Day 28: Wisconsin Dells to LacrosseThis morning we dedicated our ride to one of Lindsey's field hockey coaches, Coach Carter. She is a survivor for 8 years now of ovarian cancer.We left an hour earlier than normal and rode 90 miles into Lacrosse on the Elroy Sparta Trail. It was a beautiful, flat ride. We bypassed many of the hills, a lucky thing on a hot day like today. There were three tunnels that we had to walk our bike though. The last was 3/4 of a mile long, very dark and very damp. It was nice and cool inside which was a nice change of pace.At our lunch stop we talked to a nice family that was having lunch and playing at the park. When we arrived at the church we learned that they had made note of where we were staying and dropped off popcorn and Swedish fish for us. So thoughtful and kind!We are staying at First Presbyterian Church. Chris, a member of the church and triathlon training partner of the pastor's, opened his lake house to us for dinner and swimming. We really enjoyed hanging out in their pool and hot tub as well as the burgers, hotdogs, and ice cream sundaes they provided.Still forever thankful for the generosity of strangers as well as my teammates that pass the long miles with laughter and lasting conversations.DR
Day 27: Marshall to Wisconsin Dells
This morning began with a short 4 mile ride to the TREK factory in Waterloo, Wisconsin. The TREK business began there, and has been in Waterloo since 1976.The ride was dedicated to Maren’s nana, Sheryl, today. She lost her husband to liver cancer 5 years ago and has since beat breast cancer.We rode 67.8 miles to Wisconsin Dells. The ride was pretty uneventful until we stopped at Craig’s Popcorn Corner in Portage, WI. We did a portrait with Brandon, the son of the owner. He got diagnosed with leukemia as a ten year old, and is 22 now. He talked about how hard it was to miss school and how his friends didn’t know how to act at that age. He said that the best advice he can give to people that have friends battling cancer is to treat their friends normally. He never wanted special treatment, he just wanted to included and accepted like everyone else. He also said that the advice he would give to anyone diagnosed with cancer is to ask for help. He stressed the importance of realizing that cancer is too big of a thing to cope with alone and that speaking to someone, a parent, therapist, friend, anyone, can save a life. He said it might feel like no one understands, but somewhere someone does understand.We really enjoyed getting to hear his story and his perspective on life, especially because he is our age. It really makes you realize the truth in the saying “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” His coworkers were in awe of what we were doing and told us multiple times how cool it was and thanked us for doing it. I felt like the time spent at that shop was a good little shot in the arm for us. It is good to be reminded of how cool what we are doing is, and even better to meet people along the way that we are doing it for.DR
Day 26: Lake Geneva to Mitchell
Today we rode into the area of Wisconsin that Sarah T. is from. Therefore, we dedicated the ride to her mom, Colleen, who is a survivor of colon cancer.Today is broken into chunks in my mind. The first 20 miles were smooth sailing, and the first rest stop was at a radio station. Sarah and Maren went in, told them what they were doing, and ended up getting interviewed. They’ll be on 104.5 tomorrow! The second 20 were rainy, windy, and foggy. Lunch was really cool because we pulled off into a parking lot of a farm called Busy Barns Adventure Farm, and they invited us in. They let us eat in the barn that they host wedding receptions in and showed us around the property. They have a petting zoo, obstacle course, and a big slide we all went down. Lucky for them we’re entertained by the same things 7 year olds are. The last 20 miles were a breeze, and we were all into the stay over by 3:30.Sarah T.’s mom came and did a portrait with us. She shared how it was important to her that her kids didn’t realize how sick she was. She worked very hard to keep life as normal as possible, even throughout her chemotherapy treatment. She stressed the importance of going to the doctor any time anything isn’t normal, and encouraged us to remember that every day is precious. It meant a lot to hear from the mother of one of our riders, and we are extremely thankful that she was willing to share her story with us.DR 
Day 25: Lincolnshire to Lake Geneva
We left a little later this morning because we only had a 50 mile day into Lake Geneva. We rode for Richard Rooney, my Uncle Brian’s grandpa who passed away from colon cancer.Another state line was crossed as we entered into Wisconsin. We were a tad worried about the weather forecast, but we only got rained on a little bit this morning. The route was pleasant because a lot of it was on a pretty and shaded bike path.We got a portrait at our first rest stop from a woman named Sarah. She was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of years ago. Ever since she has said 100 thank you’s a day and never takes anything for granted. She has a great attitude and she sees every day as an adventure.We are staying at the lake house of Brad Topol’s parents. Brad was one of Illini 4000’s founders. They provided snacks and a delicious dinner for us. After dinner some of the team went downtown for ice cream.Looking forward to moving further into Wisconsin!DR
Day 24: Chicago to Lincolnshire
After a wonderful day off in Chicago, the team rode 40 miles to Lincolnshire. Today’s ride was dedicated to Nancy Harmon, the mom of one Lindsey’s friends. She is battling breast cancer right now.We started at Buckingham Fountain and headed north on the Lakeshore Path. After 27 miles, we stopped at Turnbull Woods in Glencoe for a picnic provided by our parents and Jonathon Schlesinger, one of I4K’s founders. Jonathon manned the grill and really provided a very nice event. It was delicious and fun to continue spending time with some of our families.After lunch anyone could ride the remaining 13 miles to Lincolnshire with us. We had a handful of parents and friends join us. I personally liked being able to give my parents a taste of what we do all day, every day. The last stretch really flew by for all of us, and we arrived at our stay over around 4.Some of the team went home for a final chance to sleep in their own beds, and the rest stayed at the Marriot Lincolnshire. Tyler, Illini 4000’s president, treated those of us who stayed to dinner at Red Robin, a very kind and generous gesture.Tonight is our last night in Illinois! We are a little sad to be leaving the state that most of us call home, but extremely excited for what lies ahead. Many alumni say that after Chicago is when the “real” I4K starts. For whatever reason, many memories stand out from the west for them. We are looking forward to seeing some stunning scenery and making more memories of our own.DR
Day 22: Oak Forest to Chicago
We have arrived in Chicago!We ate a delicious breakfast in Oak Forest and dedicated our ride before heading out for Millennium Park. We dedicated today to two dear friends of mine and Sarah’s dad. Kevin McDowell and Coach Nolan beat their battles with cancer, and I liked thinking of them as we rolled into our home city. Sarah’s dad, Slavko, passed away from lung cancer. It was wonderful to be able to honor him on Father’s Day. I think it is special to be able to celebrate battles of all kinds, and recognize that no matter how the battle ends, we can celebrate the lives of those we love.It was a shorter 35 mile ride, and a good chunk of it was on the lake shore path. It was a beautiful ride and fun to see the skyline get closer and closer as we approached.We all rode to the Shedd Aquarium and regrouped there before making our way to Millennium Park. There are no bikes permitted by the Bean, so we all got off and walked two by two to meet our friends and families that came to support us. It sounds very anticlimactic, but it was super cool to see familiar faces so excited to see us.We took some team pictures and all went our separate ways. Many of us are from the Chicago area, so we went home. Those of us that are not from the area are staying at the UIC dorms and have the opportunity to explore the city tomorrow.Since we do not have an event day tomorrow there will not be a blog post. I’ll see you back here on Tuesday, Day 24!DR
Day 21: Bradley to Oak Forest
Today was a short 40 mile ride day to Oak Forest. We rode for a past rider’s friend, Debra, today. Yesterday we rode for Tino Garcia, the husband of Rachel’s middle school art teacher and close family friend. He passed away from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and yesterday was their wedding anniversary. I really enjoy that everyone gets the opportunity to dedicate rides to family and friends. It really puts into perspective that no matter how difficult our day might be, it is nothing in comparison to what these people have gone through.We stopped at Alison’s house for lunch before going to our stay over. Her family provided an amazing spread of chips, salsa, mac and cheese, pulled pork, a chocolate fountain, brownies, and cookies. We could get used to having family in the towns we stop in!Our stay over is at the mayor of Oak Forest’s house. His family is involved in Relay for Life, so we all headed over there around 2:00 for the opening ceremony. This Relay was much bigger than the last one we were at, and, again, it is amazing to see the amount of survivors. The opening lap was done differently than I had ever seen before. The survivors started walking around the track in one direction, and the caregivers (children, spouses, etc.) started walking in the other direction. They met half way around the track, and it was incredibly touching to see them hug and begin walking together. I can’t begin to understand what they have all been through together, and it’s encouraging that their cancer stories ended happily. We are aware that not all patients are survivors, and we are thankful to be a part of events that celebrate the victories over cancer as well as remember those that have passed. We collected a lot of portraits, and yet again are blown away by people’s willingness to share their stories.When we got back to the stay over we swam and sat in the beautiful backyard with a bonfire and torches lit. We were provided more delicious food and just relaxed.These two stops after Champaign have been great, but we could not be more excited to get into Chicago tomorrow. Hoping to see many of you at Millennium Park!DR
Day 20: Champaign to Bradley
This morning started a little later because some friends and alumni rode along with us for the first 22 miles. It was super fun having some different company for a bit and sharing our experience with them.We rode 81 miles to Bradley, into the wind the whole way. It wasn't quite as hot today which was a nice change of pace. However, a few people needed to sag today due to sore knees and backs. We are looking forward to shorter days ahead.Our stay over is Adventure Christian Church, close to where Maren lives. Her parents were generous enough to shuttle us to the YMCA for showers and do our laundry. We also ate dinner at the Monical's that Maren used to work at. The restaurant donated all of our food, which we are extremely thankful for.We head to Oak Forest tomorrow to attend a Relay For Life. We are excited!DR
Day 19: Rockville to Champaign
We made it! We are very excited to be back at U of I, and were greeted by friends, family, and media at the Alma Mater. Before leaving, our hosts at Rockville sent us with "Love Bags," an individual bag for each rider filled with snacks and treats. We then embarked on our 80 mile ride into Champaign. It was a hot and windy one, but seeing so many friendly, excited supporters made the long miles disappear from our minds. We took lots of pictures and talked a bit before those of us that needed to visit Champaign Cycle did so. We then headed over to Illini Grove for a potluck. People were so generous and provided a delicious spread for us. It was very fun seeing some alumni and comparing trips.It seems unbelievable to be back where this all started!DR
Day 18: Indianapolis to Rockville
This morning brought some rain. Luckily, it was short lived. Not so luckily, heat and humidity followed. It was a long, hot 79.4 mile ride. Today was the first day where we really felt the heat of summer. It was the kind of hot that just hit you when you walked outside. I would say everyone had a moment of thinking, “Oh my gosh, I don’t know if I can do this,” but we all persevered. It really helps me to think about the challenges that people go through while they’re battling cancer. It puts a lot into perspective as well as makes our task at hand seem much more doable.I realized that I have not been good about writing who we have dedicated ride days to. Yesterday we dedicated the ride to Max, Rachael’s cousin who has beat leukemia.Last night, Rachael received a bunch of cards from Mrs. Del Real’s third grade class. Her mom works with Mrs. Del Real at Wegner Elementary School in West Chicago. The cards were adorable and made all of us smile and laugh. We were even quoting some of them on our ride today to lighten the mood at times.When we rolled into First United Methodist Church in Rockville we were greeted by some of the kindest people. They have hosted the Illini 4000 for over five years now and take great pride in providing a comfortable experience for us. We had access to showers and a pool, as well as fruit, cookies, and muffins waiting for us. They did laundry for us, and provided an unbelievable dinner of pulled pork, Italian beef, ham, mac and cheese, green beans, veggie lasagna, veggie pizza, deviled eggs, cottage cheese, and fruit. They did an amazing job planning for the vegetarians and the gluten free members of our group. Desserts included homemade angel food cake, cookies, gluten free banana bread, and brownies. We are as full as you would imagine.Lastly, we were provided with some special entertainment. Dorothy, an 89 year old member of the church, came and performed a tap dance routine for us. She was so cute and so enthusiastic. Her routine also included a tambourine. We loved it.We ride into Champaign tomorrow and could not be more excited!DR
Day 17: Richmond to Indianapolis
Today started out beautifully. There were sunny skies, a cool breeze, and tailwinds. We were booking it, and we actually ate lunch at 10:30 because we rode 40 miles so quickly.Things took a turn when the skies turned dark and we heard thunder. All of the groups stopped where they were around mile 50 and waited a while to see if it was going to pass.One group decided to pull off into a small coffee shop in Greenfield, IN. While sitting inside Carol’s Cornerstone Café, the team met one local who recently was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Kenneth and Deanna shared their story and the way they are choosing to move forward with a positive attitude in the next few months. Their story was very touching and we hope that everything goes well with the surgery coming up in early July.Our stay over tonight is at Szymon’s sister-in-law’s parent’s house. They have a beautiful home and are so generous to host us. They provided a delicious dinner, snacks, and dessert. They even did our laundry, always a big bonus! I know I say this every time, but people are so generous. We could not be luckier!DR
Rolling
Day 16: Columbus to Richmond
We rode 102 miles into Richmond today! We crossed the Indiana border at mile 97, so we are barely across, but across nonetheless. It’s exciting to continue checking states off the list.We got up at 4:45 instead of 5:45 this morning so that we could be on the road by 6. It was warm today, so we were hoping to beat the heat. It was a little strange going to bed when it was still light out and packing the van in the dark this morning. It was definitely worth the early morning, though, because we were all at the stay over by 4:45. We did two snack stops at mile 20 and mile 40, then lunch at mile 60, and a last rest stop at mile 80. At mile 80 we pulled off at a farm and the man who owns it asked what we were up to. After hearing our mission, he pulled out his wallet and gave us a donation. We are continually thankful for such generosity.Our stay over doesn’t have showers tonight, so Simon called around and found a school that let us come over and shower. We were all very pleased after such a long day.Needless to say, we are all heading to bed early tonight.DR
Day 15: Zanesville to Columbus
We rode 60.3 miles into Columbus today. It was a hot and humid one, so we were thankful for the shorter day. The groups all took the day at different paces, and as a result some had different encounters. A few groups met a rider named Anthony, a Philadelphia cop riding ocean to ocean in order to raise money for police officers that have fallen in the line of duty. Another group ended up playing baseball for a bit with some local boys who had a practice at the field we stopped to have lunch at. Despite our differing paces we were all into the stay over by 3:00 today.Since we had time, we decided to all go out to dinner together in Columbus to a restaurant called Matt the Miller’s Tavern. Sarah found it online and it ended up being the perfect place for us. It was nice and big and had a huge menu, so everyone (even Maren, our pickiest eater) found something they liked.After dinner we walked to Jeni’s Ice Cream, a favorite spot of mine. They are known for their not-so-traditional flavors and originated in Columbus.We are planning on hitting the road by 6 instead of 7 tomorrow in order to beat the heat since we have a 100 mile day. As a result, everyone is getting ready for bed and winding down. Here’s to the start of another great week!DR 
Day 14: Rest Day in Zanesville
We had a rest day today in order to attend the Zanesville Relay for Life.Westwood Baptist Church provided an awesome breakfast of egg casseroles, fruit, yogurt, biscuits, and gravy. We headed over to the Relay around 10:30 and participated in the Opening Ceremony. They are such great events. Survivors wore purple shirts and caregivers wore white. It’s always eye opening to see how many people have battled cancer and encouraging to survivors.We were lucky enough to collect 6 portraits today! Our total is up to 16, a number we are very excited about. It is incredible hearing how so many stories with the same connecting thread of cancer can vary so much from person to person.We continue to be pampered by generous stay overs. We are getting ready to have a dinner of pulled pork and chicken. It smells delicious.DR
Day 13: Wooster to Zanesville
Today was the most climbing we have had so far. However, it was not the most difficult day we have had. We were proud of how much stronger we have gotten, and how much better prepared we are compared to the first few days.It was a picture perfect day; blue skies and green as far as you could see. It felt like the classic Midwest, but more hills than we’re used to in Illinois. It got quite warm in the afternoon, but everyone persevered. Rachel was our van driver today, and she found a really nice spot next to a pond for lunch.We rolled into Westwood Baptist Church around 4:00 today and were met by extremely generous hosts yet again. Snacks were waiting for us, we got showers, our laundry is being cleaned, and we were provided an amazing dinner of chipotle, salad, and fruit salad. Additionally, we each get to sleep on cots tonight. Our three favorite things are showers, food, and sleep, so we are all feeling exceptionally lucky.We will be staying here for two nights. We have an event day tomorrow in which we will be going to the Zanesville Relay for Life. We are looking forward to it and are thankful for another rest day!DR
Day 12: Cleveland to Wooster
Today we rode through 78 more miles of Ohio’s rolling hills into Wooster. Our route was nice; much of it was on a beautifully forested trail. We also stopped at River Styx Market for our rest stop, which was a perfect spot. The owners were super friendly and they sold delicious ice cream, which is always a plus. We also collected a portrait with Troy, who lost a coworker, Dawn, at the market to cancer. He brought her to all of her treatments and just spent time with her throughout her battle. Dawn had reached a point in which she was cancer free, but by the time she was done with treatment she was very weak and her immune system wasn’t protecting her the way it should. She passed away six years ago and Troy has sponsored a Relay for Life team every year since.We are staying at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wooster, right on the college campus. It’s a gorgeous campus with big trees and beautiful buildings. We were fortunate enough to get to use the showers at the rec center. It was an amazing facility and we are always thankful to have the opportunity to shower. The stay over provided a delicious lasagna dinner, and everyone is full and happy.We are a little under 2 weeks into our trip, and I thought now might be a good time to answer some frequently asked questions. Feel free to comment with others!Q: Why pad your shorts when you could just get a comfy seat?A: Since the shorts are theoretically flush to your skin, it makes more sense to provide extra cushion there instead of on the seat where there is more friction and thus more rubbing. More rubbing leads to more chaffing. Which is always a bad thing. Q: When one person gets a flat do you all have to stop?A: We ride in groups of 3-5, so all members of that individual group stop with that person. The other groups continue to the next rest stop. Q: How far do you ride a day? How often do you stop?A: We ride an average of 70 miles a day. We stop every 20 miles. The first stop is for a piece of fruit, the second is lunch (2 pb&j’s) and every 20 after that is some sort of snack. Q: What has surprised you the most about the trip so far?A: The general consensus is that we have all been shocked and humbled by the extreme generosity of others. We have been treated extremely well at our stay overs, strangers have given us donations, a man at a gas station gave us a giant bag of beef jerky because he thought we needed protein, and Steven received a free stem and bike fitting from a bike shop in Cleveland. That’s just to name a few examples. Personally, I have been surprised and delighted by how much I have laughed during the trip. I feel like I am constantly laughing at something or someone. Everyone is so good-natured and fun, it has really made it an easy trip thus far.I’m happy to answer any other questions if anyone has them!DR
Day 11: Rest Day in Cleveland
Today was our first rest day of the trip. Everyone much appreciated the extra couple hours of sleep, and we had a great day here. We went on an art tour of University Hospital Case Medical Center. We weren’t told what we’d be doing at the hospital, so when we first got there we were a bit confused about what type of tour we were going on. It ended up being really great.The Art Curator, Tom Huck, took us around and showed us many pieces that the hospital has acquired. Some notable pieces are by Chihuly, Peter Max, Lichtenstein, and Jun Kaneko. Tom explained that art is a way to help people without actually doing anything to them. People come to the hospital to receive medication or have surgery, but art is a way to help them subconsciously be in a better place. I think this philosophy is absolutely true. The hospital had art everywhere you looked; on the walls, in the gardens of the cafeteria, outside of the elevators, and on rooftop gardens. One of our favorite areas was a rooftop garden that was designed for the children’s UH Rainbow Center. It had brightly colored furniture, recorded nature sounds that changed as the day progressed, origami looking sculptures, kaleidoscopes, and fake grass the children could walk on any time of the year. There were also windows overlooking the garden for the children that couldn’t be outside so that they could still enjoy it.The Cancer Center was the other area that I thought was incredible. It was built five years ago, and when they were designing it they asked for patients’ and families’ opinions about how it should be decorated. The feedback they received was that they did not want to look around and see photographs of smiling faces everywhere. They wanted to feel like they were in nature. As soon as I walked in, I could see that they took that advice to heart. Some walls were wood panels, there were flower designs in the glass on doors, there were installations of flowers made from MRIs and X-rays, and instead of having window treatments the windows were fogged. It was really astonishing. Tom ended the tour by showing us the hospital’s latest acquisition, a giant ceramic sculpture by Jun Kaneko, a piece he has worked for two years to fundraise for. He was so proud. It was really encouraging to see how much he cared about providing a pleasurable experience for everyone in the hospital even if it was not directly related to their medical treatment. The team had free time after lunch, and everyone scattered. Some went to the Cleveland Art Museum, some went to the Natural History Museum, and others just explored. We’re back on our bikes tomorrow to make our way through Ohio.DR
Day 10: Ashtabula to Cleveland
The church at Ashtabula provided a delicious coffee cake to supplement our oatmeal this morning. We then took off for Cleveland in chilly and windy weather. Our ride today was dedicated to Jan’s nephew who is fighting brain cancer. Her story yesterday was very moving, and she was touched when we told her we’d be riding for him and thinking of her. It was only a 53 mile ride, so we did one rest stop at mile 25 and rode the rest of the way to our stay over.Our rest stop was in a parking lot of an unused building, and a kind man named Gary came across the street from his house and offered us water and his bathroom. Some of the group got to talking with him and learned that he has experienced a lot of loss due to cancer. His mother, aunt, mother-in-law, and niece all lost battles with cancer. He agreed to share his story and we did a portrait in his front yard. He was so honest about how difficult it has been coping with his loss, and I really respect that he was willing to talk with us. One piece of advice he gave was to respect the patients’ decisions and wishes. I thought this was interesting because I always tend to think that we have to be encouraging and positive. But sometimes really the person just needs to be told that their decision to undergo or forgo treatment is the right one for them if that’s what they think. Or that giving their best is enough.After our rest stop we rode the remaining 28 miles to Cleveland. Dakota managed to receive a food donation from Chipotle, and we all enjoyed burritos for lunch. Needless to say, everyone was very appreciative of the phone call she made.We are very excited to have a rest day tomorrow and to have the opportunity to have a few extra hours of sleep. We will be going to University Hospital for an event day. More to come on that experience!DR
Day 9: Westfield to Ashtabula
Read to the end! Important mail drop info at the bottom!We made it to Ohio! Our morning got off to a great start. Jan, a Volunteer of the church we stayed at Westfield came in to see us off, and as we kept talking to her we realized that she has been affected quite a bit by cancer. We asked if she would be interested in doing a portrait, and she graciously agreed.Jan has had two sisters and a niece pass away from cancer, a brother that is a survivor, and a nephew that is battling it now. It is difficult to fathom how someone could stay positive through so much hardship and loss. She cited her faith and her family as important coping mechanisms. Her family emails a lot and they all help each other when they can. It is stories like Jan’s that are inspiring and make us realize that if she can be positive today, so can we.After the portrait there was some bike maintenance that needed to be done, so most of us played silly games to warm us up and occupy ourselves. We rolled out around 8:30 and rode 75 miles to Ashtabula. We rode along the lake again, causing more strong winds. However, it was fun getting to cross the Pennsylvania and Ohio state borders and we weren’t in a big rush to get to the stay over.First Presbyterian Church provided a delicious pasta dinner for us, and we got to shower for the first time in three days. We feel like new people.We are 1/8th of the way done with the ride! We can’t decide if it feels like it went fast or if we should be further along. Either way, I have a feeling the rest is going to fly by.Lastly, if you would like to send letters or packages to any rider during the ride, you can send it to any of the following mail drop locations where we will be staying. Please address all mail as follows:[Stayover Name]ATTN: Illini 4000, [Rider Name][Address] Zanesville, OH:Westwood Baptist Church2395 East Pike, Zanesville, OH 43701 Indianapolis, IN:Carrie Watkins700 N Alabama St Apt 1215, Indianapolis, IN 46204 Minneapolis, MN:St. Olaf Catholic Church215 S. 8th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 Boise, ID:Immanuel Lutheran Church707 W. Fort StreetBoise, ID 83702 Klamath Falls, OR:Yeti's Lair Climbing Gym369 S. 6th St. Klamath Falls, OR 97601 DR
