There is a pivitol moment in most westward journies across the United States which has been captured by so many authors: crossing the Mississippi River. We do this tomorrow, but for now, get some much needed rest.Today we had over 90 miles and left our stayover an hour early, so around 6 AM. It has been a long, wonderful day. I took some notes and will fill you all in on our super fun day tomorrow, so hang tight and know that we all had a pretty fantastic day.-LAH
Day 25: Hitting Some Of the Major Wisconsin Points
Start/End: Marshall/Wisconsin Dells, WIMileage: 60+8+Weather: A little bit warmer, but the morning was coolerToday was just a beautiful day to ride a bike. There were so few clouds in the sky, and after the rainy days that we have had, this was just such a refreshing sight to see when we woke up.Today's ride was dedicated to a rider's second cousin who lived in Madison and battled leukemia. This is a very tough disease to battle, especially as a young man.The ride started with a short trip into Waterloo which was just down the road, but we went there to visit one of the few locations Trek has! Trek is a huge sponsor of Illini 4000, and I know that without some of their assistance through the Trek Local a Great Athletes program, many of the riders would not be able go on this trip. We stopped by their facility which houses designers and manufacturing of amazing Trek bicycles. We had the opportunity to learn about the company and even see parts of their manufacturing process. Seeing all of the fine detail that is put into these bikes was not expected, but very cool. We are so thankful for the time they spent with us today, showing us the facilities and teaching us more about this company that is so pivotal to this organization's success.After visiting Trek, we continued on our route, back through Marshall and up to thenorthwest. It was a pretty uneventful day,Mohicans can just be a lot of fun. Many groups stopped at a local dairy/creamer store which sold delicious ice cream,Maggie milk, cheese and some other produce. This was definitely a highlight of the day. During our second rest stop, we stopped by a nice park and got to sit by a river and play on a swing set. We have totally grown up, we promise.At the end of the day, we arrived in Wisconsin Dells, an area well known to some of the team members who had previously visited on family vacations. We arrived early enough to spend some time exploring the downtown, which was very close to our stayover for the night. There are so many places to buy fudge and ice cream, and plenty of other very touristy attractions. Some of the team went mini golfing, while others went in search of cheese curds to finish out our true Wisconsin experience.We still have one more day in Wisconsin tomorrow, but then we are all looking forward to our stop in Rochester, MN, where we will be staying for 2 nights. We do have a mail drop at this location so if you have anything to send, get it in the mail ASAP and send it to: Rider Name, Illini 4000, 324 Third Avenue Southwest, Rochester, MN, 55902. If it arrives late, we cannot guarantee it will arrive, but hopefully this helps.Tomorrow will be another long day like yesterday, but we will get out rest and get at it again in the morning!-LAH
Day 24: Through the Rain, Again
Start/End: McHenry, IL/Marshall, WIMileage: 91.6+Weather: Very rainy morning, with late afternoon clearingThis morning we woke up at the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Church at our normal wake up time, 5:55 AM, and members of the congregation already had a breakfast spread prepared and arranged for us to get our breakfasts. This was a motivator to get packed up quickly so that we could eat, but on the other hand, it was raining outside, which is not always a fun way to start the day. We got all packed up and enjoyed the delicious breakfast with cereal, bagels, egg casseroles, yoghurt and fruit. It was amazing and we were so delighted to start our day off with this meal, knowing that leaving Illinois would mean the return of hills.This morning, our ride dedication went to 'Uncle Al', who battled lung cancer, beating it, but then was diagnosed and passed away from a type of throat cancer. This was a very difficult loss for his family and friends.Following this and some announcements, we rolled out onto start our route. It was pouring rain, but at least it wasn't too cold. For anyone familiar with McHenry, we travelled up route 31 north through town around 7:30 AM, you will know that we encountered quite a bit of traffic, fortunately most of it was going south. Getting out of McHenry, we continued our route through Richmond and Hebron before leaving Illinois (can you tell that I am from this area? We actually passed by the road my house is on a few miles from the route). The rain had let up before we reached Hebron, home of the 1952 state basketball champions as their basketball water tower reads. This meant that once we reached the state line, we were able to take nice pictures at the state line. Because there was not a state sign coming into Illinois on our route, many of us got a picture with the sign going the other way, too.Wisconsin proved quite quickly to quite different from Illinois as there are hills. What a revelation! There were also quite a few more cow farms that we passed that were sometimes quite large in size. Welcome to the cheese state! There were a few more episodes of heavy rain throughout the ride, unfortunately, but the last 20 miles of the ride were clearer. Behind us, we left some very dark clouds, but we had sunshine and at times, some very beautiful new pavement with minimal traffic. It was almost eerie how beautiful the unoccupied road was that we almost questioned if we were allowed to be on it. Today, the rain brought out some pretty remarkable water birds, egrets and herons. We saw one take flight earlier in the day and a huge heron hanging out in some standing water later in the afternoon.Tonight we are spending the night in Marshall, WI where we were greeted by some wonderful members of the congregation, but also wonderful aromas of our dinner which was being prepared. After all of the groups arrived, we got to eat a family style dinner consisting of turkey, bread, baked potatoes, green beans and apple sauce, then an amazing desserts later. After any day, regardless of the miles, this was a well received meal by the team.So as we settle in tonight, we are watching some cool clouds roll into the area, while other members of the team have found a place to watch tonight's Blackhawks/Lightning game...in hopes that tonight will be the night that the Blackhawks take home the Stanley Cup.I would love to reflect upon my trial blog on our 90 mile practice ride and stayover....I remember being exhausted and feeling just so tired. I will not say that I am not tired, but I will say that it is great to see how much everyone's physical and mental strength has changed in such a short time period.Again, though, we must reflect on why we are doing this ride. We hope that we are providing hope and inspiration for others, whether it is to get through a chemo treatment, to hold the hand of a loved one, or even to eliminate risk factors for cancer. One day it is our vision that cancer will not be the disease that we know it as today. Stay positive, don't let cancer take away your joy, hope, laughter or smiles. <3-LAH
Day 23: A Warm Welcome of Friends and Family
Start/End: Chicago/McHenry, ILMileage: 69+/-Weather: very wet and rainy at the beginning, then hot and humid laterToday was kind of a challenging day for many riders. We spent time visiting friends, family and loved ones alike, many of whom we would not see in person until after the journey. But it was exciting. Many of us were so surprised about how much we missed our fellow riders. We reunited at UIC, where some of the riders had stayed in Chicago, and then made our way towards Buckingham Fountain. At the fountain we met up with alumni riders as well as guest who would join us for the first part of the ride.Today's ride was dedicated to a gentleman that we had done a portrait of while we were on the trip. He seemed to do a lot for his community, and it was great because in his time of need, his community was really very supportive of his fight against cancer.We got on our bikes to start riding and that is about when the rain started. We took the Lake Shore Path north for several miles and light sprinkles turned into heavy downpour. The sidewalks had some especially large puddles to dodge. I really give the guest and alumni riders serious kudos for staying so upbeat throughout the ride despite the adverse weather. We biked on the Greenway Trail and perhaps another, but I can't remember, but before we got to mile 27 where lunch was at, the sun was shining and we had dried off just enough to hug some of our awesome supporters who welcomed us into the picnic area.The picnic. You have just no idea. I have seen how much food 28 cyclists can demolish at dinner time, but goodness. We had so much amazing food brought in by past riders, parents and supporters that we hardly made a dent in it. There were grilled burgers, brats, hotdogs and veggie burgers, pasta salads, potato salad, fruits, vegetable trays, deviled eggs, dessert of all different kinds.....it was incredible! Our riders must have looked hungry. It am pretty sure that I had not eaten more at any other meal than this one (and I would still need to bike 40+ miles). We met alumni who had done the ride in the past and even enjoyed done time with one of the founders of Illini 4000.After lunch, we still had quite a trek to make and it had warmed up rather substantially. We navigated through the northwest suburbs on bike trails and roads making our way to McHenry. After a snack, filled water bottles, sunscreen and a few flat tires,new made it!Tonight has just been amazing. We have had amazing hosts at the Tree of Life, who not only generously hosted us in their facilities, but also provided a very filling, delicious dinner which had pulled pork sandwiches, vegetarian lasagna, different types of salad and then amazing dessert of homemade ice cream and cake. We could not be more thrilled. After dinner, because some of our riders actually have bottomless pits for stomachs, many went to a bonfire at a rider's friend's house where there was some serious s'more making activities.It truly has been an amazing day filled with old and new friends alike. Illinois has been a great place to visit and we are thrilled to have been able to meet so many amazing folks. Tomorrow we head to Wisconsin, where one of our riders, Lizzie, attends UW-Madison. We are excited to see more of her home turf and excited to cross yet another state line on this trip (and hopefully there is a sign).
The Real I4K Begins
This past week has been incredible. Visiting family and friends was the perfect way to celebrate riding over 1,000 miles. As I pedaled away from my parents, family, and friends, I remember why we are all biking. It is so the next time we all see each other, we as a community will be one step closer to finding a cure for cancer. With a cure, more people will be fortunate enough to see family and friends fearless of diseases. Although it is hard to say goodbye, I know it is just a see you later. And with the love and support from my parents, family, and friends I know I can pedal my way to San Francisco.
Familiar Territory
Assistant Ride Leader's Log. Bike Date 22.15-06-13.13:25Three days ago we rolled into Champaign and it was a little strange. I had already said my good byes to U of I at graduation, but it didn't seem like I had transitioned into being an alum just yet. Regardless, it was really cool getting to ride into familiar territory. It was also amazing to realize how the same roads that we struggled on with our training rides were now smooth sailing. The tailwinds didn't hurt either.The next morning, the team had an opportunity to ride with some of our supporters in Champaign. I had the chance to ride in a group with some of them and got to learn a lot about various cycling events in Indiana as well as some closer to Champaign. Despite some adventures with a teammate popping a spoke, it was a fairly quick ride.Yesterday, I woke up really excited to have a fun day of cycling and to see family and friends. That excitement was a bit dampened by the rainy weather. After a very wet and increasingly cold ride with two flat tires and brake problems, we finally made it to the Bean in Millenium Park. It was great seeing family and friends - definitely loved the surprise of seeing my cousins Clare and Maureen at the Bean - and great to be home. I was especially excited to shower at home and sleep in my own bed. I'll have one more night at home then I'll be back on the road, which will be a little bittersweet but I'm excited for what's to come.We've reached just past the quarter point and I'm already starting to understand what makes Illini 4000 such a unique organization and experience. I can't quite put it into words yet but I'm sure I'll figure out how to say it soon enough.While home, I've been trying to get some little errands and such done so I can roll out of Chicago tomorrow morning with confidence. The Enterprise was brought into a local bike shop for a 1,500 mile tune up and is looking as shiny and clean as the day I got it. We are now ready for the next 3,000 miles of adventure.
Day 21/22: Back in Chi-Town
Thanks for bearing with the delay in the post! I will not be doing a long post today as we made it to Chicago yesterday and many of us are either spending time with family or exploring the city! We all made it safely into the city from Bradley, IL despite the rain and chillier weather that we encountered as we turned along the lakefront to head north. But most of the day went pretty quickly with a warmer tailwind. Happy to be back in, what for many of us, is home and a great place for us to hang out and explore! I will try to put a more detailed ride recap later tonight.Thank you so much for reading-- enjoy the weekend! Also, if you would like to meet up with us in Chicagoland, check out the blog titled, "Hello Indianapolis" for some details on events.
Day 20: Speeding Towards Home
Start/End: Champaign/Bradley, ILMileage: 79+Weather: Another hot, humid day!Looking at a map, it is so remarkable that we have already come so far on our journey, and a little intimidating to see how far we still have to go, but it is truly exciting, especially after all of the experiences that we have had so far. Today's morning was a little funky, since we were all spread out around campus to meet up at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center. But we all made it there and got ready for a great ride today with some community members who support our cause, including faculty.Today we started out with a ride dedication which today went to a history professor from the University of Illinois who passed away this past February from cancer.We rolled out of campus with some awesome guests pretty immediately catching a tailwind. The ride was so flat, especially after doing all of the climbing out east. I just can't get over how quickly the miles went by today! We mostly stuck along US route 45, so it pretty uneventful and we did not need to make many turns. It was pretty warm along the route and the sun was blazing, but we all stayed well hydrated and made sure to use plenty of sunscreen.Last year, Illini 4000 stayed at the Zion Lutheran Church in Clifton, IL, and so because this was along the way, we decided to stop in and say hello! They were so gracious and had lunch prepared for us! We got to make some cold cut sandwiches with chips, which was just the right food that many of us were wanting. We got to meet the pastor and speak with him about the trip.After lunch, we had less than 20 miles to ride so we just cruised along through more corn fields until we reached our final destination in Bradley, IL at the Adventure Church that was generous enough to let us stay in their space. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to interact with some of the church members. It was also great because for dinner tonight, we were generously donated pizzas from Little Caesars, Pizza Hut, and Luconis Pizza. As college students, most of us can eat pizza quite often, so after a very fast-paced day. Thank you so much for the generosity from everyone that we have received today! It has just been fantastic.Tomorrow we will roll into Chicago! We are so excited to see friends and family and will be at the Bean in Millennium Park at 2 PM, so if you are around, come meet us!
Day 19: Back in Familiar Territory
Start/End: Rockville, IN/Champaign, ILMileage: 76+Weather: Definitely sunburn weather...hot and sunny!Today was a rather bittersweet day as we departed Rockville, where we had definitely gained a new family and perspective on how cancer can impact communities. This single church showed us so much kindness and generosity through emir actions that we just could not be more thankful. This morning we were treated to a pancake, scrambled eggs, ham and fruit breakfast, which tasted amazing.This morning our ride was dedicated to the woman at the church who had started the tradition of the snack bags, as I had mentioned yesterday. She had passed away from cancer and so today we rode for her.So we began what would turn out to be a long, hot ride and a busy day. One of the groups of riders had a visiting rider who was actually a kidney cancer survivor. At 65 years young and on a sweet recumbent bicycle, he had no trouble keeping pace and a solid conversation with the group. It was a pleasure riding with him.The day hit a little bump in the road when we had realized that most of the entire team had missed a cue, finding themselves 3-6 miles off course. This was a bummer since we were on a tight schedule, but the team fought the winds and got back on cues and on track with the time. We were so grateful for the Cross family, who provided lunch on their equine rescue farm for the team. It was amazing and we got to learn about the farm, which is currently home to a blind horse that uses an echolocation box to see within a 15 foot radius. How cool!We were pretty bummed that there was not a sign at the border of Illinois and Indiana for a photo opportunity like many of those that we had taken previously, but we continued into familiar territory where we had training rides in the spring. The land was flat and the corn is growing. We noticed that the rivers and lakes are at very high levels, damaging some crops, unfortunately.Before going to the Alma Mater on campus, we all reconvened at a house near campus so that we could all ride in as a single group. It was an amazing feeling to be back on campus and to be greeted by so many friends of the organization. Additionally, there were reporters from WCIA and the Daily Illini who spoke with some of the riders about their experiences. All in all, it was a great experience.After that, we mostly dispersed as many riders were staying with friends and family in this "home base". Several met up for dinner, which was generously provided by a research group in the Hydro Systems Laboratory on campus, home to a previous year's rider, Blake. We got to eat so much pizza, in addition to cookies, brownies and homemade ice cream from a gentleman who is actively involved in the Champaign-Urbana Bike Project. He explained how their organization is working towards a more bike friendly community and how we hope this will expand to other areas. So this was super cool.So this is our first night apart and tomorrow we will be meeting at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center on campus at 7 AM, so if you missed us today, join us there! We will be heading to Bradley, IL tomorrow.-LAH
Day 18: A Trip Through Time
Start/End: Indianapolis/Rockville, INMileage:68.7+Weather: Calm and cooler, with warming in the afternoonToday started off a little slower than normal. Some of the high mileage days seem to be wearing us out a little bit, but that is ok because today was just a rather pleasant ride. We woke up and did our normal morning chores and ate breakfast. This morning we enjoyed our typical oatmeal in addition to some delicious watermelon, cantaloupe, cherries and grapes that were generously provided by a rider's grandparents.This morning the ride was dedicated to a rider's family friend, Lola, who had passed away from cancer. So throughout the day, this is who we thought about.Leaving Indianapolis was a little more exciting than we wanted, with several groups getting multiple flat tires on the way out. Due to our training and many of the flats we have already gotten along the journey, we have gotten much better at changing the tubes. We also encountered a few overly friendly dogs who weren't on a leash. This is always a little bit scary to tell which dogs are friendly or aggressive, but today's dogs just wanted to play. We also passed another drag racing track, which was a lot more established than the track we passed a few days ago. This one had a serious wall built in order to prevent any cars that could not brake from going into he road (the other one had large hay bales).After Indianapolis, there was mostly a lot of flat land with farms. The team got to see heir fair share of farm animals, passing cows, goats, sheep and horses. At this time, there were still plenty of baby animals that were pretty cute to look at. The route more so resembles Illinois at this point with the flatness. So the route was traversed a little quicker than some of the previous days, also because there was not much wind resistance at all. Additionally, we passed a very aromatic lumber yard and through a community that used a lot of horse power for drawing carriages, plows and other farm equipment.Towards the middle of the day, a lot of the rider's stopped at Casey's, a gas station in Roachdale. The folks there were so nice and donated ice cold water to refill our water bottles.From there we continued on, had lunch, met a wonderful gentleman who generously gave us a portrait of his experience with cancer. He was about our age and a few months ago was told he had a cancerous brain tumor. Just yesterday, though, he was told that he was cancer free. The initial diagnosis was a little confusing, but for anyone, being told that you have cancer is just scary. He received a ton of support from his family, friends and community, so it was super awesome to hear about all that.Arriving at our stayover was wonderful for several reasons. Many members of the congregation at the Rockville United Methodist Church were waiting for us with refreshments ready. When we arrived, we unpacked the van and got some fruit, banana nut muffins, and drinks. After that, members of the church volunteered to take us to other locations with a pool and showers and even volunteered to take our laundry to get washed. Some members of the team even had a great opportunity to explore the town, finding a cafe, ice cream parlor, G & M store, which apparently you can find just about anything you want, and an antique store.All of this was incredibly generous and the team is just very thankful for their generosity. I will say, though, that the church did not stop here. They prepared a very large spread of different foods for dinner, including pulled pork, deviled eggs, macaroni, salad and many other great items. Additionally they had several dessert options available, including angel food cake, brownies and a banana pudding.In addition to the amazing meal that made us, "Illini 4000 full", we also had some awesome entertainment from Dorothy, a member of the congregation who is 88 years young who performed a delightful tap dance routine. It was wonderful. Then, above all of that, we were all given the opportunity to grab a bunch of snacks for us to pack in our individual bags. This was a tradition started many years ago by a member of the congregation when Illini 4000 first came through the town. Unfortunately, this church member has since passed away but he church continues this tradition in her memory.We are so touched by the generosity that we have experienced today, and really throughout our entire journey. Somebody along the route told us, and I may have mentioned this before, but it is easy to find the bad people in the world, but it really is tough to avoid all of the amazing, wonderful people. So as you are reading this, I do hope that you can appreciate all of the awesome people in your life, as I know that is something that many of us along this trip are learning about how important close connections with others are.That's all for now- tomorrow we will be rolling into Champaign and anticipate being at the Alma Mater (Wright and Green Street) around 2:30 PM so if you are able, feel free to meet us there!-LAH
Day 17: Hello Indianapolis
Hello All! We have a busy week ahead. The details for the Chicago Ride Along and BBQ are as follows. Please come out and support the 2015 team! Read on for details on this year’s Ride Along and BBQ. It is a fantastic opportunity to support the 2015 team as they reach their milestone destination- Chicago! We are asking that all participants in the ride along and or BBQ bring a $10 dollar donation.Annual Ride Along and BBQ: Sunday June 14thRide Along Time- Arrive 7:30 am,Where- Buckingham Fountain to Turnbull WoodsBring- A Bike, Your Bike, Helmet, Water, Snacks, Patch KitWhat- 27 Mile Ride North to Turnbull WoodsCookoutTime- Setup 10:30am, Lunch 11am-2pmWhere- Turnbull Woods Picnic Shelter, 1627 Greenbay Rd. Glencoe, ILBring- Please don't come empty handed! Fill out the Google Doc to let us know what you are bringing- https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17sIggzAR7gsO6CaUNP_8mZhB6QfJTKxdxZJKVJq_XwE/edit?usp=sharingWhat- Annual Ride Along Picnic Lunch with the team! Any and all are welcome, even if you are not participating in the day's ride!Ride Along Details-This year the Ride along will depart at 8am from Buckingham Fountain. Please arrive at 7:30am tires pumped and dressed ready to go. The route will be 27 miles north to Turnbull Woods, near the Chicago Botanic Garden. (Rain or Shine!) Those wishing to participate in the ride along MUST WEAR A HELMET. We highly suggest you bring water, a snack, as well as a spare tube and patch kit. (If you do not make it to Buckingham Fountain by 8am the ride will need to leave without you. If you are running late please call Maggie at 630-936-8126) If you are riding Maggie will be collecting any food donations at Buckingham Fountain to take with to the Picnic site.Cookout Details-The ride along will end with a cookout lunch in Turnbull Woods- 1627 Greenbay Rd. Glencoe, IL. ALL Illini 4000 supporters are welcome, even if you are not participating in the ride along! Please don't come empty handed!Fill out the Google Doc to let us know what you are bringing-https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17sIggzAR7gsO6CaUNP_8mZhB6QfJTKxdxZJKVJq_XwE/edit?usp=sharingFor any questions or more information contact illini4000alumni@gmail.com
Turn of the Century
Assistant Ride Leader's Log. Bike Date 16.15-06-08.17:35Yesterday I officially joined the century club! It all started off great as there was minimal wind and we had plenty of room to cycle. However, as the day went on, the wind picked up, making the last 20 or so miles quite tough. However, after completing those 103 miles, I fully understood the extent to which Illini 4000 is a test of mental endurance. There were many moments where I began doubting myself, but I kept reminding myself that I can keep going, that I can always do 5 more miles.Today was another day for the books. I started the day as the support van driver - each day we rotate van drivers - and found a spot for our first rest stop. When their groups made it to the first rest stop, some of my teammates couldn't ride anymore, be it knee problems, not feeling well, what have you. To both make room in the van and because I really wanted to ride, I decided to ride the remaining 55 miles. My cleats were accessible, but not my cycling shorts or socks so rode wearing my running shorts and no socks. Surprisingly I didn't get any saddle sores, but I still don't think I'll be trying that again.One other milestone of the day is that the miles from today pushed my odometer for the trip past 1,000! I still can't fully believe that I've ridden over 1,000 miles already, but that also means I still have over 3,000 to go. Here's hoping each mile is more fun than the last!
Day 16: Living Through a Century
Start/End: Columbus, OH/Richmond, INMileage:,103.6+Weather: Warm and humid with cooling and clouds which came with some wind in the afternoonLiving through a century can take you a lot of different places. It can take you to Springfield, London, South Vienna, Verona and a variety of other towns, all of which were along our route! But let me back up and start from the beginning. Last night we stayed at the Broad Street United Methodist Church and it was awesome. Great location to sleep and eat and get ready for our longest day yet.The ride this morning was dedicated to the aunt of one of our riders. This aunt had passed away from breast cancer and was very obviously loved, so that was who this ride was for.Now, I will try to do my best to remember the day, but it was pretty lengthy and I just had an amazing dinner (more on that later). It is kind of fun to watch how much the goslings along the route have grown up. When we started they were cute, and now they are bigger and look more and more like their parents. We started off leaving Columbus, and when we got outside of town, it looked a whole lot like Illinois, flat. But that did not last all day. We encountered a few hills, but nothing too challenging. The main challenge was the large mileage for the day! We visited what might be the last Tim Horton's on the journey at lunch time, where we are our PBJ's, but many on the team grabbed some donuts or a frosty from Wendy's.We biked through Dayton, passed their airport. And again we were in the country. So nothing too exciting that we saw today unfortunately. Oh. There was a water tower painted like a hot air balloon which was cute. Towards the end of the ride, things will were getting tough. We had some extra rest stops and due to the generosity of a rider's parents who brought granola bars, we had extra snacks. At the end of the day, we were all running low on energy. A few miles before our rest stop, though, we crossed the Ohio/Indiana border, which provided not only a photo opportunity, but also a great boost of excitement to get us to the end of the journey.Today's ride greatly depended on the team that you road with. I know that incould not have done it without my amazing teammates and I am confident that sentiment is shared among my teammates. So thanks team, for being just so amazing.Tonight we are staying at the generous location of the First English Lutheran Church in Richmond. There are showers! Always great news after a long, hot day. Two members of the congregation most graciously cooked us three types of lasagna, garlic bread, prepared salad and even dessert. This meal had a personal meaning as the husband had done a cross country bike trip before and he wanted anyone else doing a trip like that to really have a wonderful experience.We had some of our group head out on a Walmart run for some supplies, and other teammates are watching Monsters University. A decent number, like myself, are already getting snuggled into our sleeping bags ready to rest from the hard day. We look forward to tomorrow's ride to Indianapolis and look forward to anyone we might meet along the way!
Day 15: Getting Into Buckeye Country
Start/End: Zanesville/Columbus, OHMiles: 56Weather: mostly cloudy and coolToday was a very uneventful, pleasant ride into Columbus, home of another member of the Big 10, the Ohio State University. We didn't let that phase us, though. Part of that definitely had to do with how we started the day at Westwood Baptist Church. We were treated to an omelette bar. It was amazing and every rider greatly appreciated the generosity of the church. With that we had some orange juice and milk.Today's ride started out with a ride dedication to a rider's family friend who passed away from pancreatic cancer a few years ago.The ride started off with a nice decline, leading into quite a hill to wake up our muscles in the morning. From there we biked through Zanesville, crossing their "Y-Bridge", which literally has a Y in it. From there, we experienced a few good hills but we took things pretty steady throughout the ride. There were more beautiful flowers along the road, which are always amazing diversions from the hill climbing, but especially after the first rest stop 22 miles in, we didn't have much climbing. Along the route, we did pass a drag racing track which was in fact running some races. A few groups got to see some of the cars, which was pretty exciting, and loud.After getting into Columbus, we spread out as a group doing all types of things, including watching a professional soccer game and finding an art strip with lots of people and activity, so it was fun. We had pizza donated for dinner from Little Caesars, which we are incredible grateful for. Tonight we are getting snuggled in at the Broad Street United Methodist Church who was generous to let us stay in their space which is equipped with showers and even some laundry facilities! We are preparing for tomorrow, which will be our longest ride so far (more than 100 miles!) into Indiana....so another state line crossing, here we come!
New Frontier
Assistant Ride Leader's Log. Bike Date 15.15-06-06.22:10After several days of intense cycling, hospital visits, and opportunities to grow closer as a team, so much has already happened over the past 2 weeks. I'm still partially in shock that we're already in Columbus, OH and are tackling Indiana next.An unexpected surprise occurred two nights ago when staying in Canton. Just as I was about to do some grocery shopping for the team, our hosts approach some of my teammates and I. They were trying to film a commercial of sorts for Dad's day for the church. The premise of the commercial was a daddy-daughter basketball game and one of the daughters couldn't make it. Since I wa the only girl around, I was asked to be in the commercial. Despite the cycling tan lines and borrowed gym shoes that were 3 sizes too big, I think all went well. Fingers crossed the commercial thing turn out well for them!My teammates and I have also been able to accomplish more and more each day. Yesterday my group and I were able to tackle hills we never expected we could. Today I rode with some teammates that really pushed me to go faster than I had ever gone before. As I mentally prepare for our century ride (100 miles) tomorrow, I am reminding myself that I've been able to accomplish so much more than I ever would have expected and that I just have to take tomorrow one mile at a time.
Day 14: Following Butterfly Paths through Rolling Hills of Green
Start/End: North Canton/Zanesville, OHMileage: 83+Weather: Sunny and very warmToday we woke up at the Family Faith Center in North Canton and enjoyed breakfast consisting of some cereal donations and some leftover chocolate. Yum!Today's ride was dedicated to a rider's family friend who was well known in their neighborhood for the cheery attitude which was shared with all. He passed away recently from cancer and is very missed.And with that we were off on the ride, navigating through the morning traffic in Canton. Once we got into the country, though, it was smooth riding, kind of. We encountered so many hills that were quite challenging. But going downhill! Lots of fun. We passed through some beautiful parts of the country. If you didn't know, eastern Ohio is very hilly. This is not something that I was aware of. So needless to say, it has been a very tough day and we are all tired. It was also rather warm today, so hydration was super important and taking some breaks in the shade were more than welcome. Even at some times,mothers were a few drips of rain, but just enough to keep us cool.We encountered some rough roads, which we fought through like champs, which can sometimes just mean getting off of the bike and walking down the gravel road, which we did for much longer than we'd have liked, but it was just too challenging to do it any other way.Today we saw so many butterflies along the ride which was just so nice. We also met the most friendly, happy horses that greeted us and walked with us along the gravel road we walked down.Nothing too exciting happened today, but that really can be a good thing. We came to stay at the Woodcreek Baptist Church in Zanesville and were graciously shuttled to a nearby gym to shower. Upon getting back from the wonderful showers, we were fed by food provided by the church from Chipotle. It was the perfect end to a great day of riding. Additionally they had snacks and dessert for us. It was just amazing and we were so thankful for their generosity. Later, rider's parents brought over ice cream for us which was also thoroughly enjoyed. They also provided some bracelets which can be used as rope in any emergency situation. They were handmade and a very thoughtful gift, thank you!We are happy campers tonight on cots in the church, very full and very happy. Tomorrow we will be heading to Columbus, which will be a shorter ride,so that will be nice. Going to bed before too long. Long day....
Day 13: A Pleasant Ride to Canton
Start/End: Cleveland/North Canton, OHMileage: 53+Weather: Warm and a little humidWe truly cannot thank the staff and members of the Nehemiah Mission of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland, OH. They were just remarkable hosts and provided us with amazing food that sent us off on our journey well.Today's ride started off with a dedication, which went to a rider's uncle who had been diagnosed with a type of prostate cancer which had been surgically removed over a year ago. Unfortunately within the last few weeks, he was re diagnosed and began cancer treatments just yesterday. So throughout our ride today, this is who we reflected on.We had just a short hop-skip over to Canton, OH. My group,mans hopefully other ride groups, experienced a ton of nature. We rode on bike paths for a good portion of the day which took us through densely wooded areas as well as some grassy openings, and even along waterways. We saw a river-otter and turtles in the water, a few geese with a group of at least 20 goslings, a mama dear with a very small spotted fawn, a turkey that was not very intimidated by our presence, a very small groundhog and of course a few alarmed bunnies. We were not terribly rushed by time, so I know many of us took some scenic pictures.We arrived into Canton at our stayover and one of the riders discovered that a Harry London/Fannie Mae chocolate factory was located nearby and that it offered free tours. About 20 of the riders shuttled over to the factory using one of the rider's parent's vehicles for a tour. We learned a lot about the process of chocolate making and what made their chocolate so wonderful. From reading about some of the history of the company, I learned that both companies had been greatly impacted by cancer, whether it was through their philanthropy or passing of notable company leaders. Going through the factory, we saw the confections being made. We couldn't figure out how the employees didn't eat chocolate all day.... At the end of the tour, we were able to share with the guide and other visitors what we were doing with Illini 4000, and the guide was so generous and donated a few trays of the chocolate, with toffee and a type with marshmallow and caramel. This was a very unexpected and generous gift that I know the team thoroughly enjoyed.In addition to this, we received wonderful food donations from local restaurants for our dinner from Donatos Pizza (definitely an Ohio thing), Little Caesars and Subway. Everything tasted amazing and was just so appreciated. I feel like I say this a lot, but this trip would not be possible without the generosity of others and this trip has really just changed my perspective of others and how much kindness and generosity can be found throughout our cross-country journey.Tonight we have a very comfortable space to stay at the Faith Family Church with great spaces to hang out, get internet and feel refreshed for another ride tomorrow! I am crashing from eating just a few too many sweets, and I am guessing I am not the only one!- LAH
Day 12: Meaningful Rest and Exploration of Cleveland
To start off with, I wanted to let everyone know that I added more information to the blog for day 7 in regards to visiting the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge and Gylda's Club, so definitely check that out because they were amazing hosts!Today was a beautiful day. Like our very first day in New York City, this was an event day. This day was well deserved after our 10 consecutive days of riding, or so I would think. It started off pretty casual with a later wake up at 8 AM....amazing. After that, we were able to eat some cereal provided by our amazing stayover, and some of us walked to a nearby coffee shop to indulge just a little bit. I have honestly been pretty impressed that a group of almost 30 college students has made it so many days with a 5:55 AM wake up without coffee!Afterwards, we were shuttled by members of our stayover's congregation to the University Hospital's Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland. While we were visiting, we got to spend time with some of the folks that run the center from an operational standpoint. We got to tour treatment bays, where patients can receive chemotherapy. This was not something that many of the students in Illini 4000 had not seen. During my tour, we were told about how the space was designed to really feel open and comfortable for the patients. And they really did think of everything, from easily moveable walls for added privacy between patients, to the window view for all, seats for caregivers and heated seats for patients that often feel chilled during treatment. There was artwork around the facility as well. Additionally, patients can receive art and/or music therapy. We got to see where longer term patients stay and the amenities provided that are comfortable for both patient and caregiver. This facility really did seem to put a huge emphasis on the patient's experience.Additionally we got to see other areas, including radiology, which though typically housed in the basement of buildings, was on the second floor. We met a doctor who showed use around, explaining the different uses for a PET scan, CAT scan and MRI. One really cool program that they told us about was that for $99, a patient who is between a certain age range who smoked for 15 years or more, could come into the hospital and be scanned. What this program could do is potentially detect a cancerous tumor before the patient experiences symptoms, which can really be life saving. If a cancerous tumor is detected, they can remove it and you can be cancer free without symptoms. This really led to a discussion of the different types of ways to be proactive about cancer detection and prevention. One of the biggest things to know is your family history, this can often dictate what age and how often you can checked for certain cancers. If you have any questions, this would definitely be a great conversation to have with your parents and/or doctor!Next we visited the Rainbow Hospital,the children's hospital associated with the University Hospital. It was an exciting day for the hospital as it was Leonard Horvitz's birthday, a large donor to the facility, who initiated that on his birthday they have a huge birthday party in the hospital. There were balloons and a DJ and gifts for patients- it did look like a great celebration. We proceeded upstairs where we visited part of the Angie Fowler Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Institute. We had the opportunity to speak with the father and sister of Angie a Fowler, who had passed away at a young age from cancer. The institute created in her namesake was a wonderful tribute. Some important things to know is that, although this is a children's hospital, patients even in their 30's can be seen, especially if they have a cancer more often seen in children/teenagers, which means that the cancer institute needs to be able to provide for the very different needs of this patient age range. There are spaces with fun painted walls and toys, whereas other spaces are geared towards older patients who may need computer access to keep up with work or school, or just spaces to meet with friends and family that do not feel like a hospital. We visited the rooftop, called Angie's Garden, which was just a beautiful place to enjoy the open air and relaxation of the beautifully created surroundings. We were so thankful that we were provided a wonderful lunch provided by the University Hospital which gave us the wonderful tour and information.After that, the day was ours. Some of us went to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, while others went to an art museum, or a bike shop, while others returned to the mission to do laundry or rest. It was a beautiful day and many of us had the opportunity to perform some general maintenance on our bikes. Be sure to ask any rider you know what their bike's name is! Many have names...and mine was just given a name the other day: Firestorm (because of it's color).Again we are just so thankful to our hosts at the United Methodist Mission here in Cleveland who provided us with a taste of Cleveland themed dinner tonight. It was amazing, consisting of pirogies, potato pancakes, chili, sausage/sauerkraut, salad and just a great dessert of ice cream cups and blueberries/strawberries/pound cake/cool whip mixture, many of us left dinner almost uncomfortably full, but very happy. We could not have asked for more wonderful hosts and are specially thankful for the food and gift bags they gave us. Thank you! We really are not exaggerating when we say that we could not do this without the generosity of those who we encounter.We also just want to give a shoutout to those at the hospital who shared their stories with our team for the Portraits Project (portraitsproject.org). It has been such an exciting trip for portraits- which is one of the main purposes behind the ride.So with that, tomorrow bright and early we get moving again! Here's hoping for a smooth ride!-LAH
Day 11: Light Winds, Rolling Hills and Sunshine
Start/End: Ashtabula/Cleveland, OHMileage: 63+Weather: is it too soon in the trip to say perfect? Highs in the lows 60'sThe past few days have been tough and there is no doubt about it but today was a great pick-me-up kind of day. The sun was breaking up the clouds and showing itself really for the first time in several days and we had a bit of a tailwind. Additionally, we experienced quite a few rolling hills which did not necessarily require a lot of climbing if done right. Alas, I am getting ahead of myself again.Today we woke up from a great night's stay at the First Presbyterian Church in Ashtabula. The pastor and a member saw us off on our journey today. Today's ride was dedicated to a rider's great aunt who passed away recently. She had battled a few different types of cancer, but she had been fighting brain cancer which had caused her to forget the names and memories associated with loved ones. So today we rode for her.It is a really strange feeling when you get to the point where you are lie, "only 60 miles? What am I going to do with the rest of my day?" It is just a remarkable evolution to have seen as we have grown in strength in this trip after 10 days of riding.As an mentioned, we had some nice hills and a tailwind so we were moving pretty fast. And when that happens, you don't quite notice as much. I did catch that we went through a town that was once home to President Garfield, so that's kind of cool. When we stopped at our lunch stop, we were outside of a Walgreens and they just had the most soft grass to lay upon. Many of us took advantage of this and rested before we knocked out the last 20 miles.Rolling into Cleveland, we took the Lakeshore Boulevard which was quite a sight to see. There were some beautiful mansions that we passed and were a lot of fun to look at. Then getting closer, we went along a lakefront park. Pretty much every group stopped at the park for varied lengths of time and took pictures and hung out. Continuing on the journey, we encountered a rather rough road which we managed very slowly to avoid any accidents or flat tires. It was not a great road. We went past the Cleveland Browns stadium which was pretty cool and then navigated through downtown, across the veterans memorial bridge to our stay over.We are living in style for the next day and a half. We are at a Mission property that is used to accommodating mission trip teams, equipped with bunk beds and showers and an amazing staff that welcomed U.S. and provided an amazing dinner. Showers- it has been days. And a group of us went to a nearby laundromat to wash our clothes which may have been even more necessary than the showers. We are so so thankful for the generosity of this host and I am sure that I will talk more about them tomorrow.So far, I have already slept a few hours but why not just keep sleeping? Tomorrow is our first official event day after NYC, so we get to rest a little bit and stay off our bikes. I will keep you updated with the happenings, though!-LAH
New Month, New State(s), New Perspective
It's incrediby hard for me to believe that today marks day 11 of this 72 day journey. I wish I had it in me to write the highlights so far, but the most important thing I've come to realize is that every single day this summer is turning into an adventure within itself and the best thing I can do is live up to the goals I set for myself by being present in every moment and leaving it at that. At this point we have less than 4,000 miles until San Fran (we started with 4,519 miles to go) and I've already started to fear the days I won't wake-up with this team every morning. Within 11 days we have bonded, provided each other with support, and approached every obstacle with an open mind to do what needs to be done and get through it together. Obstacles thus far have included minor bruises and bumps, ridiculous wind trying to knock us over, and cold rain that makes you shiver to your core when you ride in it. Despite this, our team has also found huge success by means of kindness from every place we've stayed, unexpected food donations, and a willingness from many to share their stories of cancer with us as we work to collect more snap-shots of the American cancer experience for The Portraits Project.With May behind me I find mysef looking forward to the first full month on the road. On the first day of June we finallly made it out of New York and crossed two state boundaries landing ourselves on the other side of Pennsylvania in Ohio! By the end of the month we will pass through 8 more states and continue our journey West from Colorado. The biggest challenge I've faced is adjusting to time passing. On a bike I find myself looking less and less at the clock and more and more at the miles that have gone by. What day of the week it is has become less important than knowing the name of the next town we'll be sleeping in and how many days until our next event day. Within the first few days everyone was on the same page in terms of distance: 75 miles or less is considered a short day and typically not thought of as hard -- more than 75 miles will be a challenge, but nothing we can't accomplish. I've also been surprised to realize how much of the ride is mental versus physical. Of course you need strength to keep you legs moving in circles as you pedal, but believing you can do the ride is half the battle. Believing you can get up the monster hill in front of you is what keeps you going. Knowing you're capable of standing up after a fall puts more miles under your tires.I can't say thank you enough for all of the support that I've continued to be showered with! Knowing care-packages are heading my way and that people are cheering me on helps tremendously with the 5:45am wake-up every morning. A few days ago on our way to Niagara Falls, New York I had a bit of a fight with the road, curb, and ground and dented my bike frame. Not only did this take a literal bite out of my bike, but it was a bit of an emotional hurdle as my bike has become something I'm attached to. I love my bike as much as I love my team. I've been in the van for a few days while figuring out how to proceed, but I'm beyond happy that I'll be rolling again as soon as Zanesville, OH. My accident sucked, but it has affected my perspective in a positive way. My first post was about being a type-A personaity and I now find myself learning to roll with the punches. In the words of our ride leader Ben, "Stuff happens and it's going to keep happening. What matters is that you keep going. Today will end and tomorrow you'll start again with a new adventure." For years I've seen signs that say things like "Don't stress the small stuff," and I'm sure most everyone is familiar with the' "Keep Calm..." phenomenon. This has been the opposite of me for years! I think the details are the most important and often stress about getting them right. I now find myself learning that as much as you try to get everything right, it is also importnat to know that in reality every hill is just a bump in the road.(Thank you to Kevin & Sam for that saying.)