Day 39: Highest City in the US! | Frisco, CO to Twin Lakes, CO

Today, we got to enjoy the amazing scenery of Colorado as we rode through mountains and made our way into Leadville, the highest city in the United States. The team had more time to explore the town and take in the beautiful views of the Rockies! We also had our first camping night in Twin Lakes, where we took a dip in the lake and cooked hot dogs and beans before resting up in our tents. 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 51.6 Miles

Elevation: 3,437 ft. 

Points of Interest: Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters, Zero Day Coffee, Ice Palace Park, Fremont Pass, Mount Elbert, Mount Massive

Ride Dedication: Katy Dea

Tales of the Trail 

This morning, we had a normal wake-up with some eggs, sausages, and biscuits for breakfast, which fueled us for the day ahead. The teams were also tasked with making a movie throughout the day, which was a fun challenge that added some entertainment to our ride. Some of the groups made an early morning coffee stop at Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters. The first portion of the ride was on the Ten Mile Recreational Path Trail, which made for a relaxed ride with great scenery of the mountains. Soon, we started ascending the highway, for what would be the only challenging part of the ride. We chugged along and made it to the first rest stop of the day, which was at a scenic rest stop in a parking lot by a reservoir. After some more climbing, we had an enjoyable and scenic descent through the mountains, and we enjoyed going a bit faster while taking in the views around us. We rode through the Fremont Pass, an 11,318-foot mountain pass between Lake County and Summit County. We soon found ourselves in Leadville, which is known as the highest incorporated city in the United States. Leadville was an incredibly beautiful and historic town, known for its role in the silver boom! The team had a great time spending some time in the city, and the groups all split up to find different shops, cafes, and restaurants in the town. My group had a great time getting coffee at Zero Day Coffee and making our movie! The van was stationed at Ice Palace Park, which had amazing views of the mountains in the area and was built in honor of a giant ice palace built in the town during the 1800s. We spent some time relaxing at the park before getting back on the road to finish up the ride. 

The next portion of the ride was very easy, with a descent into some flat roads with tailwinds. The change in scenery was very noticeable, with the landscape seeming drier and arid. Soon, we found ourselves riding into Twin Lakes, our first camping destination. Our group got a little lost finding our way to the campsite, but once we arrived, we took some time to set up tents to prepare for the night. Once we were settled, a group of us shuttled down to the lake to take a cold dip in the water. Warm water is great, but there’s nothing like a cold dip in the lake to get your blood flowing, and the scenic views of the mountains surrounding the Twin Lakes were beautiful. Once we finished washing up in the lake, we headed back to the campsite to prepare hot dogs and beans for dinner. We started a fire to cook the hot dogs, and we cooked some beans on our camping stove. After dinner, we walked up to a scenic spot to take in the views of Mount Elbert and Mount Massive, both 14ers known as some of Colorado’s highest peaks. We ended the night by washing up our bowls and sitting around the campfire for a bit before everyone dispersed to their tents. 

Day 38: From Spokes to Summit | Idaho Springs, CO to Frisco, CO

Today, the team had a plan for off the bikes. After climbing 30 miles (on the bike), up a mountain to Loveland Pass, we were planning on hiking to the top of Mt. Sniktau - a 13,240-foot thirteener in the Arapaho National Forest! Not only did we spend the day biking upwards, but hiking as well! We decided to take on the challenge knowing that after the hike, we had 18ish miles of descents until we reached our stayover for the night, making the trek to the summit of the mountain after a long bike climb seem feasible.

quote of the day

“I don’t know you, but I’m proud of you!”

— Random lady on a hike

ride overview

Mileage: 48.4 Miles

Elevation: 5,395 ft. 

Points of Interest: Frothy Cup Coffee, Loveland Pass, Mt. Sniktau 

Ride Dedication: Stanisław Tchorz

Tales of the trail

Who knows what this group of cyclists would be without their morning coffee. To start the day, the team biked opposite of the route to head back into the town of Idaho Springs for a slight detour to get their much needed coffee to tackle the physically demanding day ahead, and to lift spirits. Once everyone was energized from their caffeine, we hit the pedals to start climbing for the day at a slow, very slow, 5mph average pace. The first couple miles of climbing were along a scenic bike path which made climbing the hills much easier. With a bike path, teams were able to talk and not worry about traffic, as well as enjoy the mountainous scenery around us, take in the fresh air of the trees on both sides of the path, and take it all in. Looking at the scenery, talking, and appreciating where we were definitely helped take our minds off the fact that we were all struggling to catch our breath up the hills at higher elevation, but we made it!

After the scenic bike trails, we climbed along Route 6 and were met with the tougher and longer climbs up the mountains! The amount of times people said, “this is so pretty” on today’s ride was record breaking, as every couple of minutes, although we would see similar mountains, the perspective would shift, giving us a new angle of mountains, trees, and sky to gaze at. Along the route today, we also learned that Colorado drivers are some of the nicest drivers we have encountered throughout the ride. Multiple teams got thumbs up from divers, “good job”, “keep going”, etc. This was a shock to us as we know not all drivers can be the kindest to cyclists, but Colorado drivers definitely have a nod of approval and appreciation from us!

When the groups got to Loveland Pass (a mountain at 11,990 ft above sea level in the Rocky Mountains), many of us quickly changed to sneakers, packed snacks and water, and hit the trails to summit Mt. Sniktau or get to a “no name” mountain along the trail to Mt. Sniktau for additional beautiful views of the surrounding mountains (Grizzly Peak, Cupid Peak). Upon hiking the trail, the team just had to stop when we saw snow! Snow only means one thing - snowball fight! We started forming snowballs and throwing them at each other, with Veronica (unfortunately) being the main target. It was a great way to get some more fun in and cool down! Our hands were freezing by the end of it! After the snowball fight, we continued to trek onward to the scenic lookout, and others went further ahead to summit Mt. Sniktau. When groups got to their final destinations, either at the summit or scenic lookout, we all decided to take a seat on the nice rocks/ground and admire the views (and catch our breath). Standing above the tree line, all of us took a look around to admire the mountains, take in the fresh air, and trace the paths we took to get here - a rewarding moment for the team.

After spending a while at the top of the mountains, the team hiked back down to finish the rest of the ride. We (mostly) had descents for the rest of the ride until we hit our stayover. Everyone was careful while descending down the ginormous mountains, and it was a fun experience to be able to zoom down the mountains and enjoy the views without having to put as much power into the pedals. All hands on the breaks for these descents, no pedaling required. Getting closer to the stayover, teams had to bike along a one-laned dirt path due to construction, and received encouragement from the road workers to keep going! The ride ended along a bike path once again, and we were all ready to hit the hay once we got to the stayover after such a long day, despite it only being 48 miles.

At the stayover, we were provided with resources to make our own spaghetti dinner, but this time with better pasta sauce and meat! We also received fresh bread and were able to end the night with some good-ol ice cream. After such a physically demanding, yet exciting and fun day, the team knocked out when the lights turned off, getting our rest for the ahead. Thank you to the Summit County Church of Christ for providing us with dinner resources and a place to sleep. Having this location be along a bike path also made it much more convenient for us to get to and from on our route! Thank you!

From the Saddle: A Question for You

Today’s Question to You: Would you rather bike uphill for hours or hike steep switchbacks-why?

Day 37: Gateway to the Rockies | Boulder, CO to Idaho Springs, CO

Today, the team took on our first big ascent of the Rockies, and everyone enjoyed the sights of the mountains around us. We ran into some unexpected delays due to rock blasting and were shuttled for a small portion of the ride, and we got some great mountain pies at Beau Jo’s. After a great dinner, we ended the day with some pool and hot tub time at the rec center.

Quote of the Day

(Talking about Alpine Coaster) 

Veronica: “They have brakes?”

Nicole: “They need brakes! Otherwise… bro. Gravity.” 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 47.9 miles

Elevation: 5,030 ft

Points of Interest: Trident Booksellers and Cafe, Big Daddy Bagels, Beau Jo’s

Ride Dedication: Bohdan Huchko

Tales of the Trail 

The day started great in Boulder with an early morning coffee stop. We decided to stop at Trident Booksellers and Cafe, and the team enjoyed some coffee while savoring our last moments in Boulder. We spent the first portion travelling south on some trails and roads, and we had some intermediate ascents to tackle while leaving the Boulder area. Eventually, we started moving west into the Rocky Mountains, and the mountains towered over us, setting the stage for the coming days. Our second stop of the day was at Big Daddy Bagel’s, where the team fueled up and prepared for what would be our longest climb of the ride so far. Once we hit the road, we were only going up, and our first big ascent was 12 miles long. We slowly pedaled our way up the mountains of Colorado while taking in the beautiful scenery around us. After a couple of breaks, we reached the top and took in some views of the mountains in the distance. It felt unreal to be so close to those towering mountains, knowing we're braving the Rockies on our bikes!

A long ascent usually comes with a fun descent, and it was a fun descent indeed! We rolled down the mountain and had a great time, taking all safety precautions, of course! Unfortunately, our day came to an abrupt stop when we found out that the bike trails going into Idaho Springs were closed due to rock blasting in the area. It was great to find out that the state of Colorado is well equipped to manage transportation for cyclists, and a very nice state worker shuttled each group to the safest spot past the rock blasting. Once we were back on the trail, it was a scenic and easy ride into Idaho Springs, and we arrived at our stayover safely, ready to eat. After settling in, the team took a walk across town to Beau Jo’s, a restaurant with extra delicious Colorado-style pizza. We ordered mountain pies, which were massive slices of pizza loaded with cheese, toppings, and sauce, with the crust offering a built-in dessert meant to be dipped into honey. Some parents on the team were also gracious enough to pay for our meal, which is always appreciated! After indulging in some exceptional mountain pies, the team enjoyed some leisure at the rec center pool and hot tub, which was a fun way to end the day. We wound down, anticipating a fun but challenging day ahead!

Thank you to the Clear Creek Recreation Center for giving us a place to sleep and letting us enjoy your facilities!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Stephanie Yang 

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling great, good.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Well, my favorite gas station is Wawas, but we don't have any around here, so my favorite rest stop snack right now… I'm really into beef jerky. There's a teriyaki one that we had that was really good, and then also Rice Krispie treats, any type: regular, rainbow, or chocolate stripes.

What is your rest stop routine?

I like to eat first, and then I go to the bathroom. Once I have clean hands, I put on my chamois butter, and then I put on sunscreen.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

Usually it helps to be listening to a story or to be telling a story with my group, and recently, we got music privileges. So listening to music or having a song in my head keeps me motivated. But I also love talking about the book that I'm reading, I feel like that helps a lot on tough days

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I'm really looking forward to all of Oregon. I've never been to that state before, and I think it's going to be really pretty and also have good coffee. So exciting.

Anything else you want to talk about?

This is a hot take, but I love the early morning wake up. Instead of waking up at 5:45, I full heartedly think we should be waking up at 4:45. You get to ride in cooler weather, I have more energy, we get to the stay over sooner, and it's just all around better. I know people don't like it because they don't want to go to bed early, but it's so nice.

Day 35+36: 14er Territory | Fort Morgan, CO to Boulder, CO

Today started out on rough roads and side of the road rest stops, but the mountains in the distance motivated us to push further. As we rolled into Boulder, we got closer and closer to the Rocky Mountains, and everyone was excited to be out of the open fields. We had a relaxing night in Boulder and explored some of the city before getting rest and tackling the next day!

Quote of the Day

“There’s just something about being horizontal that just feels good”

— Jessica

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 94.9 miles

Elevation: 3,016 ft

Points of Interest: Pearl Street, Zoe Ma Ma, OZO Coffee, REI, Rapha, Yellow Deli, Tibet Kitchen, Pho Kitchen Bar and Grill, Flatirons 

Ride Dedication: Elizabeth Sharpe

Tales of the Trail 

DAY 35

We started the morning with an early wake-up ahead of a long day into Boulder. Not too much happened in the morning, and the first 57 miles of the ride were mostly barren. Since we passed by no towns, the first two rest stops were on the side of the road. On the bright side, we were soon able to see the Rockies in the distance, but we still had a long way to go before arriving in the mountains! Our third rest stop was at a Subway and a Carl’s in a gas station, and my parents (Dev) provided us lunch! As we approached Boulder, we started to get on some busy roads, and the mountains came more into view. We made some easy ascents and found ourselves in a more urban area. Everyone was excited to be in an urban environment after biking through the countryside for weeks, and the anticipation of breathtaking scenery motivated us to keep going further. Eventually, we reached Boulder, and we got to ride through the University of Colorado Boulder campus, where the sandstone buildings were beautiful!

Once we arrived at the stayover, everyone took some time to rest, and those visiting families and friends dispersed. The team got some well-needed floor time before getting cleaned up. Most of us used a hose to wash up before getting ready for dinner. Those of us who were still at the stayover got ready and walked down Peart Street, which was a really nice part of Boulder that had unique stores, restaurants, and cafes. Since everyone was really hungry, we decided to get dinner at Zoe Ma Ma, a Chinese restaurant that had delicious food. Some of the workers were even kind enough to give us leftovers for the night. We ended the night with ice cream, and even ran into a magician who put on a show for us! Since everyone was tired, we decided to return to the stayover to get some rest for the upcoming rest day.

DAY 36

Everyone was excited and ready to explore Boulder today for their rest day. Some had an earlier start than others by going to REI and bicycle shops to get the gear they needed for the rest of the trip, followed by brunch. Some people started off their day by heading to Lucile's Creole Cafe for breakfast, followed by a stroll down the renowned Pearl St in Boulder, peeking into different shops, buying souvenirs, and trying different cafes and restaurants. Everyone's mornings were different, and we got to share our stories at the end of the day.

Matt and Harbin decided to go mountain biking, and they had a blast on the trail. They got used to the suspension on the bikes, which is unfortunate as they wont be able to bounce up and down on the bike again when we hit the road tomorrow with our road bikes. One group decided to go hiking and tackle a Flatiron! The group coincidentally met Jason (our mechanic), who was with his friends, Yoanna and Jesse, in the parking lot that led to the trailhead. We combined groups, and Yoanna and Jesse ultimately became our guides up the mountain. Without them, we probably wouldn’t have found the top of the mountain when the trails became more confusing with directions towards the top. The group had a blast hiking up the mountain, and we were glad to be able to move our legs differently, off the bike. This hike also allowed us to acclimate better for the days ahead when we begin to hike through the mountains.

After the hike, the group was starving and headed to the Tibet Kitchen for some much-needed grub. A lot of us got dumplings and soup, and it filled us up. The other half of the team in the meanwhile were eating dinner at Pho Kitchen Bar and Grill while wearing Nebraska shirts that we got from a previous stayover for the giggles. That group got many discerning faces while repping Nebraska merch in Colorado, but it made for funny interactions. Afterwards, Jesse and Yoanna (Jason’s friends) managed to get the team access to showers! Thank you to Yoanna and Jesse for being the team’s tour guides up the Flatiron and for providing the team with showers and additional snacks the following day. It was great to meet you guys, and we had fun being able to get to know you better!

Thank you to the First United Methodist Church for giving us a place to sleep for two nights, and for allowing us to use the hose the first night to get ourselves clean. We appreciate your hospitality and those who stayed the night to make sure everything ran well.

Cyclist’s Corner 

Today’s Rider: Yuncong Geng  

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling awesome because today is the longest I've biked. I finished 95 miles, yeah, I think it's amazing. I didn't believe I could do that.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Well, if there is a gas stop, I would definitely buy something with meat,  like a fried chicken or something like that. But if it's just a roadside rest stop, I will try to get two or three protein bars. I think I feel hungry very easily.

What is your rest stop routine?

Well, I think in general, I don't make good use of time. First, I will try to find something good in the snack box, but it is not very common, and then probably go to the restroom and then sunscreen, and then drink water. Usually when I finish everything, the time is up. I don't understand how people can take a nap during a rest stop, they take a nap and then they go late. 

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

Today is actually like one of the few days that I made it through the hard ride. So I would say the music helps a lot. Yeah, today we played some of my favorite music and also played games called contact, and that killed time. I think the support from teammates is definitely very important. And also,  another thing, during the first stretch, I felt  terrible, like all the joints started to get painful, and I thought of giving up, but, actually, I didn't. I kind of persuaded myself to keep going, and actually things got better in the rest of the stretches. So I feel like a mindset of keep going is also important. 

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I feel like Oregon.

Anything else you want to talk about?

I want to shout out to my teammates today. We formed the team because other people have already formed their team. I think our team worked out very well, we had very good music and fun games, and just a good day. Yeah, it's a very good day.

Day 34: My Cow | Yuma, CO to Fort Morgan, CO

Today the team tackled a windy day on Highway 34 from Yuma to Fort Morgan. The day wasn’t super eventful, but the team got to see many cows and enter deeper into Colorado, slowly and surely getting closer and closer to the Rocky Mountains.

quote of the day

“There’s just something about being horizontal that just feels so good”

— Jessica

ride overview

Mileage: 59.8 Miles

Elevation: 1,045 ft. 

Points of Interest: Latte Da 

Ride Dedication: David Martelle & Charlotte Fardoe

tales of the trail

Today was not a super long day, but it wasn’t short either. Not much happened along the ride as we were mostly on Highway 34 for our journey from Yuma to Fort Morgan with some windy conditions. One team stopped at a Sinclairs gas station and decided to vibe with the dino on site, which ultimately turned them green! Not to worry though, with some good soap and water, we were able to get off whatever green substance got on us. The team later decided to get some coffee at Latte Da, where some locals warned us about a stretch that would smell awful. Upon riding that stretch, we can confirm, that yes, it did smell awful for that short while, so the heads up was nice. Riding along the highway, the team saw many cows and continued to play the game “My Cow”, where we claim cows along the ride (the person who see’s it first and vocalizes it claims it) and the person who has the most by the end wins. The day was mostly uneventful until the last five miles of the ride when one of our riders, Dev, got TWO flat tires. With two flats and not enough tubes on hand with the group, Gloria (our van), had to be called for additional resources and Dev was able to fix the flats back at the stayover. At the stayover, our chefs, Stephanie and Harbin, surprised us at dinner by including chicken in our classic spaghetti and lentils dinner! It tasted amazing and was a nice touch to our usual dinner as a team before heading to bed.

Thank you to the Fort Morgan United Methodist Church for hosting our team this year and to Gary for providing us with some much needed showers for the team, it was great staying there and we appreciated the hospitality!

cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Andres Villarreal

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling good. My knees are working today, so no issues there. I don't really feel that tired. It was just a pretty good day.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Every time we're at a gas station, I always try to find an Arizona but usually I'm unsuccessful.

But snacks wise, usually  an orange from the snack box or  a granola bar, that's usually my go to.

What is your rest stop routine?

Okay, well, if the rest stop is at a coffee shop, then I'll get coffee, maybe some food. I'll probably use the bathroom, and then, like, sunscreen, water, and then anything else I need to do, I'll do, but usually I feel like I'm slower than everybody else, so maybe I have to change those.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

I guess just not  pushing myself too hard. Like, if I know it's a long day, then I will  try to take it easy and just not overdo it. And then usually, like a song in my head keeps me going, or just  talking with everybody in the group, that usually makes time pass faster. And then, if we have good views, that makes it really motivating

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

Well, I'm excited for Boulder tomorrow. I've been there once before, and it was really nice. And then I'm excited to go just anywhere West, anywhere that will have mountains. I feel like I really want to see those.

Day 33: A Hasty Ride, and a Fun-Filled 4h of July | Wray, CO to Yuma, CO

Today, we had a very quick ride, which meant that we had more time to enjoy the 4th of July! We started the day with an early coffee stop, and finished the ride around noon – just in time for lunch! We filled the day with fun activities, such as ice cream, movie watching, fireworks, and a pie-eating contest. It almost felt like we had a full rest day!

Quote of the Day

“The bitter and the sweet are like Jack and Jill, like two peas in a pod” - Matt 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 28 Miles

Elevation: 866 ft. 

Points of Interest: LaLa’s Espresso Bar and Bakery, Farmhouse Market

Ride Dedication: Kay Voss

Tales of the Trail 

The morning started at our usual time, with the prospect of a quick ride to enjoy the 4th of July! This morning, the team collectively decided to get coffee and food at LaLa’s Espresso Bar and Bakery approximately 0.2 miles into the ride. We had a great time enjoying our coffee and food in the morning, and everyone was exalted after our ride leaders announced that we could listen to music on the ride. The ride itself was very short, and there were no planned rest stops along the way. Throughout the ride, we took in the eastern Colorado landscape, with a gradual incline and some rolling hills. We also experienced a small amount of drizzle, which didn’t faze us! Some of us were already expecting mountains, but it felt like we were still in the heartland. 

Once we arrived at the stayover, we were treated to Subway for lunch, and everyone was excited to enjoy the day after such a quick ride. After lunch, we did two amazing portraits with community members of the church, and we heard some very captivating stories. After the portraits, everyone got to showering and taking some well-needed rest. A group of us decided to drive around Yuma, and we ended up stopping at Farmhouse Market for ice cream — they had great flavors like “Sleepless in Seattle” (coffee ice cream). When we arrived back at the stayover, we were provided an amazing dinner of homemade burritos and tamales with some extra hot sauce. Some of us challenged eachother to eat spoonfuls of hotsauce, which made for a spice-fueled dinner! We were treated to a double rainbow after dinner, and it was great to take in the beautiful skies of Colorado, which we’ll expect more of throughout the ride.

The group finally finished Interstellar, and the movie put everyone in a trance for hours as the sun set. After the movie, the sky was dark, and we pulled out our fireworks which made for some great 4th of July celebration! The group went through plenty of sparklers, and we even got to use the long-exposure feature on Harbin’s phone camera to take a photo spelling out “Illini 400” with the sparklers. We didn’t have much, but setting off the fireworks we did have was a good time, and we still had some semblance of a classic Independence Day celebration! To end the night, we held our annual pie-eating contest, and everyone was assigned to a random team to finish a pie. Some of us were faster eaters than others, but we all got some pie down, and Micah and Sofia came out on top after quickly finishing their pies. After finishing the pies and cleaning up, everyone went to bed after a fun day!

Thank you, Yuma First Church of the Nazarene, for giving us a place to sleep and so graciously providing us with three meals during our stay – It was great to meet you! 

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Veronica Kozak 

How are you feeling today?

I’m feeling good. I’m feeling really good today. It’s a good day. Feeling good. I want them to know I’m feeling good. Actually, I’m feeling spectacular, euphoric.. Well… that’s a stretch, I’ll settle with, good. (Veronica, later that day after watching Interstellar for the first time: “It was a spectacular day”). 

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest-stop snacks?

It usually changes every day, but if I were to do a go to I usually like to reach for something more salty, like a good bag of chips, preferably like either barbecue or the sour cream and onion. Those are good, some salty, good flavored chips. Usually my go to, salty chips, yeah. 

What is your rest stop routine?

Typically, I would fill up water first, because I usually tend to run out of water right away, and I get really thirsty by the time I roll up to a rest stop. But lately, I've been noticing that as soon as I get there, I tend to fall asleep and take a nap, and after my nap, usually there is no time to do anything, so I have to scurry to fill up my water bottles and put on my sunscreen so that I could roll out with my teammates quickly. I usually cut it close, but naps have made it into my routine, and I like that. 

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

Sometimes I play a song in my head. I get a song stuck in my head, and that's good motivation, even if the scenery isn't too spectacular, I usually try to talk to my teammates and build conversation, and that gets us through longer and tougher stretches. So I enjoy having a conversation. It makes the time go by.

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

Probably Boulder, Colorado, which is coming up soon. I'm excited about Colorado in general. I've never biked through here. I've been here once before, but haven't seen much of it, and I'm really excited to bike through that part. I know it's going to be mountainous, but I know it's going to be beautiful, and I'm really excited to see it, and we have a lovely rest day coming up there, and I can only imagine everything we're gonna do. Is

Anything else you want to talk about?

I bought some cheese today, and I was really craving cheese, and I bought a block of Havarti cheese today. It was some of the best cheese I've had in a really long time, and I'm really excited to have that for breakfast tomorrow.

Day 32: Mountain Time Zone! | McCook, NE to Wray, CO

The team woke up bright and early to tackle a longer day ahead. Today marks the last couple of miles we ride in Nebraska, leaving the gradual hills, wide shoulders, beautiful views, and at times, some stinky fields behind. We are ready to say hello to our 10th state of the ride, Colorado! A state that many people on our team are excited to bike through as we head more into the West and start approaching the mountains.

quote of the day

“I wonder if Kohls has the tires I need”

— Harbin

ride overview

Mileage: 93.2 Miles

Elevation: 2,996 ft. 

Points of Interest: Stratton Country Market, Lamp Post 613, Colorado Welcome Sign, Kansas Welcome Sign, Benkelman (NE) 

Ride Dedication: Lucie Gleason

tales of the trail

An early wake-up called our name this morning once again, with a 90-miler day ahead. Today, the team was tasked with “collecting the rainbow” along the ride, with each group having to find different rainbow-colored items from the side of the road, each worth a certain number of points. Some groups found orange hats, purples towels, and other items that were found were not as fancy, such as a coca-cola box for the color red, and a chunk of pavement with rocks and gravel stuck inside. Our team also crossed into a new time zone once again! We have officially entered the Mountain Time Zone, and got an extra hour for the day, whoop whoop!

One of our rest stops of the day was at Stratton Country Market, where we met Kay! She fooled us at first, thinking that we needed to pay $5 to use the restroom, but it was just an ol’ joke. That turned into a running joke for the rest of the day, where everyone would say $5 for this, $5 for that. We were able to talk to her about her experience with a tumor and were so grateful to get the chance to meet her and hear her story (watch out for future portraits)! Afterward, the team stopped at a - you guessed it, coffee shop! We stopped at Lamp Post 613 to get some coffee and snacks to fuel up before the border crossing into Colorado!

Some teams went off route (only slightly), near Haigler, NE, to head into the state of Kansas! We got to see the Kansas welcome sign, admire the stark difference between Nebraska and Kansas at their border (not much of a difference), and headed back on route to cross into Colorado! Colorado gave us a welcome sign that was on brand with today’s challenge, stating “Welcome to Colorful Colorado!” We took this time to take some team photos and say our final farewells to Nebraska. Once we entered Colorado, the shoulders immediately became narrower on the roads, and groups were not able to be in “yap formation” anymore, but instead fallen in (in a straight line) for the rest of the ride. Immediately, we felt a slight change of scenery with more mountainous formations to the left and right of us, thought not massive, it gave us a glimpse into the days ahead.

Once we got to our stayover, the team hit the jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room, paired with cold showers as a way to rejuvenate our bodies after a long day of riding. Our hosts amiably served us lasagne for dinner (which was delicious), and helped us out with laundry! Thank you to the WRAC of Wray (Rec Center) for hosting our team, the staff was very welcoming and the dinner was delicious!

cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Sofia Sivilotti 

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling great. We did a portrait during the rest stop about one of the women that was working at the little market that we stopped in, and she told us her story about having a brain tumor, which was very moving, to finally, kind of do a portrait while we were on the ride, and actually a mid ride portrait, which was a lot of fun. And we crossed into Colorado for the first time. It's my first time being in Colorado. And also we biked a little extra to see the Kansas border, which was an absolute blast. There were some crosswinds kind of the whole day, but we had a good stretch at the end, a nice pull at the end, And it was kind of fun.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

I have been loving the coffee shop stops that we've been making for rest stops. My go to is an iced latte because it's been so cold, and a scone, if their scones look good.

What is your rest stop routine?

 If it's a fast rest stop, rolling up, getting some snacks, getting some fueling, going to the bathroom and then sunscreen, shammy buttering , filling my bottles, getting back on the bike and rolling out, sometimes putting half a packet of LMNT in my bottle. 

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

We've been going through a lot of very pretty and scenic areas, so I've just been looking at the scenery and kind of just talking to people that I'm riding with. I love to chat on the bike, and that makes the days fly by. A few days ago, Stephanie was giving us a recap of her book, and it made an hour feel like it was only five minutes, and I wanted to hear more.

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

 I can't wait to see the national parks. I think they're going to be beautiful, and I'm excited to get some more elevation.

Anything else you want to talk about?

I just want to say how kind of pleasantly surprised I've been by everyone's generosity. Everywhere that we've gone, it's been at rest stops, at churches that we stop, and even at random towns, everyone's been very kind and it's been very heartwarming.

Day 31: Nebraska’s Dry Heat | Kearney, NE to McCook, NE

Today was long and hot, but we braved our first century in a while and made it through the day. Our first couple of rest stops were at parks, and we tried our best to make the start of the day as fast as possible to beat the heat. Later in the day, the UV index started to rise, and the dry heat made the ride far harder. Taking a break from the heat was necessary, and we had a long lunch stop and re-fueled for the rest of our ride, which was mostly flat with a gradual incline. Luckily, we ended the day with ice cream!

Quote of the Day

“Okay, I feel good. I feel like a captain who decided to go down with his ship” - Veronica

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 103.8 mi

Elevation:  2,708 ft

Points of Interest: Lee’s Crossraod Cafe

Ride Dedication: Leo Ratzer 

Tales of the Trail 

To beat the heat, we had an early morning wake-up at 4:45 am, with Matt blasting “Turn Down for What” to wake everyone up. After enjoying breakfast, we all met for morning circle, and Jessica’s mom graciously sent us some American flag fans! After rolling out, my group decided to stop at McDonald’s around mile 2, continuing the tradition of early stops, which our team is really enjoying! The start of the ride was fairly easy, with a very gradual incline. We had our first rest stop in a parking lot, which we made quickly before getting back on the road. After a more gradual incline, we got to our second rest stop at a park around mile 40, and everyone could start to feel the heat. After rolling out of our second rest stop, we faced some semi-hard rolling hills, which felt much harder due to the heat, as the UV index was starting to reach 11. During the ride, it was great to see the arid landscape of Nebraska for the first time, but the dry heat did prove to be a challenge, and water was undeniably necessary. Thankfully, we made it to Lee’s Crossroad Cafe, which felt like an oasis in the middle of the desert! Everyone took some time to sit down, recover, hydrate, and re-fuel before getting back on the road, and we all needed a long break after the stretch we just endured.

The rest of the ride was flat with a gradual incline, and we took a couple more rest stops at gas stations to cool down. It was a great end of the ride until a group unexpectedly got a flat tire at mile 99 – maybe the worst time to get a flat. Since they were so close to the stayover, Matt picked them up so we could get to the showers before closing time. Fortunately, we all got to take showers, and everyone enjoyed some ice cream before shuttling back to the stayover. Once we got back, most of us wrapped up the night by washing our clothes and getting ready for bed!

Thank you to Peace Lutheran Church for giving us a place to sleep, a meal to eat, and some amazing University of Nebraska t-shirts! 

Cyclist’s Corner 

Today's Rider: Nicole Tchorz

How are you feeling today?

I’m feeling pretty good, I had a good day. All of the century day’s I’ve had so far have gone really well, and I just typically yap with the people in my group which makes the entire day fun. 

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

I typically try to go for snacks that would fill me up most. The pretzel bags we have usually have a good amount so I try to get that first and then any granola bars that I can so I can get fueled up. My favorites are goldfish and nutrigrain bars, or nature bakery bars. 

What is your rest stop routine?

If there’s a bathroom I typically use that first, then I just snack a lot and lay in the shade when available. When it gets closer to having to go, I fill up my water bottles, wet my arm sleeves and gaiter if I have them on, and put on sunscreen before hitting the road again. 

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

On longer days on the bike, I stay motivated by thinking about how lucky I am to have this opportunity to be a part of I4K and my motive for joining in the first place, so I push through it. Having a good group to talk about anything during the ride also helps a lot, because when I get to talk with others the time goes by way faster and its much more enjoyable when I continue to learn more about my teammates or any random topic we talk about. If no one is in a talking mood I typically sing to myself and that helps a lot as well, back in Pennsylvania, The Piña Colada song was a hit for me. 

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I am most looking forward to just the rest of the ride West. I’m excited and both a little nerve-wrecked about Colorado's mountains with the elevation, but there are places down the road like the Grand Tetons and other national parks that I am excited about visiting along the way outside of Colorado. 

Anything else you want to talk about?

Thanks to my family for supporting me throughout the trip and shout out to everyone else on the team as well,  I have gotten to know everyone better throughout the trip and they make every day an adventure.

Day 30: A Steady Rise | York, NE to Kearney, NE

Today was not super eventful for our team, but we got to explore more of Nebraska! Throughout our ride today, we got to gradually climb up in elevation while enjoying the views. There were many smells that tickled our noses today, and we got plenty of cold treats to keep us going throughout the day.

Quote of the Day

“You have very flexible calves”

— Jessica (to Veronica)

ride overview

Mileage: 82.8 Miles

Elevation: 1,112 ft. 

Points of Interest: Cabelas, Java Junction, Baristas Coffee House 

Ride Dedication: Nicole Banitt

tales of the trail

The team rolled out today, ready to tackle the gradual climb throughout the day. We started with our ordinary oatmeal and hit the road! Nebraska continued to surprise us throughout the day with the variety of smells our noses encountered; most were not pleasant, but at least we knew our senses were working! As usual, it would not be an I4K ride day without a coffee shop rest stop. We had our rest stop at a coffee house where everyone refueled to have energy for the rest of the day. We were climbing a gradual hill throughout the day, with the steepest part being a grade of 1.6% at one point! So (not) steep! It felt like we were riding on a flat surface throughout the whole day, but slowly and surely, we were gaining elevation. Towards the end of the day, some groups stopped at a Cabela’s to check out what they had to offer, and we all ended the ride by visiting Java Junction! At Java Junction, many people got smoothies and ice cream, a nice way to end an 80-miler on a hot summer day in Nebraska.

Thank you so much to the First Lutheran Church ELCA for providing us with sandwiches to make for dinner, and a place for our team to get some well-needed rest!

cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Dev Dassani

How are you feeling today?

 I'm feeling pretty good today. It was a somewhat long day, but we got through the ride pretty fast, because we were going fast, but overall it was a little tough.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

No, I don't necessarily have any go to snacks. I normally just try and get carbohydrates, protein, and salt to energize me for the day 

What is your rest stop routine?

Chill for a bit, drink some water, and try to get something to eat. If it's a gas station or a cafe, I'll usually get a coffee if it's early enough in the morning, and I usually try to fill up my water bottles. I just do what I can to prepare to get riding again. 

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

The way I motivate myself usually varies. A lot of the time, I just try and take it mile by mile or rest stop by rest stop. On some days, I try and lean into the pain. When it gets hard, it's usually not so painful, but just the long days can be a bit tough. Other times, I try and distract myself by either singing a song in my head or just thinking about something to distract me from riding for the day. I also enjoy just talking to my teammates, and on the bike, that helps the day go by quicker

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I’m most looking forward to visiting the Grand Tetons. It seems like such a beautiful place and is somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit.

Day 29: Dino Mart! | Lincoln, NE to York, NE

Today’s ride was a fairly quick one, giving us more time to enjoy our day in York! After a late start to the day, we experienced some minor rolling hills and a gradual incline, which wasn’t anything we weren’t used to. Once we arrived in York, we had a great time visiting a marble museum, an antique store, and the grocery store for root beer!

Quote of the Day

“If it’s evenly coated in rust, it’s okay” - Harbin (talking about his bike, Surly)

“You guys know Costco?” - Veronica 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 54.2 Miles

Elevation: 1,381 ft.

Points of Interest: Neutral Grounds Coffee Shop, Sinclair Gas Station (dinos!), Grand Central Foods, Lee’s Legendary Marbles & Collectibles 

Ride Dedication: Robert (Bob) and Ann Snider 

Tales of the Trail 

We all woke up at our usual time of 5:45 am, feeling well-rested from the previous rest day. We rolled out later than usual due to rain in the morning, but the early morning sky greeted us with a beautiful sunrise and rainbow! We eventually rolled out around 8 am, and some of the groups immediately found coffee, while others got a head start. The morning started out with low-grade hills, which were fairly easy compared to some other days of the ride. Our first rest stop of the morning was at Neutral Grounds Coffee Shop, which was a relaxing place to get some coffee and snacks before getting back on the road. The rest of the ride was very flat, with a very low grade incline, making it much easier to get through the day. We had our lunch stop at Sinclair’s Gas Station, which was dinosaur-themed and even had a mini dinosaur statue, which our team had a great time taking pictures on! Luckily, we only had 15 miles left of the ride, giving us time to enjoy the rest of the day. 

We got to the stayover around 1:30 PM, and everyone got to unpacking and taking showers. Some people went to the community center to shower, while a group of us went to buy all kinds of root beer from the grocery store! A bit later, a group visited the marble museum and had a great time learning about this niche interest. Once everyone got back to their stayover, we were provided some great sandwiches by the church. We were also challenged to find cool objects on the side of the road this morning, and every group took the time to share a story surrounding their discovered object. After dinner, we spent the rest of the night watching Interstellar and taste testing the root beer we bought earlier in the day. Unfortunately, the movie was very long, and we had to end it early so everyone could rest up for the next day. No worries – we’ll finish it eventually!

Thank you, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, for giving us a place to sleep and providing us with a great meal!

Cyclist’s Corner 

Today’s Rider: Matt Guibord

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling good, we had a short day. It started raining when we started, it was a longer first stretch, but we got to have coffee. We stayed a little bit longer at the coffee shop, which was nice and relaxing. We told the coffee shop owner and some guests about what we were doing, they were very supportive. Then the longer first stretch made the last two stretches kind of shorter, 12 miles and 16 miles, those were very nice because it wasn't too hot and the road was nice. It was very straight and flat, but it was nice and relaxing. It's nice to be back at the stay over quickly. We got here around 2: 30 and so we've been able to rest since then.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

For gas station snacks, if they're selling a lunch like thing, not just snacks, but like a sandwich or things like that, then I to go for those for rest stop snacks. I really just try to get as much protein in as possible. I like pairing a protein heavy, like granola bar or something, with maybe something sweeter or savory to keep me motivated and keep the spirits high.

What is your rest stop routine?

My rest stop routine is, I start a timer at the beginning of almost every single rest stop, even though I normally don't tell people, because when it hits 15 minutes, I don't want to leave, and so I'm not gonna kick people out if I don't wanna leave. So I normally just keep that, but I do set timers, and then I grab snacks, and I'm basically just eating snacks all the way until I'm almost ready to go, and then with a few minutes left, I fill my water bottles. I don't have that much sunscreen to put on, just because I like the arm sleeves and leg sleeves, and really the only things that are showing are the tops of my hands and my cheeks. So I'll sunscreen those.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

I think the best is to break it into bite sized chunks. I mean, this entire trip, it's easy to just say, every day is the bite sized chunk, but I don't think that a day is small enough. So maybe like, rest stop, or, every 20 miles, every 10 miles, and you really just have to block the rest of the day out of your brain. You just have to focus on the moment, on the present. Honestly, just looking around, because it's very easy to just kind of put your head down and just like, keep biking and say, “oh, my legs hurt. This is painful.” But then you start looking around, enjoying the scenery, and you start talking to people, and it makes the time go by much faster, and you enjoy it more.

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I’m looking forward to basically everything past Boulder because that's when we start doing elevation again, and mountains and stuff. I really enjoy that, and just the scenery, I think it’s going to get a little better than the flat cornfields of the Midwest. I'm also excited for the dry weather, because the humidity kind of sucks. It makes everything feel so much hotter than it actually is, so things being dry will be nice, and with good views, lots of climbing, but I don't really mind the climbing. 

Anything else you want to talk about?

Shout out to all the stayovers who have helped us. They've been so generous so far, and everyone's been very appreciative and grateful for everything.

Day 27+28: Will You Be My Valentine? | Omaha, NE to Lincoln, NE

Today we had a somewhat quick ride, which gave us more time to enjoy the sights of Lincoln. We dealt with some difficult hills in the beginning of the ride, but the roads soon flattened out, making the day much easier. The team got to Lincoln after dealing with two flat tires and had time to relax before getting dinner. We hit the town in the evening for some food, and enjoyed the night without worries of waking up early the next morning, excited for one of our first I4K holiday’s, Valentines Day!

quote of the day

“Dev was giving flat tire vibes today”

— Alex

ride overview

Mileage: 57.9 Miles

Elevation: 2,031 ft

Points of Interest: The Beanery, Tipsy Tinas Taco Cantina, The Waffle Cone Haymarket Ice Cream, Historic Haymarket, The Hub Cafe, Lincoln’s Children Zoo, Nebraska State Capitol Building, Sunken Gardens, Holmes Lake Park 

Ride Dedication: Aruna Shah 

tales of the trail

Day 27

We woke up at our usual time, and had a quicker than usual morning – we’re getting better at rolling our early! This morning, we challenged ourselves to come up with fun callouts during our ride, which made the day a little brighter. The ride started out with some rolling hills as we rolled out of Omaha, which made for a somewhat difficult start, but we soon came up on our first rest stop of the day - The Beanery Coffee Drive Thru! We all took a quick coffee break and got back on the road to finish out the day fast. Luckily, the roads flattened out, making the ride much easier. On our way, we passed by a cool lighthouse near the side of a river, which made for some fun pictures! Soon, we got to our second rest stop of the day, which was outside of a Mexican restaurant and coffee shop. Some of us got $1 ice cream, bought patches, and got some food before heading back on the road. It was a quicker day, as we only had 12 miles to go, but we ran into some misfortune on the last stretch. In the span of a couple of miles, the team got 2 flat tires, making the day a bit longer, but we were able to fix them up and get back on the road. With only a couple miles to go, we came up on a very windy path going into Lincoln, and we soon found ourselves riding through the University of Nebraska campus. We soon made it to our stayover for the night, and everyone got to unpacking and showering, while another group drove over to a bike shop in town to get some bike parts. 

Since we had the evening to relax and not worry about riding the next day, the team decided to go out for dinner in the Historic Haymarket District. The whole team went to Tipsy Tina’s Taco Cantina, and we enjoyed each other’s company in a fun atmosphere! After dinner, we went to get ice cream to finish out the night, and a group of us went back to the stayover while others stayed out for a bit. It was great to have a good night’s sleep without the worries of being woken up at 5:45 am, and the upcoming rest day would be well-needed after a long stretch!

Day 28

The team was greeted with coffee and donuts this morning at their stayover in St Paul Methodist Church. While the team was eating breakfast, we got to chat with some local community members and met Robert and Ann! Both of them have survived cancer, and we had the opportunity to talk to them about their experience and what we, as riders, have also learned along the ride. Afterwards, Robert so kindly gave the team a tour of the sanctuary and up to the church bells (McKinley Memorial Chime), where the team was able to read sheet music and play the bells! The experience was amazing, and it was so kind of Robert and Ann to show us around. Thank you!

Once we said goodbye to Robert and Ann, the team got ready to head out for the day to explore Lincoln with their “dates”. I4K Valentine’s Day is Valentine’s Day, just not on February 14th. It’s one of the many holidays that I4K celebrates while riding on the trip. The “dates” were chosen randomly, and gave people on the team the opportunity to know one another better. The team set off for the day to do a multitude of things. Some went to The Hub Cafe to grab lunch, while others went to neighboring cafes to get to know one another better. Here is what our “dates” were up to: Nicole and Andres went to the Lincoln’s Children Zoo to feed some giraffes, goats, and gaze at the animals. Sofia and Micah went kayaking! Alex and Stephanie went to throw some Axes! Jessica, Yuncong, and Jason explored Lincoln and the Nebraska State Capitol. Harbin and Katie went to the Sunken Gardens, where they surprisingly encountered a wedding in progress! So they stayed to watch and support the newlyweds of some strangers. Eli and Dev went to shoot some targets, and Veronica and Matt baked an apple pie that the team later ate that night (which was scrumptious)! After the team spent time with their “dates”, we got dinner from a pizza restaurant called Yia Yia’s, which gave us 50% off our order. Thank you for giving us a discount — the pizzas were amazing and fed the whole team! Once the team was fed, everyone went on with the night, doing whatever they needed to do to prepare for the next day. It was a day of adventure for everyone, and we’re ready to explore more of Nebraska! 

Thank you to the St Paul Methodist Church for hosting us for two days in a row, and for giving us recommendations on what to do in Lincoln, NE!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Katie Kobel

How are you feeling today?

Today, I’m feeling pretty good. I had a lot of fun with the ride in my group. At the beginning, my legs felt like they weren't waking up, even though it was a pretty easy day. So after the first rest stop, it got better, and then it was pretty good day.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Okay, so my favorite gas station is the Wawa, which was out East, and now it's gone, so that's sad to me. My favorite snack I like is when we go to the coffee shop and I can get my Ice Chai.

What is your rest stop routine?

My routine is, normally, I immediately like to go into wherever we are and cool off. Then, lately, I've been falling asleep at the rest stops, which I don't like because then I'm too tired to go back on my bike, and then I get sunscreen and water. 

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

I think lately, I've been telling my life story, because everyone keeps asking me, and it really does make the time go by quicker. So probably talking on the bike and then just thinking again about why I'm riding, that helps a lot.

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I think, really, I'm looking forward to the entire rest of the ride, but specifically California. I've never been there, and I've always wanted to go. It looks cool! I went to Colorado a few summers ago, and I had a lot of fun, so I'm excited to go back there again.

Anything else you want to talk about?

I think I'll just give a shout out to myself, because I think at the beginning it was hard to get used to the ride, but I think within the past week, probably, it's been getting much better, and I'm enjoying it a lot more rather than having a hard time with biking. I think I'm getting stronger and it's easier so I'm able to enjoy it more!

Day 23: Iowa Has Hills?!?!?! | Iowa City, IA to Newton, IA

quote of the day

“Sometimes I just like to touch Jason’s bike”

— Stephanie

ride overview

Mileage: 89.4 Miles

Elevation: 4,090 ft. 

Points of Interest: Parnell Park, Vivarium Coffee (Montezuma)

Ride Dedication: Bela Shah

tales of the trail

The morning started out strong with another early wake-up to beat the heat. It ended up being a cloudy and cool morning, with a beautiful view of clouds in the distance. There were also a lot of rolling hills throughout the ride, which weren’t too steep, but very repetitive. Luckily, we hadn’t experienced rain so far, and it was a chill morning to enjoy the Iowa countryside. The groups also spent the day creating their own I4K parodies of popular songs, which was a fun way to pass the time! As we rolled through the countryside, all the groups stopped at a bale of hay to take a picture, giving us the true Iowa experience. Soon, we rolled into our first rest stop in Parnell, and everyone snacked up before quickly getting back on the road. On our second stretch, it started to rain a bit, but it was nothing we weren’t used to! As we continued on our way, we had a second stop in Deep River, where we enjoyed meeting some of the local families! 

Two groups decided to take an impromptu stop at Vivarium Coffee, and everyone enjoyed taking a nice coffee break! We quickly got to the lunch stop, which was on the side road, and we ate some pb&j’s before finishing out the day. After our final rest stop at Casey’s, the teams split up between two houses to shower, set up, and prepare for dinner. Everyone shuttled to Our Savior Lutheran church to eat dinner with the community and share our mission against cancer! After dinner we split up again, and returned to our stay-over houses, where the hosts were kind enough to offer us beds! We wrapped up the night with some laundry and hit the hay!

cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Jessica Fornek

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling really good, considering we had 90 miles that turned into 95 miles today. There are a lot of hills, which is kind of unexpected for Iowa, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. I kind of miss climbing and descending a little bit, and it was a really fun ride day. It didn't feel like 90 miles at all, and I feel like the team was all in high spirits. So, yeah, good.

What was your favorite part of today’s ride?

Iowa has actually been nicer than I expected, because during my ride, we only went into like a corner of Iowa for like 10 miles, maybe, so I didn't really get to see much of it. But the farmlands are actually pretty, and the sky was really pretty today, and there weren’t a lot of cars on the road so we were able to talk, and our group was just being really goofy today. So I feel like we were able to just laugh our way through the day, which made it a lot of fun. We did stop at a coffee place, it was really good coffee. I got an oatmeal cookie latte, and it was really good. Yeah, our group was team shenanigans today, so we were stopping a lot. Oh, the hay bales, yeah. We pulled off at several hay bales and got fun pictures on the hay bales, which I've been wanting to do. So that was a lot of fun.

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

I've had a lot of my immediate family affected by cancer, and then also a ton of extended family, but my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, and my brother had leukemia, so very close relations with cancer, and part of that was at the same time so it was a huge thing that affected my family. I was young at the time, but now, thinking back on it, it's like crazy that my family went through that, and my brother was in college at the time, so to think that he was diagnosed with cancer, and then was still able to finish his degree is really crazy for me to think back on, now that I've finished my degree without those conditions. Yeah, just the cause, and I've always wanted to do something like this, like a grand adventure, where I get to see a lot of the country and travel. So it was kind of the best of both worlds, and it's been great.

Before joining Illini 4000, how much bike training had you done, and did you have any other athletic background that you feel prepared you for this ride?

I didn't have a ton of bike training. The most I did was like, maybe, well, okay, before my first ride, I did do the ride already, but before my first ride, the most I did was like, maybe 20 miles, which is like a really long ride for me. I had a cheap mountain bike that was really heavy and hard to bike on, and I would just go on bike rides during COVID. That was about it. But I've been in sports, like, my whole life, so that helped in some way I'm sure. But yeah, cycling, no. Now the second time around, I definitely have the mental preparation, I know I'm capable of it, so it's like, okay, I'll just do it. But yeah, physically, it's still hard not gonna lie, mentally easier. 

What is your bike's name? Model?

My bike still doesn’t have a name. I care about my bike, but I care about it too much to the point where I can't commit to a name, so I need to name it by the end of this ride. If anyone has any ideas for a coral bike, please let me know. I don't like the name coral though. Model, its a Specialized Diverge.

What are you most nervous/excited about?

 ​​I'm really excited for Colorado. I know everyone's a little bit nervous about that because of the climbing, but I think it's going to be so beautiful. So even if it's hard, like, I know I'll just be having such a great time with the views. I'm also really excited to go back through the national parks that I went through on my first ride, like Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, those were just amazing, and camping, camping is fun. 

Anything else you want to talk about?

Shout out to my mom and my family for being so supportive and helping me out with whatever I need during the times when I'm home, and you know, everything before the ride, helping me get ready and deal with all the issues. Yeah, thank you.

Day 26: No More Iowa - Naurbraska! | Atlantic, IA to Omaha, NE

Today, the team entered our 9th state of the ride, Nebraska! Iowa continued to leave us biking on rolling hills till we hit Omaha, but it wasn’t anything our team hadn’t seen before! To get through the hot, hot, hot day outside, the team took many fun pictures throughout today’s ride with different objects and statues to fill up our camera rolls with memories.

quote of the day

“I can’t hear clearly with sunglasses” - Yuncong 

“The sun be sunning” - Jason

ride overview

Mileage: 65.7 Miles

Elevation: 3,725 ft. 

Points of Interest: Rubacks Super Market, Tom Friedman: “Looking Up” Sculpture, River’s Edge Pavilion, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters  

Ride Dedication: Ela Ostrowski Tchorz 

tales of the trail

After yesterday’s events in Iowa, the team was ready to get moving into our 9th state of the trip, Nebraska! Home of Kool-Aid, the team made sure to hydrate throughout the day with electrolytes and water to not let the heat get to them. Iowa’s hills kept us on our toes and pedaling until we made it out of the state. Our first rest stop was at Rubacks Super Market, where the employees were super kind and wished us luck on our travels. Despite having oatmeal in the morning, the team was ravenous, and many decided to buy some fried chicken to satisfy their hunger with some protein. At this stop, many groups also chose to take some cool photos for today’s scavenger hunt activity, where we were given a list of objects to take a photo with.

Our second stop of the day was in a shady area underneath some trees. The team silently and unanimously agreed that this would be the perfect spot to nap, so many fell into a slumber until it was time for the next and final stretch of the day, when we would cross into Nebraska. Leading into our 9th state, the team had to stop at Tom Friedman’s “Looking Up” sculpture. The sculpture reminded us all of our beloved tall rider, Matt, and we took some time to rest and refresh as there was a sprayground park nearby.

We took the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge into Nebraska, and it was a well structured bridge. The team stopped to admire the Iowa-Nebraska state line across the ground. Afterwards, some teams went to visit the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters, while others continued onward with the ride. Omaha tested our perseverance for the day with some final steep climbs (but no rolling hills like Iowa) leading up to the stayover. Once everyone got settled in for the night, the team made our classic Spaghetti and Lentils for dinner. Some went for a trip to Walmart to get some necessities, and others got some haircuts by one of our riders, Sofia! We ended the night with some classical music, as our heads hit our pillows to take some much needed rest for the day ahead.

Thank you to the All Saints Episcopal Church for providing us with a place to sleep in the retreat center. It was lovely there and the team was able to get their much-needed rest.

From the Saddle: A Question for You

Introducing a new segment, From the Saddle! We as an organization have reflected upon how much our supporters mean to us and want to get your feedback! For the time being, we will be testing out this segment to see how well it performs and include it in our journals on a weekly basis (may change). The idea is, we will ask YOU, the readers, a question, and it will be your job to respond in the comments. This will be a great way for us to get to know our supporters better and create a community surrounding the cause of fighting cancer!

Today’s Question For You: What snack would you never get tired of on a long trip?

cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Eli Kujawa

How are you feeling today?

Pretty good, kind of sore, ready for the rest day tomorrow. But this stretch has definitely felt easier than the last one, and I can tell I'm  getting stronger. So I'm feeling pretty good today.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

I kind of just go for whatever's in the in the van, but if I can go to a gas station and buy either a protein shake or just some milk, that's always a good day.

What is your rest stop routine?

I usually start by trying to get down as many calories as possible, and I also drink as much water as as I can comfortably drink, and then sunscreen, maybe sit down for a bit, and Then get rolling when, when my group is ready.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

I try to just tell myself, I'm just gonna push through for another mile and see how I feel. And then I kind of just keep doing that until I get there. And then same with rest stops, I'll say I'll just make it to the next rest stop, and then  I can sag in the van if I want, and then I try not to let myself actually do that and just push through, kind of just taking things one piece at a time.

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I'm really excited about Crater Lake National Park. I think that's going to be really cool. And in general, I think just out west is going to be very beautiful. So I'm excited for that. I'm a little nervous about some of the climbs and descents on the mountains, but I think that the payoff is going to be huge.

Day 25: A Series of Mis”fun”tunate Events | Des Moines, IA to Atlantic, IA

Today wasn’t a usual day for I4K, and things didn’t necessarily go as planned, but we adapted and pushed through. The ride started out with an unexpected amount of trail closures that required us to maneuver around trails at a slow pace. The day continued on with long gravel hills and more road closures that required us to make some adjustments. Soon, we were hit by storms that required us to shelter in a Casey’s and finish out the day by shuttling everyone to the stay-over. Despite an unfortunate turn of events, the team still had a good time and found ways to make the day fun!

Quote of the Day

“Morning grind? Sounds like my gears right now” - Harbin 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 84 Miles

Elevation: 2,840 ft. 

Points of Interest: Morning Grind (Coffee), Closed Trails

Ride Dedication: Donna Wallach 

Tales of the Trail 

We started out the morning at our usual time, and everyone prepared for what was expected to be a longer day. We biked through very windy trails and were met with a lot of trail closed signs that we had to maneuver around. We even had to trek through the mud for a small portion of the ride, and everyone took some time to clean the mud off their bikes and cleats. We came across some unfinished bridges and fences we had to climb over, and even though they proved to be a major inconvenience, we laughed it off and kept on going. This made the first stretch of the morning far longer than usual. Fortunately, we made it to the first rest stop of the morning and got some coffee at the Morning Grind. We met some very nice people at the coffee shop, and it was great to take some time to relax after a turbulent morning. Some of us weren’t in the best of moods, but we continued onto the next stretch of the ride and eventually got to ride down a shaded path, and luckily, we didn’t come across any closed trail signs on this path. Eventually, we came across some hilly gravel roads, and we were met with yet another road closed sign. Luckily, we were able to find our way around and continued the ride on some challenging hills before seeing dark rain clouds in the distance…

Due to the prospects of a severe storm, we booked it to a Casey’s to try and beat a torrential downpour. We just nearly missed the rain as we rolled into the gas station, and we sheltered there for a while. It wasn’t looking like the thunderstorms were going to clear up any time soon, and our ride leaders made the executive decision to shuttle everyone to the stayover, ending our ride for the day. A group of us were shuttled to the stayover, while another group had to stay at Casey’s to wait for a second trip. Since the left-behind group had some time to kill, we decided to bike over to an ice cream shop in the town over before the next storm rolled in. The only problem was that we had an extra bike, but Jason used his super cycling skills to ride on his bike and hold the other at the same time. As we made our way to the ice cream shop, our group got a flat tire, which was unfortunate because we had to make it to the town over quickly. Jason changed the tire quickly, and we were on our way as we took in the views of beautiful clouds in the distance. We made it to the ice cream shop just in time before it started downpouring, proving to us that today wasn’t all bad luck! We enjoyed some ice cream before being picked up by Sofia, and the rest of us were finally shuttled back to the stayover for the night. Upon our arrival, we got to shower and enjoy some of the facilities at the YMCA before eating and wrapping up the night. Reflecting back on the day, we dealt with some misfortune, but it made for some funny moments and what some teammates would call “type 2 fun.”

Thank you to the community of Nishna Valley YMCA for giving us a place to sleep and letting us use your facilities!

Cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Micah Yoder

How are you feeling today?

I thought today was very fun and interesting, because we had a tunnel underpass pretty close to a construction zone, which we went underneath, and it got quite a bit of mud in my tires and everyone else's tires and in my breaks, but a good cleaning at the stayover made that all fine, and it was a fun experience to go through with my team.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

I had two slices of pizza today, but usually I would stick to our snack box trying to get protein bars or chips. Since chips, I figure, are fairly healthy, since we need the sodium anyway, so that’s good. 

What is your rest stop routine?

When I get to rest stops, my first thing is usually to finish all the water from my water bottles and then sit for a little bit, maybe eat as much food as I can fit in my stomach for a short period of time. Then I eventually fill up my water bottles, and if it's been two rest stops without sunscreen, reapply sunscreen, and then forget that I didn't turn my Garmin (a bike computer) off, and that it’s battery life has gone down 10% and then roll out.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

Usually, my method for doing this is just singing, either out loud or to myself. I go through a number of songs throughout each day, and i've noticed that whenever i feel especially tired, it's usually because i haven't been singing to myself for a while, and I start singing to myself, or something like that, and I feel a lot better. Otherwise, I try to talk to other people, or share life stories or hear other people's life stories, as we do a lot on bikes.

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I’m looking forward to seeing the Rockies and all the mountains there since I haven't been up mountains very much, besides passing through on flights and such, and mountain scenery is great.

Day 24: Why We Ride | Newton, IA to Des Moines, IA

The team was psyched up for today with lower mileage. It meant we would have more time unwind and remind ourselves of what life is like off a bike. The 40 miler went by fast for the team and we were able to spend the rest of the day in Des Moines unwinding, sharing our “Why We Ride” stories, and finishing the night with some vocals.

quote of the day

Sofia: “we’re not trees”

Matt: “so we will die”

ride overview

Mileage: 40.5 Miles

Elevation: 1,510 ft. 

Points of Interest: Village Park, Zombie Burger, The Greatest Store In The Universe, Black Cat Creamery

Ride Dedication: Meredith

tales of the trail

The team got rolling this morning with one goal in mind: get to Des Moines early enough to have time to explore, and we achieved that goal! We experienced all the terrain we could possibly go through in one day, and ironically enough, on of our shorter days! We encountered the paved road, gravel, rails trails, bridges, flats, and climbs! Our only rest stop for the day was at Village Park, where the teams took some longer time to relax in the shade knowing that we had a short day so there was no rush.

Once the team unpacked everything at our stayover for the night, we went out to shower at a local YMCA, then immediately headed out to eat since we hadn’t eaten lunch yet. We arrived to eat at Zombie Burger, where many got interesting burger combinations and ramen. Ever tried a burger with peanut butter and banana in it? Well, some of us did and it wasn’t too shabby! After we filled our stomachs, a store nearby caught our eyes. “The Greatest Store in the Universe”, it said. Well, we had to check it out to see if it was true. The advertising did not lie. It was quite an amazing store, it had many cool stickers, shirts, keychains, postcards, etc. you could find a lot of sick and funny merchandise. It was the bomb.com. Following the store adventure, the team set off to Black Cat Creamery to get some much needed ice-cream as a reward for the hot day. Their flavors were interesting and their apple-pie flavor did indeed taste like pie!

Back at the stayover, the team got together to share their “Why We Ride” stories. This annual tradition in I4K is an opportunity during the ride where everyone gets together to share their stories and motive for joining I4K. Many do it to prove to themselves that they can tackle on such a physical challenge, along with the deep desire of wanting to make a difference in the world via the fundraising we do for cancer research and spreading awareness. Many shared stories of loved one’s who have had cancer; there were tears, laughs, and it brought us closer together as a team to get the chance to hear everybody out. At the very end, the team linked arms to create a giant cinnamon roll looking hug. Our conversation reminded all of us of why we are here, why we are doing the ride, and we want to thank all of our supporters who have helped us along the way here as an organization to help combat cancer.

Succeeding our heart-felt conversation, the team was in the need of some laughter. Two days prior, the groups on the ride had been given a challenge to create a parody of a song with their groups, and tonight, we performed them. Each group rehearsed their parts, got on stage to compete, and sang their heart outs to the parody. The winning group sang a parody of the song “Let It Be” by The Beatles. Afterwards, the team hit the hay to get ready for the next day, ready for Day 25.

Thank you to Grace United Methodist Church for allowing us stay the night and providing us with a hose to clean off our bikes to be squeaky clean!

cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Alex Ziminski

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling pretty good today. It was a short day, so feeling nice,  and feeling like I'm gonna be better recovered for tomorrow than I have been for other days.

Do you have any go-to gas station/rest stop snacks?

Honestly, I eat way too much at the rest stops. I pretty much eat like, everything that's in the snack bin. But if I do get something at a gas station, I usually get something like, usually a cold drink just to cool me off. Like, sometimes I'll get a Sprite or a Coke or something, but, yeah, that's probably my go to.  As for food, I had some animal crackers today. They were really good.

What is your rest stop routine?

Usually, when I first get to rest up, I just put my bike down, and just lay down for a minute, and then then I go eat,  and then I'll refill my water, and kind of just just try to relax as much I can, like I try not to move around too much.

How do you stay motivated on long/tough days on the bike?

On long and tough days, I feel like I really have to lean on my teammates, because it is kind of hard to stay motivated. So I make sure to stay vocal when I am struggling, and tell everyone “Hey, I'm really struggling”, or “I'm bonking”, or “I don't know if I'm going to be able to finish this”. And usually people in my group are really good about keeping me motivated and finishing like, whether it be early on in the day or towards the end, usually my ride group has my back for the remaining portion of the ride

For the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

Well, I'm really excited to go to Colorado. I know that's that's coming up next week, maybe, or in a few weeks, but, yeah, just seeing the mountains in person, like from the bike, is just gonna be awesome. Really excited for that. Also still probably the most excited to get to the West Coast, just, I feel like the first time when you see the ocean, it's just gonna be like, amazing. And just riding along the coast too is gonna be so cool because you're gonna have that, like ocean air as we're riding, and each rest stop it could just, just go swim in the ocean of each night.

Day 22: Electrolytes! | Davenport, IA to Iowa City, IA

Today marked the third day in a row where the team was faced with biking in extreme heat. Don’t worry though, by now we are pro’s at dealing with these conditions with groups getting their sun sleeves wet with cold water at rest stops, drinking electrolytes, etc. We took on a shorter day and were met with some of the first rolling hills that Iowa had to offer us.

quote of the day

“Every time we adopt something, I lose power”

— Andres

ride overview

Mileage: 59.4 Miles

Elevation: 1,852 ft

Points of Interest: Fire Nutrition, Rise and Grind (Coffee), University of Iowa 

Ride Dedication: Vicki Kobel

tales of the trail

The team was ready to tackle a shorter ride today (crazy to think 60 miles is short now), getting up early to beat the heat for the third day in a row! The goal for the day was to have quick rest stops. That being said, our van driver for the day, Jason, chose the first rest stop to be at a smoothie shop, with a coffee drive-through nearby… The team did a great job making it a quicker (relatively) rest stop, nonetheless. Some got smoothies at Fire Nutrition, while most got a coffee at the Rise and Grind coffee shop nearby.

Throughout the day, our team kept up with our hydration. After experiencing the heat the last two days, we now knew what to expect and how to take care of our bodies on these hot days. Iowa surprised us with some climbing on their hills (thought nothing compared to those in Pennsylvania and West Virginia). With 2-3 miles left to the stayover, the last group decided to tackle the challenge of each member of the group drinking half a gallon of milk and riding the rest of the way to the stayover. Only one member of the group completed the challenge successfully, Harbin! The other members, unfortunately, did not finish the half gallon milk, or the milk came up in some other way before they got back on the bike (don’t ask).

After all the groups got to our stayover at the First Mennonite Church, the group shuttled to showers and were treated to dinner by our hosts. Later that night, our team had the privilege of speaking to Meredith and Donna about their cancer experiences. It was a pleasure being able to speak with them and hear about their journeys (be sure to read their story in the near future)! The team ended the night with a movie and was ready to tackle the next day. Thank you so much to the First Mennonite Church for giving us a place to sleep, along with the dinner and delicious breakfast that was provided so early in the morning!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Veronica Kozak

How are you feeling today?

We got in early, so we had a lot of time to rest and just be human. So I'm feeling good.

What was your favorite part of today’s ride?

I  really liked walking through the drive-through at a coffee place. It was funny because there were cars in front and back, and there was a bunch of cyclists just walking through to get coffee. And the owner was really sweet, and she gave us stickers. And the coffee was delicious. I got a vanilla honey cinnamon ice latte.

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

A lot motivated me. My sister did the ride in 2016, and I knew I always wanted to do it because it sounded amazing to bike across the country. But it wasn't until my uncle passed away from cancer, and near my freshman year of entering college that I knew I wanted to do the ride then and there, just as a way to pay homage to him and also prove to myself that I could do something like I4K and push myself in that way.

Before joining Illini 4000, how much bike training had you done, and did you have any other athletic background that you feel prepared you for this ride?

Well, for my first ride, I hadn't touched a bike in five years prior, so I was not prepared at all. But that just shows that anyone can do it, and it's possible with effort, determination, and willpower. You can do it if you really want for this ride. I will be honest, I didn't train as much as I did my first time around, but I'm really surprised. I think my experience doing it the first time helped,  and I was mentally prepared a lot more this time around. I think that helped me get through the physically challenging days on the ride the second time. And I think that's what got me through, just having a little bit of experience, and being able to do that. 

What is your bike's name? Model?

My bike's name is Bobby, B, O, B, B, Y,  and the model is a Trek Domani 2

What are you most nervous/excited about?

It's a bit nerve-wracking having to lead a team of 15, and knowing that I am, in a way, responsible for everyone. But I'm also excited at the same time, because I think we got a good bunch this time around. And I love everyone's personality, and I think they fit well, and everyone's great.

Day 21: Beating the Heat (Sorta) | Rochelle, IL to Davenport, IA

Today was surely a long one, and we all had a difficult time dealing with the heat, but the team powered through, and a group of us was able to finish out the day. We started off with some flat lands and rolling hills in Illinois as temperatures started to rise, and the team enjoyed some stops along the way. The team had a scenic end of the ride along the Mississippi River and crossed into our 8th state of the journey as we finished a long and hot day. 

quote of the day

“I’m the master hydrator”

— Dev

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 96 Miles 

Elevation: 2,067 ft

Points of Interest: Fresco On First, Will B. Rolling Statue, Mississippi River, Centennial Bridge

Ride Dedication: Colleen Buhrfiend 

Tales of the Trail 

We started the morning with a 4:45 am wake-up to beat the heat, and everyone prepared for the day ahead. Our team has been attempting to improve our wake-up to rollout time, and we have been better about packing up quickly, but we are still rolling out later than we would like. Fortunately, we were able to get a somewhat cooler start to the morning with an early wake-up, and we began the day with 26 miles before reaching our first rest stop. The first rest stop of the day was in Dixon (hometown of Ronald Reagan), where some of the team enjoyed lattes, smoothies, and coffee at Fresco On First. After taking a bit longer than we would’ve wanted, the team rolled out of our first rest stop as temperatures started to rise. As we continued on, the sun's rays became stronger and we really started to heat up. The team made sure to fill up our water bottles (with ice) at every opportunity, and we took hydrating very seriously. Days like this can be long and grueling, but properly fueling and hydrating is one of the most important ways to stay safe. The team found a good spot for lunch outside of a Subway, where we took a long time to cool off after a long stretch of riding. Some of us were shuttled to the stayover, while the group planning to continue on the ride took a well-needed nap under the shade! 

After a long lunch stop, we finally got back on the ride and formed a bigger group to finish out the day, as there were fewer of us riding! We had a speedy stretch, as the team practiced a rotational pace line, giving everyone more time to draft. The Illinois countryside was nice and flat, but the strong winds and beating sun tired us out. After a strong stretch, we found a Casey’s to take a quick rest stop, and Harbin got an extra-large ice cream serving! We got back on the ride and tackled an intermediate climb, while taking short rest stops in the shade to cool off and take quick breathers. Soon, we found ourselves on the Mississippi River and stopped in Port Byron to fuel up before our final stretch. The team was amused by a giant statue of a bicyclist, which stood out as a centerpiece of the town and sat on the shore of the Mississippi. We enjoyed the last stretch of our ride on a trail bordering the Mississippi River, and we had our eyes on Iowa just on the other side! We soon crossed the Centennial Bridge leading into Iowa, where we took pictures with both the Illinois and Iowa crossing signs (we were never able to get one entering Illinois). The last stretch of our ride was a piece of cake until we faced three big climbs at the end. We charged up the final hills with the cathedral in sight and made our way into the stayover for the night. After eating and showering, the team was ready to call it a night. Thanks to the community of Sacred Heart Cathedral for providing us with an amazing dinner and giving us a place to sleep for the night!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Yuncong Geng 

How are you feeling today?

I think I'm feeling pretty good because I was very afraid of the wind yesterday, and I thought I couldn't manage it at all. But today, I learned for the first time how to stay in someone's draft. So that is, that is very good, and yeah, I just feel like I learned something new. I think ultimately, I will become stronger. 

What was your favorite part of today’s ride?

I only completed the first three stretches, and then I went to the van. The first one was wind with climbing, and the second and third one were pure wind. If I need to pick one favorite, I would say the second one (stretch of the ride). The first restaurant was really nice (our first rest stop). I had a big meal. I like big breakfast, so that was really comforting. 

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

I think the fact that I joined I4K is a purely random event because I have no connections with cyclists or like, athletic people on campus in general, and I never went to “Quad Day” except for the one last year. My friend, my lab mate, asked me if I wanted to go to Quad Day and I said, okay, fine. It was a very hot day and we just went to the edge of the Quad Day and went back. But I think the I 4k table was located at the edge of the quad, and I just signed up randomly. I didn't even have a bike, and so it's so random, but somehow, I think, like, there's some necessity behind every random event. So somehow I survived all the training rides, and I am here. I like the cause of I4K. We actually like, raised a non-trivial amount of money for cancer research, it’s really good. Also, on this trip, I realized how deeply everyone is affected by cancer, and in all the stories that I've heard are very amazing, and there are different characteristics, different perspectives, but are all very amazing and insightful.

Before joining Illini 4000, how much bike training had you done, and did you have any other athletic background that you feel prepared you for this ride?

The last time that I biked was probably seven years ago, when I was doing my undergraduate in China and I commuted with a bike, but that was very minimal. I don't think I'm athletic at all, but I do have some hobbies like boxing and hiking, but I think that doesn't count. Those don't count.

What is your bike's name? Model?

I don't know how to pronounce it properly, but it's Rousseau. It's a French philosopher. 

What are you most nervous/excited about?

I was very nervous about my rheumatoid arthritis, because before the ride I had flare ups after all the weekend training rides, and that lasted for several days. So I'm worried that I was not able to ride most of the days on this trip. But it turns out that it's not that bad. I've been sagging maybe half of the time,  I'm doing better than I expected.  I also  feel like as long as I ride in the correct posture, I won't get joint pain or that kind of stuff. Jason (our designated bike mechanic) has helped me a lot with the bike fitting stuff. So I think things will get better. My current goal is to ride three days in a row, and the next goal is to ride completely three rides in a row, and then I will move to four and five, so that's the challenge in the beginning. Before this ride, I wasn't convinced that I could actually survive this lifestyle, because I have a very sensitive nerve, and I need to keep a very strict sleeping schedule, and any noise or light will disturb my sleep, and I will get super anxious, and I will lose my sleep. Also, I needed to shower every day (before the ride), and, you know, I'm kind of like, living in a very unconventional, on the move lifestyle, I guess.  I didn't think that I would get used to this kind of lifestyle. But actually, I think I'm now a completely new creature. I'm used to, like, all the dirt, mud, it's a very new thing to me, actually. So I'm glad that I've changed. I am also excited to know everyone more deeply, yeah, that's nice.

Anything else you want to talk about?

I want to give a shout out to the van driver, because I know how stressful it can be. I think all the van drivers are doing an amazing job on choosing the rest stops and organizing things in the van, and also the van buddies, like they're good too, yeah.

Day 20: Illini Ride Along | Elmhurst, IL to Rochelle, IL

We started the day with a crowd awaiting to send us off from Stephanies house to begin our ride for the day. The first 12 miles of the day were a ride-along with any friends and family members that wanted to join, we had a great turnout and it was a blast being able to bike alongside loved ones for part of this journey. As the day went on, it became hotter, super hot, and super windy. The wind was no different from the training rides in the spring, but the heat kept us on our toes.

quote of the day

“You ride well in the rain. Is that because it reminds you of swimming?”

— Yuncong (to Katie)

ride overview

Mileage: 74.1 Miles

Elevation: 1,602 ft. 

Points of Interest: Kline Creek Farms, Old School Pizza (in Malta) 

Ride Dedication: Seungpyo Yang

tales of the trail

The morning started out great in the Yang household, with an amazing breakfast of steak, eggs, bagels and coffee. After fueling ourselves ahead of a long day, the team prepared for our second ride-along of the trip! Friends, family, and alumni joined us for a relaxed ride along the Prairie Path and Great Western trail. It was great to have some new and familiar faces on the ride, although a group somehow found their way off route and enjoyed a detour. After our 12.5 mile ride-along, we stopped at Kline Creek farm to say goodbye to the family and friends who joined us, and we continued on our way to finish the hot and humid day ahead.

After finishing our ride-along, we spent a large chunk of the ride on shaded trails as we left the Chicagoland area. Even though we were riding in the shade, temperatures started to rise into the 90s, and we all felt it affecting us. Fortunately, Stephanie’s parents were gracious enough to donate us Jimmy John’s at a rest stop, where we were all able to chill inside the restaurant to get some much needed AC. Afterwards, we started hitting more of the country roads, which meant we had nowhere to run from the sun. Stops with shade to take a quick breather on the side of the road were difficult to find, and the crosswinds we encountered almost made us tip over on our bikes!

The last rest stop of the day was at Old School Pizza in Malta, IL. It was quite a find, in a town with little surrounding it. The interior of the restaurant took the team back in time, they had statues of older stars like Elvis Presley, and a massive selection of older video games. The vibes were there. While some checked out the inside, part of the team decided that this was the stop to get some much needed rest in the grass, a classic move.

The team’s day wasn’t over when we got to the stayover. Once we got there, our van driver for the day, Matt, had to vote on which group's handshake was best for the day, and boy were there some creative takes! The team also finally decided what to name our support van for this ride. Will it be… Sav? From last year’s team? Vanny? Katherine? Our van’s name for the 2025 team is (drum roll please).................. Gloria (aka glorious van)!!!!

Thank you to the Rochelle United Methodist Church for hosting us tonight and providing us with dinner and floor space to get some much needed rest for the day ahead!

Cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Sofia Sivilotti

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling great. It was a  hot ride today, but it was fun. I'm glad. I'm glad I got showered and we're in a stayover with some AC.

What was your favorite part of today’s ride?

The ride along where I got to ride with my roommate and we stopped for milkshakes at like 20 something miles in, and the milkshakes were delicious, and then it just started to get hotter. But riding on trails is very nice too.

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

I have been biking for a while as part of triathlon club, and I've had some friends that did it (Illini 4000), and they always talked highly of it. I kind of wanted to see more of the US, and what better way to do it than on a bike. My grandmother had cancer when she was 63 and fought it, and was very involved in like, rights to the cure stuff, and so very proud of being a cancer survivor. So I kind of wanted to do this, to give back to her as well and kind of honor her.

Before joining Illini 4000, how much bike training had you done, and did you have any other athletic background that you feel prepared you for this ride?

I've been involved in triathlon club all four years of college, and before that, into cross country. So I kind of slowly became less of a runner and more of a cyclist. Then this is kind of the culmination of me being kind of done with running and slowly biking. So I feel like I've done a lot of biking, but this is a totally different experience to like wake up and bike every single day and spend, like, pretty much every day on the bike for the whole day, it’s hard to prepare yourself for that. 

What is your bike's name? Model?

I've played around with a few different names, but I feel like she kind of gives horse energy. So I'm going with Pegasus for now, and model is a Specialized Dolce, 2017, I think. Yeah, I’ve had her since I started riding and loved it. 

What are you most nervous/excited about?

I'm excited to get out west and see some national parks because I haven't seen really any national parks, so I'm excited to camp in them and ride through, I’ve heard they’re beautiful.

Anything else you want to talk about?

It’s been great. I’m just happy to be on this trip!

Day 18+19: Chicago Reunion | Kankakee, IL to Elmhurst, IL

We started the day bright and early, eager to roll into Chicago for yet another rest day. The team enjoyed a nice and flat day, with a good chunk of the ride on shaded and sandy paths. It was great to have a more relaxed day on our way into Chicago, but the roads did get busier as we entered the Chicagoland area. Luckily, we all arrived at Stephanie’s house, and a crowd of parents was waiting for us! During our rest day, everyone had time to visit bike shops, get some laundry done, and clean their bikes. In the evening, some I4K alumni joined us for a yearly tradition, and everyone enjoyed each other’s company!

Quote of the Day

Yuncong gifts Andres sun sleeves

Andres: “Awwww, thank you, I’ll buy you a coffee or something.”

Yuncong: No. Buy me a tomato.”

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 69.9 miles

Elevation: 1,272 ft

Points of Interest: Joliet, Chicago, Stephanie’s House

Ride Dedication: Gavin

Tales of the Trail 

Day 18

The team woke up at our usual time with an amazing breakfast donated by the Adventure Christian Church. It was nice to take a break from oatmeal, with some well-needed eggs and coffee in the morning. The team started the day with some flat roads and decent weather, and not too much happened. As we rolled into Joliet, the team rode on a shaded path, which cooled us down from summer’s heat. We had a rest stop just before continuing the trail and ate lunch under a shaded gazebo. The team also started to build a bouquet of flowers that we picked throughout the ride.

We spent a large portion of the ride on shady and sandy trails, giving us an opportunity to talk and take it easy. We also found a cool waterfall – shoutout Kev for showing us a spot! After some trail riding, we got back on the roads and were greeted by the busy streets of the Chicagoland area. As we were close to ending our ride, my group came across a flooded underpass that forced us to reroute, while other groups chose to trek through the murky waters. We finally arrived at Stephanie’s house with a crowd of parents waiting for us, and many of us got to reunite with our loved ones. The team celebrated with a dip in the neighbor’s pool, and many of us dispersed throughout the Chicagoland area. 

Day 19

Most of the day was spent relaxing as most of the team dispersed throughout the Chicagoland area to spend time with family and friends. Some went to bike shops to get new parts, and others took it easy by slowly repacking things and reevaluating what was needed for the rest of the trip. There was an I4K reunion at Stephanie’s house later in the day where I4K alumni, parents, and family joined together to feast and update each other. Plenty of food was provided; the parents of our current riders got to know one another, while the alumni got to know our current riders for this year. The reunion was a great time to reconnect with others from the organization and share stories of our adventures. After the reunion, the team settled in for the night as the day ahead was gonna be a hot one. Thank you to Stephanie’s family for hosting the team the last two days and providing us with food, a place to cool off (the pool), and for hosting our annual I4K reunion!

Day 17: A Race Against the Storm | Champaign, IL to Kankakee, IL

After a relaxing rest day in Champaign, we rolled out of Allen Hall (our training ride starting point) and set out to Kankakee. During our ride, we saw many familiar places and enjoyed the flatlands of the Midwest. Unfortunately, our team couldn't escape the rain, and we were forced to seek shelter during a powerful thunderstorm. The team still finished out the day and remained unfazed by the rain – we’ve really gotten used to it!

quote of the day

Micah: “Did you order duck?... because you have a bill!”

Dev: “??... I ordered french toast”

ride overview

Mileage: 83.4 Miles

Elevation: 864 ft

Points of Interest: Ott’s Drive In, Cindy’s Roadside Cafe, Dairy Queen

Tales of the Trail

The team had one objective today - to beat the thunderstorm. Most of our training rides during the spring were met with rain and surprise surprise, the moment we bike into our home state, it treats us the same, whether it's the spring or summer. Our team was prepared to combat the rain later in the day in case we couldn’t make it to our stayover in time before the rain hit. Kev, an alumni from I4K also joined us for today’s ride! We rolled out of our beloved Allen Hall in the morning and made our first rest stop at Ott’s Drive In in Rantoul. Despite our mission to beat the gloomy clouds, the team was hungry and couldn’t resist the diners menu. Many teams opted in for a classic breakfast with eggs, bacon, and toast, while others got something more sweet with a french toast or pancakes.

As we biked further into the day, it became eminent that our biking power may not be enough to beat the dreary clouds hovering above us. The clouds followed us as we biked along our path. The goal was to make it to the third rest stop of the day at a Dairy Queen, where we could enjoy some ice cream and wait out the thunderstorm that was scheduled. Two out of the three teams were able to make it to the Dairy Queen in time for shelter. Not to worry though, the last group saw lightning around the time they were near a gas station, and were able to take shelter there while the storm began to rage outside. As the storm settled, Hanxi, one of our riders, took the brave decision to drive from the Dairy Queen to the last team at the gas station four miles away to deliver them lunch! Some classic Costco hotdogs and pizza definitely hit the spot while waiting out the storm. Once the storm passed, the third team caught up with the others at the Diary Queen, where we then all headed out for our last stretch of the day to our stayover. We got hit with some rain along the way, but nothing too terrible that we weren’t used to.

Once we got to our stayover, the team shuttled to a nearby Planet Fitness to get clean. Afterwards, our stayover, Adventure Christian Church, treated the team with some tacos for dinner! They were delicious and were followed up by some brownies and ice cream. Subsequently, the team was able to speak with Levi and Robert (Bob) about their cancer experiences. Hearing people’s stories and their experiences with cancer is a huge part of I4k and being able to spread awareness; We loved hearing both of their stories and appreciate their willingness to open up about their experiences (Their stories will eventually be shared in the future via the Portraits Project so stay tuned!) The team then relaxed for the night by playing air hockey, Ping-Pong, pool, or just by hanging out in the main area. Thank you so much to the Adventure Christian Church for hosting us and providing us with dinner and breakfast the next morning. Thank you for everything you provided for us during our stay.

cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Nicole Tchorz

How are you feeling today?

I’m feeling pretty good. Definitely wet, but I like the rain so it was fun. 

What was your favorite part of today’s ride?

I had multiple favorite parts of today's ride. One of them was eating at Ott’s Drive In because I got some well needed food at the rest stop. The other part is probably listening to Bob’s story because I value listening to other people's experiences with cancer. Their stories are very meaningful to me and I learn a lot from others when I listen to their stories and their perspectives, so I enjoyed doing that as well. 

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

I joined Illini 4000 for two reasons, one of them being the physical aspect of it and being able to bike across the country because I get to challenge myself physically while exploring the U.S. The other aspect was for the cancer portion because I’ve had family members and friends who have had experiences with cancer, so knowing that I can do something to help combat cancer also made me wanna join the organization by raising funds and awareness about cancer .

Before joining Illini 4000, how much bike training had you done, and did you have any other athletic background that you feel prepared you for this ride?

I didn’t have much bike training before I4K. The most I’ve ever biked beforehand was 26.2 miles, and that was just to make a pretty map of my neighborhood for when I recorded the bike ride on my phone. I played soccer for a good chunk of my life so I think that somewhat helped me with my endurance and the strength needed in my legs to bike. 

What is your bike's name? Model?

I have a Trek Domane. Its name is Sisu. Sisu is a Finnish concept, I’m not Finnish in any way but stumbled across the word a while ago. It stands for something like resilience and strength, which is definitely needed on this ride. My bike is also black, blue, and white, and the Finland flag is blue and white. I like the colors and felt like it sort of matched. 

What are you most nervous/excited about?

I am most nervous about the mountains out west and how the roads will look there if the shoulders are narrower on the roads and what that would look like if the streets are more busy. At the same time I am also very excited to head out west to the mountains because it should be beautiful to bike through there and visit some national parks. 

Anything else you want to talk about?

I just want to shout out to the whole team for working together throughout this ride, as well as the van drivers who have spent good time finding good rest stops for the team and setting everything up each day.