Mountain Time

Today was our first day of riding through the Appalachain Mountains, which means I was finally able to try out the granny gear of my brand new mountain cassette. I love my granny gear and my Surly. The riders on this year's team make me proud every morning--they wake up, pack their bags, eat breakfast, enjoy the Mosher, and get on their bikes and ride. They have so much positive energy and they are so confident in themselves. I am truly one proud "momma g."Today I was also given a very wonderful gift that was organized by Brad Topol--a package of letters from the 2010 team that was filled with love and support. Those letters mean the world to me and I can not believe all of you did that for me. I am truly fortunate to have such kind and amazing people in my life. Kyle, I sensed a bit of sassyness in yours (just kidding, CPFL). THANK YOU.Shortly before I started to write this post, and after I was done balling my eyes out from reading all of those letters, I read through my emails and learned some devastating news. Rudy Butteri, a man we interviewed in 2010 for the Portraits Project, passed away from cancer on August 3, 2010 (right around the time we arrived in San Francisco). After finishing Rudy's interview, it was very evident that his words and his story impacted those who interviewed him. Tomorrow is going to be a very hard day, so I will be riding for Rudy and for the 2010 riders that were fortunate enough to spend time with Rudy. I'm also riding for your cousin, Mairbear.I still haven't named my bike yet. I would like to reuse the name of my old bike, George "Georgie Boy" Costanza, but I'm not sure if  it's appropriate to reuse a name. So since I am feeling a bit hesitant, I think I will let the name come to me. Maybe something to do with Ranch, because I have the biggest Ranch tooth in the world.So right now I am just going to list off a few things that have made me laugh really hard these past few days:

• Ellie's climbing face (mouth open because she is breathing so hard, glasses down to her chin because her sweat makes them fall off)
• Dory's "We need to leave before I sneeze" mentality.
• Connor "Bones" Ramsey's screaming of gap
• Greg Bopp's sassyness and funnyness.
• Yesterday's gas station hang out at Sunoco (we had a massage line because we all have a ton of knots in our backs/shoulders, Divya becoming the chosen one, etc.)
• That one time I ruined the "let's all be quiet, relax, do some yoga, and meditate Mosher" because I could not stop laughing.
• There's always more and that's what makes every single day of this ride feel like a lifetime of experiences and memories.

I'm excited for tomorrow! Hope Mt. Pleasant can handle my granny gear. 

Twisters and Blisters

So I'm glad to say that my fellow Illini 4000 riders and I are officially in the zone. Like clockwork, we all awake even before our scheduled wake up of six o'clock am (much to my tired self's chagrin). But waking up has proved not to be a chore any longer as the excitement shared by all of my teammates becomes contagious. We eat breakfast and do an activity traditionally called the "Mosher" and everyone is amped and ready to ride.The rides have become more difficult thanks to some little hills you may have heard of known to some--okay maybe all--as the Appalachian Mountains, but at the same time, they become easier as well. I have discovered different ways to take my mind off of the sometimes absurd amount of miles we ride through various methods. First off I don't look at the time all day. The beauty of this summer is that until we get to San Fran, I am entirely dedicated to the cause and therefore don't have to stress out about other things like I would at school or home. Another is to get to know my teammates. I already feel like these people have been friends with me for years rather than just a few short days. Though we knew each other before the trip, we are becoming closer and closer as each day rolls ever so quickly by. Finally, just keeping a positive attitude throughout the ride is essential to a good day. I keep telling myself that every hill has its peak and that every time I spin the wheels, I am helping someone who is in a much worse situation than I due to their affliction with the modern pandemic that is cancer. That is why we ride, and that is why I keep going.The ride from Philadelphia to Lancaster went very smoothly. We were able to see the natural beauty of Pennsylvania with its rolling hills and meadows. We passed through Amish Country and it is always interesting to see how people even today can live such simple lives.I wish I could tell you that the last two days' rides were smooth sailing, but I would be doing you readers a disservice. A bit of everything happened and I now feel like we as a team are prepared for just about anything. The trek from Lancaster to Chambersburg started out pleasant but things got interesting along the ride. It was over 90 degrees for some parts of the day and the sun was bearing down hard. For relief, my group and I decided to jump in a creek to the side of the road. To our dismay a gentleman kicked us off saying that his neighbor owned the property. Confused because it was adjacent to a park and a flowing body of water, we were bummed but continued the ride in our now wet and cool outfits.Then it gets interesting. While we had to climb some serious hills to get to our stayover and at about mile 65 of 80, one of my chain links broke. Having absolutely no idea how to fix it, we had to call the support van. While pulled over on the side of the road we heard a loud siren which we found out later signified a tornado warning. A tornado in the mountains of PENNSYLVANIA?!?! CRAZY!! Considering the severity of the situation, each group took cover in their own way--ours being a pizza place--and waited to be shuttled to the stayover, apparently a first in the long lore that is I4K. We got to the church and heard all about its history. It was built in 1811 and the steeple, which we were able to go all the way up, was used as a lookout in the Civil War!From Chambersburg to Everet, PA was a shorter mileage day (only 60)((only 60, ha!)) due to the fact that we had to go up through the mountains. Even before the first rest stop, my group had some tire issues that caused us to wait on the side of the road for over an hour! We finally made it to a nearby state park and after taking a team picture, jumped right in the lake. I want to make a point to jump in as many bodies of water across the country as possible this summer. After mile 40, we started to head up the mountain. It was a rough ride but over the past couple of days, I have become a more skilled and stronger climber. Skill comes into play a lot when climbing and I think that it is about 70% technique and 30% strength that goes into being a good climber. With my thunder thighs the strength was never a serious concern but I have now gotten used to how to prepare for the hills and which gear to ride up them.When we finally reached the peak, the feeling was surreal. I cannot say that I have ever successfully rode up a mountain up to this point in my life and I literally and figuratively felt on top of the world. And the best part about riding up a mountain, is you get to ride down. I didn't even have a high enough gear to pedal because we were going so fast! But as we were making our way down it started to rain. And as we reached town it started to pour and lightning illuminated the sky. We stopped and waited for the last two groups and all of us went to a Hardee's to wait out the storm. Unfortunately, it didn't clear up and to our luck, another tornado warning was issued. So we again were shuttled in to our stayover. Spirits teetering, we were greeted by gracious hosts in Everet and were provided and unbelievable homemade lasagna dinner. It was exactly what the doctor ordered.So now as it gets late I have just realized that I have basically written a paper and have come to the conclusion that I possess an inability to write a short blog so bear with me please. I hope to blog as much as possible because I want to share my unique experience with the whole wide world (or web).Till another time everyone!

downhills are scary

I know that we are supposed to look forward to downhills after huge inclines, but for some reason flying down the long stretches scares the living daylights out of me, especially when there is gravel or cars zooming by. It is enjoyable at times but yesterday and today with bad weather looming, it was hard not to panic. Right now I am waiting out a storm in a Hardee's with my group and 2 others. Wow we were just informed that there is ANOTHER tornado warning today so Conor is going to shuttle us in. We completed 51 out of 60 miles today pretty much completely uphill. But it felt so good every time we reached the top! And the views were amazing! I think we got some good pictures. In the morning Connor (saggy butt) Yanz got a flat at mile 16 and he had no spare tubes left so Linsey, Sean, Connor and I were stuck on the side of the road for about an hour and a half until Conor Canaday came back to bring a tube and help fix the flat. I tell ya, he is a lifesaver and someday I hope I can be as good at dealing with stressful situations as him! Props.Moving on, once we reached the first rest stop the entire team had waited! Just to take a team picture in front of the lake at Cowans Gap State Park. It was so nice of them. Otherwise we would have been wayyyyy behind. The four of us took a swim in our bike shorts and took videos of us running in. Lins had her swim bottoms with her luckily. Fastforwarding to now, the weather is narsty!! It is a good thing we pulled over when we did. I can't help but think the Big Man Upstairs is watching over us.Anywho, yesterday was soo fun/eventful. It started out with Katie's "mosher" which is a jumpstart to the day. It's funny, because I usually wake up feeling like I have barely slept but once I have a little breakfast and am with the team I am always pumped for the day! Laughter can get a person through anything I swear.At around mile 56 after several uphill climbs, Jan saw a sign for pit beef so we pulled over to take a food break for the boys. We called Conor and told him it would be a great afternoon rest stop. After the boys ate we were getting ready to take off but Connor Yanz had a flat. So we went from being the first group to the last. Haha this post sounds totally like everything is going wrong. But the mood has been totally upbeat! Finally we took off but then around mile 64 Sean's chain broke. While we were dealing with that, a man came out of his house to tell us there was a tornado warning! So we rode a few more miles (downhill with gravel) and stopped at a pizza plac e where i may have let some tears roll. It was brief though! Thanks to Jan for sticking with me down the hill and making me feel better! Then the storm picked up and the shuttling began. It was the first time in I4K history that people had to be shuttled to the stayover. Since Connor Canaday was with us he drove us first and Linsey, Sean, and I were able to shower at the YMCA a few blocks over. Thank you to our host Jeff for driving us there! When we got back we got pizza that Connor ordered! Great ending to a hectic day.One thing I have learned is worrying doesn't solve anything, and neither does panicking. Working as a team and keeping your spirits up is the way to go. Also, I really owe it to the men on the team for being leaders and helping with bike problems! Everyone has so much to offer and I feel so blessed to be on this journey with them!Oh I forgot one more thing that happened yesterday...I may have had a silly fall where I clipped out on my right but fell to the left. It left a wicked cut on my right calf from the crank. It looks like baseball laces. I swear I've never had this beat up of legs in my entire life and it is only day 5. Thanks to Connor Yanz and Jan we wrapped it in a black bandanna and electrical tape but I took it off shortly after because there was not too much blood.If you read the entire post thank you! With your support the Illini 4000 is fighting cancer one day at a time.

Adventures of Pennsylvania

I have four days of riding under my belt! The first day was 67 miles from NYC to Hillsborough, NJ. To get out of NY we crossed the George Washington Bridge. I rode with Linsey, Ellie, Jan, Lauren, Christian, and Yang. At one point Christian got a flat so Linsey, Ellie, and I went into Shopper's World and I bought nail polish for the girls. When you decide to trek across the country on a bike, you kind of commit to a let's say, less feminine lifestyle than I am used to.Arriving third to the stayover, we were warmly welcomed by the Thakkars with full platters of fruit and veggies, hummus, and sports drinks! I was very thankful to shower too! We were definitely spoiled!Day 2 of riding was 83 miles to West Philadelphia. This was a beautiful route through rolling hills colored in bright green and dotted with gorgeous houses. Ending the day with the great fall, we finally arrived to the church. Some of us walked to a food place to get Philly cheesesteaks. I was stuffed after half so I brought the rest back to Jan. No food goes wasted in I4K that's for sure!Day 3 in my opinion was much easier than day 2 but there were definitely mixed feelings from everyone on the team. Day 3 we rode through Amish country which was so picturesque! We stopped and bought fresh strawberries from 2 Amish girls. They were delicious! Never had better. The downfall was that I realized I lost my ID and credit card at one of the rest stops! Looks like I won't be driving until after Chitown. Arriving 2nd to Lancaster, my group made an assembly line to move all church sleeping bags upstairs to where we were staying in the church. It was funny. Teamwork is key! After Ellie and I (being total Gleeks) watched the season finale of Glee, we hit the sack for a full 78 mile ride ahead of us.I love the trip and the team so far and I have a great feeling about the rest of summer. I will write about the ride to Chambersburg in a whole new post because it was quite the day!Also I would like to thank Greg Bopp (it) for fixing my bike wheel. I don't know what I would have done without him!Also, Linsey and I developed a very efficient way to make our sandwiches at lunch stops. She spreads the peanutbutter while I do jelly and then we trade! It is PB&J the K-L way! Nothing beats it. Everyone thinks I will lose weight on the trip but i feel like we are always being handed something to eat! Like donuts!I feel my legs getting stronger already though. Which is good! Time to rest up for tomorrow though! 65 miles mostly uphill. My joke is "for every uphill there is a downhill...or a plateau." But the way I see it is that every city, pretty flower, landmark we see is a reward for every tough mile we ride.I'll write more tomorrow! Peace, love, bikes.

May 26 Come Again Another Summer

The fourth day of riding for the Illini 4000 team began much like any other. Breakfast was eaten. The Mosher was completed. The team begrudgingly left the United Methodist Church in Lancaster.After that, however, things took a turn for the eventful. The team made its way through a number of cities, towns, and hills only to be halted, at various points on the route, by weather that even Pennsylvania natives found out of place. As the team tried to make their ways to Chambersburg PA, severe weather warnings impeded their progress.Always conscious of safety, ride groups made sure to get inside regardless of location. Some groups ended up in WalMarts. Others found refuge in gas stations or auto part stores, but no matter the place, the team stayed safe as hail and pounding rain came through most of Pennsylvania. As the storm passed, some teams were able to make it to the stayover on bike; however, some groups found their ways back by shuttle due to the horrendous conditions that set the team back. Either way, the day served as a reminder to the team that they too are subject to Mother Nature while riding.All in all, the team was happy to complete their day of riding regardless of what adversity there did exist. The team completed its 80 mile ride any way it could, and that's what matters.

Untitled

I've neglected my blog and dedicated the last bit of energy I have in my body--at the end of the day--for bike repairs, my daily chore, and my journal. Showering is tough, primarily because it doesn't always happen. But, I can't say it's a bad aspect of this trip. Frankly, I can't find one. Sure the sun--particularly today--is blazing and, of course, the steep hills suck, but, at the end of the day, my body doesn't really ache and the events of the day come to my mind.In my journal today I'm probably going to write about how I flipped over my bike and broke a spoke with my head. But, I'm also going to write about how I changed a spoke for the first time in my life. Conor helped me change it but I still don't know how our team will survive without his help.Tomorrow we hit the appalachians and I KNOW it's gonna be hard. Wish us luck for tomorrow! I'll post something else soon.

May 25 To Lancaster and Beyond!

Slightly battered and minimally bruised, the Illini 4000 Bike America team made its way to Lancaster, Pennsylvania today in style.After two days of consecutive riding, the team was certainly feeling the affects of finally having the chance to ride day in and day out. As we all woke this morning, there was both a level of excitement and an understanding of the physical reality that the ride presents. Simply put, our minds and hearts were ready to ride even though our bodies were showing initial signs of fatigue and wear. Luckily, this morning began with a Mosher full of Jazzercise as well as Hall and Oates. Surprisingly well choreographed dance moves are always motivational.After we took off, the ride brought the team through a number of beautiful areas. From tree-covered, winding roads to riverside trails in Philadelphia to the farmlands of "Amish Country," there was a lot of take in. By the time the day ended, it was hard to believe that the so many different types of scenery had come our way.The vistas were also added to by the kindness of many of the people we encountered along the way. Many people living in the towns and farms we encounter aided the team in various ways. Dunkin' Donuts was kind enough to donate a box of donuts for our starving stomach, and Bravo Pizza, a shop we encountered along the way, gave the team some much needed ice at our lunch stop. Furthermore, the inhabitants of the towns and farms the team rode through later in the day were very willing to donate baked goods and to permit the team to use their trees for shade when necessary. It's safe to say that the team was impressed, elated, and completely grateful.When we finally finished riding, we were quite excited to also see the amazing stayover at the First United Methodist Church in Lancaster. The church set us up with a great room, a set of showers, and a full kitchen! The kindness of the folks at FUMC was and is amazing, and it has really helped us to become more comfortable in our homes away from home.

"Always take the uphill."

The first few days of this trip have been really great. Myself, Dory, Jan, and David drove the support vehicle from Chicago to New York City. It was a good drive and Jan was SO good at driving through the NYC traffic. I really enjoyed NYC this time around, especially their pizza. I had four huge slices in 2 days (along with 3 doughnuts from the Doughnut Plant). On our event day, the Church of Saint Paul the Apostle hosted a brunch for the team. This was a great way to start the trip because we were able to interact with so many people and even record stories for the Portraits Project. Then we went to a show by The Other Guys and I was able to see Steve Odon, one of my teammates from 2010. Thanks for seeing us off Steve! We left NYC and headed to Hillsboro, New Jersey, and the Thakkars were wonderful hosts. They provided the team with a very delicious dinner and breakfast. Thank you so much, it was great to see you both again and our organization is so grateful for your continued support.As we begin to approach the Appalachain Mountains, I can't help but remember a small (but very powerful) lesson I learned from a 2010 rider named Szymon Sambor. Szymon is a great cyclist and a very strong climber. He loved to take the uphill and would say, "Always take the uphill." In my opinion, this saying can be applied to both this ride and to our lives in the real world. My so-far life experiences have taught me that there are many things in life that are just not worth having if they do not require hard work. So thank you Szymon, those four little words really changed my life. :) And I have started to enjoy climbing. Woah.Thank you to all of my friends and family that have been sending me texts. It means so much to me and makes every morning even brighter! I also promise to write a longer post, but I need to get some sleep!

60 miles downhill with tailwinds all da way

Rewind 5 days to Union Station where we took apart our bikes and boxed them up and then we said our last goodbyes to our families. 22 hours later our train arrived in New York City. We put our bikes back together and began the walk to our stayover with our backpacks, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, and bikes. When we arrived we went to explore the city. Our first stop was at a pizza place to try New York style pizza. We then walked to time square which was so bright from the lights that it looked like it was daytime. Kelsey, Sean, and I went to a comedy show on Broadway which was hilarious.Kelsey, Sean, Manny, Taylor and I started the day early with a ride along the Hudson River. We stopped to see the Irish Hunger Memorial was a building top that was made to look like Ireland. We biked closer to the statue of liberty to take some pictures. We went to ground zero and then to the Brooklyn Bridge. We headed back to the church we were staying at for a brunch. I tried crapes for the first time and didn't like them very much. We then moved all of our things out of the basement of the church and into the hostel next door. It was great to have a bed to sleep on and showers to use. We walked to the Gotham Comedy Club to see the Other Guys perform. They were very entertaining. We all wanted to see the Bulls game so we began searching for a sports bar to watch the game. It wasn't as easy as you would think to find one, but we did end up finding an Irish pub that had a big screen, karaoke, and great food. 60 miles downhill with tailwinds all da way! On the walk home Katie wiped out on a curb when she was running to get post cards and I walked into a cab while crossing the street. The night ended with laughter.The first day began at 5:45 wake up followed by eating cereal on the streets of New York and a send off from Central Park. We didn't have time to do a tire dipping in the Atlantic so we decided a puddle near the park would have to work. My group was Kelsey, Ellie, Jan, Lauren, Christian, and Yang. Getting out of New York was tough. There was lots of traffic and stop lights that made the ride much longer. We rode over the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey. In New Jersey "parked car" became our favorite call out with a New York accent of course. Christian got a flat in Newark so while the guys changed the tires we went into shoppers world and bought nail polish. The day was pretty warm and the mist felt good. I got a flat near a swampy area and my group was swarmed by mosquitoes while we changed it. We were greeted at the Thakkar home with so much food. They were very kind and let us use there showers. It was a very relaxing night we painted our nails and went to sleep.

The first few days

Finally getting around to it! I've been so dead tired, I just have been ignoring everything! There is a lot to cover. So do allow me to begin.The first day was glorious with some small hills and rolling through some nice areas. It was really nice. I did not enjoy riding in New York City because it was so stressful! We were stopped at every light and there were cars, people, and glass everywhere! It was insane. Nevertheless we biked into New Jersey over the George Washington bridge which was awesome! I loved that. Then we biked through Newark which I thought was kind of neat. One of the best things about riding is the people you meet. People are so interested and nice. As my ma would say, they are all my well wishers. So many people that we don't even know are asking for our website so they can keep track of us. Its cool to be picking up followers along the way. In addition we are getting donations on the spot from people which is so cool. At the end of day 1 we stayed at the Thakkar residence. Anish Thakkar was a founder of I4K and his parents let us stay with them every year! How nice of them to house 28 dirty riders! I really enjoyed chatting with them and their relatives who came to talk to us. I have a lot in common with the Thakkars and it was nice to get some homemade Indian food while on the ride. It turns out that Anish now lives about 5 minutes away from where my grandparents live in Mumbai. So cool to talk about India. Alright I'm half asleep so I'm gonna speed through this next part.Day 2 was hard, no doubt. There were some big climbs and it was a tough day because we are not used to the hills. However, we rolled through some super neat towns and another bridge that crosses Jersey to Pennsylvania. After we got through all of the hills we had a really nice roll into Phillidelphia We got to ride on this really nice trail that goes on forever. The people of Philly have it so nice! They have this amazing trail that they can ride on everyday and it is meant for bikes and can help avoid some of the city. It was pretty packed with people in the evening. Philly is a much busier city than I imagined it would be. When we were in Philly, I got to try a veggie Philly cheese steak which was pretty cool to try. It was an interesting taste. Unfortunately I was having trouble sleeping on the ground for the past few days but yesterday I just knocked out. It was so amazing and I was so much more rested for today. One thing I must mention about the East Coast is how different the people are. I mean when you go to the major cities, the people are so much more harsh. That's not a negative or a positive its just different. People in the East are so used to tough living it seems. They move at such a fast pace and everything they say to the way they act is so much tougher. I'm so used to us Midwesterners kicking it back and enjoying life.Finally we come to Day 3 which was long but shorter than the other days. We are getting faster it seems. Today I also rode with a faster group which was really hard but I picked up some important lessons on how to ride the hills and what gears to use. The last 20 miles were really hard because my legs were just exhausted at that point. However, it was a really beautiful ride. We rode through Amish country which was neat. I even got some fresh strawberries and got to meet some of the Amish people who were so nice. They had really old school accents which were interesting to hear in the middle of the United States. Anyway I'm almost asleep and I have to do laundry so here is the rest of what I have to mention.Cool things about the ride:Being able to see everything with your eyes, seeing wildlife (including turtles, gophers, deer, snakes etc), biking in areas that people ride through everyday which we ride through only once, seeing things you would sleep through in a car, getting to know people and doing something bigger than yourself. Alright off to crash still got a long few days ahead. I'll try and keep you posted, but I might just keep falling asleep, sorry about that.Thanks for your interest and Good Night!

Let's Ride!

Well we have officially begun our what some would call insane trek across the country. I cannot believe that I am finally at this stage in the organization. It seems as if all this build up time was never going to come to fruition and now there is no choice but to both accept the challenge and perform to the best of my abilities. I was extremely nervous before the first day to see if I had what it takes to bike these crazy amounts of miles day after day after day.The first day we left Central Park at about 8 am to head to our stay in Hillsborough New Jersey for a 65 mile ride. My group did not start off well as we actually missed the very first turn we made. After that though it was smooth sailing. Though it took a little while to get out of New York just due to the morning rush hour traffic, once we crossed the George Washington Bridge to New Jersey it was smooth sailing for the most part. I say for the most part because I am currently leading the team with three flat tires in one day. I decided to switch out my now decaying front tire with a team discounted hardshell tire. Other than that the ride went well and when we reached the stayover we were greeted with open arms by the Thakar family who are parents of one of the founding members of the organization and have graciously been the first stay since its inception in 2007. We had delicious food and after a team meeting went to bed feeling very accomplished.We woke up this morning at 5:45 am and again were treated to a delicious breakfast by the Thakars. We were hitting the road by 7:30 to embark on our 83 mile quest to reach Philadelphia. Since I am a huge fan of the shows It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Boy Meets World, I have always wanted to come to here and have a Philly Cheesesteak and see the sites. The ride itself was one of the more testing ones as we began to experience bigger and longer hills in preparation for the Appalachians in the days to come. Most of us have not been able to train so much on hills because while living in the Midwest has its perks, elevated topography is not among them. I was able to bear with the uphills however, because with every uphill, comes a downhill. We were able to reach speeds in the high 30 mphs and it was radical! It was definitely a testing day but I am proud of all of my teammates and think we are ready for what's to come.We arrived in Philadelphia with a few spills due to the trolly rails that run through the streets on the city's west side. After that we got to our stay and realized we had no showers. Feeling very dirty we set out to the YMCA about a mile away. After getting there with all our shower stuff ready to rock, we were told that we could not use the facilities without a membership. Dismayed, we asked someone on the street and their option ended up being closed. So after over a four mile walk, we threw in the towel (no pun intended) and headed to get some delicious Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. It was so good!!!!I just found out that the Bulls lost again in an overtime game and am kinda bummed out but definitely am looking forward to riding again tomorrow to Lancaster on about an 80 mile ride.That's all for now!

I get knocked down, I get up again!

Well, today I made it to Philly in one piece, despite taking a tumble about a mile from the stayover! It was quite a hectic street-Baltimore to be exact- but we were on a bike path. However, there was a van parked in the way of the path so we had to ride around it. Unfortunately, there were trolley tracks in the road and we all had to cross them in order to get around the van. Needless to say, as I was making my way over the trolley tracks I got caught in the divot and flew off my bike into the street. It was quite the scene I can imagine. I landed on my right hip/side and scraped up both elbows, my hip, my knee, and my hands. I was in tears from the shock of it all but not from pain. i'll be fine, I just know I'll be sore from the impact of hitting the pavement. But like the song my family listens to every New Year's Eve goes, "I get knocked down, I get back up again! And you're never gonna keep me down!" Great song, and true. It's only the 2nd day of the journey and I would be silly to let it get me down. :) Plus I bet it was pretty funny to see me face plant. My good pal Ellie also fell and hurt her knee pretty bad :/ She was a champ though!!! Thankfully, Conor Canaday was there to help us bandage up our cuts. Thanks Conor!! And Katie helped me put peroxide on them I love her :)Since that was the most fresh in my mind, I had to write about it but so much has happened since the start of the ride! I'll start by saying that my mom and I were both in tears at the train station saying goodbye to each other. Love you mom! But once I was on the train the excitement started to kick in. I sat with Linsey (basically my other half ). The train ride was not bad at all, it was actually pretty fun. We kind of just chilled then went to sleep and the next day we all played Catch Phrase which got a few laughs from the fellow train riders. And finally at around 6:30 we arrived in NYC! After the team meeting where we were assigned chore partners (Hey Greg Bopp it!), we all set off to explore the city.Times Square was amazing! Both Saturday and Sunday night it was packed even at 2 am. I loved walking around the city nand seeing all of the lights and people. Well, looking for some fun as always, Sean, Linsey, and I went to a comedy show at HA! spontaneously. You're only in New York once! (maybe)  it was hilarious! The crowd was full of tourists from around the world from Norway to New Jersey. After the show we hit the hay ready for another full day in New York!We set our alarms for 6 am but as soon as they went off Manny and I hit the snooze and slept for another hour (figures). BUT thanks to Sean who came and woke us up we went on a great ride around NYC and saw the statue of liberty, the Irish hunger memorial, and what is left of ground zero. We also saw a memorial sign for the firemen and police who died on 9/11. It was heart wrenching to say the least. Overall the ride with Linsey, Taylor, Sean, and Manny was so much fun!We got back and attended the end of mass at the church we were staying at, Church of St. Paul the Apostle. Divya spoke to the congregation about the Illini 4000. She did great on the spot! Then the church graciously provided a brunch where we got to meet some wonderful people. I met a woman named Rita V. who was so caring and fun to talk to. She told us a little bit about her experience with melanoma, but mostly we talked about other things. I also talked with Kathy and her husband who worked for church about the organization and New York in general. Then Linsey and I talked with 2 of the volunteers at the brunch and they told us awesome stuff about the church! such as Regis and Kelly go there and Sex and the City and GLEE!! has held their cast there before. So cool. After the brunch, a few of us walked through central park and went to Rockefeller plaza. That night we had a team meeting and then went to bed to prepare for our first ride!!!I will post about the ride to Hillsborough, New Jersey and to Philadelphia in my next blog since this one is so long!I would also like to post a shout-out to my family and friends! Thanks for your support. I love you!!Also, one day I must buy a mansion in Pennsylvania- it is the prettiest state ever!2nd day down, 67 more to go!! The adventure has just begun. :) 

May 24 Welcome to Philadelphia!

Our generous hosts the Thakkar family provided the team with an abundant breakfast including bagels and cream cheese, fruits and drinks. The team appreciated the breakfast, which gave the team energy to battle the long 83 mile day ahead. Outside the Thakkar’s before we left, Connor Ramsey gave his speech as the first Mosher ever this summer. The Mosher is a game the team plays everyday, and whoever gets the Mosher card gives an inspiring speech after breakfast.The view of hills and woods in New Jersey are wonderful. After the ride in the morning, the team entered Pennsylvania and headed towards Philadelphia. The hills today were a little challenging for the team, but it was also a good preparation for the rides of the upcoming days. The ride ended with a 10 miles of beautiful trail riding by the Schuylkill river of Philadelphia. Some of the exhausted team members tried the famous Philly Cheesesteak, and the team was so grateful to the Calvary Methodist Church for providing accommodation.

First hard day

Hello readers! Thanks for the comments! Your kiddos and I fully enjoyed them. So today was long an hard; sometimes I was crying (yup cried already) and sometimes I was laughing so hard I started choking. The day started at the thakkars with an amazing brekky (what they call breakfast in Australia): I had two yes TWO WARM bagels. Everyone got one and then we rationed but I found seven people who didn't want another so I got two - mind you there was other food but I love me some bagels. The funny part was that Ron noticed how I like either plain or everything bagels but no other kind. I never really realized how weird that was until today haha. Then the ride started. I rode with Jan (heroman of biking), kels (my giggling goofy), lins (my rock), Sean (he should never change), and Lauren (my pick me up). Later Katie joined in and I wasn't talking much (keep reading) but I was so happy she joined because let's face it she's an awesome friend. Katie was having some knee pain and she rocked the 80 some miles lettme tell ya - anyone who knows her be even more proud now! Anyways - more about me hahaha so I started to have Achilles tendon pain around mile 15 and it kept getting bad that I cried a few times. See I'm not so ashamed to publish that here because I didn't complain, I stayed with my group (even though I slowed them down), and finished the day. I kept thinking about the common mentality between his ride and what it could be like to face cancer. Also on a personal level I thought about Link and my mom and how I could quit now but don't want to AT ALL. Yes it can be painful but who cares? I knew it would be and that's ok. This made me think of Anna lasko which really pulled me through. See she's one of my besties and she has this theory that "I'm strong like bull" so I looked the steep hills in the face and said something like "I'm gonna make you my b****". yes the hills might have kicked my butt but overall I won because I never walked my bike. So why the pain? I figured out I was pedaling wrong so it'll be an easy fix when my swelling goes down. In the ride two civilians yelled at me - long story they were in bad moods and don't like tourists. Howevs - Lauren brought my spirits up! Way way later in the ride - about five blocks from he stayover my group had a bad spill. There was traffic, a trolley, tracks, parked cars, and moving cars. Tracks took over our bikes and kels and I fell. I fell into lins - who walked away just fine. I had fight or flightish syndromes so I did t notice blood all over me. I asked if lins was okay, got off the road and went to kels. Once I saw she was a trooper I went to apply pressure. Seeing all the blood pool and run reminded me of when I cut open my hand a few months ago. I thought oh no stitches so I made katie call the van. Before we told it to come jan looked at it, calmed me, and help bandage it. We walked a few blocks and made it! Kels and I cleaned up with rufio's help and carried on with life. I went a block away and got a Philly cheese steak. Believe it family? Well I did and I will be sending a pic (I'm a picky eater for those that don't know). I couldn't tell at first if I liked it but then it was gooooooood. Afterwards came back, had a sink shower, packed up, and now bloging. Also momma g and I had some time together - finally I miss my one on one time with her (we had two classes together in the spring). She parallel parked like a champ and then we had a small heart to heart. For those that don't know her as well as I- she's amazing. Sassyness and kindness rolled into one with a heart of gold. I'm so happy to have her as one of my ride leaders cuz I couldn't think of anyone better.Ok enough with the bragging of my friends - I'm tired. So I'll end with this: manny nick named me snacks because I'm always eating and my bag is so full of food. Necessary if you ask me but whatevs! Also I gained the name of skins (thanks bones). Tomorrow will be a better day,Don't worry mom! Also sorry I didn't call today: I didn't wanna just bawl when talking to ya about ankle pain and a cut when others are probably suffering too.Sincerely,Skins/snacks 

Oh the Places You'll Go

I keep trying to think of what I'm going to tell my family and friends when I come home on August 2nd or 3rd or whenever, and they ask me how everything went.  I thought it would be New York City.  My parents were there when I left; they drove in on Saturday and got up at God knows when in the morning to see us off from Central Park.  (Thanks Mom and Dad!) This was my first time in New York City and I loved it, and thought it would without a doubt be my favorite city on the map.  Surely, when people asked me about this summer I would tell them about NYC.  Then came New Jersey.  Its quaint city blocks and corner delis made me feel like I was riding through the set of The Sopranos, seriously.  I loved the homey, unique feeling it had about itself.  Only a few miles away from the Washington Bridge and all of Manhattan, New Jersey felt like a place in its own world, keeping true to its own historic identity.  The 67 miles into our first stay over in Hillsborough were not all that bad.  The only thing to worry about were quick-approaching red lights and NYC taxi cabs, nothing too bad.In Hillsborough, we stayed with Harsh and Rita Thakkar, parents of 2007 rider and Illini 4000 founder Anish Thakkar.  The Thakkar's were proud of the riders of the Illini 4000's 5th ride, welcoming us into their homes (as they have for each summer's riders) with signs and decked out in I4K gear, with an awesome dinner that I4K President Conor Canaday said would be the best stay over dinner we'd have this summer.  After dinner, Mr. Thakkar gave a short speech to us, describing the seed his son planted with the Illini 4000 almost five years ago, and how that first step to organize a group of students crazy enough to ride their bikes for an entire summer generated a ripple effect that has gotten bigger every year, raising in total over $300,000 (with the 2011 team raising almost $120,000 alone!).  This ripple effect, though seemingly small, grows and grows, effecting countless people and inspiring others to do the same.  His talk was inspirational and full of wisdom, and it made for a perfect end to our first day.  So maybe I'll tell them about New Jersey...After our 82 mile ride into Philadelphia on day 2, I can only think of two things to say:  First off: I absolutely hate hills, and will look at them in a totally new light after today, and secondly: Pennsylvania is b-e-a-utiful. The pain of the constant grind up and down the rolling meadows of the state was only lessened by the scenery surrounding it: lush green grasses and trees so ubiquitous you'd think you're on a different planet, and friendly, European looking towns tucked away inside of them.  As we rode, we pointed out the coolest looking houses and periodically discussed how fun it would be to live in area like this, before we cut the chatter to down shift and prepare for the next big hill.  I think Pennsylvania will make for a good story, too.

And So It Begins...

Hello everyone!So the trip has begun and I couldn't be more ecstatic about it! I'll give you a run down of what has happened since we left from Chicago's Union Station on Friday. Sorry I haven't updated since we started but we just got internet (and I just got time) tonight.First things first was the train ride. I was definitely dreading this part of the trip because I knew it was going to be long and uncomfortable. Both of these definitely turned out the be the case but I didn't know how much fun we were going to have doing it. This was really the beginning of our summer of intense bonding with the team and I can tell after the first three days that we are all going to become very good friends.When we arrived in New York City I was so excited I was at a loss for words. See I've never been to the Big Apple (actually I've never been to any of the cities except around the midwest) and have always dreamed about seeing the sights. We arrived in Penn Station and I looked to my right and there it was, the Empire State Building in all of its splendor. That night we had our team meeting and got our stuff together but we were eventually able to venture out and see the big city. We saw the beautiful Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and then made our way to Times Square. I could not believe my eyes when I saw it. We didn't really know where we were going but just followed the bright lights from blocks away. Being late at night we were expecting to be able to get around a little easier, but in the city that never sleeps it was packed! We were eventually suckered in to going to a comedy show at the Ha! Comedy Club on Broadway so I can officially say I saw a Broadway show even though we only paid $10!The next day, Manny, Kelsey, Linsey, Taylor and I went on a bike tour to see some other things. Among them were the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, Wall Street, and of course we had to check out the subway which was to no surprise incredibly dirty. After that we were treated to brunch with St. Paul the Apostle Parish with whom we were staying with and got to meet some real live New Yorkers who had just awesome accents. After that we proceeded to check out Central Park and Rockefeller Plaza and saw Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, and St. Patrick's Cathedral on the way.Finally we were guests to the NYC U of I Alumni Organization and were treated to a performance of the Illini's very own accpella group The Other Guys which was both very entertaining and funny. I picked up an I <3 NY shirt with Illini orange and the University's "I" logo as the "I" which I thought was just awesome.After that we caught the Bulls game at a local Irish Pub and even though they didn't come out victorious, our group entertained the whole bar by repeatedly performing on the karaoke to such hits as "Flat Bottomed Girls" and "Rock N Roll All Nite."More to come as we are about to embark on our first trip tomorrow to Hillsborough, New Jersey and then to Philadelphia the next day.Hope to hear from you all soon and comment if you like what you read!

NYC to Philly

I am going to keep this short so that you dont get too bored. Disclaimer: I dont have a camera so i cant provide pictures, but others may have some on their blogs.Last Friday we drove out to New York City. I had the last leg into the NYC because I had the most experience driving in the city. It was pretty intense driving a monster cargo van in Manhattan....But we all lived. We stayed at a church a block from central park. One of the most memorable moments about new york was definitely time square. Never have I seen anything like that in my life. We walked around it at midnight on Saturday and it was completely crowded. The lights from all the advertisements/ tvs lite up the night sky. It is definitely something everyone should see once in their life time.That Sunday we had a brunch at the church where we got to meet some of the members of the congregation. We interviewed a man named Christopher for the Portratis Project.His story was touching and very inspirational. I have to thank him because his story was very inspirational, it truly reminded me to appreciate the finer things in life.Monday was our first day riding. We left NYC at 7am and made it to hills borough new jersey around 5. Getting out of NYC took forever because of traffic and stop lights. We got to experience some real hills for the first time, they were a blast. The day went real well, everyone was super pumped the whole time. I rode with my favorite group of girls ( Team Rainbow Kitty Burst Rangers), they are a real hoot to have around. Their silliness makes the time fly by. I can only hope we keep such enthusiasm for the next 70 days. That night we stayed at the Thakars house, they are the parents of one of the founders of this organization. They were THE BEST! They provided what was essentially an unlimited amount of food, snacks, drinks, and deserts. It made leaving the following morning a little more difficult. Thank you so very much for your hospitality.This morning, Tuesday the 24th, we left the Thakars home after an inspirational speech by Connor Ramsey ( go wolf pack! ). The weather report said 80% chance of  thunderstorms all day, and we prepared for the worst. We got out there around 7:30 and were in awe by the beautiful landscape of the garden state. The weather was sunny throughout the entire ride!!!!!!! We rode up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down, well you get the idea, all day....but it was great. We zoomed through lush forests, and past beautiful hill communities on our way to Philadelphia. It was exhausting, but these hills are much more rewarding then the wind we experienced during our training rides in Illinois.Towards the end of the ride with 20 miles left we all began to feel the fatigue. Some of my group mates were experiencing some unfortunate pains in their legs/ knees.  We powered through and entered Philadelphia around 5pm. With 5 blocks lefts to go disaster struck. One of the riders had to make a quick maneuver around an idling car on a descent and ended up getting her wheel stuck in the trolley tracks on the street. This caused her to have a nasty spill, which of course you hate to see happen to anyone. Furthermore, when we stopped another rider couldn't unclip and she took out not only herself but one more rider! Such heartbreak so close to our destination! We bandaged everyone up and walked slowly on the sidewalks those last 5 blocks. The tears in my group mates eyes was an important lesson in safety that I know everyone will not soon forget. We need to remember the lessons we learn everyday, while learning to put the past behind us because tomorrow we ride onward to San Francisco.|

Parked car on Parker Street?!

From NY to NJ checking in! Today was the first official ride day and it was so much fun. We woke up early (530ish) and were out the door/on bikes at seven. Within that time I lost/forgot my watch somewhere, packed my bag, ate, and did a whole bunch of other stuff. The ride started out in central park - my group had a tire dipping ceremony and a few were there to send us off. I rode with Christian, young, kels, lins, Lauren, and jan. Jan saved my life three times - helped me from falling: no falls! The ride was a lot of fun - some hills, some city traffic, an amazing bridge, and of course the jokes that came about. There were some lows - lins and Christian got flats but that did not bring our spirits down. I was picked up again and again by kels - grate right! And parked car on Parker. Lins kept me on my toes by trying to take second (in the order/line of riders) from me. There was rain - but no worries I was dressed appropriately! Also jan carried some of my stuff so we got to play catch phrase during a few of our breaks. Once we arrived we were treated like royalty our host was so so kind. We stayed with the thakars, parents of an alumn from the first ride. They are amazing people and truly inspired me by their words and hospitality. It takes a lot to open your house to 28 dirty smelly tired riders. I was able to sink wash then drier my clothes, shower, and be feed a home cooked meal. At one point I was really moved and just turned to hug someone - it turned out to be momma g haha. After that we had a team meeting followed by free time aka get ready and go to bed. Now I'm in the basement surrounded by some and were using our ultra cool headlamps. Also a fashion statement: fanny packs. It makes me wish I brought my cap sack but atlas no room in my bag. Speaking of my bag I need to find a way to pack it like a system yanno? I'm sure it'll come in time (like the name of my bike). All in all today was good and tomorrow shall be good too!Mom n dad sorry I haven't called I will sometime soon - comment here so I know you're reading this!Aunty deb - I saw your posts and thanks! But I have no time to call so you just get this shout out.Anyone else reading - comment comment comment! I lie hearing feedback probably more than you love reading this haha. And parents of other riders- I tell your kids your messages and no worries they are having fun! Sincerely,El

May 23 First Day in Saddle!

The first day of riding started at 5:45 AM, when everyone packed up their belongings and readied their bikes. Then the team rode to the Central Park at 7 o’clock, and reassembled at the northwestern corner of the park. We were glad to meet some of the Other Guys again as well as family and friends in Central Park. After the first complete team picture of the whole team, the journey officially started!Although the team loved New York City, the traffic was so busy that it took a long time for the team to arrive at George Washington Bridge and rode into New Jersey. For the team, riding in such a big city was a whole new experience compared to the country roads we have trained on, and the view from George Washington Bridge was amazing.Our first day of riding ended after 68 miles in Hillsborough, NJ. The Thakkar Family welcomed the team into their home after a long day. The team was so happy to meet the family because the Thakkars are the parents of one of the organization's founders and the family has been supporting the organization for years. We all appreciated the Thakkars for their generous hospitality. After the dinner, the team celebrated the first day of riding with the Thakkar family.

The OGs in NYC?!

Today was crazy! I feel like all days are going to be that way but I still want to say that to all of you. I woke up at 945 - probably the latest I will sleep in all summer and it was not even planned. Things got a little goofed up about wake up but I learned a valuable lesson early on so that's the bright side. Lesson: wake yourself up. Then we had brunch provided by the church which was REALLY nice of them. I was able to talk to four community members about who and what we are. After that we had two hours to roam around so we took advantage: central park met i4k! Back to the stay over for a team meeting in which my chore buddy, Connor, showed up AND Christine! We switched our stuff to the new stay over (a hostel with a shower and a bed!) and then left for an other guys show! The comedy bar was rented out to the NY u of I alumni club so it was like a double whammy. I accidentally  broke a glass with a full drink in it when telling an alum about camp Kesem. No worried everyone was okay!From there the party really began! A group of ten of us went out in hopes of finding good cheap food with the bulls game on. Cheap is hard to find in NYC so I took the safe route  and bought two dollar slice pieces of pizza. My third and fourth slices of the day by the way! How can I say no to cheap good pizza?!? We ended up finally finding an Irish pub wig karaoke -- need I say more?!?... Ok I'll say a little more: I made us perform. And a man might have been in love with lauren and sung her a slow jam (this was not Ron by the by). So: let's hear it for chicago in the house cuz we're driving our bikes annnddd "get on your bikes and ride"!Oh and -- 60 miles. Downhill. Tailwind. All daaa wayyyyyLove,El