Indiana might not suck afterall

Riding in Indiana is easy, since its flat, but boring, because Indiana consists of pretty much nothing but corn and Indianapolis.

Tonight I write you from Greenwood, a south superb of Indy and home of the Dan Bartholomew, one of our riders.  The family couldn't of been nicer to us.  After a 95 mile ride yesterday, we all came in prety frustrated from some routing issues from the last 30 miles or so.  As I was walking in, I was shown the largest bottle of Jack Daniels I have ever seen in my life and my attitude took a complete 180... After a great dinner and a few drinks we went to get some ice cream, for free, at a ice cream place that also had karaoke (weird, I know).  Me and another rider, Issac, brought the place down with an amazing and awkward rendition of Backstreet Boys "Everybody" that even David would be proud of.  After the Karaoke, we returned to find that riders who didnt go for ice cream had found karaoke of their own on the familys living room TV.  Many more drinks, singing, and hilarity ensued- Good to get some toxins in the body.

As I type this, I'm watching the Day the Earth stood still.  Keanu Reeves makes a better cop than an alien

The rest day today was sweet- just what I needed.  Slept in and awoke to some sausage gravy and biscuits, which were super good.  Got in some good reading (I've been working on Watchmen) for a few hours.  Then I got in a long run, 10 miles or so, which was nice.  Took a dip in a pool.  Had a swimming race with Saebin-lost.  Watched a movie- Big Fish, which I'd never seen.  Then, we all got taken out to an awesome dinner at this Mexican restaurant.  I got the "Special Dinner"- a myriad of mexican food items... Some more chillin tonight, some ice cream, and no Keanu Reeves is convincing the president of the US that humans need to be eliminated. 

We have rotating team duties- pack the van, wake up, cooking, team blogging, change diapers, thank you cards, etc.  We all have partners.  I'm with Ms. Megan Mcdermont, a lovely gal, to say the least.  We make a pretty good team.  Anyways, no duties for us for the next 3 days... Lookin forward to seein everyone in Champaign on Tuesday.

Good to Relax

After 10 straight days of riding, including over 200 miles in the last two days, we got a rest day.  Yesterday the group passed the 1000 mile mark for the trip.  This is exciting because it means we are about 1/4 of the way done.  I can't believe how fast everything is going along.  We are staying at Daniel Bartholomew's parents' house in Greenwood, Indiana.  The Bartholomews have provided us with so much food and hospitality that I think we may be a little spoiled the rest of the trip.  Yesterday I had a surprise visit from my girlfriend Kelsey and her brother Jared.  It was really nice to see Kelsey, especially since it will probably be the last time I see her until August.  I also really appreciate Jared making the long drive with her.  After doing some work on my bike today, I think I am ready to hit the road again in the morning.

Hangin Out In Indiana

So today was our first rest day in ten days and boy was it nice. Once the team rolled in yesterday from Richmond, IN everyone took a well-deserved load off swimming in the pond and having fun with the paddleboats. One of the rider's family put the team up for two nights, keeping us well-fed and very clean which we totally appreciate. Some of the team, myself included, indulged in the swimming pool across the street, a great treat after two weeks of riding.

My family even made the trip down to grab some dinner with cousins who live in Indianapolis and that was really nice of them, so thanks you guys and see you in Chicago!

Another good note, we have ridden over 1,000 miles! It feels really weird actually to be in Indiana all ready, but at the same time I feel very accomplished. One other good thing to mention is that we rode over two hundred in only two days! I didn't ever really think that I could do all this, but taking it one day at a time sure does help and having such a great team of people riding alongside me everyday is more than a rider could ask for.

1K down, 3K to go

It's kind of daunting to start this blog after two weeks on the road., so I'll start with some simple things I've done and seen since we began the ride May 30.We've biked some 1,000-odd miles since that morning in Central Park when we all ate Captain Crunch, huddled around a water fountain and waiting for that moment when we'd all reset our odometers and start pedaling toward the George Washington Bridge, toward Hillsborough NJ, toward Portland, and most of all into the unknown. These days only two things are certain: we will bike west, and we will eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. As the days wear on, though, that unknown has become familiar, and the miles have begun to melt away behind us.We've scaled and descended (and scaled and descended, and scaled and descended, and scaled...) the Appalachian Mountains. More than any other obstacle on this trip, the Appalachians loomed large for me, but they weren't nearly as bad as I had expected. That's not to say they weren't hard - oh yes, we had a few tough days. I can't say I was in top form before the ride, and the nearest thing I'd seen to a mountain this spring was a highway overpass, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect of a proper mountain range. In my worst nightmares, I would be climbing a wall for miles on end until my knees buckled or my heart gave out. The truth wasn't quite as bad, though in central PA there were a few hilly passes that must have been built by some sadistic civil engineer - each bend in the road seemed to be the summit, but around each corner lay an impossibly steeper stretch of road to climb. Of course, what goes up, must come down, and tearing down a mountainside at top speed is one of the most ludicrously satisfying things I've ever done. On one of the steeper descents, I clocked myself going (Mom, skip to the next paragraph) 49.5 mph. Now that we've hit Indiana the terrain has pretty much leveled out, and though the 80-mile days through the mountains would tear me down by dinner time, I miss the challenge of the hills.We've ridden a century (100 miles), plus 8 more miles for good measure. Two weeks ago that seemed a laughably long distance to try to ride a bike, but Friday we did it, Zanesville OH to Richmond IN (I think, the days start to blend together now) in a single shot. Aside from this ride as a whole, that century ride might be one of the most incredible things I've done, on a bike or otherwise.More than the biking, though, people have impressed me. The, churches, and families that have hosted us have been incredibly generous, opening their doors to us and lavishing food on 23 ravenous cyclists. As we sit in traffic awaiting a green light, drivers who read the backs of our jerseys ("Riding 4000 miles for Cancer Research") will roll down their windows to hand us donations. Sometimes these people drive off before we can even properly thank them, but at water stops and pit stops we can engage strangers in a conversation about what we're doing and why we're doing it. One of my favorite parts of this trip has been seeing other people truly inspired by our ride, which they connect to for any number of reasons: because they have had a personal cancer experience, because we're young people getting out to see this country, or because they think we're crazy for even attempting the ride - and they like it. Riders, too, have been equally impressive. Like Isaac said the other day, we each bring our own stories and our own motivations to this trip, and we can draw strength and inspiration from our fellow riders.Otherwise, I've eaten half my body weight in ice cream and sleep eight hours a night. Life is good, and I look forward to the next 3K.-T

The Plush Life

Today I:

lounged indoors

lounged by a pool

ate a ton of food

lounged some more

it was a great day; quite literally the most rest I have had since last summer.

Day 15,16 - Corn and Karaoke

Richmond, IN to Greenwood, IN. Our last of the ten days in between rest days was another long one, this trip was scheduled to be 94 miles, and ended up being a very long day. We got lost multiple times and did the last 40 miles of the trip with no mileage on our cues, so we never had any idea how far away we were, and we kept getting flats and getting lost, so the ride was very frustrating.  The scenery was typical Indiana and Illinois, so nothing too exciting, and the roads at the end of the day were really bad, the potholes were on par with New Jersey, so that part was not very fun.  We ended up getting in at about 97 miles, and we are staying at the house of one of the riders, Dan Bartholomew in Greenwood IN.  Greenwood is a suburb of Indianapolis and the Bartholomew house is really nice, with a lake in the backyard, so some people got on the paddle-boats to cool off after the ride, and we were treated to a great dinner of burgers, brats and hot dogs last night.   We also went out last night to the local ice cream place, Mrs. Curls, and the owner bought all of us ice cream(which was delicious, thank you!!) and some of the team did karaoke at the ice cream place, and then we came back to the Bartholomew's, where the karaoke continued. 

The next day, today, is a rest day, so we are all currently sitting around hanging out, and I am trying to catch up on emails, some people are considering heading out to see a movie.  This morning, we were treated to a delicious breakfast of sausage gravy on biscuits, which most of the team had never had, but I was experienced in thanks to all the 3AM Merry Ann's stacks I've had.  This is the first day we are not either riding or visiting a hospital, so it feels good to have no plans and nothing to do for once.  I think we'll be in Urbana in two days, and Homewood two days after that, so I am excited for that, I can't wait to sleep in a real bed for once.  It will be weird after all these nights of sleeping on floors.

States traveled through:10 (NY,NJ,PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, OH, IN)
Distance today: 97 mi
Total Distance traveled:  1011 mi

Day 14 - Our first century!!

Columbus OH to Richmond IN.  Todays ride was the longest of the trip, a 109 mile ride that we were dreading all week.  The ride turned out to be much better than we expected though, we made it into our stayover in Indiana in record time, getting into the church by about 2:30 pm.  Our legs felt good and we averaged over 18 mph for the trip, which is pretty much unheard of, so we were very happy.  We will be traveling another 90 miles tomorrow, so we will have gone 200 miles in the last two days, a distance that will be 1/5th of our total distance in two days, which is weird to think about. 

States traveled through:10 (NY,NJ,PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, OH, IN)
Distance today: 109 mi
Total Distance traveled: 914 mi

Day 13 - Buckeye Driving

Zanesville, OH to Columbus, OH - 70 miles.  Today my knees were bothering me again but I was able to drive the van so that I could get a day to rest my knees before the two big days I know we have coming up.  I got lucky and was able to drive the van on a short day, so i didn't miss much, and also, the first half of the ride was pouring rain, so I was glad to be dry and warm in the van instead of having to deal with getting wet.  Driving the van was uneventful, just boring, and I really wanted to be out riding instead of sitting in the van doing nothing all day.  Our church in Columbus is nice, and our alumni had an amazing meal for us, I don't think I could have possibly eaten any more.

My tailwind

We have survived the Appalachian mountains, two centuries and riding 10 days without a rest day. Phew!

Things that have kept us/me going: pb&j, laughter, singing, generous people, stories, music, hugs, talking to people from home, cake, bagels, sleep, waving at people, playing, walks, kareoke, puns, making up, forgivness, being a giant, ice cream, moshers, wake-up music, scenery, Muscle definition, rolling hills, overcast days, experiencing greatness and smallness, crying, relief and bengay.

I don't know where to begin or where to end when writing about the ride but one thing I have learned is that living in the moment is the sweetest and also the hardest thing to do.

Also, 110 miles on flat land is a whole lot easier than 80 in the mountains, just in case you are wondering.

and I'm pretty speedy.

Best Stayover Ever

On the last day of our 10-day riding spree, the whole team rode out together from Richmond, IN for a much-anticipated rest day with the Bartholomew family in Greenwood. We've emerged from the mountains as stronger riders, and even after our epic 110 mile ride we were all feeling in great shape. With the miles slipping away effortlessly under our wheels in the flatlands, we were able to ride as a single pack most of the way for the first time.  We also finally rode a millennium, breaking 1000 miles.  When we finally arrived en masse at Daniel's house, we found a paradise awaiting us: a giant welcome sign, a tent with 22 beds in the back yard, a pond, and food already on the grill. This was certainly going to be the best stayover ever.

Immediately upon arriving, we headed straight for the pond and found two paddle boats. The only logical conclusion to unwind after a long day of riding was to hop in the boats and have an epic pirate battle. Other than pond piracy, highlights from the Bartholomew house include phenomenal (and free) ice cream at Mrs. Curl's courtesy of John Cassin, karaoke the likes of which have never before been seen in Greenwood (watch for a YouTube link soon), lounging on the patio or by the pond, unbelievable amounts of fantastic food, and more late-night karaoke with Mr. and Mrs. Bartholomew. The man has some pipes.

We slept in late on our rest day (8:30 is late these days), enjoyed biscuits and gravy for breakfast and passed the day watching movies, swimming in a neighbor's pool, and tuning up bikes for tomorrow when we must sadly leave this wonderland. Mr. and Mrs. Bartholomew treated the team to Mexican food and sundaes, putting a sweet cap on a sweet rest day. Tomorrow, we head out to Rockville, IN to find what surprises and gems await us next. Many thanks to the Bartholomews!

I thought I hated Indiana, but...

We practically just rode back to back centuries....

Indiana has surprise surprise: HILLS. And here I thought we were done with those until Wisconsin. It's okay though because we are much stronger now than pre-Appalachian passes.

Tomorrow is a rest day and it will be the first during which actual rest will take place. That is not to say that Greenwood is not a happening place...the karaoke in Dan's living room is quite exciting. But tomorrow will hopefully be spent  in a bathing suit for the majority of the day or under covers watching movies.

A century spent on a bike

Today marked my first 100+ mile ride. Actually, it was a 110 mile ride, but it seems that just getting beyond the 100 mile barrier is what is important. We have a 95 mile ride tomorrow, but for some reason it sounds easy, even though it's only a few miles shorter than today. 

Getting through today's ride was an intense experience. One I haven't felt since training for a marathon a couple of years ago. There's a different level between being in shape and going through a century. Your legs want to stop moving, and they ache differently than when trying to ride hard. Time moves in very weird ways. It was surprising how fast each water stop came up, but each mile after about 70 dragged on and on. Somewhere after lunch I began to crave meat. I can't tell you much about the places we rode by today, my focus wasn't on any of it. I'm pretty sure we passed an airport, and there was definitely some farm land, but other than that there's not much that I noticed. This morning we were in downtown Columbus, and it would be a hassle to drive as far as we rode.

I'm proud of myself for the ride today. I'm proud of the team for the ride today. I'm glad I was able to stay awake long enough to write this post.

In IN. Feeling better. Plan on...

In IN. Feeling better. Plan on riding tomorrow if all goes well. Rest day in Indianapolis the day after.

Made it to Richmond

The ride today was awesome.  I couldn't believe how easy we made it through 110 miles so easily.  Ben rode with us again and did a good job of pulling us through the first 60 miles or so and then we kept on pushin it through.  We made it in at 2:45, which was way earlier than I anticipated, beating the next group, which still is dubbed the fast group by over an hour.  We did run into a small problem with about 5 miles left when there was a bridge out, but we asked the construction workers if we could just walk our bikes down and across the creek and after they gave a very nonchalant response, we just did it. 

The weather was perfect for a long day.  Low 70's and cloudy.

Amazing meal and showers here today and the church that we are staying at has cable so I got two solid hours of ESPN in.  Its also nice because now I wont have to go out to watch the game.  I'm pretty sure there are only like 2 other guys who are interested in the game tonight, but noone will be watching anything else- I mean, c'mon, its Game 7.

I have a bad feeling the Pens are gonna win it.

I can't believe they were in 10th place like 3 months ago and the Sabres were in 4th or 5th in the East... I'm sure you all don't read this to hear my NHL commentary, but I'm sure I do better than that versus bozo Brian Engblom.  Brendan, you know the guy

Welcome to the Hoosier State

Today we rode 108 miles from Columbus, Ohio to Richmond, Indiana.  Everyone made great time today because there were virtually no hills or wind in our faces.  My group had a few problems; Zernyu had 2 flats and Daniel had a minor accident that left his pride bruised, but when we actually were riding we were doing over 20mph for the majority of the trip.  Today was not only the longest ride the group has done this year, but also the longest ride I have ever done in one day.  Surprisingly though, I feel really good, and believe I will be ready for tomorrow's 96 mile ride to Greenwood, Indiana.  After riding 108 miles, my group stopped in at Wendy's for some delicious, greasy, food and frosties.  After a long day of riding, it really hit the spot.

Day 12: Wet

Left Zanesville OH this morning with predictions of heavy rains. The weather reports were accurate and shortly after crossing the only Y shaped bridge in the world the rain began and didn't let up until shortly after we arrived in Columbus.

The ride was fairly easy, with only a few minor climbs and very few cues to follow. While the roads were wet, there wasn't a whole lot of traffic so we got to enjoy some of the foggy scenery without much fear of an accident. After we arrived in Columbus I took out my phone and found that it had somehow gotten wet in the plastic bag I keep it in, and while it could still receive and send calls, the screen was blank. Hopefully it dries out and comes back to life.

In the evening the Columbus Illini Club provided an amazing meal with a spread including sandwiches, fruit, cupcakes, cookies, drinks, etc. We were all thoroughly stuffed which we thank them for.

Tomorrow we head 110 miles to Richmond, Indiana but cool weather and an early start should make it no problem. I think most of us are really looking forward to the challenge and really really really looking forward to the rest day that follows it in Greenwood.

Torvtown USA

After a good amount of ice cream in Cadiz we were off to Zanesville, OH, a solid 65 mile or so ride.  We all got in pretty early.  I got in at around 1245ish and the whole group was in by 130 or so, which gave us a good amount of free time.  I got in a good run, maybe 9 miles or so, mostly along this trail along the river.  Then I went out with a few other guys and we found this awesome candy shop.  Once the woman there found out what we were doing (people always ask cause we all wear these obnoxious bright yellow/green shirts), she started really pushing the free samples on us.... soooo good.  A good meal last night at the church followed by a minor scare: we had to take one of the riders to the hospital cause he had a 103 degree temperature, but hes feelin a lot better today.

Todays ride was actually pretty nice, despite a steady downpour for the last 45 of a 55 mile ride.  It was mostly made sweet by the presence of Ben Torvik, my roommate for the last 3 years at Syracuse, who got a ride out to Zanesville early this morning and rode into Columbus with us.  Eventually we will reunite and live together again- forever.  We got in pretty early again, around noon.  Shot some hoops at the church, got a shower, and then went walkin around the city.  Tonight we have an event with the alumni association where there is supposed to be sweet food.  Everyone is dreading tomorrow: a 110 mile ride from Columbus to Richmond, IN.  It should be nuts.  keepin my fingers crossed for nice weather, no heat and no rain would be nice.

Until next time, Go Bills.

A Short But Rainy Day

Today we rode into Columbus, Ohio from Zanesville and the ride was pretty easy except for all the rain we got caught in. However, once we hit Ohio the mountains seemed to have disappeared for a while and now we are getting into the plains of the Midwest. And I am ready for them. It's crazy to think that we'll be in Illinois in 5 days!

We've met some really generous people so far in gas stations and ice cream stands that see our team jerseys and just tell us their cancer story or pull out all the money in their wallet to donate to our cause. It's really something to see. If there is one thing to believe in it's that there is good in all people if you look for it.

I think I'll end this one with a joke. Ok here goes (and it's kind of lame, but hey, jokes are good):

What's round on the end and high in the middle?

Ohio!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Today we had a short 55 mile ride to Columbus, Ohio.  The ride went very well, except for the 35 miles of rain we encountered.  The rain today was not that bad though, because it was pretty warm.  Tomorrow we ride 110 miles, all the way to Richmond, Indiana, so I hope the weather cooperates a little better.

Columbus was a Beast, with many friends, to say the least

The team woke up ready for a nice short 55 mile ride to Columbus.  Cloudy skies greeted us early and shortly into the ride, we were in a pretty steady downpour.  Luckily, the ride was short and the temperatures were mild enough to make it a decent ride. 

The entirety of the team arrived by early afternoon to our stayover at Broad Street United Methodist Church in downtown Columbus.  After some free time in the afternoon we received an amazing meal from the Columbus U of I Alumni with some amazing cupcakes provided by Mrs. Erikson, a mother of a former rider.

Tomorrow is gonna be wild.  We will encounter our first century ride, with a 110 mile ride to Richmond, Indiana, taking us across all of Ohio in two and a half days.  Though we will leave behind the beauty of the mountains of PA and rolling hills of Ohio, we are all looking forward to some flat rides through the cornfields of the Midwest.

Tune in next time.