Day 6: More Climbs and Mountain Views | State College, PA to Ebensburg, PA

Today the team was met with some climbs once again, a normal occurrence in Pennsylvania. Despite them, the team persevered and made it to our stayover for the night. The day was met with changing weather and meeting many new people, whether that was on the side of the road or at our stayover.

Quote of the Day

“Are anyone else’s arms fly traps?”
— Matt

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 63.3 miles

Elevation: 4,610 ft

Points of Interest: Altoona, Loretto

Tales of the Trail

The day started off gloomy, with drizzles of rain starting and stopping throughout the first couple of miles of the ride. As the team pedaled through Pennsylvania, the occasional rain was able to cool us off as we made our way to Ebensburg, PA. The first miles were met with beautiful scenery, mountains on either side of the road, and lush forests. The team was able to take in the views and enjoy the road.

At one of our rest stops for the day, we chose a McDonald's. Once again, some opted out of PB&Js for a classic Happy Meal to refuel for the last couple of miles ahead. The team took shade and ate in the parking lot when a kind man saw our van, and decided to come back with Mallo Cups - a treat similar to a Reese's Pieces cup. They are made by the Boyer Candy Company, in Altoona, PA, which is where we had the rest stop!

After the rest stop, the team tackled the last of the challenging hills of the day, passing through historic places near Ebensburg. Once we got to our stayover at the Ebensburg Presbyterian Church, our hosts provided us with dinner and an opportunity to shower and do laundry at the Central Cambria High School nearby. Afterwards, we were able to talk to some locals, the mayor, and the commissioner! Others also had the opportunity to hear a local’s story with their experience with cancer, which will be shared in the future via the Portraits Project!

Thank you to the Ebensburg Presbyterian Church for being so willing to host the Illini 4000, and thank you to all the community members who were willing to donate food and their time to support the team. You guys have very well convinced us to visit Ebensburg once again in the future, and we will have you in mind! Thank you for your hospitality and the heads-up about potentially encountering wildlife tomorrow as we venture onwards by taking The Ghost Town Trail tomorrow morning!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s Rider: Alex Ziminski

How are you feeling today?

Today? Well, I'm feeling really exhausted, but feel really appreciated and encouraged by stay over hosts for providing us such a nice meal and place to stay, and also just taking the time out of their day to talk to every one of us and kind of get to know us.

What was your favorite part of today’s ride?

I definitely liked the beginning, because it was very downhill and very fast.

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

I was an avid hobby cyclist before joining all throughout high school, and I heard about the organization through my advisor, and as I learned more about it, I found out that it's also a great way to support the cancer research community, since cancer has impacted my family and others across the country. It's also such a cool thing to do, and not something that everyone can say they've done before.

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?

Yeah, so definitely the hobby cycling. But other than that, I just did weightlifting a lot and honestly, my cardio was terrible, even throughout the training rides. So this ride has definitely been a bit of a shock.

What is your bike's name? Model?

I have not named it yet, but it's a giant contend SL 2.

What are you most nervous/excited about?

I'd say I'm kind of nervous for the century rides coming up in the near and distant future, and I am also a bit nervous as to how I'm gonna be feeling in the future, just like, energy wise, but  I’m excited. I'm so pumped to go to the national parks and camp overnight and also just pass through small towns, like the ones we've been i’ve been in today. And it's such a cool thing because  this is absolutely not something you'd be able to see, like if you drove past here, you know

Day 4+5: Cave Activities and a Well-Needed Rest Day | Milton, PA to State College, PA

After a difficult day prior, the team was ready to tackle the day by “eating the frog”, meaning, tackling the greatest challenge of the day first. Today, the team was met with a 13-mile-long gradual hill to start off the ride, followed by rolling hills for the rest of the day, making for an easier ride. Some fun rest stops were made, and the team explored State College the next day!

Quote of the day

“I never take this helmet off, I live in my helmet ”
— Katie

Ride overview

Mileage: 60.9 miles

Elevation: 3,392 ft

Points of Interest: Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park, Poe Valley State Park, Raymond B. Winter State Park, Penn State Berkey Creamery, Palmer Museum of Art 

Ride Dedication: Joyce Stah

Tales of the Trail

Team spirits were high this morning when our route master, Andres, gave a little talk about “eating the frog”, the frog in this case being a 13-mile gradual hill at the beginning of our ride, hence, tackling the greatest challenge first. Although it was long, it was an enjoyable ride as it went through lush green scenery and state parks. Our first rest stop of the day was at the Raymond B. Winter State Park. With a lake in sight, clean bathrooms (yay!), shade in the trees, and a wide selection of snacks, the team felt fulfilled and was ready to tackle the rest of the day.

Raymond B. Winter State Park Activities

The rolling hills that the team biked through the rest of the day were deemed easier than past days. This allowed us to enjoy the views, have conversations, and take in the moment without gasping for air. A familiar face that the teams kept encountering throughout this ride was cows. This was no surprise as people outnumber cattle 12.6:1 in Pennsylvania! Known for their cows and dairy industry, it was an honor to see the cows graze the land.

Lots of Cattle!

We landed at Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park for our second and last rest stop of the day. Most of the team opted in for bison burgers at the visitor center (which were delicious) instead of PB&J sandwiches for lunch. One group was able to take a cave tour with a tour guide who made them chuckle. After the well-spent 2-hour rest stop, the team continued onwards towards our stayover for the night at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County, getting some ice cream at the Berkey Creamery, excited for the rest day ahead.

Caves, Ice Cream, and More!

Our rest day was very pleasant, and many of us enjoyed sleeping in for the first time since starting our ride. We started our day with an amazing breakfast provided by UUFCC, which included muffins, hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, and fruit. After breakfast, we took a stroll around the local area and found a cool park to hang out in. Some of us climbed rope-like structures, and others (Matt and Harbin) learned to play Pachelbel’s Canon on the park’s bells. Unfortunately, we didn’t leave the park in time and got rained on. 

Park Activities and Happy Eggs

After eating sandwiches – also provided by UUFCC – we shuttled to the downtown area of State College and explored as much as we could. Our town stop included stocking up on supplies and finding some well-needed coffee – shoutout @i4kofee. We found some cool stores and art shops, with a cycling painting catching our eye. We walked around the Penn State spirit stores (enemy territory) and found a “Beat Illinois” pin, but we all know the Fighting Illini will come out on top this year. 

Visiting Downtown

After walking around town, we took a trip to The Arboretum at Penn State, where we took in the sights of nature and even found a cave. Next to the arboretum was the Palmer Museum of Art, which possessed many beautiful pieces of art. The collection is the largest between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and is the leading cultural resource of the region. Our last stop was the Berkey Creamery (again), where everyone enjoyed even more ice cream before heading back to the stayover and enjoying yet another meal provided by UUFCC. The day ended with people cleaning their bikes and preparing for the next day

Penn State Arboretum!

Thank you to the community members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County for giving us a place to sleep for two nights and so graciously providing us with 4 meals during our stay!

Cyclists Corner:

Today’s rider: Katie Kobel

How are you feeling today?

Im feeling good today. I feel like this was the best day i’ve had so far with biking, and I’m feeling good about how it went today. 

What was your favorite part of today’s ride?

I really liked the beginning of the ride because the sun hadn’t come out yet and it wasn’t too hot. I also didn’t find the climbs to be that bad in the morning, so I could really take in the view, since it wasn’t too hot or too hard of a climb. 

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

I saw the organization last summer when they were on the ride on social media, and I’ve had people in my life and mutual friends with cancer who have been affected, so I like to hear people’s stories and make a difference with raising money [for cancer research]. 

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 did not do biking at all before I came to the ride. I was a competitive swimmer since I was nine years old, so I feel like that helped somewhat with the cardio part, but it’s like different muscles, so I find it a little, still a little challenging. 

What is your bike's name? Model?

My bike’s name is Flicka, after the movie. This was Emma’s bike last year, so I’m keeping the name for her. 

What are you most nervous/excited about?

I guess I’m most nervous about some of the climbs, because that’s definitely the hardest parrt for me. I am excited about going west and seeing the national parks, and then just the other states I’ve never been to. 

Anything else you want to talk about?

I want to give a shout out to the whole team. I feel like we all work well together and everyone makes sure the pace is good for everyone and adjusts when needed. I think everyone gets along pretty well!

Day 3: The Tail of Three Hills | Lehighton, PA to Milton, PA

There’s only one word to describe today – HARD. We rolled out of Lehighton bright and early with the prospect of a hard day. We faced three really hard climbs, with the last one posing a big challenge to the entire team. We still managed to get through the day, despite the brutal elevation and heat. 

Quote of the day

“Sweet things not only make you full but stimulate your spirit”
— Hanxi

Ride Overview

Mileage: 74.7 miles

Elevation: 4,939 ft

Points of Interest: Weiss Market, Ringtown Valley Veterinary Hospital

Ride Dedication: Lauren Wardell

Tails of the Trail

We all woke up at our usual time of 5:45 am and rolled out of Lehighton around 7:30 am, ready to tackle the day. The first 18 miles before our first rest stop felt pretty good, and we faced some inclines that weren’t too bad. At our first rest stop, we all snacked up and hydrated for the climbs ahead of us, and we knew we’d be in for a challenge.

The real challenge of today came with three challenging ascents that proved to be super difficult. The first ascent was challenging, but we all still had enough energy to easily make it up the hill without being too tired. The second big hill was far more challenging, and my group took multiple stops while making our ascent. After the second climb, we stopped to rest at Ringtown Valley Veterinary Hospital and ate lunch. We all snacked - a lot -  and we had a lot of leftovers to grub on. Next was the final ascent, which proved to be the most difficult of them all. We slowly but surely made our way up the hill with the peak in mind. My group would go about 50ft up the hill and stop to rest for a bit before continuing onwards. We eventually made it to the top and took some time to rest before making a fast and safe descent. 

Our third rest stop was at Weiss Market, where many riders waited inside to cool off. We all took a long breather before heading back on the road and finishing up our ride. We finished up today’s ride with a couple of hills before rolling into Milton. Everyone was super beat, and many of us passed out after taking a shower and eating. 

Thank you to the community members of Trinity Lutheran Church for giving us a place to sleep! It was great to meet you, and we really enjoyed staying at your church! 

Cyclists Corner

Today’s Rider: Matt Guibord

  • How are you feeling today

I am the most tired out of all three days since today was the longest day and hottest day we've had so far – The heat really just took it out of me. There were some good stretches where we were going pretty quickly, and my legs felt good, and then we hit three hills where we just stopped so many times to go up, like everyone stopped. So, yeah, it was tough, but glad that the day's done. We can go on to the next.

  •  What was your favorite part of today’s ride?

My favorite part of today's ride – there were some gorgeous views. It was right after the third rest stop. So at like mile 55, we were going over these rolling hills, and you could see hills just for miles and miles and miles. And we were kind of like on top of one, kind of going down it, and it was just so green, and it was very, very cool scenery. 

  • What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

I am a big fan of cycling, or biking, and then that with the opportunity to go and take a cross country trip, coupled with being able to support cancer research and spread awareness of support services, and do that for some of the others that are fighting cancer right now, and in memory of some of the people such as my family members and friends that I've lost to 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?

Yeah, I was a pretty athletic kid growing up, played like all the sports, pretty much, and then kind of narrowed it down to baseball, switched over to track for a few years in high school. But then after that, I pretty much switched to the arts in high school, so like, jazz band, marching band, concert band, things like that. Then COVID hit, and I got really into mountain biking, so that was kind of the start of my cycling journey. But yeah, pretty much COVID was mountain biking, and then I kind of fell off when I hit college, because I couldn't bring a bike to Illinois. 

  • What is your bike's name? Model?

The long name is Peddle Pusher McWeezy, but the short name is Julia, and the model it's a Trek Domani. It's a sweet bike, I recommend.

  • What are you most nervous/excited about?

I’m most excited to do something that I've never done before, and for a good cause. And that's just a one once in a lifetime opportunity. One thing I'm nervous about is how long it’s been for the first three days, very, very fun, very cool, but also quite long. So we have what? 74 more days? 73 more days of this, it's gonna be quite the adventure. 

  • Anything else you want to talk about?

I just want to thank the exec board for taking their time out of their year, like they didn't go on the trip, and they basically planned the entire trip. And so I'm really thankful for them and all my teammates –  It's been a blast so far. So, thank you.

Day 2: Feeding Frenzy | Clinton, NJ to Lehighton, PA

After the first exciting day, our team was ready to tackle the second day from New Jersey to Pennsylvania! A slightly shorter ride from the previous day, but eventful nonetheless, as we started exploring the mountains of Pennsylvania, quite a different terrain from what we were used to in Illinois.

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 52.2 Miles

Elevation: 3,217 ft

Points of Interest: Nazareth, Cherryville, Alpha, Lafayette College, Indian Trail Park, Mia & Maddie’s Bakery, Lehighton Swimming Pool

Ride Dedication: Colleen

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Only 52 ft remaining, it’s like 8 of you Yuncong”
— Hanxi

TALES OF THE TRAIL

The team got up at 5:45 a.m. to prepare for the day ahead. The team typically starts with a bowl of oatmeal, but thanks to our stayover hosts, we had additional food to help fuel our morning! We rolled out after 7:30 a.m. (a start time that we are trying to improve upon) and headed straight to PA. We crossed into Pennsylvania via the Uhlerstown-Frenchtown Bridge, where we had our first rest stop of the day and enjoyed shade.

Our team heading into PA!

Further into the trip, the team had the pleasure of meeting Micah’s family at Indian Trail Park around mile 37! They graciously provided us with lunch: pulled chicken sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and more! The team ate everything up as the meal called their name away from the usual PB&J sandwiches. The team would like to thank the Yoder family for providing us with a scrumptious lunch that helped fuel us for the rest of the day. At this time, we also took the opportunity to relax in the park by hopping on the swings and spinning on the roundabout (though not the best idea after a filled stomach). Some members of the team also took a dip in the nearby creek, utilizing natural resources to cool off from the heat.

Indian Trail Park Rest Stop!

The team was super excited to head into our stayover location tonight, Trinity Lutheran Church. The team was greeted with smiling faces and eagerness from the stayover hosts to meet the group. They welcomed us in and generously shuttled us to the Lehighton Swimming Pool, where the team was able to hop into the pool and get a much-needed shower that many were waiting for. The pool activities consisted of sliding down the water slides, cannonballs, and… back flopping? (yikes) The showers gave great relief to the riders, being able to wash away all the dirt, sunscreen, and sweat that accumulated throughout the day.

Lehighton Activities

Afterwards, our hosts provided us with a team dinner and taught us the terminology of classic PA foods. The team chowed down on some classic hoagies (a sandwich layered with meat, cheese, and lettuce), a term first coined in Philly when many Italian immigrants worked at the shipyard outside of the city called Hog Island. On top of this, we learned about shoofly pie, munched on some whoopie pies, and took gulps of orange juice and lemonade from a company called Zimmerman’s Dairy, located in Lehighton, PA. Essentially, the food options throughout the day brought a lot of joy to the team and our spirits. Food. Such a powerful tool.

Thank you to the community members of the Trinity Lutheran Church for hosting the Illini 4000. The hospitality you gave us was immeasurable and made us feel right at home with all the efforts you put into making sure the team was able to shower, eat nourishing meals, and have a place to rest. Check out Lehighton, PA! There are great people, history, views, and, of course, food. Make sure to come back to the journals tomorrow to keep up with the team!

Cyclist’s Corner

Today’s rider: Harbin Li

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling quite good. I'd say we had a great lunch provided by Micah's family. Then ended off the day with a lovely greeting and like just a lovely experience with people at Trinity Church, and the climbs were tough, I would say, especially for day two, back-to-back rides.

What was your favorite part of today’s ride?

I don’t think it was the first climb, but one of the first climbs, right after we went [to the top], it was just, zoom! For a good few minutes of just straight downhill, that was good on the ride at least. But that rest stop at the park was also quite delightful. I don't know,  each day so far has just been so dense that it's like, oh, this happened today. This felt like yesterday or like several days before.

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

Initially, it was just like biking across the country would be like, really fun, and visiting nature places and meeting people, and doing it as a group would just be an experience that really ties with my want or desire to just meet new people, find new experiences, enjoy the environment that I'm in. I think as I got to know more about the organization and the people that run it and the people that are participating, the mission aspect of it really resonated more and more, like finding funding and support for cancer research and patient support services. I'm also working in a lab that's helping out people, helping to create some method of activating drugs that target cancer. And I didn't realize the adjacencies everywhere in my life until I joined i4k and that was the mission that we have.

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?

Bike training? No. Maybe I'd go for like a 30-mile ride a month during the summer, but I just bike to commute. sports wise, I haven't been doing sports since like middle school, so, yeah, I mean, I just try to stay active. Go to the arc, play spike ball with friends. That's about it. Nothing intense.

What is your bike's name? Model?

So I got the bike from a guy on Facebook marketplace, it's a nice bike, and I asked him, (he's from Indiana), and I asked him, what's the name of the bike? And he's just like, I just call her Surly because that's the brand's name and, like, it's a nice name, but I'm sure that a lot of Surly owners will name their bikes Surly because it is a great name, but I think that's still TBD, but I guess the code name is Surly.

What are you most nervous/excited about?

I think I am most nervous about tiring myself out too fast or too early. I guess because we have a lot of days together and a lot of days on the ride. We're only on day two. It feels quite exhausting each day. Like, each day I come to dinner being like, I don't know if I can, say, talk right now, I just want to eat food, and probably after eating food, I'm gonna pass out, but I'll probably get better. I'll get used to that. But, yeah, just hopefully I get more conditioned to that. There's a lot to be excited for. I mean, yeah, maybe my favorite place to visit [later on the ride], probably basic, but like the Grand Tetons.

Anything else you want to talk about?

I'm not really good at these questions. I think, I don't know, nothing comes to mind right now.


(A reminder that any unfamiliar terms can be found in our handy I4K dictionary)

Day 1: We’re off!! | NYC to Clinton, NJ

Our first day of the ride was hectic, exciting, scenic, and strenuous, but we all managed to get through the day feeling satisfied and accomplished. We rolled out of our stayover to meet with the B+ Foundation in Central Park, and we set out to cross state lines into New Jersey. The climbs proved challenging compared to our training ground (Champaign), but we still tackled the day and made it to Clinton, New Jersey. 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 76.8 Miles

Elevation 3,755 ft

Points of Interest: Strawberry Fields, George Washington Bridge, The City of East Orange, Round Valley Reservoir 

Ride Dedication: Jeremiah, Gavin, Mary Beth

Quote Of The Day

“Going to the George Washington Bridge? No, you’re not” - Helpful pedestrian on Fort Washington St

Tales of the Trail

The morning started at 4:45 a.m., with everyone gearing up to ride to Strawberry Fields in Central Park to meet with one of our beneficiaries, the B+ Foundation. It was great meeting with Carly and hearing about how our fundraising has supported services for many families dealing with cancer. After taking a team picture in front of the Imagine Mosaic, we rolled out of Central Park around 7:30 en route to Clinton.

We had a fun ride out of New York, biking on a paved path next to the Hudson River. After taking a bit of a detour due to path closures, we were able to ride a narrow path on the north side of the George Washington Bridge. It was truly nice to take in our final views of New York before heading out, and it felt surreal to ride over our first state crossing as we rode into New Jersey. After crossing the bridge, some of us dipped our back tires into a nearby lake that was connected to the Atlantic Ocean – it’ll be great to say our bikes have touched two oceans. After dealing with some busy Jersey roads, we had our first stop at a 7/11 and took some time to chill and refuel.

Soon we were back on the road and traveled through some notable towns such as the City of East Orange. We dealt with a lot of busy Jersey roads, but no worries, everyone stayed safe and patient throughout the ride. Around the halfway point of our ride, we stopped for lunch at a Wawa, which was my first time (Dev). Most riders ate PB&J sandwiches while some got food from Wawa, and we took a well-needed lunch break before heading out again. 

In the second half of our trip, we came across some steep inclines, but the team powered through and showed those hills who’s boss – I4K 1, HILLS 0. At our 3rd rest stop, the team took a well-needed nap in the shade and took some time to relax before the final stretch. After a final stretch, which included more hills, we arrived at our second stayover – Clinton United Methodist Church. After a scrumptious meal, we unpacked and hit the hay after a long first day of riding. 

Thank you to the community members of Clinton United Methodist Church for giving us a place to sleep and a meal to eat! Also, sorry for being behind by a day, we’ll hopefully be posting blogs the day of our rides coming soon. 

Cyclists Corner

COMING SOON

Day 0: Siri, play Empire State of Mind | Visiting Damon Runyon and Exploring NYC

Day 0 was the second rest day for the team in New York City. We visited one of our beneficiaries, Damon Runyon - who funds high-risk, high-reward scientists working on cancer research. We did plenty of sightseeing and took as much time as we could to relax before the big day ahead of us when we get to hop on ours bikes and start our journey!

Quote of the Day

“Ducks can fly???”
— Harbin

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: ????? by foot 

Elevation: 33 ft. (elevation of NYC)

Points of Interest: Damon Runyon, The Battery, Staten Island, Statue of Liberty, New York Stock Exchange, Rockefeller Park

Tales of the Trail

This morning, the team got up to meet with one of our beneficiaries, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation! We enjoyed breakfast with them as some of their scientists informed us on their most recent research with targeted therapies and CRISPR technology! It’s always a pleasure to see the work our beneficiaries are doing to make a difference! We cherish Damon Runyon for taking the time to meet with us in New York before the start of our adventure, and for feeding us a delicious breakfast. To read more about their mission and research, visit their website at https://www.damonrunyon.org.

Afterwards, the teamset off to explore the city once again! Most of us ended up taking the Staten Island Ferry to get a better look at the Stature of Liberty. We then continued to explore New York by visiting the Stock Exchange and Rockefeller Park. Some very necessary souvenirs where bought along the way and the team enjoyed getting to spend another day in New York City, exploring everything it has to offer. 

The team visiting Battery Park!

Statue of Liberty!

Nicole, Harbin, and Hanxi on the Sta

Veronica checking out the NYC apron at a souvenir store

Stephanie enjoying NYC street food

The day ended with the team unwinding by drawing pictures on the van with our mission, and preparing spaghetti and lentils for dinner – a nice percourser to what the rest of our summer dinners will look like, and we ate outside on the patio. Afterwards, everyone got prepared to hit the hay for an early wake up the next day to meet with the B+ Foundation and set off for our 2025 ride from Central Park in NY!

Harbin and Yuncong decorating the van by drawing the Statue of Liberty!

We’d also like to thank St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Manhattanville  for hosting us these past two nights and supporting the Illini 4000 and our mission! Can’t wait to update you tomorrow after our first official day of the ride!

Day -1: The Avengers Assemble in New York

We’re excited to announce that most of us have arrived in New York and are ready to kick off an amazing ride. After a super early flight, we arrived at Laguardia airport ready to conquer the day – many of us were sleep deprived. Despite the early morning wake-up call, we all took full advantage of our first day in New York!


RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: 750 miles via plane

Elevation: 35,000 ft (Cruising altitude)

Points of Interest: Chinatown, Little Italy, Central Park, The High Line, Hudson Yards


Tales of the Trail (NY Edition)  

Day -1 started with most of the team meeting at Midway Airport in Chicago at 5:00 a.m. to catch a plane to our starting point in New York! Everyone arrived fairly on time, and checking in was a breeze. Some set forth to explore the airport, while others chose to get some shut-eye. Once we got on board, it was as if Maleficent cast a spell on the entire team, putting them all into a deep slumber, only to be awoken by the landing at LaGuardia airport. We all took the M60 bus to our first stayover, Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church in North Harlem, and dropped off our bags before exploring the city. 

11/17 of us arriving at Midway Airport!!

Plane squad (first row - Nicole, Veronica, and Willam, second row - Eli, Harbin, and Micah)

We couldn’t unpack or reassemble our bikes at the time of our arrival, so we all decided to spend time enjoying the city. We got a large group to take the subway downtown, and we walked around Chinatown and Little Italy – most of us were starving and trying to find something to eat. We split off into different groups, with some of us getting bagel sandwiches and others going for Chinese. 

Stephanie and Sophia totally eating a giant rainbow bagel

Squad in Chinatown!

We found a big pigeon! (Dev, Eli, Stephanie, Katie, Sophia)


After venturing downtown, we returned to our stayover and got to unpacking our bags and reassembling bikes, with most of us being reunited. Everyone was pretty beat, and we all got some well-needed rest before dinner. Most of us and some I4K alumni – shoutout Joey and Rose – got food at Dado’s Pizza, where we enjoyed a great meal and were met with some enthusiastic Knicks fans. After dinner, some of us enjoyed a night ride through Manhattan, and we got to enjoy the sights of Central Park, Times Square, and the Rockefeller Center.  


Times Square! So many lights!

Thanks for reading today’s journal! We appreciate all of your comments and hope you enjoy keeping up with the team!

Day -2: The 2025 I4K Team Introduction!

Welcome to the I4K 2025 Bike America Team blog!! Our names are Dev Dassani and Nicole Tchorz, and we’ll be riding across the country with 15 other teammates this summer. We’re incredibly excited to be documenting our journey from New York to San Francisco, and we hope you’ll enjoy our daily blog posts during the ride!

For those who followed last year's journals, we’ll be keeping up with Maaike’s and Riddhima’s traditions, with each daily post including a Ride Overview, a detailed Tales of the Trail section, and a casual interview with each rider in Cyclist’s Corner. We’ll also continue to use terms from the I4K Dictionary – bear with us as we’re still learning some of these. 


If this is your first time navigating our website, no worries! You can read up on The Portraits Project and learn about the stories of cancer patients and caretakers, learn about the work of our beneficiaries, and familiarize yourself with the team’s rider profiles. There’s a lot more you can do on our website, so give it a look! You can also donate at any point during the ride to help our fight against cancer! 

RIDE OVERVIEW

Mileage: ~4,800

Elevation: +190,000’

Points of Interest: THE AMAZING USA

TALES OF THE TRAIL

Our team spent months preparing for this journey! We had training rides when it was rainy and freezing, warm and sunny, even… wormy? All of them made for a great ride with an amazing team and gave us a glimpse into what this upcoming summer has in store for us!

We are excited to set forth on this adventure to document the American cancer experience, raise funds for cancer research and patient support services, and spread awareness for the fight against cancer through our 2025 cross-country bike ride! We hope you enjoyed the preview, be sure to come back everyday starting May 31st for updates on the ride! I-L-L!

2025 Team Fundraising Total: $69,700

Donate

FOLLOW US!

The Illini 4000 • PO Box 2431 Champaign, IL 61825 • The Illini 4000 is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.