Today, the team endeavored 71 miles from Rochester, MN to Albert Lea, MN. The temperature was a little cooler and we experienced rain for the first time in weeks! Although normally this weather might be viewed as a burden, the team viewed it as a refreshing change from the hot days in Wisconsin. We really enjoyed seeing a few of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes. About 55 miles in, at Shaw Automotive in Geneva, MN, two of the ride groups met Tracy Shaw, who lost her four-year-old son to cancer. Another ride group connected with motorcyclists who were also riding across the country to help fight cancer. All in all, the team collected a total of $195 in donations on the road today, our most lucrative day of the ride so far!A big thanks to Shaw Automotive for letting us chill in their shop for so long, for sharing their story, and for allowing us to play with their dog Sam. Another thanks to the Geneva Foods and Deli across the street for their kind conversation and great coffee. We'd also like to give a shoutout to the Illinois alumni we met at the Dairy Queen in Albert Lea. And of course, a huge thank you to First Lutheran Church on Clark Street in Albert Lea for generously providing us with a pizza dinner and for hosting us for the night, as well as to all of the community members who came out to the church to say hello and talk about the cause with us.Peace, love, and tailwinds!~The Illini 4000 Bike TeamFun fact: Minnesota has more shoreline than California, Florida, and Hawaii combined! The more you know, I4K style.
Reaping the Riches of Rochester
Well...today was a very good day in sunny sunny Rochester. Let's start at the beginning. We slept in until 8:30am today! (it was a welcome break from our normal 6am wake up) By 9:30 we headed over to the American Cancer Society HopeLodge located in the heart of the city. After a couple of hours of getting to know some of the ACS visitors and collecting an incredible portait, we all dispersed to explore the city and do personal chores as needed. In the evening, several riders headed over to country night, an exciting evening of entertainment provided by the festivities of Rochesterfest (Iron Horse played and NAILED IT!) All in all, a day off of riding has proved very very very beneficial for our legs.Thanks and love to the ACS HopeLodge. It was wonderful to see a thriving outlet of hope that we enthusiastically support.Also thank you to Calvary Episcopal Church for opening their doors and hosting us for two nights!Iron Horse, you rock.<3 I4K
When the going gets tough...
We've gone west! Today was the first day that I've looked at the map from the website in a very long time, and it blew my mind that we've already gone through so many blue dots. Go team! It hit me even harder to realize how many blue dots we have left: so many more days of hills, wind, cows, rest stops, bikes, portraits, and all of the other things we go travel through every day. Yesterday was the first truly mentally challenging day I've had since Philadelphia. The pure amount of headwinds, hills, sun, and just overall torture of 77 miles really got to me for the first time in a long time. Never before have I asked myself what I'm doing here. I've never wondered if I would've been better off spending my summer at home, working or researching or spending the time with my farm, my family, and my friends. I've never contemplated why on Earth I'm spending 6-10 hours a day on my bicycle, with the same 27 people, every single day. Yesterday I did. I spent more than a few miles feeling incredibly sorry for myself: my knee hurt, my back hurt, breathing hurt, not breathing hurt, pedaling hurt, not pedaling hurt. I was sunburned, hungry, bleeding (only a little), dizzy, sick, and more exhausted than when we rolled through the Appalachians. The motivation to roll on, to keep pedaling, just wasn't there. I couldn't dig deep enough to make the day be as beautiful as every other day has been. Something snapped yesterday that made me wonder why everyone thinks that what we were doing is so amazing. Yesterday certainly didn't feel amazing. It basically only felt like hell.Since we rolled into Rochester last night, I've questioned how I could feel so awful all day yesterday. I realized that I was right about one thing:What I'm doing, Illini 4000, isn't that amazing.If you compare the trials that we go through each day, it doesn't even begin to compare to what the people I've met so far on this trip have gone through. Every member of the team has been affected by cancer in some way, but so has almost every person I've met across the country. Just a few days ago, I was standing in a gas station and met Russ Wooten, whose grandson was diagnosed with cancer at age 10. He said that it was worse than being punched in the face; it brought him to his knees. I also met Chris Schubert, who was kind enough to allow us to swim in his pool and do laundry at his house, whose daughter was diagnosed with cancer at age 16. Even today, I met with Robin, my roommate/best friend's mom, to talk about Robin's sister, Lisa, who is currently being treated at Mayo Clinic. I also met Bill Brown, who was recently diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer, and is currently at the Hope Lodge in Rochester, while his two kids are at home while he goes through treatment.Compared to what these families, and SO many others, went through and still go through on a daily basis, biking 77 miles uphill into the wind just doesn't seem that bad. We're here by choice. I signed up to bike 77 miles, uphill, into the wind everyday if that's what the route and weather say to do. Cancer patients don't have any choice. The fight they have every day is MUCH more than the fight I go through. I can see the tops of hills, I can stop pedaling, I can take a break and eat a snack. People battling cancer don't have the choice to stop working. So, when you look at the battles that are fought every day, by people who by no means chose to fight it, biking every day just isn't something that's amazing. It's hard work, certainly, but it's nothing in comparison.
Hope Lodge in Rochester
I was grateful again today that I could meet people who has beautiful mind through I4k.Today we met this beautiful lady Carol who has spent 8 months at Hope Lodge. She was about to get her treatment and we could talked to her for a while before her treatment. We were looking at the map which shows where their patients are from. She pointed Florida where she is from. She came up to Rochester to get treatment according to her physician's recommendation. She was spending time here with her husband who is her caretaker. She said how beautiful her hometown in Florida is. She thanked what we are doing and was close to tears and so was I.Every time I meet this people, they thank us and I think that how lucky we are to meet these wonderful people. All we can do for them is to do what we have been preparing for a year and keep rolling. They don't know how much they inspire us and we appreciate them telling us their stories. I would love to thank all people that told us their stories.
Riding through the headwinds
Finally, we are in Rochester, Minnesota. We climbed up the Mississippi Valley yesterday and I would say that it was totally worth it. The view from the top was awesomee!! Now, the hills are coming back and it's getting harder, but I will always keep in mind why I am riding. This will get me through many mental and physical challenges.
100 Miles. Uphill. Into the wind.
Throughout this summer we have had a few days that have been especially tough. The long days when the wind is gusting at 30 mph, it is an average of 93 degrees, and the hills never seem to end. We usually describe these as stated above.There is no denying these days are hard. There are times when you are pushing as hard as you can go and you are still climbing at a pace of 6 mph. When times like this hit, we rely on each other as a team. The tough days would be so much tougher without the support of our teammates. We usually end up throwing together remixes of ‘Call Me Maybe’ pertaining to each state we are in, or having in depth conversations about our hometown differences, and sometimes we end up yelling ’My Cows!’ at each farm we go by. It never really matters what we are doing, we are ultimately together as a team helping each other through the tough days.Many of my teammates have been on teams before, and I believe that helped us to start functioning as a unit starting with the train ride to NYC. And whenever we have those few quite miles I often think about our team dynamic. Every person on our team has something very unique they contribute, but we are all here for the same reasons.Usually when I sit back and think about my i4k team and my experiences I have had throughout the summer, I go back to my high school basketball team and think about how grateful I am to my coaches and team. My basketball team was very successful all throughout my high school career, and although I was not the star player by any means, that did not deter me from enjoying every minute of it. I had the same coaches and played with the same girls from 5th grade until I graduated. They became my second family. I4k reminds me a lot of that, except in fast forward, but being together every minute of every day pushes you pretty close pretty fast. I4k has undoubtedly become my third family.I love having my I4k family, and I ultimately have my basketball family to thank for that. My coaches, Dave and Missy, taught me everything I know about hard work and determination. These are the people that molded me into the person that applies to ride her bike across the country to fight for cancer research. They are the ones that put us on the line and made us run those sprints over and over again, but only to strengthen us for when it mattered. They showed us that we can still have a blast while working hard. They are also the ones who cared for us like a family, who reminded us to be home at a reasonable time because we had practice early the next morning, who made sure we got home when the weather was bad, who was not afraid to talk to us when they thought we could be making better choice, and who lead by example.Every day I am riding to raise money for cancer research and patient support services, to document the American cancer experience, and to spread hope across the nation. Everyone is affected in some way and I have the ability to contribute to lowering that number. That is why I ride.Dave, Missy, and my team taught me to push myself. They showed me the rewards in putting your heart into what you care about and giving it your all. They proved to me that a determined group of kids can accomplish something big when everyone is looking out for everyone else and functioning as a team. This is why I have the mental capability to ride.We are just over a third of the way into the journey, every day has been incredible, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store for us as we head west. I am so thankful to all my families. I could not be doing this without the support of my parents, the lessons learned from my coaches, or the support from the team.You are the people that have made me who I am.Thank you.-Ashley Young
My Hero
As I sit here in the lap of luxury in a coffee shop with a drink, wi-fi, and chamois-less shorts; today has left me with a lot to think about. (If you know me, you know thinking is a favorite hobby of mine.) Today we rode through beautiful Minnesota. It was a different Minnesota than the one I had previously known; there were no dense forests, an abundance of lakes, or rock faces. Instead, there were rolling hills dotted with cattle (My cow!) and farmland framed by wispy clouds gently pardoning their way through the early morning air. It was a beautiful and comparatively cool day completed by my first experience with bagged milk and none other than That Store in Utica, where we found a plethora of colorful purchases that totaled to no more than ten dollars for our entire group of five. As we completed our ride with our newly purchased gold, leather, and hot pink fanny packs strapped onto our hips, we prepared for the next activity of the day; a visit to the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center.In particular, as we toured the radiation treatment area of the clinic, my thoughts went straight to my sister. Even though over the years, they have been able to employ newer technologies and comforting touches, it was still breaking my heart that children in particular had to go through this; had to lie in a room alone, barely able to move, as these massive machines moved around trying to cure them of this thing, this cancer. My sister at one point was receiving two radiation treatments a day and was determined to continue going to school the whole time. It blows my mind that such a young person was able to display such determination, faith, strength, and hope. Even though she eventually lost her battle with cancer just before her twelfth birthday, she is a hero and role model in my life. I can only hope to be a fraction of the person she was.I’m riding a bike across America, which admittedly is really rad, but all the credit should go to every fighter and survivor out there because that’s what you are; you are warriors.
Kwik Trip, We'll Miss You: AKA Goodbye WI, Hello MN!
Today we rode 77 miles from La Crosse, WI over the border to Rochester, MN! We met up with Pastor Taylor at the top of a very large hill, and he wished us well for the rest of our ride. The view of the Mississippi valley was amazing! Our first rest stop was at a Kwik Trip (I4K has become huge fans of KT!!). From there we met many hills and strong winds, until we rolled into beautiful Rochester. Shortly after all of the groups arrived, we were given a tour of the Mayo Clinic by Tammy, Tammy, and Sarah (thanks guys!). From perusing the library and hearing about art therapy to beholding complex medical machinery, we learned SO much about cancer treatments and the extensive work accomplished by the dedicated professionals at Mayo.A big thanks to Kwik Trip! We loved devouring your bagged milk :)That Place In Utica was AMAZING. Now we all have sweet duds for I4K Prom. And last but certainly not least, thanks to the Mayo Clinic for showing us around the beautiful new facilities. Seeing the clinic and all the programs for cancer patients really helped reconnect us to the cause! Thanks for all the continued support,Illini 4000
The West Awaits
We are now in La Crosse Wisconsin, and tomorrow we will be crossing the border into the 12th state of this trip, Minnesota. The first 1/3 of the trip has really flow by, and it's hard to believe that it was four weeks ago that we all set off on a train fr New York City and began this amazing journey. The eastern part of the U.S. has been very good to us. We've been spoiled by amazing food and hospitality at our stay overs, and by our recent stops in both Champaign and Chicago. Being back on the U of I campus was a wonderful homecoming for us all. It was so strange riding in on the same roads that we had ridden so many times before during training rides. I got to spend a wonderful day and a half at home with my family, and I enjoyed a nice long shower and great food. But now we are on to the second leg of our journey, and I am extremely excited for what lies ahead. We may lose some of the comforts that we've enjoyed in the east, but the west promises to be magnificently beautiful. Tommorow we will cross the Mississppi river, an I'm sure we will find some amazing things on the other side.
A Road Paved with Bagged Milk and Portraits
Greetings I4k Fans,
We once again find ourselves winding our way up, down, around, and through Wisconsin, traveling almost 90 miles between Reedsburg and La Crosse. It was another scorcher and the roads just seemed to stretch on and on; but fortunately, we stumbled upon Rudy's ( a drive-in burger joint), the ginormous Ben Bikin', and wait for it...BAGGED MILK!!
To complete the ride, we arrived at the First Presbyterian Church in La Crosse and were shuttled to the Pastor's friend, Chris's house, right on the Mississippi River. We were treated to burgers, pasta, kayaking, and water volleyball. Chris was super generous and even shared how cancer had impacted his life through a Portrait interview. We also completed 2 other portraits along the road! Huge thanks to Russ and Pam, who both took time out of their day to be interviewed at two of our rest stops.
As today winds down, and the rain pours on, we look forward to riding through Minnesota tomorrow morning.
Windswept in Wisconsin,
Illini 4000
Quick Picture!
Today was another toasty day riding through the lovely country roads of Wisconsin, traveling the 58 miles from Middleton to Reedsburg. Along the way, we got to see the beautiful Devil’s Lake and the rocky cliffs that surround it. A few team members even went for a swim while others sufficed with a quick picture.We arrived at St John’s Lutheran Church fairly early in the afternoon and were ecstatic to find an N64 complete with Mario Party 2. The Reedsburg Municipal Pool was also gracious enough to allow us to swim and shower free of charge!We would also like to give a special shout out to the owner of the Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street who served us all delicious ice cream and other treats and reopened the shop after hours when he noticed a few I4Kers looking for a snack.The Ever Hungry,Illini4000
Hot Humid Windy
We biked from Lake Geneva, WI to Middleton, WI covering about 81 miles. After getting used to biking 50 miles or less, today we were in for a bit of a surprise. Even though it was 100 degrees and windy we found shade in the bike trails of Madison.Some of us found time to visit the University of Wisconsin on our way, and discovered all of its beauty, while others of us took a dip in a local lake.We are lucky to have people like the alumni association and the members of the St. Luke’s Lutheran Church to welcome us, especially under such late notice! We were treated with lots of delicious food thanks to the alumni association; the showers weren’t bad either! We also had the pleasure of doing a Portrait of Randy Riemer, business coordinator of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, who survived testicular cancer, as well as was a caregiver for his mother, who had brain cancer. Huge thanks to everyone who helped us out today! Heading to Reedsburg tomorrow!Thanks for everything,The Illini 4000
Lake Geneva
Today we rolled from Deerfield, IL to Lake Geneva, IL, which was roughly 65 miles. The route included a lot of gravel bike paths, which were a blast. Wisconsin was our 12th state (plus Washington DC)! One of the groups rode with a three time cancer survivor named Barry. One of the best parts of this ride is getting to meet new people who share their stories with us on the streets.We are staying at the lake house of the parents of alumni Brad Topol. We got to swim in Lake Geneva, and we enjoyed nice weather and water!We would like to thank the Topol family for taking us into their home, as well as cooking a fantastic dinner! We also want to thank Barry for riding with us today, in the middle of his busy Father's Day. We also want to thank Hallmark Data Systems for their donation and support!Much love,The Illini 4000
A Farewell to Chicago
The Chicago ride along was a resounding success. We would like to thank everyone who came out and made it the largest ride along event in I4K history. It was a pleasant ride despite the 10 minute down pour! We would also like to thank everyone who brought food to the picnic.After the picnic, we rode to the home of Josh Doppelt, a 2011 rider. There we relaxed and had another delicious meal. We were all very thankful for their hospitality. After that, we rode to Trinity United Church of Christ. They are incredibly gracious hosts, and we were lucky enough to conduct a portrait with the minister, Susan Smith.Thank you again for all your support!!!!Love always,The Illini 4000
Make Believe
I've often been laughed at during the past three weeks referring to the rest of life, excluding I4K and the summer therein, as "real life". Alas, as I have spent the past 30 or so hours with friends and family, it have felt like a completely different summer; wearing real life shorts, eating real life food, watching a real life movie, and buying real life things that don't all have to fit into one backpack. Even as I say this though, my 30 or so hours of real life were non but riddled with I4K. The first thing I did with my free time; went to a bike store and (a big and for those that know me), my body is officially on an actual schedule, causing me to feel exhausted by 11 and wake up with impressive mental acuteness at 8 am. SO as I sit here, packing my fake life I4K bag, preparing for the coming weeks (or couple of months I suppose) of returning back to sleeping, eating, cycling, eating, repeat; I can only imagine what returning back to classes, work, etc in the fall will feel like. Until then, however, I fully plan immerse myself back into fake I4K life; where everyone knows the Mosher, cleaning your cassette is exciting, and 4 t shirts for the whole summer, is just peachy.
Dreaming.
I feel like this summer is an amazing dream. Now that we rolled through Chicago we got to go home and relax one night and here I am, watching a movie with my sister on my couch. It was easy to slip back into what is so familiar, but I am having withdrawal. Withdrawal because I can't hear Ashley laughing in the other room or Alex truing a wheel, or a Steve Irwin impression. Even though life at home is totally amazing, everything seems like it's unreal. I'm excited to get back on my bike especially because my friends at Pedal & Spoke fixed it up real nice.So here we go again, I'll be back into the swing of things soon enough, until then, I get to see my uncles, cousins, aunts, friends, family, and dog. Tomorrow is a ride along event - so come! The information is somewhere on this website. So with that said, see you tomorrow! :)
Oh, Chicago
So right now I'm sitting on my sister's couch in her apartment in Chicago. It's crazy to think that I'm back right where I started this journey. We have really come a long way and I can now cross 8 more states off my list of states to visit. I think it's interesting to see the way things change between state lines...I always thought the lines drawn on U.S. maps were arbitrary but I'm realizing that with nearly every state we pass through the lines are almost like invisible ink marking noticeable differences between boundaries. That might be one of the things that makes the U.S. so beautiful to me. It's so different but unified at the same time. I don't really know if I'm describing that right, maybe I'm not good at explaining it...I guess I just like the way that every state has its own personality visible through the landscape, the people and the way they talk, and even the street signs or the plants along the road.After we rode through the Appalachian Mountains in the east we headed through Ohio and rode through the state in about one day. This was our first 100 mile day as a team, and my first 100 mile day ever. It was great though. The weather was perfect, the pb&j was delicious, and my group couldn't have been more entertaining (we spoke in british accents for most of the day). When we arrived in Indianapolis my aunt and uncle (heeeey Aunt Shary!) drove an hour from their home to meet me and spend the rest of the day with me. It was great to visit, eat dinner with them, and catch up with my cousin Marty. Seeing family even if it's just for one night is often the best kind of break you could ask for. The next day was also a great one as I was pleasantly surprised in Rockville, Indiana when my cousins Matt and Tommy came to visit! It's so good to see familiar faces, it means a lot to me and I'm happy that this trip across the country allows me to catch up with family along the way. A lot of times we rely on the kind words or actions of our families to give us strength on our journey and there's something to be said about people in your life who go out of their way to support you or let you know they care. I've been really spoiled lately when it comes to seeing loved ones. After we rode through Indiana we arrived in Champaign where my sister Cassie surprised me at our welcome event. After seeing her, I was able to spend the rest of the day with my good friends and sleep in my apartment. It was a strange feeling showering in my own shower, sleeping in a bed, and doing things without 27 other people. But it was amazing and a much needed refresher, not to mention soooo awesome seeing the people I miss!After Champaign, I was even more spoiled as we headed North to my hometown of Clifton! Although we had really heavy (I think 14 mph) head winds to face the entire day, I could not wait to be home. It was a cool feeling riding through towns like Onarga, Gilman, and Danforth. With every town we passed I would count down the number of towns we had to continue through before I was home. After stopping at the gas station in Ashkum to visit Mardelle (my favorite cashier) we continued into Clifton where welcome signs lined many of the roads (my friends parent's made signs, the church made signs, and even the welcome sign on main street was dedicated to our team). It was awesome to say the least, I really could not have grown up in a better place. A lot of people don't understand why I like living in a such a small town, but I think maybe some of my team understands why I love it after our visit. It's the community that's important, not the population. My sister drove all the way home after work in Chicago that night just to see me and meet some of my team, I got to hug my mom, see my neighbors, my high school teacher stopped by to wish me luck, and even Biscuit (my dog) greeted me when we arrived at the church. Thanks to gracious hosts at Zion, we were all stuffed full of delicious homemade pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, salad, cheeses, and a million desserts. Our dinner was extra special because cancer survivors in the community prepared and served our meal...it was awesome! After eating, I was able to reconnect with my friends from home. It was amazing to be back in the country, sitting at a bonfire, and talking with my best friends like I had never even left. I don't know if they'll ever understand how much they mean to me. The next day we arrived in Homewood and once again, I got to visit with my friend Emily who lives in the area. It was short but much needed, I miss her already! After arriving in Chicago, I've spent the past day with my sister sleeping at her apartment, eating delicious food, and relaxing at the beach. I'm pretty lucky to have older sisters they're always giving me advice, food, and laughs. It's been an incredible week filled with people I care about. After this luxurious week, I'll be challenged again with some windy days and hilly lands in Wisconsin. I think we're up for the challenge though! Here's to the west.PS- Dear everyone at home: thanks for all of your hard work, warm welcomes, and offering up your showers/homes/food it means the world! : )PPS- I did our ride dedication from Champaign to Clifton for you, Coach D. Thanks for getting us there safely, you're guidance was helping us pace-line the wind!
Chicago Arrival Event and Ride Along Info
Come welcome the riders of the 2012 Bike America Team as they ride into Millenium Park this Thursday, June 14th! The team will be arriving to the bean at 12:00 pm, and we'd love to see you there!
Join the Illini 4000 for their annual Ride Along and Cookout this Saturday, June 16th. The team is inviting any and all supporters to be part of the ride as the team departs Chicago and heads north. There are two different distances to choose from. Both are Metra accessible. One distance will start at 9:30 am from the Millennium Park Cancer Survivors Garden and will head north on the Lakefront Path to the Wilson Ave parking lot (7 miles). From there the team will meet up with other participants at the Wilson Ave parking lot along the Lakefront Trail (10:30am). We will continue onto the North Channel Trail and Green Bay Trail to end at Erickson Woods (16 miles) where we will have a large cookout and enjoy the hopefully beautiful summer day. We encourage anyone to do the whole route. A passenger van is being provided to shuttle riders to the cookout who are only completing part of the route. Water stops and snacks will be provided. We are asking for a $10 donation to ride and a $10 donation if you plan on eating lunch with the team.
We hope to see you there!
If you are interested in helping with the cookout please click HERE
Champaign-Chicago
Throughout 20 days of my ride, I have biked through many places that I have never been before, and never seen before. This America I live in sure is a wonderful country with generous people. However, there was no place like home.Our run from Champaign to Chicago provided me and my teammates not only physical rest but also mental support that was needed to get us going for 50+ days more. Many friends came to see me in Champaign, and my sister Stephanie, Tony, Sammy and Ellee have visited me in Chicago. It is amazing what family members and friends can do to your morale.When Tony told me that he appreciates me for what I am doing, I stopped and asked myself; what am I doing? Sometimes, it is so easy to caught up in fatigue and bike hunger that I forget who I bike for and for what cause we are doing this. This Chicago stop will be a good place to go back to square one and rethink about the cause.From here we go west.
Chicago!
Today, we had a short ride to Millennium Park. It was only 29 miles which allowed us to have an extra 30 minutes of sleep. You don't know how grateful we were for the sleep.We had an extended rest stop on the lake shore. It was really great to have some free time to ourselves along the water. At the rest stop, we met a woman who asked us about our ride and when we told her about our ride, she told us about her husband who does cancer research. We are hoping to talk to him on Saturday at out barbecue event.We arrived at the bean around noon and there were many people greeting us. It was amazing to see all the people supporting us. We would not be able to do our ride without their support. Non-Chicagoans did not have anybody to greet us, so we formed "the orphans." I4K served as a second family for those of us whose families couldn't make it, and we are lucky enough to stay in the luxurious UIC dorms.Sean Laude, who was a part of the first team, joined us today to drive the support van. He gave us an inspirational speech about "going west." We had the pleasure of having lunch with Sean and he told us stories about the first adventure. Throughout these last 6 years, a lot of people have worked very hard to make this organization what it is. Thanks for the support as we head West!Illini 4000