Due to a landslide on our normal route, the team has taken a 2 day detour and is currently camping in the Big Horn Mountains at Leigh Creek Campground, along US-16. Tomorrow they will rejoin the normal route in Greybull, Wyoming. It appears that there is no cell phone reception where the team is currently located, so you may have difficulty contacting them this evening. Cell phone reception will not be present when the team is camping in Yellowstone National Park on July 5th and at Wilderness Gateway Campground, ID on July 12th. Some riders may not have reception in Kamiah, ID on July 13th. There may be other instances of little or no cell phone reception during the day or evening, however these are the spots that we are aware of from past experience.
Mayo Clinic
Our first night into Rochester, we visited some patient living areas (an extension of the Mayo Clinic) to talk to anyone interested in sharing their stories with us, and were able to get several interviews for our Portraits Project. Lee, Manny, Christine, Jan, Taylor and I talked to a woman named Joan from North Dakota. She was battling Pancreatic Cancer and had been staying in Rochester for treatment. She was happy to share her story and didn't mind all of our questions.Her story was very inspiring. She was a very confident, no-nonsense woman. When we asked about her struggle through treatment, she simply shrugged her shoulders saying that she was sick and would do anything to be cured. The physical and emotional pain of treatment and having to be away from her family were tough, but she knew it was something that had to be done. The only time we witnessed her become emotional was when she described how horrible it would have been for her children to grow up without a mother. After the interview we stayed and chatted for a long time, drinking coffee and sharing stories.The next day was our rest day, and we visited the Cancer Center of the Mayo Clinic. This was the first time we were able to walk around the city during the day and take it all in. I felt like all of Rochester revolved around the Clinic, and if you weren't part of it in some way shape or form, you were just a tourist. The hustle and bustle reminded me of downtown Chicago during the week, except instead of suits and ties and expensive watches everyone was wearing scrubs and lab coats. When you first walk into the hospital, you feel like you're in a museum. It's massive glass doors and paintings on the walls made me think I shouldn't touch anything, and the Dale Chihuly glass sculptures hanging from the ceiling added to this effect.We were given a tour of an area called "The Center for Innovation." This was an "office" in one of the highest floors of the building where a team of 56 researchers, designers, engineers, business managers and others were all working together to solve large scale healthcare problems. I say "office" with quotations because it was really more of a thinking space than anything. To be honest, I felt like I was in the Google headquarters of healthcare. There were desks where people worked, but instead of being corked up in a cubicle they were open and facing other desks and the rest of the room. There were a million post-it notes that lined the walls, with words scribbled on and scratched out and arrows pointing every which way. In some places people even wrote on the walls. If you ask my parents, they will be the first to tell you that I'm probably the worst at keeping things organized. My room consists of piles of clothes and books strewn about in no particular fashion, with things jotted down on the backs of newspaper and scraps of paper, mixed in with things (junk) I'm holding onto for this reason or that. For that exact reason, I felt like I belonged in this place. It seemed like unorganization was encouraged, as everyone just gets their ideas out into the open, bouncing them off each other in no methodical way of rhyme or reason until someone comes up with a viable solution. My dream job.We sat in one of the conference rooms and heard from different members of the Center, who talked about their 21st century approach to problem solving on a large scale. It was extremely interesting and very exciting: here we were, a handful of students from Illinois, in a top floor of the headquarters of the healthcare capital of the world, hearing from the cream of the crop in problem solving on how they go about doing their jobs. Very cool.The staff let us walk around anywhere we liked to check out the place, and even fed us lunch. A news team came and filmed us. They interviewed Divya (who is quickly becoming the I4K spokeswoman), and after the long day we were even treated to a free Chipotle dinner. Can't get much better than that! So I apologize for not updating pictures earlier, but here are several to look through. There will be more to come as soon as possible!
Before the Big Horn
Today started with greek yogurt. Ron gave the Mosher after breakfast. We played a fun game and had random riding groups assigned. At first the entire team got lost because of construction, but eventually we all made it on to interstate 90, which we rode all day long. Early in the day the riders caught their first glimpses of The Big Horn Mountains. During lunch we were surprised by Taylor and Cristine’s special treat of water balloons. In the afternoon some groups ran into a well wanted rain. We were fortunate to receive food donations from Subway and Hardees, their food will soon be devoured. When we arrived to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, people of the congregation made an amazing variety of snacks and dishes for dinner. To finish the night off some team members enjoyed local folk music in town.
Hey Wyoming. Whats up?
Well gosh I just love the west. South Dakota (some argue its credentials for being considered a western state) was un-freaking-believable. The flowing plains, lack of civilizations, and beautiful grasses made for a dizzingly and almost too beautiful landscape. I had never been to S.D, nor had I really ever heard of it so I did not know what to expect. We experienced some amazing storms (don't worry, we were safe), and really got to see what small town America is like. We would only encounter 3 towns or so in our 80 mile rides, and those spaced apart towns only consisted of 16-250 people usually. Very different from home.I was already totally digging S.D, when we came to the badlands. I had no idea what they were, except that they would be really cool. Some people explained them as alien-like, placed there out of nowhere. Riding through the Badlands is the coolest thing I've ever done. Huge rock formations jutting out of the ground and huge canyons overtaking the horizon. Explaining the badlands is next to impossible. The colors, the grandiosity, and the bissarre & out of nowhere formations made for an unbelievable experience. Pictures can't even truly capture it. Simply put go there and see it for yourself!Anyways, we also got to hang out in THE Wall, S.D. Home of Wall Drug, bringing tourists free Ice water for about 80 years. Huge tourist attraction for the town of 310 people, taking up a full city block.Black Hills- I love you. On our day off in Rapid City Connor Yantz, Lee, Anthony, Linsey, Gedion, Manny, and David went exploring in the Black Hills. We climbed up mountains almost at random and purposely got lost. We stopped ontop of a mountain, overlooking the mountains for lunch. PB and J in the mountains. Eagles soaring overhead, huge rocks jutting out of the mountians, and evergreens dotting the scenery. We found a trail that we thought/hoped would lead us to state road 40, it didn't. We did however find a river that we had to forde to get on a nother trail. Backpacks held over our head, 60 degree water, and a whole lot of fun. We climbe up and down miles, and hiked for a good 15 miles. We eventually found a path that led back to civilization. I forgot what it was like being completely removed from civilization. The black hills got even awesomer when I got to bike through them the next day. scenic rollin hills/mountains every bit as challenging as a normal day in the Appalachians. Riding up to Mount Rushmore was real cool too. We could see faces in the distance. They were smaller then I thought, but amazing nonetheless. I was blown away (pun intended) that they used dynamite to explode the granite to such specificity of their faces. Black Hills and Badlands were the 2 best rides of the trip , hands down ( so far). Later that day we had a 6 mile downhill into Wyoming.Wyoming has been real flat for the most part. Beautiful grasses, and a more arid climate. Today we rode from Gillete to Buffalo. Buffalo lies at the base of the Big Horns, the mountain range that leads into the rockies. All day we could see the mountains in the distance. We inched closer and closer to the snow covered caps. I hardly looked at the road infront of me because the scenery was too overwhelming. I couldnt even drink water, becase my hands were full holding my camera. Being in the mountains brings on this awesome feeling of freedom, and excitement. The mountains in the horizon were huge. Its crazy to imagine that we are going to bike over/thru them. Tomorrow we start our climb. We are finally here. The west. The mountains.
Yee Hah! Wyoming
Today was our first day in Wyoming! The morning went by quickly and we were very happy to receive a pizza donation from the Conoco Gas Station. However, the nice weather with tail wind did not last too long. The afternoon was very windy and hot. It was not easy at all to push in the dry and hot wind. Wyoming is so vast and open. For most of the team members who grew up in Chicago suburbs, this scenery is so surreal. The grassy rolling hills of Wyoming are more desert than those in South Dakota. After the whole day of riding, the team was so excited to have a delicious dinner prepared by the people of The First United Methodist Church of Gillette. To cap the day off, Gillette community center offered us nice shower with real towels.
The Tale of The Little Spandex Wearers
This is a story told by some of the greatest Americans who ever lived.George Washington = GWThomas Jefferson = TJTheodore Roosevelt = TRAbraham Lincoln = ALGW: YawwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnAL: You alright there George?GW: Yes, just a bit tired Abe. It's 8 am after all, and I got a terrible night's sleep.TJ: I wonder why......TR: Odd, I slept like a baby.TJ: YOU ALWAYS SLEEP LIKE A BABY, ROO.TR: It's not my fault I snore.GW: Boys, boys settle down.AL: Wait a second, do you see that?GW, TJ, TR: What?AL: I think...I think there are some cyclists coming our way through the Black Hills National Park.TR: Surely, there would be no one stupid enough to try to climb up this way. That is nearly, mmmmm, nearly....how high up are we?GW: 5000 feet.TR: 5000 feet? Are you kidding me?TJ: Can't you hear the man? I know I'm between you two, but he's right here. You really need to get your hearing checked.TR: And how am I supposed to do that? I suppose I will just ask someone to sculpt some legs for me so I can walk down to the local hospital, huh? Really good idea Jeffy.AL: Shut up you two. They are coming closer.GW: NOOOOOOOOOO, why would they be biking up that 2 mile hill. We really aren't that big of a deal. Why does everyone always want to see us?AL: Now, George, you of all people should know that because of us and the actions we made directly affect these people's lives. We kind of are a big deal, for some people.TJ: It should be every person.AL: Yes, yes, yes Thomas. I know, but that is what is beautiful about America, people have the freedom to believe in whatever they want here.TJ: Whatever.....GW: O my, they arrived already! How are they so quick? Look at all those little tight shirt, spandexed people and their bicycles.TR: I see some pretty good mustaches too. TJ: Quickly, get in picture position.TR: You are so stupid. We are always ready for pictures. WE CAN'T MOVE.GW: Shut up and smile you two.(1/2 an hour passes by)AL: That was quick. Where are they going now, George?GW: It looks like.....through the Mt. Rushmore National Park.TJ: Naturally...who wouldn't want to see our backwoods?GW: And now they passed the sculpture of Wounded Kneee.TR: O, I can't wait til his sculpture is finished! Finaly, we will have a neighbor!GW: Oof, more hills. Not as bad before, but still, I would not want to be them.AL: I can see them leaving South Dakota now! I will miss them. They seemed like such nice and honest kids, and I can appreciate that.GW: Very funny, Abe.TR: And now they are getting food! What kind people there are in Newcastle, WY.TJ: Pamido, Hopps, Pizza Hut, and Taco John all donated food, maybe I was wrong about the people in America.AL: That's more like it, Thomas. Wow, it's already bedtime.GW: Good luck little spandex wearers! Good night!THE END*This blog entry is based on a true story
Instead of Hiking
The rest day in Rapid City is a little bit messed up. I planed to hike with people but I did not make that trip. Instead, I went to the town to find a post office. After being lost for a while, I managed to find my location in downtown, and very luckily, I found a bike shop there. The owner Jeff and his assistant were testing an awesome black bike. I went in the store and Jeff started to chat with me. I told him about the I4k and he told me a lot about his bike store. He said he would rather want a small one which sells cool bikes than a large one. At the same time, his assistant brought the black bike into the store, so I asked Jeff what is special about that bike. The black bike has two huge tires and a big handle bar. Jeff told me he likes that bike because it feels more like a motorcycle rather than a bike. I realized that that was so true when I sat on the saddle and rode around the block. The internally geared hub is so awesome. I have never tried that before, but it really gave me a delightful experience. After I rode the bike back to the store, I showed Jeff my back wheel, which makes noise when spinning. Jeff opened the hub and whipped out the water and dirt inside. Surprisingly, we also found out there was one ball bearing missed, for no reason, but just disappeared. It was so luckily that I brought the bike into the bike shop instead of hiking. I had less fun today but definitely I saved my wheel. And I appreciate the free tuning from Cranky Jeff’s bike store. He totally made my day by teaching me bike maintenance and being nice and patient.http://crankyjeffs.com/
Blog - 1
So far so good. Everything goes so well that I don’t want to believe almost half of the journey has passed. Today we rode about 72 miles in a beautiful weather. I enjoyed the riding so much because the sky was pure blue color that complimented the vivid green grass on the ground. It’s very funny to see the cows looking at you while enjoying their happy time. My inner voice said, don’t try to understand the cows, lol. (Just some random ideas) Moreover, we found a kitty by the road! She was super small and cute, and we even thought that this kitty should be our team pet. However, we finally gave up and continued our journey. Today’s ride successfully gave me a chance to understand the beauty of nature. I used to stay in Beijing, where is a 100% big city, so I had no chance to really appreciate the nature. Fortunately, now, because of I4K, I gained more life experience. It’s kind of late now. I will continue my blogging tomorrow. Everyone good night!
"I'd Rather Have Hail Than A Tornado"
By all means, our time in Wall, SD should have been short. We got to the stayover late (9 pm) and were ready to go on time (7 am), but the weather of Wall could not let us go. Upon mid-mosher a thunderous storm intruded on our day. Luckily, the team was able to retreat to the notorious, almost mythical Wall Drug. And once we entered Wall Drug, not many wanted to leave. Keychains, shirts, postcards, 5 cent coffee, and donuts so good you had to have at least two of them were all common items sought by the team. Finally, after a 4 hour rain delay the team was able to depart in clear skies, but not for long. After the first rest stop the team waited out a second storm; nothing too serious of weather, but also nothing any of the team wanted to ride through on a 60 mile day. So, the team stayed in a church that was just let out of mass and ate the normal PB&J lunch. After a prolonged rest, the groups headed off again in hopes that the bad luck with the weather would end, but compared to what was ahead of us it was only starting. Between mile 30-35, each group stopped in various barns because of the grey clouds to the right and the impending rain that could be seen to the left. To say it rained would be an understatement and an insult to the term rain. It poured. It came down hard. Cats and dogs were everywhere. In a matter of minutes after finding shelter, golf ball sized hail and lightning surrounded the team. Though this type of weather would be frightening to many, after 35 days on the road, the storm was nothing. Many people on the team rested, played games, conversed, and napped as what seemed like an impending dooms day surrounded us. After about 20 minutes the sun came back out, the skies cleared up, and all of the hail had melted. We were back on the road. At the last rest stop, the whole team reconvened and continued westward. Surprisingly, after the eventful stop-and-go day, getting to Rapid City was a breeze. Everyone arrived to the church on time, but there was one surprise left in the day. The couple that a few of our teammates had met earlier at the first rest stop had invited us for dinner! Again, the amount of generosity and kindness we have encountered through this trip has been amazing. At The Merchan family's house, we were treated to an amazing, homemade South Dakota barbecue for all of the riders. Thank you so much for treating us like family, and offering your home and food for all of us! The time with The Merchans concluded the night for the team and we returned for a restful day off in Rapid City, SD.
Why We Ride
So first off I'd like to apologize to any of those who actually read my blogs. During our stay in Rochester, I was writing out this actual blog when out of nowhere my computer completely broke. I tried doing many things to it but to no avail. Since I will have to renew my warranty to get it fixed, I will be at the will of others generosity for the remainder of the trip to get blogging done. So therefore I will try to squeeze as much as I can in while resting in Rapid City, SD.First off, and most importantly, I would like to tell of the events that occurred at the Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minnesota. For those that don't know, the Mayo Clinic is the largest and one of the highest ranked hospitals in the United States and one of the largest in the world. It is so large in fact, that its three hospitals make up the primary industry of the big city and that people from all over the world come for the state of the art treatment. An example of this dedication to being the cream of the crop is their Center for Innovation in which we toured and ate lunch. This center is unique in that it is housed completely in the clinic but is dedicated to one thing, improving the way the hospital is run. This means worrying about both patient, providers, and staff. It was interesting to see how every little detail was taken into account and even with it being a new department, it was evident that progress was to be made.The most eye opening experience of the trip for me also took place in the Mayo Clinic. We visited this wonderful place called the Hope Lodge where those who come from a long way away are able to stay while receiving treatments. After a tour, we were told to sit in the kitchen and wait to talk with current patients and their families. After a few nervous minutes, the people came and hearing their stories would change both how I view the ride and my life forever.The first gentleman I spoke with was from Naperville, Illinois so we shared an instant connection living near the city of Chicago. He had an inflamed polyp in his nose and went into the doctor and found out it was a malignant tumor. Luckily for him, he found it early enough that after surgery and the current radiation treatment he was on, doctors seemed hopeful that it was gone for good. The surgery he described however was the most interesting part. It took two teams of surgeons eleven hours to cut open his face in two separate faces and remove a piece of his skull in order to take out the tumor. And the most amazing part is that I couldn't even tell that he had any surgery! Wherever he is now, I am sure his positive and jovial attitude is going to be able to get him through any situation life throws at him.Cancer stories can often be those of triumph, but so many times they are the story of turmoil and tragedy. The second group I talked to was a mother daughter pair from North Dakota. The husband/father had been at the Mayo Clinic since April and the outcome was not looking good. What stuck out at me the most is just the emotional and mental strain that going through something like that brought upon the family, especially the mother. She had been by his side since the day he was admitted and was exhausted. She told me that one of the hardest parts is being the one to schedule all the appointments since her husband had been in and out of intensive care. This particular battle with cancer was a long siege which has taken all involved to their limits. My thoughts and prayers go out to this family as this journey nears its end.This experience was a true eye opener and showed two completely opposite sides that the dreaded C-word can bring. In my experiences so far I have put together a few things I have learned about cancer. Here they are:-First and foremost, don't put yourself in harms way. This means don't smoke, don't drink excessively, eat healthy, etc.-Every second counts. The earlier you catch cancer, your survival chances improve exponentially. If anything is out of whack in your body get it checked out and if you're not satisfied with the answer, get a second opinion. If you don't get better, get more help.-Don't let finances get in your way of getting better. Yes getting sick is expensive, but there is nothing in the world more valuable than your life. There are so many different ways to get your treatment covered. Look for them and find them.-Sign up for clinical trials as soon as you can. Not only could this increase your chances of recovery, but it also helps make progress in the ultimate fight against cancer. The future will thank you.-Admit that you're only human. When dealing with something like cancer you need to realize that you cannot do it on your own. Create a support system. Who knows? You may become closer than ever to people who you previously shut out.This is an ongoing list and again I am sorry for not being able to post in so long.I felt the need to finish this particular blog because I think it will prove to be my most important experience to document on this trip.This is why we ride.
Those Are Some BAD LANDS
Waking up and knowing that you are going to ride almost 100 miles is no easy feat, but the thought of the Badlands National Park kept the team's spirits high in the morning. After a 'Hey Jude' mosher (somehow that song has become one of our team songs), we carried out into a cool, cloudy morning and said goodbye to the beautiful skyline of Murdo. After a couple baby hills, some broken spokes, and many many snacks at the gas station, our team had found it's way to the 60 mile mark outside of the Badlands National Park. To say the least everyone was excited how close we were.Going into the ride I barely remembered learning about this terrain in 6th grade, but after going through the park I will never forget the natural scenery again. Here is my description of this place: remember that time when you watched an old western movie with your dad and the outlaws lived outside of the town in a bunch of dust and high rocks all around them, or maybe saw a cartoon with the dust and high cliffs in the scenery and you thought 'this looks exactly what I imagined the west to look like when the cowboys were around'? Well, that's very close to what it looks like. According to the National Parks website, the actual description of the scenery and reason for it is: "Deep canyons, towering spirals, and flat-topped tables can all be found among Badlands buttes. Yet, despite their complex appearance, they are largely a result of two basic geological principles: deposition and erosion." Honestly, I don't understand too much of why they are there. There once was a ton of water and glaciers, next they all melted away, and TADA! we have badlands. I guess I get it, kinda. Anyway, the journey in the Badlands was amazing! Everyone dropped their jaw in amazement from the initial lookout, several groups went on hikes through the numerous trails in the park, and some just relaxed from the ridiculous views of the never-ending scenery.Every group was able to take their time throughout the park, but as the day began to end the team found themselves an enemy in an oncoming storm. After racing out of the valleys and up the mountains to get to the mythical Wall Drug, the team finally found shelter, with weary bodies, after a hard days ride. Luckily, Wall's Subway was able to provide our team with free foot long subs. Thank you once again Subway! With satisfied appetites and tired bodies and minds, many of the riders did not have a problem falling asleep quickly, especially with knowing that tomorrow will be another action packed day as we get closer to our rest stop in Rapid City and eventually Mt. Rushmore!
The West!
A lot of amazing things have happened since my last post, sorry for such a delay.I was unable to see Karen (a breast cancer survivor I met last summer) because her floral shop,Ambler Hill, was closed. I was pretty upset about it, as was the rest of the team, so we used some good tunes to change our moods. When we arrived to Rockville, Indiana, things got even better. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by the church members by name--they remembered me from last year! The night we spent at Rockville is by far one of the best nights I've had on this ride. Everyone was so warm and loving, especially Randy and Charlene. When Randy told me and Ellie how he prepared his church for our arrival, he would use phrases like "our riders" and "our bikers." Hearing someone refer to us like that brought me to tears because it was so evident how much Randy believed in our charity, our cause, and our ride. It was inspiring for sure and I will never forget him or that night.From Rockville we headed to Champaign. On this day, my group shared some stories--some funny and some that were a bit on the serious side. Something that really put cancer into a better perspective for me was when Katie talked about her mom's cancer experience. When she said the words, "I just found out that my mom had cancer," my whole body got the chills. I can't even imagine what it feels like to know that your mom is battling such an awful disease like cancer. So lately whenever I am feeling down on a ride, I think about Katie and her mom and I ride for both of them.Spending time in Champaign was really nice. I was able to see my sister, 2 of my cousins, and a few of the board members. My sister treated me to a dinner and then made me a huge breakfast in the morning. It was really tasty!Arriving to Chicago was amazing! Our 30 mile ride into the city was quite an adventure and I really enjoyed it. Once we got to the Bean, I was greeted by my mom, cousin, and many of my greatest friends. It was so nice to see everyone and I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by amazing people. After our arrival, I went back home to Minooka and just relaxed with my mom. I returned back to Chicago the next night and enjoyed a nice Mexican dinner with friends. The next morning was our ride along and picnic, which was such a successful event. We raised a large amount of money and I was able to spend a lot of time with my family and friends. A lot of alumni showed up and that made the event even more special. Thank you for planning that event Brad!After Chicago, we rode up to Lake Geneva. I volunteered to drive this day and luckily I was able to ride the last 20ish miles of the day! Thanks Sean Laude ;) Because I was able to hop out of the van, I got to ride with Ellie, Maggie, Connor Yanz, Conor Canaday, and Alex (a 2007 rider). We had so much fun--we stopped at a skate park to practice our bike tricks, played with some dogs, did a Coke challenge, etc. It was really nice to be able to ride with Conor one last time before he was off for Canada. Once again, the Topol family hosted the Illini 4000 at their lake house. With the generosity of both the Volkman and Topol family, we had a delicious dinner and the best cheesecake ever for desert.The rest of the days in Wisconsin and Minnesota all seem like a blur. I remember eating some cheese curds, drinking bagged milk, eating a ton of doughnuts from gas stations, discovering how good gas station breakfast sandwiches are, and drinking a ton of Coke. Wisconsin is one of the most beautiful states I have ever seen. I love the rolling green hills and all of the cute baby cows. One of these days I am going to get off my bike and pet one of those little guys. I seriously can't handle how cute they are, especially when they run and hop around. Check out this little guy that I just found on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lrargerich/2759591185/In Rochester, we had two special events: a visit to the Hope Lodge and a tour of the Mayo Clinic. Once again, the Hope Lodge changed my life. Being able to sit down with cancer fighters and hear their stories is empowering. I spent most of my night at the Hope Lodge with a woman named Marcia, who is on her second battle with cancer. She was filled with love, positivity, hope, and happiness. She loves Cher and working hard at each of the jobs she has. She even used to work at a department store just for fun! Her love of life has further instilled in me the idea of pursuing the things that make me happy. Because in my opinion, life is only what you make of it and you always have a choice to create positivity and happiness. On our second day in Rochester, we visited the Mayo Clinic. We were given a tour of the Mayo Clinic Center of Innovation, which is where people work very hard to change the way we experience health care. I want to work for a place exactly like this. Not only was the office beautiful, but the work environment was fun and everyone there genuinely loved what they were doing.After Rochester, we had a few more days of riding in Minnesota until we reached South Dakota. We stayed in Mitchell, South Dakota, for two nights and during our event day, we visited the Avera Queen of Peace Cancer Center. This tour was much more educational and very enlightening on what it is like to give, receive, and pay for cancer treatment. Hearing the prices for treatment was shocking and I do not know how people do it. I hope that my future in occupational therapy will also allow me to advocate for better health care.These past few days of riding have been so much fun. I taught a few riders this crazy look-back trick I like to do (it's not really a trick) and we all showed off our bike dancing skills (all of those skills are inspired by the one and only David "Taco" Walder). I can finally ride my bike with no handlebars. FINALLY. I've been trying ever since I bought my first bike in third grade. I've genuinely impressed myself. A few of us have also been getting into slam poetry. It's fun!This morning was so surreal. We were departing Chamberlain, South Dakota, for Murdo, South Dakota. I wasn't too excited because I was still bitter about my experience in Murdo last summer--I bought cheesesticks for $5 and the restaurant only gave me 3 cheesesticks! But anyways, the morning started off really well because the McDonald's next to our stayover donated a free breakfast sandwich for all of us. After enjoying my meal, I walked outside and was getting ready to ride out with my group. As soon as I got close to my bike, a group of kids walked pasted and I recognized one of the younger girls. Her name is Izzy and I met her last summer in Chamberlain when we recorded her cancer experience for Portraits. I thought that maybe she remembered me, but I couldn't tell so I didn't say anything. I immediately regretted it and luckily, I saw her walking again on the sidewalk, asked if she remembered me, and she did! She said she was doing well and we even took a picture. It was so good to see her and it was definitely fate. Chamberlain is a small town, but it's not that small. Our timing was perfect and meant to be. That was the best way to start today's ride and I still can't believe it happened. Today's ride was a lot of fun--my group started as Team Bacon, quickly changed to Team Flat, and ended the day as Team Slam Poetry. Maggie's poem was better than the two hour nap the entire team took in front of a restaurant today! So glad I recorded Maggie slamming it.
South Dakota
We just reached Murdo, South Dakota today and it is a booming town with a population of 679 people. The ride into Murdo had its ups and downs. The first thirty miles went by pretty fast for me. We rode on the interstate for the first time which was pretty cool. The scenery on the west side of the Missouri River was awesome. The twenty miles in the middle were pretty rough though for me and apparently for the rest of the team. It ended with an hour and a half nap in front of a resturaunt that the whole team took part in. The last twenty five miles were pretty good again. I guess the nap was pretty significant. South Dakota is a beautiful state with grass fields that go on for miles. And that is it. There is a gas station about every twenty miles and a small town of under 1000. Tomorrow we are going to Wall, South Dakota which is supposed to be a big tourist attraction because of Wall Drug. 
Not quite Champaign, but close
After Chicago we headed north, staying in Deerfield and then Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, at the lakehouse of former rider Brad Topol. We had some rolling hills through Wisconsin. Not very challenging, but very pretty. Most of the places we stayed in Wisconsin were small towns; Fitchburg, Reedsburg, and La Crosse. On our way into La Crosse we took a bike trail for about the last 7 or 8 miles. The whole day had been pretty unscenic so far, but when we entered the bike trail we immediately crossed into these pristine swamplands. The trees cleared and there was nothing but placid water on either sides of us. Off in the distance was the forested bluffs that we have begun to see more and more. But after going through the Midwest for so long, they looked like mountains. Coupled with the fog rolling through their trees from the gloomy, overcast day, I felt like I was in Central America. But instead of riding into Aztec pyramids, the trail dead ended right at the UW-La Crosse campus. Being there for the night was nice, as it felt strangely familiar. It was probably just the idea of being surrounded again by people our age that gave us a positive vibe that evening. With the thought of hitting less and less civilization the further west we head, it was nice being back in a college town for the night.
Wisconsin and the start of Minnesota
The church in Fitchburg had great coffee and Lauren’s family brought over quiche for breakfast. Maggie taught us an Irish dance in the morning. I rode with Kelsey, Sean, Maggie, and Divya to Reedsburg. We made our way around a rode that was completely torn out and climbed a pile of tires. We heard the story of Edna and Delores which made it difficult to ride up the hill because we were laughing so hard. We made a wrong turn adding about ten miles to our day but the weather was perfect so it really wasn’t that bad. That night we took showers at a local pool and biked to Culver’s for ice cream. It was a nice change to ride a bike without bike shoes, bike shorts, and jersey.Reedsburg to Lacrosse:We all split up into groups by names, we were the L group for the day. Lee, Lauren, and Ellie, plus Jan. It was a rainy cold day and I couldn’t find my under armor pants in the morning so I went without and was miserable until the first rest stop when Lauren decided to sag because she wasn’t feeling good, so she let me borrow her pants. Wisconsin is beautiful but it was difficult to take in everything around us because the weather wasn’t that great. In Sparta we got off the cues to take a bike path. It seemed like a good idea at first but the farther we got the worse it got. Really fine gravel was kicked up by our wheels and got on our bikes, butt, and clothes, adding a few extra pounds to each of us. This trail also took a lot longer because our tires were sinking into the loose gravel. We decided to ditch this trail about ten miles later, found a gas station, and sprayed off the excess dirt/gravel with a hose. Right when we got into the church the sun came out. We took a freezing hose shower at the church. Outback and Chipotle donated food for us! We choose Katie and Ron for our new ride leaders. Gideon became cue master as well.La Crosse to Rochester:Kelsey, Jan, Lee, Manny, Mark, and I rode together. We crossed the Mississippi early in the morning followed by a climb to a great view. Minnesota is a beautiful and the state of 10,000 lakes, but in the 80 miles we rode we didn’t see any that we could take a swim in. The majority of the ride was against the wind and uphill making it one of my least favorite. When we arrived in Rochester we went to the Hope Lodge. We were given a tour of the building and then talked with some of the patients. I talked to a couple from northern Minnesota. The husband had testicular cancer and had it removed 3 years ago but it returned. He and his wife are currently staying at the Hope Lodge while he receives chemotherapy treatments five times a week. I also talked to a lady shortly right before we left that was all the way from France. She told me that she was finishing her treatment tomorrow and was anxious to return back home. When she came for treatment she was on the waiting list for Hope Lodge for 10 weeks. The Hope Lodge is completely free and they can stay there until their treatments are complete. We once again got Chipotle burritos for free!
June 23 Chamberlain
What started as a cold, windy day, blossomed into a warm beautiful one. Wildlife lined the roads. Everybody slowed down a gear and enjoyed the scenery and each other’s company. Our lunch stop was at an ice cream parlor, mmmmmmmmm! While there a woman from the local newspaper interviewed us. She spent an hour and a half talking with us and interviewing us. Educating us on the history and cultural relations with the Native Americans. After napping and lounging around the ice cream shop for a few hours, we made our way to Chamberlain. Today was only 70 miles, so even with the nap/chill sesh, we were able to get to Chamberlain with time and sunlight to spare. A few of us were able to go explore the town and check out the cold Missouri River. Today was a beautiful day! I4kers love this trip more!
June 22 Mitchell
We woke up late today! WOHOOOOOO! Some R&R was definitely in order. We all needed some bike maintenance after such a rainy day, the day before. Today was spent hanging out, exploring the town, and fixing up our bikes. The most important part however, was that we had an opportunity to tour the Avera Queen of Peace Cancer Center. The technicians there showed us and diligently explained how their radiation machine and CT scan work. It was a cool opportunity to see how cancer patients are treated. The machines are new to us, like the mask or the tool that is aimed to keep patients in the same position for the CT scan. However, personally, I can feel the pain behind the hard board patients lay on for the radiation. It is hard because radiation needs accuracy and any tiny error can damage the healthy tissue and cause bad results. Besides the radiation machines, we also had a chance to learn from another technician how chemotherapy is given to patients. The cost of the chemotherapy and radiation treatment varies a lot and therefore it can be a burden to some people who don’t have health insurance. Today was a very informative day. It was cool to see firsthand how cancer patients are treated. Tomorrow we continue our quest westward!
June 21 South Dakota
Hello South Dakota! We left Sioux Falls on a gray, gloomy day. Gedion had the Mosher for the day, and for his Mosher he took the team to Sioux Falls. The falls were beautiful, and the whole team had a blast. After departing the city named from the waterfalls, we continued on our way to Mitchell, SD. 60 degrees and drizzling all day. The route today was not complicated; basically, we rode on the same road for over 50 miles, which gave everyone a bunch of free time to chat. We came to Worthington, SD for our lunch stop. Fortunately, we found a local store to have lunch. Cold and wet, we hovered around a sidewalk and dined on PB&J and leftover fried chicken. After lunch a local newspaper, the Worthington Tribune, interviewed us and took our picture. It was a tougher day, for sure. We had some intense headwinds, and many groups had flat tires and minor crashes. It was a long 72 miles. But once we got to the stay over (a school for once) and showered, we were revived. Some people explored the town, and others ran around in the gym for hours like little kids. 
June 19
Today was an odd day to say the least. The times that groups arrived at the stayover were all very different. In a small town on the way to Jackson, one group stopped at a bike shop. They began talking to the owner, who was fixing up a bike at the time. After conversing with some riders for a bit, he explained that he had to go run an errand, and asked that the riders keep an eye on the shop for a bit. They happily accepted, and basically took over the shop from this guy they had just met. They continued working on his bike, talked with customers, and just relaxed for quite some time. They even collected donations from customers who were happy to support our cause, raising over $100 in a few hours. At the same time, in the same town, another group made up of Divya Nagpal, Maggie Marek and some others were asked to stand in the background for a T.V. shoot that was going on right in town. Happy to take a break from riding, they sat in a diner while the filming of an apparently successful show about corn took place. It's never a normal day in the Illini 4000.
June 19th, 2011
Today was a glorious day and in preparation for it, we awoke at 6:00 AM and left by 7:00. Initially we departed and the hills of Minnesota were obscured by fog. Farmland stretched into the distance and the fog masked any definite end. Trees stood tall and reflected in crystalline puddles, which lay like glass sheets across the rolling plains. The first 40 miles seemed like a dream for me, and most likely for other riders as they stood as tall as the boots of the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth.We ate lunch at the town of Fairmont. Luckily there was a burger king near by, and we feasted on warm food in supplement to our traditional peanut butter and jelly. Riders slept for hours on the concrete surrounding the gas station. A small square of land behind the gas station split a residence and parking lot. A myriad of grasses and flowers painted a mural on the ground representing the diversity of plants in the Midwest. The sun began to rise, the fog lifted, and the day grew bright. On our way out of Fairmont my group noticed a man standing next to a bike on a stand. We almost blew past him but went in reverse to say hi. His name was Larry and he had been a bike mechanic for 40 years. He remembered our group from the year prior and immediately brought us Mug Root Beer and chips. He offered us his canoe and we readily took this out on a lake and paddled around for over an hour. Our journey culminated when the boat flipped and we were forced to push it to shore. Larry was a very kind man and he showed us his collection of old bikes and toys.After 4 hours we continued as we still had 30 miles to go. It was 5:00 when we reached Sherburn, and we went through the heart of town to find a restroom. We stumbled upon a beautiful festival where horse drawn carriages circled a park, children competed in local events, and inflatable objects bordered the street. Here we met many kind people, one of which was named Doug. Doug’s wife Vicki was a 6 time survivor of ovarian cancer, and he was very pleased to meet us. A radio interview was arranged and I spoke about our journey, the ripple effect and how our organization instills hope in those we meet. Doug bought us all food, and we took a picture with him near the park.As it was getting late, we raced back at 25 mph and arrived safe and sound at our stay over. I immediately saw a hose hanging from a tree and hosed myself down without hesitation. The water was frigid and I felt like a child as I jumped around shivering. After a while my body adapted and it felt nice. The night ended when I fell asleep on the pews mid conversation without unrolling my sleeping bag. Apparently I snored that night : /