So I'm writing this a few days late, but my procrastination coupled with no internet at our last stayover made it difficult for me to post. Anyway, there's been some super cool stuff happening lately. And not just the scenery. We've been rolling through Pennsylvania and stayed at a couple of churches along the way. One was in Chambersburg.Getting in to Chambersburg, PA, was rough. Severe weather made the mountains and hills a lot harder to climb in the afternoon, and by early evening a tornado warning forced us to get shuttled the last 9 miles to the stay over by our team van. When the tornado warning came, my group and I took shelter in a pizza place, others went to a gas station, and those not close enough to an urban area were taken in by a family who lived along the highway we were riding down. When the warning ended, the dad even threw everyone's bikes into his truck and drove them to our stay over; an old, quaint church in the center of town.Because of the hectic day, many of us got in late and didn't get a full night's rest, though it didn't matter because the next morning we had an all-star breakfast made for us by a slew of local moms, a very good way to start the day. The pastor also took us on a short tour of the church, leading us up to the second floor, through a hidden door that had signatures on the walls from previous workers of the church that dated back to the late 1800's. I felt like the walls belonged in a museum, but here they were on display for any curious person to see.The hidden door then lead to a series of old wooden stairs that stretched back and forth, up and up, until a hatch door left us at the top of the church's bell tower. I'm usually pretty good with heights, but going up those stairs made me weak in the knees. But the view from the top made it totally worthwhile. It. Was. Awesome. We could see the entire town from up there, and it felt like we were sucked back into the Revolutionary Era. We asked the pastor if he usually brings guests up there. He replied, "Nah, never."It was hard to say our goodbyes that morning. The organist from the church even rode out about 15 miles with us, before turning around and heading back. We've been considering ourselves quite lucky so far: gracious and hospitable guests, wireless internet (usually) to keep you all updated with what we're up to, and warm showers at least every other day. What else could you ask for?
Let It Begin
The TanIce creamSwimming in random bodies of water'Pushing it'90 degree days of sunWaking up at 5:30PB & J'sMountainsMore NicknamesRAZZWindBeing able to sign things 'I4K 2011 Team' I can't wait for this summer to continue. My fellow teammates have amazed me how quickly they have adapted to such a challenging, ever changing environment that is life on the road. Each day teaches me something new and renews my sense of hope and possibility that our society can accomplish with a collective movement. Thank yous go out to everyone kind enough to allow 28 random stinky strangers sleep in their communal space: St Paul the Apostle, the Thekkar family, Ms. Bailey & everyone in Philly, Jonny, Frank, the United Methodist Church in Lancaster, and everyone we have encountered in each of our stayovers. Once again, thank you to everyone for supporting us. Special thanks goes out to Conor Cannaday.Warning: This may sound like a love letter because it kind of is.I cannot explain how much I respect you in writing. There are very few moments in a lifetime that you are able to genuinely see the heart, soul, and character of someone in person, but this past week I was lucky enough to witness just that. The help you had given our team and the changes you have made to the Illini 4000 are monumental and will be vital as this organization and team moves forward to bigger and better things. I wish you the best of luck with your time in Canada this summer, and everything after. I am proud to have gotten to know you so much better than the Allen Hall second floor, and know that dropping you off at the Pittsburgh Amtrak station will not be the last memory I will have of you. You are a great person and friend. I will see you soon. Each night I cannot wait to go riding with my team. Every one of you are amazing people, and I feel lucky to be a part of this experience with you. I cannot wait for the next 62 days.To Columbus! P.S. This post is a lot sappier than I thought it would be, but as I am sitting in the middle of this staircase in Westwood Baptist Church seeing each of you pass me by it is all I can think about.P.P.S. I think it is safe to say for the limited amount of posts I will be able to blog, I will be making up with thoughts and words.
Goodbye Pennsylvania!
Well, we've made it through the toughest days of the trip--riding through the Appalachain Mountains. I really enjoyed the mountains and I've had so much fun riding with everyone. Now we are in Ohio, which makes our singing of "I was carried. To Ohio in a swarm of bees," more appropriate. But as we departed Pennsylvania, we had to say goodbye to I4K President Conor Canaday. Conor helped the 2011 team make the transition to this amazing experience by driving the van and also by being a great bike mechanic. I can not imagine starting this ride without his help. Thank you, Conor, for everything you've done for this team and for this organization. I4K is not going to be the same without you.Riding out of Pittsburgh, I had the pleasure of riding with "Team Craycray." Our group had a special guest, Jonny, from the Church of Ascenscion. Unfortunately Jonny didn't get too far with our group because the first 7 miles were extremely steep. But it was really fun riding with you! And I hope you can still send our team the recipe for that pasta salad!!Tonight we are in Zanesville, Ohio. Our stayover has given us showers, dinner, cots, and a cook-to-order breakfast! We interviewed a woman named Pat for the Portraits Project and she may be the kindest person I have ever met. Having lost both her parents to cancer and being a cancer survivor herself, one could assume that Pat would have a pessimistic attitude towards life. But instead, Pat is such a happy and loving person--constantly giving to people who are in need, even if they are complete strangers. When talking about being a caretaker, Pat said, "It's a sacrifice that you make. You know the end is near, so it's a sacrifice that you just make." As soon as she said those words, I instantly thought about what my family did for our loved ones fighting cancer. For my grandpa, we changed our daily routines for 2 years because he was so sick from treatment. We literally visited him every single day, whether it was at the hospital or at his home. I think that it took a toll on my family, but we wouldn't have had it any other way. Spending the final days with your loved ones is something that not a lot of people are able to do and I am forever grateful that my family was able to.It's crazy that we will be in Champaign soon. I can't decide where I should eat in Champaign. Mas Amigos? Cravings? Bombay? Chipotle? Subway? Oh the choices.P.S. Today I tried a new Gatorade flavor (it was purple) and I liked it! I usually only drink the fruit punch flavor. And my Surly is holding up really well.
Hello, Ohio!
June 1st, 2011My first journal post of the whole trip! Computers are hard to come by so I am so excited to have this opportunity!Compared to yesterday's ride (94ish miles), today's 63 miler was shorter. The day started off great, Conner Y. pumped us up by reciting some Walt Whitman (Pioneers! Oh, Pioneers!). Though out of the hills of Pennsylvania, Ohio still has some tough climbs for us. Ohio is still much flatter than Penn. I was in my first large group today (Sean, Gabrielle, Yang, Ron, Cristian, and Gedion) and I was so glad to have a cooler day; yesterday the sun was brutal! Unfortunately at the beginning of our ride a flat tire occured in our group. Flats are a bitter sweet thing. It's pretty crummy for the person with the flat, but the rest of the group gets a little bit of time to lay back and close their eyes (even if it's just for 10 minutes, it's still bliss)I4K was lucky enough to come across the beautiful Piedmont lake. We had a lot of fun swimmingand cooling off from the sun. Frisbees were thrown, people splashed, and naps were taken--a pleasant rest stop if I do say so myself. It was sad to leave the lake, but we still had many miles to trek in order to make it to Zanesville, OH. The rest of the ride involved following the same highway for about 60 miles. The scenery was beautiful with the occasional uphill and thrilling downhill. The ride came to a hault for lunch! We had the usual PB & J, but in a different place--Deerassic Park, what a cool name.We received a warm welcome from a stayover, Westwood Baptist Church. Pastor Mark Ballmer was kind enough to drive us smelly and sweaty I4kers to a local gym to get showers. After the shower we enjoyed a delicious pasta dinner prepared by church members. I4k is forever grateful for the kindness Westwood Church has shown us. They also provided cots to sleep on. What a luxury--way better than the floor!So far, this journey has been life changing. It is truly amazing and wonderful. Not to say it's not difficult. I love my team, I am so grateful for the generosity and kindess of our stayovers, and I am appreciating the beauty of our country. Keep a look out for another post by me! :)-Rachel Samaniego
Oh the things we've seen
Bike through the Appalachians...check. The hardest week of the trip is over. The steep mountains that pushed everyone of us to our limits is now behind us. This was the hardest physical thing I have ever done. I could not have done it without my teammates. Everyone pushes each other, and motivates each other to keep on peddling, even when you think you have used every last ounce of energy. This trip has been amazing, more than anything I ever imagined. So far lots of funny stories, and cool experiences. I'll post some of those later. Its so cool how much we have seen in only a week and a half. Day 1 was NYC, and a short 3 days later we were in Amish Country, Pa. Through Pittsburg, and into the rural countryside/rolling hills of W Virginia. The people we have seen so far have been so nice to us, donating food, letting us use their hoses, and genuinely caring about our cause and trying to help us out. From city dwellers, to amish families, people of all backgrounds. It is very cool to be apart of this cause, we have raised over 121,000, and raised the spirits of so many more.Thank you to everyone who has donated to me, and has donated to the team. We are really doing something special, and it is your caring and support that is fueling this effort.
Dear Pennsylvania
That I remember, I have never been in the state of Pennsylvania before this trip, and it has proved to be quite the experience. The scenery is unlike anything I could even dream of being from Illinois where you either have Chicago or cornfields. Pennsylvania seems to me like your American state you would see in a postcard. Every view, from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and everything in between was breathtaking and brought a feeling of general peace, however I do not plan on coming back for quite some time. Blame that on the mountains.Before coming on this trip I knew we were going to experience mountain riding, but I figured all the hard stuff would have to wait until we hit the Rockies on the second half. However, I was soon informed that the Appalachians, especially in Pennsylvania, were the ones you really had to worry about. The reason for this that I received is that since they are such old streets, no codes were put into place as to how steep you can build the roads. Apparently--and I hope this is accurate!--the majority of roads in the west are new enough to follow the new codes which means for a smoother and less steep ride even though they will be much longer.The ride from Pittsburgh to Cadiz, OH was my longest one to date. Over 90 miles. It was definitely the hottest day so far and it was tough because of that. The big problem with such a long and hot day is trying to finish during daylight. Since it was so hot our stops took longer even though we couldn't afford to waste time due to the high mileage. One of the most memorable experiences was along a bike trail leaving Pittsburgh in which a retired couple asked us about our mission. We got to talking and I discovered that they lived in Sanibel Island, Florida for the winter. I told them that's where my grandmother lives and they are neighbors! What a small world!Today we rode from Cadiz to Zanesville for a 63 mile ride. 60 of those miles were on the same road, US Rt. 22. The upside to this was that you couldn't get lost even if you tried but it led to some boredom at times. At about mile 17 the entire team got off at Piedmont Lake and all went swimming for a little bit. It's random little things like this that I think are the most exciting. We rolled into our stayover at around 4 pm and showered up and ate a delicious meal provided by the church. Now I'm trying to look back on what I've learned over the past 10 days.I have learned a lot about America and American people so far. We are such a diverse country but are all united as one when it comes down to it. Many people don't think highly of our people and consider us arrogant and power hungry. But I have been taking mental notes of my experience as we cross the country and I have been thoroughly impressed with what I've seen. Everyone welcomes us with open arms and even though some motorists may get angry with us hogging part of the road, once they hear about the cause, they are dumbfounded. Apparently, doing good deeds is still smiled upon, but the fact remains that people are so shocked that we are taking it upon ourselves to do such a great thing. Most, in fact, don't believe us at first as to what we are doing and how much money we have already raised. I guess charity just isn't as commonplace as it used to be. I hope that, and can see already that our efforts have begun to spin the inspiration wheel to get people moving and realize that even just one person can make a noticeable difference.I know this because I have already.
" Is this a thousand bikes? It looks like a million!"- child
Its been a long and eventful week full of a variety of diffrent sceneries. I wanted to keep my blog up to date but that is impossible because internet is a luxury. Here is what has happened on ride days 3 through 6.For the last few days we have been following the state bicycle route. It takes you through some very scenic locations in Pennsylvania. The ride out of Philly to Lancaster was one that really sticks out in my mind. The route took us through Amish country where we were able to see them working their farms using their horse pulled plows. The rolling hills became longer and longer as we approached Lancaster because we were getting closer and closer to the Allegheny mountains. The best part of Amish country was the goods they sold on the side of the road. I bought some strawberry jam for 2$ which I later paired with triscuits. It was worth every penny.From Lancaster we rode towards Chambersburgh, PA. The group I rode with was a lot of fun. It was pretty hot so we all pulled off into a creek and swam around in the freezing cold water, but then 15 minutes later we got kicked out because apparently its someones property. Its a shame that someone can own nature like that. We did manage to get some great pictures which L.Rock has to upload. After the creek we experienced our first real extended incline. It was really tough, but we stayed strong.We were slowly climbing towards the top of the hill when Seans chain broke! To top it all off when we were sitting there waiting for connor to come help fix it, the tornado sirens went off! We were all pretty frightened considering what had happened recently in other parts of the country. After debating for a little, we decided we need to ride on until we see thunder. At the top of the hill a steep descent started to chambersburgh. About a mile down this great descent we pulled off because the rain was about to come down strong. We waited in a pizza place until Connor could pick us all up and drive us back the last 6 miles, because the storm was not going to pass until it was too dark to ride.In Chambersburg we were shuttled by the pastor to the YMCA to shower for free which was very nice of him. The church we stayed at was wonderfully historfic. It has a tall bell tower that Union soldiers used during the civil war as a look out post. The church itself was built in the 1800s and currently sports some very old stained glass windows which are very beautiful. The kind people at the church provided us with a hearty breakfast the next morning.The next day we rode to Everett, PA. On this day we experienced the most intense climbing yet. We had to cross 3 relatively tall mountains. At the top of each climb we enjoyed some scenic overlooks of the sorrunding area. On the last climb of the day I experienced some Deja Vu. Just like the day before, one of my groupmates chains broke when he was pushing hard up the mountain. This time around I was able to get it fixed with minimal help from Connor. It was still a 45 minute set back. Time that was precious because we could see that once again the skies were going to rain down on us. We continued our way up the mountain when all of a sudden signs began appearing on the side of the road. They were mostly warning signs. They were warning about the long steep descent which was about to come. We were all so excited, it was like being on a rollercoaster as it makes its way up the chain. 3.....2.....1...blast off....we cruised down the road going ~40 mph without any sort of peddaling being necessary. Even if I wanted to peddle I dont have a high enough gear to propel myself faster.After this long descent I had a fire light under me like never before. I saw the storm clouds ahead and I was determined not to let the van drive us the last 6 miles again. We pushed it hard as far as we could but we saw thunder and decided to take shelter in someones porch as soon as possible. We didnt know whether or not we would see another house soon. A nice old man let us stay on his porch and sit the storm out. Eventually we saw Gabbrielles group riding in the rain and we flagged them down. We told them to take cover because we saw thunder. Not 15 minutes after they showed up did the most intense storm begin. Golf ball sized hail rained from the sky at a rate that is unimaginable. The old man said he had never witnessed a storm like this. Im sure there are videos of this on facebook already, but I have no links . It is definitly worth watching though. The hail hitting the roof was so loud that we were barely able to hear each other talking.The old mans neighbor was kind enough to drive us all to the church in his pickup truck. It was one of the many acts of kindness we have encountered on our adventure. At the church in Everett we were greeted with an endless food buffet that the kind ladies of the parish had prepared. Furthermore, we got to sleep on comfy benches, a nice change of pace from sleeping on the floor. In the morning they also served us a delicious breakfast that made me really not want to leave Everett. We needed that nutritous breakfast because we had to bike to mount pleasant that day , but ill write about that later.Thanks for reading
June 1 Day 10
"Pioneers! O Pioneers...Down the edges, through the passes, up the mountains steep, conquering, holding, daring, venturing as we go the unknown ways," Connor Yanz said quoting Walt Whitman as the team prepared to roll out from our stayover in Cadiz, Ohio. As soon as people hopped on their saddle, the effects of a nearly one-hundred-mile day began. If people were complaining about chafing before, surely they were crying today.Despite the low mileage of the day, a quick break was necessary. Shortly after mile 17, Lake Piedmont caught our attention. Bikes were thrown, shirts were stripped and the sound of I4K riders singing "Baby Shark" could be heard throughout the lake.Ever since Cristian taught the team this catchy tune,riders have been adding and singing this song to get them through the day's toughest climbs. Although the regular song involves a family of sharks that somehow end up having a human meal.This song was especially needed today since, to our surprise, Ohio was not yet flat. After Pennsylvania's constant climbs, the team was more than ready for the miles and miles of corn and corn.Along came lunch time and the intesne heat made the team want the next stop even more--PB and J's have never tasted so good. Somehow, someway, the ride leaders manage to make them taste even better with every passing day. Amish peanut butter, grape jelly, on a hamburger bun? YUM! Best sandwich in the world--for some. Others instead had homemade biscotti; again, for some. At this point, the milage seemed to get longer and not even food was worth the distance. Rest stops and water breaks were a must and the hills just kept going. Some teams really enjoyed this day but others could not wait for the sun to set. One thing was certain, today was nowhere near as hot and humid as the day before. Our tan lines are becoming more noticeable but they are still not permanent. By the end of the ride, however, with this heat, they might be.
May 31 The Scorcher Through Three States
Today the Illini 4000 left Pittsburgh and embarked on their longest journey yet, over 90 miles and across the three different states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and on into Cadiz, Ohio.The departure of Pennsylvania was bittersweet. Everyone was excited to get out of the mountains, but at the same time the views and landscapes that took out breath away were hard to let go of. We entered West Virginia and knew it by the look of the towns. They looked like the home of hard working blue collar Americans. They were all proud of it and one vehicle had a "Wife of a Coal Miner, And PROUD of It" bumper sticker. However the hills kept coming and even when we passed into Ohio it wasn't much of a relief. Most were under the impression that Ohio was the beginning of the plains but apparently not until we get towards Columbus in two days. Believe me, we will welcome the flat land. At least for a little.Today was the hottest day of the trip yet. Well over 90 degrees with humidity off the charts. Because of this many groups had to make frequent stops to refill their precious water supply. We rode a lot on trails which made for an easier ride than normal but for a large portion of one of them, it was completely covered in rocks. This made for an interesting but extremely bumpy ride. However, we all agreed that it was better than the alternative of riding on busy, winding, and hilly streets.As daylight waned, the groups began to pull into the stayover at Scott Memorial Methodist Church in Cadiz, OH. Everyone was so exhausted that in no time after dinner the lights were out and everyone was happily dreaming about food and beds and showers.63 miles to Zanesville, OH tomorrow! See you soon Illinois!
NYC - Pittsburgh
***I also posted some pictures from our first couple days in NYC on the Illini 4000 website. If you go to "Our Riders" and click on my pic (Lauren Winters)- there should be a link that says "View Rider Photos" right above the Donate button. The album is titled "I4K NYC- PA." I will add more pics later. I have officially made it through my first week! And there has been many ups and downs- literally. Our team has pedaled our first 500 miles all the way from NYC to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania!This trip has already been the ride of my life. There has been crashes and falls, sun burns, bike problems, pains and sore muscles, wrong turns, torturous uphill climbs, and really long days. We have finished our days covered in layers of sun screen, chain grease, sweat, chamois butter, jelly from our PB&J sandwiches, dirt, and more sweat. We have conquered not only mountains but tornados. And we have done this all with an average of 6 hours of sleep a night (which I believe is my biggest weakness.)But we did it! And we did it together. Gabrielle says if we made it past these past couple days in the Appalachians - we can all make it to San Francisco. And I have no doubt in my mind that I and the rest of the team can do it. There are going to be rough days just like there were during the week. And there are going to be challenges. But just like the mountains- whenever there is a tough uphill- there is always an awesome downhill to follow. And even though 5:45 mornings and hills like Mountain House Rd might not be my cup of tea- there has been ten times more positive things that came out of this week. We have got to see cities like NY and Philly and everything in between including the Amish Country. We have belted out NSYNC and Disney songs on our way uphill. We have sang karaoke and played "Sally Walker." And we have witnessed so much hospitality and generosity along the way already. Just tonight- Chipotle donated a free dinner and drink to all of us. And Pastors have stayed up late to drive us to local YMCAs to assure that we get showers. People have opened up their homes and showers to us and have cooked homemade meals so we can eat.There has been so many positive things out of this trip already. Today during our team meeting we each went around saying our favorite moment or most positive experience so far about the trip. It was hard to pick but I definitely had to say that for me it was the team. We have already all became so close and everyone is so supportive of each other. They literally got me up the mountain or through really tough days. My favorite "Mosher" so far has been our very first one. Connor Ramsey sited a poem for us before leaving New Jersey. The poem went like this,"Now is the Law of the Jungle, as old and true as the sky;And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk, the Law runneth forward and back---For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack."With the Appalachians behind us, we are ready to move on into the Midwest!
Week #1
This first week has been an incredible experience. I almost can't believe that we’re actually doing this. As we prepared Sunday May 22nd for our first ride I began to feel butterflies. I felt a bit nervous for what was to come the following day. I got to spend that day and night with my brother and sister-in-law, Orlando and Mariel, which sort of settled my emotions. We woke up for our ride Monday morning and everybody was very excited. We prepared everything we needed and got on our bikes and took off. We passed through Newark, NJ to arrive at the Thakkar home in Hillsborough, NJ. There we had an amazing dinner and shared our stories with Mr. and Mrs. Thakkar, who are the parents of co-founder Anish Thakkar. They graciously opened there home to 28 dirty and smelly cyclists and were extremely proud to do so for the Illini 4000.The following morning we departed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We started the day with a tough accident but everybody was ok. We continued with out one rider due to damage to his bike, and continued on. Entering Pennsylvania was amazing. The state is so beautiful with amazing scenes and people. The ride into the city of Philadelphia was along the Schuylkill River and provided one of the best views of the city. We got to take a picture with the statue of Rocky! We arrived to our stayover in the west side of Philly and we all agreed we needed to get Philly Cheese stakes.Leaving Philadelphia we encountered a few rolling hills and beautiful scenery of Amish country as we headed for Lancaster, PA. The highlight of the day was when we stopped to eat strawberries on the side of the road that we bought from two little girls that were selling them in the heat of the day. Our stayover in Lancaster was nice. We got to shower and wash our clothes down the street after going a few days without.The next few days going through Chambersburg, Everett, and Mt. Pleasant (the climb wasn’t so pleasant) is where we encountered the Appalachian Mountains. Each day was tougher than the last, but all the more rewarding. We climbed and climbed up the mountains and were rewarded with awesome downhill rides. I reached over 45 mph!! It was a little bit scary at first but an amazing feeling. On our way to Chambersburg we encountered a tornado warning that forced us to take shelter for a few hours. During that time Anthony, Josh, Cristian and myself got to share family stories and experiences and came closer together. The following day to Everett we also encountered a tornado warning that again forced us off the road. I got to witness the most intense hailstorm I’ve ever seen. All of us were sort of scared but excited to see the storm. As a result of the storm we were not able to ride our bikes into Everett, but we were extremely lucky to find two amazing people that gave 9 of us a ride into town. By far the toughest day was our ride to Mt. Pleasant; an 80+ mile day through a few mountains in the hot sun. At every stayover we arrived to we were greeted with open arms by wonderful people. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity and selflessness in supporting a whole team of bikers. We have had nothing but great feelings and encounters thus far.We arrived in Pittsburg, after climbing a few more hills, and we had a rest day! Our rest day today on Memorial Day consisted of an awesome picnic in the park. We got to relax and eat amazing food. I also got to walk around the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburg and saw Pitt campus as well as CMU. I like this part of Pittsburg, and wish I could have seen more, but I keep asking myself, how is it that people want to live among huge mountains, where every turn is hill lol.We rode 493.9 miles in our first 7 days and will be in Ohio tomorrow night.! We will be arriving in Chicago in 10 days!!! I really can’t believe it. I am really proud of our team and feel that if we can make it through the Appalachian Mountains we can make it through anything.Wish us luck as we continue on our way to conquer the US!!
A Well Deserved Rest
Hey everyone! So I am currently sitting in the basement of our stayover in Pittsburgh contemplating on the happenings of the last couple of days. I have come to the conclusion that there have been few things in my life physically tougher than the most recent days.On day 6, we were to ride from Everett to Mt. Pleasant, PA on an 80 mile adventure that had long gone down in the annals of the Illini 4000 as being one of the roughest days of the summer. And none of these preconceptions were proven false the entire day. I went into the day feeling great. The day before I successfully rode up my first ever mountain and had some sort of invincibility running through my veins. The ride started off quite easily actually as only a few hills stood between my small group of Christian, Ron, and me and the first rest stop at 20 miles. After that we had about an 8 mile stretch of relatively flat land which Ron so adequately described as being "a break" in the midst of all this elevation.But as quickly as our spirits were risen, we started to go up. And up and up and up and up. And as soon as the end looked in sight, we went up some more. A slight downhill got us excited, but a quick right turn changed that very quickly and we stared in the face of the beast, the White Horse Mountain. It averaged over 10% grade for about 2.5 miles. This was one of the hardest physical challenges I have ever faced in my 20 years of life. Ron and I, two of the "big boys" of the team along with Connor Yanz, had much more trouble going up the mountain than our thinner counterparts. The hills are cake but when the mountains come into the picture it gets a little rougher. Lugging up to 60 more pounds than some of the other males proved to be a daunting task but after a few breaks we both made it up. This was the highest elevation we would be at on this side of the Mississippi River. I was so proud and so tired at the same time that I couldn't even form words. I tried having a conversation with Josh to which he cut me off and responded, "Dude, you need to drink more water."As if one mountain wasn't enough, we went through three others on that fine day. Sure there were the downhills, some over 4 miles long--I went 46 mph! A new record!--but it was heartbreaking knowing that all the progress just recently made would have to be done all over again. When we pulled into the stayover, however, I cannot describe in words how jovial I was to be there in the beautiful little city of Mt. Pleasant. As icing on the cake, Ron, Christian, and I were interviewed by the local newspaper about the organization and our personal goals and I was even a part of my first ever photoshoot! I felt like a celebrity and I would really like to personally thank all of our stayovers so far because they really treat us like they have royalty over even when we are using their food and shelter. I cannot stress enough that in their generosity lies the greatest strength of our organization and general mission. Everyone was so tired from the day that we all passed out early and had some of the best sleeps ever looking forwards to the 47 mile journey to Pittsburgh and then of course the rest day.Day 7 started out well. Ellie's brother Arie joined our group appropriately called "Team Arie" and we were all in high hopes of a short and easy ride compared to our previous ventures. Though not the near impossible ride of the previous day, it was not a walk in the park either as there were still many large hills to go along with an access of 90 degree heat. Regardless, we all rolled into Pittsburgh in the mid-afternoon excited and ready to rock. We ate dinner and some of us went to see The Hangover Part II. I don't recommended it but we made the trip fun nonetheless. Then we went to bed and were able to SLEEP IN!!!! It was great!After a team meeting, we each described what this trip has meant for us in the first week. I said that my favorite part about this trip is how close our team is becoming. Back on campus, the majority of us would not know each other let alone become friends. I love this chance at meeting these new and exciting people and I know that with their support, I will be rolling right across the Golden Gate Bridge come July 31. Thanks you guys you are the best!The University of Illinois Alumni Club of Pittsburgh provided us with a barbecue after the meeting that was absolutely to die for. Few things in this world make me happier than a burger, a brat, or a hot dog and I ate many of each. While walking back in the intense heat, we passed a fountain and in true I4K fashion jumped right in with the locals. We told them about our mission and most didn't even believe us. Coming from their perspective, what we are doing this summer does seem truly unbelievable, but then again isn't that the best part?I came back and did a lot of necessary TLC on my bike and just received word that we got free Chipotle dinner donated to us! I am stoked as Chipotle is one of my favorite restaurants of all time!Over 90 miles to Cadiz tomorrow so that's all for now! I hope you are enjoying the posts!
The Privelage of Being Alive
I am not a firm believer in horoscopes, but I do find it interesting when something written in the back of a newspaper mirrorrs your life so closely. Before leaving for NYC, I found a free will astrology horoscope that did just that. It read, "Scorpio: In the coming weeks, I would love to see you get excited about many different people, places, animals, and experiences. And I hope you will shower them with your smartest, most interesting blessings. Do you think you can handle that big an outpouring of well-crafted passion? Are you up for the possibility that you might blow your cover, lose your dignity, and show how much you care? In my opinion, the answer is yes. You are definitely ready to go further than ever before in plumbing the depths of your adoration for the privilege of being alive."I have taken this simple horoscope as a challenge, pushing myself to live up to its standards. In one week we have riden 500 miles from New York City to Pittsburg, crossing bridges, forging through cities, farmtowns, Amish country, and hills, riding over roadkill, changing my first flat, navigating through cues, and most of all climbing the Applachian Mountains. In one week I am proud to say that I have come very far both mentally and physically, working to push myself further than I thought was possible.Looking back on the first week a few things things that stand out to me most are the kindness of strangers, the wild weather, and my nevereneding love for water and sleep. We have been so fortunate to have met so many amazing people who pop up everywhere in support of the cause. One woman whose house was on top of a hill came out and gave me and three very thirsty girls 5 bottles of frozen water, another man told us that as soon as we get to San Francisco he wants us to cross the Golden Gate Bridge and scream so loud they can hear us in Pennsylvania. We have also seen some of the wildest weather to hit Pennsylvania in the past 10 years, with thunderstorms, lightning, hail, and tornado warnings slowing the team down two days in a row. Finally, I have learned how important drinking enough water and getting a good night sleep are in order to be prepared to bike all day in the heat. These two things are just as important in having a bike to ride, in my opinion.One great word of wisdom that we received this morning was to savor the feeling of hatred we have been feeling towards the mountains and their never ending climbs, because in the future, when the ride is over, we will never feel that kind of hatred towards anything again. I think that is a great way to put it, while the tough parts are very tough, the best thing about it is that this trip is a once in a lifetime experience, and we have to savor the good as well as the bad and take everything in.I'm excited to approach the next week with a bit of energy after a beautiful rest day in Pittsburgh, and promise to blog more frequently in the coming week!
May 30 Pittsburgh Event Day
Today the Illini 4000 team members got a well deserved rest. After riding nearly 500 miles in the first week, everyone was quite ready for a break.We began the day by sleeping in. We woke up at around 9:30 am which is over three and a half more hours of sleep than we normally would get and boy was it worth it. A team meeting followed a quick breakfast in which we talked about any issues that had arisen within the first week of riding. Everyone was very constructive and polite with their ideas and concerns. On a more positive note, we went around in a circle and told each other our favorite time we have had thus far or what we love about our team. It was very touching to see everyone so close with one another in such a short amount of time.We then thanked our president Conor Canaday for all of the work he has put into this organization over the past three years and especially his invaluable help as our driver, lead mechanic, and general sensai throughout this first week of the trip. As a thank you the team pitched in and decided to pay for his transportation back to his home of Channahon, IL. We really cannot express in words how thankful we are for all Conor's help throughout all the preparation and in this ultra-hectic first week of the ride.After all of this, we made our way to the picnic provided by the University of Illinois Alumni Club of Pittsburgh. Matt Cady, an '09 rider, prepared and organized the whole barbecue including the delicious foods (both meaty and vegetarian of course!) and copious amounts of drinks. It was such a relaxing time to chit chat with some U of I grads in the area and indulge in some delicious foods.Afterwards, most people had some bike maintenance to take care of. Being Memorial Day, everyone had to hop around to local bike shops and REI in order to catch them when still open while others worked on simple issues back at the stayover at the Church of Ascension.We just received news that Taylor, Christian, and Ivy got us a donation from Chipotle Mexican Grill so that all riders will be able to receive a free burrito and drink for dinner! Needless to say we are quite pumped!!!As we recover from our bumps and bruises to go along with a general soreness, we are all looking ahead to our 90 plus mile trip to Cadiz, OH tomorrow. As beautiful as you are Pennsylvania, the mountains and hills were rough and maybe next time we meet, there will be a different form of transportation in the mix.Have a wonderful day!
The hardest most rewarding days of my life
So as you all know, we've been climbing hills......lots and lots of hills/some mountains. It's been a tough few days. I thought it was already bad on day 2 but it just got worse and worse. I was really struggling. My athleticism is non existent to say the least. I always wish I got into sports and other activities. Thankfully I4K has given me the opportunity to really push myself for the first time. Though the hills were the hardest things I ever did, I never once thought they were impossible. Nothing can prepare you for the hardest days of your life but those days prepare you for almost everything else in your life. I feel so honored to have been selected for this opportunity. All my struggles fell apart at each beautiful sight I saw. I was amazed to contemplate that I had climbed those hills and mountains. At each rest stop over the past few days, we have had the opportunity to experience life amongst wonderful, kind, and extremely generous people. The first night we rode to Chambersburg and on that day I went to buy a few gifts for some friends. I am a big person for looking around small towns and experiencing the delights of each place. At one of the rest stops I bought a few handmade items that I thought my friends would enjoy. I went into a store and told a woman about our trip. She was so kind and inviting and very motherly. I felt right at home! She gave me a great deal and was sweet enough to give me her card so that I could contact her when I reach San Francisco. How awesome! People never cease to amaze me.When we got into Chambersburg it was tornadoing all over the place. I saw two funnel clouds which was insane! We had to camp out in a gas station while the weather was bad. It was pretty fun! Of course me being the idiot that I am, I assumed a tornado was touching down every second and apparently made up a dance for being correct when a tornado touched down a mile away from where we were. As you can assume, I'm never gonna live the "tornado girl"/"do the Divya" thing down. I've gotten a reputation for one liners too. I was hoping to keep that side of myself hidden, sadly it came out shining. I also found some fun ways of climbing hills like singing "roll roll roll your bike gently up these hills, merrily merrily life is like a hill" a great tune that Dory and I came up with that day. Dory even did a round with me. The songs really helped me and despite utter exhaustion I was able to get through it. We even climbed a steep hill that was about 1350 feet high! The payoff of that day was the church in Chambersburg which was amazing. It had this crazy bell at the top and it was a huge and really old church. The Pastor was so kind and inviting too!Day 6 was also intense with lots of climbs. I rode in a group with Maggie, Gabrielle and Christine. It was a long day with a ton of climbs but by the end we had reached nearly the highest point in Pennsylvania. The last 13 miles of the climb were actually my favorite despite being utterly exhausted. It's amazing how a change in attitude can really carry you through the toughest times. The last few miles, I was pumped and I enjoyed every second of the hardest climbs of my life. It's awesome when you have the right attitude and you reach and your spirits just can't be higher. Once we got through that day, I knew I could get through any day of the rest of the trip.At the stayover we had some lovely people cook us delicious food. A couple even let me and some of the girls shower in their home. I mean literally, someone I have never known. I wasn't even going to shower, but they actually insisted on me showering in their home. How kind is that. What a sweet day!Day 7 was shorter but still tough. I think we were all so tired of the hills we wanted to be in flatland. When we were biking to Pittsburgh we got a nice taste of the flatland on this trail we took for about 20 miles or so. Unfortunately it was a lie and we had more hills, haha, oh well, you win some you lose some. It was scorching that day but we got in early and were able to enjoy a bit of rest. I went walking around Pittsburgh which is an amazing little city. Its so regal and old and cool. I loved everything about it. Kids that go to UPitt and Carnegie Melon are really lucky.Today we had a team meeting and a picnic which gave me a severe food coma and a delightful nap. I love how people keep cooking me food, I could get used to this. But as I've been told the West Coast is a tad more rugged. The team meeting was so great because we each said something positive about the ride so far and everything that was said resonated so much. I already feel like everyone on the team is my family. I feel so honored to ride with such lovely people everyday.I'm so happy to have gotten some rest and I'm really excited to wear clean clothes tomorrow. Funny thing is, its only been a day and I'm already starting to miss my Eddie (Aka my trek lexa- full name Eduardo the White Knight). Alright I'm off now, I already forgot a bunch but I'll try and remember and keep you all posted.
1 week In
We are in Pittsburgh after a week of biking. There have been lots of highs and some lows along the way but it feels good to have a rest day ahead. Considering the fact that I didn't train nearly as much as I needed to I feel pretty good. New York was awesome and Pennsylvania is absolutely beautiful, except for the fact that it is the most hilly land I have ever seen. But that is part of what makes it so awesome. I know now that I can make it across the country after what we went through this week. There were mountains that just kept going and going, every turn you thought it was the top and there was another steep climb ahead. It is pretty cool when you do get to the top thought because you know there is a downhill. We get to go 5 mph for 2 hours uphill and I have hit 48 mph on the way down for 2 minutes. One of the coolest parts of the trip so far for me was stopping in a church in Chambersburg which is a major town from the Civil War. It was one of the only things not burned down by the C0nfederacy. The one thing I wish I could have seen was Gettysburg but now I have a reason to come back. We only have 6 or 7 more days until we get back into Illinois so hopefully I can write more then.
The highest highs, the lowest lows
I decided that I will have certain tallies as the summer progresses. Here are a few:# of PB&Js eaten: 13# of wipe outs: 3 (All of these occurred while I was standing still, with one foot still clipped in. No injuries incurred.)# of roadkill: I was going to keep track each day. One day I counted 58. It got depressing (and gross), so I stopped.# of times I have eaten ice cream: 2# of times I've been Moshered: 1We are almost through Pennsylvania and, consequently, the Appalachian mountains. Appalachia provided us with beautiful views, kind people and rewarding downhills. Our time together has been sweet, Pennsylvania, and I will not easily forget your Amish farmlands, your generous churches and your expansive forests; but, Keystone State, I will not miss pedaling up your steep mountains. For this, I am leaving you for another, flatter lover. Ohio, the I4K is on its way and I hope you and your buckeyes are ready.
May 29 Steel Country, Pittsburgh, PA
After the grueling trip through the mountains yesterday, the Illini 4000 crew looked forward to the "short' 47.5 mile trip into Pittsburgh. Tired from the trip the day before but full and excitement for the rest day in Pittsburgh, we were ready. The United Methodist Church in Methodist started us off right by providing a delicious breakfast.In the morning we were greeted by a visiting riding buddy Arie Spitz, Elle's brother, who rode in a group appropriately called "Team Arie." The ride started out great and everyone was excited to be out of the mountains. But most of us forgot about the western foothills. Not to mention that the forecast called for well over 90 degree heat. Oops.For many groups, this supposedly easy ride turned out to be yet another test that Pennsylvania had to offer. Uphill, uphill, more uphill, a little bit more, then a downhill. That was how it went for nearly all of the ride. And the heat did not help as many were sunburned even after applying sunscreen up to three times! Some of the uphills reminded us of the treacherous ride yesterday but we took pride that the worst was in the past.The best thing about the short mileage was that we all arrived early in the afternoon for the first time this trip. Everyone had a chance to settle in, take showers, and even do laundry at our stayover at the Church of Ascension in Pittsburgh. The team is excited to take advantage of the day off tomorrow and to sleep in. Many are planning on going to see a movie and seeing the sights of Pittsburgh as we are only a short distance from the downtown area.Tomorrow we have a picnic put on by alumni of the organization and planned by Matt Cady, a 2009 rider. Nothing like a delicious meal to start off a good day!We hope this finds you well and we hope our parents aren't too worried about us!
May 28 The Long Ride Up To Mt. Pleasant
Today the Illini 4000 for Cancer experienced some serious adversity in the form of the Appalachian Mountains. This grueling 80 mile trip challenged each and every rider both physically and mentally throughout the day.First things first. We woke up to a delicious breakfast feast provided by the Church of the Brethren in Everett. After stuffing our bellies with delicious food, we did the mosher activity. Kelsey Lyles had the activity today and chose to lead us in a wake up song from a summer camp she had gone to. What a pick me up!As the groups started to roll on their adventure, few thought about how severe the test was going to be. This was because the first 30 miles of the trip was smooth sailing for the most part until we made a left turn and started to climb. And climb and climb and climb. At each corner relief looked close, only to disappoint with more uphill. And when a downhill finally came it was only temporary and the real climbing began. When we reached the peak, most of the groups had been riding uphill for almost 8 miles and it had taken well over an hour to do so. This, however, was not the only mountain.Many started to dread the down hills after the climbs because although you could go very fast (some groups were well over 40 mph!), they didn't last long and were always followed by more and more climbing.Some spirits were low, but the team came together and cheered in each rider to the rest stops and to the eventual stay over. The team seems to be getting closer and closer by the day and long lasting friendships are being formed.We all arrived at the United Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant a little after 5 pm and were greeted with open arms by Pastor Hoover and his army of parishioners. We were shuttled to the local YMCA to shower up and then were treated to a lasagna feast! Mmmmm!Everyone is extremely exhausted from such a rough day and it looks as if most are about to sleep and its only 9pm!Pittsburgh tomorrow and then a rest day for Memorial Day! Yay!
May 27 Mountain Tops
Day 5Chambersburg, PA – Everett, PA65 MilesConditions: MountainousOur day started off to a promising start with a delicious breakfast generously prepared by members of Zion Reformed UCC and a unique tour of the church including a trip up to the bell tower. We kicked off our ride with Yang giving us the Mosher. He gave us a crash course in Chinese and taught us 3 helpful phrases that we could use while riding. He taught us how to call out: “pothole”, “stopping” and “slowing.”Once we started pedaling we quickly realized how tough the day was going to be. There were several steep climbs in our very first miles. However our climbs were made easier by the company of the Zion Reformed Church's own organist who has been a biker for several years. He rode all the way with us until our first rest stop at Cowans Gap State Park. The park was beautiful, complete with a lake that provided a nice cool down for some of the team. We took an extra long and much needed rest at this stop to enjoy the scenery and also to wait for everyone to arrive so we could take a team picture.The rest of the day proved to be one of our toughest days to date with humid weather and through the Appalachain Mountains. Our team slowly, but surely, conquered steep inclines including the infamous Mountain House Road.What goes up must come down. And down we came with a greatly appreciated 2 mile downward slope into the town of Breezewood. Unfortunately this is where our ride came to an end for the day. It seems like bad weather has been following us wherever we go and once we were only a short 10 miles away from our destination, the skies turned black and the wind picked up. We found ourselves right in the middle of another severe storm and tornado warning. All teams quickly took cover in various places in Breezewood. The plan was to wait the storm out but it only got worse and all groups were instructed to stay put until we could be picked up by the van.Even with the series of unfortunate storms in Pennsylvania, we all arrived to the Everett Church of Brethren safe (and a little wet). We believe a huge thanks needs to go out to our organization's president, Connor Canaday, who is our van driver for the first few days of the trip. He has helped us immensely by not only fixing several bike problems, but also by shuttling everyone in the van safely the last couple of days.Our difficult day was rewarded by a generous and warm welcome by the Church of Everett and its pastor, Frank Ramirez. We were provided a delicious home cooked meal (lasagna and salad) compliments of Ella, Anna, Beverley, and Thelma. It was a perfect way to end another day and to also prepare for our next day in the mountains!