We started off our day with a delicious breakfast provided by the Everett Church of the Brethren, which was so dearly needed since we had a long ride in the mountains ahead of us. The morning continued on with the ride dedication, which was made out to Shea, who was a good friend of one of our riders. We kept Shea in mind as we went on to attack the long, 80-mile route in the mountains. Today wasn't too bad, since we weren't facing such hot temperatures like we had in the previous rides. There were a lot of climbs and some head winds, but we persevered through it all as a team and made it to our next stay over at Mt. Pleasant at the United Methodist Church. We were greeted with showers and an Italian-themed dinner when we arrived, and everyone agreed that it was such a blessing.
Finding our Marbles
This morning we woke up and had a wonderful breakfast, courtesy of Mt. Nebo United Methodist Church. We continued on with our morning and made the ride dedication out to a relative of a rider, Grandma Keller. We went off on our ride and had smaller riding groups today, since we were riding in the mountains. One of the groups was facing challenges early on in the ride and decided to take a water break at a gas station. Coincidentally, the name of the gas station was, “Keller Country Store.” Remembering that the ride dedication was for Grandma Keller, this helped the team remember whom the ride was for and also that we weren’t alone on this ride today. It was a tough day, but it wasn’t as tiring as yesterday since the temperature wasn’t too high. However, everyone faced some difficulties, and tried to work through it as a team. There were a lot of climbs and a good amount of down hills, but we had fun and kept in mind those that we were riding for. Another contribution to this great day was the lovely hospitality that the Everett Church of the Brethren showed towards us. The delicious dinner that they prepared for us to eat was the perfect conclusion to a long day.While at our lunch stop, we met Tami Diller, a five-year survivor of thyroid cancer. Tami talked about the support she received from her family, especially her daughter, as well as the difficulties she went through, since she suffered from such a rare type of cancer. “Thyroid cancer is very rare, so I had to do research at the library, and my local library didn’t even have the books. They had to get other states to send them the books.” Tami underwent two surgeries to remove parts of her thyroid and liquid radiation treatment. She talked about how her lifestyle changed after the experience. “I look at life more seriously now, and I think about the big picture instead of my own selfish little needs day in and day out. I try to take better care of myself and my health. I also got close to God. When you’re facing health problems, it opens your eyes and you see life with a new perspective. I definitely got closer to God, because without God, I wouldn’t be here.” In her parting words, she gave some advice, “Just pray, think positive, and listen to your doctors. It may not all be perfect, but they know better than we do.”
First Day of Mountains!
Today we biked from Boonsboro, MD to Everett, PA. It was a hard ride since we hit the mountains for the first time today and had an 85 mile ride. My team for today had to change our first flat tire and it took all four of us to get it done, but Jordan finally got the bead back on! We had lunch at a really nice lake and took a portrait of a woman who had thyroid cancer. The last ten miles of the trip were really hard since there were still more mountains. Some of the groups didn’t get in until 8pm, but we all had a wonderful dinner provided by our hosts. All in all, it was a hard, but good day.
Soooo many Mountains!
Today is tough with over 3,000 ft and over 90 degree temperature. I am so proud that I actually finish some big mountains like this. The lunch rest stop was at a beautiful water park and we stayed at the lunch stop for a longer period of time to better prepare us for the big mountains ahead. The biggest problem today was that I got my first two flat tires in straight because my tire is not suitable for long distance travel. The good news was that after we finished today's trip, the host gave us a "Thanksgiving" like dinner and it was amazing to have such great food after a tiresome day. Tomorrow will be even tougher and I should probably go rest my legs so I can beat up some mountains :D
The first week of i4k
I can't believe the first week has already gone by. Just one week ago we were in NYC visiting Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and having dinner with the NY Illini alumni association to kick start our bike trip. Now, at Day 7, we have completed about 340 miles from NYC's central park to small town Boonsoro, Maryland.Even though I consider my workout routine pretty regular, these days of biking have not been easy! My teammates have been such a great help, especially tackling the hills and the sun. I won't have made it up the hills if not for them. The pictures below show some aspects of our i4k life: Enjoy!
A Hot Day on the Trails
Today we started off our morning with some wonderful bagels from John Meehan’s mom, and also made the ride dedication out to the Robinson family. We had a wonderful stay at the Westminster Church and were so thankful for their hospitality. We left Washington, D.C. around 7:30 am after taking photos of the team in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Even though it was just the morning, we could already tell that today was going to be a hot day! The first 40 miles of the route were on the Mount Vernon, Curtis and Washington & Old Dominion bike trails, which were a blessing for us, since we didn’t have to ride with traffic and also since there weren’t as many hills. After lunch, we continued our ride and had to switch back to riding on roads with cars, which was quite an adjustment, but we managed. In addition to this, we were also reacquainted with big hills, but we conquered them! This day proved to be challenging for the I4K members due to the heat and traffic, yet overall we were able to stay optimistic and keep in mind the cause that we were riding for today.We also got the chance to talk with Katie and Bruce Smith in Boonville, Maryland. Katy was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago, which was only a few years after her sister had finished treatment for the same type of cancer. She underwent a lymphectomy, radiation treatment, and drug therapy, along with facing several other medical challenges. She and her husband had some very inspiring things to say. Katie explained that when you have cancer, “You kinda take it one day at a time.” She added that one should “Be confident in your doctors. Go ahead and talk to people and ask for, not so much advice, but support. I think the support is really important.”Bruce explained the importance of his role. “I was worried and very concerned, but I tried to be optimistic, and I tried to be supportive. I didn’t want to upset her; she was already on the edge. It’s very important that the spouse is supportive in the fact that he is confident and reassuring that things are going to be alright. Keep a positive attitude and listen. Listen to her concerns, and listen to what she is worried about.”Bruce and Katie were able to look at the experience in a very positive light. “Every time you go through a crisis, particularly a major crisis, and you come out okay, it just gives you confidence that you can get through the tough times, that you can make it, that you’ve done it before.”
Explore D.C.
Today was our event day, but since the event was canceled we were free to go sight-seeing and tour Washington, D.C. After sleeping in, we went to the laundromat to do more laundry and then went exploring. The ticketmaster at the holocaust museum was nice enough to allow us allow us in without a preregistered time ticket since we were on such a time crunch. The museum was very moving and interesting. After that, we went to the Air and Space museum and saw the Wright Brother’s exhibit, Apollo Gemini and Mercury space ships, WWII fighter planes, and Charles Lindbergh exhibit. The museum was very crowded with school tour groups, so we were unable to do the flight simulator. After those two museums, we were able to walk around the mall and see the outsides of other buildings.Next, we went to see the White House, Washington Monument, and other buildings. Everyone was back by 5pm for a team meeting and a wonderful, gluten-free dinner provided by Greg’s Aunt, Ginny Colten-Bradley. She was also kind enough to donate gluten-free snacks. Thank you Johnie Meehan for donating breakfast and snacks.
Week 1!
This week has flown by and I still can't really believe that I'll be biking all the way to California. These past 7 days we have changed states everyday, but soon that won't be the case. Out west we will definitely be in states longer (We're in SD and WY for over a week each).Of all the places we have been this week, NYC is the only one I've been to previously. The East is quite beautiful and is making me think twice about wanting to live back in Illinois. The traffic is definitely different than anything we have trained in, and the narrow roads that wind up hills were surprising (and nerve-racking). When we get to the Appalachians next week, these hills will seem like nothing, but right now they are pretty monstrous.I have been able to shower 4 times this week which is fantastic and more than I thought I would be able to!
Love from a bike,
Jordan
What Have I Gotten Myself Into?!?
What Have I Gotten Myself Into?!?March 22nd, 11:30pm – Train Ride to NYC Somewhere in Indiana.What have I gotten myself into?!? These are the words that keep running through my head as I am sitting on a 22-hour train ride with 21 people I barely know. I keep thinking of how I ended up here… on a shaky Amtrak train bound for NYC. You see, this journey started 5 years ago when I first step on the campus of the University of Illinois. Like all freshmen, I went to quad day the first Sunday before classes started and was bombarded by hundreds of student organizations. As I walked down the crowded rows I started grabbing fliers and signing up for nearly every club on campus. I remember a man in tight black shorts and an orange jersey yelling “BIKE ACROSS AMERICA TO RAISE MONEY FOR CANCER.” Intrigued I approached the table and asked for more information but his flier fell helplessly in to my sack of quad day crap. Over the next four years I found out that this organization was called Illini 4000 and the group raised money for cancer research by biking across America. However, despite how awesome their mission and the trip sounded, every quad day I would by pass them thinking “ehh, not this summer”.As my college career developed I started to use my summers as a time to do stuff that I would not be able to do when I am older. In 2010 I traveled to Ghana and provided medical care through the International Health and Development Network. In 2011 and 2012 I went on mission trips to Virginia Beach & East Asia with Cru and had the amazing opportunity to share my faith with people. However, as the summer of 2013 approached I had done every thing on my bucket list. With one free summer left before I started medical school I knew I wanted to do something Epic that would also make a difference. I toyed with the idea of going on another mission trip with Cru but thoughts of the Illini 4000 kept flooding my brain at night. After a long time in prayer, I decide that I would apply to do the ride and finished my application 1 hour before it was due. Within a week a guy named Connor Ramsey contacted me asking when I was free for an interview.I will never forget meeting Ramsey at the Espresso Royale on Goodwin for my interview. I was running 10 minutes late and had to sprint over a mile because I showed up at the wrong Espresso. I thought the man interviewing me would be intimidating but Ramsey was far from that. If any thing, I could describe my first impression of Ramsey as goofy. Ramsey is a tall, lanky, man who is always in black skinny jeans with blond facial hair. However, despite his looks I could tell that Connor’s heart was in the right place and that I should give this I4K group a try. Although I don’t remember the interview I remember that night receiving an e-mail from team development congratulating me on making the team. I guess since then I have been asking myself “What have I gotten myself into?!? As I still sit here nervous and scared for this ride I feel like I cannot answer that question yet… However, I can say that I am happy that I have gotten myself into an organization that over the past year has raised over 100,000 dollars for cancer research.MAtt(P.S. currently i am in DC, I will upload more blog post once i edit them)
Seven Days and Counting...
Seven days. It’s been seven days since I started this crazy journey across the country. I've spent seven days making my way down the east coast to help put an end to cancer. I've spent seven days getting to know my twenty-one other teammates and other I4K alumni. Seven days spent telling people what I’m doing, seven days of eating peanut butter and jelly, and six days of wondering if my legs are going to fall off. And I still have sixty-one more to go.I don’t think I ever understood just how much work this was going to be. I never would have imagined just how smelly a person could be after going a few days without a shower, how dirty a person could get after riding in the rain, how many times you can fall off your bike in one day, or how much of a struggle it would be to wake up at 6:00 the next morning with your body aching. Then again, I don’t think I ever understood how amazing this was going to be. I never could have imagined how delicious a peanut butter and jelly sandwich could taste if you just pedaled through 40 miles of hills, or how refreshing a bottle of water could be. I never would have imagined just how close you could get to twenty-one other people in a week, how such an incredible and passionate group could come together for a cause, how amazed people would be when you explained what you are doing, how inspiring you could be to others, how many amazing people you could meet, or how kind and generous strangers could be.And the best part about it all? I still have sixty-one more days to go.
Washington D.C., whatup?
This is such a strange sensation. We've already spent nearly a week on our bicycles, but if you look at what we still have ahead of us you'll see we've barely scratched the surface. Before our next Event Day in Columbus, OH, we'll cover hundreds more miles and climb many thousands of feet. We'll cross mountains and cities and encounter fantastic people and incredible heat.This is the next week that defines us. Last week began to do this as we started waking up early and consuming inhuman amounts of peanut butter and jelly (seriously - we go through like 2 big jars of each every day). But in this coming week, we will climb through the Appalachians and fly into Ohio. We'll see West Virginia and roll along Pennsylvania. And it's going to be an awesome challenge.Yet even more than the biking, this organization is about making an impact. I remember hearing Jon Schlesinger quote Eleanor Roosevelt, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." At the time I heard it, I was worried that I might not be included in that group; I worried that I didn't have a beautiful dream. I knew what I liked to do and what I did well, but it didn't occur to me that it was all part of a dream.It is. This is not a dream that I can verbalize concisely. It takes me 17 minutes at my shortest, but it is a dream that I share with 21 teammates, 9 more people on the Board of Directors, and what must be approaching 150 alumni riders. This is a dream of service and of hard work. It's the dream that our actions might speak louder than words and spread over a crowd that we would otherwise be unable to assemble. The dream is of making the big statement through a life-long focal shift and people who lead and inspire. And in a word, it's service. Sometimes, it just takes doing something big to show you that big is where we should live.Let's hit $150,000.
I325
First and foremost, I want to take this opportunity to thank all my donors both friends, family, and the anonymous who have reached into their hearts (and wallets) to make this ride across America possible for me. I apologize in advance for not posting sooner, but alas adopting a new puppy and preparing for I4K after the school semester ended had be running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Fortunately, we've had our first rest day of the trip after about 325 miles in 5 days and my first impression is just wow. Not just wow in the sense of mileage we've already covered, but also the realization that we still have 3900+ miles to go and I'm excited for the 500, 1k, etc mile milestones. Let's just say this rest day could not have come soon enough. And there's barely any rest. Everyone went to bed last night with the plan to sleep in till noon and relax. However, that was not the case at all. I heard the first person wake up around 7:30 and over 90% of the team was awake by 9. It was kind of humorous. My body, and more specifically legs were so used to getting up and attacking the cascade of hills and obstacles that they were confused. Luckily, a trip to the laundromat was organized and we ended up riding there so my legs did get a workout. So much for taking the day easy but at least we have clean clothes. Although I'm not sure how much clean clothes help when showers become few and far in between.I just wanted to give everyone reading an impression of what goes through my head while we ride. As I first approached I4K I firmly believed it was a test in strength, strength and muscle. I was completely wrong. I4K is a test in patience. Strength is worthless when you're climbing up a huge hill and the sun is beating down on you, literally burning you alive. For being used to go relatively fast the most humbling experience is climbing up that hill at 6 miles and hour and just continually pumping your legs. You get exhausted to the point where your body has to compensate for your legs and recruit even more muscles to stay upright. When I get out of my saddle to stand up and pedal I use my biceps and triceps just to be able to push my legs down. And adrenaline? Its great. It keeps you focused and alert so you don't topple down into the sheer drops that flank you on both sides. The loneliest feeling is climbing alone though. Luckily, we're already such a close knit team that we don't leave people behind. We may attack the hill with different skill sets and plans, but we're already together at the top ready to tackle the next challenge. And frankly, its fun to get angry. I remember our first day of hills on Tuesday when I was having a rough time. Greg came up to me to help me along and keep me company. I asked him if he knew that I would never give up during the ride and he agreed. He said he knew I would just get angry enough to beat anything and its true. Plus as long as you're projecting the anger on the road, I see to harm in it. Ultimately, climbing hills is a very rewarding experience because at the top you can look back in awe and realize that what you just accomplished is tangible. That's all for now. I think I'll try to sneak in a nap before we get a great dinner graciously provided by Greg's aunt.
To capital city
As we rode into Washington, DC today, the team members were excited to see the city not only because of its awesome monuments, but also because it is the location of one of our rest/event days tomorrow! This will give the riders a chance to relax and unwind after the last 340 miles this week.On our way into DC, we got to ride through many bike paths leading into the city which was very relaxing to get out of traffic and closer to some wildlife.Our stay over tonight is at Westminster Presbyterian Church. So far we have had some wonderful conversations with some community members involved with the church, including a wonderful lady who spoke with us about her daughter riding from Washington DC to San Francisco in 1998 for a very similar cause.Our stay over does not have showers but a team member of ours made a quick thinking phone call to a local swim club called the Waterside Fitness and Swim Club and got us the presidential treatment with showers with hot water, shampoo, and even a sauna.So far Washington DC has proven to be our light at the end of our rainy, hilly tunnel. Come Friday when we start heading towards the Appalachians, we will be able to hit it refreshed and energized, all while smelling much better than we did earlier today.
Climb in the rain yay!~
Waking up in Newark, Delaware at 6am to see mountains and rain as we were preparing for our 80 mile ride was frightening to say the least. The breakfast at Salem United Methodist Church got spirits up as we enjoyed their morning company and loaded up on their generous amounts of food. The team then attacked the day head on as we embarked towards our stay over in Baltimore, Maryland.Being our first day of serious hill climbs at an overall elevation of 2000 feet, it was as if the terrain were preparing us for the impending Appalachian Mountains in the near future. Not only did the day test our climbing skills, but it also tested our logistical skills as well. Around 60 miles into the ride, there was a train crash that caused a large explosion that blocked off several roads going into the city. The I4K groups of riders were forced to get into the city using detoured routes. All riders arrived safely and not far behind schedule, but our thoughts continue to go out to any that were involved in the crash.Our stay over in Baltimore was beautiful. The church was welcoming and had some much appreciated ice water waiting for us. We were even able to do some laundry. Instead of our usual spaghetti and lentils we had some wonderful left overs from the several generous host in previous stay overs.
Potentially 4kLeaks!
Doing a cross country trip is not a easy thing, but writing a blog is more difficult for me. As the most creative sleeper in the team 2011 (who sleeps at the most funny and weird places), I want to do something new and creative. Here is my 4kLeaks plan:
I admit that I am a terrible writer (you can see that from all the articles I skipped, wrong spelling, wrong choice of word, and wrong propositions). Blogging for me sometimes is more difficult than climbing Mt Pleasant. In 2011, I only posted one blog after receiving several howlers 
from the team directors. But hey I did contribute a lot to the photo gallery for team 2011 (104 out of 108 yes I counted http://illini4000.org/gallery/2011/?picasaViewAlbumId=Illini4000NewYorkCityToSanFransisco,0).
So for team 2013, I will keep posting photos (when the internet is accessible). But instead of taking random pictures (which I will still do), I want you to decide what I shall post here. I will make a post for each state to collect ideas before we enter that state. It can be anything such as "I4k VS weather" for S Dakota, or "bad table manner" for all states. Please leave comments below if you have a thought. I will select one or more ideas from your comments. After each state I will not only post the pictures in the photo gallery, but also write a blog to tell stories behind pictures that I like.I4K is such a great organization. We ride, eat and sleep together for a single goal: A world in which cancers are curable. We share our good wishes through our hard ride. Please support us and donate to us!
We are on the road now :D
Four states in three days
New York- New Jersey- Pennsylvania- Delaware. Three days ago we started in Central Park and we have covered three states since! Which means four states in three days. Tomorrow we'll be entering Maryland! It seems like I've been away from home forever already and I no longer am aware of what day of the week it is. I'm going to try to give a brief overview of the past three days!I've had more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in recently than probably in my whole college career.
I dipped my back tire into the Atlantic Ocean!
Okay so I know that is only two pictures and is not really a brief overview, but it really covers a lot of ground. Our stayovers have been more than generous and I feel so blessed! We've been biking a ton and I can't wait for what's to come!
A short ride
Today we woke up in Philadelphia and rode 40 miles to Newark, DE. The 40 mile, day in the beautiful weather was a breeze compared to the previous two days of 70 miles. At our 20 mile halfway point we were met by team rider John Meehan’s dad Andy Meehan. Mr. Meehan rode his bike with us for the remaining 20 miles; it was nice to be able to enjoy our ride with a new face. After leaving Philadelphia at 8 we made it to our stayover at the Salem United Methodist Church by lunchtime. Our wonderful hosts not only met us with snacks upon our arrival, but took us to the YMCA for some much needed hot showers. We were all treated to Water-Ices, a sort of east-coast version of shaved ice. Their generosity led to a feast of Italian food for the entire team. The people at Salem United Baptist Church are more welcoming than we could have ever hoped for.The team made a new friend at the Glasgow YMCA near our stayover. We were approached by a woman who had recognized what we were doing and the cause we were doing it for. Once we got to talking with her, she introduced her daughter who was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of 6. Because of family history, this woman was familiar with the disease and recognized her daughter’s symptoms. She pushed for certain leukemia related tests to be done. It was from these efforts that doctors were able to catch her daughter’s leukemia early. That was 3 years ago, and for the past year her daughter has not needed a single treatment and is doing very well.Today we had nothing but wonderful interactions with people. We have been receiving all kinds of support in our ride so far. At the YMCA this story reminded us of why we ride. We are riding across the country searching for a cure, and the fact that we get to meet generous people like the people at the Salem United Methodist Church are just an added bonus.
North Brunswick to Philly
Today's ride was much more smooth than yesterday's. it started off with a motivational send off from the Sangankar and Thakkar families and a delicious breakfast. To top it all off, today was also one of our rider's 22nd birthday. We started the day by singing happy birthday to her. Following her birthday song, Jordan asked that we dedicated our ride to her grandmother, Linda, who passed away from cancer when she was in the seventh grade. This dedication was a great reminder of why we are doing this ride. Even though we may have been slightly sore after yesterday's ride, just an hour in the saddle and our muscles were loose. Not only was the weather warm and sunny today, but we also had a tailwind for the majority of the ride. The entire team really enjoyed themselves, and the day just flew by! To make things even better, our stay over (Calvary Methodist Church) prepared a delicious spaghetti dinner for us!
[Journal] Day 1; NYC, NY - North Brunswick, NJ
"People say the world is a rough place, and there should be someone to fix it.We say the world is full of gratefulness because we do what we truly believe in our heart."It has begun!We are 2013 Illini 4000.The weather was not necessarily pleasant, but that made a stronger bond among team members to stay together. I appreciate everything we have faced and got accustomed to learn and be cheered.There are so much I want to share about our host, and I would like to mention those great things separately.Every mile counts and every heart beat rhymes with what our spirit is meant to dream of.Thanks for your support and kindness!