Today the team rode 53.5 miles from Provo to Salt Lake City, Utah. Although it was a shorter day in comparison the climbs were long and difficult with a 16% grade. Unfortunately there wasn’t the silver lining of a downhill to follow to climbing. The downhill was under construction and no bikes were allowed so the team had to be shuttled down. For lunch the team stopped at a fancy grocery store that also had Taco Bell across the street. It was split about 50/50 with who went to what place. Then the teams spent some time napping under the trees.I would like to thank All Saints Episcopal Church for hosting the team. Today the ride was dedicated to Amy Roland’s grandma who passed away from cancer. We stayed with Amy during our time in Omaha.~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: 0Song of the day: Lazy Song - Bruno MarsMemorable moment: One group spent two and a half hours at the lunch stop. Sofie and Matt had very different opinions on when they should leave.. eventually they did end up leaving haha
Day 50: No go to Provo
Today the team rode 0 miles from Duchesne to Provo, Colorado. It just so happens that a forest fire broke out on the route that was planned today. Smoke still covered much of the area and it was discouraged to not stop at all on the road so it was decided that we would shuttle the entire 98 mile ride for safety. This morning we piled in the van and drove two hours to the stay over. All 20 of us were able to situate ourselves in a somewhat organized fashion in the van haha. The views were unreal on the ride. Seeing the mountains filled with smoke and debris was unreal. The fire had burned down so much of the greenery. The canyons and mountains going into Provo were also incredible. Utah is shaping up to be my favorite state because it has so much diversity in terms of terrain. One minute you’re in an Arizona desert and the next you are in lush green mountains full of pine trees. The views were so great that a few team members decided to go back and ride the last few miles that were safe to ride through. Others of us spent our day doing laundry, resting, and checking out Provo. One group even got gigantic cookies!Thank you to Cross Point Church for hosting our team this evening. Thank you also to Cougar Pizza and Nicolitalia for donating pizza to the team! It was much appreciated.~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: N/ASong of the day: Wildfire -John MayerMemorable Moment: Shuttle Fest 2018 ( a meme started by the team) actually happened. Shuttling 98 miles will go down as memorable
Day 49: Lake day in Duchesne
Today the team rode 60 miles from Vernal to Duchesne, Colorado. It was a fairly easy 60 miles but man oh man is Utah HOT! The entirety of the ride was dry, as Utah is apparently a desert. For one of our rest stops we stopped in gas station where we got free popcorn and watched the World Cup game. Belgium vs. Brazil and Belgium won (sorry Helen!) Some groups made a pit stop later at a snow cone shop which was the perfect treat to beat the heat. We then arrived at our campsite at Starvation State Park. Although we were camping in 100 degree weather there was the most beautiful lake that we all swam in to cool off. It was so nice and relaxing. We spent the evening, hanging out, swimming, skipping rocks, reading and overall just having a great time! We also got to witness one of the coolest sunsets that lasted what felt like 2 hours. The mix of colors over the mountains with the lake was one of my favorite sites of the trip so far.Unfortunately we were informed that the route to Provo would be closed off due to forest fires. There is a lot of smoke in the air so it was decided that we would shuttle to Provo. We had to pack up our bikes and stuff and Caroline and Sam the amazing driving duo took the stuff to our stayover in Provo! Teamwork makes the dream work!Today the ride was dedicated to Deb Herman (Maggie’s Dad’s coworker) who has breast cancer.~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: 3Song of the day: Toes -Zac Brown BandMemorable moment: I think everyone can agree that sitting by the lake at sunset was the highlight of the day!
Day 49
Hello world!Today has been an adventure! It was a struggle to get going today. I think the 3000 ish miles we’ve biked so far are starting to catch up to me. It’s cool though we keep chuggin along.At mile 14 we saw a group pulled off on the side of the road climbing on the gorgeous rock figures of Utah, so my group decided to stop too! The first group went up to the first ridge, but I said to heck with it and I wanted to go up to the top just to see what was up there.After a steep climb up to the top of the mountain, the views were a w e s o m e. Everyone decided to join so eventually majority of both groups made it up to the top and we all felt like a million bucks togetha.We forged on and finished the 60 miles (at lunch we were able to catch some of the Belgium vs Brazil FIFA game) and would up at our campsite in Duchesne, UT.It’s a pretty cool place! Camping on the sand with a lake right in front of us... divine. Unfortunately, there is a 49,000 acre wildfire that’s around us. The smoke is setting in and visibility has slowly declined :(Due to the fire, Route 40 is closed which means shuttlefest 2K18 tomorrow!!!! We are supposed to ride 98 miles into Provo, UT and the reroute is 130 miles, so lord knows I ain’t doin that.Cheers to the unexpected rest day tomorrow.Stay frosty fellas.MargeP.S. I dedicated the ride to one of my dad’s work friends, Deb Herman, who is currently battling breast cancer. We’re rooting and praying for you Deb!!
Day 48: 90 in 90 degrees to Vernal
Today the team rode 90 miles from Maybell, Colorado to Vernal, Utah!! We crossed the beautiful state line over into Utah toward the end of our route. It was the best one yet with the blue mountains in the background and the dinosaur on the sign. Utah is very proud of the dinosaurs that used to roam what is now a desert with mountains. We even crossed through a town called Dinosaur for lunch! We made a quick pit stop at dinosaur national park to find out why the people of Utah are so hyped about their dinosaurs! We also found a cute cafe to eat at for those of us who can no longer stand to look at a Pb&J haha. The ride was tough today with 90 degree weather, a decent headwind and a good amount of hills. It paid off as being one of the best ride for views and picture opportunities!!I would like to thank St.Paul's Church for being our hosts and to Dominos pizza for providing delicious pizza after a long day. The ride dedication today was for Jim’s wife who passed away from cancer. Jim is a man a group met a few days ago and conducted a portrait with.~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: 9 ( our new record)Song of the day: Staying aliveMemorable moment: Hanging out with the whole team in Dinosaur for lunch, which went on for way too long haha... but we had a great time!
Day 47 and 48
Hello world!Sorry there wasn’t a post yesterday. We were camping in Maybell, CO and had approximately no service so I wasn’t in contact with anyone.We were gifted with a nice, easy ride into Maybell that was essentially all down hill. Unfortunately camping wasn’t the greatest last night. We had a depressing 4th of July because Colorado is very dry and we weren’t allowed any fireworks, sparklers, bonfires, etc.The most exciting thing about our 4th of July was running through the sprinklers and walking to watch the sunset.Today was a doozie of a ride. We biked through the desert the entire day and didn’t really have any way to escape the heat. It took a long long time to finish 90 miles today, but nonetheless we did it. My group changed a lot throughout the day because we lost a couple soldiers along the way due to the heat/breathing/etc.No worries we’re all fine everything’s fine and we’re thriving !!!We crossed into Utah today and I dig it so far!! It reminds me a lot of Sedona, Arizona and it makes me happy :)We have camping on the sched for tomorrow night, round 3!KewlMarge
Day 47: Holiday Hiatus in Maybell
My apologies for the lack of blogs the last few days we have been camping the last few nights with very little access to WiFi. The team spent yesterday exploring downtown steamboat and hiking. Some of us even checked out the hot springs to make our rest day restful! Currently, we are staying in the smallest town any of us have been to. Ironically they have a small sliver of WiFi!! Today the team rode 75 miles from Steamboat Springs to Maybell, Colorado. It was a pretty easy day, mostly downhill (thank goodness). We are staying in Maybell tonight at a campsite. We have become regulars of the one general store in the town. On the bright side we get amazing views of the mountains!Today the ride dedication was for Ryan’s uncle, Van who is fighting bladder cancer.Tomorrow we cross over into Utah for more mountains and more fun!P.S. Happy Fourth of July~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: 1Song of the day: Born in the U.S.AMemorable moment: In an attempt to get to McDonald’s the team biked through/crashed a 4th of July parade. We got many waves and cheers!
Day 45 and 46
Hello world!Sorry I’m a bit behind schedule with the blogging sitch... yesterday we arrived in Stramboat Springs for our 6th rest day! The ride here was a wee bit tretcherous with the amount of cars passing on such a skinny road, but we persevered and made it the 92 miles!Also going through Rabbit Ears Pass was stunning. The ride up it was a toughy and we were pretty beat from dealing with grody headwinds earlier in the day. But the downhill... 100000% worth it. I’d say it was even prettier than Berthoud Pass! My max speed going down was 42... it was somethin else!For my first time camping, I was a little nervous and didn’t really know what to expect but I think it’s pretty fun!! Waking up to birds chirping and the sun in your eyes forces you to start your day somewhat early, which is probably a good thing.Many people went off to do different things today, but a few of us went for a 5 mile hike and had a ton of fun with it! We hiked up to a waterfall and went in the water (which was ICE COLD). Once your body goes numb though, it felt refreshing!After dinner, some of us took a trip up to Strawberry Park where the hot springs are! That was so lovely and very hot water. I felt very spoiled because I got 2 baths today... one ice cold and one hot. In all seriousness, it was probably just what the doctor ordered for my muscles :)Big shoutout to Alex’s friends’s family for donating A TON of food to us and making us such amazing dinner meals! They really gave us the luxurious camping lifestyle and I’m forever grateful.Tomorrow we’re headed to Maybell, CO which is about 75 miles (and apparently all down hill). I look forward to celebrating the 4th of July, but sad I can’t be there with the fam.Ttyl I’m goin to stargaze now :)Marge
Day 44
Hello world!Wow... Granby, CO... Day 4 4... A day will forever be remembered in I4K history. I have a biased opinion but I’m brutally honest that this is my favorite stayover of the entire trip.We climbed 5000+ feet of elevation today and reaching a max height of just over 11,000 feet. Can you even believe that??? Reaching the top of Berthoud Pass is the decent following it is probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in life.Side note: we are the first I4K team to reach 11,000+ feet of elevation. Cool huhMy cousin Jimmy seemed v nervous about us having to bike an extra 10 miles further just to get to them. I called him crazy because 10 miles is like nothin to us now (especially downhill).Their house in the woods looks like something from a magazine.... it is DIVINE! The exterior, the interior, the views. The perfect place to come back to after the best bike ride/route of your lifetime.Jenny is the queen of the kitchen. It was a summer night’s feast and had enough to food for leftovers (holler for good, extra eat during camping)!! On the real though... best Mac n Cheese in town. And no greater gift than having greens, hummus, pulled pork, cornbread (this list goes on for so long) at dinner.Cousin Kiernan (Jimmy’s sister) flew out to Denver and made a special appearance for the weekend and was part of the welcome crew into Granby!!! So unexpected and so appreciated! Catching up with cousins and just foolin around chit chattin about this that and the other thing is much needed. 10/10 recommend.BTW, we had some fantastic views. The house has glass windows and a nice porch looking out onto their land and out at Lake Granby. Me being the night owl that I am, I stayed up to look at the stars and o m g... speechless. You could even see the Milky Way. Something about looking st the sky and stars. It just makes me happy :)I feel bad bragging about this day, but it was something else and one that truly brought me to tears of joy.Also, i thought that because we were riding into our stayover with the Chrystal family, it was only fitting to dedicate the ride to my Aunt Patti who is a battler and survivor of breast cancer. Aunt Pat, you have the best attitude around. So funny and always crackin jokes, but on the other hand, always there to chat if ya need someone to listen.On the real... I couldn’t ask for a better family. Jimmy, Jenny, and Kiernan - thank you from the bottom of my heart.It’s been fun folks but it’s time to say g night.Marge
Day 44: Maxing out on elevation to Granby
Today the team rode 65 miles from Idaho Springs to Granby, Colorado!! We climbed for 22 miles today which is our largest consecutive climb so far. We climbed 5,000 feet and reached our max elevation for the whole ride. It’s safe to say it was a pretty eventful day for I4K. Many of us also broke records for max speed downhills as we had also 20 miles of downhill (which should more appropriately be named downmoutain) it was wild, scary and exhilarating!Special thanks to Maggie’s cousin for hosting us at his amazing house tonight. We have fantastic views of the mountains! Today’s ride dedication was for Maggie’s aunt who is battling breast cancer.Tomorrow we will climb some more and then we will be in steamboat where we will be camping. If the blogs are not posted it is because I do not have WiFi access.~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: 0Song of the day: Come on get higherMemorable moment: making it to the top of Berthoud pass and looking down to see all that we had climbed. One of the most satisfying feelings on the ride so far!
Day 43: Climbing into Idaho Springs
Today the team rode 44 miles from Denver to Idaho Springs, Colorado! We finally are in the mountains, after climbing almost all day. No matter how difficult it was to bike...or crawl up the mountain the views made it absolutely incredible. It is great to be out of the plains and onto new and more exciting scenery. We climbed for 8 miles straight today, which may not seem like much but the winding roads were a challenge that the rolling hills of the Midwest could not prepare us for! Although we only biked 44 miles the ride was action packed with thrilling downhills, and views of whitewater rafters! We even helped out a cyclist who was competing in a race. We were his pit crew and helped pump up his tire! Once in Idaho sprig we enjoyed checking out the cute shops the town has to offerI would like to thank our host tonight, United Church of Idaho Springs. They provided us with a delicious taco bar and we are extremely grateful! The ride dedication today was for Sofie’s friend Ariel’s dad who is currently battling brain cancer.~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: 0Song of the day: The Climb -Miley CyrusMemorable moment: Finally reaching the highest point in the day and realizing how high up we climbed.. and also that the rest was downhill hehe
Day 43
Hello world!Today was outstanding. The things we saw today... my oh my. Colorado is a great place to be and I’ve missed it dearly. I love being able to glance up and look at nothing but mountains and see so much greenery.You know what the best part is though?The best part is knowing that from here on out, that’s what our views are going to be. The party is just gettin started folks!Today we had our first mountain pass and that was awesome. It felt like a great accomplishment to climb and climb and climb and then finally have a decent. It’s such a rewarding feeling.While biking on a trail near the river, we were able to see tons of white water rafters. I can’t wait for that to be us in Idaho! It was fun to bike past and cheer them on.After handling some pretty messy roads, we made it safely to the stayover where my man Bill hooked us up with showers at the red center and a free taco bar in Idaho Springs!! Thanks so much Bill :)What lies ahead tomorrow I s probably going to be one of the toughest days of our ride. 22 miles of climbing right from the start. What more could ya ask for! Whatevs, climbing is kinda fun and the downhill could get rowdy tomorrow (in a safe way don’t worry). And thennnnnn I finally get to see fam!!My cousin Jimmy and his amazin wife Jenny (and special surprise guest Kiernan) will be hosting the team at their house in the moutains in Granby, CO. It’s crazy to think that this idea came to me in December of last year, and now the plan is finally being put into action.Don’t you just love when things work out? Me too.See ya at the top.Marge
Day 42: Doing dandy in Denver
Today was a rest day in Denver, Colorado! After many long rides in severe weather, we finally were able to catch up on the rest we so desperately needed. It was great to sleep in and not have a set plan for the day. The team spent the day running errands and relaxing. Some of us did laundry and and went to bike shops, while others went to coffee shops and hiked. One of the best things about rest days is that you can always find someone on the team that wants to do the same thing you do. Whether it’s relaxing or exploring you can spend the rest day the way you would like, which gives us the freedom to feel like normal college kids for a day! Today we also had an event with Primal (company that designed our jerseys). It was so cool meeting the team that created the uniform we wear each day. They also made us BBQ food and had a fun game of human foosball set up for us. We played against one another and even got sprayed by a super soaker if we stepped outside of our space! It was a great way to spend the afternoon.A special thanks to Rita for making the team tacos for dinner! Another shoutout to Jinji Cycles (a bike shop in Denver) for being an incredible help to some riders who had some pretty serious bike problems. It is bike shops like these that create a community amongst cyclists. If you are in the Denver area, check them out as they are the best help you can find for all things bike related!!http://jinjicycles.com/~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: n/aSong of the day: I get jealous -ChromeoMemorable moment: The group that went hiking was amazed to see a sneak peak of the mountains we will be climbing!
Day 41 and 42
Hello world!We out here in Denver, CO livin it up! Arrival to the city was a little hairy. We faced a 97 mile day, but by mile 60 we had to call it quits because it was too toasty out there. Biking with strong winds and 108 degree heat index... I’d rather not.A nice lady was kind enough to open her garage to the team so we were able to seek out some shade. She also had 2 Rottweilers that were adorbs. They really helped pass the time while we waited for shuttlefest 2k18.The night going into Denver, 8 of us went to a Chromeo concert (Canadian based techno/funk/dance music) at the one and only Red Rocks Amphitheater!!! The concert was boat loads of fun and the venue is absolutely gorgeous.Today we had a rider event at the headquarters of Primal, the company that designed our jerseys. They showed us around the office and gee, I love it there!! The workers are all so relaxed and chill, and the work environment is right up my alley and the aesthetic is on point! After a little tour of the place, they fed us burgers and brats, and we played some human fooseball soccer which was a blast.My favorite thing there was a quote I found on a wall that said, “We worship at the temple of raw, wild fun. That sacred place where time stands still or stretches into infinity.” I thought this quote was awesome and resonated very well with this incredible trip that were on.Tomorrow we take on some serious wild fun. We have 45 miles with 4000+ feet of climbing. I’m a little terrified for going uphill for so long but it should be fun.Happy Friday, y’all.Marge
Day 41: What a day in Denver
What a day to be in Denver!!! Today the team was suppose to ride 97 miles but due to extreme heat and wind we only rode 60 of the 97. We started the day early again thinking it would help us to avoid the heat. The weather forecasted 99 degrees by 10 am. When we arrived at the first rest stop everything was good but by the second rest stop at 40 miles people were really starting to feel the heat. Colorado is extremely dry so riding through the wind was like riding through a hair drier. I knew it was hot but I was barely sweating, meaning I was dehydrated. No matter what the team drank, everyone was still extremely thirsty within minutes of chugging their water! To make matters more challenging there was a strong wind that created a small dust tunnel. Because of all these things our ride leader made the call that is was unsafe riding conditions. We got to stay in a nice women’s garage while we waited a few hours for the shuttle process. In the end we fit 13 bikes and 13 people in the van. When we arrived at the church Caroline’s family (who is visiting in Denver) had food waiting for us and it was the best thing ever after such a hectic day. Special thanks to them for their generosity and help on a stressful day! For the rest of the night some people on the team went to a concert at red rocks and others had dinner with some 2014 Alum. The 2014 alums Christy and Anne brought us a ton of snacks and it was great to exchange stories with them about their ride! Thanks 2014 team again for the snacks!I would like to thank Christ Church United Methodist for being our host tonight! The ride dedication was for Mike's friend Lukas who battled Leukemia.Tomorrow we have a rest day in Denver, which we are all looking forward to after several long and hot rides.~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: 0Song of the day: Hot in Here -NellyMemorable moment: climbing a hill and seeing the Rockies for the first time
Day 40 - updated
Hello world!Yesterday was another roaster. We were biking in 95 degree weather which I don’t recommend.Good thing was that the headwinds only last for 20-30 miles or so, so the last 65 ish miles we were hangin out. The heat meant more rest stops so it felt like the day dragged on a little bit but nothin you can really do about that.Biking through Easter Colorado is not what I expected it to look like... very dry, too many bad smelling cows to count, corn, wheat farms, and a lot of open grassland. You kinda get used to it a little, but I’m ready to get outta dodge and head on over to DENVERRRRRR baby!Today is the day!! I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time now. In fact, 8/9 of us are headed to Red Rocks for a concert this evening (after the 97 miles)!! Call us an ambitious bunch but I think it’s going to be an experience for the books.With that, the next blog post for day 41 probably won’t be until later so bear with me!Catch y’all on the flip side.MargeP.S. - Yesterday was June 27th which marks my dad’s 1 year and 4 month anniversary of his liver-kidney transplant. I decided to dedicate the ride to him in celebration. Congrats pops, keep on chuggin!
Day 40: Colorado is a desert?
Today the team rode 88 miles from Wray to Ft. Morgan, Colorado. We changed into mountain time but decided to continue our normal wake up routine to beat the heat. We were up at 4:45 am and out and on the road by 6:30. Before we hopped on the road the team recreated the Harlem shake (a dance craze from a few years ago). This was part of the mosher and will be on our Facebook soon! The cool morning was nice while it lasted but, man oh man did it get hot! The forecast predicted the temperature to be in the hundreds. You could say we got lucky as the high was only 99. The route today however was a breeze, not many hills and we were on the same road again for pretty much the whole day. The conditions weren’t in our favor with headwinds making it difficult at times, but we got rewarded with tailwinds for the last 20 miles! I haven’t been to Colorado but the scenery has yet to change much from Nebraska. We haven’t seen many hills and everything is much drier that our easterly states. This part of Colorado isn’t the stereotypical mountains, it is arrid so it took many of us by surprise. We got in today with just enough time to try out a local ice cream shop and rest up for another long day tomorrow.I would like to thank the United Methodist Church for hosting us tonight and providing us with a delicious pasta dinner! The ride dedication for the day was for Maggie’s dad who had a liver and kidney transplant a little over a year ago.~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: 1Song of the day: Forever -Chris BrownMemorable moment: Attempting to teach the freshman to pose in a fierce manner.. they’ll catch on someday heheP.S we met a lady at the 7-11 today who paid for all of our groups snacks, her name was Theresa and she was wonderful! If you are reading this thank you so much!
Day 39: Made it all the way to Wray
Today the team rode 92.2 miles from Mccook, Nebraska to Wray, Colorado! After a hard century yesterday the team was feeling run down. Fortunately today didn't have much climbing but it did have great views of the valleys in Nebraska. We even rode past a marina which was very beautiful and confirmed that Nebraska was cooler than we thought! We were on one road pretty much the whole day which allowed everyone to talk and relax without having to worry about cues. Today was HOT and SUNNY (shoutout to my sunburn). It finally felt like summer weather today, let’s hope it keeps up! Today we got to take pictures with three state signs (Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado). It is insane to think that we biked all the way from NYC to Colorado.I would like to thank the Wray community center for hosting us tonight! Also thank you to 4th and main downtown grille for the delicious donation of food! The ride dedication today was for Aaron’s grandmother.~Tailwinds~MandyFlat count: 1Song of the day:Memorable moment: Ryan’s claim to fame during his solo dance at the rest stop
Day 39
Hello world!Onward and upward... we have officially crossed the Colorado border! It was quite steamy today, but thoroughly applied sunscreen and tried to stay hydrated. Also, tailwinds were a huge help! Unexpected but much needed.Today was the day... we paid Kansas a quick visit. Nothing special and kinda upset I didn’t see a yellow brick road but hey, we’ll get em next time.Crossing the Colorado border wasn’t the biggest change of scenery, but it was revitalizing and felt like a huge accomplishment. Only 3 days until Denver!Me and my butt can’t wait for that rest day. Trying to wait patiently. Hopefully my friends Chamois butter and Vaseline will get me through.Au Revoir !Marge
Day 38
Hello world!106 miles... We put in W O R K today. It was an all around battle with the wind, rain, and how far we had to go. I think I was in another dimension because I was extremely slaphappy and very giggly, but with a little help from my friends, we pulled through. We’re alive and we’re keepin it together folks (barely).I must say, I’m so thankful that this is our last night in Nebraska. Even though the views in eastern Colorado won’t be much better than what we have now, I’m ready for a change of pace. Most importantly, I truly don’t like Nebraska drivers... they are rude and inconsiderate, sorry if I’m offending anyone but boy oh boy they don’t mess around out here!!My butt hurts but that’s just the way life goes. When you sit on a bike seat for longer than your average work day, what else could you expect??Another long day for tomorrow... somewhere in the 90s I think but don’t quote me on that.It’s late, imma hit the hay now.Marge