Days Until Departure: 1Days Until Pedaling: 4I have no shame in saying I have a type A personality. I love lists, keeping things organized, and being on time. I can get stressed easily because I'm a perfectionist, I am efficient, and I have a plan for every possible scenario. Between my planning and list making I've also become a very goal oriented person. Needless to say, when I began planning and prepping for 72 days with #I4K on the road my type A personality began to show in full force. I made a list of things to do and it looks a little something like this...THANK YOUSAn astounding 70 people helped by donating towards my fundraising, and an even larger network of individuals have given me support through words of encouragement and well wishes! THIS IS CRAZY! I cannot describe how amazing it is to know family and friends from Arkansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Texas, Iowa, Florida, Minnesota, Maryland, and California are all rooting for our cause and standing behind the 2015 Illini 4000 Trek Bike America Team. All of these people are the reason I am able to get up and go this summer to fully support a cause I'm passionate about. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! A huge thanks is also needed to all of those in my personal life that have listened to me talk about this upcoming adventure, sometimes daily, and put up with it. To my roommates (Kenzie, Katie, and Kristen) and to my family (Mom, Dad, Siblings, Callie), thank you. To the people at work who I was sad to leave but am already looking forward to seeing again (Stacey, Stephanie, Matt, and team), thank you. To the team I'm about to unite with and will keep me going all summer long, thank you in advance.PACKSlowly but surely I am chipping away at filling the giant backpack we were all given which will carry everything needed for the next two and half months. This is no small feat. Between clothes and shoes and toiletries I don't have a ton of room left, but my need and love for organization is helping quite a bit.GOALSMy best friend and her mom got me a journal to bring along with me this summer and I've already begun to fill the pages. I spent a decent amount of time considering what it was I was hoping to accomplish this summer, and I've narrowed it down to what I call the three D's:
- Detach -- When else in my life am I going to have the opportunity to do something as amazing as cycling from coast to coast in support of a cause as close to my personal life as it could be?! I don't want to miss a single second of it by being too plugged-in. I'll be updating this blog from time-to-time and I'll be posting photos, but for the next two and half months I've given myself the goal of detaching from screens and being fully in the moment.
- Document -- No matter how the day goes, I plan to write in my journal everyday. Whether it be a word, sentence, or novel that can remind me of something funny or a challenge I faced, I want to be able to look back and remember as much as I can from this experience.
- Demolish -- 4,519 miles on a bike is going to no doubt suck at various moments, but I want to CRUSH IT! I've given myself the goal of getting through these miles and giving it my all. I want to demolish the challenge that lay ahead.
One day until the train leaves for NYC and I feel like I still have so much to do! Time to write up a new list and begin crossing things off in anticipation of the most challenging and rewarding summer I'll have ever experienced.