To be honest, today got off to a rough start. It was gray and rainy, we were moving slowly, and there were some setbacks with bike maintenance and such. The ride didn’t really pick up…the route was pretty as it followed along Lake Erie, but the wind was whipping off the water and our bodies didn’t really speed up too much. A couple of groups (mine included, which if you know me isn’t that surprising) spent a considerable amount of time being lost. Additionally, we got 9 flats as a team today. That’s a lot of time spent on the side of the road changing tires and tubes. Most of us didn’t roll into our 40 mile rest stop for lunch until 2:30. The good news is that we still had fun. Each group found ways to entertain themselves, and a couple groups started asking table topic questions to pass the time. You’d be surprised to learn how long a question like “What does the American Dream mean to you?” or “How will you know at the age of 80 if you have been successful in life?” can facilitate conversation when you have nothing to do but pedal.After lunch the sun started to peek out, but unfortunately our ride got cut short due to thunderstorms. We managed to pack in like sardines and shuttle the last 30 miles to our stay over in Westfield. So our 93 mile day turned into a 60 mile day, but we still got in a good amount of riding and talking.We arrive in Ohio tomorrow! We are all excited to cross a state border, but as Lindsey pointed out, it is a bit nostalgic that we are already 1 state down.DR
7 flats, 8 days
And no, that is not among the entire team. Just me, myself and I. New York has not been forgiving to myself or my teammates. To start, Illinois and New York are completely different! A small hill in New York would be considered a mountain in central Illinois. On day 3 we had about 3800ft of climbing within 65 miles. That was one day I was wondering what I got myself into. Throughout the past week the elevation gain/loss has gotten better. Or maybe we've gotten stronger!Now back to the title of this post; flat tires! I jinxed myself when I was talking about never getting a flat during the 700 miles trainings. I got my first flat on the first day just sitting at a gas station. They just kept coming after that. Like Pringles say, "Once you pop, you can't stop!" It's amazing to see what caused your flat whether it is a nail through the tire or the tiniest shard of glass. Today was our last full day in New York (thank goodness!) and New York won't let us go without some memories. 14 flats to be specific. Among the team, we had 14 flats causing major time delays and ultimately shuttling the last 30 miles to the stayover. With one of my flats I decided to replace the tire to hopefully prevent more flats.Tomorrow we cross into Ohio and I can't say that I'll miss New York. Hoping for better roads and less flats in Ohio!
Day 7: Rochester to Niagara
This morning felt like it came awfully early for most of us. Even though we had a short ride yesterday we were all worn out from our events and exploring Rochester. Even so, today brought an 87 mile day and we ended in Niagara Falls.The team all went to the falls together to take a group photo, and then those of us that had passports walked onto the Canadian side. The falls were beautiful. The amount of water and the speed at which it moved was amazing. The town of Niagara Falls was extremely touristy on both sides of the border, but it was fun to just walk around and people watch. Everyone ended up eating dinner out, which can always be a nice change of pace from our normal routine.I think I can say that now that we’ve seen the falls we are ready to begin moving west and make some progress across the country. We have some long days ahead, starting with tomorrow being 93 miles to Westfield.Hoping for a cool, smooth day tomorrow.DR
More in New York State
Syracuse to PalmyraIt's day 5 already and we just arrived in Palmyra, New York at Fellowship Bible Church. The ride was much smoother and faster than the past few hilly days. Immediately after arriving we were shuttled to showers which felt great after 80 miles in the warm sun. I felt extremely welcomed at our stayover and had lots of fun playing board games and telling jokes with Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Gracie:) Dinner(lasanga, salad, and fruit), dessert(cupcakes, brownies, and toffee!), and breakfast(muffins, eggs, and fruit) tasted delicious and served as a nice change from the usual pasta and lentils(even though I enjoy those too!).Palmyra to RochesterDay 6 already...one more day and it will be a week of biking. It feels like we have been biking for months as the days fly by so fast. Today was a short 23 mile day so we had plenty of time to visit Gilda's Club and the Hope Lodge. Along with several teammates, I visited Gilda's Club, a cancer support facility, and spoke with members who have experienced cancer in their lives. It was inspiring to see the comfort these individuals found at Gilda's and the fun ways Gilda's offers support(social dinners, cooking classes, exercise classes, crafting, etc.) We were able to collect a few portraits for the Portraits Project as well! In less than 12 hours my team and I will begin our ride to Niagara Falls! This will be my first time seeing the falls both from the American and Canadian side...stay tuned to see the pixs:)
Day 6: Palmyra to Rochester
Today was a short 23.6 mile day into Rochester. We got an extra hour of sleep which was definitely a treat.When we got into Rochester half of us went to the American Cancer Society B. Thomas Golisano Hope Lodge Hospitality House and the other half went to Gilda’s Club. Hope Lodge is a place that patients can stay for free while they receive treatment for cancer. Traveling is a financial strain and very inconvenient for many, and this hospitality house allows patients to check in for a single night or several months depending on their needs. Gilda’s Club is named for the Saturday Night Live comedienne, Gilda Radner, who passed from ovarian cancer. The club supports over 17,800 people yearly with over 1,200 free programs offered to men, women, teens and children who are affected by cancer. These programs provide social and emotional support not only patients, but also their family and friends.We did three portraits at each location, each one telling a unique experience with cancer. I personally was at Hope Lodge, so I am more accurately able to relay some of the experiences that were shared there today. The first was with Darlene O’Dell, a woman battling lung cancer. She and her sister in law are staying at Hope Lodge while she receives radiation twice a day for five days a week. She is a part of a study to see if the rapid treatment works at a faster pace. She is so appreciative of Hope Lodge because it makes this type of treatment possible since Darlene does not live close enough to the hospital for the commute to be doable. She was so kind to share her story with us and her sister in law shared how strong she has been throughout her battle.Another portrait that we did was with Neel Monterio, the operations manager at Hope Lodge. He has worked with American Cancer Society for eleven years now, and he has what he thinks to be the best job in the world. He says that he gets to give and give and give to the guests without receiving anything in return. He helps provide a comfortable experience, listens when someone needs ears to talk to, and gives advice when he can. When asked why he’s passionate about working with cancer patients, Neel told us that his mother passed away from cancer when he was 9. He shared that her last words to him were “Be good, be kind, and help others every day.” He knows that his mother is proud of him and he finds much fulfillment in his role at Hope Lodge.It was inspiring to hear experiences with cancer from two different perspectives. It shows how differently people can be affected and how much is being done to support those that are directly experiencing cancer.We are excited to have all of the portraits up on the website eventually and look forward to collecting more as the trip continues.DR
Day 5: Syracuse to Palmyra
After eating a delicious breakfast provided by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Reverend Phillip Major joined us for our morning dedication and rode along with us for 6 miles. We dedicated our ride to his father, Gordon, who battled breast cancer for 14 years of his life. Many, many remedies extended his life and he chose to donate his body to research after he passed. It was nice to be able to include him in our ride and again demonstrated how important our cause is to so many people.Today was a route similar to yesterday’s; the hills were manageable and the sun stayed hidden for most of the day. We managed to beat a rainstorm and arrived at Fellowship Bible Church in Palmyra by 3 today. Again, we are overwhelmed by the generosity and hospitality we have received. Cold drinks were waiting, tables were set up with candy bowls, and we were served a delicious lasagna dinner.Some of our team did another portrait after dinner. They interviewed a member of the congregation named Kathy Walton, who shared her story about her experience with colorectal cancer. Fortunately, she has been cancer-free for eight years now, and she used the lessons she learned during her own fight with cancer to support her mother and brother-in-law when they were diagnosed with cancer themselves.Additionally, John, the pastor, his wife, kids, and some church members stayed and spent time with us until 8:30. It was so fun playing Yahtzee with the kids, we don’t know how they have so much energy. They were so darn cute. Everyone was so kind and interested in what we were doing. One of the members had been on our page enough to recognize some of us and remember what we were studying. It is touching to see how excited people are to host us, and how willing they are to open their doors to us.Tomorrow we have a short 23 mile ride into Rochester where we have some events planned. We’re looking forward to the break!-DR
Day 4: Little Falls to Syracuse
Today brought a flatter route and cooler temperatures. Everyone was very, very happy about both.As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, the team checked out Little Falls after we got settled at the stay over. It was a cute little town with some pizza places, a couple bars, and an ice cream shop. The group that went to Ole Sal’s had a particularly good experience that they were excited to share with our readers. All of the employees were really excited to hear about our ride and wanted to follow along on the blog this summer. One of them, Bethany, is doing her own 100 mile ride for cancer this summer. Experiences like these remind us of how universal the fight against cancer is and how many people are showing their support in so many different ways. This morning we got on the road around 7:30 and rode 80.6 miles to Syracuse. Our ride today was dedicated to Catherine Kemp’s friend that passed away from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The breeze was cool, the roads were flat, and at some points we could ride two by two and talk to each other. It was a casual ride and a nice change of pace. The team stopped by the Oriskany Battlefield in the Mohawk River Valley, the site of a battle during the revolutionary war. One group also stopped by an ice cream shop called The North Pole, where they conducted our team’s first portrait! Portraits are interviews we record and upload to portraitsproject.org. These interviews are with anyone that has been affected by cancer. This can include patients, caregivers, children of people that have passed due to cancer, etc. In doing these interviews, we hope to provide the opportunity to talk about their experience as well as create an online database that can be a resource for others going through similar struggles. The woman we did a portrait with today, Dava, has a best friend going through cancer right now and her mother also passed away from lung cancer. Her main piece of advice was to be positive and keep the patient laughing.Our stay over today provided us with an amazing dinner and another opportunity to do a portrait. We are still overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity. Margaret, an active participant in a group at St. Paul’s in Syracuse, was kind enough to allow us to ask her about her experience with breast cancer. She said she was always a positive person but had a difficult time remaining positive at the beginning of her diagnosis. She said she found peace in the serenity prayer and accepting what she couldn’t change and focusing on what she could. For her, what she could change was her attitude. She stayed positive and has been cancer free for 12 years.Lastly, we were the recipients of many friendly gestures today. A lot of cars gave us friendly honks and two different people said they saw us on the news and encouraged us to continue our mission. Many of us were interviewed on Monday when we arrived in Bethlehem. Click on the following links if you want to see the news clips!http://news10.com/2016/05/30/cross-country-cyclists-raising-cancer-awareness-make-stop-in-bethlehem/ http://www.wktv.com/news/College_students_bike_cross_country_to_fight_cancer.html http://wnyt.com/news/bikers-from-a-student-run-non-profit-at-the-university-of-illinois-make-a-cross-country-journey-to-fight-cancer-----/4154621/DR
Day 3: Bethlehem to Little Falls
Today was a tough 67.9 day. Headwinds and hills are a very difficult combination. And I’m not talking about a little bit of wind. I’m talking about “I feel like I’m pedaling but I’m not moving” kind of wind. There was one stretch where we crossed over a bridge and were being blown all over the place. We were lucky enough to have a wide shoulder and one group even had a contest to see how slow they could go without tipping over. Thankfully, we have very supportive teammates and we all reminded each other to look left and right at the scenery once in a while. Everyone feels very accomplished today and will most definitely sleep well tonight.The team is really clicking at this point. Rest stops and dinner have been very lively. Everyone is comfortable enough to give each other a hard time and we do so constantly. We got into Little Falls around 5 today and are planning to check out the downtown together. It’s fun to see these little places that we most likely wouldn’t have the opportunity to see otherwise. We are looking forward to a much deserved excursion and restful night.DR
Day 2: Beacon to Bethlehem
We woke up to rain this morning, which means we get splattered in the face whenever we are riding behind someone. Which is always. However, with the rain came cooler temperatures. It was actually a very pleasant morning, as it didn’t rain very hard or for very long. The afternoon heated up, but our team made great time considering we rode 87.6 miles over many, many rolling hills. We are all getting the hang of when to up or down shift, how to approach the hills, and the best strategy for making it up them. I learned the hard way that the mentality of “The faster I go the faster I’m done,” is not the correct mindset. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Which I’m thankful for, because upstate New York is beautiful! There are so many big trees, streams, rivers, and lakes. It was a very peaceful ride (minus the burning thighs) through many wooded areas. The consensus among the team is that there were more hills today, but there weren’t any that were as bad as yesterday’s route. Everyone did great again today!Our stay over tonight is at the YMCA in Bethlehem. Let me tell you, these people know how to make you feel welcome. They had a sign out front for us as well as chalk arrows pointing us to the entrance with words like “Yay!” and “Woot woot!” written by them. Cold drinks were waiting for us in a cooler and we were provided with a feast of grilled chicken, burgers, and hotdogs as well as fruit, salad, and chips. They gave us towels and access to the pool, hot tub and showers (major score!!). They also have a bouncy house obstacle course. Yes, we went in it. We all feel like we are on vacation. Such generosity makes me want to provide the same experience for someone, not because it’s expected or required, just because it’s possible. We are so thankful.DR
Day 1: NYC to Beacon
Today was the first real ride day! We were up by 6, van was (supposed to be) packed by 6:15, we ate our oatmeal, and were ready to go by 7ish. Every morning before we ride we dedicate the day to someone. We take turns doing this, and these people can be anyone in our lives that has experienced the challenge of battling cancer. Today we dedicated our ride to a family friend of mine, Gigi Kimball. I asked that we dedicate the ride in hopes that she would continue to heal as well as feel strength and peace.After our ride dedication we made our way to Central Park, where Joe McDonough greeted us. He is the founder of the organization B+ (Be Positive), which is an organization in which kids help kids fight cancer. I4K donates some of what we raise every year to this great cause, and it was a great way to kick off our ride and an excellent reminder of why we are embarking on this crazy adventure.We logged 65 miles today to Beacon. It was a very challenging day as it was very hot and very hilly. However, everyone succeeded! There were no big injuries and everyone took some amazing photographs and video. The route was absolutely beautiful. There were many breathtaking views, the first being from George Washington Bridge. It is fun to think about starting at a bridge in the east and ending at the Golden Gate Bridge in the west. The bridge overlooked New York City and New Jersey. The view really exemplified how expansive the city is. I’m used to the Chicago skyline, which pales in comparison. Shortly after the bridge is when the real climbing started, and I felt like I was willing my legs to just keep pedaling while I was huffing and puffing. The great thing about climbing is that at some point you go down. The descents were so fun and rewarding. My group got up to 36 miles per hour on our way down one particularly steep descent. I’m glad to report that our team is exceptionally positive and supported each other through burning thighs and beating hot sun. If the first day is any indication, it is going to be a fantastic summer. DR 
In and Out of NYC
Hi all!In just about 48 hours memebers of my team and I have explored what seems like all of New York City and rode 64 miles to Beacon, New York. Yesterday, May 28, Maren, Catherine S, Steven, Sara, and I explored and ate our way through the city. We saw 9/11 memorial, times square, central park, washington park, radio city music hall, rockafeller center, and many more. It wouldn't be an authentic trip to NYC without thin crust pizza and a sandwich from Katz deli too. Today, May 29, everyone biked from city to Beacon. The ride was warm and hilly, but was absolutely gorgeous. Almost the entire ride was surronded by scenic views on bike route 9.
Day 0: Damon Runyon Foundation and Exploring NYC
Hello from New York City! We arrived around 6:30 on Friday night after about a 20 hour train ride from Union Station. We were all more than ready to get off the train. We entered a very warm Penn Station and navigated our way through the streets and subway (we got on going the wrong direction once, but we fixed it) and arrived at our very welcoming stay over. Unfortunately, our van drivers had an even longer travel day. The van we rented had transmission problems and a 12 hour drive turned into a 24 hour drive. Thankfully, we are all here and we have a new van for the time being.This morning we visited the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. Illini 4000 donates to this organization, and we had the pleasure of meeting Ryan, the fellow whose research is partly funded by us. Listening to him describe the work he does made us realize how many people are striving to find a cure, for cancer, as well as how few get to see their research through because of a lack of funding. Ryan seemed really passionate about his research, and it is exciting to think that he could find or invent something that makes a huge difference in the future.We spent the rest of the day exploring the city and preparing for our first ride day tomorrow! We are all very excited to get started and a little nervous about the climbing we will be doing this week. Hills (and mountains) are daunting to people that have been training only in central Illinois. Nonetheless, we are very much looking forward to beginning this journey together and can’t wait to hear the stories of the people we meet and what we discover along the way.The next time you hear from me we’ll be one day down!DR
A Day in the Life Practice Run
Hi! My name is Dori and I will be posting the daily blog during the ride this summer. I'm excited to keep you updated and share what we are up to throughout the ride! We are one month and 3 days away from departing for New York! We are all very excited and a tad nervous. One of our riders, Steven, said he anticipates the train ride out to New York will be like the feeling of climbing the ladder up to the high dive. Once you get a certain distance up, there's no going back. A bit of panic and a lot of anticipation follow. While funny and maybe accurate, I am confident that we are all going to thrive and succeed at raising awareness for cancer this summer.In preparation for the ride we are biking on both Saturday and Sunday this week, and staying over at our director's parents' house in order to practice our chores and timeline of our average day. Today's ride began at 7 am, and the theme of the day was burning thighs and getting lost. It was also very much a day of firsts. First century (100 miles in one day!). First day of hills. First crossing of a state line (Indiana). First time staying over together. First time getting chased by a dog. And most likely the first time being as sore as we all will be in the morning.When we arrived at our stayover we unpacked the van and did our chores as we will every day. Chores include cooking, cleaning the van, setting up the tents when necessary, etc. Everything took a while because it was new to us, but it is clear that we'll all become a well oiled machine once we get into our routine. Wake up is at 6 am tomorrow and we ride 30 miles home to Champaign at 7. While it has been an exhausting day, it is safe to say that we are all extremely excited to begin this journey together. We know there will be frustrations and tense moments, but nothing will overshadow the immensity of what we are doing and especially the reason we are doing it.Looking forward to reporting back in May!DR
T-Minus 49 Days
49 days until we get on the train to NYC to start this crazy adventure. 49 days. Putting things into perspective, thats only 4 more team weekend trainings and 4 more team meetings. Time really does fly when you're having fun. Illini 4000 has given me some great friends and I cannot wait for this summer with these amazing people. Our team has great chemistry whether it being supporting each other at fundraisers or laughing together at team dinners.This past weekend we had our first team on-the-bike training. Being April you would think it would be semi-nice but it was quite cold and windy. On the way out of campus we were going straight into 20-30 mph winds for about 15 miles. During that time my group was going an average of 4-6 mph. It was a great learning experience on bike handling and staying close to your group, I just wish it hadn't been so cold! My hands and feet were numb even wearing full-finger gloves and 2 pairs of socks! Hopefully it will get nicer each weekend from now on. Next weekend we have our 45 mile ride and we are going to see one of our beneficiaries, Prairie Dragon Paddlers, launch their new boat at Homer Lake.This time last year I never would have thought that I would be preparing for a cross-country bike trip. Now I can't imagine not being a part of this organization. Illini 4000 has given me so many opportunities just within the few months I have been involved and I look forward to continue being apart of this organization. It is safe to say that joining Illini 4000 has been the greatest thing I've done in college.In addition to occasionally blogging here, I will be trying to blog and post pictures every day on my tumblr page. Follow along! http://marenwiltshire10.tumblr.com
April Fools!
Being April, you would think it would be around 60 degrees and sunny, but the weather decided to play a joke on my fellow teammates and me this past weekend. The weather consisted of 30 degree temperatures and a wind advisory of 30-40mph winds! But did that stop us from riding this weekend???......No!To begin my personal experience with the weather, on April 1st, Catherine and I embarked on a bike ride around Urbana early in the morning. It was a bit cold, but after riding a bit, we warmed up. Riding through country roads and a small town was so beautiful and so calm. I felt like we were the only people around for miles (even though campus was less than 10 miles away). Then, what seemed out of no were, the sky grew grey as thick clouds filled it and the wind began to pick up. Before I knew it, the wind was so strong, I was moving at a snail’s pass, riding straight into the wind. Our calm, beautiful ride turned into a 10 mile, slow paced, struggle to get back to campus! With the support of my teammate, Catherine, much motivation, and a little rerouting, we made it make alive and well. But the weekend was not over! The wind continued throughout Saturday into the team’s weekend training ride! Beginning at 7am, we started our 30 mile ride, again with a wind advisory of 30-40mph winds. This may seem awful, but looking back, it was a great learning experience. For 15 miles, we rode in groups of four straight into the wind. This allowed the team to practice pace lining/drafting, shifting with various conditions, and communicating with each other. Although the first 15 miles was difficult, the tailwinds on the way back home were worth it! After accomplishing a weekend of cold, windy weather, I feel like any ride with winds under 30mph will be a breeze! Overall, I gained experience riding with difficult weather conditions, but most of all I learned how the support of teammates is an unstoppable motivator. The support of my teammates, and their determination to continue riding, kept me going as well. Hopefully, the weather warms up soon, but either way I cannot wait for my next ride!
Gratitude
To many people who know me, it is fairly evident that I like to keep a packed schedule that can often leave me feeling a bit burned out. But being a part of I4K this year has helped me in ways I never imagined it would. Before spring break I had a few of the most stressful and draining weeks of my life, but I always found myself looking forward to I4K trainings.Ever since my first ride on my new bike, I was addicted. Even now, I find myself counting down every. single. minute. until my next ride. I love love love to explore and its invigorating to even imagine the thousands of routes and places we have yet to explore. I’ve seen so much more of the Champaign-Urbana area because of I4K and I can. not. wait. to see all of America.These were the thoughts I had this morning when Alison and I rode a 22.5 mile loop around Urbana. The headwinds were pretty brutal, but it was the most peaceful and invigorating part of my day. It reminded me of one of my favorite Kurt Vonnegut quotes,“And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is?’”Even though we are going from anywhere from 6-24 mph, I4K almost forces me in a way to slow down, to take time in my day to truly be present and to focus on being happy. As someone who is constantly going, its nice to slow down and take time to enjoy my life in that very moment. It gives me time to not worry about the future but to be present to the beautiful nature I am surrounded by and the wonderful team I’m with. And I am genuinely grateful for that.I know no matter what, I can always count on training to energize me and my I4Fam to brighten my day. I love how our team encourages each other and draws on each others’ strength. I am forever grateful for all that Illini 4000 has come to mean to me now, and can’t wait to see what it will mean to me in the future. And lastly, I can’t wait to ride again tomorrow (:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjFaenf1T-YP.S. check out my blog for the ride here! illini4000adventures.tumblr.com
89 day countdown!
For those of you a little hesitant to donate, here are ten-ish kinda funny, kinda serious, but totally valid reasons to donate to my rider profile:1. The government cannot find a way to misuse the money you donateIn 2014, $856,000 was used to train mountain lions to run on a treadmill… Correct me if I’m wrong, but through channels like Animal Planet I got the vibe that we already knew they were pretty strong in the cardio department… let’s go ahead and use those dollars elsewhere.2. My marketing strategy is workingIf you donate, I guess I’m doing something right. Especially with midterms coming up, I'll take any validation…or donation *ehhem*… we can get.3. I have to raise $3500That’s a lot of money. So, if I have to cough up all/most of that myself, I will have to work all summer to get the money… which would be a little conflicting since I’ll be doing the ride all summer.
4. You’ll get free stuff!Like a genuine “thank you” that gives you that warm heartfelt feeling we all crave, similarly to when watching something like this:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8DSV7zwtLpM5. Your dollars fight cancerThat would make you ultra cool in my book… So, Donate. Donate. Donate. To me!Cool like this puppy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d_hu0O_ww43(a). I have to raise $3500Just in case you forgot.
6. Everyone else is doing itJust try it. You’ll probably like it. Find a friend to donate halves-ies with you, maybe take a selfie about it, caption it, and post it on Instagram. Trust me, it’ll be awesome & you’ll get crazy amounts of likes for it.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDkZ6jjDRz03(b). I need to raise $3500I’m in college, I have no money, and what little money I did have I blew on a bike and the program fee to ride across the country. Please donate to me.8. Your dollars will help fill the funding gapThere is a very apparent funding gap between the need for funding and the money available to conduct cancer research. Lets go ahead and work on decreasing that gap.3(c). I have to raise $3500Ok. Please donate.9. Not having to worry about cancer would be pretty nice.If you donate, we move towards curing cancer. When we finally get there (finding a cure), getting cancer will be no big deal. You smell that? Well, The Rock smells a donation out of you.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr8glaM4ruM&feature=youtu.be10. Fighting cancer should be a no-brainer.All jokes aside, we really should do everything we can to fight cancer. 1 in 4 males and 1 in 5 females are at risk of dying from cancer, and cancer is currently the second leading cause of deaths in America for adults. I’ve never met someone completely untouched by cancer’s influence – there’s always a relative, a friend, a loved one, a pet, that is no longer with us because of cancer. For the majority of us, all we can do is donate so that the few that do have the ability and drive to create and implement new methods of treatment can have the funds to do so. It sucks, but money is the only resource the rest of us have to give. Use it. On me though, cause I need to raise $3500 dollars, which as we have established, is a lot of money.Fun fact: Puppy videos melt me. Send some my way if you please :)To donate to me (specifically me) go to, illini4000.org/riders/rvenchus/Here’s one more vid to seal the deal:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KTB7hwGqqA
Why We Fight Cancer
Tonight I hosted a Coffeehouse fundraising event, with live music and snacks. I posted a board for people to answer the question, "Why are you fighting cancer?" Here are some of the responses:"For my Grandma""Too many people I love have been affected by cancer""For Molly and her mom""For my Mom + Dad and all those who have lost their battle""My mom had breast cancer and no one should have to go through the pain""For so many old family friends gone too soon""Cancer is all over my family tree, thanks 4 helping fight."It can be easy to forgot why we are doing this, when we have headwinds blowing us off the road, when our legs want to collapse under us after that 14th burpee. But the work we are doing is so cool, the organizations we support are doing work that is literally changing lives. I am so grateful to be part of this organization and to see the way our work is helping the people on this campus.
Short Ride in a Fast Machine
A few weeks ago I bought my Illini 4000 bike: a Trek 1.2 from Champaign Cycle. It was cold in January, though, so after I brought it home it’s just been sitting in a corner staring at me, waiting for me to actually ride it.Last Friday I finally got to go out. A couple of us took advantage of the 60-degree weather and went on our first team ride. We had a bit of a rough start: most of us were still getting used to how our shiny new bikes handle and learning how to work with clipless pedals. However, by the time we made it out of Champaign we were pretty much in good shape.Against the insane headwind, we only made it as far as Bondville before we started running out of sunlight. We were betting on the return trip taking a lot less time since we could catch a tailwind, and we were right: all of a sudden we were no longer grinding out a few blocks at a time at 10mph. Instead we cruised in to town at almost double that speed, which felt AMAZING.Similar to cars, each bike has its individual sound. I’ve been riding my original bike to class for a few years, and by now I can pick up how well-inflated the tires are, or if there are any alignment issues in the drivetrain. I assumed that a new bike would sound different, but I didn’t think that there would be too much of a difference. This turned out to not be the case. Interestingly, this new bike’s rolling noise has a whistling quality to it. There’s something cool going on when wind blows through the wheel spokes that’s creating a pure tone, and it reminded me of the sound of an operating bullet train.All summer, as we slowly make our way across the country, I’ll be pretending that I’m riding a bullet train. I can’t wait.
So Many Beautiful Things
Due to the beauty of social media I've had the privilege to explore the Instagram accounts, blogs, and pictures of past riders. Not only do we have some pretty talented photographers in this organization, but our riders have the incredible skill of capturing beautiful moments and emotions. Everything from the NYC skyline, family in Chicago, expansive fields in Iowa, South Dakota's never ending sky, the mountains of Colorado, Crater Lake, and the Golden Gate. Additionally, these riders captured the moments of friendships being formed, exhaustion setting in, appreciation for hosts, and respect for the stories they heard throughout the ride.Scrolling through these pictures and posts makes me feel so much for this journey!! I'm excited to start sharing my pictures that are unique to the journey of this 2016 team, and I am so ready to witness all the beautiful things this ride has to offer.