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?”
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!