Illini 4000

View Original

Five Days In

So far so good. I think everyone is starting to feel the 350+ miles we have pedaled so far. Although we are sore, we are constantly reminded of the reason for our journey between the hospitality we receive and the stories we hear. One woman we met just outside of Albany lost her nine year old son to cancer three years ago. Despite the tragedy, she created an organization dedicated to helping the community and families struggling with cancer in order to continue her son`s legacy. It was a truly inspiring story and one I though of constantly the next few days.Not only have we meet incredible people, but the team also sees some pretty amazing views. Riding through the foothills of mountains is breathtaking and the hard treck up the hills is often rewarded with a luscious view.Continuing to have a fun time with the team and getting to know all of the riders better. I could never do this without them, nor the support of friends and family. For example yesterday I had three flat tires and even though changing each flat was time consuming and difficult, it was fun with my riding buddies!Hope to write soon! Pray for wifi at more stayovers!