After sleeping in on our event day, much of the team enjoyed a large breakfast at a local diner. The staff was just as excited about our cause as we were about their delicious food. The team took advantage of our extra free time by exploring the city, maintaining our bikes, and relaxing at the Broad Street United Methodist Church, which graciously housed the team for the these two nights. Between bike shops, sushi bars, and an art festival, the team made good use of their time off the bike. Thank you to the parents of a former 2008 rider, Andrew Erikson, who were gracious enough to donate cookies to the team and offered us rides to shops in Columbus. The day ended with a team meeting to help prepare us for the next couple weeks of riding. Despite our time off the bike, the team hasn’t lost sight of our mission and is preparing for tomorrow which will be our longest ride yet.
Rain and Bowling Lanes
This morning, the team started the day with custom made omelets graciously provided by Westwood Baptist Church in Zanesville, OH. One of the pastors, Mark Ballmer, shared with us some history of Zanesville, the church, and his own personal experiences with cycling for charity. The team has finally made it through the difficult Appalachians and excited for the familiarity of the midwest. Today’s ride was a shorter ride of 57 miles, but intermittent rains made the day more difficult than expected. While stopping to use restrooms though, some of the team members were lucky enough to be given some free coffee to warm up before continuing on with the rest of the ride. Despite the weather, the team pushed on through and made it safely to Columbus, Ohio. With an event day tomorrow, the team is looking forward to exploring the town and spending a little time off the bike. Some of the team spent their night bowling a few games at a local bowling alley. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow has to offer!
Wakeup. Eat. Cycle. Eat. Cycle. Eat. Cycle. Eat. Cycle. Eat. Sleep.
Since my last post, we have been to Maryland, Pennslyvania, and West Virginia. The Appalachians were unlike anything I have ever experienced while riding, literally. One day my maximum speed was 37mph and my minimum was 3mph. Climbing up each incline was mentally challenging. Sometimes I just wanted to hop off and walk up to the top, but those negative thoughts were quickly swept away when I remembered who we had dedicated that day's ride to.some special events of these past few days:Boonsboro, MD: We got to go to a carnival! Funnel Cakes!Everett, PA: We were provided with a thanksgiving dinner-- turkey!!Mt Pleasant, PA: I rolled in first with team Giant Marshmallow (me, Kara, Ben, and Catherine). Our team name came from hay bales wrapped in white coverings. We had our first run-in with Sheetz- a fabulous gas station with gourmet food, such as fried mac and cheese bites. Kara and I chowed down on dirt dessert cups and felt subpar on our post lunch break mountain climb.Pittsburgh, PA: I finished Jaime's challenge of riding with every team member by riding with Aash, Ben, and Greg. I helped cook for the team and my vegetable cutting skills were put to shame by David's (He's pretty much a chef). It's fun to randomly find out my teammates' hidden talents. The team was provided free burritos by Chipotle!! (Many of us girls saved our burritos and carried them in our jersey pockets the next day.Wheeling, WV: I got to shower with a real towel! (As opposed to the sham-wow type towel I have.) Later, I was able to sit in on 4 awesome portraits. Three of the four were caregivers to their relatives with cancer and the fourth was currently battling cancer. Ann has stage 4, terminal breast cancer. I would have never guessed at first glance though. I thought she was also a caregiver for a relative. She was was so happy and her smile lit up the room. Her faith and outlook on life inspired me, and I'm so glad our ride was dedicated to her today. This portrait hit home the fact that cancer can affect anyone.Zanesville, OH: This town is famous for wild animals that were released into the town by their owner a few years ago. The food was amazing (as it has been at every stayover)! One day I hope to be able to grill chicken as juicy and tender as the chicken that I ate tonight. Tonight we get to sleep on cots! This is fabulous news for me because I still haven't gotten the hang of packing my gear quickly in the morning. Hopefully tomorrow without my sleeping pad to pack, I will be able to be packed and ready comfortably by 6:15am.
The First of Many Looks At the I4K Experience
I'm climbing. Knees aching, quads burning, and mouth open. Pant, pant, pant. I'm working out. But, I've been doing so for the past seven hours. Am I twisted? Do I enjoy the prolonged burn? I do. But, I guess given the location in which this post is being made coupled with the individuals most likely reading this blog, there is little need for explanation. I'm riding across the country, and in the process trying to raise money for cancer research. I've given the same spiel to at least one individual each for the past few days. But, often it is difficult to picture the separation between concept and execution until actively engaged in the task.I like cycling. I love it, to be honest. And if it were up to me, I would be doing it for hours on end anyway. But, I never considered how difficult it would be to do it every single day. But, even then, my struggles are rather trifling. And I guess while writing this blog, all I can think about is the insignificance of my struggles. I've found myself finishing each day in about the same way. A little tired, a little darker ( I don't burn thankfully), and a whole lot hungrier. On the roughest of days, there might be a little road rash or knee pain mixed in.But, throughout my time, I've only been able to consider how lucky I am. How each day ends with me meeting some of the most amazing people ever. Being welcomed into a warm church or home, often being served some delicious food, and completing most days with a fantastic shower.What about those currently engaged in the fight against cancer? Do they have the metaphorical equivalents of a warm bed and food in their struggles? Do they get to indulge after their struggles each day? Each cancer patient is constantly in a struggle that could be considered the hardest of mountain climbs. And while I take solace in the knowledge that my climb, regardless of grade, will eventually change...each cancer patient continues his climb with no definite chance of completion. And while we expect many to metaphorically finish the climb, the sad truth is that millions do not.My first post seems to have come to an end on a rather dark note. But, it seems necessary to begin on a somber note. I'll try to talk about the awesome sights I have seen and great food I have had on this journey. But, given I'm not the kind of person that cares much for surroundings, and food is food... I'll spend most of my time talking about the amazing ride and the fantastic people I see on the way. Thanks for reading peeps.
Finally in the midwest
Our day started well with a wholesome breakfast provided by our hosts at Wheeling, W. Virginia, that set us up well for our 80 mile ride to Ohio. The ride today was less hilly compared to the past few days of biking across Pennsylvania. By this time, our legs were already used to the hills, and we were able to attack these hills with relative ease. Even then, the scorching sun took a toll on our team as the day wore on. We finally arrived at our stayover for the night, Westwood Church in Zanesville, Ohio at around 4PM. Our gracious hosts welcomed us with a wide array of snacks and even made arrangements for us to shower in a nearby fitness gym. Later, they had some church members join us for a barbequed dinner to further extend their welcome. We found out that Zanesville is famous for three things: their pottery business, Tom’s ice cream (top 10 in the whole of the US!) and when animals escaped out of a “home zoo”.They had also offered to take some of our team members to the fitness gym tomorrow morning before 6am (our regular morning wake up) to give us the option of showering in the morning. For the past 12 days of our journey, our team has been very lucky to have met such gracious hosts willing to take us into their place and take care of us with impeccable hospitality. The route from Washington, DC, to Zanesville has been a challenging ride, but the warm reception from our hosts made our days a lot better. Tomorrow, the team will be biking to Columbus, and we are looking forward to the much awaited and much deserved rest day in Columbus.
More Than What We Put In
Looking up from my computer screen writing this post, I can see that I am surrounded by my teammates hanging around after dinner. And I'm overwhelmed by the number of us flashing radiant smiles and laughing with abandon. That's the unbelievable thing about the Illini 4000- after about 12 days together, we're like friends of many years.It's not just the close quarters, goofy inside jokes, or slap-happy moments we have at the end of a tough day. We are essentially similar on the basis that we are all the type to dedicate two months to actively support a cause which most others do not. We all endured the friends back home (for me, Mike) who openly called us crazy in front of others, roommates (Charles) who teased us for going to sleep early so we could make training, and relatives (Mom) fawning over how safe the trip may be.The easiest thing to say is that I'm having the time of my life, and with a sense of humor. In the future I could go into further detail about forming the "Allegheny Biker Gang" by painting my face with clay from a waterfall in Pittsburgh, letting curious strangers in sparsely populated areas know we're riding to San Francisco with a consistent response of "Oh S***! Good Luck!", the hilarious outcomes of taking a corner too fast in West Virginia, or even my sassy Korean/German female alter ego.Through the sore legs, bug bites, lost voice, and grime that I somehow cover myself with every day, I'm accepting a realization that a much smarter man would have picked up on day one. We've heard day-to-day, "you get much more out than you put in" from our unbelievably generous hosts, and it's incredibly accurate. We've put in time during the year fundraising and preparing for the trip, we've dedicated our summer to crossing America to raise money and gather the stories of cancer survivors. But in return we've gained unparalleled friendships, developed skills, and met locals with hearts of gold.What we get the most in return, though, is an opportunity to end the uncannily familiar story which we remind ourselves of on a daily basis. "Today we ride for ____, who was a beloved friend/father/brother/aunt/cousin/etc. Crush that mountain".
Mountains for breakfast
Hello from Zanesville, Ohio! I'm writing this from a cot, which is extremely exciting. The church that we're staying at arranged for us to be able to sleep on cots from the American Red Cross! Today we entered into Ohio. It is crazy that we are finally getting to the Midwest but it is a breath of fresh air after the mountains!We've spent most of the past week climbing through the Appalachian mountains. I can honestly say that it is one of the hardest things I've ever done. Physically, my body was pushed to limits it had never been before. Mentally, it was equally as straining. You had to just keep convincing yourself that you could do it, you could keep climbing, despite the burning in your legs and your pure exhaustion. I think as a team we all got a lot closer while going through the mountains. We really had to work together to make it through because many people climb at different speeds.The mountains were one of the hardest thing but I really enjoyed it! One of my favorite mottos on during the mountain days was "I eat mountains for breakfast."
My bike, Zia, and I after conquering a mountain!
Riding in Pennsylvania!
Oh the People You'll Meet
Today was a very special day. Let us step away from the route, hills, and biking for a moment to focus on the real impact of our biking. We were able to meet a plethora of amazing people today and conduct portraits that were both emotionally charged and awe inspiring. As we said goodbye to Pittsburgh (and our wonderful hosts) and the state of Pennsylvania for the last time, we were greeted by cold front that had most of us shivering and trying to avoid the shadows of the trees to get into the sunlight. Fortunately for us, one of the steepest climbs of our journey greeted us as we traversed over 1000 feet in a matter of 2 miles. That climb got our blood pumping and warmed us up immediately. On our way out of the city, one group decided to grab a cup of coffee from a local shop where they met Debbie Swoger, the shop owner. Seeing 6 bikes already outside the shop, other groups also stopped and crammed into the quaint shop. Over a cup of coffee, 12 riders shared with Debbie and began to realize how special of a woman they had met. Five years ago, Debbie lost her 35-year-old daughter to an undiagnosed illness and chose to care for her daughter’s then 2-month-old and 9-year-old children. Her strength in her faith and resolve stirred up our enthusiasm and we were lifted for the rest of the day.Then, at the last rest stop, with just 17 easy miles to go, some riders decided to get ice cream for the third time that day. What started as a sugar-high-motivated quest for ice cream quickly turned into an opportunity for a portrait. We met Michelle, who was a survivor of both uterine and ovarian cancer. Her mother and grandmother both had breast cancer, but she never let her family’s history determine her own outcome. She went through successful treatment of her cancer, but unfortunately, the chance of the cancer returning is high. She continues regular treatment and checkups monthly.After arriving at our new stayover in Wheeling, West Virginia, our hosts not only provided showers for us, but also cooked an impressive feast. Everyone asked for seconds of dinner and especially ice cream. At the conclusion of dinner, some of the church members who had experiences with cancer were willing and incredibly open in sharing their stories.We talked to Robert B. Lee Jr., a throat cancer survivor. Robert was diagnosed with throat cancer shortly after his return from serving in the Vietnam War after he had been experienced problems with his voice. He underwent radiation treatment and has remained cancer-free for 20 years.Reverend Ed Thurmond shared his story about being a caregiver for his wife Sandy while she underwent cancer treatment. While he experienced many feelings of despair and frustration with God after his wife passed away, he emphasized how he has grown stronger in his faith throughout his experience. The Reverend now ministers to those in similar situations and helps them cope with the hardships of caring for a loved one with cancer.Another member of the church, Roseana Livingston, worked tirelessly to provide full time care for her husband with liver cancer. Throughout her husband’s battle and after his passing, Roseana was comforted by her faith and the church every step of the way.Ann Thoburn has experienced cancer from several points of view. She was a caregiver for her husband, who had been given only six months to live but ended up fighting for six years. Then, in 2006, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent treatment and defeated her illness, but the cancer returned in fall of 2012. Ann was diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal breast cancer, but maintains an incredible positive attitude and gives all of the credit for her strength to God.Finally, we spoke to Kim Strauss, who was a caregiver for four of her loved ones. Her niece Nadia lost her battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma when she was 18 years old. Kim’s mother passed away from colon cancer a few months before Kim’s sister lost her long battle with breast cancer. One of her dear friends passed away from lung cancer. Kim provided so much love and support over the years, but of course feels an emptiness after so much loss. She emphasized the importance of a strong family support system during a fight with cancer.We heard stories of triumph and well as unfortunate outcomes. But for all the pain we heard, we approach tomorrow even more determined to ride and more importantly, to find a cure for cancer. 
We keep on moving along
Its really interesting to consider the task we're trying to accomplish. The mental, physical, and emotional challenges pile up everyday and every morning you just have to roll out of your sleeping bag and keep on moving along. I know there have been days where you just don't know whether you'll be able to balance on your bike let alone climb against headwinds for miles at a time. But, I know we can endure. For all the uphills, sunburned skin, and aching muscles we can take it. In the middle of what might have been the most physically daunting task I've ever attempted in my 22 years, I reached an epiphany. (Bear at mind at this point, we were 60 miles through a ride in 90 degree heat where your mind grasps for any sort of mental distraction). I've spent that last 4 years of undergrad trying to take all the necessary steps to become a physician. Plus, I've been slowly piecing together my reasons for wanting to become a doctor. I realized that climbing that mountain was just like being a doctor. You're working long, selfless hours in stressful conditions, with little sleep, interacting with a a variety of people and you're just trying to endure and convince yourself that your training will help you get through the next hurdle.I think a lot of people aren't in touch with their limits or how far you can push yourself, but on that blistering hot side of the mountain, I found out a lot about myself and my teammates. We keep on moving along. I learned why my physical and mental limits were that day and knowing those are invaluable tools in the medical field. They'll allow me to push myself to the best of my ability. I know once I finish I4K I will have a wealth of extremely tangible experience to apply to all walks of life.We head to West Virginia tomorrow and if I fall asleep right this second I will have less than 7 hours of sleep, but that's okay because we keep on moving along.
Laundry Anyone?
Today started off with a hearty breakfast graciously provided by United Methodist Church. We had throwback cereal featuring Cheerios, Corn Flakes, and Corn Pops (which were especially popular). Knowing that we only had 48 miles to cover, we were all in high spirits and ready to attack the day. Luckily, the mild weather continued to hold up well as we cruised to our next stayover in Pittsburgh with relative ease. It was a strange feeling arriving at the stayover, because we were so early. The first groups got in right after noon, and the last ones got in before 3. This created plenty of free time. Most of us decided to take a well-deserved nap, but others preformed bike maintenance and other necessities. A HUGE plus was being able to do laundry at our stayover, Church of the Ascension. Most of us were beginning to smell particularly pungent, so it’ll be nice to have a fresh set of clothes tomorrow morning. Some riders ventured out to find a slice of pizza before dinner and ended up devouring a 30-inch pizza between 4 people in 30 minutes. Not to be outdone, the Church of the Ascension provided a scrumptious dinner packed with fresh baked ziti, watermelon, and ice cream. We’ve been very lucky to have such generous hosts and hope that luck continues. Later, we found out that the Chipotle on the University of Pittsburgh campus was offering free food. (Special thanks to Alex Ciliberto at Chipotle on Forbes Ave). Not wanting to give up free food, a large contingent of riders walked the 3 miles total for free Chipotle (because who wouldn’t). We’ve got about a 70-mile day tomorrow and we’re excited to see what West Virginia has to offer. Time to get some rest.
We made it to Pittsburgh!
Sitting here in Pittsburgh, it is hard for me to reflect on these past 12 days and share every detail. It has truly been a whirlwind experience. I have encountered some serious challenges, braved steep uphills and headwinds, while taking on rain and scorching heat. I’ve made my way from New City and down to our nation’s beautiful capital, and now to Pittsburgh. I am upwards to 500 miles into the trip, and I have the whole summer, and the whole country, for that matter, at my feet. If the next 9 weeks are anything like the last two, I am absolutely ecstatic to see what this summer has in store for us.I want to thank everyone who has gotten me to where I am today. Thank you to my friends, family, and even people I do not know who so believe in the cause enough to invest in my journey. A special thanks to Lisa Mueller who has devoted much of the last few months to training me. Most especially, thank you to my parents and sister, who have believed in this crazy trip from day one. I could never be where I am today (Pittsburgh, PA) without you guys. You are all the force behind my pedal strokes.In this past two weeks, time and time again, I have been simply in awe of random people’s kindness and generosity. From New York to Pittsburgh, we have encountered people with some of the biggest hearts. On our stay over in New Jersey, we were greeted, after a rainy and cold first day of riding by the family of the Illini 4000’s founder. They opened up their home, as well as their nice, warm showers. They cooked us an incredible meal and showered us with the support we needed to wake up and ride again the following day – taking us to Philadelphia, PA. Upon arrival in Philadelphia, we reached Calvary Methodist Church. An awesome meal of spaghetti and brownies awaited us. The woman who cooked us dinner thanked us so graciously for what we are doing with a meaningful speech of gratitude.This carried us onward to Delaware. The entire team was in great spirits rolling into Newark, Delaware after a quick 40-mile ride, after two days of 70 mile rides. We arrived, unpacked the van, and quickly packed into a small bus that would eventually take us to the local YMCA for showers. This was no ordinary YMCA as it came well equipped with a pool and water park. The pool attendants welcomed us and invited us to dip our dirty feet in the pool. At the YMCA, we met a woman who was brought to tears when she heard of what we are doing, more specifically, whom we are riding for. Her daughter was diagnosed with leukemia a few years back, and because of treatments, she is a year cancer-free. It is truly incredible to see, firsthand, the impact we have while riding across this country. We returned to our stay over, Salem United Methodist Church, where a fine Italian dinner awaited us.We woke up to some serious rain, packed our bags, and got on the road to make our way to Baltimore, MD. It was raining, and Maryland does not mess around when it come to some serious hill climbs, but 70 miles later, we found ourselves at our stay over.We woke up, ready to ride another hilly day. This 70-mile day led us down winding trails and of course, more hills. It was really hot outside and so tiring, but knowing we’d be rolling into one of my favorite cities, kept me pedaling. The best part about arriving in D.C. was knowing that the following day, we had an event day, which means … no riding. Knowing this, after 5 days of road, made everything a little bit better.Onward we moved, and we found ourselves at the feet of the Appalachian Mountains. Knowing this was both exhilarating and terrifying. The day presented us with winding uphill roads and steep climbs. Often, it was hard to even keep pedals, but every time, I made it to the top, feeling even more accomplished than before and being spoiled with beautiful views of the Pennsylvania countryside. I do not think it was any coincidence that the day we hit the mountains was also what the day that would have been my grandma’s 77th birthday, and the following day, the one year anniversary of her death. The mountains I hit we’re easy to climb because they paled in comparison to the mountains she climbed during her 5 year battle with lung cancer.The faces and places are slowly blending together, and I am not quite sure exactly what day it is, but I do know that it is going to be an incredible summer, and I could not be more excited to see where the road will lead me this summer.
Lighting a Candle
“It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness.”
This quote was once said by Eleanor Roosevelt but originates from an old Chinese proverb. To me, it perfectly describes the mission of the Illini 4000. For anyone who has been affected by cancer in any way, the struggle can seem overwhelming. The grief, the frustration, and the hatred of cancer form the darkness that many of us experience. Cancer can induce feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. But instead of wallowing in our sadness, we choose to light a candle of hope, so to speak. We spread that hope across the country through our ride from NYC to San Francisco and the Portraits Project.
June 1st would have been my close friend Shea’s 19th birthday. She passed away last July after a long and courageous battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. While I have many other loved ones who have been affected by cancer, Shea’s struggle was the most recent and the one I knew most about. Shea was honestly one of the greatest people I have ever met. She was crazy talented at playing instruments, writing, and art. We could talk for hours about books, movies, and Harry Potter video games. She could make anyone laugh. Above all, she was a kind and loyal friend. I miss her every day.When I arrived at U of I in the fall, I went to every activity and volunteer fair to find my place on campus. When I saw the booth for the Illini 4000, Shea’s death was still fresh in my mind. I immediately felt a strong conviction to join the organization, and I am so incredibly happy that I did. That darkness, that grief, had been weighing upon me for a long time, and this has been the perfect opportunity to do something about it. I absolutely love I4K.The Portraits Project is a fantastic example of the proverb in action. We often talk about how people usually associate stories about cancer with sadness and pain. In reality, people’s stories often hold inspiring messages, helpful advice, and a lot of hope. Our growing collection of stories from across the country definitely contains accounts of hardship and grief, but highlights the courage and hopefulness of patients. Just in the past couple of days, we have heard stories from Katie and Tammy, both cancer survivors. I’m confident that their portraits will provide guidance for other patients who are feeling lost.Sometimes we get angry at cancer. Like yelling crying screaming foot-stomping chair-throwing mad. And that is perfectly okay. But in the long run, it’s much better to channel those feelings toward something productive, like funding research for a cure and providing patient support services. We choose to hope for a future without cancer.
first week
We're now done with just over a week of biking and I've already completely lost track of what day and time it is. It has been a great first week though. So far we've biked through 6 six states and Washington DC. We've been able to see all of the sights in NYC and DC and I even got to meet Matthew Broderick on the first night! We've been crossing the Appalachians the past few days which is tougher than I could have imagined but I've gotten through it. The generosity of everyone at our stayovers and people we meet while biking really helps me while climbing up mountains. It is also a great feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day to see what we are capable of and to know I was able to bike through the mountains. Now I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer!
Climb Every Mountain...
We started off our day with a delicious breakfast provided by the Everett Church of the Brethren, which was so dearly needed since we had a long ride in the mountains ahead of us. The morning continued on with the ride dedication, which was made out to Shea, who was a good friend of one of our riders. We kept Shea in mind as we went on to attack the long, 80-mile route in the mountains. Today wasn't too bad, since we weren't facing such hot temperatures like we had in the previous rides. There were a lot of climbs and some head winds, but we persevered through it all as a team and made it to our next stay over at Mt. Pleasant at the United Methodist Church. We were greeted with showers and an Italian-themed dinner when we arrived, and everyone agreed that it was such a blessing.
Finding our Marbles
This morning we woke up and had a wonderful breakfast, courtesy of Mt. Nebo United Methodist Church. We continued on with our morning and made the ride dedication out to a relative of a rider, Grandma Keller. We went off on our ride and had smaller riding groups today, since we were riding in the mountains. One of the groups was facing challenges early on in the ride and decided to take a water break at a gas station. Coincidentally, the name of the gas station was, “Keller Country Store.” Remembering that the ride dedication was for Grandma Keller, this helped the team remember whom the ride was for and also that we weren’t alone on this ride today. It was a tough day, but it wasn’t as tiring as yesterday since the temperature wasn’t too high. However, everyone faced some difficulties, and tried to work through it as a team. There were a lot of climbs and a good amount of down hills, but we had fun and kept in mind those that we were riding for. Another contribution to this great day was the lovely hospitality that the Everett Church of the Brethren showed towards us. The delicious dinner that they prepared for us to eat was the perfect conclusion to a long day.While at our lunch stop, we met Tami Diller, a five-year survivor of thyroid cancer. Tami talked about the support she received from her family, especially her daughter, as well as the difficulties she went through, since she suffered from such a rare type of cancer. “Thyroid cancer is very rare, so I had to do research at the library, and my local library didn’t even have the books. They had to get other states to send them the books.” Tami underwent two surgeries to remove parts of her thyroid and liquid radiation treatment. She talked about how her lifestyle changed after the experience. “I look at life more seriously now, and I think about the big picture instead of my own selfish little needs day in and day out. I try to take better care of myself and my health. I also got close to God. When you’re facing health problems, it opens your eyes and you see life with a new perspective. I definitely got closer to God, because without God, I wouldn’t be here.” In her parting words, she gave some advice, “Just pray, think positive, and listen to your doctors. It may not all be perfect, but they know better than we do.”
First Day of Mountains!
Today we biked from Boonsboro, MD to Everett, PA. It was a hard ride since we hit the mountains for the first time today and had an 85 mile ride. My team for today had to change our first flat tire and it took all four of us to get it done, but Jordan finally got the bead back on! We had lunch at a really nice lake and took a portrait of a woman who had thyroid cancer. The last ten miles of the trip were really hard since there were still more mountains. Some of the groups didn’t get in until 8pm, but we all had a wonderful dinner provided by our hosts. All in all, it was a hard, but good day.
Soooo many Mountains!
Today is tough with over 3,000 ft and over 90 degree temperature. I am so proud that I actually finish some big mountains like this. The lunch rest stop was at a beautiful water park and we stayed at the lunch stop for a longer period of time to better prepare us for the big mountains ahead. The biggest problem today was that I got my first two flat tires in straight because my tire is not suitable for long distance travel. The good news was that after we finished today's trip, the host gave us a "Thanksgiving" like dinner and it was amazing to have such great food after a tiresome day. Tomorrow will be even tougher and I should probably go rest my legs so I can beat up some mountains :D
The first week of i4k
I can't believe the first week has already gone by. Just one week ago we were in NYC visiting Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and having dinner with the NY Illini alumni association to kick start our bike trip. Now, at Day 7, we have completed about 340 miles from NYC's central park to small town Boonsoro, Maryland.Even though I consider my workout routine pretty regular, these days of biking have not been easy! My teammates have been such a great help, especially tackling the hills and the sun. I won't have made it up the hills if not for them. The pictures below show some aspects of our i4k life: Enjoy!
A Hot Day on the Trails
Today we started off our morning with some wonderful bagels from John Meehan’s mom, and also made the ride dedication out to the Robinson family. We had a wonderful stay at the Westminster Church and were so thankful for their hospitality. We left Washington, D.C. around 7:30 am after taking photos of the team in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Even though it was just the morning, we could already tell that today was going to be a hot day! The first 40 miles of the route were on the Mount Vernon, Curtis and Washington & Old Dominion bike trails, which were a blessing for us, since we didn’t have to ride with traffic and also since there weren’t as many hills. After lunch, we continued our ride and had to switch back to riding on roads with cars, which was quite an adjustment, but we managed. In addition to this, we were also reacquainted with big hills, but we conquered them! This day proved to be challenging for the I4K members due to the heat and traffic, yet overall we were able to stay optimistic and keep in mind the cause that we were riding for today.We also got the chance to talk with Katie and Bruce Smith in Boonville, Maryland. Katy was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago, which was only a few years after her sister had finished treatment for the same type of cancer. She underwent a lymphectomy, radiation treatment, and drug therapy, along with facing several other medical challenges. She and her husband had some very inspiring things to say. Katie explained that when you have cancer, “You kinda take it one day at a time.” She added that one should “Be confident in your doctors. Go ahead and talk to people and ask for, not so much advice, but support. I think the support is really important.”Bruce explained the importance of his role. “I was worried and very concerned, but I tried to be optimistic, and I tried to be supportive. I didn’t want to upset her; she was already on the edge. It’s very important that the spouse is supportive in the fact that he is confident and reassuring that things are going to be alright. Keep a positive attitude and listen. Listen to her concerns, and listen to what she is worried about.”Bruce and Katie were able to look at the experience in a very positive light. “Every time you go through a crisis, particularly a major crisis, and you come out okay, it just gives you confidence that you can get through the tough times, that you can make it, that you’ve done it before.”
Explore D.C.
Today was our event day, but since the event was canceled we were free to go sight-seeing and tour Washington, D.C. After sleeping in, we went to the laundromat to do more laundry and then went exploring. The ticketmaster at the holocaust museum was nice enough to allow us allow us in without a preregistered time ticket since we were on such a time crunch. The museum was very moving and interesting. After that, we went to the Air and Space museum and saw the Wright Brother’s exhibit, Apollo Gemini and Mercury space ships, WWII fighter planes, and Charles Lindbergh exhibit. The museum was very crowded with school tour groups, so we were unable to do the flight simulator. After those two museums, we were able to walk around the mall and see the outsides of other buildings.Next, we went to see the White House, Washington Monument, and other buildings. Everyone was back by 5pm for a team meeting and a wonderful, gluten-free dinner provided by Greg’s Aunt, Ginny Colten-Bradley. She was also kind enough to donate gluten-free snacks. Thank you Johnie Meehan for donating breakfast and snacks.