after leaving washington d.c. we have spent most of our time in pennsylvania.  tomorrow will be out last day in pa as we head into cadiz, ohio.  the last few days have been a challenge for everyone in terms of the hills we have been climbing, which have provided a stark contrast to the level land of illinois where we trained during the spring.  however, everyone has definitely been pulling through, under both the hot sun and the gray skies that gave us our first dose of rain the other day.

part of the reason why everyone seems to being doing so well is, i'm sure, very much due to how much support and generosity we have been recieving from all of our stayover hosts as well as others that we have met along the way.  the hospitality at each of our stayover locations has gone above and beyond what any of us had expected.  a think a number of us had a menu consisting mainly of pb&j in mind when we signed up, but we have been served delicious and filling meals almost everyday from the church and community members.  in addition, we have been able to interact with cancer survivors who volunteer time to share their experiences and give us a greater understanding of the purpose behind each day of riding. 

one thing that has surprised me since beginning the ride is what i end up spending my time thinking about as i ride.  before beginning i expected that i would have plenty of time to think about ideas that i have not thought all the way through and maybe even have some kind of epiphany.  however, i usually find myself thinking about the road in front of me and communicating with my team mates that i am riding with that day -- both of which are very important.  maybe as the scenery changes from tree-topped mountains to long stretches of corn fields on either side of the road, my thoughts will drift elsewhere and will no longer be strictly about the bike.