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.
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.
110
Today the team had their longest ride ever of the summer. We finished the 110 mile journey from Columbus, Ohio to Richmond, Indiana. We were all pleasantly surprised by the ease with which we rode of the relatively flat terrain. After the ride, the team was greeted by te wonderful people of the First English Lutheran Church. They provided us with delicious hot food and great hot showers. Some of the riders took advantage of the cable TV to sustain their SportsCenter fix and are also excited to watch The Game tonight in the comfort of the Church.
Tomorrow's ride is a relatively shorter ride of 95 miles followed by the much anticipated rest day in Greenwood, Indiana.
Tune in next time.
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.
It's about time!!!
Today is a day that will go down in history! The world has been waiting. Time itself has slowed its relentless trip around the clock, in anticipation of this moment. Yes friends, the day has come. The wait is over. The blog has begun!
Hello from Zanesville, Ohio! I’ve never been much of a blogger before, but then again, I’ve never been much of a cross-country cyclist either… so let’s hear it for killing two birds with one stone, and, you’re just gonna have to bear with me.
Today was a pretty fantastic ride. Other than about 9 miles of drizzle, during the last leg of the trip, the weather was pretty calm and agreeable. The roads were smooth, and we continued to make our transition to, well, FLAT. We are leaving the mountains behind, and entering the world of pastures-a-plenty. I couldn’t be happier. I’m sure I will start to miss the gorgeous geography we have passed through after a few days of Midwest farmland, but, for right now, I am looking forward to a few weeks devoid of 12-degree inclines.
The trip so far has been full of such a broad range of emotions, challenges, realizations, experiences, and growth. I can feel my body changing mentally and physically, and I am starting to see the effect the trip is having on not only me, but also the people around us. I spoke a lot about bringing hope to those struggling with cancer, and inspiring those without to join in the fight against cancer with us before I left for this trip. And it’s really amazing just how those two aspects of the trip have come to fruition.
Shoot. I’m going to have to leave this first post here… The one problem with blogging is that you need the internet to do it, and the library where I have found free wireless, just announced that it will be closing in 10 minutes. I will continue my thoughts in my next post, ASAP. Hopefully I will find some Internet somewhere in Columbus Ohio.
I want to quickly thank all who have made this trip possible. I love you dearly, and I really want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can’t wait to see you, and share with you all I have gained and experienced on this trip!
To those of you in Chicago… I’ll see you soon! I can hardly wait. I’m quite literally shaking with excitement.
Ciao! For now!
OH-IO
Today's ride was pretty awesome, we rode 65 miles from Cadiz OH to Zanesville OH, and the weather stayed nice enough so that we could make it into our destination, the Central Presbyterian Church by about 1:30PM. We are also almost entirely out of the mountains, so it is nice to not have to worry about that for a while. I was telling my riding group today, I am glad we had those big mountains early, because all of these hills in Ohio seem like flat lands, they are so much easier to ride than the mountains from Pennsylvania. Matt S and Adam made today's ride especially fun, they spent the entire ride singing random songs and telling jokes, so they made the day go by much faster. The I4K likes to get our rides done, but having fun while we're doing it is always a huge plus, and I think this group is really coming together as a fun-loving unit.
Once we got into Zanesville, we just relaxed for a little bit, then, since we were there so early, decided to go catch a movie, and made it out to see The Hangover before dinner. The movie was pretty funny, not as amazing as I hoped it would be, but still very funny and well worth my $4.50. After that, the church made us dinner, another amazing meal of pasta, salad and tea, so I was nice and full by the time I headed to the library to write this up. I also want to give out some more thanks to the Ohioans who have been so kind in donating so far, I think we got $80 today alone in donations from random strangers who just wanted to learn about our trip and help us out, so it's been really amazing in the Midwest, it seems like everyone is so friendly and willing to help. I also got to talk to a few of my good friends in the last few days, so that was really great, and I'm so excited to be heading to Homewood in about a week where I will get to see all of them again!!
States traveled through:9(NY,NJ,PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, OH)
Distance today: 65 mi
Total Distance traveled: 795 mi
The Buckeye State
Today I find myself in Zanesville, Ohio. The ride to get here, although not extremely scenic, was one of the best so far. Rather than having to deal with urban drivers or mountains, we had a pleasant 65 mile ride over mostly rolling hills in rural areas. Zanesville has a bridge that is the intersection of 3 roads over 2 rivers, forming a "Y". According to locals it is the only "Y" shaped bridge in the world, or "the only bridge you can make a left on," as I have been told many times. I went to the post office today to mail some stuff home that I won't be needing, and the lady behind me in line gave me twenty dollars on the way out, just because she read the back of my jersey. I continue to find myself impressed with kindness and generosity that complete strangers have to been showing to all of us. I think it just goes to show how big of an impact cancer has had on so many people.
Its about time...
Today is day ? of the ride and I am just getting started on blogging. In my defense, it very well could be day 1. All the days and places we stay seem to blend into one mass of emotions and events that I will remember in the future as "I4k summer".
Anyway, back to the specifics. Today=Zanesville, Ohio which is famous for its "Y" bridge and not much else. A trip to the candy shop, however, would make a tourist happy to be here. The ride today has been my favorite so far even though we were sprinkled near the end. We didn't have any climbs that were pure torture, it wasn't a scorcher, and it lasted less than 12 hours. What more could a girl ask for?
Dinner! and that's being provided for us by wonderful people at the Presbyterian church.