Riding with a goal in mind really makes the day absolutely fly by… especially when the goal is ice cream. Hyped up by Sofie for its double scoops and low prices (is this an ad?) Chill & Grill was the final destination after arriving to Palmyra. We expected a lot of rain and even thunder for today, so most of us weren’t ecstatic about hitting the open road. But we were stacked with leftovers from the evening in Syracuse, had only 66 miles to go, and no other options. So off we went!

Our lunch break started off well, with sandwiches replacing our usual PB&J , ice in our water bottles, and a little cafe with (overpriced) coffee. But as predicted, the rain came down hard and fast… for 3 minutes. Sometimes things work out way better than expected.

With just 2 rest stops including lunch, we arrived in Palmyra with plenty of time to finally get our rewards at Chill & Grill. The photos are worth a thousand words so… enjoy!

Our lovely hosts gave us dinner (amazing) dessert (fantastic) and breakfast and snacks (yes!!!) for tomorrow. We thankfully had some free time to play a few games, journal, and just relax.

Though the ice cream and food were great, what really makes today important is that we got our first portrait of the trip! I am so thankful that we are able to be here in Palmyra and for those who can share their experiences with cancer. Today marks the beginning of the really important stuff— the things that make our journey worthwhile. I can’t wait for the portrait collection to grow, and for people around the world to be able to read, watch, and share these stories. On to the next!

— Marielle