After a delicious pancake breakfast – prepared by the I4K ride leaders and directors – the various members of the Illini 4000 team set-off for various business establishments of Rapid City, SD. Some riders made their way to coffeeshops; others pedaled several miles to check out the new bikes at the local bike shops. Still others devoted their time to doing the team’s laundry (thanks Xixi and Andrea!), writing postcards home, and spelunking in a local cave.
However, out of all of these activities, one of the highlights of our 7th day–off was interviewing two local cancer survivors – Judy and Sheila -- as part of “The Portraits Project”, a program created by the Illini 4000 to document cancer’s influence on American Life in the 21st Century. By interviewing these two women, several members of our team had the opportunity to see first-hand how these two incredible women were able to get through their respective treatment programs. These interviews – along with tours of cancer centers across the country – have helped make the 2008 Illini 4000 Bike America Ride into an unparalleled learning experience.
Tomorrow: Mt. Rushmore & Wyoming!