Relaxing day on the coast of Cali. Folks walked around, sat around and ate all day. We're rested and ready for our last few ride days.
See you in San Fran on the 7th!Love,The Illini 4000
An 85 mile ride brought us to the location of our final event day: Eureka, CA. The fog and cold of Northern California has caught many by surprise. Many on the team imagined sunshine, tailwinds and downhills on the final few days to San Francisco. But the beauty of the coastal fog mixed with hundred foot tall trees is a worthy trade off.
Thanks for the support,The Illini 4000
We're in California! We've been riding for 67 days and we crossed into our final state at our lunch stop. We're again staying on the beautiful pacific coast in crescent city. Team chemistry remains at an all time high after a delicious potluck dinner thanks to the ever so generous crescent city united Methodist church.
Stay classy,The Illini 4000
Today the team left Bandon on their way to Gold Beach. It was our second day on the famous highway 101. We rode by many other touring cyclists, making us feel right at home. The coast was gorgeous and we indulged in an ocean view for most of the day. Front wheels were dipped, officially marking our trek from one coast to the other completed. Onwards to San Francisco, we will be close friends with 101 by the end of this trip.
With our riders about to begin their final stretch down the Pacific coast, it’s time to think about how we’re going to wrap it all up. Once again, the San Francisco Alumni Club has graciously volunteered to put something together. It all starts at 10:30am on August 7th at Crissy Field, just east of the Golden Gate Bridge (map). Riders are expected to arrive around 11am. The Alumni Club is ordering box lunches for the event, please visit the Alumni Club’s website before Wednesday, August 1st to place your order. The alumni club will be providing lunches for the riders. Please bring your own beverages and seating. Things should wrap up around 12:30pm. Questions about the event should be directed to Sylva Kung (vp_events_eastbay@sfbayillini.org).We look forward to seeing you there!
I4K fans,Today the team left Florence, Oregon and headed southwest on iconic US-101 to Bandon, officially beginning the last stretch of our cross-country ride. We caught sights of the Pacific Ocean as we made our way down Oregon, passing through some beautiful coastal towns with fresh fish and salty air. We were enjoying an easy ride all the way to Charleston when we hit a unexpected surprise-Seven Devils Road (seven devils for the seven giant hills!!!). We traversed through the devils to reach an amazing downhill all the way to Bandon.Staying on the Pacific tonight is a sober reminder that this amazing journey is nearing the end, but we know the best is yet to come as we continue toward California! Thanks to the First Presbyterian Church for housing us for the night, especially so close to the beach!Much Love,I4KP.S. Did we mention that we are officially over 4000 miles? :)
Hello everybody! Today we traveled on the beautiful country roads of Oregon from Corvallis to Florence. The morning started out bright and early with a 5 am wakeup and ended 89 miles later after plenty of lush, hilly views, flowing streams, and glassy lakes. When we arrived in Florence, we were pleased to discover a Mcdonalds and a movie theatre right down the street; luxuries we have come to cherish.As we settle down at New Life Lutheran Church, mere miles from the Pacific Ocean and a whole country away from where we began, we bid you goodnight and adeiu; San Fran here we come.Love,The Illini 4000
Greetings from Corvallis!Today we were treated to a beautiful breakfast of cereal and fruit salad. We started out on our 91 mile ride, all a little chilly from the cool Portland morning. For our first rest stop we discovered the magic of what David Walder (our director of logistics) described as the best fast food- Burgerville! After chowing down on onion rings made from the Walla Walla sweet onions we'd been blessed enough to taste earlier in our travels, we continued on the road.As the day warmed up, we were presented with something we haven't seen in quite a few states- towns throughout the entire day! Between all the members of the team, we visited a plethora of fruit stands, gas stations, family businesses, and (of course!) another Burgerville.Huge thanks to the First United Methodist Church in Corvallis for housing us for the night! Without help from the communities, we couldn't possibly do what we do.Thanks for the continued support!The Illini 4000
Portland! A city that keeps itself weird. Today the team had a blast exploring Portland. We were lucky enough to be in town during the Oregon Brewers' Festival, which a number of riders enjoyed. Many members of the team partook in the Portland-famous Voodoo Doughnuts. They were mad delicious! Some riders relaxed at the Cafe D'Arte just around the corner from our stayover.Thanks to the city of Portland for housing and entertaining us today. Also thanks to Angie and Jim Fee for hosting most of the team tonight for dinner. A big thank you as well to Craig, an athlete who biked around the coast of Australia and shared his stories with the team. Finally, we would again like to thank the Church of All Nations for providing us a temporary home!Keeping Portland weird,I4K 2012Fun fact: It is illegal to pump your own gas in Portland (well, all of Oregon to be precise) Just like one other state in our fine collection of states...New Jersey!
Today was a shorter ride in terms of mileage for I4K2012, but that does not mean it was lacking in fun! (or food for that matter) We set off from Cascade Locks for a brisk 20 mile jaunt in the Columbia River Gorge. Atop the Crown Point Vista House we met up with Barbara Lorraine, a U of I alumna and champion Iron Woman, and continued our ride to the home of Melinda Carlson, an Illinois alum. Set before us was a lavish smorgasbord of breakfast delights. With quiches and frittatas galore, we filled our stomachs until we could eat no more. While there, we mingled with a number of members of the Portland chapter of the Illinois Alumni Association. Afterward, we meandered into the city of Portland, leisurely biking through Oregon's hills. Once at our home for the next two days, the Church of All Nations, the team celebrated I4Kristmas, in which we exchanged gifts we found on the side of the road in Secret Santa fashion. The holiday spirit really boosted team chemistry! For dinner, we headed to Grant Park (in Portland, not Chicago) for a picnic with Team in Training, the fundraising arm of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society that also trains for marathons. It was wonderful to bond with others fighting for the same cause as us.Thank you to Barb, Melinda, and Team in Training for all of their fabulous support! You all really made today special for us. Thanks to the city of Portland for their multitudinous bike paths and neat bike traffic lights. You are a rad city to bike in! Finally, a huge thank you to the Church of All Nations for generously housing us and our bikes for tonight and our rest day tomorrow.Happy holidays,The Illini 4000Fun Fact: It is illegal to whistle underwater in Portland. The origin behind this strange law is unclear. The more you know, I4K style.
No alarm clocks were needed this morning, as it was a gentle sunrise that awakened us in our cozy tents in agrestal Maryhill State Park. Just like Thoreau finding his own path through nature, we climbed the crudely paved hills and country roads on our way to our first rest stop: McDonald's. From there we biked onward to Oregon, seeing Mount Hood and Mount Adams in the distance. Along our "Oregon trail," we met several other touring cyclists who wished us well on our way. Because we had many tough climbs today, their words of encouragement were invaluable. At long last, the pertinacious team arrived in Cascade Locks, OR, our home for the night. We made ourselves comfortable at the local high school and became acquainted with the local ice cream drive-in across the street. We will rest easy tonight knowing the excitement of Portland awaits us within just a day. It's hard to believe that the accomplishment of San Francisco will arrive within the fortnight.A huge thank you to Cascade Locks School for opening their doors, washers, dryers, showers, and computers to us. We could not be more appreciative! Also thanks to East Wind Drive-In across the street. Your flavor blasts to your ice cream cones were delish!Happy trails,The Illini 4000Fun fact: Oregon is the only state to have an official state nut. That nut is the hazelnut. The more you know, I4K style.
We began our day in quiet Umatilla, OR, before embarking on a scenic 85 mile journey through the spectacular Columbia River Gorge. Although the sights were resplendent, the headwinds were less than helpful. On top of that, there was only one oasis on the entire route, a charming mini-mart halfway through the day; a true sight for sore eyes, a mini-mart unlike any we have ever seen. Nevertheless, the team persevered with dignity and grace. The first groups arrived at the campsite and set up the team's tents. We all hunkered down after a delicious spaghetti dinner before a tranquil night's rest. Considering the last group to arrive was on the road for 14 hours, it was a cherished close to one of our toughest days!Thanks to Maryhill State Park for being an awesome place to pitch a tent or two (or seven)! Also, a big shoutout to the 2011 I4K team for leaving us an inspirational note in the journal at the mini-mart. You guys are the greatest! =DArdently and fervently,The Illini 4000 for Cancer 2012 Bike America TeamFun Fact: The Columbia River Gorge, where we biked today, is the windsurfing capital of the world. The more you know, I4K style.
Hello everybody! Today, we successfully zigged our way into Oregon raising our state count to eighteen! Although, over the next few days we will bounce back and forth along the Columbia River Gorge, this means we have all but eliminated one state off our route- California!Today's ride was especially gusty towards the end, but started off in a very homey fashion at the Walla Walla Farmer's Market. Many riders discovered the wonders of the Bagel Dog (a hot dog wrapped with bread and stuffed with cheese) and were treated to many a home cooked treat by the ever hospitable Antoinette, a lovely woman and talented cook who kept our stomachs full. Although the day presented its challenges, it (like many other days before it) presented us with the opportunity to meet some really awesome people.Tonight, we rest at McNary Elementary School in Umatilla, OR, but tomorrow we press on,Love and tailwinds,The Illini 4000
Greetings from Washington! (The seventeenth state on our route).Today we started off in Lewiston, Idaho. Sam did the ride dedication this morning, asking us to ride for all the people who don't survive as a memory that we're doing this work with a purpose. Within the first three miles of our ride we had crossed over into Washinngton. Immediately, we were greeted by a large sign that stated, "Washington: The Evergreen State." We realized as the miles of the day stretched on, however, that statement could not have been more ironic. It would seem more appropiate for the portion of Washington that we rolled through to be deemed, "The Never Ending Rolling Hills Covered in Wheat with a Sparsity of Trees State." That being said; today was another toasty one with a few good climbs but the team pushed on and concluded the ride in Waitsburg, Washington at Waitsburg High School where many an I4Ker enjoyed hot showers. We were also fortunate to receive food donations from Betty's Diner, with special help from Mike, which wrapped up today quite nicely. Thanks also to Kyle, a worker from a fruit farm who helped one of the groups fend off bees!Onward and westward.Love, hugs, and tailwinds,The Illini 4000
Greetings! Today we continued rolling through Idaho (from Kamiah to Lewiston) and the scenery could not have been more different than the days before; starting out in the heavily-wooded Clearwater National Forest, moving into the hilly somewhat familiar prairie-like landscape, and finally ending in the breathtaking views of hillsides covered in wheat, or plants, and dotted with alpaca. The day was riddled with high winds and the potential for unfavorable weather, but all turned out well thanks to the beautiful winding down hills and abundance of gas stations (a luxury we have come to much appreciate), the day was overall quite the success. When we finally arrived in Lewiston, we were greeted by the lovely people of the First United Methodist Church who provided us with an amazing taco buffet complete with guacamole. Although our travels through Idaho have been somewhat brief, we have met loads of amazing people and Lewiston was no exception.Onward to Washington!Much love,The Illini 4000
Greetings from Idaho. My friend Kristen has informed me that I am long overdue in writing a blog post and as such, have left her with little to do with her time so to conced; here it is.The past week and a half or so have been some of the most gorgeous. We started off the stretch in Yellowstone but unfortunately due to bike issues, I had to drive the van for the duration of the park (Although, on the bright side, this just means I will to go back for another visit). In addition to our two days of riding in Yellowstone, we had the opportunity to camp for two nights. After an interesting bought of weather, we ended up getting monsooned which resulted in most tents, sleeping bags, and the like having large amounts of water on, in, and surrounding them; that was grand fun.But then, oh then, we moved on to Montana. I have never been sadder to leave a state; between the million and one Subarus of Missoula; spending the evening at my friend’s ranch (doing things such as petting a day old calf and hanging out with some goats); and the never ending beautiful scenery that comprised of rows of mountains and a bubbling stream along almost every major road. I never wanted to leave. It is what it is, however, and I will be back someday.I can’t believe we have less than 3 weeks left in this trip. I’m sure the next 3 states will fly by with brilliant speed but until then, I plan on lavishing in every minute of it.Satisfied Kristen?
Today, the team woke up in Missoula at 5am, with 97 miles ahead to Clearwater National Forest. Our ride this morning was dedicated to Warren Gettinger, the father of one of the rider's friends, who is currently battling cancer.The first 40 miles were gradual climb up to Lolo Summit as we entered Idaho. We had a lunch stop at the top of the mountain where there was a lovely visitor center. After lunch, the team began their descent along the Clearwater river stopping to bathe in a natural hot spring, a 1.5 mile hike off the road. The water was surprisingly warm near the spring and very cold in the river, so there was the perfect water temperature available for everyone. After drying off, the team flew down the mountain to Wilderness Gateway Campground -- a beautiful area on the river. The team cooked spaghetti on the propane stove and scarfed it down before lying down to reflect upon the beauty they saw today. We look forward to seeing more of what Idaho has to offer! Our thoughts are with rider Patrick Ruane and his family through their family emergency. We send love their way. Thanks for the support,The Illini 4000
Today marks three weeks until the ride ends. I can't even begin to process that at some point, the summer ends. In reality, we've already started our descent to San Francisco. We're at the northern most point of the entire trip, and it seems so crazy. How are we possibly to that point?Almost everyday, we talk about what it's going to be like to go back to "real life." We'll go back to having showers every day, to washing our clothes in things besides sinks, to sitting behind desks, to listening to professors and TAs, to sleeping in the same place every night, to being one student in a mess of 40,000 people.I don't know how to feel about any of it. I've always loved school, loved sitting behind desks, loved listening to professors and TAs, living a life that's solid and steady. Suddenly, I found myself in a world that doesn't seem real, one that's full of a team that I adore, biking across some of the beautiful places in the country, having adventures every single day, and knowing that the next day is going to be just as incredible, if not more so, than the last day. Every day feels like multiple days in one, because SO many things happen every day, things that make me love this summer more than anything I've ever done.Honestly, I'm afraid of what the school year is going to be like. How am I going to go back to spending every day in the same town, going to class, doing collegiate things? I'm so blessed that I get to spend every day doing what I can to fight cancer, and I can't believe that in 21 short days, I wont be doing that anymore. I'm afraid of being separated from the cause. I'm afraid of forgetting the memories from the summer. I'm afraid of losing the lessons I've learned from the incredible people I've met along the way.A lot of people ask me what the hardest thing is about biking across the country. It's not the pain in my knees, it's not the soreness in my quads, it's not the fact that I can't walk up a flight of stairs without cringing. It's not the climbing the mountains, avoiding the cars, or fighting through the heat. It's finding the parts of myself that I didn't want to admit existed. You realize there are parts of you that you despise, the parts that want to quit, the parts that whine and complain, the parts that want to run and hide, the parts that are terrified of breaking through barriers. You have a LOT of time to think when you ride your bike for thousands of miles, and a lot of my thoughts have been about the parts of myself that I don't like very much. As hard as it is to admit that they exist, it's great to discover them. Discovering them means accepting them. Accepting them means conquering them. Maybe that's why I'm so afraid of going back to normal life. I'm afraid that I won't find the parts of me that I'm unhappy with. I'm afraid that I won't get to have the feeling of standing on top of a mountain, screaming my lungs out in happiness that I just managed to tackle it. I'm afraid that I won't keep learning about myself and about life and about cancer. I'm afraid that I won't be as drunk on life as I am now. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Do something everyday that scares you." I guess when we get to San Fran, the thing that scares me for that day will be returning to life without riding my bike for 6-10 hours a day.
Being in Yellowstone again after 12 years has been my favorite part of this trip so far. We went camping there and the Grand Tetons for 3 weeks one summer with my family to celebrate my Grandma and Grandpa's 40th wedding anniversary. Even though it was a very long time ago, I remember it being my favorite vacation and one of the most amazing and beautiful places. Sadly though, due to wildfires we would not be able to ride through the Grand Tetons and had to re-route which ended up making us stay in Yellowstone for an extra day. It was definitely a blessing in disguise. At the beginning of the day we did a short hike and decided that biking 20 miles uphill to maybe see a waterfall or something cool was to taxing on our exhausted bodies. Unfortunately (and looking back I have nooo idea why) I decided I would just study for my nursing boards down by the lake. As I was grabbing my NCLEX book out of the van four cross country cyclists, riding to raise money and awareness about Graves' disease, we met briefly the day before drove up to see if any of us I4Kers sitting around the campsite wanted to go explore Yellowstone via van. Casey, Lauren, Sarah and I jumped at the opportunity. Tons of bison jams, two grizzly bears, hot springs, waterfalls, and 112 miles later we made it back to the campsite having seen more than we ever anticipated and a lot more than the inside of my NCLEX book. So a big big thank you to Elias, Keating, Dave, and David for their generosity and helping me re-experience the beauty of Yellowstone. (check out greaterthangraves.com too) The day brought back some memories of our vacation and it was the perfect opportunity to dedicate the ride the next morning to my Grandpa. He passed away from cancer a little over 5 years ago and he is my main driving force that keeps me going on this trip. It was such a treat to be able to ride for him in Yellowstone. I miss you so much Gramps! <3
The Illini 4000 • PO Box 2431 Champaign, IL 61825 • The Illini 4000 is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.