I can't believe I am sitting here in San Raphael, California. I'm amazed that this is day 70 of 72. I was thinking while riding yesterday that these hills are the last hills I will get to experience. Even though hills are hard, I tried my absolute best to have a good attitude because I know its the end. Unfortunately, I've had a poor attitude the last few days because they have been so hard since my body is exhausted and almost unwilling to do anything. In addition, California has been a tough state with hills as big as mountains and a severe heat that has made it even worse! However, I have still persevered and here I am today. I was thinking this morning how this would be the last time I wake up with 25 other people in the same room. I keep thinking how everything will be for the last time and I don't even know what I'm gonna do when I cross the finish line. It's absolutely insane. I can't believe that it's the end. Though my attitude was poor, I now wish I could have just a couple more days, just a little more time with people and with this experience. Though I have had plenty of time to take it all in, I feel like I still need to contemplate what has happened over the past 70 days. I'm so sad and happy at the same time but I wouldn't have it any other way. It has been such an honor to have been selected for this experience. I'm so thankful for each and every day that I have had and for every memory I will have for the rest of my life. This is by far the most amazing adventure of my life and I know its only going to get better from here on out. I guess I'll see some of you on the flip side of the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE in San Francisco. Here...we....go.
Wishes Fulfilled
When I was younger, I would always wish on my eyelashes. Whenever I found an eyelash on my hand or on my face, I made sure to make a wish. From like age 5-15, I wished to go to Paris. At age 16, I went to Paris on an exchange. From age 15 until age 19, I wished to study abroad. At age 20 I studied abroad in Australia. I was so fortunate to have my dreams come true over time. I know its a silly thing that I picked up, but I actually really believed in it and my wishes did end up coming true. The other day for the first time on this trip, I noticed an eyelash on my hand (probably haven't had any because the wind whips them right off of my face). The funny thing was that I had nothing to wish for and I have never had that situation. I have always had something I needed or wanted that I could wish for, but I really had nothing this time around. I didn't even wish for this trip ever and it just popped up as the best opportunity of my life and here I stand completely satisfied and for once without anything else to wish for. I think that's the wonderful thing about an experience like this one. The small things really make you realize what you have and what you are going to miss about an experience like this.The past few days have all been wonderful riding days despite some craziness; then again, who are we kidding we are riding our bikes across the country so craziness should be expected. The days have been so simply great, there isn't much that we do different but somehow the simplicity is so perfect. I keep seeing more and more how much this experience has already helped me to build my character and how much it is going to change my life from now on and I feel so lucky to sit here with the chance to reflect on everything given the end is so near. All I can say is that my wishes and dreams are already fulfilled so I'm just gonna have to learn to dream bigger.
Moshers
Gotta say, I love Moshers, they are so entertaining. Eric Mosher doesn't even know about the best part about his name haha. Today we had another great Mosh as usual. This morning we did a talent sh0w with Christian playing some lovely Mariachi music and Manchild (Connor Yanz) busting out some Postal Service. The best part however, was the ridiculousness that ensued after, not to say that those two aren't talented but ridiculousness is so entertaining.There were some interesting instruments at the church so we decided to do a slam poetry session. It was absolutely hysterical. We had Sean on the African drums, Bopp with some weird shaker thing, Gabrielle on the chimes, and Manny and Lee rapping about Peanut Butter and Jelly with Sean chiming in random words like "rebirth" every now and then. It was awesome. I was dying of laughter. Unfortunately no one recorded this which is so sad because it was awesome. I guess I'll just have to keep that one in my memory.This is the I4K that no one sees that occurs when no one else is around and its beautiful. The other day we were in Phillipsburg, Montana and some of the boys blasted some music and randomly had a dance session that a few of us were privy to witness, it was so hilarious I can't even begin to describe it. The boys crack me up so much. They are so silly and easy going. I love the carefree attitude that we all have adopted on this trip, it's so fun. We all just laugh all the time. We do ridiculous things and it's totally accepted. I will miss that when I have to be proper again. Nevertheless I guess I will continue to let the good times roll/hilariousness ensue until I get back :)
This is just the beginning.......
When I started touring the United States on my bicycle, I was so nervous. I had not ridden my bike in 11 years until last July when I was kindly given a bike by a friend. I fixed it up and Charlie and I, were soon best friends. I had always been thinking about doing Illini 4000, but I was never sure if I could since I hadn't biked in so long. I have never been athletic and I have always been horrible at sports embarrassing myself anytime I tried. I have certainly struggled a lot with cycling on this trip, but today I realized that this is only the beginning of my lifelong adventures. We were so fortunate to get to tour the Adventure Cycling Association. This whole trip, I have felt so cool. I can finally say that I am athletic, which I have never ever said before. Today, I realized that what I am doing is just the beginning of the rest of my life. I met a woman who has toured 66 countries on her bike and has done over 250,000 miles in the last 30 years. I met the founders who biked 18,000 miles from Anchorage, Alaska to Argentina over two years and then set up a cross country ride for 4000 people in 1976. How AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! I met people who were doing self-supported tours and people who had traveled all over the world on their bicycles. I read crazy stories like one about a man who toured the U.S. at 70 and another man who toured with a lawn mower attached to his bike so he had some employment. I realized that we had just touched the tip of the iceberg. We were the lucky ones with a supported tour that was already organized.I left that place as if I was in a dream mode and I was constantly thinking about what would be my next tour. I thought I was adventurous, but it turns out I am nothing compared to others. However, after studying abroad in Australia and doing this tour of the United States, my thirst for adventure is only growing. I can't wait to see where life takes me next. On our way into Missoula, I rode with 4 boys. I have never done that. I am usually the one causing the gaps, not the one keeping up. Finally, for the first time, I was able to keep up with people who were much bigger and more athletic than me. I'm sure they slowed their pace down some, but it was a lot better then it usually is for me. We rode fast even in the headwind and it was an amazing accomplishment for me. I can see myself improving everyday. I can't wait to get back. I am hoping to get a routine of cycling, swimming, and running in. It's going to be awesome.I feel like I am finally learning that I have never pushed my limits and if I do push them, I really have potential. If I could explain where I was a year ago and where I am today with words, I would, but I can't, the change is unreal. I ended up having one of the best rides I have ever had with Connor, Sean, Christian, and Ron. We got to stop at these hot springs off the side of I-90 and I jumped off a cliff for the first time and swam in an underwater cave! I even got the opportunity to sit in a waterfall! To top off a great day, Rachel and I happened to walk into a sweet jazz bar at night and we had a great evening listening to some amazing live jazz. I love when life takes you by surprise and you find something so perfect just by chance. Every time I travel, it happens at least once and it's such a magical feeling. We ended up at a local hotspot with great music and we didn't even know it. We got the opportunity to listen to some phenomenal live music in a town we have never even been to, how can't you enjoy a moment like that? As I keep telling everyone by adding Rs when I am excited about something, I LURV this trip!BTW, excuse my grammatical errors, I am usually half asleep when I write these so I make silly mistakes sorry about that.
Life is Beautiful
Wow what an amazing week. We have been in the mountains and its been lovely. I can't remember the last time I was angry because I have been so happy and peaceful as of late. I am thoroughly enjoying life every day. It's so beautiful out here. Yesterday I was in a smaller group and Manny, Taylor, and I had such a great time. We took the day slow and soaked in the beauty as we passed through lakes and valleys. We even stopped by a river and had breakfast at a cafe. We went from snow capped mountains to being in prairie land like Illinois, only the prairie here is surrounded by mountains. I toured towns as I always do and sat on the church porch staring at the mountains amazed that I am sitting here with only a bicycle to think about. We were fortunate to have Marc, a barista at Espresso Royale, to make us wonderful drinks this morning and we had a great meal donated by the church. How amazing is this experience! I love every minute. We have a climb ahead of us, but I now know that I can accomplish anything no matter what is thrown my way. I just love every minute of my life right now and I can't believe that this experience is so close to being over. I will never ever forget these days and they will always help me get through whatever else I go through in life. I think I will keep a snapshot of the view we have right now to always remember that life is beautiful and we are fortunate to have each and every day.
One of the best days of my life
Oh my gosh, I can't even begin to describe how awesome yesterday was. I think if I try, I will ramble on so I will give you the shortcut version by way of my facebook status. Here goes:Just experienced one of the most beautiful days of my life. Climbed the big horns to reach snow capped peaks, took a nap in a field that resembles that in the sound of music, biked downhill through a canyon only to sleep in a tent right next to a river full of rushing water with its peaceful sounds accompanying my sleep and i even managed to catch a look at the stars just before i went to sleep. i will never forget 7/1/11.
Parades and Soap Operas
Man, today was the best day of the trip so far. It started out like any normal day. Rolled out and started biking. Everything was pretty average until we hit mile 56. We were in a town called Fairmount in Minnesota on our way to Jackson. I'm personally a huge fan of stopping in small towns and getting a feel for the world around me. I really like seeing what each town has to offer. Boy was I in for a surprise and so were others on the team. We started touring Fairmont and it was pretty simple at first and almost everything was closed. Thankfully this awesome place was open it was called the Real Film Society I believe. It was this club that was decorated in a 20's style and was available for rent for anyone in the town. Maggie and I just walked around in awe at how awesome it was. We even make a breast cancer survivor who was 20 years free of her cancer. We told them what we were doing and they were so supportive. After we walked around in there, we got the offer of a lifetime. The owner said they were filming the town soap opera called "As the Corn Grows" and needed some extras so obviously Maggie and I jumped at the chance. It was insane we got to pretend we were eating and talking at a Diner. It was hilarious and so cool. I couldn't believe that we were featured. Maggie and I, will both now have a credit to our names and we even got some free advertising for Illini 4000! Amazing!We were already on top of the world when we kept riding. We were in another town and we ended up in their town parade! How insane is that? We rode up to the parade to see what was going on and lo and behold we saw Relay for Life rolling up. We told them what we were doing and they let us join the parade with them! We rode like 5 or 6 blocks in the parade and then rolled back out! It was so crazy awesome.Later on we heard that in the same towns another group of riders got to work at a bike shop and got interviewed on the radio and also attended the town festival! Minnesota is officially the nicest state in the United States. I have yet to meet a mean person in this state. We even were invited to a graduation party yesterday for dinner. We literally crashed a graduation party without our knowledge. We thought we were going to a park but really we were going to someone's back yard where their food stand stood.These have been the most insanely awesome days ever! Can't wait for more.
Mayo Clinic!
Ahhhhhh we went to the Mayo Clinic today. It was so awesome. I can't even believe I stood there. In all of my Community Health classes and my work at the Public Health Department I always hear about Mayo Clinic. I read Mayo's research and I am constantly learning about the accomplishments that have been made. I couldn't believe I was actually in those halls today. What an honor! This trip has made me cherish every minute of every day and it's so good to get a pay off like seeing the Mayo Clinic on a day off. Thanks to everyone that showed us around and spoke to us. My sincerest wishes go to all of the people that we did portraits with yesterday at the Hope Lodge. It is so inspiring to hear those stories and it makes me appreciate every minute of my life. Thank you all for giving me a face to put to my ride. I know what I'm riding for and I now have people to remind me that each struggle is worth so much.
The sweet taste of victory
So here I sit, in my living room after about 1200 miles of biking across the United States. What an odd sensation. I feel like I'm done. I already am relaxing and hanging out forgetting that I have about 3300 miles yet to complete. I don't think there are words to describe what I felt when we were walking up to Millennium Park. I don't even know what I was thinking. My mind still has not wrapped around the fact that I biked from NYC to Chicago, let alone that I am biking to San Francisco. I feel so oddly comfortable in my house. It's weird to see things that are mine and not the team's or the church's. I took a shower today and the water was hot the entire time. Like people told me I would, I have missed my luffa. Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try and no matter how much you scrub, you will always find more patches of grease that you missed.I am so fortunate to be a part of this experience and to be experiencing it with the people that I am. We are not a team, we are a family. We have been since Day1. I never once felt uncomfortable. I love everyone on the team so much! We laugh during the good times and we help each other in the tough times. It's really awesome. Today we rode 28 strong the entire way which was unplanned but worked out phenomenally. I don't think our team could have done such a great 30 mile ride together if it weren't for our closeness and the fact that most of us have already ridden which each other at least once before. We handled the situation with grace and Manny did an awesome job leading us through the city streets. What a ride it has been so far and I definitely feel the best days are on their way. The first week was so hard and there were even worse days over the last week because the heat was just so intense. I can say that the worst thing for me is definitely the heat. I think I personally struggle a lot more mentally then I do physically. I feel pain but I think I can compartmentalize it pretty well. However, whenever my morale is low, everything goes downhill. The heat puts me in a state of exhaustion and deliriousness which is hard for me to control. However, I still made it through. I finally feel stronger and I can say with confidence that I am stronger. I am a stronger rider, a better person, and a harder worker.Today was by far the craziest day of my life and is likely to remain so. We woke up in the morning and it was pouring. We also woke up to Pi walking around which was weird. Pi is our team's Director of Team Development. He trained us as best he could and sent us off to cycle across the U.S. It was so weird to see him this morning after almost 1200 miles. We got to talk to him about our experiences which was neat. He was kind enough to drive the van so that we could ride as a 28 person team for only the second time on this trip. Usually one of us is driving, but when we rolled into Champaign and Chicago, our two most important stops, we were lucky to have alumni help us out.Now when I say today was crazy, I mean it was insane. When we got up it was pretty bad out. There was lightning and a heck of a lot of rain. We ate breakfast and readied ourselves with an awesome Mosher (a daily get amped session) by Manny. We did some stretching to our team anthem which is "Push it" by Salt-N-Pepa. The phrase "push it" has become a team motto. Whenever we are in the mood to get somewhere, we "push it." After stretching, Manny pumped us up as if we were going to play the football game of our lives but really the greatest ride of our lives. We chanted as a family and sounded like one kick ass individual. It was just awesome. Couldn't have been more pumped.So the craziness began. From the second we started to the second we reached Millennium Park, things were just insane. In the morning we could barely see as it was pouring and there was still some lightning. We rode out separately in our groups but ended up staying pretty close to one another. The cues were wrong for some reason, perhaps because of the rain some roads were closed. We ended up riding as a 28 person team on the fly for virtually the entire ride. We moved as one vehicle, one big semi truck of cyclists. That in itself was insane but it only got worse. We rode through deep puddles without the ability to see if there were potholes or sharp objects etc. Even worse, we walked through 2 foot deep floods 2-3 times. We even caught someone boating around in a flood we walked through. I mean we took this day like champions. What could have been the worst day ever, ended up being the best day ever. Not one of us was complaining, we were all laughing and enjoying the insanity of the situation. We had issues from brake pads falling off, to gears getting stuck, to two flats within 5 miles of Millennium Park. You name it, we experienced it. No matter how hard it was, we all sucked it up and took it in I4Crazy style. In the midst of the water mess, pretty much the first time we have really ridden in rain this entire trip, we rode 28 of us throughout the city. There were lights shut off and roads closed and there was traffic but through it all, we stuck together. I can't believe that we managed as well as we did. We knew to give each other space to brake because of the rain and we knew that we had to constantly check to make sure everyone was through the stoplights. We never left anyone behind and we didn't have any crashes. It was amazing. I could not be more proud.Finally we reached Connor Yanz's house. Also known as Manchild's cave. I think the Yanz family deserves a round of applause. They fed 28, utterly disgusting riders. God alone knows what was in that water we walked through. They had towels ready and food and coffee set up. They had a flood in their house already and then allowed 28 soaking riders in. I mean literally, they must be the kindest people alive. We played with their lovely dogs and filled up on energy while we attempted to dry off. All of us were freezing at this point but as usual we sucked it up and got back on our bikes as we rode through more puddles, potholes, floods, and traffic. What was great was that whenever anything went wrong, the entire team stopped. We stuck it out together. There were few complaints and everyone worked to help each other. After all of that we finally caught the wind of the lake. We had two flats along the way but we stayed strong. The wind tried to push us down, but nothing was stopping us at this point. We pushed each other through the wind to the stop light by Millennium Park. We made it relatively on time for the first time in I4K history. Regardless of how much we dealt with, we were still on time and still together. By the time we walked in we were mostly dry from the wind and we were all smiling and laughing. At Millennium Park, I was able to see one of my closest friends and to see my family and the family members of my teammates. It's great to have fans everywhere we go, especially after we have such an unexpectedly insane day. This ride into Chicago will go down as one of the craziest in I4K history, but also will be one of the best days of the 2011 trip. I think that it is tough for any of us to say that this was a bad day. It was absolutely the coolest day of my life.As I said in my first trip blog, we see things that we would sleep through in cars. As soon as I got in the car to go home, I fell asleep. I thought to myself, what if I rode through the Chicagoland area the way I have across the country, what would I see that I have missed all my life when I was sleeping in car rides. Earlier today when I was in Chicago, I was a force to be reckoned with, even on my own. My mom and sister came to pick my Dad and I up for lunch. As soon as they stopped, I flipped my bike upside down and removed the wheels. People stared at my bike, watched me as I quickly disassembled and put my bike in the car. I was wearing my jersey and proud to stand with about 1200 miles under my belt. It amazed me that people had no idea what I had been through in the past few weeks and there was some pride in that thought. It was like I was in on a secret that only a few people in the country know. It was so cool. When I went to get lunch on UIC's campus, I walked around with the straightest back I have ever held, proudly showcasing my jersey and cycling shorts. People looked at me oddly but I didn't care, I took it in stride and enjoyed the moment, amazed at what I had accomplished. It is at times like these that I really recognize what I am doing. It's weird, but I often forget that I am cycling across the U.S. I get so in the zone that all I think about is getting from Point A to Point B. Once I'm at Point B it's like I have permission to crash and I almost immediately fall asleep. I don't often take the time to think about what I am doing. Now that I have my own computer in hand and some time to contemplate, I am really starting to feel the monumentality of what I am doing. When I turned on my computer I saw the I4K logo and I felt that I finally understood what the logo meant. It's funny how my eyes went right to it. I feel like I am finally living up to this dream that I have had for so long. I feel honored to really be a member of the Illini 4000 family now. It's so awesome to have support from every end of the earth. My Dad told me that at parties people ask about me and my Mom told me that even her patients ask about me. People I have never met in my life ask how my ride is going and ask about where I am. I know its the same for everyone else on the team. I have friends and family from all over the world following me on Facebook and reading my blogs. It's weird to see the people that have caught on. Some people I haven't seen or talked to in years are now paying attention to everyday of my life. It's just unbelievable. I want to take a moment to thank everyone for their support. If it weren't for their encouragement none of us would be standing here today. I do feel the sweet taste of victory at having reached Chicago, but I keep forgetting that this is only 1/4 of my trip. I have much more victory ahead.I do apologize for the length of my post, but I think that today deserved it. Plus, I've been really behind because I just can't stay awake. I'm gonna have to do something to keep myself up. Contrary to popular belief, I refuse to join the coffee trend. As I tell my teammates sleep is my coffee, but I have yet to figure out a good schedule that allows me to read and write too. I don't know when I will next blog, so until then, good night and good luck.
The hardest most rewarding days of my life
So as you all know, we've been climbing hills......lots and lots of hills/some mountains. It's been a tough few days. I thought it was already bad on day 2 but it just got worse and worse. I was really struggling. My athleticism is non existent to say the least. I always wish I got into sports and other activities. Thankfully I4K has given me the opportunity to really push myself for the first time. Though the hills were the hardest things I ever did, I never once thought they were impossible. Nothing can prepare you for the hardest days of your life but those days prepare you for almost everything else in your life. I feel so honored to have been selected for this opportunity. All my struggles fell apart at each beautiful sight I saw. I was amazed to contemplate that I had climbed those hills and mountains. At each rest stop over the past few days, we have had the opportunity to experience life amongst wonderful, kind, and extremely generous people. The first night we rode to Chambersburg and on that day I went to buy a few gifts for some friends. I am a big person for looking around small towns and experiencing the delights of each place. At one of the rest stops I bought a few handmade items that I thought my friends would enjoy. I went into a store and told a woman about our trip. She was so kind and inviting and very motherly. I felt right at home! She gave me a great deal and was sweet enough to give me her card so that I could contact her when I reach San Francisco. How awesome! People never cease to amaze me.When we got into Chambersburg it was tornadoing all over the place. I saw two funnel clouds which was insane! We had to camp out in a gas station while the weather was bad. It was pretty fun! Of course me being the idiot that I am, I assumed a tornado was touching down every second and apparently made up a dance for being correct when a tornado touched down a mile away from where we were. As you can assume, I'm never gonna live the "tornado girl"/"do the Divya" thing down. I've gotten a reputation for one liners too. I was hoping to keep that side of myself hidden, sadly it came out shining. I also found some fun ways of climbing hills like singing "roll roll roll your bike gently up these hills, merrily merrily life is like a hill" a great tune that Dory and I came up with that day. Dory even did a round with me. The songs really helped me and despite utter exhaustion I was able to get through it. We even climbed a steep hill that was about 1350 feet high! The payoff of that day was the church in Chambersburg which was amazing. It had this crazy bell at the top and it was a huge and really old church. The Pastor was so kind and inviting too!Day 6 was also intense with lots of climbs. I rode in a group with Maggie, Gabrielle and Christine. It was a long day with a ton of climbs but by the end we had reached nearly the highest point in Pennsylvania. The last 13 miles of the climb were actually my favorite despite being utterly exhausted. It's amazing how a change in attitude can really carry you through the toughest times. The last few miles, I was pumped and I enjoyed every second of the hardest climbs of my life. It's awesome when you have the right attitude and you reach and your spirits just can't be higher. Once we got through that day, I knew I could get through any day of the rest of the trip.At the stayover we had some lovely people cook us delicious food. A couple even let me and some of the girls shower in their home. I mean literally, someone I have never known. I wasn't even going to shower, but they actually insisted on me showering in their home. How kind is that. What a sweet day!Day 7 was shorter but still tough. I think we were all so tired of the hills we wanted to be in flatland. When we were biking to Pittsburgh we got a nice taste of the flatland on this trail we took for about 20 miles or so. Unfortunately it was a lie and we had more hills, haha, oh well, you win some you lose some. It was scorching that day but we got in early and were able to enjoy a bit of rest. I went walking around Pittsburgh which is an amazing little city. Its so regal and old and cool. I loved everything about it. Kids that go to UPitt and Carnegie Melon are really lucky.Today we had a team meeting and a picnic which gave me a severe food coma and a delightful nap. I love how people keep cooking me food, I could get used to this. But as I've been told the West Coast is a tad more rugged. The team meeting was so great because we each said something positive about the ride so far and everything that was said resonated so much. I already feel like everyone on the team is my family. I feel so honored to ride with such lovely people everyday.I'm so happy to have gotten some rest and I'm really excited to wear clean clothes tomorrow. Funny thing is, its only been a day and I'm already starting to miss my Eddie (Aka my trek lexa- full name Eduardo the White Knight). Alright I'm off now, I already forgot a bunch but I'll try and remember and keep you all posted.
The first few days
Finally getting around to it! I've been so dead tired, I just have been ignoring everything! There is a lot to cover. So do allow me to begin.The first day was glorious with some small hills and rolling through some nice areas. It was really nice. I did not enjoy riding in New York City because it was so stressful! We were stopped at every light and there were cars, people, and glass everywhere! It was insane. Nevertheless we biked into New Jersey over the George Washington bridge which was awesome! I loved that. Then we biked through Newark which I thought was kind of neat. One of the best things about riding is the people you meet. People are so interested and nice. As my ma would say, they are all my well wishers. So many people that we don't even know are asking for our website so they can keep track of us. Its cool to be picking up followers along the way. In addition we are getting donations on the spot from people which is so cool. At the end of day 1 we stayed at the Thakkar residence. Anish Thakkar was a founder of I4K and his parents let us stay with them every year! How nice of them to house 28 dirty riders! I really enjoyed chatting with them and their relatives who came to talk to us. I have a lot in common with the Thakkars and it was nice to get some homemade Indian food while on the ride. It turns out that Anish now lives about 5 minutes away from where my grandparents live in Mumbai. So cool to talk about India. Alright I'm half asleep so I'm gonna speed through this next part.Day 2 was hard, no doubt. There were some big climbs and it was a tough day because we are not used to the hills. However, we rolled through some super neat towns and another bridge that crosses Jersey to Pennsylvania. After we got through all of the hills we had a really nice roll into Phillidelphia We got to ride on this really nice trail that goes on forever. The people of Philly have it so nice! They have this amazing trail that they can ride on everyday and it is meant for bikes and can help avoid some of the city. It was pretty packed with people in the evening. Philly is a much busier city than I imagined it would be. When we were in Philly, I got to try a veggie Philly cheese steak which was pretty cool to try. It was an interesting taste. Unfortunately I was having trouble sleeping on the ground for the past few days but yesterday I just knocked out. It was so amazing and I was so much more rested for today. One thing I must mention about the East Coast is how different the people are. I mean when you go to the major cities, the people are so much more harsh. That's not a negative or a positive its just different. People in the East are so used to tough living it seems. They move at such a fast pace and everything they say to the way they act is so much tougher. I'm so used to us Midwesterners kicking it back and enjoying life.Finally we come to Day 3 which was long but shorter than the other days. We are getting faster it seems. Today I also rode with a faster group which was really hard but I picked up some important lessons on how to ride the hills and what gears to use. The last 20 miles were really hard because my legs were just exhausted at that point. However, it was a really beautiful ride. We rode through Amish country which was neat. I even got some fresh strawberries and got to meet some of the Amish people who were so nice. They had really old school accents which were interesting to hear in the middle of the United States. Anyway I'm almost asleep and I have to do laundry so here is the rest of what I have to mention.Cool things about the ride:Being able to see everything with your eyes, seeing wildlife (including turtles, gophers, deer, snakes etc), biking in areas that people ride through everyday which we ride through only once, seeing things you would sleep through in a car, getting to know people and doing something bigger than yourself. Alright off to crash still got a long few days ahead. I'll try and keep you posted, but I might just keep falling asleep, sorry about that.Thanks for your interest and Good Night!
So insanely close
Oh my god, I just can't believe it. Today was our last meeting, gah!!! We just biked 125 miles in two days, gah gah gah! It's amazing how doing something as grueling as biking 95 miles with 30 mile an hour winds and 50 mile an hour gusts in a day can make you feel every emotion. I mean I went from anxiety, to pain, to utter joy, to deliriousness, to indifference, to joy again. It's insane. Funny thing is, yesterday was much harder than Saturday despite the winds because my knees were killing me even though they were fine on Saturday, I guess I was just sore. I think as a person, I am just much more in need of mental training than I am of physical training. Not to say I'm in great shape, but I think I'd be a lot better off with a bit more belief in my heart. Nevertheless, if I don't have it now, I will soon.When I think about where I was when I started this whole shindig, it's just insane. I remember going to my first meeting back in 2008. It was the year after the first ride. I knew I wouldn't have the opportunity to even apply until my senior year so I didn't go to a meeting again until this year. Amazingly enough, I was selected. I remember getting that email and hopping around my apartment so happy! It's crazy that less than a year ago, I hadn't ridden a bike in 11 years and now I'm 17 days away from biking 4500 miles in 72 days!I'm still nervous but after today's meeting, I am really excited for everything. I am just gonna train as hard as I can over the next few weeks so I can be as ready as I can for this trip of a lifetime. I guess I'll talk to you next from the road.See you soon!
The best 2 mile ride, EVER!!!!!!!
So today was going to be a great ride. Got on my bike, met up with Maggie; we were going to do a 20-25 mile ride. It was going fine, even bumped into Pi along the way. I noticed my tires were low on air so I stopped to pump my tires about a mile and a half or two miles out. Pumped the back tire no problems. Attempted the front tire, wasn't working. Spent about 20 minutes until I realized I probably had a slow leak. Put in some new tube, filled up the air and it actually worked this time. As I was pulling off my pump from the gasket, the gasket broke. Along with it, went all the air I pumped and a chance to actually ride somewhere. Thus, I was stuck on the side of the road :(On the upside, it was the best 2 mile ride ever!!!!!!!!!!! I wasn't tired at all, after all, if I can do 2 miles what's 75? ;) Nevertheless, the fact that my pump adapter broke, allowed me to figure out how to change my pump so I can use it on a Presta gasket! I guess I no longer need that thing anyway! Probably should get some new tube though :/At least Maggie got to do a ride! I would have felt really bad if she wasted any more time with me. Anyway, since I have no tube and it's now dark, I'm gonna head to the gym instead! Talk to ya soon!
Training for an adventure of a lifetime
So, it turns out I had never ridden more than 15 miles before I4K. Yesterday, I rode 50 and last week I rode 37 through the wind. Last Saturday was rough, no doubt. Mostly because I just was not prepared for it. I was discouraged and disappointed in myself. So I knew I had to train way more. This past week I went out for rides, went to the gym, and biked around campus since the weather was finally back to riding weather. It was great. I felt so much stronger. I wouldn't say I was ready for 50 miles, but I was definitely more prepared.Yesterday was awesome. I was able to keep up with my group members for the most part and I learned how to change a flat and how best to use my gears. I hung out with my teammates and just enjoyed the ride. It helped that I didn't fall and that my cleats didn't come lose like they did last week. I also realized that, sadly, Indian people are not able to avoid ridiculous tan lines, though mine were not as bad as other people :(Overall it was a great day. Due to Erik's ability to know directions like the back of his hand, we did not get lost and were the first group to arrive. I couldn't believe how fast the time flew. I wasn't bored at all. It was nice just to ride and enjoy the views around, the smells on the other hand....Anyway, I have some great teammates and a great group of alumni leading us through our training.After the ride, I rushed home for a fundraising event that I epically failed at reaching on time. It's amazing to see people's reactions to what you are doing. So many people I spoke to were confused or amazed at what I was doing. It was neat to talk to people after I had done a longer ride, I definitely felt more confident about the summer.There have already been ups and downs, but I know that riding this summer will make me stronger, both mentally and physically, than I have ever been. I am excited for the prospects of this adventure of a lifetime.