay in Idaho, and the roads along the way.
July 11 The Mecca of Cycling?
The morning was filled with excitement as the team knew that the ride was going to be filled with adventures in hot springs and an eventual arrival to one of the most infamous bike friendly cities in Missoula, MT. After the 76 mile ride our team was lucky enough to be treated to a buffet style pizza dinner from Freemo's Pizzeria! Once again, the surprising generosity the team has received along the trip has been amazing. Thank you very much Misty and everyone at Freemo's!This morning six of our riders—David, Sean, Marc, Maggie, Linsey and Ron—had the opportunity to visit Camp MĀK-A-DREAM in Gold Creek, Montana. It was about an hour away from our stayover in Missoula, MT, so they left at 7:45 as others were still sleeping. Although I was not with the group that traveled to the camp, those who attended greeted the rest of the team later on in the day with nothing less than smiling faces and an eagerness to share stories. Camp MĀK-A-DREAM caters to children whose siblings are suffering from cancer. Meanwhile, the rest of the team hopped on their bikes and pedaled over to the building that puts Missoula, Montana on the map as the mecca of cycling in the minds of I4Kers. It’s building with bright green handlebars for door handles and a wall laden with sticky notes of all the adventurers that have passed through (including past I4K teams!). We later discovered that this touring cyclists’ haven, Adventure Cycling, makes it on the map because, well, they make the maps. They have been routing the country for cyclists since 1976 when the first Trans American tour of 4,000 cyclists took place. Their goal is to change the way people see cycling: it’s more than a toy, more than a sport, more than just a mode of transportation. Instead, cycling is a means of adventure for all ages.When we arrived, we were greeted with a hearty barbeque, and were privileged to hear numerous cycling stories from men and women that all share in our love for it. Many compelling stories were told casually over lunch by a woman named Mickey who had been a participant in the Trans Am tour of ’76. With 66 years of life behind her, 33 years of cycling, 66 countries toured, and 6 years as a cancer survivor she was an inspiration to all of us and never at a loss for words. When she began cycling, it was hardly about going on an adventure because, back then, a bicycle was little more than a child’s toy. In fact, she embarked on her first cycling journey with her 4-year-old son sharing her saddle because she didn’t have enough money to move by any other means. It’s fascinating what people can do with the resources they have.One quite unusual story she shared with us seemed average at first but quickly turned into something shocking. In short, as Mickey was hiking, her leg was punctured severely by a large piece of wood. She pulled it out and cleaned it as well as she could but, knowing she would need stitches, she impatiently pedaled to the nearest town with a hospital. Choosing the cheaper of two hospitals in that town, she got her stitches and moved on. If the story had ended there, it would have been unfortunate but nothing especially unique. The twist was that a year later a chunk of wood resurfaced and pushed itself back through her skin. What a doozy!We also found ourselves crossing paths with a student from Ohio State University that began his solo, self-supported cycling journey in Denver, Colorado and will eventually arrive in San Diego, California. Although we’ve met a fair amount of cyclists also travelling across the U.S. since we’ve been in the west, this young man was the first we could identify with as a fellow college student. We invited him to spend the night with us as our Missoula stayover and, although hesitant, he could not resist the offer of a warm shower and a free bowl of oatmeal.After taking individual photos for the wall and entertaining group photos—especially when the boys decided to really show off their gnarly tan lines—we dispersed in various directions to get prepared for the next day of riding.
This is just the beginning.......
When I started touring the United States on my bicycle, I was so nervous. I had not ridden my bike in 11 years until last July when I was kindly given a bike by a friend. I fixed it up and Charlie and I, were soon best friends. I had always been thinking about doing Illini 4000, but I was never sure if I could since I hadn't biked in so long. I have never been athletic and I have always been horrible at sports embarrassing myself anytime I tried. I have certainly struggled a lot with cycling on this trip, but today I realized that this is only the beginning of my lifelong adventures. We were so fortunate to get to tour the Adventure Cycling Association. This whole trip, I have felt so cool. I can finally say that I am athletic, which I have never ever said before. Today, I realized that what I am doing is just the beginning of the rest of my life. I met a woman who has toured 66 countries on her bike and has done over 250,000 miles in the last 30 years. I met the founders who biked 18,000 miles from Anchorage, Alaska to Argentina over two years and then set up a cross country ride for 4000 people in 1976. How AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! I met people who were doing self-supported tours and people who had traveled all over the world on their bicycles. I read crazy stories like one about a man who toured the U.S. at 70 and another man who toured with a lawn mower attached to his bike so he had some employment. I realized that we had just touched the tip of the iceberg. We were the lucky ones with a supported tour that was already organized.I left that place as if I was in a dream mode and I was constantly thinking about what would be my next tour. I thought I was adventurous, but it turns out I am nothing compared to others. However, after studying abroad in Australia and doing this tour of the United States, my thirst for adventure is only growing. I can't wait to see where life takes me next. On our way into Missoula, I rode with 4 boys. I have never done that. I am usually the one causing the gaps, not the one keeping up. Finally, for the first time, I was able to keep up with people who were much bigger and more athletic than me. I'm sure they slowed their pace down some, but it was a lot better then it usually is for me. We rode fast even in the headwind and it was an amazing accomplishment for me. I can see myself improving everyday. I can't wait to get back. I am hoping to get a routine of cycling, swimming, and running in. It's going to be awesome.I feel like I am finally learning that I have never pushed my limits and if I do push them, I really have potential. If I could explain where I was a year ago and where I am today with words, I would, but I can't, the change is unreal. I ended up having one of the best rides I have ever had with Connor, Sean, Christian, and Ron. We got to stop at these hot springs off the side of I-90 and I jumped off a cliff for the first time and swam in an underwater cave! I even got the opportunity to sit in a waterfall! To top off a great day, Rachel and I happened to walk into a sweet jazz bar at night and we had a great evening listening to some amazing live jazz. I love when life takes you by surprise and you find something so perfect just by chance. Every time I travel, it happens at least once and it's such a magical feeling. We ended up at a local hotspot with great music and we didn't even know it. We got the opportunity to listen to some phenomenal live music in a town we have never even been to, how can't you enjoy a moment like that? As I keep telling everyone by adding Rs when I am excited about something, I LURV this trip!BTW, excuse my grammatical errors, I am usually half asleep when I write these so I make silly mistakes sorry about that.
July 8 Conquering the Divide
Today the Illini 4000 had an 80 mile ride from Ennis to Butte, Mt. Each and every rider was well aware of what was to come in the day, climbing. This did not dampen our spirits, however, as we got prepared for the big day by watching Independence Day last night and having a Breakfast Bonanza this morning. The latter consisted of bagels, muffins, and pancakes which is definitely a huge improvement on our normal cereal or oatmeal.The ride started off nice and peaceful but six miles in we started to climb. Every group reached the top and really marveled at how easy climbing has become. We are all getting to be such strong riders being able to power through the hills and shifting with the utmost efficiency. The pastor at the church last night told us that we had to stop at a candy store in Harrison so the majority of the teams pulled over at Papa's Candy.A full paragraph is needed to tell about this candy shop. It was founded by a retired husband and wife duo who turned a holiday passion into a thriving ma and pop business run out of their very own garage. They handmake each chocolate which can vary from homemade mint to homemade marshmallow or caramel filled. We talked to the happy couple for about an hour about their business and trying various candies. Order some chocolates for the holidays or right now! They only advertise by word of mouth so here is the number! (406)685-3243 Many of the riders agreed that it was one of the best stops along the route so far!After the midway point of the ride the winds started to pick up and a ferocious headwind ensued. The next 23 miles took some groups nearly an hour and a half to complete. It was brutal! And then came the climbing. We climbed and climbed until we suddenly realized we were going downhill again. We had finally conquered the dreaded Continental Divide for the last time!!!! SOOO EXCITING! From here on out, like the rivers, we will now flow west to the Pacific.We made it to the stayover at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Butte after battling some more headwinds and received word that since we only have 55 miles tomorrow we are going to be able to sleep in for another hour! YAY!That is all for now folks! Until tomorrow!
Life is Beautiful
Wow what an amazing week. We have been in the mountains and its been lovely. I can't remember the last time I was angry because I have been so happy and peaceful as of late. I am thoroughly enjoying life every day. It's so beautiful out here. Yesterday I was in a smaller group and Manny, Taylor, and I had such a great time. We took the day slow and soaked in the beauty as we passed through lakes and valleys. We even stopped by a river and had breakfast at a cafe. We went from snow capped mountains to being in prairie land like Illinois, only the prairie here is surrounded by mountains. I toured towns as I always do and sat on the church porch staring at the mountains amazed that I am sitting here with only a bicycle to think about. We were fortunate to have Marc, a barista at Espresso Royale, to make us wonderful drinks this morning and we had a great meal donated by the church. How amazing is this experience! I love every minute. We have a climb ahead of us, but I now know that I can accomplish anything no matter what is thrown my way. I just love every minute of my life right now and I can't believe that this experience is so close to being over. I will never ever forget these days and they will always help me get through whatever else I go through in life. I think I will keep a snapshot of the view we have right now to always remember that life is beautiful and we are fortunate to have each and every day.