This is a story told by some of the greatest Americans who ever lived.George Washington = GWThomas Jefferson = TJTheodore Roosevelt = TRAbraham Lincoln = ALGW: YawwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnAL: You alright there George?GW: Yes, just a bit tired Abe. It's 8 am after all, and I got a terrible night's sleep.TJ: I wonder why......TR: Odd, I slept like a baby.TJ: YOU ALWAYS SLEEP LIKE A BABY, ROO.TR: It's not my fault I snore.GW: Boys, boys settle down.AL: Wait a second, do you see that?GW, TJ, TR: What?AL: I think...I think there are some cyclists coming our way through the Black Hills National Park.TR: Surely, there would be no one stupid enough to try to climb up this way. That is nearly, mmmmm, nearly....how high up are we?GW: 5000 feet.TR: 5000 feet? Are you kidding me?TJ: Can't you hear the man? I know I'm between you two, but he's right here. You really need to get your hearing checked.TR: And how am I supposed to do that? I suppose I will just ask someone to sculpt some legs for me so I can walk down to the local hospital, huh? Really good idea Jeffy.AL: Shut up you two. They are coming closer.GW: NOOOOOOOOOO, why would they be biking up that 2 mile hill. We really aren't that big of a deal. Why does everyone always want to see us?AL: Now, George, you of all people should know that because of us and the actions we made directly affect these people's lives. We kind of are a big deal, for some people.TJ: It should be every person.AL: Yes, yes, yes Thomas. I know, but that is what is beautiful about America, people have the freedom to believe in whatever they want here.TJ: Whatever.....GW: O my, they arrived already! How are they so quick? Look at all those little tight shirt, spandexed people and their bicycles.TR: I see some pretty good mustaches too. TJ: Quickly, get in picture position.TR: You are so stupid. We are always ready for pictures. WE CAN'T MOVE.GW: Shut up and smile you two.(1/2 an hour passes by)AL: That was quick. Where are they going now, George?GW: It looks like.....through the Mt. Rushmore National Park.TJ: Naturally...who wouldn't want to see our backwoods?GW: And now they passed the sculpture of Wounded Kneee.TR: O, I can't wait til his sculpture is finished! Finaly, we will have a neighbor!GW: Oof, more hills. Not as bad before, but still, I would not want to be them.AL: I can see them leaving South Dakota now! I will miss them. They seemed like such nice and honest kids, and I can appreciate that.GW: Very funny, Abe.TR: And now they are getting food! What kind people there are in Newcastle, WY.TJ: Pamido, Hopps, Pizza Hut, and Taco John all donated food, maybe I was wrong about the people in America.AL: That's more like it, Thomas. Wow, it's already bedtime.GW: Good luck little spandex wearers! Good night!THE END*This blog entry is based on a true story
Instead of Hiking
The rest day in Rapid City is a little bit messed up. I planed to hike with people but I did not make that trip. Instead, I went to the town to find a post office. After being lost for a while, I managed to find my location in downtown, and very luckily, I found a bike shop there. The owner Jeff and his assistant were testing an awesome black bike. I went in the store and Jeff started to chat with me. I told him about the I4k and he told me a lot about his bike store. He said he would rather want a small one which sells cool bikes than a large one. At the same time, his assistant brought the black bike into the store, so I asked Jeff what is special about that bike. The black bike has two huge tires and a big handle bar. Jeff told me he likes that bike because it feels more like a motorcycle rather than a bike. I realized that that was so true when I sat on the saddle and rode around the block. The internally geared hub is so awesome. I have never tried that before, but it really gave me a delightful experience. After I rode the bike back to the store, I showed Jeff my back wheel, which makes noise when spinning. Jeff opened the hub and whipped out the water and dirt inside. Surprisingly, we also found out there was one ball bearing missed, for no reason, but just disappeared. It was so luckily that I brought the bike into the bike shop instead of hiking. I had less fun today but definitely I saved my wheel. And I appreciate the free tuning from Cranky Jeff’s bike store. He totally made my day by teaching me bike maintenance and being nice and patient.http://crankyjeffs.com/
Blog - 1
So far so good. Everything goes so well that I don’t want to believe almost half of the journey has passed. Today we rode about 72 miles in a beautiful weather. I enjoyed the riding so much because the sky was pure blue color that complimented the vivid green grass on the ground. It’s very funny to see the cows looking at you while enjoying their happy time. My inner voice said, don’t try to understand the cows, lol. (Just some random ideas) Moreover, we found a kitty by the road! She was super small and cute, and we even thought that this kitty should be our team pet. However, we finally gave up and continued our journey. Today’s ride successfully gave me a chance to understand the beauty of nature. I used to stay in Beijing, where is a 100% big city, so I had no chance to really appreciate the nature. Fortunately, now, because of I4K, I gained more life experience. It’s kind of late now. I will continue my blogging tomorrow. Everyone good night!
"I'd Rather Have Hail Than A Tornado"
By all means, our time in Wall, SD should have been short. We got to the stayover late (9 pm) and were ready to go on time (7 am), but the weather of Wall could not let us go. Upon mid-mosher a thunderous storm intruded on our day. Luckily, the team was able to retreat to the notorious, almost mythical Wall Drug. And once we entered Wall Drug, not many wanted to leave. Keychains, shirts, postcards, 5 cent coffee, and donuts so good you had to have at least two of them were all common items sought by the team. Finally, after a 4 hour rain delay the team was able to depart in clear skies, but not for long. After the first rest stop the team waited out a second storm; nothing too serious of weather, but also nothing any of the team wanted to ride through on a 60 mile day. So, the team stayed in a church that was just let out of mass and ate the normal PB&J lunch. After a prolonged rest, the groups headed off again in hopes that the bad luck with the weather would end, but compared to what was ahead of us it was only starting. Between mile 30-35, each group stopped in various barns because of the grey clouds to the right and the impending rain that could be seen to the left. To say it rained would be an understatement and an insult to the term rain. It poured. It came down hard. Cats and dogs were everywhere. In a matter of minutes after finding shelter, golf ball sized hail and lightning surrounded the team. Though this type of weather would be frightening to many, after 35 days on the road, the storm was nothing. Many people on the team rested, played games, conversed, and napped as what seemed like an impending dooms day surrounded us. After about 20 minutes the sun came back out, the skies cleared up, and all of the hail had melted. We were back on the road. At the last rest stop, the whole team reconvened and continued westward. Surprisingly, after the eventful stop-and-go day, getting to Rapid City was a breeze. Everyone arrived to the church on time, but there was one surprise left in the day. The couple that a few of our teammates had met earlier at the first rest stop had invited us for dinner! Again, the amount of generosity and kindness we have encountered through this trip has been amazing. At The Merchan family's house, we were treated to an amazing, homemade South Dakota barbecue for all of the riders. Thank you so much for treating us like family, and offering your home and food for all of us! The time with The Merchans concluded the night for the team and we returned for a restful day off in Rapid City, SD.
Why We Ride
So first off I'd like to apologize to any of those who actually read my blogs. During our stay in Rochester, I was writing out this actual blog when out of nowhere my computer completely broke. I tried doing many things to it but to no avail. Since I will have to renew my warranty to get it fixed, I will be at the will of others generosity for the remainder of the trip to get blogging done. So therefore I will try to squeeze as much as I can in while resting in Rapid City, SD.First off, and most importantly, I would like to tell of the events that occurred at the Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minnesota. For those that don't know, the Mayo Clinic is the largest and one of the highest ranked hospitals in the United States and one of the largest in the world. It is so large in fact, that its three hospitals make up the primary industry of the big city and that people from all over the world come for the state of the art treatment. An example of this dedication to being the cream of the crop is their Center for Innovation in which we toured and ate lunch. This center is unique in that it is housed completely in the clinic but is dedicated to one thing, improving the way the hospital is run. This means worrying about both patient, providers, and staff. It was interesting to see how every little detail was taken into account and even with it being a new department, it was evident that progress was to be made.The most eye opening experience of the trip for me also took place in the Mayo Clinic. We visited this wonderful place called the Hope Lodge where those who come from a long way away are able to stay while receiving treatments. After a tour, we were told to sit in the kitchen and wait to talk with current patients and their families. After a few nervous minutes, the people came and hearing their stories would change both how I view the ride and my life forever.The first gentleman I spoke with was from Naperville, Illinois so we shared an instant connection living near the city of Chicago. He had an inflamed polyp in his nose and went into the doctor and found out it was a malignant tumor. Luckily for him, he found it early enough that after surgery and the current radiation treatment he was on, doctors seemed hopeful that it was gone for good. The surgery he described however was the most interesting part. It took two teams of surgeons eleven hours to cut open his face in two separate faces and remove a piece of his skull in order to take out the tumor. And the most amazing part is that I couldn't even tell that he had any surgery! Wherever he is now, I am sure his positive and jovial attitude is going to be able to get him through any situation life throws at him.Cancer stories can often be those of triumph, but so many times they are the story of turmoil and tragedy. The second group I talked to was a mother daughter pair from North Dakota. The husband/father had been at the Mayo Clinic since April and the outcome was not looking good. What stuck out at me the most is just the emotional and mental strain that going through something like that brought upon the family, especially the mother. She had been by his side since the day he was admitted and was exhausted. She told me that one of the hardest parts is being the one to schedule all the appointments since her husband had been in and out of intensive care. This particular battle with cancer was a long siege which has taken all involved to their limits. My thoughts and prayers go out to this family as this journey nears its end.This experience was a true eye opener and showed two completely opposite sides that the dreaded C-word can bring. In my experiences so far I have put together a few things I have learned about cancer. Here they are:-First and foremost, don't put yourself in harms way. This means don't smoke, don't drink excessively, eat healthy, etc.-Every second counts. The earlier you catch cancer, your survival chances improve exponentially. If anything is out of whack in your body get it checked out and if you're not satisfied with the answer, get a second opinion. If you don't get better, get more help.-Don't let finances get in your way of getting better. Yes getting sick is expensive, but there is nothing in the world more valuable than your life. There are so many different ways to get your treatment covered. Look for them and find them.-Sign up for clinical trials as soon as you can. Not only could this increase your chances of recovery, but it also helps make progress in the ultimate fight against cancer. The future will thank you.-Admit that you're only human. When dealing with something like cancer you need to realize that you cannot do it on your own. Create a support system. Who knows? You may become closer than ever to people who you previously shut out.This is an ongoing list and again I am sorry for not being able to post in so long.I felt the need to finish this particular blog because I think it will prove to be my most important experience to document on this trip.This is why we ride.
Those Are Some BAD LANDS
Waking up and knowing that you are going to ride almost 100 miles is no easy feat, but the thought of the Badlands National Park kept the team's spirits high in the morning. After a 'Hey Jude' mosher (somehow that song has become one of our team songs), we carried out into a cool, cloudy morning and said goodbye to the beautiful skyline of Murdo. After a couple baby hills, some broken spokes, and many many snacks at the gas station, our team had found it's way to the 60 mile mark outside of the Badlands National Park. To say the least everyone was excited how close we were.Going into the ride I barely remembered learning about this terrain in 6th grade, but after going through the park I will never forget the natural scenery again. Here is my description of this place: remember that time when you watched an old western movie with your dad and the outlaws lived outside of the town in a bunch of dust and high rocks all around them, or maybe saw a cartoon with the dust and high cliffs in the scenery and you thought 'this looks exactly what I imagined the west to look like when the cowboys were around'? Well, that's very close to what it looks like. According to the National Parks website, the actual description of the scenery and reason for it is: "Deep canyons, towering spirals, and flat-topped tables can all be found among Badlands buttes. Yet, despite their complex appearance, they are largely a result of two basic geological principles: deposition and erosion." Honestly, I don't understand too much of why they are there. There once was a ton of water and glaciers, next they all melted away, and TADA! we have badlands. I guess I get it, kinda. Anyway, the journey in the Badlands was amazing! Everyone dropped their jaw in amazement from the initial lookout, several groups went on hikes through the numerous trails in the park, and some just relaxed from the ridiculous views of the never-ending scenery.Every group was able to take their time throughout the park, but as the day began to end the team found themselves an enemy in an oncoming storm. After racing out of the valleys and up the mountains to get to the mythical Wall Drug, the team finally found shelter, with weary bodies, after a hard days ride. Luckily, Wall's Subway was able to provide our team with free foot long subs. Thank you once again Subway! With satisfied appetites and tired bodies and minds, many of the riders did not have a problem falling asleep quickly, especially with knowing that tomorrow will be another action packed day as we get closer to our rest stop in Rapid City and eventually Mt. Rushmore!
The West!
A lot of amazing things have happened since my last post, sorry for such a delay.I was unable to see Karen (a breast cancer survivor I met last summer) because her floral shop,Ambler Hill, was closed. I was pretty upset about it, as was the rest of the team, so we used some good tunes to change our moods. When we arrived to Rockville, Indiana, things got even better. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by the church members by name--they remembered me from last year! The night we spent at Rockville is by far one of the best nights I've had on this ride. Everyone was so warm and loving, especially Randy and Charlene. When Randy told me and Ellie how he prepared his church for our arrival, he would use phrases like "our riders" and "our bikers." Hearing someone refer to us like that brought me to tears because it was so evident how much Randy believed in our charity, our cause, and our ride. It was inspiring for sure and I will never forget him or that night.From Rockville we headed to Champaign. On this day, my group shared some stories--some funny and some that were a bit on the serious side. Something that really put cancer into a better perspective for me was when Katie talked about her mom's cancer experience. When she said the words, "I just found out that my mom had cancer," my whole body got the chills. I can't even imagine what it feels like to know that your mom is battling such an awful disease like cancer. So lately whenever I am feeling down on a ride, I think about Katie and her mom and I ride for both of them.Spending time in Champaign was really nice. I was able to see my sister, 2 of my cousins, and a few of the board members. My sister treated me to a dinner and then made me a huge breakfast in the morning. It was really tasty!Arriving to Chicago was amazing! Our 30 mile ride into the city was quite an adventure and I really enjoyed it. Once we got to the Bean, I was greeted by my mom, cousin, and many of my greatest friends. It was so nice to see everyone and I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by amazing people. After our arrival, I went back home to Minooka and just relaxed with my mom. I returned back to Chicago the next night and enjoyed a nice Mexican dinner with friends. The next morning was our ride along and picnic, which was such a successful event. We raised a large amount of money and I was able to spend a lot of time with my family and friends. A lot of alumni showed up and that made the event even more special. Thank you for planning that event Brad!After Chicago, we rode up to Lake Geneva. I volunteered to drive this day and luckily I was able to ride the last 20ish miles of the day! Thanks Sean Laude ;) Because I was able to hop out of the van, I got to ride with Ellie, Maggie, Connor Yanz, Conor Canaday, and Alex (a 2007 rider). We had so much fun--we stopped at a skate park to practice our bike tricks, played with some dogs, did a Coke challenge, etc. It was really nice to be able to ride with Conor one last time before he was off for Canada. Once again, the Topol family hosted the Illini 4000 at their lake house. With the generosity of both the Volkman and Topol family, we had a delicious dinner and the best cheesecake ever for desert.The rest of the days in Wisconsin and Minnesota all seem like a blur. I remember eating some cheese curds, drinking bagged milk, eating a ton of doughnuts from gas stations, discovering how good gas station breakfast sandwiches are, and drinking a ton of Coke. Wisconsin is one of the most beautiful states I have ever seen. I love the rolling green hills and all of the cute baby cows. One of these days I am going to get off my bike and pet one of those little guys. I seriously can't handle how cute they are, especially when they run and hop around. Check out this little guy that I just found on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lrargerich/2759591185/In Rochester, we had two special events: a visit to the Hope Lodge and a tour of the Mayo Clinic. Once again, the Hope Lodge changed my life. Being able to sit down with cancer fighters and hear their stories is empowering. I spent most of my night at the Hope Lodge with a woman named Marcia, who is on her second battle with cancer. She was filled with love, positivity, hope, and happiness. She loves Cher and working hard at each of the jobs she has. She even used to work at a department store just for fun! Her love of life has further instilled in me the idea of pursuing the things that make me happy. Because in my opinion, life is only what you make of it and you always have a choice to create positivity and happiness. On our second day in Rochester, we visited the Mayo Clinic. We were given a tour of the Mayo Clinic Center of Innovation, which is where people work very hard to change the way we experience health care. I want to work for a place exactly like this. Not only was the office beautiful, but the work environment was fun and everyone there genuinely loved what they were doing.After Rochester, we had a few more days of riding in Minnesota until we reached South Dakota. We stayed in Mitchell, South Dakota, for two nights and during our event day, we visited the Avera Queen of Peace Cancer Center. This tour was much more educational and very enlightening on what it is like to give, receive, and pay for cancer treatment. Hearing the prices for treatment was shocking and I do not know how people do it. I hope that my future in occupational therapy will also allow me to advocate for better health care.These past few days of riding have been so much fun. I taught a few riders this crazy look-back trick I like to do (it's not really a trick) and we all showed off our bike dancing skills (all of those skills are inspired by the one and only David "Taco" Walder). I can finally ride my bike with no handlebars. FINALLY. I've been trying ever since I bought my first bike in third grade. I've genuinely impressed myself. A few of us have also been getting into slam poetry. It's fun!This morning was so surreal. We were departing Chamberlain, South Dakota, for Murdo, South Dakota. I wasn't too excited because I was still bitter about my experience in Murdo last summer--I bought cheesesticks for $5 and the restaurant only gave me 3 cheesesticks! But anyways, the morning started off really well because the McDonald's next to our stayover donated a free breakfast sandwich for all of us. After enjoying my meal, I walked outside and was getting ready to ride out with my group. As soon as I got close to my bike, a group of kids walked pasted and I recognized one of the younger girls. Her name is Izzy and I met her last summer in Chamberlain when we recorded her cancer experience for Portraits. I thought that maybe she remembered me, but I couldn't tell so I didn't say anything. I immediately regretted it and luckily, I saw her walking again on the sidewalk, asked if she remembered me, and she did! She said she was doing well and we even took a picture. It was so good to see her and it was definitely fate. Chamberlain is a small town, but it's not that small. Our timing was perfect and meant to be. That was the best way to start today's ride and I still can't believe it happened. Today's ride was a lot of fun--my group started as Team Bacon, quickly changed to Team Flat, and ended the day as Team Slam Poetry. Maggie's poem was better than the two hour nap the entire team took in front of a restaurant today! So glad I recorded Maggie slamming it.
South Dakota
We just reached Murdo, South Dakota today and it is a booming town with a population of 679 people. The ride into Murdo had its ups and downs. The first thirty miles went by pretty fast for me. We rode on the interstate for the first time which was pretty cool. The scenery on the west side of the Missouri River was awesome. The twenty miles in the middle were pretty rough though for me and apparently for the rest of the team. It ended with an hour and a half nap in front of a resturaunt that the whole team took part in. The last twenty five miles were pretty good again. I guess the nap was pretty significant. South Dakota is a beautiful state with grass fields that go on for miles. And that is it. There is a gas station about every twenty miles and a small town of under 1000. Tomorrow we are going to Wall, South Dakota which is supposed to be a big tourist attraction because of Wall Drug. 
Not quite Champaign, but close
After Chicago we headed north, staying in Deerfield and then Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, at the lakehouse of former rider Brad Topol. We had some rolling hills through Wisconsin. Not very challenging, but very pretty. Most of the places we stayed in Wisconsin were small towns; Fitchburg, Reedsburg, and La Crosse. On our way into La Crosse we took a bike trail for about the last 7 or 8 miles. The whole day had been pretty unscenic so far, but when we entered the bike trail we immediately crossed into these pristine swamplands. The trees cleared and there was nothing but placid water on either sides of us. Off in the distance was the forested bluffs that we have begun to see more and more. But after going through the Midwest for so long, they looked like mountains. Coupled with the fog rolling through their trees from the gloomy, overcast day, I felt like I was in Central America. But instead of riding into Aztec pyramids, the trail dead ended right at the UW-La Crosse campus. Being there for the night was nice, as it felt strangely familiar. It was probably just the idea of being surrounded again by people our age that gave us a positive vibe that evening. With the thought of hitting less and less civilization the further west we head, it was nice being back in a college town for the night.
Wisconsin and the start of Minnesota
The church in Fitchburg had great coffee and Lauren’s family brought over quiche for breakfast. Maggie taught us an Irish dance in the morning. I rode with Kelsey, Sean, Maggie, and Divya to Reedsburg. We made our way around a rode that was completely torn out and climbed a pile of tires. We heard the story of Edna and Delores which made it difficult to ride up the hill because we were laughing so hard. We made a wrong turn adding about ten miles to our day but the weather was perfect so it really wasn’t that bad. That night we took showers at a local pool and biked to Culver’s for ice cream. It was a nice change to ride a bike without bike shoes, bike shorts, and jersey.Reedsburg to Lacrosse:We all split up into groups by names, we were the L group for the day. Lee, Lauren, and Ellie, plus Jan. It was a rainy cold day and I couldn’t find my under armor pants in the morning so I went without and was miserable until the first rest stop when Lauren decided to sag because she wasn’t feeling good, so she let me borrow her pants. Wisconsin is beautiful but it was difficult to take in everything around us because the weather wasn’t that great. In Sparta we got off the cues to take a bike path. It seemed like a good idea at first but the farther we got the worse it got. Really fine gravel was kicked up by our wheels and got on our bikes, butt, and clothes, adding a few extra pounds to each of us. This trail also took a lot longer because our tires were sinking into the loose gravel. We decided to ditch this trail about ten miles later, found a gas station, and sprayed off the excess dirt/gravel with a hose. Right when we got into the church the sun came out. We took a freezing hose shower at the church. Outback and Chipotle donated food for us! We choose Katie and Ron for our new ride leaders. Gideon became cue master as well.La Crosse to Rochester:Kelsey, Jan, Lee, Manny, Mark, and I rode together. We crossed the Mississippi early in the morning followed by a climb to a great view. Minnesota is a beautiful and the state of 10,000 lakes, but in the 80 miles we rode we didn’t see any that we could take a swim in. The majority of the ride was against the wind and uphill making it one of my least favorite. When we arrived in Rochester we went to the Hope Lodge. We were given a tour of the building and then talked with some of the patients. I talked to a couple from northern Minnesota. The husband had testicular cancer and had it removed 3 years ago but it returned. He and his wife are currently staying at the Hope Lodge while he receives chemotherapy treatments five times a week. I also talked to a lady shortly right before we left that was all the way from France. She told me that she was finishing her treatment tomorrow and was anxious to return back home. When she came for treatment she was on the waiting list for Hope Lodge for 10 weeks. The Hope Lodge is completely free and they can stay there until their treatments are complete. We once again got Chipotle burritos for free!
June 23 Chamberlain
What started as a cold, windy day, blossomed into a warm beautiful one. Wildlife lined the roads. Everybody slowed down a gear and enjoyed the scenery and each other’s company. Our lunch stop was at an ice cream parlor, mmmmmmmmm! While there a woman from the local newspaper interviewed us. She spent an hour and a half talking with us and interviewing us. Educating us on the history and cultural relations with the Native Americans. After napping and lounging around the ice cream shop for a few hours, we made our way to Chamberlain. Today was only 70 miles, so even with the nap/chill sesh, we were able to get to Chamberlain with time and sunlight to spare. A few of us were able to go explore the town and check out the cold Missouri River. Today was a beautiful day! I4kers love this trip more!
June 22 Mitchell
We woke up late today! WOHOOOOOO! Some R&R was definitely in order. We all needed some bike maintenance after such a rainy day, the day before. Today was spent hanging out, exploring the town, and fixing up our bikes. The most important part however, was that we had an opportunity to tour the Avera Queen of Peace Cancer Center. The technicians there showed us and diligently explained how their radiation machine and CT scan work. It was a cool opportunity to see how cancer patients are treated. The machines are new to us, like the mask or the tool that is aimed to keep patients in the same position for the CT scan. However, personally, I can feel the pain behind the hard board patients lay on for the radiation. It is hard because radiation needs accuracy and any tiny error can damage the healthy tissue and cause bad results. Besides the radiation machines, we also had a chance to learn from another technician how chemotherapy is given to patients. The cost of the chemotherapy and radiation treatment varies a lot and therefore it can be a burden to some people who don’t have health insurance. Today was a very informative day. It was cool to see firsthand how cancer patients are treated. Tomorrow we continue our quest westward!
June 21 South Dakota
Hello South Dakota! We left Sioux Falls on a gray, gloomy day. Gedion had the Mosher for the day, and for his Mosher he took the team to Sioux Falls. The falls were beautiful, and the whole team had a blast. After departing the city named from the waterfalls, we continued on our way to Mitchell, SD. 60 degrees and drizzling all day. The route today was not complicated; basically, we rode on the same road for over 50 miles, which gave everyone a bunch of free time to chat. We came to Worthington, SD for our lunch stop. Fortunately, we found a local store to have lunch. Cold and wet, we hovered around a sidewalk and dined on PB&J and leftover fried chicken. After lunch a local newspaper, the Worthington Tribune, interviewed us and took our picture. It was a tougher day, for sure. We had some intense headwinds, and many groups had flat tires and minor crashes. It was a long 72 miles. But once we got to the stay over (a school for once) and showered, we were revived. Some people explored the town, and others ran around in the gym for hours like little kids. 
June 19
Today was an odd day to say the least. The times that groups arrived at the stayover were all very different. In a small town on the way to Jackson, one group stopped at a bike shop. They began talking to the owner, who was fixing up a bike at the time. After conversing with some riders for a bit, he explained that he had to go run an errand, and asked that the riders keep an eye on the shop for a bit. They happily accepted, and basically took over the shop from this guy they had just met. They continued working on his bike, talked with customers, and just relaxed for quite some time. They even collected donations from customers who were happy to support our cause, raising over $100 in a few hours. At the same time, in the same town, another group made up of Divya Nagpal, Maggie Marek and some others were asked to stand in the background for a T.V. shoot that was going on right in town. Happy to take a break from riding, they sat in a diner while the filming of an apparently successful show about corn took place. It's never a normal day in the Illini 4000.
June 19th, 2011
Today was a glorious day and in preparation for it, we awoke at 6:00 AM and left by 7:00. Initially we departed and the hills of Minnesota were obscured by fog. Farmland stretched into the distance and the fog masked any definite end. Trees stood tall and reflected in crystalline puddles, which lay like glass sheets across the rolling plains. The first 40 miles seemed like a dream for me, and most likely for other riders as they stood as tall as the boots of the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth.We ate lunch at the town of Fairmont. Luckily there was a burger king near by, and we feasted on warm food in supplement to our traditional peanut butter and jelly. Riders slept for hours on the concrete surrounding the gas station. A small square of land behind the gas station split a residence and parking lot. A myriad of grasses and flowers painted a mural on the ground representing the diversity of plants in the Midwest. The sun began to rise, the fog lifted, and the day grew bright. On our way out of Fairmont my group noticed a man standing next to a bike on a stand. We almost blew past him but went in reverse to say hi. His name was Larry and he had been a bike mechanic for 40 years. He remembered our group from the year prior and immediately brought us Mug Root Beer and chips. He offered us his canoe and we readily took this out on a lake and paddled around for over an hour. Our journey culminated when the boat flipped and we were forced to push it to shore. Larry was a very kind man and he showed us his collection of old bikes and toys.After 4 hours we continued as we still had 30 miles to go. It was 5:00 when we reached Sherburn, and we went through the heart of town to find a restroom. We stumbled upon a beautiful festival where horse drawn carriages circled a park, children competed in local events, and inflatable objects bordered the street. Here we met many kind people, one of which was named Doug. Doug’s wife Vicki was a 6 time survivor of ovarian cancer, and he was very pleased to meet us. A radio interview was arranged and I spoke about our journey, the ripple effect and how our organization instills hope in those we meet. Doug bought us all food, and we took a picture with him near the park.As it was getting late, we raced back at 25 mph and arrived safe and sound at our stay over. I immediately saw a hose hanging from a tree and hosed myself down without hesitation. The water was frigid and I felt like a child as I jumped around shivering. After a while my body adapted and it felt nice. The night ended when I fell asleep on the pews mid conversation without unrolling my sleeping bag. Apparently I snored that night : /
The end of Illinois and beginning of Wisconsin
Being home was nice. I enjoyed having a pillow, long warm showers, an actual towel, spending time with my parents, and friends. Although all that was great I really missed biking and sleeping in churches with my new best friends. When our team stopped at my house for lunch we had the chance to do a portrait on my friend Lisa. She went to school with me since elementary school. We played Volleyball, Soccer, and Basketball together for many years. After high school she went to University of Wisconsin Whitewater to play volleyball. She started having extreme migraines and just thought they were because of the stress of school. She continued through the pain and didn’t let it affect her life. Then in December after the alumni basketball game she passed out. When she woke up she was in the hospital and found out she had a tumor on the right side of her brain which affected the left side of her body. She is currently reteaching her left side and is making great progress. She has a positive attitude on life and I have no doubt that she will be walking by herself very soon. This portrait was very touching to all of us because she is our peer and it showed us that something this drastic and life changing could happen to us at anytime no matter how healthy you are.We rode out of Chicago with family and friends for the ride along, went to a picnic, and ended at Josh’s house where his parents provided us with lots of great food. We hung around there for a long time even went in the hot tub for a while. Later that night Kelsey and I went on a run through Highland Park.The next day we rode to Lake Geneva. After the few short rides and a day off this ride was pretty difficult for me. We stopped at Sean’s house along the way his family prepared bagels and fruit for us it was awesome! Kelsey, Jan and I jumped into the lake even though it was pretty chilly outside. We stayed at Brad Topol’s parents lake house and they made great food for us also.The ride from Lake Geneva to Fitchburg was pretty hilly and the weather was perfect. We had crunchy peanut butter and wheat bread! We went to Laurens Aunt’s house for dinner. I sat in for a portrait on Toni, who found a lump on her breast doing a self examination. The doctors wanted to put off the treatment and kept her waiting. She was 31 when she started the intense chemo that caused extreme nausea. The way she talked about it you could just tell how tough it was on her and how miserable it was to go through. She also told us that 1 out of 4 women will get breast cancer, and this was a huge shock to me.
Since Pittsburg, Champaign, Chicago...
I apologize for not posting a blog since Pittsburg. Much has happened since then. Many cities have been visited. Enthusiastic friends and family, as well as the Daily Illini and other news sources met our homecoming ride to Champaign-Urbana. I got somewhat emotional as I just completed four years of school and graduated in May. I got to walk around through campus and take in the college life for what seemed the last time.Our arrival to Millennium Park in Chicago was met by an even larger more enthusiastic group of friends and family. It was only two and a half weeks but it seemed like it was half way through the ride. I got to spend great time with my friends and family, and I also got to spend time with my nephew, Benjamin, for his first birthday. The best part of the ride was bringing my family and friends for the Ride Along. They got a 16-mile taste of what we do day in and day out. It felt like a warm up for me and my guest thought it was great and a lot lighter than they expected. Leaving Chicago was a bit tough, but very exciting knowing that 2/3s of the ride was still ahead of us.We departed Chicago for Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and the beginning of the rest of our ride. We got to stay with the Topols and were accompanied by former ride leaders for the day. The following days were all met by beautiful scenery in Wisconsin and interacting with amazing people. We entered Minnesota and rode toward Rochester for an event day and a time to meet people battling with cancer at the Hope Lodge. I got to meet a wonderful woman who was battling a cancer tumor that was found in her midsection that was removed but has since affected her again. She is forced to spend Monday through Friday in the Hope Lodge hundreds of miles from her family in North Dakota. She spoke about her experience with a group of us and it really touched me. She explained that she is a nurse practitioner and how her experience has really affected her in that she is for a change the person that is receiving the care and help from others which is hard for her. I asked her, thus far what has been the most difficult part of her battle with cancer and she said that it was telling her family, especially her children. This really hit me hard as she in many ways she reminded me of my mother who is also a nurse and a mother. I gave her a hug and wished her luck in her battle, and she wished us luck on our journey.The following day we got to tour the Mayo Clinic. This was amazing, we got to see and experience one of the most technologically, innovative, and compassionate facilities in the world. We were also interviewed for the local news that aired the same night. Our experience in Rochester and our ride was deeply dampened as two of our riders were sent home due to extreme circumstances. This really affected others and myself negatively.Today was a day of healing from our loss. The ride was an easy one, with perfect weather to Albert Lea, MN. During the ride and as we arrived I began to feel a bit better. We got to our stayover and decided to explore he town as we arrived before the team van and the pastor as well. We went in search for food donations. We entered The Taco King and I approached the owner, Raul Campos, the Taco King, and I explained that we were in search of food donations for the team. He responded with out hesitation and was more than happy to feed 26 cyclists. He invited us to his home where they were having a graduation party for his son, Jose. We all got to eat and enjoy a great time with the Campos family and friends. Aside from food donations, the party also donated $200 in cash to our cause. This was truly an amazing experience and I feel that I have made great friends.After our awesome dinner, we returned to our stayover. We decided to jump in the lake, and after Josh, Taylor, and myself played frisbee in a park and were joined by three young boys. We taught them how to play for over an hour and a half. It was great time and truly made me happy interacting with them and making an impact in their lives.I'm still recovering from our team loss but I'm excited to finish the rest of the ride. Today has been a great day that gives me motivation to continue riding and fighting the battle against cancer.
Parades and Soap Operas
Man, today was the best day of the trip so far. It started out like any normal day. Rolled out and started biking. Everything was pretty average until we hit mile 56. We were in a town called Fairmount in Minnesota on our way to Jackson. I'm personally a huge fan of stopping in small towns and getting a feel for the world around me. I really like seeing what each town has to offer. Boy was I in for a surprise and so were others on the team. We started touring Fairmont and it was pretty simple at first and almost everything was closed. Thankfully this awesome place was open it was called the Real Film Society I believe. It was this club that was decorated in a 20's style and was available for rent for anyone in the town. Maggie and I just walked around in awe at how awesome it was. We even make a breast cancer survivor who was 20 years free of her cancer. We told them what we were doing and they were so supportive. After we walked around in there, we got the offer of a lifetime. The owner said they were filming the town soap opera called "As the Corn Grows" and needed some extras so obviously Maggie and I jumped at the chance. It was insane we got to pretend we were eating and talking at a Diner. It was hilarious and so cool. I couldn't believe that we were featured. Maggie and I, will both now have a credit to our names and we even got some free advertising for Illini 4000! Amazing!We were already on top of the world when we kept riding. We were in another town and we ended up in their town parade! How insane is that? We rode up to the parade to see what was going on and lo and behold we saw Relay for Life rolling up. We told them what we were doing and they let us join the parade with them! We rode like 5 or 6 blocks in the parade and then rolled back out! It was so crazy awesome.Later on we heard that in the same towns another group of riders got to work at a bike shop and got interviewed on the radio and also attended the town festival! Minnesota is officially the nicest state in the United States. I have yet to meet a mean person in this state. We even were invited to a graduation party yesterday for dinner. We literally crashed a graduation party without our knowledge. We thought we were going to a park but really we were going to someone's back yard where their food stand stood.These have been the most insanely awesome days ever! Can't wait for more.
Westward, Ho!
Hey yall, its been a while since i've posted so...my bad. The last time I used a computer was over a week ago, so I guess that speaks for itself in my lack of computer access/time to blog. Anyways since the last time I blogged so much has happened that I could write pages and pages of all the things we have experienced, but I'm not gonna go that route being that I should probably be sleeping right now (we have 80 some miles to bike tomorrow). The last few days have been very eventful. We have seen beautiful landscapes, crossed the Mississippi River, toured the mayo clinic, met some amazing people, and also faced a dramatic change to our team. Two of our friends and riders had to go home. The ride will not be the same without them. I speak on behalf of the team that we miss them and that they are on our minds.On a different note, Wisconsin...underrated. Wisconsin was easily my second favorite state so far, just barely behind Pennsylvania. Any state that puts such a high premium on ice cream and sausages/brats is OK in my book. Deliciousness aside wisconsins green rolling hills, with flowing natural prarie and dense forrests caught me off guard. It was like a better Illinois. We finished Wisconsin in La Crosse, which is right on the border. Riding into La Crosse was a 90 mile day through pouring rain. That was fun. The next day we crossed the Mississippi. I was expecting a wider river, because I know its wider down south, but it was still really cool to cross such an iconic piece of America. Directly from there we had a mile climb reminicent of the Appalachians. The hill is called Nodine. At the top of the hill we could lookout and see the rolling hills and valleys on Wi and Mn and the wetland-looking Mississippi. From there on we caught the west-east headwinds that will torment us the rest of the trip. A couple highlights of Mn so far are the Hope Lodge+Mayo clinic and our arrival in Albert Lea. At the hope lodge we toured around the center and learned about how the American Cancer Society provides food and housing for people financially in need while undergoing therapy at the Mayo clinic. We met some amazing individuals there. I talked at length with an 80 soemthing year old man who has been battling prostate cancer for 4 years. He has been undergoing radiation and chemotherapy every day for the last month, and he is only halfway done. The next day we toured the Mayo clinic. It was awe inspiring. Everything there=state of the art. We toured the Innovation center, where they brainstorm for new ways to improve and change the healthcare system. Today we arrived in Albert Lea. My group arrived first and so we checked out the town a little. Manny and Cristian, both Mexican and Spanish speaking, went into a Mexican restaurant and talked with the owner. The owner remembed I4kers coming to his restaurant last year and remember our cause. He invited the whole team to come to his sons high school graduation party at his house where he fed us, we gorged, in awesome Chinese and Mexican food. Not only that but he wants to host us next year when we pass through Albert Lea. We felt like we were party crashing, and I guess we kinda were. Here are 26 admittedly stinky gross strangers showing up at a high school graduation party, taking plates and plates of foods. And we were welcomed with open arms. It makes me proud to be apart of I4k seeing how motivating our trek is to others.As we move west we are going to see some beautiful landscapes and places I have never been. I'm excited for the journey. I'll try to keep you all posted on my adventures. That is all for now, sorry for the lack of bloggage so far. I'll do better I promise!-Josh
Rochester to Albert Lea
First blog post in awhile! Things get so hectic, and there are times where I say “ok, ok, I’m going to blog!” But then I end up falling asleep!Today we rode from Rochester, MN to Albert Lea, MN. The past two days have been extremely informing and inspiring. On Thursday the team was crunched for time because we had to be at the Hope Lodge by 5pm! We woke up early, shortened our breaks and rode fast.Visiting the Hope Lodge was life changing. The Hope Lodge is a center run by the American Cancer Society. Cancer patients are able to have their own room for as long as necessary while they are receiving treatment. It is completely free and really helps families with financial troubles. We had the opportunity to tour the facility and talk to some of Hope Lodge’s residents. Everyone was so friendly and asked many questions about our bike trip. It was hard to divert the conversation to learn more about them because they were just so fascinated with Illini 4000! I was able to have some great conversations and did a portrait of a couple – Jim and Joyce.Jim and Joyce have been married for more than 30 years (they celebrated their anniversary the day before we visited). Joyce is currently battling leukemia and Jim has Parkinson’s disease. The adoration and love they have for each other is extremely inspiring. They take care of each other and have so much optimism. They are truly beautiful people. I wish the best for Jim and Joyce, and hope they take that long awaited Alaska trip they’ve been dreaming of. :)The day was going so well and it got better when I4K received a free Chipotle dinner! This is the 3rd dinner Chipotle has donated to I4K and we are extremely thankful! Thank you so much, Chipotle.Yesterday was an event day, which means—no riding! Our first day off since Chicago! What a treat. The day started out with a great breakfast provided by our new ride leaders Ron and Katie.Illini 4000 then took a tour of the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic is a very prestigious hospital and well known for their innovated methods of health care. It was so fascinating to meet the minds behind Mayo and tour the facility. It is such an amazing hospital. I am so glad they took the time to give us a tour; they even provided lunch! Today was a 70 mile day. It was relatively easy. We rode from Rochester to Albert Lea. I was in a group with Maggie, Dory, Marc, and Conner Y. I had a lot of fun. We decided to take it easy and just chill. We went at a nice pace, took a nap, played in a park, and then played in another park. It was so great! Once we arrived at the stayover, we heard the news that I4K was being provided Mexican food! Taco King! We made our way to a graduation party where Taco King was catering. They welcomed us and allowed us to eat as much as we wanted. It was so great. The owner then made a generous donation of $200. Thank you so much Taco King. Albert Lea has to be one of my favorite places so far. We were greeted by a beautiful lake. Some of the riders went in the lake and had fun. I decided to stay on the sidelines and read. I explored a bit later and was lucky enough to catch the sunset over the lake; it was gorgeous.So far I am enjoying my experience with I4K so much. It is challenging, educational, and forever inspiring. Meeting the people of Hope Lodge and Mayo Clinic strengthened my passion for this ride. I ride for these people everyday. I ride for Jim and Joyce, I ride for my own family members battling cancer, I ride for the brilliant minds of Mayo Clinic, and I ride for our supporters, like Taco King.