Our first day riding in California was truly a memorable one. The views and downhills were absolutely breathtaking. The downhill views rivaled that of Chamberlain, SD. The climbs were tough, but we had a great group. Myself, Ben, John, Kara, Heather, and Maddy made a great, fun team. There was a lot of up and down in the ride. In the last twenty miles, I had a little fall that took me to the emergency room in Placerville, CA. A small chin laceration and a hairline fracture in my jaw were the result of the fall, which led me to a few days riding in the van to heal. Unfortunately, I did not get to do a lot more riding in the last week. I did join in on the coastal fun. I joined a group of girls in the last 20 miles into the Sonoma Coast. It was freezing along the coast. It was bittersweet knowing we were so close to the end of the ride, with just a few days left and only about 100 miles between us and the Golden Gate Bridge. I decided to ride the entire ride into San Francisco, and I am so glad I did! It was a nice ride. Though getting to the bridge and into the Bay area was so cold. I couldn't believe it at all. We all made it to the bridge and took a lot of pictures before heading over to Baker Beach, where family, friends, and champagne were awaiting our arrival. The San Francisco Illini Club awaited our arrival, as well with a great lunch. We really appreciate it!After our arrival there, Heather, Elyssa, and I headed to our hotel room. It was so nice to nap and shower in such a nice place. We then headed out to get some real clothes and get cleaned up for our awesome dinner at Lou's Fish Shack on Fisherman's Wharf. It was so nice to see all of our friends in new clothes and eating awesome food, enjoying ourselves together. I realized how lucky I am to be a part of this group and how we will share this bond and these memories for the rest of our lives!