Assistant Ride Leader's Log. Bike Date 42.15-07-04.22:45The past several days have all gone by in a blur of excitement and exhaustion. As we rode through Iowa and Nebraska on some of our longest days of Illini 4000, it was a strange blend of familiar flat land and unfamiliar large town spacing. We've completed 2 centuries and several 90 mile days since Rochester.Riding into Denver was a really cool experience. We started seeing the Rocky Mountains that morning after coming over a ridge and kept approaching those sleeping giants. Despite some bike path confusion as we rolled into Denver, everything ran smoothly.During our 2 rest days in Denver, I had the privilege of getting to go to Vail to see my family. My mom flew in to pick me up the night we arrived in Denver and I met up with my Aunt Stephanie and cousin Katie that night. Over the couple of days, I got to see my Uncle Bob and cousin Grant. I also had the pleasure of meeting the Womacks, some of my extended family. It was great spending those two days enjoying the beautiful weather, catching up with family, getting to know my newly met family, sleeping, and even riding bikes. I was so lucky to be able to spend that time with everyone and I really want to thank them for hosting me those couple days.Our first ride on fresh legs was a 6,400 foot climb from Denver, over Squaw Pass, and down to Idaho Springs. The idea of climbing a mountain was quite daunting, but my group and I learned through out the day that such a continuous climb simply just required perseverance. We stopped several times for both water and great conversations with people that were also out enjoying Squaw Pass, but we made it to the top after a slow 40 miles of climbing. Yesterday seemed to capture the essence of Illini 4000: you set out to tackle something you've never tried before, but take the time to appreciate the people and sights around you as you do it.Today I spent my first Fourth of July away from my family. It was really strange, but I also felt that I have a greater appreciation for the size and diversity of this country in terms of both geography and culture. My group and I hiked an additional 1,000 feet during our lunch stop in order to go play in some snow that hadn't melted yet. Definitely a first for me to play in snow in July. I was fortunate enough to catch a couple fireworks just before going to bed, which was an added bonus to a great day.From here, it seems like the rest of the trip is about to fly by. I intend to make a point of taking in as much as possible, because I know I'll blink and we will be in San Francisco.