Being home was nice. I enjoyed having a pillow, long warm showers, an actual towel, spending time with my parents, and friends. Although all that was great I really missed biking and sleeping in churches with my new best friends. When our team stopped at my house for lunch we had the chance to do a portrait on my friend Lisa. She went to school with me since elementary school. We played Volleyball, Soccer, and Basketball together for many years. After high school she went to University of Wisconsin Whitewater to play volleyball. She started having extreme migraines and just thought they were because of the stress of school. She continued through the pain and didn’t let it affect her life. Then in December after the alumni basketball game she passed out. When she woke up she was in the hospital and found out she had a tumor on the right side of her brain which affected the left side of her body. She is currently reteaching her left side and is making great progress. She has a positive attitude on life and I have no doubt that she will be walking by herself very soon. This portrait was very touching to all of us because she is our peer and it showed us that something this drastic and life changing could happen to us at anytime no matter how healthy you are.We rode out of Chicago with family and friends for the ride along, went to a picnic, and ended at Josh’s house where his parents provided us with lots of great food. We hung around there for a long time even went in the hot tub for a while. Later that night Kelsey and I went on a run through Highland Park.The next day we rode to Lake Geneva. After the few short rides and a day off this ride was pretty difficult for me. We stopped at Sean’s house along the way his family prepared bagels and fruit for us it was awesome! Kelsey, Jan and I jumped into the lake even though it was pretty chilly outside. We stayed at Brad Topol’s parents lake house and they made great food for us also.The ride from Lake Geneva to Fitchburg was pretty hilly and the weather was perfect. We had crunchy peanut butter and wheat bread! We went to Laurens Aunt’s house for dinner. I sat in for a portrait on Toni, who found a lump on her breast doing a self examination. The doctors wanted to put off the treatment and kept her waiting. She was 31 when she started the intense chemo that caused extreme nausea. The way she talked about it you could just tell how tough it was on her and how miserable it was to go through. She also told us that 1 out of 4 women will get breast cancer, and this was a huge shock to me.
Since Pittsburg, Champaign, Chicago...
I apologize for not posting a blog since Pittsburg. Much has happened since then. Many cities have been visited. Enthusiastic friends and family, as well as the Daily Illini and other news sources met our homecoming ride to Champaign-Urbana. I got somewhat emotional as I just completed four years of school and graduated in May. I got to walk around through campus and take in the college life for what seemed the last time.Our arrival to Millennium Park in Chicago was met by an even larger more enthusiastic group of friends and family. It was only two and a half weeks but it seemed like it was half way through the ride. I got to spend great time with my friends and family, and I also got to spend time with my nephew, Benjamin, for his first birthday. The best part of the ride was bringing my family and friends for the Ride Along. They got a 16-mile taste of what we do day in and day out. It felt like a warm up for me and my guest thought it was great and a lot lighter than they expected. Leaving Chicago was a bit tough, but very exciting knowing that 2/3s of the ride was still ahead of us.We departed Chicago for Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and the beginning of the rest of our ride. We got to stay with the Topols and were accompanied by former ride leaders for the day. The following days were all met by beautiful scenery in Wisconsin and interacting with amazing people. We entered Minnesota and rode toward Rochester for an event day and a time to meet people battling with cancer at the Hope Lodge. I got to meet a wonderful woman who was battling a cancer tumor that was found in her midsection that was removed but has since affected her again. She is forced to spend Monday through Friday in the Hope Lodge hundreds of miles from her family in North Dakota. She spoke about her experience with a group of us and it really touched me. She explained that she is a nurse practitioner and how her experience has really affected her in that she is for a change the person that is receiving the care and help from others which is hard for her. I asked her, thus far what has been the most difficult part of her battle with cancer and she said that it was telling her family, especially her children. This really hit me hard as she in many ways she reminded me of my mother who is also a nurse and a mother. I gave her a hug and wished her luck in her battle, and she wished us luck on our journey.The following day we got to tour the Mayo Clinic. This was amazing, we got to see and experience one of the most technologically, innovative, and compassionate facilities in the world. We were also interviewed for the local news that aired the same night. Our experience in Rochester and our ride was deeply dampened as two of our riders were sent home due to extreme circumstances. This really affected others and myself negatively.Today was a day of healing from our loss. The ride was an easy one, with perfect weather to Albert Lea, MN. During the ride and as we arrived I began to feel a bit better. We got to our stayover and decided to explore he town as we arrived before the team van and the pastor as well. We went in search for food donations. We entered The Taco King and I approached the owner, Raul Campos, the Taco King, and I explained that we were in search of food donations for the team. He responded with out hesitation and was more than happy to feed 26 cyclists. He invited us to his home where they were having a graduation party for his son, Jose. We all got to eat and enjoy a great time with the Campos family and friends. Aside from food donations, the party also donated $200 in cash to our cause. This was truly an amazing experience and I feel that I have made great friends.After our awesome dinner, we returned to our stayover. We decided to jump in the lake, and after Josh, Taylor, and myself played frisbee in a park and were joined by three young boys. We taught them how to play for over an hour and a half. It was great time and truly made me happy interacting with them and making an impact in their lives.I'm still recovering from our team loss but I'm excited to finish the rest of the ride. Today has been a great day that gives me motivation to continue riding and fighting the battle against cancer.
Parades and Soap Operas
Man, today was the best day of the trip so far. It started out like any normal day. Rolled out and started biking. Everything was pretty average until we hit mile 56. We were in a town called Fairmount in Minnesota on our way to Jackson. I'm personally a huge fan of stopping in small towns and getting a feel for the world around me. I really like seeing what each town has to offer. Boy was I in for a surprise and so were others on the team. We started touring Fairmont and it was pretty simple at first and almost everything was closed. Thankfully this awesome place was open it was called the Real Film Society I believe. It was this club that was decorated in a 20's style and was available for rent for anyone in the town. Maggie and I just walked around in awe at how awesome it was. We even make a breast cancer survivor who was 20 years free of her cancer. We told them what we were doing and they were so supportive. After we walked around in there, we got the offer of a lifetime. The owner said they were filming the town soap opera called "As the Corn Grows" and needed some extras so obviously Maggie and I jumped at the chance. It was insane we got to pretend we were eating and talking at a Diner. It was hilarious and so cool. I couldn't believe that we were featured. Maggie and I, will both now have a credit to our names and we even got some free advertising for Illini 4000! Amazing!We were already on top of the world when we kept riding. We were in another town and we ended up in their town parade! How insane is that? We rode up to the parade to see what was going on and lo and behold we saw Relay for Life rolling up. We told them what we were doing and they let us join the parade with them! We rode like 5 or 6 blocks in the parade and then rolled back out! It was so crazy awesome.Later on we heard that in the same towns another group of riders got to work at a bike shop and got interviewed on the radio and also attended the town festival! Minnesota is officially the nicest state in the United States. I have yet to meet a mean person in this state. We even were invited to a graduation party yesterday for dinner. We literally crashed a graduation party without our knowledge. We thought we were going to a park but really we were going to someone's back yard where their food stand stood.These have been the most insanely awesome days ever! Can't wait for more.
Westward, Ho!
Hey yall, its been a while since i've posted so...my bad. The last time I used a computer was over a week ago, so I guess that speaks for itself in my lack of computer access/time to blog. Anyways since the last time I blogged so much has happened that I could write pages and pages of all the things we have experienced, but I'm not gonna go that route being that I should probably be sleeping right now (we have 80 some miles to bike tomorrow). The last few days have been very eventful. We have seen beautiful landscapes, crossed the Mississippi River, toured the mayo clinic, met some amazing people, and also faced a dramatic change to our team. Two of our friends and riders had to go home. The ride will not be the same without them. I speak on behalf of the team that we miss them and that they are on our minds.On a different note, Wisconsin...underrated. Wisconsin was easily my second favorite state so far, just barely behind Pennsylvania. Any state that puts such a high premium on ice cream and sausages/brats is OK in my book. Deliciousness aside wisconsins green rolling hills, with flowing natural prarie and dense forrests caught me off guard. It was like a better Illinois. We finished Wisconsin in La Crosse, which is right on the border. Riding into La Crosse was a 90 mile day through pouring rain. That was fun. The next day we crossed the Mississippi. I was expecting a wider river, because I know its wider down south, but it was still really cool to cross such an iconic piece of America. Directly from there we had a mile climb reminicent of the Appalachians. The hill is called Nodine. At the top of the hill we could lookout and see the rolling hills and valleys on Wi and Mn and the wetland-looking Mississippi. From there on we caught the west-east headwinds that will torment us the rest of the trip. A couple highlights of Mn so far are the Hope Lodge+Mayo clinic and our arrival in Albert Lea. At the hope lodge we toured around the center and learned about how the American Cancer Society provides food and housing for people financially in need while undergoing therapy at the Mayo clinic. We met some amazing individuals there. I talked at length with an 80 soemthing year old man who has been battling prostate cancer for 4 years. He has been undergoing radiation and chemotherapy every day for the last month, and he is only halfway done. The next day we toured the Mayo clinic. It was awe inspiring. Everything there=state of the art. We toured the Innovation center, where they brainstorm for new ways to improve and change the healthcare system. Today we arrived in Albert Lea. My group arrived first and so we checked out the town a little. Manny and Cristian, both Mexican and Spanish speaking, went into a Mexican restaurant and talked with the owner. The owner remembed I4kers coming to his restaurant last year and remember our cause. He invited the whole team to come to his sons high school graduation party at his house where he fed us, we gorged, in awesome Chinese and Mexican food. Not only that but he wants to host us next year when we pass through Albert Lea. We felt like we were party crashing, and I guess we kinda were. Here are 26 admittedly stinky gross strangers showing up at a high school graduation party, taking plates and plates of foods. And we were welcomed with open arms. It makes me proud to be apart of I4k seeing how motivating our trek is to others.As we move west we are going to see some beautiful landscapes and places I have never been. I'm excited for the journey. I'll try to keep you all posted on my adventures. That is all for now, sorry for the lack of bloggage so far. I'll do better I promise!-Josh
Rochester to Albert Lea
First blog post in awhile! Things get so hectic, and there are times where I say “ok, ok, I’m going to blog!” But then I end up falling asleep!Today we rode from Rochester, MN to Albert Lea, MN. The past two days have been extremely informing and inspiring. On Thursday the team was crunched for time because we had to be at the Hope Lodge by 5pm! We woke up early, shortened our breaks and rode fast.Visiting the Hope Lodge was life changing. The Hope Lodge is a center run by the American Cancer Society. Cancer patients are able to have their own room for as long as necessary while they are receiving treatment. It is completely free and really helps families with financial troubles. We had the opportunity to tour the facility and talk to some of Hope Lodge’s residents. Everyone was so friendly and asked many questions about our bike trip. It was hard to divert the conversation to learn more about them because they were just so fascinated with Illini 4000! I was able to have some great conversations and did a portrait of a couple – Jim and Joyce.Jim and Joyce have been married for more than 30 years (they celebrated their anniversary the day before we visited). Joyce is currently battling leukemia and Jim has Parkinson’s disease. The adoration and love they have for each other is extremely inspiring. They take care of each other and have so much optimism. They are truly beautiful people. I wish the best for Jim and Joyce, and hope they take that long awaited Alaska trip they’ve been dreaming of. :)The day was going so well and it got better when I4K received a free Chipotle dinner! This is the 3rd dinner Chipotle has donated to I4K and we are extremely thankful! Thank you so much, Chipotle.Yesterday was an event day, which means—no riding! Our first day off since Chicago! What a treat. The day started out with a great breakfast provided by our new ride leaders Ron and Katie.Illini 4000 then took a tour of the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic is a very prestigious hospital and well known for their innovated methods of health care. It was so fascinating to meet the minds behind Mayo and tour the facility. It is such an amazing hospital. I am so glad they took the time to give us a tour; they even provided lunch! Today was a 70 mile day. It was relatively easy. We rode from Rochester to Albert Lea. I was in a group with Maggie, Dory, Marc, and Conner Y. I had a lot of fun. We decided to take it easy and just chill. We went at a nice pace, took a nap, played in a park, and then played in another park. It was so great! Once we arrived at the stayover, we heard the news that I4K was being provided Mexican food! Taco King! We made our way to a graduation party where Taco King was catering. They welcomed us and allowed us to eat as much as we wanted. It was so great. The owner then made a generous donation of $200. Thank you so much Taco King. Albert Lea has to be one of my favorite places so far. We were greeted by a beautiful lake. Some of the riders went in the lake and had fun. I decided to stay on the sidelines and read. I explored a bit later and was lucky enough to catch the sunset over the lake; it was gorgeous.So far I am enjoying my experience with I4K so much. It is challenging, educational, and forever inspiring. Meeting the people of Hope Lodge and Mayo Clinic strengthened my passion for this ride. I ride for these people everyday. I ride for Jim and Joyce, I ride for my own family members battling cancer, I ride for the brilliant minds of Mayo Clinic, and I ride for our supporters, like Taco King.
June 18
Today started with breakfast and a Mosher, done by Christine, with the skies overcast and looking like they were ready to drench us with rain. Fortunately, they held out as we rode out 70 miles into Albert Lea, MN at a brisk pace. The first group to arrive began to visit local food places for donations. It wasn't long before the owner of a local Mexican restaurant approached us, asking how our ride was going. He told us that his restaurant was closed tonight, but only so that he could cater for a special party. He had remembered the Illini 4000 when we came through town last year and some riders had eaten at his rastaurant, and he happily invited us to the party at his house for dinner. As it turns out, it was his son's graduation party. Nothing like a bunch of college kids crashing a high school graduation party! Despite how odd the whole situation was to start, everyone there was extremely welcoming and interested in hearing from us. They were happy to feed us endless amounts of Mexican and Chinese food, and boy were we happy to eat it! They even passed around a basket to the parents and collected donations for us, which totaled almost $200! It's a shame we only have a few more days in this state; Minnesotans have been so good to us!
Mayo Clinic!
Ahhhhhh we went to the Mayo Clinic today. It was so awesome. I can't even believe I stood there. In all of my Community Health classes and my work at the Public Health Department I always hear about Mayo Clinic. I read Mayo's research and I am constantly learning about the accomplishments that have been made. I couldn't believe I was actually in those halls today. What an honor! This trip has made me cherish every minute of every day and it's so good to get a pay off like seeing the Mayo Clinic on a day off. Thanks to everyone that showed us around and spoke to us. My sincerest wishes go to all of the people that we did portraits with yesterday at the Hope Lodge. It is so inspiring to hear those stories and it makes me appreciate every minute of my life. Thank you all for giving me a face to put to my ride. I know what I'm riding for and I now have people to remind me that each struggle is worth so much.
Thank you!
We wanted to take the opportunity to thank our donors again for all that they have helped us to achieve. Due to the generosity of each and every donor, we have been able to complete 1600 miles across the country and we can now say that we are nearly accomplishing our goal of 125,000 for cancer research and we are only a third of the way through the trip. Thank you all so much for everything that you have done, your support means everything to us and keeps us going.We would also like to give a huge thanks to all of the people that have taken care of us along the way. Each and every stayover has done a marvelous job and by opening its doors to us. We have been so fortunate to have been provided meals, lodging, and showers by strangers. Its wonderful to know that such kind people surround us on our journey. Thank you all again for your kindness and generosity.
June 17 Rochester MN
This morning we slept in until 9:00 AM and were awoke by the smell of eggs and sausage wafting through the halls of the Zumbro Lutheran Church. Ron, our new ride leader had purchased breakfast and was made us a hot breakfast to supplement our cereal. After cleaning up and finishing breakfast, we departed for a tour of the Mayo Clinic. We were personally guided to the 16th floor on one of the Mayo Clinic towers and were guided through the Center for Innovation. The Mayo clinic strives to enhance and innovate patient health care and delivery. The environment fostered creativity and utilized broad open windows, glass walled conference rooms, sticky notes and a myriad of employee specialties (engineers, designers, scientists, physicians etc...). The room had the ambiance of an advertising firm or Google headquarters. We were treated to lunch and guided around the Gonda building. We saw Chihuly glass sculptures, Andy Warhol prints, and a message written by a previous rider and cancer survivor. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to speak with local media regarding our experiences. We spent the rest of the day resting, touring, and preparing for our day tomorrow.
June 16 Rochester
Today we woke up at 5:30 in preparation for a long day. After eating cereal, Italian bread and brownies for breakfast, we loaded our gear and gathered outside the church in La Crosse. Our Mosher today consisted of a ninja game where we formed a circle and tried to chop eachother to the theme song from Mortal Combat. Upon leaving La Crosse we crossed the Mighty Mississippi via a long blue bridge and ascended a large Mesa which was the start of Minnesota. The climb was steep and passed in between rocky walls but summited on a ledge overlooking the whole city of La Crosse and the Mississippi river. We were under the assumption that this was the only climb of the day. This was VERY inaccurate and the day consisted of nearly endless climbs with false summits and relentless headwinds. After hours of hard work we climbed our last hill and were greeted by the towers of the Mayo Clinic in the valley town of Rochester. After checking into our church we traveled to the Hope Lodge and interviewed 3 people for the portraits project. The day was capped off by another round of free burritos from Chipotle and pizza from Pizza Hut. Life is good on I4K.
A cold and wet finale to the great state of Wisconsin
This morning we awoke to the pitter patter of rain drops on the windows of Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church. In preparation for the elements, many riders equipped arm and leg warmers and everybody wore a rain coat. Within 5 miles of Reedsburg, rocky mesas began to jut up from the grassy plains of Wisconsin. Huge forests full of towering pines and white birches stretched across the misty landscape.For 88 miles we traveled through central Wisconsin, and our three rest stops were greatly needed. The rain and cold had drained our energy, but we persevered thinking about the cancer patients who go through much worse. In the end, everyone made it into LaCrosse. Upon arriving, we set out around the town in search of food donations. We were well rewarded for our efforts, with a feast of burritos, chicken sandwiches, pizza rolls, and even some bananas from generous local businesses.After dinner we selected our ride leaders for the remainder of the trip. The team voted for Katie and Ron to take us the remaining distance to San Francisco. They'll work closely with Gabrielle and Marc over the next week to ensure a smooth transition. After the elections, many riders turned in early while others worked on their bikes, knowing that we would have another long day ahead of us. However we look forward to our next Event Day, with a visit to the Rochester Hope Lodge and Mayo Clinic.
Home Home Home
Murphy's Law:(noun)---the facetious proposition that if something can go wrong, it will.Although this term doesn't entirely reflect the sequence of events that the riders of the Illini 4000 have encountered, Murphy's Law couldn't have been more applicable to our ride (or at least my ride) into Chicago for 48 hours of "rest" before we continued up through Wisconsin. It started from Homewood, Illinois, only about 30 miles south of Chicago. A seemingly easy day, as 30 miles was the only thing that separated us from a day off with our families. I had planned out a rest stop at my house at about 15 miles in, as we were riding through my neighborhood anyway. I talked to my mom the night before and she said she would prepare snacks and cold drinks, and would even ask our neighbor if we could use her pool for a quick dip to cool off. Sounds like a plan.But as we took off that morning the skies began to darken. I rode at the front of the pack with Sean, Kelsey and Linsey so I could be sure everyone had clear directions to my house. Only a quarter mile into our ride it began to rain. At a half mile, it began to pour. And at one mile in, Kelsey got a flat tire. With the sky dropping sheets of rain on us we fixed the flat as fast as possible, but by then the other groups had passed us. We rode on, deciding to alter our route to save some time. Still only 5 miles in we began riding into flooded streets, each one more deep than the last. We wondered where the other groups were, but figured we must keep riding to catch up. At one point we came to a viaduct that ran parallel with the highway. We rode in and were met with over 3 feet of floodwater. As we were halfway through we saw flashing lights from several cop cars from the other end of the street; they were blocking the entrance, as the street we were riding through was being closed off to cars. We didn't know what else to do but laugh at this point. The girls even took pictures: a huge concrete cave all to ourselves, filled with a river of water for us to wade through. Truly a unique experience. On the other side of the police cars was the rest of our team, who had waited patiently for us so I could direct them onward to my house.We continued on, reminding each other not to drink from our water bottles, which had undoubtedly been submerged in sewage water by then. While riding down Longwood Ave., just about every other block was flooded. Cars were in the middle of the road, seemingly abandoned, and on one block a girl and her younger brother maneuvered a paddle boat through the street.When we finally made it to my house my parents and siblings were all waiting for us, cheering and laughing as 28 smelly riders came down the street. They must have sensed our anguish. As we took off our shoes and piled in the house my mom threw endless heaps of towels around the living room, so that we could sit for a few minutes and warm up before heading north to Millenium Park. She also handed around plates of fruit, chips and cookies for us to eat-all of this while my dad battled the 6 inches of floodwater that had accumulated in our basement that morning. When it rains it pours, literally.From my house we rode northeast and got on the Lakefront Trail. Despite the monstrous headwinds the trail was really enjoyable, and our day culminated at the Bean with family and alumni waiting for us. It's always fun when a ride can go from easy, to wet, to hopeless, to more wet, to awesome, to long, to dreadful, and back to awesome all in the same day, in the same 30 miles. Looking back at it now, while clean and warm and curled up in my sleeping bag, I wouldn't have changed a thing.
So long, Illinois
It is late and I was fortunate enough to snag a couch at our stayover. In other words, my bed is calling so this post will be brief. I just wanted to take a moment to thank a few people before too much time has passed.First, I would like to thank the Rock, Yanz, Doppelt, Winters and Madison families. While riding through the Chicagoland area, all of these families opened their doors to our team (and our family/friends) and completely spoiled us with food, showers, laundry machines, etc. A few weeks ago, these things would not have been terribly out of the ordinary, but after a few weeks on the road, we could not have appreciated the hospitality more. Thanks to all of you!Second, I want to thank Dave and Jill. I feel so fortunate that I have family like you two. It was such a treat to spend the night with you two--a homey atmosphere is always welcome these days, especially when it is filled with kind people!Third, thank you to everyone who joined me at the ride-along and picnic. Amy, Kathleen, Mark, Courtney, Sara, Emmett, Anna, Kyli and Kerri--you guys are great! It was so nice to see so many friends. The support means the world to me. To my family--I was so proud to be surrounded by you all. You guys are truly helping me along this ride. I would like to especially thank my dad for making me an amazing bike playlist! He selected special songs for each state we will ride through. More importantly, though, he had each of my family members (including my younger sister who is studying abroad in Argentina) record a special song/motivational clip for me and mixed that into the playlist as well. I am very excited to listen to everything :)Fourth, I would like to extend a very warm thank you to all of our stayovers. After a long day's ride, I sometimes find myself "bonking" (or crashing) during our last 5-10 miles. By the time we roll into our stayover, it is easy to be overcome by tiredness and frustration. What I have found day after day, however, is that the generosity and kindness of our stayovers repeatedly cheers me up upon arrival. It's pretty hard to be grumpy when people are offering up food, drinks and kind words!Fifth, thanks to all of the alumni who helped to organize the ride-along and picnic. It was so great to celebrate with our families and we raised over $1,200! It was a great start to a wonderful tradition.Lastly, thank you to my teammates! Each and every one of you is amazing and adds your own flair to this team and helps to create the wonderful dynamic that we possess. I enjoy riding with all of you and listening to your songs, stories and jokes helps me pass the time.The I4K would be nothing without its supporters (sorry if I forgot anyone!) OK, it is 10:30 and time for bed (what have I become?!). Goodnight!P.S. Shout out to Laura--you are almost home! Can't wait to be able to call/text you again!
The rolling hills of Wisconsin
Today we rode from Fitchburg, WI to Reedsburg, WI, but before we get to today, we should take the time to discuss a neat experience that we had yesterday. At the dinner we did an awesome portrait. A woman, currently battling breast cancer, and her husband spoke to a few of us about her experiences. Her interview was one of the most honest and informational interviews we have had. Despite having had a tough few months she spoke to us about her experiences for an hour. Seeing the relationship that she and her husband had was a true inspiration. They were each other's shoulders and there was so much closeness and strength between them. It was an honor to be involved with this portrait and we wish the two of them the absolute best.Now we'll let you all know a bit about today. Thank goodness for Wisconsin. Wisconsin has taught all of us that hills can really be lovely. What a great ride we had today. It was filled with off-the-beaten-path adventures. Wisconsin has been so kind to us. We have had such glorious weather and we have been rolling through some really scenic routes. Though Pennsylvania was beautiful, it was extremely tough to ride through. Wisconsin was filled with hills but hills that were much easier. After climbing each hill we landed in an amazing place that was so lusciously green and lovely. Though many of us got lost today, I think most of us took it well and didn't mind an extra few miles in such a wonderful place.Today was a very relaxed day. We each took our time on getting to the stayover taking plenty of pictures and hanging out at rest stops. We found some neat stuff like a bunch of tires lying randomly piled on the side of the road. It was a fun and easy going day. It is awesome to have days like these now and to remember that this is the adventure of a lifetime. Thanks for keeping track of us and don't forget to check back tomorrow.
Driving the Van Tomorrow
First, thank you madison illini alum for joining us at lauren's family's home. In fact, as tribute to lauren's very sweet mom, i will blog today.Today was an easy day. My group--consisting of gabrielle, dyvia, rachel and connor--took the 60-something miles into wisconsin at a pleasant pace. Ivy and I sang christmas, chinese, beatles, and spanish songs. Out of these random sound bites I felt we could pull off a pretty good duet. She, of course, would sing the high notes and I the low.But the thought of organizing a proper song would have to wait at least 30 more miles. Singing quickly turned into stomach rumbling; but, it did not last. We stoped at a convenience store and bought some, according to Maggie, "fresh" Wisconsin cheese--it came in a sealed bag. Of course the quotes above were meant to show sarcasm but I, on the other hand, found it tasty and filing. Maggie kindly let me have a second, and third, hand full.So far, Wisconsin has been amazing. The people. The sights. The food. I guess that's why I volunteered to drive the van. I'm a little scared, but, if others can do it, so can I. Wish me luck! It seems a bit stressful but, maybe, it can also be enjoyable.
All the Small Things
This trip has really made me appreciate the little things in life. Such as a pillow. I found it so strange but comforting to sleep on a normal size pillow when I went home for 2 nights! At home I was able to hang out with my family and friends and relax. I also hit up the mall with Nicki and realized how I am not up to date on the latest fashions. But the great thing is I wake up and never have to decide more than which bike shorts I will wear that day. And I have gotten used to no make-up or doing my hair. Leaving my hair to dry naturally has been one of the most beautiful things ever. Sean Laude told me I'm the one with the "crazy hair". I'll take it.Saturday we had the ride along where we invited family and friends to ride 15 miles with us on the Lakefront trail downtown. We ended at Caldwell Woods where we had a bbq. My mom and I took the train and met up with the team at the Cancer Survivor Garden in Grant Park. I loved having my mom there! She was able to meet Linsey's parents and a few other parents as well as many of my teammates. The weather was not great, but it got better as we continued riding. My dad met up with us later on. I seriously owe my parents my life!When we rode up to where everyone was gathered I saw a boy pointing at me. I didn't recognize him at first with longer hair and a beard, but it was the one and only Daniel Mosiman (Mosi!!!). I couldn't believe it. He had just gotten back from Jordan the day before and saw the event on the home page and decided to surprise me! I was so touched. Thanks for coming Mosi! and Mosi's brother Cory!The ride along and picnic was a great way to show our family and friends what we do and why we do it, and also to thank them for being our life support.After the picnic we rode to Highland Park to Josh's house for another dinner. It was a great, relaxed atmosphere with good people and his dad let us use his hot tub! That night Linsey and I went on a run. Running and biking are definitely different! After a few days off I definitely was feeling my muscles working when I ran. It was a great way to let off extra energy (I'm surprised that I can say I have extra energy!) and reflect. I've learned that you can't live life worrying, but you have to live appreciating every good thing that comes your way. Nothing can prepare you for an unexpected punch, but knowing that you have enjoyed every bit of life possible is reassuring.The next morning Gabby's mosher was for everyone to share who they were riding for or why they ride. It was moving to hear everyone's personal stories and experiences with people who have been affected by cancer. I never knew that Connor Yanz's childhood friend died from cancer. Being united by a cause that is so close to everyone's heart really brings us together as a team. That day we rode with everyone's family and friends on our minds, each story motivating the next turn of the wheel. Arriving in Lake Geneva at Brad Topol's parents' house, we all enjoyed some snacks before some of us headed to the lake. The weather was pretty chilly (about 62) but Linsey and I were determined to jump in the water- so we did. We got some good pictures of us before, during, and after the jump. A jolt of life shot through my body as the icy cold water hit my skin. It's funny how the senses can make a person feel truly alive. I'm thankful for the ability to seek out the little thrills that life has to offer.Today was a beautiful ride to Fitchburg, WI. Wisconsin is gorgeous so far. I had a ton of fun riding with Maggie, Christine, Taylor, Dory, Yang, and Linsey. We took our time and took long breaks. The weather was perfect and the ride was not strenuous, but rather peaceful and enjoyable.Lauren's aunt hosted us at her house for dinner and showers, which was much more than we could have asked for. After dinner I sat in on a portrait with a relative of Lauren's named Toni who recently battled breast cancer. The thing about her story that struck me the most was the fact that she may not be able to have kids because the chemo has damaged her ovaries. There is still hope that her ovaries will "wake up" some day, but it is not guaranteed. My stomach turned over when I heard this. Her husband and her were just getting ready to start having kids when she found a lump in her breast. It just goes to show that anything can happen. I was also struck by the pain that she described after having treatments. She was nauseous, but then after taking the anti-nauseous pills she would have huge head aches. She lost all her hair and had a double mastectomy. But, she still smiles. And she still holds her head up high. I asked her where she got her inner strength from and she said God, her family, and her husband who she has been with for over 20 years (high school sweethearts).Cancer is everywhere, but even with the prevalence I was not aware of the real impact it has on a person's life. Toni's story has changed people's lives. Now her co-workers check themselves regularly and people appreciate life more. I must sound like a broken record.I'll never understand why cancer exists. But I do understand a little better how it affects people. And I hope that this ride brings awareness to others too. And that the money raised contributes to a breakthrough, which I believe it will. If I didn't, I don't think I would wake up and ride my bike every day.
America's Dairyland
Waking up in Lake Geneva we were greeted by the smell of cinnamon rasin french toast cooking in the Topol's kitchen. After saying our goodbyes we started the day off with a mandatory trip down to take a look at the lake, thanks to Yang. The second part of Yang's Mosher shouldn't have come as such a surprise, he had us climb back up the hill we had ventured down to get to the lake in the first place!The team enjoyed the mild weather and scenery of Wisconsin as we rode 68 miles into Fitchburg, right outside of Madison. True to Wisconsin style there were many cow spottings, and one team even dedicated their ride to finding cheese curds for a snack. All teams arrived safely at the Christ Memorial Lutheran Church where we were greeted by the Madison Alumni club who graciously provided us snacks.After unwinding, the team accompanied by the U of I Madison Alumni Club made their way over to the Winter's for an amazing dinner. Treated to portabella and italian beef sandwiches, quinoa and pasta salads, the team left very satisfied. The Illini 4000 would like to extend a big thank you to Gale's family- Nadine, Gina, and Lauren's Grandma for putting together an amazing evening for us, and even doing our laundry! We would also like to thank the Madison University of Illinois Alumni Association.
Rockville to Chicago
It's been awhile since I've been able to blog. A lot has happened since Greenwood at the Bartholomew's house. That morning I rode with Linsey, Lee, Jan, Connor, and Manny and we pushed it hard. We rode through a refreshing rain and faced some little hills in the woods. We arrived first at the stayover and Manny, Lee, and I roamed around the nearly empty town. That night we had a team meeting and exchanged our white elephant gifts. We also ate dinner with some of the people from the church. Linsey and I found 2 couches to sleep on!The next day we were all anticipating the ride to our stomping grounds, Champaign. I rode with Jan, Linsey, and Sean and we booked it there. Upon arriving we jumped in Homer Lake to cool off and kick back before the rest of the team showed up. Then we all rode together to the Alma Mater. I got interviewed by ABC Central News! I found it pretty funny that I was wearing my pink Bulls hat on a tv interview. The adrenaline was pumping as we realized we had made it all the way back to U of I, where this whole journey began, from New York. Later for dinner Ellie's mom provided us a HUGE meal of Papa Del's pizza, fruit and gatorade. I swear we are treated like kings and queens. That night a bunch of us met up at Josh's apartment and we were all overcome with tiredness.The next day I rode with Connor, Linsey, and Katie. We had an easy ride to Clifton where the church had booked the pool for a youth pool party! We all had a blast jumping off the diving board and enjoying each other's company. Linsey, Cristian, and I had a nice walk back to the church after swimming.A highlight of the past week was the ride to Homewood. Along the way we stopped at Manteno Lake, where Linsey's mom had pulled some strings to let the whole team in. We stayed and swam for about an hour and a half. The best part was seeing everyone's silly tan lines. I looked like I was wearing white shorts! 7 miles later we stopped at Linsey's house for the best bbq I'd ever been to! The food was all homemade. While the food was excellent and Mrs. Rock bought my favorite chips (thanks!! :) ), talking with Linsey's friend Lisa was very inspiring. Lisa was diagnosed with brain cancer during her freshman year of college and was forced to come home to get surgery and treatment. Right now she is re-teaching her left side how to function normally. You would think after going through that a person would be depressed, but Lisa is a very positive, funny, and motivated person. It makes any problems I have had seem so small. Our whole team has been thinking of Lisa since we met her.The next day will easily be one of the most memorable days of the trip this summer. It was the ride to Chicago. After an early wake up at 5:45 am, we sat down for some french toast provided by the church ladies while a storm was raging outside. We went outside for Manny's mosher, which was to get us all pumped up for the ride home to see our families at the bean. We danced to one of Manny's favorite songs "Push it" by Salt and Pepa and then chanted "everywhere we go..etc". I started off riding with the Poo Crew, Sean, Linsey, and Connor Yanz and about 10 minutes into the ride the storm was back in full force. And what do you know I get my first flat tire. Thankfully Connor and Sean have become experts in the flat tire field and helped me out in the pouring rain. Then we came upon some flooded streets where the water came up to our knees. It was quite the experience. Some floods we were able to ride through and some we had to literally pick up our bikes and carry them over our heads. Soon we met up with the other groups and carried on as an entire team. Travelling with 28 people through the city was one of the most exhilarating experiences ever. After about 10 miles we reached Connor Yanz's house where his family provided a great rest stop with snacks and warm towels. Again, I can't thank everyone enough for their generosity and genuine kindness towards us.Then we rode another 15 miles to the Bean at Millenium Park and I literally was smiling from ear to ear when I saw my dad standing there with a camera in hand. I hopped off my bike and gave him a huge hug. Then I glanced right and saw my best friends Nicki, Olivia, and Clinton! Thanks for coming guys. It means the world to me to have your support. I have never felt so blessed in my entire life! I will cherish this experience forever. My dad took a bunch of pictures, some of which he sent to the Daily Herald! They printed an article in the main section of the paper that has a huge distribution area! I am grateful for the publicity for the organization and the mission to fight cancer. Literally our organization thrives off of the support and generosity of others. So thank you everyone for your donations, prayers, comments, and support. You have made my experience so eye opening and amazing.There is more to come but Linsey needs to use her computer so I will update in a bit!
I4K to Wisconsin!!
Today the I4K Team rode from Deerfield, IL to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Our ride was a very beautiful one. The sun was shinning and there was a cool breeze the whole way. Before we started off on our ride we got to remember and share why we were all individually doing the ride for the summer. We got to share our feelings and emotions and truly express why it is that we are riding across the country for this cause. This moment truly reminded us why we ride and made today an even more special day to ride.The ride covered many miles on trail roads yet we still had a spill. Former riders Sean and Alex had a small crash, but everything was fine. We took a long, relaxing lunch break getting back to our PB&J diet. We finally arrived to Lake Geneva, welcomed by the Topols and the Volkmans. They provided us with plenty of snacks, an amazing dinner, showers, and a comfortable living room to enjoy Game 6 of the NBA Finals. We truly thank the Topol Family for all of their support and generosity. Tomorrow we continue to make our way across Wisconsin.
Ride Along and Picnic
After a much needed rest day in Chicago visiting with family and friends the team reunited to continue on our journey today. We started the morning off with a Mosher dedicated to discussing the strangeness of life outside of I4K including riders feeling as if they were going way too fast while driving under the speed limit in a car, feeling lonely at bedtime, and even craving PB&J for lunch!Our day got off to a slow start as the team got stuck by a bridge that was out, typical of city biking! We were greeted in the Cancer Survivor's Garden in Millennium Park by eager family, friends, and supporters who were geared up with bikes and helmets ready to ride. After a moment of silence in the garden we were off teaching our guests about bicycle safety and call outs on the route. The 15 mile ride concluded with a successful picnic in Caldwell Woods. The picnic was a success largely in part to all the hard work of our families pitching in to provide food and help grill.With so many riders on the trail, it is no surprise that someone came away with a battle wound. Only a few miles into the ride along, Dory's bike got away from her. Next thing she knew she found her unlucky chin catching her fall where the bike path had a steep drop off to the shoulder. Dory, unphased by her fall arrived at the team picnic no more than a few minutes late, with ten stitches in her chin. She got right back on her bike to finish the remainder of the ride.After saying our goodbyes the team traveled another fifteen miles north to find ourselves at rider Josh's house where we were treated to a delicious dinner from Josh's Aunt, a caterer. Needless to say, we were very spoiled. We left Josh's and made our way to Christ United Methodist Church for some much needed rest after such an eventful day.