Hello world!!Can you dig it that we actually made it to Chicago? On our bikes? From New York City? 1200 miles across mountains, hills, state lines, time zones, etc?! Its surreal but still so real.The last few days have been most special to us, I believe. We've made it out of the mountains and into the flat corn and soybean desert that we're most accustomed to. Rolling into Urbana was especially emotional. Just outside the town of Allerton, we approached an intersection that I remember asking drivers for directions during one of our first training rides. The ride after that was on familiar turf with a stop at Homer Lake, the site of our first training ride (in which 2 flats within 2 miles kept me put in Urbana and unable to finish the training ride). Riding with friends and I4k alums, Dana and Connie, was quite the trip but totally awesome.Rolling out of Urbana was sad and joyous. Having just graduated from U of I with no concrete plans for my life, that trip to Urbana may have been my last. Leaving a place I called home for the last 4 years was tough but it is time to move on and learn more about the world without the filter presented by a university. Peace out, UC.I am now in my childhood room in my house in Oak Park. Already did a load of laundry and in the process of washing my sleeping bag. Did you know that washing a down sleeping bag is a PAIN?! Those things weigh at least 80 pounds when they're wet and they probably never dry. We'll see what the dryer can do.Time to enjoy the rest day featuring some of my mom's cookin' and some good company! Salaam!