Day 77: 4,714 Miles, Two Wheels, One Cause. San Anselmo to San Francisco + Farewell to Illini 4000

We did it. :)

Ride Overview

Mileage: 17.5

Elevation: +748’/-810’

General Direction: Use residential roads to navigate through Ross, Corte Madera, and Mill Valley, at mile 7.9 roll onto the Mill Valley-Sausalito Bike Path for 2.6 miles, join the bridgeway road to continue through Sausalito along the bay, before entering the bridge turn left at the Vista Point for a quick break, when ready re-enter the bridgeway, enter the bike path to the right of the entrance, and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, exit to the right following the bridge exit and zig-zag along the bike path to reach Crissy Field. Congratulations!

Points of Interest: Corte Madera Creek, San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay, Mill Valley-Sausalito Bike Path, Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate Bridge

Tales of the Trail

It was the last morning circle, also known as the time for our familiar and important, regimented yet fun tradition came to a motivational end. Favorite memories, they themselves being so many to choose from, were shared, and we had one final chant to hype us up for the day to come. It was really something seeing the side of the van say “Day 77 of 77” and we dedicated this ride to everyone facing the evil of cancer in any way. We rolled out to sunny skies and pleasantly quiet neighborhoods. A jaunt by our standards, this was the shortest ride distance-wise of the entire summer at only 17 miles. Cresting the top of a hill gave us our first peek at upper San Francisco Bay, and winding away through twisting residential roads and occasional bike paths brought us closer and closer to the water as we began to run out of land on the northern peninsula. We knew what was coming, and our excitement was building rapidly. A few miles on the Mill Valley-Sausalito Bike Path nestled us right in line with the surface of the water as it reflected the sun’s rays, and what did we begin to see? Cyclists, hundreds of them, from speedy solo riders to massive groups, in all sorts of colors of kits with all sorts of bikes, made their way along this path with and against us. A final iteration of that same internal camaraderie we had felt in New York, Madison, Boulder, and now, a stone’s throw from San Francisco. A few final climbs along colorful seaside houses and hills full of greenery, and there it was. The northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, right there, right around the bend. Everything throughout this summer, throughout this year, everything we had done to prepare, everything we had seen and experienced, every laugh let out and tear shed, lead us right here to this mighty steel symbol of welcome dressed in its characteristic International Orange.

The last morning circle.

Sam M, Nina, Emily, Paul, and Adam (NP) near the start of the day.

Jaylen on the Mill Valley-Sausalito Path. In the distance is the San Francisco fog bank.

Riding along the bay just before the climb to the bridge, Sam M and Paul look out at the fog.

Before we could finish the ride in both senses of the word, we took a long pause at the northern bridge overlook to take our traditional and iconic team picture, give lots of hugs, celebrate, have one final reflective talk, and do one more chant as a team. A team of some of the most driven and incredible individuals that have shared triumph and tears, excitement and exhaustion, extreme concentration and extreme lack thereof (off the bike of course), and who have become a network of true friends, all atop the simple and powerful bicycle. It was an emotional time for all, but luckily for us it wasn’t quite over yet. While we could look on at the bridge, we could only see up until the suspension cables began to climb from the road surface. A true final test, the iconic San Francisco fog had draped the bridge in a blanket at least a half-mile tall; the finish line was completely out of sight. This in no way detracted from the experience of where we were and everything that had lead us here, and now it was time to roll out one last time, all sixteen of us together, the super-mega-group, and do what of twelve of the past sixteen I4K teams had done before us.

The official I4K 2023 Bridge Picture.

A small coast down the bridge overlook entryway and a few quick turns later, the 2023 Bike America Team was pedaling on the Golden Gate Bridge. And it was tough. We found ourselves among hundreds of cyclists heading both ways on the bike path and there was much to dodge on the right hand side. Meanwhile, the fog bank swept menacingly over the bridge from the Pacific’s maw, and covered the two signature towers enough to where we had to be nearly under them to see their tops. A foghorn at the other end of the bridge could be heard every 20 seconds or so, growing louder and adding to the ominous atmosphere the closer we got. We were completely enshrouded in this windy gray for the few minutes it took to cross this behemoth, and, almost on cue, the fog lifted right when we could start to hear cheers coming from both the other side of the bridge and at its exit point. The congestion was still absolutely wild as we finished making our way across and rolled onto the adjacent bike path. We continued zooming and zig-zagging all the way down toward our final, final destination: the West Bluff Picnic Area at Crissy Field.

The super-mega-group rolling out from the bridge overlook.

Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and finishing their ride across the United States are Jonathan Boudreaux, Patrick Jamison, Jaylen Patel, Nina Rosas, Hanna Fei, Emily Gonzalez, Nabeel Hussain . . .

. . . Adam Wallach, Edward Guo, Jean Lin . . .

. . . Sam Rosner, Sam Michalak, Paul Leman . . .

. . . Kathryn Choate, Olivia Ross, and Jonathan Yuen.

From New York, New York . . .

. . . to San Francisco, California.

We were done. We were there. And what followed was one of the most special and unique celebrations any of us had ever seen, as we were greeted with massive applause and elation by our families, friends, supporters, partners, and a wide array of wonderful food, banners, and balloon-adorned picnic tables. Everyone couldn’t be more proud of what we have done to traverse this continent. And now that the trail is complete, so are the tales. :)

Some of our absolute greatest supporters (and most fervent photographers).

The end. :)

Addendum and Farewell

It’s now been some time since we crossed the bridge and finished the ride, and I wanted to write a few words before ending this account of an absolutely unforgettable summer. At the time of writing, we are already preparing for next year’s ride by bringing in and briefing our new board and beginning the selection process for the 2024 Bike America Team.

First, it has been an honor to serve as our journalist and I have appreciated all of the feedback I have been given. I hope that these journals serve as a thorough account for the team as we look back and for anyone who wants to learn more about our organization and what it’s like to do something like this.

It’s been incredibly difficult to use any amount of language to describe or sum up this experience as a whole (long sentence incoming). We have collectively and individually learned so much about ourselves and the world around us, made intangible memories, fostered lifelong friendships, developed a multifaceted love or hatred for road cycling, conquered our own internal doubts and demons, considerably upped our cardiovascular health (and made huge gains!), looked out for ourselves and each other, laughed a lot, cried a lot, and experienced the beauty and ugliness and everything in between (in our own opinions) of the continental United States in arguably the most visceral and detailed way possible while still being logistically able to complete a journey such as this. It was a unique journey in its own right too, as we completed it with a smaller than average team and from Champaign onward everyone on a bike was a first-time rider. Navigating the waters, or lack thereof, was more challenging in these ways as so much about the ride is incredibly delicate; we are at the mercy of everything we encounter on and off the road. I think Jaylen’s words ring very true here, “The ride across America was never about a single accomplishment, rather the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement.”

Still, we pushed on magnificently and, as Sam M. put it, crossed the bridge not only with each other, but with Laurel Racette and Mike Rotter who could not be with us physically but are every bit as much a part of this family. We also crossed with our supporters from our families cheering us on to those we have never met but did the same online. We also crossed with, and for, everyone we have impacted through our mission and entire purpose as an organization. We have all been deeply impacted by the deleterious effects of cancer on those we love, and have been deeply impacted by those we have met and interacted with on and off the ride who have shared their stories with us. Our mission is so central to what we do and we will continue to do all that we can to aid the efforts of scientists, caregivers, patients, and survivors, and to document the American cancer experience through the utterly unique and necessary Portraits Project. This ride that has been so significant to so many could not happen without the meticulous and dedicated work of the organization that is Illini 4000.

To the 2023 Board and Officers, on behalf of the 2023 Bike America Team, thank you for your ceaseless efforts in all that you have done in regard to fundraising, logistics, training, team meetings, marketing, and much more. You kept us right on track and chugging along prior to and during this ride and we appreciate you wholeheartedly.

To all of our individual and business donors, thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting our wonderful beneficiaries that carry out such amazing work, as well as for supporting all of the work that we do as a group of driven student-cyclists hoping to make a difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. This year alone, thanks to all of you, we have raised over $80,000, and we are immensely proud of this feat.

To Kathryn, Hanna, Emily, Ed, Nabeel, Patty, Paul, Jean, Sam, Jaylen, Laurel, Nina, Sam, Olivia, Mike, Adam, and JY, thank you for being you and thank you for everything. :) <3

Tailwinds,

JB

Day 76: Final Approach. Healdsburg to San Anselmo

The penultimate day of the ride and I4K Prom are here! :) Let’s get it!

Ride Overview

Mileage: 59.9

Elevation: +1593’/-1734’

General Direction: Proceed through the town of Healdsburg and onto the Old Redwood Highway, take this south toward Windsor, pass through it and turn right onto Fulton Road at mile 10.1, turn left on W College Ave at mile 15.0 then right on Stony Point Road a mile later, stay on for 14.2 miles to bypass Santa Rosa, turn right onto Petaluma Blvd. to roll through downtown Petaluma, at mile 38.1 cross under the highway via the bike route and turn left onto San Antonio Road, rejoin the bike path at mile 40.7 and Redwood Blvd. within the town of Novato, jump to Novato Blvd. and Alameda del Prado continuing to follow the U.S. 101, at mile 57.1 turn right onto 4th Street to pass through downtown San Anselmo, turn left onto Greenfield Ave. and left onto Lincoln Park a mile later, turn left onto Francis Drake Blvd. then right onto Ross Ave. to reach the stayover.

Points of Interest: Downtown Windsor, downtown Petaluma, downtown San Anselmo, San Pablo Bay

Tales of the Trail

A route on highways, down country roads, past towns, on bike paths, through neighborhoods, and complete with some stray swaying palm trees awaited us as we rolled down the hill out of the church parking lot. Anxious to be so near the end of such a broad, intense, and joyful summer and yet having sixty miles separating us from being within arm’s reach of the bridge was a very mixed set of feelings for all of us. Last night’s conversation was on everyone’s mind, and excitement, sadness, and anticipation of the end being so near are running high. However, it was also Backwards Jersey Day which was fun! :)

Something doesn’t seem quite right . . .

Golden hills on the horizon as Emily, Hanna, and Patrick make their way down a descent.

An overcast sky dwelled over the morning air as we made our way alongside the 101 once again, just missing the city of Santa Rosa within the first third of the miles. Hills of golden, dry grasses passed us by as we made our way into the charming town of Petaluma. A rather interesting detour followed, and took us through the last open and rural area of the entire ride, the golden hills at this western point acting as their own sort of sunset on our experience. As we entered the town of Novato, we had our last ever rest stop at an In-N-Out, a first experience for many riders and filling for all. The final twenty miles were hilly with tight residential and main roads swaying us through the Californian suburbs. Occasional bike paths jammed us against or underneath the 101 and took us on some precarious downhills until our signature right turn through lively downtown San Anselmo (Fun Fact: The birthplace of the first script of Star Wars). The stayover was easy to reach from here, and the sun was fully shining down on us by the time we arrived.

In-N-Out featuring rather silly jerseys.

We loved it, epic place for a last rest stop.

Making the final push south into San Anselmo.

Tonight, we are staying at the beautiful First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo. We completed our routines for the afternoon; laundry, showers, cleaning bikes, and generally organizing ourselves for the day to come. We were served an absolutely lovely dinner, as well as desserts and snacks, by members of the church congregation and then readied ourselves for I4K Prom. Truly unique and cool prom fits were worn by all and we danced the night away, save for our superlative awards and traditional signing of the jerseys. It was a wonderful and memorable night to serve as our last one on the entire cross-country ride. Tomorrow needs no briefing, we know where we’re going.

Unwinding for a bit after completing the miles for the day.

Dinner is served!

Patty signing a jersey as prom continues. We will be wearing these across the bridge tomorrow.

Our superb superlative hosts: Patty and Nina!

And now, the official Illini 4000 2023 Prom Runway and Superlative Awards!

First up is Patrick and Nina with a fabulous Barbie theme, love the pink! Patrick: Strongest Puller, Most Likely to Fall in Love with a Rock Nina: Most Organized, Biggest She-Wee

Next is Hanna and Nabeel with a truly unique set of fits, watch out for them at Fashion Week! Hanna: Best Chef, Queen of the Cows Nabeel: Funniest Teammate, Safest Rider

Paul, Sam R, and Sam M are rocking the shorts/oversized top combo! Paul: Strongest Rider, Most Likely to Never Eat a Vegetable Sam R: Best Mechanic, Best One-Liners Sam M: The Team Player, King of the License Plates

Jean and Jaylen knew they would go to the prom together all the way back since Valentines Day in Lincoln, here they sport a very chic combo of straw hats and sandals! Jean: Most Curious, Most Likely to Order a Steak Jaylen: King of the Dinner Donos, Most Likely to Rizz Up Your Grandma

The lovely Emily, JB, and Kathryn said yes to the dress(es)! Emily: Most Resilient, Most Likely to be Allergic to Anything We Come In Contact With JB: Most Compassionate, Most Likely to Buy a Tank Top Kathryn: Most Positive, Least Likely to Get a Sunburn

Olivia and Jon Y with a fun color palate and hats looking absolutely enthused to be here! Olivia: Social Media Master, Most Likely to Spill a Secret While Sleep-Talking Jon Y: Most Generous, The Not-Quite Pie Delivery Man

And finally, Edward and Adam, guns blazing, hair dyed, and tan-lines truly Nebraska strong! Edward: Best Van Driver, Most Likely to Locate a Brewery Adam: Best Trip-Athlete, Most Aerodynamic

Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition

From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)

Today’s Question: In short, what have you gained and what have you lost from this ride?

Jonathan B.: Gained: So much. Lost: Self-doubt.

Paul: Gained: 15 lifelong friends. Lost: A few pounds.

Jaylen: Gained: Confidence as a cyclist and learning to adapt to any challenge. Lost: Bad habits that prevented me from pursuing my dreams.

Olivia: Gained: Becoming more of a team player and being better about putting others first. Lost: My charger :(

Sam R.: Gained: Saw a huge cross-section of the country. Lost: The ability to sleep in on weekends.

Jonathan Y.: Gained: Tan lines, amazing friends, the opportunity to see the generosity of strangers. Lost: Four sunglasses, three pies, a pair of socks, twelve pounds, almost my phone too many times.

Nina: Gained: An introspective analysis on myself and my place. Lost: A hat within 48 hours after buying it.

Sam M.: Gained: A more complete understanding of what a small group of people can achieve as a team. Lost: Any doubts about what I am capable of.

Edward: Gained: A greater understanding of my limits. Lost: Good spending and eating habits.

Kathryn: Gained: A better sense of self. Lost: The ability to sleep past 4:40 AM *smiling with single tear emoji*

Watch us dance, dance the night away!

~Dictionary of I4K~

I4K Prom: Also known as “prom”. An I4K holiday traditionally celebrated close to the end of the ride. Involves typical prom traditions including proposals and pictures with an I4K twist. Thematic or ridiculous attire is encouraged. Rider superlative awards are also given at this event.

We’ll see you in SF! :)

Day 75: Vineyards and Vistas. Willits to Healdsburg

On this day we were given our first sights and tastes of California vineyards, and they did not disappoint. Rolling between field after field was unlike any set of fields we had seen prior, and it was peaceful and picturesque to a T. What followed was an unforgettable water balloon fight, meal, and team-wide conversation looking back on our ride as a whole.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 71.7

Elevation: +2396’/-3608’

General Direction: Use CA-20 to navigate to the southbound U.S. 101 on-ramp at mile 3.1, stay on for ten miles and exit onto Uva Drive, after 8.2 miles turn right onto north State Street and use this road and the Great Redwoods Trail Bike Path to cross through central Ukiah, turn left onto Talmage then right onto Ruddick Cunningham Road, at mile 28.4 turn right onto Old River Road, stay on until meeting with U.S. 101 at mile 41.1, enter the highway shoulder and stay on for 8.4 miles, take exit 525 toward Geysers Road, turn right onto Geysers Road at mile 49.7, then right on River Road at 52.9, right on Crooker Road at 53.8, and left on Asti Road at 54.7, stay on past Cloverdale for 13.8 miles until reaching outer Healdsburg, transfer to Healdsburg Ave. and turn left onto Terrace Boulevard at mile 70.8, follow to the end of this road to reach the stayover entrance.

Points of Interest: River Road, Russian River, California vineyards and fruit groves

Adam with pear trees.

Bike America Team at Pick’s Drive-In in Cloverdale.

Tales of the Trail

On this the third to last day of the summer, we would end up visiting our final McDonald’s rest stop, and in true poetic fashion, the first of these was on the third day of the ride. Just one of many of those interesting little ways in which this ride has progressed. Anyway, the day began with a Murphy’s Law level of stressful highway cycling on U.S. 101. Not only was the left lane completely closed off for construction, there was no shoulder on the right meaning we had to block the entirety of traffic for approximately six miles. Luckily, it was mainly downhill and there were a few places to pull off and let the dozens of cars and trucks that had accumulated pass us, but it was still one of the single most stressful ride segments we’ve ever done. The rest of the ride was quite mellow in comparison, and was mostly spent alongside 101 on some very eye-catching and quiet vineyard roads. Towns passed us by on occasion, and for lunch we stopped at Pick’s Drive-In in the town of Cloverdale. Some more bumpy roads following the Russian River brought us into the town of Healdsburg to end a successful ride day and our last one over 70 miles.

Paul departing the town of Willits.

Jean’s expression says it all. Note the long line of cars passing us back.

Sam R and Emily rolling by a vineyard, a common site during the latter portion of this route.

Jaylen, Nina, and Patrick on the second stretch on the 101.

Tonight, we are staying at the Good Shepard Lutheran Church. Upon arrival we had a very fun and massive water balloon fight, a continuation of the smaller one that morning. We then took showers at a local health club (and possibly a dip in their hot tub) and upon returning to the church began preparing dinner. We were given the means to make an absolute feast from Costco by our hosts at the church, and in addition we were visited by Pastor Rob McNeill who talked with us and gave us a few bottles of wine he helped create from his time as a winemaker. There was tri-tip, salmon, pesto pasta, salads, and much more, and it was all incredibly delicious. Huge shoutout to Hanna, JY, and Edward who prepared everything. After dinner, we had another discussion as a team facilitated by Jaylen reflecting back on how far we had come, what this has meant to us and those we ride for in regard to our mission as a whole, and what this will mean for our lives going forward. Tomorrow will bring us within very close proximity of San Francisco, and the final two rides will be just a little longer than today’s ride combined.

Hanna and Sam R entering Cloverdale in search of lunch.

Sam M, Nina, and Patty at the lunch stop.

Enjoying our feast at the stayover.

A time for celebration.

Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition

From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)

Today’s Question: What was your favorite place we had a rest day? (Answers displayed in order along the route.)

Champaign, IL: Paul

Chicago, IL: Jaylen, Adam

Lincoln, NE: Nina

Vernal, UT: Nabeel

Grand Teton N.P., WY: Patrick, Sam R., Jonathan B., Kathryn, Olivia, Jonathan Y., Jean, Sam M.

Boise, ID: Edward

One final proposal: Ed and Adam!

Day 74: The Weird Snake. Humboldt Redwoods State Park to Willits

U.S. 101 is an identity crisis in highway form. Stretching from Olympia, Washington to L.A., this major road is quite scenic and offers some of the best views of the West Coast from a car. Because of the extreme variance in population in the regions it passes through, it can range from two lanes to eight or more. During the day, vehicles would pass us in random droves and sometimes a full minute or more would pass without a single car anywhere on the road - a bit eerie, but also cool. Winding between the mountains of the Coast Ranges, it was a ride that tested us in many ways as we shaved off the miles in the dry California heat.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 92.4

Elevation: +6834’/-5617’

General Direction: Navigate onto the southbound Avenue of the Giants and stay on it for 17 miles, re-enter U.S. 101, Option 1: Take U.S. 101 all the way into Willits and exit onto Main Street, use residential streets to reach the stayover, Option 2: Take the exit for Benbow Road at mile 25.5, re-enter at mile 29.8, turn right onto CA-271 S at mile 32.7, re-merge with 101 at 38.8, turn left onto CA-271 S at mile 47.6 and re-enter at mile 49.6, continue on 101 for the duration.

Points of Interest: Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California Coast Ranges, South Fork Eel River, Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area

Tales of the Trail

The Bike America Team started their day with a gorgeous sunrise as seen peaking through the redwoods. Supposedly, we were going to be awarded another 17 miles on the Avenue of the Giants, but this ended up being about 12 due to an ambiguously marked closed road that one group had to backtrack up a hill to avoid. Nevertheless, it was another chance to be among these massive trees and a wonderful start to the day all the same. From there, we became good friends with U.S. 101 and continued at a mostly climbing pace given it was a net uphill for the entire day. Construction zones were everywhere, but we have become seasoned pros at waiting in one-lane queues (honestly, it’s pretty interesting how many construction flaggers we’ve spoken to alone on this trip). Shoulders appeared and disappeared erratically, sometimes in stressful places along two-lane sections, and today’s ride became a good exercise in where we would best be situated in pedaling on this road. Rest stops were wonderful things to have on a day like today, and our third one in the town of Laytonville gave groups a chance to get some lunch before continuing. The heat continued to cook the pavement as we raced the last 21 miles toward the small but adorable town of Willits.

Closing in on 200 miles!

Van selfie!

The Jons in the construction queue. Notice the rare electric Lucid in front of us.

The Sams making one of the many climbs of the day on 101.

Tonight, we are staying at Willits United Methodist Church. The evening consisted of many things including showers, writing letters, ice cream at Scoops before it closed, shopping for prom outfits, and a wonderful dinner of lasagna and sides provided by our hosts. The end is looming quite close at this point, and while the mileage on the bike only decreases from here, the awareness of the finish and the mental and emotional recognition of the bridge getting closer and closer only continue to grow. Tomorrow is Healdsburg and wine country!

Fun Fact: Willits, California is home to legendary champion racehorse Seabiscuit.

Super excited for showers!

Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition

From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)

Today’s Question: What was your favorite state to ride through? (Answers displayed in order along the route.)

Colorado: Nabeel, Jonathan B., Kathryn, Jonathan Y., Nina, Jean, Edward

Wyoming: Olivia, Sam M. (1)

Oregon: Sam R. (1)

California: Paul, Jaylen, Patrick, Sam R. (2), Sam M. (2), Adam

A master at work.

Day 73: Coalescing Carbonic Spires. Arcata to Humboldt Redwoods State Park

They just keep going up. For anyone who hasn’t had the chance to visit a redwood forest in person, you begin to feel a bit small upon first entering given just how massive these trees are. The light levels drastically change as the canopy 300 feet up and the volume of trunks block the sun enough to produce a significant cooling and wind-blocking effect on the ground. These trees are as neat as they are imposing; their wide trunks enter the ground and simply disappear with hardly any trace of roots. Existing among the largest living plants on Earth as well as our final night of camping made this day a favorite among the Bike America Team.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 57.8

Elevation: +2119’/-2111’

General Direction: Proceed south and turn left onto U.S. 101 via Bayside Cutoff, at mile 8.0 exit onto the Waterfront Drive through Eureka and rejoin the highway at Exit 702, take Exit 698 to follow Tompkin Hills Road, rejoin at Exit 696, take exit 681 to navigate through Scotia and rejoin at Main St. onlet, take Exit 674 to ride on Avenue of the Giants and stay on this road to meet the campground on the left 14.8 miles later.

Points of Interest: Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Avenue of the Giants, Founders Grove, King Range National Conservation Area, Eel River

Tales of the Trail

The day began rather gray as the team headed south from Arcata on a road that would become very familiar during this final chapter of the ride: U.S. 101, a scenic and important California artery as well as the road that crosses the Golden Gate Bridge. As easy as it would be to stay on this road, we would opt to take exits often to allow for a little more exploration and variance of scenery (and avoid highway brain). Riders pedaled through the larger town of Eureka which provided views of the entrance to Arcata Bay and a brief sight of the ocean, our last until the bridge. We eventually joined the Eel River and followed it through the towns of Fortuna and Rio Dell as the clouds broke. Already we began to see giant trees appearing on nearby hills, and at mile 43, almost immediately, we took the exit off of 101 to suddenly be immersed in another world.

Nina, Adam, Hanna, and Patty rolling along the coast.

Jaylen, Emily, and Jean pedaling through downtown Eureka.

Kathryn, Edward, Sam R, JY, and Olivia exiting off 101 for the first rest stop.

A classic Paul pull as the clouds break.

This pic goes hard.

The Avenue of the Giants may be the most aptly named road we have come across on this journey. Forests of 300 foot tall coast redwood trees that we had to crane our necks to see the tops of surrounded us on all sides. A rest stop at the beginning of the road allowed the team to climb one of these fallen trees and take plenty of pictures before continuing on one of the most beautiful stretches of the entire ride. The next fifteen miles were truly unforgettable as groups were greeted by thousands of these red giants forming their own sort of canyon along the road’s edge. We arrived into Burlington Campground in the early afternoon.

Redwoods photodump!

The mileage today meant more time to explore, and that we did. First, we took the van to the town of Miranda for some much-needed late lunch, coffee, and ice cream. Most of the team then opted to take a swim in the Eel River and we finished out the night with some beans, rice, and hot dogs. We even met a couple of bikepackers (many frequent the 101 within this part of California) traveling from Oregon to Mexico who asked to use our floor pump and we swapped stories of our one ride and their many rides around the world. The sunset seemed to arrive early as the trunks continued to block the light, and sleeping under these giant trees was a truly epic experience. Tomorrow, we will leave this graceful and awe-inspiring park and continue along the 101 toward the town of Willits nearly 100 miles away.

Heading to the riverbed for a swim.

I went on a solo ride around the park to see some of the largest trees. This is the Founders Tree, it is 346 feet tall and one of the most famous.

Skipping stones under the 101.

Camping among giants.

Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition

From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)

Today’s Question: What was your favorite activity/outing as a team?

Edward: Costco Speedrun (Bend, OR)

Sam R: Brush Rodeo (Brush, near Fort Morgan, CO)

Kathryn: Jenny Lake Hike (Grand Teton N.P., WY)

Jaylen: Pickleball Tourney (Big Piney, WY)

Jonathan B: Exploring (Lincoln, NE)

Nabeel: Cascade Canyon Hike (Grand Teton N.P., WY)

Sam M: Kickball (Green River, WY)

Jonathan Y: Team Activity (Yuma, CO)

Nina: Pickleball (Big Piney, WY)

Paul: Rodeo (Brush, CO)

Adam: Whitewater Rafting (Idaho Springs, CO)

Day 72: Crossing the Cascades Pt. 2: The Cross-Continent Mark. Weaverville to Arcata

As much as the waves of the Pacific Ocean continued to crash upon the shoreline we stood on, a silence became present that we hadn’t truly been able to hear up until that point during the entire summer. In front of us was nothing - bikability-wise at least, and behind us was the entire continent that we had crossed. It’s a really difficult feeling to describe fully, but accomplished, both in terms of the mileage and the amount of good work in many ways that we had done to prepare for this ride, is a good placeholder. After a day as difficult as this one, with its 8000+ feet of climbing and maddeningly long downgrades, plus a final trudge through some sand dunes, it was especially rewarding to be greeted with this blue vastness.

First glimpse of the ocean (and the remaining mini hike needed to reach it).

Ride Overview

Mileage: 97.1 (+2.9 for Pacific Coast/century)

Elevation: +8164’/-9914’

General Direction: Turn left onto CA 299 and remain on this road for 93.9 miles, take Exit 1 and navigate south using local roads to reach the stayover. Optional: Use westbound CA 255 to reach beach access for the Pacific coast.

Points of Interest: Trinity River Valley, Klamath Mountain Range, Trinity National Forest, Mad River, downtown Arcata, Pacific Ocean!!!

Going to miss these.

Tales of the Trail

In this race against the sun, we found ourselves descending the final 2000’ of elevation needed to reach sea level. To do this, we would need to cut across the remaining width of the Klamath Mountains, which would involve four major climbs along CA 299. A switchback-filled descent within the first ten miles brought us in line with the Trinity River. Beautiful and immense ridge walls picketed with trees picked up from the river on both sides, making for a magical morning. We continued along through a few construction zones and an indecisive road that would go from extremely bumpy to quite smooth every mile or so. Ridges and smaller peaks opened up as we gained elevation from our second climb, and our second rest stop in the midst of this scored us some soft serve and tofu in addition to PB&Js to prepare for the two largest climbs to come.

Sam M, Patrick, Sam R, and Paul (NP) roll into the first rest stop along the Trinity River.

These climbs, the first to Berry Summit and the second to Lord-Ellis Summit, were eleven and five miles long respectively, as well as the only remaining obstacles between our team and the Pacific coastline. We pushed heartily through these tough ascents, including a half-mile long construction zone with a 7% grade that we had to book it through, and carefully took their enjoyable descents as the outside temperature climbed into the 90s. By the end of the second climb, we were 84 miles in and ready to finish out the day with a truly special stop: the Pacific Ocean, the true end of the ride in one sense.

Jean and Adam waiting on the next wave of cars to pass through a construction zone.

Hanna and Jaylen cruising down a descent.

The green mountains had faded away just as the highway turned south toward the coastal towns tucked in their bases. As we continued our final sprint westward on this suddenly flat terrain, we saw a collection of farm fields, with cows! Finding beach access proved to be a little cumbersome as for the last half mile or so we dismounted and de-shoed to walk ourselves and our bikes across the Ma-le’l Sand Dunes. From the top of the first of these, we could see the ocean for the first time, and the trek across the hot sand full of prickly plants was more than worth it for what came next. Groups arrived to the beach at different points in the afternoon, but the experience was a shared one of sheer joy, celebration, and utter awe. The water was cooling as well as powerful in its own right, with massive cloud embankments taking up the background of an otherwise intense blue sky. We dipped our front tires into the water, a tradition and sign that we had truly and humanly pedaled from coast to coast.

From coast . . .

To coast . . .

Tonight, we are staying at the Lutheran Church of Arcata, and in true I4K fashion gunned it to the top of one of the most brutal climbs to a stayover we’ve had on this ride. We were graciously offered showers at HealthSport, a local gym, and made ourselves some delicious spaghetti and lentils, which honestly have become a bt of a delicacy at this point given how many donated meals we have received. Riders opted to unwind from this intense day as well as explore the town of Arcata in the evening, and we went to bed ready to make our turn south toward the giant redwood trees, and later, San Francisco.

Nabeel and Jaylen rolling through downtown Arcata at the end of the day.

Seriously some reeeally good pizza.

Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition

From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)

Today’s Question: Which climb has made you feel the most accomplished?

Nina: Ochoco National Forest

Paul: Hill #3 on the 3 Hill Day, Milton, PA

Sam M: Hill #3 after Paul dusted me

Hanna: Loveland Pass

Patrick: Mt. Eddy Pass (Day 71)

Kathryn: Loveland Pass

Sam R: Mt. Eddy Pass (Day 71)

Emily: John Day

Edward: Second half going into Baker City

Jean: Loveland Pass

Jonathan B: Day 72 eleven and five-miler

Adam: Ochoco Climb

Day 71: Crossing the Cascades Pt. 1. Mount Shasta to Weaverville

Absolutely gorgeous ride, but National Forest roads are not to be trifled with.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 89.2

Elevation: +7980’/-9590’

General Direction: Navigate northwest out of the stayover onto Old Stage Road for the first 12.3 miles, begin the climb on Stewart Springs Road until it terminates and turn right onto NF Road 17 to finish it at mile 16.7, take the descent, then turn left onto CA 3 at mile 39.3, remain on this road until mile 87.0, then turn left into Weaverville, use local roads to navigate to southbound CA 299 and turn right into the stayover parking lot.

Points of Interest: Mt. Eddy Pass, Cascade Mountain Range (Mt. Eddy, Craggy Peak, Denny Point, etc.), Trinity Lake, Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Summit rest stops. are some of the best.

Did you know she’s not just a chef but an artist too? Hanna’s masterpiece is complete and we absolutely love it! Note Hanna’s cat Cubby making an appearance driving the van.

Tales of the Trail

The day began with a fun little descent down Old Stage Road through open fields with plenty of mountains overlooking from a distance as the sun rose. This teaser turned into one of the most challenging climbs of the summer - a diabolical 12.9 miles at 5.6% average grade. The road weaved through the trees and surrounding plant life and gave breathtaking views of the surrounding ranges the higher we climbed. Slowly but surely we made it to the top of the Mt. Eddy Pass in time for a much needed rest stop. As rough as this climb was, most would take it over the descent as the other side of the pass descended for 25 miles at a -3.5% average grade, complete with plenty of potholes hidden in shadow. Having to re-chain the bike mid-descent (Sam M) or getting stung by a bee at the top (JB) only adds to the fun. Groups made it safely through this genuinely bad downgrade in one piece and the left turn onto CA 3 with its much better pavement was quite welcoming. From here, we came across rolling hills ensheathed in forest and red clay, with S-curves abounding. Three groups had consolidated into two by this point; everyone pushed quite hard in gear and spirit through these final miles and, at long last, into the small town of Weaverville.

An accidental mega-group starts the day off.

Sam’s Club reapproaching Black Butte.

Adam, Ed, and JB starting the climb.

Sam R and Paul keep trucking as the mountain ridge appears on the right.

Finishing out the day with some winding descents.

Tonight, we are staying at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, a one-room style building with incredibly friendly folks who provided us with a much-enjoyed spaghetti dinner. We slept in pews or on the floor, looking forward to our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean the following day.

Jaylen taking care of business during the last stretch.

Sleeping on a church pew.

Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition

From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)

Today’s Question: Team Ice Cream or Team Milkshake?

Ice Cream: Kathryn, Laurel, Edward, Nabeel, Jean, Olivia

Milkshake: Paul, Sam M, Patrick, Sam R, Adam, Jonathan Y, Hanna, Jonathan B

This way to the ocean.

Day 70: Giant. Klamath Falls to Mount Shasta, CA

It’s not all that often that we are able to see our destination for the day five or ten miles out, let alone one or two. Today, a truly broad mountain with white streaks of snow lacing from its peak emerged at the size of a quarter at arms length from the church parking lot in Klamath Falls. We would spend the day pedaling our way toward this mountain, Mt. Shasta, and watching it grow right in front of us, with the ultimate goal of reaching the town with the same name to its southwest. Quite the epic way to make our appearance into our final state of this summer-long trek: the Golden State of California. Largest by population, third by land area, and home to an iconic red suspension bridge that will serve as our last length of riding in one week.

Welcome to California I4K 2023 Bike America Team!

Ride Overview

Mileage: 81.9

Elevation: +3328’/-3993’

General Direction: Navigate through downtown Klamath Falls and proceed onto southbound U.S. 97, cross the California border at mile 18.9, follow the road for another 54.4 miles around the western edge of Mt. Shasta into the town of Weed, enter southbound I-5 and ride in the shoulder, take the third exit (741) onto Abrams Lake Road, meet with Pine Grove Dr. and take it and Lassen Lane the last few remaining miles to the stayover.

Points of Interest: Mt. Shasta, Cascade Mountain Range (Hamaker Mountain, Ball Mountain, the Whaleback, Black Butte, etc.), Klamath National Forest

View through the back of the sign (technically looking from California into Oregon).

Tales of the Trail

First things first, it’s NRLAD! Also known as National Ride Leader Appreciation Day, this holiday celebrates our leadership team of Patrick, Nina, and Jon Y (and Mike of course who is chilling in Champaign), and began with a very fun wake-up of party horns by their fellow riders. We took care of them every chance we got by getting them snacks, holding their bikes, filling their water bottles, and so much more.

Mt. Shasta (just right of the far away building) as seen from the church parking lot. Watch it grow in the next few pictures.

Mt. Shasta is the fifth-highest peak in California, and sits on a truly massive 17-mile wide base. It continued to amaze us as a few stray clouds gathered around its peak during the morning and dissipated in the afternoon when it finally towered nearly directly over us. The first leg of the journey gave us our much anticipated and highly celebrated crossing through California’s northern border. Fields collected along the sides of the highway as the smaller Mt. Hebron began to block its taller cousin. This made for a hefty five-mile climb with a 4% average grade along some torched pine trunks, but this only prepared us for a few dozen miles of quite fun and scenic descents through the spectacular Northern California Cascades and our move to the right of the now quite-imposing Shasta. Mile 72 brought us back to level ground as well as to the one and only Weed, California, where we stopped for some lunch and caffeine out of the heat (resisting the urge to make a joke so hard right now). From here, we got onto I-5 and took it by a prominent cinder cone called Black Butte, exited, and rolled into the town of Mount Shasta.

Sam R and Jean’s group on 97 just after dipping into California. Groups jammed to California-themed songs during this stretch.

Bikes, trains, and automobiles ft. Sam M.

Sam M and JB after passing over Mt. Hebron. Clouds have overtaken the peak at this point.

Passing Mt. Shasta to the east . . .

. . . and its friends to the west!

Tonight’s stayover is the St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. Members of the congregation prepared a wonderful and filling dinner of lasagna, salad, and dessert and we were able to shower next door at The Wellness Center. Tomorrow will begin our two-day push across the Cascades with some difficult cycling (8000’ of climbing per day anyone?) as we make our move for the Pacific coast.

Hanna and JB posing for the iconic Weed arch.

Paul and Sam M making their way toward Black Butte on the I-5.

Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition

From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)

Today’s Question: What is your flat count as of now (end of Day 70)?

0: Sam R, Nina

1: Emily

2: Jaylen, Paul, Jonathan Y

3: Adam, Kathryn

4: Jonathan B, Hanna

5: Sam M, Patrick, Jean, Nabeel

7: Ed

9: Laurel

>10: Olivia

~Dictionary of I4K~

NRLAD: Short for National Ride Leader Appreciation Day. An I4K holiday celebrating the ride leader(s) and all they have done for the team. Each team chooses how and when to celebrate this occasion.

Goodnight Van!

Day -56: Champaign, IL

Good morning, afternoon, or evening, wherever you are!

Today marks the -56th day until we fly out of Chicago to begin our Illini 4000 cross-country ride! My name is Jonathan Boudreaux and I will be your journalist for the coming summer! :) Our excitement is ramping up as we complete our pre-ride fundraising goals, begin our longer training rides, and continue to count down the days. Tonight, we are staying in, you guessed it, beautiful Champaign, Illinois! Today and tomorrow were supposed to consist of an overnight training ride, but due to some uncooperative weather, we have rescheduled the majority of the ride to Sunday. What this doesn’t stop us form doing is training for our chores at a local church.

Chores are the various tasks that are needed and completed throughout the ride; they range from duties such as packing the van, making breakfast and dinner, and waking everyone up (truly a selfless and necessary task), to repairing bikes, managing our funds, and running our social media accounts (@illini4000, go like and follow!). We are also getting our first taste of I4K spaghetti, which will be a common dinner for us throughout the summer.

I am currently sitting in front of a riveting chess match between Paul and Adam as we eat and get ready to head out before the thunderstorms arrive. We will ride 50 miles beginning Sunday morning at 7 AM sharp, followed by a 70 miler and two 90 milers in the coming weeks. We will see you again on May 26th for our flight to NYC and the beginning of our journey! :)

Pictured L to R: Adam, Hanna, Nabeel, Sam M., Paul, Sam R., Jonathan

Days 68 & 69: One Last Rest Day. Crater Lake N.P. to Klamath Falls + Rest Day

A chance to rest and recuperate at the end of our time in our penultimate state, Klamath Falls gave us a chance to prepare for the absolute gauntlet that biking through half of California will be during the coming week. Now that we are in the final ten days of the ride, we are fully immersed in the very emotional reminiscence of all that it took to get ourselves this far as a team and as individuals. With this in mind, enjoy a bonus pre-ride journal entry after you finish reading this one. :)

A few riders took the van to the rim of Crater Lake for a sunrise that can’t be beat.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 54.6

Elevation: +863’/-2669’

General Direction: Exit the campground onto southbound Crater Lake Highway (OR 62), continue for 30.3 miles until making a right onto southbound U.S. 97, at mile 51.1 keep left onto the business loop, turn left after three miles onto Washburn Way and climb the hill to reach the stayover.

Points of Interest: Cascade Mountain Range (Union Peak, Sky Lakes Wilderness, Aspen Butte), Upper Klamath Lake, Williamson River

The western view for much of the second half. Mountains are obscured by the haze from smoke in the atmosphere.

Tales of the Trail

Ten miles of descent off the smooth yet pined backside of Mount Mazama and its sister mountains started our day off with a bang. Jackets were worn by all to brace for the chilly mountain winds as light continued to fill the sky and pierce between the trees. This boost in mileage offered us a sense of silent optimism for the day that lasted for the rest of the route, even when things got a little hairy in the second half. We continued to make our way along the eastern mountain ridge with flats to our right full of blissful emptiness and grazing cattle. Taking apart the silence at the beginning, mile 30 brought us back onto U.S. 97, and an extremely wide Upper Klamath Lake appeared on our right as the highway began to squeeze itself between it and some imposing rocky hills. Cars and trucks thundered by as we were confined to a pretty gnarly shoulder, and the lake looked more like a sea as wildfire smoke created a haze that covered the mountains to the north and west. A few bald eagles as well as ospreys and other birds of prey delighted us as they flew along the edge of the water. Entering town from the north, we continued onto the business spur for a few miles and, as is tradition, climbed one last hill to our stayover. For our efforts and early arrival, we got lunch in groups in downtown Klamath Falls.

Finishing van packing for the day.

JY and Adam pedaling along Upper Klamath Lake.

Kathryn’s group among some Oregon conifers.

We are staying at the United Evangelical Free Church where we have been given a kitchen, showers, and lots of space to spread out and sleep (including a room of couches!). We gave ourselves the opportunity to settle down and rest up for this final and important rest day.

First San Francisco sign!

Some actually incredible Thai iced teas to start the rest day cycle off right.

Absolutely enthralled by our dinner of chili and veggies by Chef Hanna.

The Rest Day

Klamath Falls gave us much to do for being on the smaller side of towns we’ve had rest days in. We split into groups for lunch and ran a few errands including some post office runs, shopping for prom clothes, and bike repairs. Many stayed at the church and slept or ran some laundry and took care of other necessities. For dinner, we dined at the, er, interesting Red Rooster, which while not entirely notable food-wise gave us the chance to start to reminisce as an entire team; truly a wonderful time as well as a sign of the end being in sight.

Chilling in the main room of the church.

A top five sunset to end off the last rest day.

Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition

From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)

Today’s Question: Where was your favorite stayover? (Written by order of appearance on route.)

River Forest, IL: Sam R

Lincoln, NE: Nina

McCook, NE: Sam M

Boulder, CO: Jaylen, Jonathan B, Jean, Kathryn, Adam, Laurel

Frisco, CO: Jonathan Y

Big Piney, WY: Patrick

Jackson, WY: Edward

Arco, ID: Paul

Boise, ID: Nabeel

Ochoco Temporary Stayover (Hwy 26): Hanna

Bend, OR: Olivia

Rest day shenanigans. :)

Day 67: Crater Lake. La Pine to Crater Lake N.P.

Crater Lake, situated in south-central Oregon inside the collapsed crater of Mount Mazama, has a surface area of 20.6 square miles, a maximum depth of 1949 feet making it the deepest body of freshwater in the United States, and its water can be described as only the most brilliant shades of blue. Every pedalstroke of the climb leading to the crater’s edge was worth it to take in every bit of this deceptively wide and sparkling lake, its massive cliffs, and its surrounding mountain ranges. Truly a place worth visiting at least once in one’s life.

Does this one look familiar?

Ride Overview

Mileage: 87.4

Elevation: +4565’/-2788’

General Direction: Navigate east through La Pine and turn right onto southbound U.S. 97, ride for 62.6 miles, turn right onto OR 138 and, 15.1 miles later, follow signs for Crater Lake to turn left onto Rim Drive, follow by the western edge of the lake and ride until reaching the campground on the left.

Points of Interest: Gilchrist State Forest, Cascade Mountain Range, Mount Thielsen, Umpqua National Forest, Crater Lake National Park (Crater Lake, Wizard Island, Llao Rock, Hillman Peak, Garfield Peak, Mount Scott, etc.).

Tales of the Trail

We began our day with a 51-mile stretch on southbound U.S. 97, mostly uneventful except that the temperature jumped over 30 degrees and Cascade peaks passed us by ever so slowly on our right. Our right turn at the end of this took us toward Mount Mazama and into Crater Lake National Park. From here, the signature six-mile climb toward the rim of the lake began. Pines old, young, and dead from wildfires passed us by, and more mountains and volcanos began to appear the higher we climbed, some near and some quite far. Sharing the westbound Rim Drive with cars was a bit stressful, but we made it all the way up with no issues. It was worth every second. The final steps up to the edge of the canyon brought the lake as a whole into view, and it stunned us from the beginning. Wizard Island, one of the emergent volcanic cones and quite tall in its own right, looked like a small foothill from how high up we were. Rock formations and surrounding peaks dotted with all sorts of plants and pine trees brought a lot of character to the place. We stopped to take it all in and take some team pictures, then continued riding into the evening and down the descent to our campground at Mazama Village. It was a day none of us will soon forget. I’ll let a few pictures do most of the talking.

Adam, Jean, Olivia, and Jon Y entering the park. Groups had to shuttle through the gate in the van.

Patty, Hanna, and Nina on 97.

Squirrel <3 Snowman

Making the final ascent toward the rim.

New pfp for Jaylen. :)

JB and Nabeel making their way to the overlook upon reaching the west rim.

Taking it all in.

Paul went on an intense and meaningful solo ride following his time driving the van and captured an incredible sunset.

Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition

From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)

Today’s Question: Does your bike have a name? If so, what is it?

Paul: Ol’ Red

Patrick: Roxanne

Nina: Billy Jr.

Sam R: Blue(s) Traveler

Jaylen: Best Gear Program Bike

Jonathan B: Bichael, or Bike for short

Jean: Pink Traveler

Ed: Twilight Shredder

Sam M: White Mamba

Kathryn: I rode from coast to coast on a bike with no name. *tumbleweed emoji*

Nabeel: Sike

Olivia: Sally

Adam: None

Laurel: Bichael

Hanna: Chip

Another angle of the iconic team photo.

Selfie from the B reel featuring the classic Ed salute.

Day 66: Cascade Cruise. Bend to La Pine

A short n’ sweet entry for a short n’ sweet ride which became another rest day in Bend mostly. :)

View from the top of Lava Butte.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 33.0

Elevation: +1205’/-650’

General Direction: Proceed south through Bend and use Murphy, Parrell, China Hat, and Knott Roads to reach southbound U.S. 97 at mile 6.7, continue until mile 16.4 and exit onto South Century Drive for 9.0 miles, turn right onto State Park Road at mile 25.7, left onto 5th Street and right onto Amber Lane to reach the stayover.

Points of Interest: Cascade Mountain Range, Lava Butte, La Pine State Park

Jon Y and Jaylen enjoying dinner at Wild Rose.

Tales of the Trail

A late wake-up and an early morning game of People Pong using blueberries put us in good spirits to tackle this easier 33-miler. Carving through the wooded, volcanic ground, the route was easy to follow and required only one rest stop. Three riders, Paul, Sam R, and Adam, climbed the Lava Butte bordering U.S. 97 and got some tremendous views of the Cascades. We arrived in La Pine around 1:00 PM to High Lakes Christian Church. After taking showers at the Senior Activities Center, we drove the distance we had just biked in about thirty minutes to spend time as a team in Bend. Another Costco run garnered us some camping food, and groups spent time eating dinner and exploring the downtown Bend area. To end off the day, a beautiful sunset could be seen from the van falling over the Cascades, and behind them but unseen, the Pacific Ocean.

People Pong ft. Costco blueberries.

Sam R climbing the side of the butte.

Sam R, Adam, and Paul at the top of the Lava Butte.

The only rest stop - note the group attempting to put Hanna’s stubborn tire back on after a flat.

Jaylen, Jon Y, Nina, and Hanna hanging out in Bend. Hanna and Jaylen cashed in on their pickleball win in Big Piney, and Nina and Jon Y bought them all dinner.

Day 65: The Race to the Last Blockbuster. Ochoco National Forest to Bend

What we do requires high physical, high mental, and high emotional input. It means something to those we talk to, to those who hear about us, those we hold closest, and those we will never meet. It means so much to us both as a team and as individuals. The malicious entity that is cancer, so intrinsic to our own bodies that it is literally our own genetic material malfunctioning, affects so many people in so many awful ways. Today, we completed two incredibly powerful Portraits. The stories of Hilary and Marion, the former a deacon and the latter a parishioner at the First Presbyterian Church of Bend, truly and deeply impacted all of us. We work to make sure they, and as many as we are able to talk to, have their stories shared with each other and the world. That is why we are here in Oregon now, why we were in Utah twenty days ago, Iowa forty days ago, and all the way back in Pennsylvania sixty days ago. That is why this is the sixteenth of these cross-country rides.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 66.1

Elevation: +1897’/-2926’

General Direction: For the first 31.8 miles, follow westbound U.S. 26, exit onto OR 126 and follow for 11.2 miles, turn left onto Southwest Powell Butte Highway and stay on until reaching Bend Municipal Airport, turn right onto Butler Market Road, take five roundabouts within town to stay on the road until exiting onto 8th Avenue for the fifth (same direction), continue south to reach the stayover on the left. Optional: Use Seward Ave. to reach the Blockbuster, then continue south on 2nd Avenue and east on Greenwood Avenue to reach 8th Avenue.

Points of Interest: Ochoco National Forest, Ochoco Mountain Range, Ochoco Reservoir, Crooked River, Oregon Badlands Wilderness, Cascade Mountain Range (North Sister, South Sister, Broken Top), Pilot Butte, Last Blockbuster

Tales of the Trail

The campground sits at the top of the Ochoco Pass, which means it was a chilly start to the day. We tore down camp and found ourselves descending from the start as the trees whipped by and the sky continued to brighten. We completed the first 30 miles of the day in just over an hour, and found ourselves at a place called Tastee Treet in the town of Prineville. So, naturally, this became our breakfast stop, and we had omelettes and shakes and breakfast skillets galore. After this, a brief but steep climb out of the river valley gave us a pleasant final look at Ochoco to our left, and from here we continued following some busy two-lane highways with narrow shoulders through farmland and along some pine flats. At our right turn into what would be the main road we would take into Bend, we witnessed the majesty of some of the most beautiful mountains we’ve ever seen - the Three Sisters within the Cascade Range, appearing quite prominent for 30 miles away.

What we woke up to.

Tree shadows overtake the road out of camp.

Nina, Patrick, Smokey, Smokey, and Paul promoting wildfire prevention.

With the help of five somewhat stressful roundabouts, neighborhoods and businesses began to appear and we found ourselves in the city of Bend. Of course, no stop here would be complete without a visit to the last operational Blockbuster in the world, so much so that our planned route diverted from the main road to meet it. A few more turns through the business district brought us to our destination: the First Presbyterian Church of Bend.

The Last Blockbuster.

After some showers at the local recreation center, we retreated to the stayover for a wonderful dinner of lasagna, salad, and a mountain of homemade cookies organized by Hilary and Marion. Folks in the church community were quite welcoming and we conversed with Hilary, Marion, and a few others during dinner. From here, the team split into two halves and we created some immensely moving Portraits of both Hilary and Marion, the former a cancer patient and the latter a cancer survivor. Their stories were some of the most simultaneously difficult and beautiful we have listened to thus far, and I encourage everyone reading this to view all of our Portraits when they are published including theirs. After the Portraits were concluded, a few of us went on our first I4K Costco run with 30 minutes to spare before the store closed! Tomorrow is an easier day of 33 miles into the town of La Pine, and wakeup was pushed back to accommodate for this.

Plundering the Costco with minutes to spare.

Successful Costco run with Patty, Nina, Nabeel, Edward, JB, and Hanna.

Sunset over the Deschutes River.

~Dictionary of I4K~

Special Edition: A Guide to Common Callouts

Slowing: Coasting, braking, or otherwise reducing speed. Most common callout used.

Fall In/Falling In: Group condenses into a pace line and follows directly behind first position.

Take the Lane/Taking the Lane: Moving to occupy the width of the right lane. Used before stops and on four-lane roads. Done before moving to inner lanes for a left turn. Means of making sure cars pass safely and notice riders easier.

Car Back: Vehicle behind the group in occupied lane or lane next to the shoulder. “Truck” or other vehicle type may replace “car”, and other directions are used to indicate vehicle position (car up, car right).

Passing: Vehicle passing on the left. “Passing right” used if vehicle passing on the right.

Clear in the Rear: No vehicles behind the group.

Gapping: A gap has formed between riders. The rider(s) in front close the gap by slowing the pace.

Rolling: Moving from a stop. Combined with directions to indicate turns (rolling left, rolling right)

Stopping: Coming to a stop.

Pulling Off: Moving off the road and stopping at the next safe place to do so.

Watch Left/Middle/Right: Used to point out obstructions or hazards with accompanying hand signals. The name of the object in question may be used instead of “watch” or as a separate callout (watch left hole left, debris right)

Stop Up: A stop sign or red light is ahead, prepare to stop. Followed by “slowing”, then “stopping”.

Van Up: The van is parked ahead, indicates a rest stop. A favorite among riders.

Note: Most of these callouts incorporate hand signals. These are used to point out hazards, indicate turns, or indicate slowing.

:0

Day 64: Fossil Hallway and Hostel Magic. John Day to Ochoco National Forest

“You can’t get to courage without rumbling with vulnerability. Embrace the suck.” - Brené Brown, as seen in the Spoke’n Hostel bathroom in Mitchell, Oregon

First rest stop vibes.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 86.3

Elevation: +5650’/-4028’

General Direction: Ride on westbound U.S. 26 for the duration of the route.

Points of Interest: John Day River, John Day River Valley, Strawberry/Rocky Mountains (Table Rock, Table Mountain, Juniper Butte, Mitchell Mountain, etc.), Ochoco Mountain Range (Tracy Mountain, Mount Pisgah, White Butte, Slide Mountain, etc.), John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Keyes Summit, Rock Creek, Bridge Creek, Spoke’n Hostel (Mitchell)

Tales of the Trail

It was as if the past two days were placed into a blender. Lengths of desert plateaus with all sorts of interesting plants blended themselves with mountains complete with standing armies of pines. The beauty of both was unreal; the tightness of the colorful Fossil Beds canyon, the vastness of Ochoco as seen from the top of the down-grade, the line of fields surrounding the John Day River only to become rock immediately outside of them, the high and pointed mountain peaks in the distance. Oregon continues to out-do itself.

Jaylen, Emily, and Olivia starting up after the first rest stop.

Sam R and the canyon bed.

The Sams speed toward the canyon entrance, as seen on the right.

The day began with a 40-mile gradual descent through the John Day River Valley, very similar to what we saw arriving into John Day the day prior. At mile 37.5, the valley suddenly tightened and converged within a hefty, picturesque canyon, which was the start of the Fossil Beds National Monument. U.S. 26 then began to climb. For 24 miles it took us deeper into the mountains, with only the sounds of our music, passing cars, bikes, callouts, and a bit of wind accompanying the silence. Trailers and campers often shared the road with us, and even some grazing cattle were visible tucked in between the passing ridges. Mile 60 gave us a good opportunity for a lunch stop before the hardest parts of the day, and an interested local sheriff, together with his partner Baby Yoda, told us about a welcoming hostel in Mitchell, the only other town we would pass through on our route. At mile 64, things got interesting as the sandier environment melted away to reveal hundred-foot tall pines on a gigantic ten-mile descent. Just as soon as its fun twists and open sky came and went, a monster 12.4 mile climb with a 3.6% average grade appeared to test us. The two remaining groups of riders pushed through this grueling yet quite pretty ascent, and in the mid-afternoon, arrived tired and triumphant at our site in the Ochoco Divide Campground.

Adam heeding the warning.

Waiting for the van to come.

Finishing out the first long climb, Ochoco Mountains in the distance.

Setting up tents, conversation, music, and rest became the vibe for an hour or so, when it was decided that we would backtrack to Mitchell and check out the Spoke’n Hostel. The host family, staying on behalf of proprietors and founders Patrick and Jalet Farrell, greeted us with enthusiasm as we entered the small, converted church only to find one of the most charming and uniquely visioned spaces on this whole trip. Everything was labeled with signs with their own artistic wit and significance (sort of like Trader Joe’s but even better). Much-needed showers were taken by the dusty team, and kits were washed using a couple five-gallon buckets and a plunger. The main floor had six bunk beds with wooden accents and comfortable dressings as well as a bathroom that also functions as a barber shop. The basement, where we hung out for a bit after showering, had everything. Maps lined the wall denoting the hostel’s place on the TransAmerica Bike Trail (mile 404) and plenty of other fun details; a very cool intersection for two different cross-country paths. Riders played board games with some of the children of another family staying at the hostel, watched some of ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’, interviewed for this journal segment, and continued to check out this colorful cyclist haven. Alas, we had to leave, and began to prepare a dinner of hot dogs and three pies from Silver Spur in Mt. Vernon (the only other other town along the route) at our campsite. The team chatted and laughed by the fire as we enjoyed dinner and each other’s company, and we slept under clear skies with the still-magnificent trees looming overhead. Tomorrow is the small city of Bend and the first glimpse of the Cascades.

Hostel basement.

Cleaning your kit the old-fashioned way.

Cool maps and information board, with emphasis on the TransAm Trail.

Kathryn pointing us home.

Peach habanero, multi-berry, or German chocolate?

A nice moment by the fire.

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Emily Gonzalez

How are you today? I am feeling really good.

In your opinion, what makes a good I4K teammate? Someone who is always willing to help, is considerate, funny, and I don’t think any of these are a problem for any of us. Wouldn’t trade anyone for anyone else!

Where was the best ice cream you’ve had so far? Olly and Wally’s in Logansport, Indiana. I got a hot fudge sundae and it was reeeally good! Update: Bonta in Bend, Oregon, it was so good I went back twice.

How have you improved in handling the bike during the ride? I think my shifting has gotten a lot better. I feel the difference; it is a second-nature thing at this point.

If you could snapshot one favorite or at least special sight, place, or moment in your mind that you’ve experienced on the bike, what would it be, where was it, and on what ride day? I’m stuck between two, because today was really beautiful. We went through canyons with interesting rock formations, and the day we rolled into Boulder was a long day, but seeing the mountains and what we were going to be doing with the fog, and all the trees . . . It smelled and looked like what you would think of too. I just loved that moment.

In ten words or less, how will you remember this ride when we complete it? A meaningful summer.

Please visit the rider profiles page on the website to learn more about this year’s riders! :)

Blender ingredient 1.

Blender ingredient 2.

Day 63: Alpine Coaster. Baker City to John Day

This one was just beautiful. The conifers of central Oregon and their rocky pedestals continue to amaze us. Every state has natural beauty both blatantly and subtly different from that in other states, and of course this isn’t confined to state lines. Oregon, while late in the game, is not to be under-appreciated.

Jaylen and Jon Y taking the final descent through the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 79.0

Elevation: +4926’/-5243’

General Direction: Navigate southeast via residential roads to reach OR 7, follow this road as it curves west over the first two major climbs for 50 miles, then turn right at the junction with U.S. 26, follow for the last major climb and descend for the final 21 miles until reaching the stayover at the eastern end of John Day.

Points of Interest: Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Malheur National Forest, Strawberry Mountain range, John Day River Valley, Powder River, Phillips Lake, Whitney and Austin (ghost towns)

This, for miles . . .

Tales of the Trail

The space under the sky became filled with pines just as quickly as it had become filled with sand the day before. Within fifteen miles out of Baker City, we were immersed in the beauty of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The spaced-out pines and firs were enchanting, and a surprising amount of grazing cows could be seen in seemingly invented fields nearby. Similar to Day 3 out of Lehighton, PA, this route was defined by its three large climbs and descents, topping out at just over 5000’ of elevation each, the longest climb lasting eight miles.

If only I could tell you the context.

Sunrise bike shadows against a rock face on the way out of Baker City.

Sam M and Paul beginning the first climb of the day.

Sandwiched in the two spacious valleys surrounded by greenery between these climbs were two railroad ghost towns: Whitney and Austin, which groups explored as a way to take a rest from the climbs prior. The route itself gave us incredible views of Wallowa-Wittman as well as the Malheur National Forest, and upon reaching mile 62 within the third descent, we were treated to a truly vast outlook over the John Day River Valley and Strawberry Mountain Range. Challenging yet beautiful, an unstoppable combination for a ride like today’s.

Patrick, Emily, Jean, JB, and Hanna (NP) entering Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.

Whitney, an abandoned railroad town from the early 20th century. Hanna and Jean (NP) took some time to bike through the town itself and capture some really cool pictures (and hopefully no ghosts!).

Olivia, Sam R, and Nabeel working on a flat during a downhill stretch.

We reached the 1500-strong town of John Day, and our stayover at the Assembly of God, in the afternoon. A pizza donation from Figaro’s and a soda contribution from the church were satiating and the team played a game of Empire hosted by Jaylen afterward. We continued to work on our bikes, talk to family and friends, have uncommon but traditional and fun hose showers, and nap after this tiring 79-mile day. Tomorrow is another camping day as well as an 86-miler with 5600’ of climbing into Ochoco National Forest at the heart of Oregon.

Making the climb.

Sam M among the pines.

Plenty of descents to be had into John Day.

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Patrick Jamison, Ride Leader

How are you today? I’m great, doing very well! Tough day today but felt very rewarding.

In your opinion, what makes a good I4K teammate? Someone who is patient, thinks of others, is funny, and communicates their needs.

Where was the best ice cream you’ve had so far? The best ice cream was probably at Sweet Cow in Boulder, but the best shake that I’ve had was from Johnny’s in River Forest, IL. Johnnys is a 10/10 shake taste-wise, and a 10/10 shake price-wise with unbeatable value. Sponsor me please.

How have you improved in handling the bike during the ride? Faster speeds feel much more comfortable. When we’re above 30 mph, it used to be very worrisome, but now it feels no different than 20. Shifting also feels as though it’s second nature; I don’t even have to think about it much of the time.

If you could snapshot one favorite or at least special sight, place, or moment in your mind that you’ve experienced on the bike, what would it be, where was it, and on what ride day? The Colorado River from Frisco to Eagle was possibly the most beautiful bike ride I’ve ever been on. It was so cool to be next to the rapids while on a bike path. The mountain, the river, just overall great vibes and a recipe for getting lost in the miles.

In ten words or less, how will you remember this ride when we complete it? A summer that just felt right.

Please visit the rider profiles page on the website to learn more about this year’s riders! :)

O’s for Oregon!

Day 62: A Two-Wheeled Horse With No Name. Ontario to Baker City

Unforgiving sun and shrub-covered canyons and peaks were our company today. A tough ride once again following the Oregon Trail that proved to be a good challenge for our Bike America Team. It was well worth the effort for where we stayed in town tonight - not to mention the sandwiches and espresso milkshakes.

Always a lovely sight: long sunrise bike shadows.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 74.9

Elevation: +4429’/-3181’

General Direction: Follow northbound roads through West Ontario to reach westbound I-84 at Exit 374, ride in the shoulder for 43.6 miles through nine exits and many ranch settlements and mountain access points, take exit 330 at mile 46.1 to reach westbound Old Highway 30, ride on this road for one marathon, then use residential streets to close out the route in Baker City and reach the hostel.

Points of Interest: Snake River, Snake River Valley, Burnt River, Burnt River Valley, Columbia Plateau (southern region, general canyon, plateau, and mountain scenery)

The Snake River, and our old friend Idaho on the other side.

One detail I forget to mention below - a top 10 sunrise for today. :)

Tales of the Trail

Another nearly 44-mile-long segment on our old friend I-84 gave us some brilliant desert scenery which began with a fair amount of climbing but eventually steadied itself as rock walls began to raise above us. The highway followed some open plains as well as the Snake River, wide and contrasted against the tan of the hills, that eventually created a canvas of canyon walls surrounding it. A rail line and the Burnt River (and of course, all the cars) were our company until we could exit onto Old U.S. 30 over halfway through the day. Who knew that Oregon and Arizona had so much in common?

Flat . . .

After flat . . .

Kathryn (L) and Sam R (R) taking the long descent toward the Snake River Valley.

Paul, Edward, Jean, and Hanna, and JB (NP) crossing into our final time zone of the journey. These are both incredibly symbolic and give us the illusion of waking up an hour later for a while.

One more rest stop near this highway exit allowed many to join the van and get out of the heat while the rest kept trucking for town. Flats were once again a common occurrence, and today included two at the same time as well as two on the same bike. A long descent beginning at mile 64 made us feel grateful, and in our tired states we zipped into town, only just appearing around one final hill, and twisted and turned our way into the lot of Churchill School Bike Hostel. Oh yeah, and Edward had this crazy pull up the hardest part of the climb for five miles, just, absolutely wild.

Sam R and Jaylen weave their way through the desert.

Some toasty cows grazing in a pocket between the ridge line.

JB pointing out a rough shoulder during the final few miles.

This stayover is a special one - our first true hostel of the cross-country ride! Truly a one of a kind space: there was a kitchen area, couches, and bunk beds in the same room, with showers connected to one of the stalls in the all-gender bathroom. This converted old school also serves as a concert and event venue with its own auditorium! We had quite the relaxing stay whether in the main room or outside among the quirkily bike-themed decor. Tomorrow, the mileage ticks up a little more as we ride through a couple of national forests to reach the town of John Day.

Moving into our colorful and pretty dang cool home for the night.

Another successful prom-posal of Hanna + Nabeel!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Hanna Fei

How are you today? I’m doing pretty good. It was a pretty hard day today. We were on the interstate for most of today and it was pretty windy, but we’re staying at the Churchill School which is a bike hostel and it is really cool.

In your opinion, what makes a good I4K teammate? Someone who takes responsibility, is supportive of all of their teammates, and is there for others when they’re having a hard time.

Where was the best ice cream you’ve had so far? I feel like I don’t get ice cream as often as everyone else on the team, but when we were in Sandusky, Jon, Olivia, and I went to Golly Gee Ice Cream and I got a berry flavored “flavorburst” on a soft serve cone which was really good. I’m lactose-intolerant, so I feel like I have to limit my ice cream intake, but that’s what Lactaid is for!

How have you improved in handling the bike during the ride? Before the ride, we had never really experienced any hills or mountains, so I have definitely learned a lot about when to shift under these conditions. I also recently learned how to ride without hands, so that’s fun!

If you could snapshot one favorite or at least special sight, place, or moment in your mind that you’ve experienced on the bike, what would it be, where was it, and on what ride day? I feel like the accomplishment of getting up to Loveland Pass and the view at the top, along with the feeling of knowing I had climbed this mountain, was really special to me. I feel like the buildup to the peak was really hard due to the elevation and how long it was, everyone in my group was struggling except for you (got lucky that day), but we made it through together and it just made getting to the top feel really good. And, of course, it was beautiful up there and we could see so far, and there was snow on the top of the mountains.

In ten words or less, how will you remember this ride when we complete it? An impactful and life-changing experience, lifelong friends, and lentils.

Please visit the rider profiles page on the website to learn more about this year’s riders! :)

It’s always so difficult to pick from Paul’s nature photos, they’re all just so good!

Oh.

Day 61: Just Out of Reach. Boise to Ontario, OR

A light 60 mile jaunt through Boise’s suburbs and farm fields with lurking bluff ranges took us over the Snake River and into our sixteenth state: the Beaver State of Oregon! It feels nothing short of awesome to have reached a west coast state, though we will not see that coast for both quite some time and in another state, California. We also watched the absolutely spectacular ‘Oppenheimer’, thus completing our Barbenheimer mission over two days.

“Around the World” Group approaching the bluff in the latter half of the ride.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 62.1

Elevation: +851’/-1379’

General Direction: Proceed out of the stayover onto W Fort St., turn right onto 15th St. and left on Hill Rd., follow signs for this road for 8.5 miles until reaching State St., turn right and follow this road for 18.0 miles, before reaching I-84 turn right onto Old Highway 30, ride north through the countryside for 19.4 miles, upon reaching 1st Ave. near New Plymouth, use zig-zagging country roads to avoid the bluffs, at mile 56.5 turn right onto Elmore Rd. and follow this across the Snake River to cross into Oregon, turn left then right onto 5th Ave. then make three turns within mile 61 to reach the stayover entrance.

Points of Interest: Rocky Mountains, Payette River, Snake River, downtown Ontario

Tales of the Trail

This morning was a pleasant one to wake up to after our rest day. Our host Carolyn graciously prepared breakfast burritos for everyone and we set out on a gradual downhill through the suburbs of Collister and Eagle Island. This segment took us to northbound Old Highway 30 near the midpoint of the ride. On the way, groups stopped at a café for some truly massive cinnamon rolls. Ride conditions were pretty tame, save for the heat. One group even played “Around the World” by Daft Punk for the entire duration of their ride (and honestly didn’t get sick of it). Fields worked their way in between sandy ridges and bluffs, creating a path for us to zigzag our way toward the Snake River. Crossing the bridge in the early afternoon took us both into town and our new state as a whole.

“Around the World” Group during a desert portion.

Ridiculous.

Jean and Adam on Old Highway 30.

“Van back, passing!”

Tonight, we are staying at the First Church of the Nazarene. At 3:30, we piled into the van and went to watch ‘Oppenheimer’ on the big screen. This three-hour film was absolutely incredible for those that weren’t asleep (although how one could sleep through a movie as loud as this one is a mystery). We enjoyed some donated pizzas from Pizza Hut for dinner and went about our routine of some lovely and needed laundry and showers. Tomorrow, we set off through the desert for Baker City.

Ed says Welcome to Oregon! :)

Yup.

Jaylen’s new crop top . . .

Olivia giving JY a fresh cut as the sun sets.

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Sam Michalak

How are you today? I’m doing well. Today was a quick and lighter day which was much needed even after the rest day and doing four centuries in a row.

In your opinion, what makes a good I4K teammate? Somebody who is always willling to put somebody else above themselves, because you never know how their day went, if they need help with their chore, etc. Someone who is willing to celebrate other teammates and be there for them.

Where was the best ice cream you’ve had so far? I would have to say the ice cream shop in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, called Chantilly Goods Ice Cream Shoppe. I remember getting salted caramel brownie, which was quite good, but it really stands out to me because it was our first ice cream, and in general, our first outing/activity as an entire team after a ride.

How have you improved in handling the bike during the ride? My biggest thing would be cornering, especially on descents. There’s a large learning curve for successfully doing this, because we can’t really prepare for the large descents in or around Champaign. Rosner’s words, “Lean the bike, not yourself”, were really helpful to me in figuring out how to take turns on descents. My overall confidence in the mountains has been building a lot recently as well.

If you could snapshot one favorite or at least special sight, place, or moment in your mind that you’ve experienced on the bike, what would it be, where was it, and on what ride day? I would pick finishing the day into Vernal, because that was our longest ride at 112 miles and it was our first day in Utah, which is a new state for me. The mental idea of “I got myself to a new state on my own power” was really impactful to me and helped me to know just how much I had accomplished so far.

In ten words or less, how will you remember this ride when we complete it? It’s an amazing journey that is much larger than myself.

Please visit the rider profiles page on the website to learn more about this year’s riders! :)

Safety Group superstar Nabeel holds back the van on a clearly busy country road.

Days 59 & 60: The Fifth Century I.4.K., Barbenheimer Boom, and I4Kristmas. Fairfield to Boise + Rest Day

101 miles lay between a sleepy bike team and a long-awaited rest day in Idaho’s capital city. In addition to being our last official century of the ride, today is a very special day: I4Kristmas! The fact of this being our second to last rest day is also a bit sobering in regard to the end of the ride approaching, but it is also quite necessary following four high-mileage days and plenty of mountainous terrain ahead in Oregon. Oh yeah, it’s also finally time for Barbenheimer! We saw ‘Barbie’ during the rest day and decided to watch ‘Oppenheimer’ the following day in Ontario.

All smiles on I4Kristmas morning. :)

Ride Overview

Mileage: 101.4

Elevation: +2548’/-4897’

General Direction: Proceed to U.S. 20 and head west for 56 miles, turn onto westbound I-84 at the town of Mountain Home and stay on for 40.4 miles, upon entering Boise take exit 54 for Broadway Ave., then use the roundabouts to transfer onto Fort Street to reach the stayover.

Points of Interest: Rocky Mountains, Little Camas Reservoir, Boise National Forest, downtown Boise

Strolling through downtown on the rest day.

Tales of the Trail

The first half was lonely. Continuing right from where we left off on U.S. 20 the day before, the course remained mostly flat save for some rolling hills, and multiple minutes would pass between cars on the road. The sounds of Christmas music rang from our speakers through the morning air as we pushed through the bare countryside and into a smaller range. A long descent beginning at mile 44 ate up a few miles and took us into the town of Mountain Home, the access point to the only way directly into Boise: Interstate 84. A lunch stop at McDonald’s refueled the teams stomachs and spirits as the temperature reached into the 90s.

Another tank pic!

The second half was crowded. Nothing but desert peaks could be seen on either side for miles as the shoulder of I-84 became our home and workplace for a few hours. Honestly, most will agree that the traffic isn’t really much of an issue, it’s the minefield of debris on the shoulder itself that we constantly have to watch for and dodge. Flats and frustration were a common cocktail on this stretch, as the heat, noise, road conditions, and lack of much else to look at made it grueling. Usually, it’s the very small pieces of debris such as a piece of glass or a stray metal wire that are the culprits for the flats during these portions, and today was no exception. A rest stop halfway through this forty mile segment was our only break, and the push into Boise was quite stressful given the exit ramps and navigating onto the main spur and into the city itself. Nevertheless, we did it, and arrived at Immanuel Lutheran Church in the afternoon. At this point, a few of our riders including Paul, Sam M, Patrick, Sam R, and myself have all completed a quadruple century, or four century rides back to back.

To catch a license plate . . .

Patty and Adam cruising along the interstate.

Punctures can come from quite small objects and pieces of debris. Try and find the metal wire between my fingers.

Our host Carolyn made us feel right at home, and we started off our stay with a plentiful community dinner and showers at the nearby YMCA. We were also given generous donations by the church for meals and snacks for the van. In the evening, we had our official I4Kristmas gift exchange, with many interesting gifts to say the very least. From here, some riders explored a bit of downtown, and everyone settled in for a long night of good sleep.

Jaylen, Paul, Sam R, Sam M, and Nabeel enjoying dinner the first night. Did I mention it was plentiful?

Another I4Kristmas in the books! Every one of these gifts has a story.

A few of us checking out Pie Hole, a local and heavily stickered pizza joint.

The Rest Day

‘Barbie’ was first on the agenda for today, and the team caught a mid-morning showing after grabbing some breakfast from the church or a local café complete with some fun games of Guess Who. We all enjoyed the movie very much, and afterward decided to split up to explore town, fix bikes, or just chill at the church. In the evening, we were invited by Hillview United Methodist, another local church, to their community dinner where we ate a delicious and variety-filled meal, engaged in some fellowship with parishioners and guests, and completed an emotional and very meaningful Portrait with Claudia, a church administrator. A quick van cleaning took place when we arrived back at Immanuel Lutheran, and we slept soundly. Oregon is tomorrow - our second to last state if you can believe it.

Claudia and the Bike America Team after she shared her story at Hillview United Methodist.

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Jonathan Yuen, Assistant Ride Leader

How are you today? It was a day. it was a good century, definitely not the easiest but not the hardest either. The morning sunrise was gorgeous and seeing Idaho and having the road to ourselves in the morning was nice. It’s definitely one to be proud of, especially the feat of navigating the interstate shoulder for 40 miles.

In your opinion, what makes a good I4K teammate? Someone who exemplifies our mission both as a cyclist and a member, someone who looks out for others as well as cares for themselves, someone who understands the bigger purpose of our journey, and someone who is there for others when they aren’t having a great day. I don’t think there’s any one thing that makes one teammate better than another; we all bring something different to the table. Honestly, everyone on our team is a great teammate and fills their role well.

Where was the best ice cream you’ve had so far? I haven’t had much ice cream, mainly milkshakes. The one that stands out to me the most was the coffee shake I got from Red Rooster Sandwich Shop in Meeker, Colorado. A close second would be the huckleberry shake from Frostop in Ashton, Idaho.

How have you improved in handling the bike during the ride? In general, I would say my overall comfort with the bike; it feels more like an extension of my body than before. Doing a lot of no hands riding helps with this a lot, as well as knowing that I trust my feet on the pedals. Even if I hit a bump or pothole, I know I can manage my balance and not fall. One area I’ve improved a lot in is looking back without swerving to the point where I can look back without hands and still go straight. A lot of this, I think, came from skiing and trusting the uncertainty of that in a sense. A lot of people’s hands get sore from long descents because of gripping the bars, so I strive for the opposite where I’m able to keep my arms loose the whole time.

If you could snapshot one favorite or at least special sight, place, or moment in your mind that you’ve experienced on the bike, what would it be, where was it, and on what ride day? The morning we left Meeker (Meeker to Vernal), I remember pretty clearly that I was riding with Jean, Adam, and Olivia. We were going through the canyons, flying with tailwinds, there weren't a lot of cars, and the sunrise was gorgeous. Going from darkness to seeing the sunrise was amazing and allowed me to live in that moment enjoying that scenery. The way that it hit some of the gorges, the cows, and horses, the river, all of it. Its also the day I found my first plate which was special to me. Honestly, that was my favorite ride day of the ride. Doing 112 miles, the longest ride of my life, and having all those elements just made it feel like a huge accomplishment.

In ten words or less, how will you remember this ride when we complete it? Life-changing, friendships, purposeful, kindness, sonder, accomplished, rewarding, family, beautiful, forever.

Please visit the rider profiles page on the website to learn more about this year’s riders! :)

~Dictionary of I4K~

I4Kristmas: One of the I4K holidays. Traditionally celebrated on July 25th and involves a Secret Santa-like gift exchange consisting of one small bought gift and one side-of-the-road gift. Christmas music and decor is optional but encouraged.

Day 58: We choose to go to the moon. Arco to Fairfield

The blackened igneous fields of hardened lava flows stretched to our left and right as we careened down the highway shoulder. So new is so much of what we see on the surface of the Earth, and yet it looks, and is in regard to us, so ancient. Craters of the Moon was an incredibly stark and beautiful reminder of the titanic forces operating under our feet at all times.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 87.5

Elevation: +2170’/-2405’

General Direction: Turn out of the stayover onto westbound U.S. 20-26-93, optionally make a left at mile 18.2 to explore Craters of the Moon via Loop Road, at mile 43.4 turn right onto U.S. 20 and follow for 43.7 miles, turn right onto Soldier Road in Fairfield to reach the stayover.

Points of Interest: Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Rocky Mountains

Tales of the Trail

An eighteen mile gradual ascent took us out of Arco and to the entrance of Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. While the first two ride groups opted to ride around the looping road within the site, the third continued for a total of almost 42 miles before the van caught up. Talk about endurance! The group consisting of Patrick, the Sams, and myself made up a queue of all moon-related songs to welcome the occasion, and twisting through this looping road to the sounds of “Fly Me to the Moon”, “Rocket Man”, the ‘Interstellar’ soundtrack, and many others just made our time there all the more special. Beautiful pumice rock formations, and plenty of thriving vegetation in the rich volcanic soil greeted us with absolute splendor. The first two groups took a pause to hike up the side of the Inferno Cone, the remains of one of many volcanic cones, or craters, the site has to offer before continuing through the rest of the loop and a fun bonus 10% descent.

Starting out from Arco.

Climbing Inferno Cone.

Eastern view from the top.

Men (and squirrel) on the moon.

After a quick rest stop at the Visitor Center, a long descent into the town of Carey at mile 43 brought with it the aforementioned miles of lava flats, a truly alien and surreal landscape. The remainder of the route focused on endurance, and was nearly all due west through a few climbs including a notable pass through Queen’s Crown outside of Carey. The heat and headwinds set in and pushed us back as we made the slow climb toward Fairfield, its outskirts seeming to drift away from us in those final few miles.

New van art by Hanna just dropped! Stay tuned for a few more additions. :)

Patrick, Sam M, and Sam R race through the lava flats.

Jon and Nina chilling in the van ft. Hanna’s bike.

But of course, patience won out and we did eventually make it into town! A few more centuries were completed and the team took part in some shopping, showering, laundering (not that kind), and some delicious “cold dinner”, which consists of bread or tortillas, spinach, chickpea mash, and spices made by Chefs Hanna and Kathryn. We also enjoyed some tubs of ice cream and snacks we got at the store and relaxed after this arduous day. We are staying at Camas County High School (go Mushers!) and looking forward to reaching Idaho’s capital of Boise tomorrow.

Ride recovery pt. 1 ft. Sam M.

Ride Recovery Pt. 2 ft. Jaylen.

Sunset over a sleepy Fairfield.

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Laurel Racette

How are you today? I’m feeling good, I bought a car two days ago and took it out for a joyride so that was fun. I enjoyed the book I’m reading, and am definitely still recovering from the ride.

In your opinion, what makes a good I4K teammate? I feel like someone that’s attentive and can read the language of what you’re not necessarily saying out loud. Being able to put yourself second and others first can be difficult, but checking in on how people are feeling in the moment goes a long way.

Where was the best ice cream you’ve had so far? It was Des Moines, Iowa at Snookie’s Malt Shop. They had my favorite ice cream topping, called Crunch Cone, that I used to get as a kid at the local ice cream place near my home, which had since been discontinued, so it was great to be able to find it there.

How have you improved in handling the bike during the ride? I think lot better than when I started, I got a lot better at riding with one hand, when I was training I was so nervous about clipping in, but now it comes naturally to me.

If you could snapshot one favorite or at least special sight, place, or moment in your mind that you’ve experienced on the bike, what would it be, where was it, and on what ride day? It was the 104 mile day when we biked into McCook, Nebraska. That morning, the scenery changed from cornfields to actually looking like we were heading west, and that day was just really fun and just starting to see that change in scenery made me very excited.

In ten words or less, how will you remember this ride when we complete it? Bike, PB&J, cheese and bread, fun, emotional, and rewarding.

Please visit the rider profiles page on the website to learn more about this year’s riders! :)

From the top of Inferno Cone’s climb.

Day 57: Bringing the Heat. Sugar City to Arco

Circumstantial changes play into every ride we embark on - wind changes, pace adjustments, elevation, humidity, and severe weather are constantly analyzed by each rider and what this means for their comfort and performance on the bike - and not necessarily through apps, though this can be very helpful. These reactions and adjustments really help us to hone critical thinking, team-building, communication, and injury prevention skills and habits. They help us to learn about ourselves as people in many ways, and what we are physically or mentally capable of in that moment and across the day, which is really powerful. I, for one of seventeen, am incredibly proud of this progress we have made and how it has made us quicker in our rides and more in tune with ourselves as human beings.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 91.5

Elevation: +1769’/-1367’

General Direction: Proceed west through Sugar City and southwest into Rexburg, turn right onto ID 33 through downtown Rexburg at mile 4.1, follow for 46.4 miles and use Lincoln Blvd. for 4.2 miles to transfer back onto ID 33, continue to cut around the southern edges of the mountain ranges, and turn right onto U.S. 20-26 at mile 83.8, use 3100 N at mile 90.1 to reach the RV park.

Points of Interest: Little Lost River, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Rocky Mountains (Tyler Peak, Saddle Mountain, Jumpoff Peak, Number Hill), Arco

Tales of the Trail

It was going to be a hot one from the start. Open, nameless plains and desert mountains made up over 95% of what we saw that day, creating the perfect conditions for the dry heat to come. Within ten miles, gone was another ‘fertile crescent’ of farm fields following the Snake River that we had seen so much of the day before. Mile 25 brought us across the intersection with I-15, the last north-south interstate before I-5, which borders the west coast. As we pushed due west, the imposing mountain range containing Saddle Mountain crept closer. Our rest stop at mile 50 brought us just outside the Idaho National Laboratory’s facility, and we used Idaho 33 to scoot under the southern border of the adjacent mini-ranges. At this point, the sun was high in the sky as was the temperature, inching toward 100 degrees! Six of the final seven miles were on the busier U.S. 20-26, and after one final climb, Arco appeared directly in front of us.

Sunrise in Sugar City.

JY poses at the second rest stop, note Idaho National Lab in the background.

The few, the brave, the bold, Safety Group.

Big sky, tiny cyclists.

Another century was achieved for some, but everyone got out of the sun as soon as possible to check out Pickle’s Place, the birthplace of fried pickles as well as home to the atomic burger, and boy did it satisfy. Arco’s claim to fame as the first city to be lit by atomic power percolated throughout most of its attractions and was presented on many building signs. The final link to our destination of Mountain View RV Park gave us the chance to see this firsthand, and when we arrived we immediately got into our routines and were cautious to stay out of the heat whenever possible. In the final mile, Sam M’s rear tire exploded, demonstrating the impact of the heat on our bikes. Luckily, he and Patrick were able to drive to a neighboring town and get a replacement. Our hosts provided us with access to their (very nice) showers, as well as a wonderful spaghetti and garlic bread dinner. The restaurant/office we stayed in proved to be a great gathering space where we could talk with each other and our hosts and play some games.

An undefeated Sam M walks the final mile with his bike over his shoulder after the rear tire explodes.

Nina and the massive Pickle’s Place rocker.

As the sun set and it finally began to cool, we made our preparations to sleep outside - but not in tents! Everyone slept under the stars in near-perfect conditions: dry, 70 degrees, and with very few bugs. But of course, the greatest aspect of this was the wide canvas of stars stretching above us, so apparent that the Milky Way band was visible to the east when we turned in for the night. Interestingly, the constellation of Hercules was directly overhead at this time as well, a nice symbol for the Herculean tasks we seem to take on daily. We are sleeping both peacefully and out of necessity in preparation for another toasty day in the desert on our way to Fairfield, Idaho.

Interesting dollar bill collage on the roof of the RV park restaurant ft, Hanna.

One of my favorite writing spots so far. :)

Just a taste of what we could see. Photo credit: Edward.

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Paul Leman

How are you today? I’m feeling good. A little exhausted after today; it was a long one. We made it a century, and those last eight extra miles were pretty tough but we got them done and got to experience the Pickle Place. I got some wonderful food there and some cold lemonade at the RV park front office, so no complaints there.

In your opinion, what makes a good I4K teammate? I think of two things. First, someone who will complete all their duties and responsibilities well and completely in such a way that their teammates don’t have to check up on them constantly. Second, someone who is fun to be around. I think this trip has the potential to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and your company really defines that experience. It’s definitely important for me to be around people who are fun to be with on a trip like this.

Where was the best ice cream you’ve had so far? River Forest, IL at Johnny’s. I got a chocolate milkshake, which was hands down the best milkshake I’ve ever had, and it was also incredibly affordable.

How have you improved in handling the bike during the ride? I think one thing is riding one-handed. I was always comfortable taking my right hand off, but I used to not be comfortable taking the left off. That’s an area I’ve definitely improved in just by doing callouts and turn signals.

If you could snapshot one favorite or at least special sight, place, or moment in your mind that you’ve experienced on the bike, what would it be, where was it, and on what ride day? I would say the first 30 miles from Meeker to Vernal. Heading down that valley that gradually turned into desert was really, really beautiful.

In ten words or less, how will you remember this ride when we complete it? A unique and wonderful experience that has stretched me.

Please visit the rider profiles page on the website to learn more about this year’s riders! :)

Nabeel adds the first pin of his home country of Pakistan.