Day 42: Doing dandy in Denver

Today was a rest day in Denver, Colorado! After many long rides in severe weather, we finally were able to catch up on the rest we so desperately needed. It was great to sleep in and not have a set plan for the day. The team spent the day running errands and relaxing. Some of us did laundry and and went to bike shops, while others went to coffee shops and hiked. One of the best things about rest days is that you can always find someone on the team that wants to do the same thing you do. Whether it’s relaxing or exploring you can spend the rest day the way you would like, which gives us the freedom to feel like normal college kids for a day! Today we also had an event with Primal (company that designed our jerseys). It was so cool meeting the team that created the uniform we wear each day. They also made us BBQ food and had a fun game of human foosball set up for us. We played against one another and even got sprayed by a super soaker if we stepped outside of our space! It was a great way to spend the afternoon.

A special thanks to Rita for making the team tacos for dinner! Another shoutout to Jinji Cycles (a bike shop in Denver) for being an incredible help to some riders who had some pretty serious bike problems. It is bike shops like these that create a community amongst cyclists. If you are in the Denver area, check them out as they are the best help you can find for all things bike related!!
http://jinjicycles.com/
~Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count: n/a
Song of the day: I get jealous -Chromeo
Memorable moment: The group that went hiking was amazed to see a sneak peak of the mountains we will be climbing!

Day 41 and 42

Hello world!

We out here in Denver, CO livin it up! Arrival to the city was a little hairy. We faced a 97 mile day, but by mile 60 we had to call it quits because it was too toasty out there. Biking with strong winds and 108 degree heat index… I’d rather not.

A nice lady was kind enough to open her garage to the team so we were able to seek out some shade. She also had 2 Rottweilers that were adorbs. They really helped pass the time while we waited for shuttlefest 2k18.

The night going into Denver, 8 of us went to a Chromeo concert (Canadian based techno/funk/dance music) at the one and only Red Rocks Amphitheater!!! The concert was boat loads of fun and the venue is absolutely gorgeous.

Today we had a rider event at the headquarters of Primal, the company that designed our jerseys. They showed us around the office and gee, I love it there!! The workers are all so relaxed and chill, and the work environment is right up my alley and the aesthetic is on point! After a little tour of the place, they fed us burgers and brats, and we played some human fooseball soccer which was a blast.

My favorite thing there was a quote I found on a wall that said, “We worship at the temple of raw, wild fun. That sacred place where time stands still or stretches into infinity.” I thought this quote was awesome and resonated very well with this incredible trip that were on.

Tomorrow we take on some serious wild fun. We have 45 miles with 4000+ feet of climbing. I’m a little terrified for going uphill for so long but it should be fun.

Happy Friday, y’all.

Marge

Day 41: What a day in Denver

What a day to be in Denver!!! Today the team was suppose to ride 97 miles but due to extreme heat and wind we only rode 60 of the 97. We started the day early again thinking it would help us to avoid the heat. The weather forecasted 99 degrees by 10 am. When we arrived at the first rest stop everything was good but by the second rest stop at 40 miles people were really starting to feel the heat. Colorado is extremely dry so riding through the wind was like riding through a hair drier. I knew it was hot but I was barely sweating, meaning I was dehydrated. No matter what the team drank, everyone was still extremely thirsty within minutes of chugging their water! To make matters more challenging there was a strong wind that created a small dust tunnel. Because of all these things our ride leader made the call that is was unsafe riding conditions. We got to stay in a nice women’s garage while we waited a few hours for the shuttle process. In the end we fit 13 bikes and 13 people in the van. When we arrived at the church Caroline’s family (who is visiting in Denver) had food waiting for us and it was the best thing ever after such a hectic day. Special thanks to them for their generosity and help on a stressful day! For the rest of the night some people on the team went to a concert at red rocks and others had dinner with some 2014 Alum. The 2014 alums Christy and Anne brought us a ton of snacks and it was great to exchange stories with them about their ride! Thanks 2014 team again for the snacks!

I would like to thank Christ Church United Methodist for being our host tonight! The ride dedication was for Mike’s friend Lukas who battled Leukemia.

Tomorrow we have a rest day in Denver, which we are all looking forward to after several long and hot rides.

~Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count: 0
Song of the day: Hot in Here -Nelly
Memorable moment: climbing a hill and seeing the Rockies for the first time

Day 40 – updated

Hello world!

Yesterday was another roaster. We were biking in 95 degree weather which I don’t recommend.

Good thing was that the headwinds only last for 20-30 miles or so, so the last 65 ish miles we were hangin out. The heat meant more rest stops so it felt like the day dragged on a little bit but nothin you can really do about that.

Biking through Easter Colorado is not what I expected it to look like… very dry, too many bad smelling cows to count, corn, wheat farms, and a lot of open grassland. You kinda get used to it a little, but I’m ready to get outta dodge and head on over to DENVERRRRRR baby!

Today is the day!! I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time now. In fact, 8/9 of us are headed to Red Rocks for a concert this evening (after the 97 miles)!! Call us an ambitious bunch but I think it’s going to be an experience for the books.

With that, the next blog post for day 41 probably won’t be until later so bear with me!

Catch y’all on the flip side.

Marge

P.S. – Yesterday was June 27th which marks my dad’s 1 year and 4 month anniversary of his liver-kidney transplant. I decided to dedicate the ride to him in celebration. Congrats pops, keep on chuggin!

Day 40: Colorado is a desert?

Today the team rode 88 miles from Wray to Ft. Morgan, Colorado. We changed into mountain time but decided to continue our normal wake up routine to beat the heat. We were up at 4:45 am and out and on the road by 6:30. Before we hopped on the road the team recreated the Harlem shake (a dance craze from a few years ago). This was part of the mosher and will be on our Facebook soon! The cool morning was nice while it lasted but, man oh man did it get hot! The forecast predicted the temperature to be in the hundreds. You could say we got lucky as the high was only 99. The route today however was a breeze, not many hills and we were on the same road again for pretty much the whole day. The conditions weren’t in our favor with headwinds making it difficult at times, but we got rewarded with tailwinds for the last 20 miles! I haven’t been to Colorado but the scenery has yet to change much from Nebraska. We haven’t seen many hills and everything is much drier that our easterly states. This part of Colorado isn’t the stereotypical mountains, it is arrid so it took many of us by surprise. We got in today with just enough time to try out a local ice cream shop and rest up for another long day tomorrow.

I would like to thank the United Methodist Church for hosting us tonight and providing us with a delicious pasta dinner! The ride dedication for the day was for Maggie’s dad who had a liver and kidney transplant a little over a year ago.

~Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count: 1
Song of the day: Forever -Chris Brown
Memorable moment: Attempting to teach the freshman to pose in a fierce manner.. they’ll catch on someday hehe
P.S we met a lady at the 7-11 today who paid for all of our groups snacks, her name was Theresa and she was wonderful! If you are reading this thank you so much!

Day 39: Made it all the way to Wray

Today the team rode 92.2 miles from Mccook, Nebraska to Wray, Colorado! After a hard century yesterday the team was feeling run down. Fortunately today didn’t have much climbing but it did have great views of the valleys in Nebraska. We even rode past a marina which was very beautiful and confirmed that Nebraska was cooler than we thought! We were on one road pretty much the whole day which allowed everyone to talk and relax without having to worry about cues. Today was HOT and SUNNY (shoutout to my sunburn). It finally felt like summer weather today, let’s hope it keeps up! Today we got to take pictures with three state signs (Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado). It is insane to think that we biked all the way from NYC to Colorado.

I would like to thank the Wray community center for hosting us tonight! Also thank you to 4th and main downtown grille for the delicious donation of food! The ride dedication today was for Aaron’s grandmother.

~Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count: 1
Song of the day:
Memorable moment: Ryan’s claim to fame during his solo dance at the rest stop

Day 39

Hello world!

Onward and upward… we have officially crossed the Colorado border! It was quite steamy today, but thoroughly applied sunscreen and tried to stay hydrated. Also, tailwinds were a huge help! Unexpected but much needed.

Today was the day… we paid Kansas a quick visit. Nothing special and kinda upset I didn’t see a yellow brick road but hey, we’ll get em next time.

Crossing the Colorado border wasn’t the biggest change of scenery, but it was revitalizing and felt like a huge accomplishment. Only 3 days until Denver!

Me and my butt can’t wait for that rest day. Trying to wait patiently. Hopefully my friends Chamois butter and Vaseline will get me through.

Au Revoir !

Marge

Day 38

Hello world!

106 miles… We put in W O R K today. It was an all around battle with the wind, rain, and how far we had to go. I think I was in another dimension because I was extremely slaphappy and very giggly, but with a little help from my friends, we pulled through. We’re alive and we’re keepin it together folks (barely).

I must say, I’m so thankful that this is our last night in Nebraska. Even though the views in eastern Colorado won’t be much better than what we have now, I’m ready for a change of pace. Most importantly, I truly don’t like Nebraska drivers… they are rude and inconsiderate, sorry if I’m offending anyone but boy oh boy they don’t mess around out here!!

My butt hurts but that’s just the way life goes. When you sit on a bike seat for longer than your average work day, what else could you expect??

Another long day for tomorrow… somewhere in the 90s I think but don’t quote me on that.

It’s late, imma hit the hay now.

Marge

Day 38: What’s Mccookin good lookin?

Today the team rode 105 miles from Kearney to Mccook, Nebraska. This morning we were all treated to french toast made by chef Matt. It was a great way to start the morning and set up good vibes for the day. Similar to our last century ride, it started off cold and rainy and continued to rain on and off all day. We got to ride through the hilly parts of Nebraska which were beautiful and like nothing I had ever seen before. Golden hills that contrasted with green hills and a bright blue sky with puffy clouds, you just can’t beat it! A lot of people said that today was one of the most challenging days. I think the combination of many miles, rain and hills left the team exhausted and ready for bed! My group pushed through by singing songs and telling stories. P.S today is day 38 which means we are halfway through the ride!

I would like to thank the YMCA for hosting our team tonight! The ride dedication was for Karen, a women that some teammates met yesterday at Walmart who was a cancer survivor.

~Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count: 1
Song of the day: Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
Memorable moment: A group stopped at an RV that was decorated like the Scooby Doo van. They met the owner and even got a picture.

Day 37

Hello world!

Just another day in Nebraska! When I think ofnor ride today, I think of 2 stops that my group made. First, we stopped to take pictures with pet Alpaca. Second, we took a detour after lunch to a dog park and pet random peoples doggos. It made me miss my own pup Hildy!

Sam hooked the team up with donations from B-Dubs (Buffalo Wild wings) and another local place for pulled pork sandwiches!! Life is better with free food :)

Tomorrow we have yet another century ride duh duh duhhhhh. Rumor has it we might go through Kansas?? Not really sure about that one… I’ll have to keep an eye out for the Wicked Witch of the West on her bike when we enter her territory.

Eek. Wish us luck!

Marge

Day 37: Great day in Kearney

Today the team rode 83 miles from York to Kearney, Nebraska! It was a lovely day to ride with clear skies and it was very sunny for the majority of the ride. My ride group passed the time by playing the question game and talking about I4K prom. It was so fun to have full conversations today as the shoulder left enough room for us to ride two by two. Some groups stopped to take pictures with llamas and hay bails that we saw along route! We also had an awesome rest stop at an ice cream shop/ garden center. Day 37 you were a good one!

I would like to thank First United Methodist Church for being our hosts today. I would also like to thank Buffalo Wild Wings for donating 100 wings and Skeeter Barnes for donating pulled pork sliders. It was an incredible dinner and we are so thankful. The ride dedication was for a man some girls met yesterday while decorating the van. He was a bladder cancer survivor.

~Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count: 2
Song of the day: Black Bird
Memorable moment: Singing call outs in a musical like way. Then calling it I4K the musical! It’s dorky things like these that pass the time and create lasting memories.

Day 36

Hello world!

Day 36 has come to a close! Today’s route was pretty scenic for the first 40 miles, but the last 20 were what we thought Nebraska would look like throughout the whole state… flat and ugly.

My group today took it nice and slow, stopping at a cool spot called the “Parade of Flags” as well as an antique shop in the small town of Steward, Nebraska. I even got a free Webkinz (those once overpriced stuffed animals that you paid 25+ dollars just to play the video game online) so that was somethin!!

PSA – the Tiger Webkinz still remains nameless, so hit my line if ya have any good ideas.

We got back around 2:00 so we had a lot of time to relax. There was even a van decorating party! Shoutout to Kathy, Caroline and Alex for making it look rad.

83 miles awaits us tomorrow as we head from York to Kearney, NE.

Say a prayer that the wind will take a chill pill for days to come.

That’s all I got for tonight.

Sweet dreams.

Marge

Day 36: The new York

Today the team rode 61 miles from Lincoln to York, Nebraska. It was another smooth ride with a small amount of rolling hills in the first 20 miles and flat for the rest of the day. The weather today was PERFECT! Bright blue skies with fluffy clouds and miles upon miles of green corn fields. A few groups stopped in a small town called Seward, where they discovered some thrift shops and small shops with very friendly people. We also saw the parade of flags there. One group even saw a train with 126 cars. Today’s mosher was to switch names with someone for the day, it ended up causing a good amount of confusion.

For dinner we got Pizza Hut and Valentino’s! We also got Dairy Queen for a treat which was amazing on such a hot day. Later at night a group of us watched Shrek. Shoutout to Kathy, Alex and Caroline for decorating the van. It looks incredible!(look out for pictures on Facebook) I would like to thank the First United Methodist Church for hosting our team tonight.

The ride dedication today was for Mike’s friend Tucker who passed away from leukemia yesterday.
~Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count:0
Song of the day: Allstar -Smashmouth
Memorable moment: The team bonding over our love of Shrek and its soundtrack

Day 35

Hello world!

Today was chill vibes. We arrived safely in Lincoln Nebraska before 3:00 as we only had 63 miles today. It was a nice way to ease back into riding after the rest day.

We rode on a trail for most of the day which was nice. Only downfall of it was the mud and density of the trail from all the rain. It felt like we were biking in quicksand and weren’t able to move forward :(

Despite that, the trail was very pretty! Nebraska is surprisingly hilly and the greenery out here is on point. Another state reminding me of the rolling hills and farmland of the motherland, Ireland.

We had the party bumpin at the stayover tonight! Pool, air hockey, ping pong, fooseball, hacks sack, and my favorite… dancinggggg!

10/10 would recommend First Free Church.

As the Irish would put it, it’s good craic!

Marge

Day 35: Jammin in Lincoln

Today the team rode 63 miles from Omaha to Lincoln, Nebraska. The morning was very cool and overcast but eventually it warmed up and turned out to be a great day for riding. The team rode on bike trails for a good majority of the ride and conquered hills for the other portion of the day. Everyone was very thankful to have a shorter ride after several long days!

I would like to thank the First Evangelical Church for being our hosts for this evening. We had a lot of fun playing ping pong, air hockey and pool! Matt also made a delicious stir fry for the team which upped our pasta and lentil game!

Today the ride was dedicated to Amy’s and Carrie’s grandmother who was diagnosed with cancer yesterday with pancreatic cancer. Amy and Carrie were our gracious hosts the last few days in Omaha.
~Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count: 1
Song of the day: love on top -Beyonce
Memorable moment: Jamming at the church and showing off our dance moves ;)

Day 34

Hello world!

Today was a very mellow day which was much needed. Woke up around 10:00 and the group I stayed with made a quality b-fast… eggs, bagels, apples, orange juice, leftover guac… what more could a gal asked for??

We had a field trip to Target where I was able to buy replacement shades for mine that were all scratched up… woot.

We met some of our other teammates downtown for lunch and walked around, popping into some cute antique and vintage shops. I really dig the Omaha vibe. Not what you’d expect here! I wouldn’t mind coming back again for a visit in the future!

The night ended with dinner at one of the host’s houses followed by a very entertaining game of Scategories back at Deb and Jerry’s. I always forget how fun that game is, even though I’m very bad and get VERY creative with my answers… whoops!

Tomorrow we’ll be back in the saddle again, cruisin over to Lincoln, NE. Only 60 something miles. Call it a treat!

Arrivederci.

Marge

Day 34: Omaha is more than just Buffett

Today the team rode 0 miles as it was our rest day. Although, with our group it’s more of an off day than a rest day, as we always enjoy sightseeing. Today was spent exploring downtown Omaha which is very nice with quirky vintage stores and tons of great restaurants. We had a delicious lunch and enjoyed looking at some of the eclectic shops that almost everyone bought souvenirs from. Everything in Omaha seems fairly new and it impressed me! We had a group dinner at Amy’s House (one of the hosts). It was really good to see everyone after the team spent its first day not all together. Amy’s house was only four down from Warren Buffett’s, so that was pretty cool! Overall it was a really nice rest day and I enjoyed exploring all Omaha has to offer.

A special thanks to Amy for coordinating all our stay overs for Omaha.The hosts have been nothing short of lovely. It has been so wonderful to stay with them and we appreciate all they have done to make our stay great! I can now confirm that “Nebraska kind of nice” is a thing.

Tomorrow it is back on the saddle as we make our way to the capital, Lincoln.
~ Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count: N/A
Song of the day: Nebraska – Bruce Springsteen
Memorable Moment: Getting Cone and Flour ice cream! It was seriously some of the best ice cream I have ever had :)

Day 33

Hello world!

Another day, another century ride, another border crossed! The team has finally made it to Omaha, Nebraska.

Looking at the weather radar yesterday morning, everyone kind of had the mentality that we were going to shuttle the 104.5 miles. Luckily (or not so luckily) the bad storms held off and we were able to bike the entire way, even though the rain was harsh at some points. We faced a lot of hills and 4800 feet of climbing but it was well worth it. I even beat my record speed by 1 mph, so now we’re at 38.7 :)

Today marks our 5th rest day of the trip. No big plans for the day but I’m excited to not sit on a bike seat!!

The stayover sitch is a little different this time ‘round. The team is split up between 7 different houses. Each house has 2-6 riders.

Deb and Jerry are hosting me, Aaron, Caroline, and Liz. They are awesome! We had nice home cooked meal with beef, pasta salad, awesome dessert, and… GUAC!!! Mi favorito :)

I’ll be posting tonight after the festivities of today, so check back later tonight!

L8er G8er.

Marge

Day 32

Hello world!

This is Liz, in for Maggie today! She’s letting me guest blog for Day 32 since it was a good one for me today!

Today we were going a nice 61 miles from Fort Dodge into Carroll, Iowa. We started the day off a little late today because of the weather, so we took a long breakfast this morning at our stayover. Once the rain let up a little, we were able to start off right around 8:30 AM. Unfortunately, I had a little bit of a stomach bug at first in the morning so I spent the first half in the van. We got some good tunes going though so it ended up being a pretty good time! I rode the last bit into Carroll through some headwinds but with some nice views of the countryside. 

This ride was important for me because my dad is from a small town about 15 miles outside of Carroll, so it was great to come through here. I dedicated the ride today to a family member who has battled with breast cancer twice in the past. I went with a few friends out to my dad’s old town (Westside, Iowa- population 305!) and got to look around a bit. It was pretty neat getting to talk to some people who knew my grandparents even though they haven’t lived there for almost 20 years! Might be a little biased, but Iowa has definitely been one of my favorites so far. People have been so nice to us here! Sad to be leaving tomorrow. 

Signing off!

Liz

Day 33: Singing in the rain to Omaha

Today the team completed our longest ride yet, 105 miles from Carroll, Iowa to Omaha, Nebraska!!!! The day started out with many doubts of us even completing the ride. With thunderstorm predictions all day, our odds were slim for having a smooth ride. Thankfully only scattered showers made an appearance for our ride. Today’s views were beautiful, but whoever said Iowa doesn’t have hills could not be more wrong. Rolling hills for miles and miles were seen on our ride today. The majority of the first half consisted of climbing and then descending on the rolling hills. Of course we also had to end our day the I4K way by climbing a steep hill into the stayover tonight, hehe.

I would like to thank all of our hosts tonight for opening up their homes to us. A relative of a past rider (Alia) arranged for us to all stay at different homes of people that she knows so that everyone of us is able to sleep in a bed! I will get a good night’s sleep for sure tonight!

The ride dedication today was for Kathy’s friends mom who had ovarian cancer.

Tomorrow will be another rest day for the team! I’m excited to relax and recuperate after all the miles we put on the road this week!

~Tailwinds~
Mandy

Flat count: 0
Song of the day: Singing in the Rain
Memorable moment: Sofie putting on her rain jacket just in time for the rain to abruptly stop. This happened a total of three times, with each one getting more and more suspicious and Sofie getting more and more annoyed hehe