Day 68: Our Final State! - Klamath Falls, Oregon to Mt. Shasta, California

After a fun day of appreciating our ride leaders yesterday, we entered our final state of our cross-country journey today.  We haven’t quite made it to the coast yet, so this doesn’t feel exactly like a finishing line, but we can certainly start counting the time we have left until we reach San Francisco.  With Mount Shasta in the distance for the entire day, every mile was made fun and interesting by the new details we could pick out on the mountain and how large it appeared on our horizon.  Eventually, we made it right up next to the mountain and stayed in a church named after it.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 83.4 miles

Elevation: +2,903 ft. / -3,661 ft.

Points of Interest: California State Border, Living Memorial Sculpture, Mt. Shasta

Tales of the Trail

In the morning, we came outside of the United Evangelical Free Church on top of the town to look out on a beautiful sunrise with Mt. Shasta just visible in the distance and the moon still bright in the sky.  We had an awesome fun activity from Parker in the morning playing Simon Says and Ehsan, who had never played the game before, took home the victory!  Out of Klamath Falls, we started on a bike path which was a nice change from the highway miles we have been going on even though we had the majority of the day on those once again.  When we did make it to the highway, we joined via the on ramp just as any car would and merged into our shoulder to take on a reasonably tough incline for being so early in the morning.  After that, the road became relatively flat and actually pretty quiet; enough for us to have some conversation and not just ride single-file the whole way.

The first team reached the California sign and took pictures.  Then, the second and third teams rolled up in close succession since a flat tire had slowed down the second group to roll out on the day.  That made for a fun time at the Oregon sign which we had all missed having shuttled from Boise, Idaho across the border to Ontario, Oregon, and then the California sign following that.  This felt like a real milestone.  Every state has a feeling of accomplishment associated with entering or leaving it, but knowing that we had now rode from New York to California was just as much of a novelty to say as it was to actually accomplish.  After too much time spent taking pictures to get just the right shots, these teams decided not to make those who were up the road wait too long and continued on to the first rest stop.

The flat and moderately trafficked highway continued on until just about the second rest stop where we encountered a construction zone and a sizable hill.  Throughout the summer, construction zones have actually been pretty simple and sometimes nice for us on bikes.  When we rode up today, we spoke with the worker holding traffic for the single lane through and he let us ride up the closed lane until we hit the active construction.  This was like having a whole road to ourselves!  The construction was relatively small and then another road to ourselves again.  Other times during the summer, this had been the case too where construction was actually much more calming and easygoing than just the open road would have been.  On the other side, where the van had parked and the rest stop was located, we also had time to ourselves with only waves of traffic since they were being held to one grouping at a time.  It also makes calling for cars behind very simple because you know there will be one set and then a big pause before the next.

When we crested this climb, Mt. Shasta was appearing much closer than it had before.  By the time we reached the third rest stop, which included around 7 miles of descending, we were right up beside it.  At 14,179 ft. Mt. Shasta certainly appeared massive and we had a great time looking at it from a distance and with the knowledge that the town we were staying in, also named Mt. Shasta, was not up the side of it.  Our third rest stop was at a sculpture park called the Living Memorial Sculpture which honored veterans of our nation and was a tranquil place for such a monument.  

The final miles into town saw us get onto Interstate 5, a scary proposition but in reality it had the largest shoulder of any road we had been on and felt safer than the roads we had been on the rest of the day.  After we took our exit, there were some forested roads and then a turn into our almost idyllic church stayover for the evening (St. Barnabas Episcopal Church).  We had trees on all sides and just a short walk over to the neighboring wellness center where we took showers in the evening.  Dinner had also been donated which was lasagna and ice cream for dessert!  This felt like such a peaceful place to stay and we could sleep well knowing that there were also under 70 miles until another rest day.

Day 66: Illini Orange and Crater Lake Blue - La Pine, Oregon to Crater Lake, Oregon

Last night’s stayover was pretty amazing with the visit from Olaf, spikeball in the yard, a hose to rinse off our dirty bikes, and a cool, air-conditioned environment to put us to sleep.  As opposed to the short ride yesterday, today was much longer, but we were going to a destination that we had been told about almost since the start of our Illini 4000 meetings with the current team.  We had some fun along the road today with a bingo board of Illini 4000 happenings from Parker and met a couple of former Illinois students too.  There was another popular campsite store, just like we were back in Yellowstone, and we ate our dinner around a campfire once again.  Today was a tiring but memorable day within our summer journey.  

Ride Overview

Mileage: 83.2 miles

Elevation: +3,723 ft. / -2,280 ft.

Points of Interest: Crater Lake

Tales of the Trail

The first part of the day had a peculiar feel to it as we looked back at the actual elevation map of the route.  Coming out of La Pine, it really felt like we had a slight downhill because of how quickly and easily we were moving over the road.  There were periods of going over 17 mph where truly we could have guessed we were putting in the effort of about 13-14 mph.  There must have been a tailwind.  That’s what it was!  This was also the first morning in quite a while where we really could have considered wearing some warmer attire.  Everyone had prepared for a normal roll out, but once we made it onto the road we were a little cold.  The patches of sunshine between the trees were taken as slowly as possible and hands hid behind our backs to try to keep warm until the heat of the day started to roll in.

By the time we made it to the first rest stop, everyone was warm enough and we no longer had to worry about being cold. That concern could be put aside.  

The next 18 miles to the second rest stop were much of the same.  So unremarkable that we don’t even have a photo from anyone on the team to place in the gap between these paragraphs.  We even rested at another gas station just to get us confused with where exactly in the day we were.

Between the second and third rest stops we did have some fun… and fear?  There was a section of road after we had already done maybe half of the expected miles until we would rest again that from afar just appeared as if we were going into a wall.  There were definitely some “oh nos” passed within groups and questions of whether we were ready to take on what was ahead.  As we kept rolling over the miles though, the climb almost felt as if it moved further and further away.  We were going uphill, but this supposed straight up ascent wasn’t feeling quite as bad as it looked.  Don’t get me wrong, we were certainly using our energy and feeling the pain, but it was reassuring knowing that we were in the middle of what we had thought to be so hard and conquering it just as we had every other bit of road this summer.

At the third rest stop, we shuttled into Crater Lake National Park right to the bottom of the climb up to the caldera.  The teams reconvened once everyone had their snacks and were driven to the drop off on the other side of the entrance by Aadit.  This final climb of the day went up nearly 2,000 ft. beyond what we had already done!  The ascent was slow and hot, but we were greeted by one of the most spectacular views of all.  This is another moment where the pictures will do their talking.

After gathering the whole team at the top for pictures, we had an awesome descent that we took a little more cautiously than others in the past and made our way into the campsite.  At the entrance was another general store that you know full well we had to inspect and purchase all of the snacks before going to sleep.  They had a particularly good black cherry cream soda and orange soda that were only $1.25 so they were a hit with the team.  We also saw they had donuts and kept mental notes for the morning.  Everyone set up their tents and had dinner around the campfire as usual for one of our camping days.  Aadit must have had time in the van to plan because he promposed to Maaike who agreed to join him at the I4K prom.  

This was our first long day in a while, so we are all very tired tonight and it will be interesting to see if our bodies remember how to recover from this when we wake up in the morning.

Day 65: Birthdays Galore! - Bend, Oregon to La Pine, Oregon

We are making progress on our bikes once again!  It’s also Nishk’s and Lauren’s birthday!! Yes, both of them!  For a day with only a little over 30 miles of scheduled riding, this was a special one for sure.  We had short stretches between rest stops, fun activities, a special guest, and some sidequests too.  Illini 4000 is back in full swing!

Ride Overview

Mileage: 38.3 miles

Elevation: +1,568 ft. / -1,099 ft.

Points of Interest: Lava Butte, Sunriver Food Trucks, Paulina Peak

Tales of the Trail

Despite a pretty quick and easy ride as compared with our usual routes, the beginning of the day did not start out with a ton of fun on the bike… which is why we had fun off the bike!  Ren had a promposal for Lauren, who of course accepted after hearing our beautiful voices singing “I Want It That Way.”  Then, after morning circle, Maaike designated today as the backwards jersey day.  For the entirety of the ride (thank goodness it is a short one) we wore our jerseys in reverse just because we could.  Some of the team cracked (I won’t name names) but most of us made it all the way to La Pine with our jerseys on the wrong way and likely getting some strange looks from the plenty of other cyclists we passed wondering what in the world our group was doing.  After 12 highway miles that had quite a bit of elevation gain, we made it to our first rest stop at Lava Butte.  The road to the top was optional because it was about 500 ft. of elevation gain averaging an 8% grade.  That was pretty significant!  We still had a pretty good contingent deciding to sacrifice their fresh legs and make it to the top.  For the views, the effort was worth it.  Since the road was a spiral around the mountain, it made the descent a lot of fun too.  It was one continuous corner.

Another 5 miles down the road, we stopped again in Sunriver to snack at some food trucks where we also found a fellow Illini.  Some bike trails interspersed and continued mountain views later, we made it to La Pine.  The High Lakes Christian Church where we were going to spend our night was beautiful and had great spaces to rest in.  Lauren, Max, Nishk, and Parker found a Spikeball set and went outside to play where they could have been found for hours.  Also, we were visited by a former rider from 2024, Olaf Schwink!  Olaf was one of Maaike’s favorite riding pals on her previous Illini 4000 team, so it was exciting to see them reunite and tell stories from the past.  He also brought his dog which garnered many “awws” from the team and snacks because he knows that nothing endears a cycling team more than filling their stomachs.  

In the evening, Cole decided to go out on a solo adventure to summit Paulina Peak which he had been thinking of over the last two rest days in Bend, but never got close enough or with the legs and time to accomplish.  Today, it was just a 43-mile out and back, but one that had almost 4,000 ft of elevation gain!  The beginning of the climb was pretty mellow, but before making it to the summit at 7,984 ft. he had to ascend the final 3 miles on rutted dirt roads while climbing 1,392 ft. at an 8.2% grade.  Was the sunset worth that?  You can be the judge:

Today was a happy day and all of our activities had us feeling good and ready for our next days on the road.  This was also the first time that we had everyone start the day on a bike, all 12 of us with the exception of the van driver who we had to have off the bike, since Parker’s crash going into Salt Lake City, Utah.  Hopefully we can have many more of these in the days to come.

Day 64: The Expected Rest Day - Bend, Oregon

Finally, as long as nothing unexpected happens during the day today or overnight before the morning, this will officially be our last rest or shuttle day until we make it to California.  It is also the day that was actually supposed to be our rest day according to the calendar and that meant we had some plans already arranged.  While we didn’t have time to make going to see Odyssey worthwhile in Boise, Idaho, we knew back then that we wanted to make it happen and had tickets ready to go for an IMAX viewing here in Bend, Oregon.  That was our big plan!  For the morning and afternoon though, we were totally free to get up to our own adventures once again; however, all of the activities from yesterday had some of us feeling pretty tired and ready to make sure that we had the time to relax before biking again.

In the morning, Maaike went out to run up Pilot Butte, a hill made from old volcanic activity that makes for a scenic viewpoint near the city today.  She took some lovely pictures at the top and Ren would follow in her footsteps later in the day.  Ren opted for the bike instead of by foot (definitely the preference across the I4K team) and saw sunset up on top of Pilot Butte.  This was probably the best sight of the whole day.  

Others on the team slept in, did their final bit of laundry at the nearby laundromat, or found a good place to eat.  For lunch, Parker, Anthony, Aadit, Vedang, and Nishk found an all you can eat buffet of Indian food that they really enjoyed.  Maaike, Sam, Ren, and Cole made their way to a pierogi stand and ice cream truck which was also very good.  Ren and Cole did a bit of exploring of town after lunch and found an outdoor gear consignment store where they had bike parts, water bottles, and tires (lots and lots of tires!) for the whole team to replenish their supplies at reasonable prices.  This was definitely a highlight of the day for Cole who must have enough sets of tires to last him years at this point.

Members of the church once again donated a dinner for the team; this time a taco bar.  Everyone came back from their daytime activities to eat some food and get ready for the movie.  The team had been looking forward to seeing Odyssey for a few weeks at this point and almost everyone joined in on the action.  This could be the movie of the summer for all we know and we didn’t want to miss out.  Maaike and Nishk went for the big bags of popcorn and the rest of us had snacks or just a healthy appetite for cinematography.  The theater was full and we all settled in for the almost 3-hour feature.  

That movie was awesome!  We walked outside and back to the van reciting lines and feeling like we had just been on an odyssey of our own.  Christopher Nolan (the director of the film) had knocked it out of the park once again.  While maybe not exactly as the story was written by Homer, the movie was the perfect way to adapt that to the screen.  Oh, and seeing it in IMAX made it just that much better!

As we settle into our sleeping setups once again, we are ready to go cycling in the morning and so excited that the day is finally upon us to make progress on our bicycles once more.

Day 61: Shuttling to Another Place of Great Hospitality - Baker City, Oregon to John Day, Oregon and Day 62: Making the Long Drive to Bend - John Day, Oregon to Bend, Oregon

Day 61

Last night we had seen a potential gap in the smoke that might have allowed us to ride all or part of the distance from Baker City to John Day.  We had all gone to sleep knowing that a ride was a possibility, but unfortunately it was not to be.  When we all woke up in the morning, Maaike did her usual check of the AQI and it was right on the edge of what we consider rideable.  Then, we stepped outside and the air still smelled of smoke which was clearly visible too.  That was enough to say that today was going to be another day in the van.  For some of us, we were just feeling the urge that it was necessary to get out of teh stayovers and van and do something with physical activity.  A group of around 10 decided to go out on bikes a make a quick lap of Baker City.  We even found Maaike, who was on a run, at the local high school track and decided to have some fun riding our bikes around and racing on the smooth, grippy surface.  

Once we had finished fooling around, it was time to prepare ourselves and the van for the first shuttle load.  We also needed to make sure that our stayover in John Day knew that we were coming.  Luckily, they were able to accommodate us early and we started carrying supplies and people out there.  Those who went enjoyed the company of our lovely hosts at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church and took showers at the Grant County Fairgrounds while those who stayed, took the extra time to rest or play games similar to yesterday.

Other than our ride in the morning, the events of the day were relatively subdued until after dinner.  By the way, dinner was donated to us and we had an awesome selection of pastas, bread, and salad.  After dinner, around 10 of us again got online to play Among Us and had a good time playing and playfully arguing when someone one or lost us the game.  Tomorrow will certainly be a shuttling day too, but we will go all the way to Bend.  It’s going to be a long one, so we will get some rest and check in tomorrow.

Day 62

For some, this day ended around noon, for others, not until 9 pm.  The trip form John Day to Bend was around 3.5 hours by car which we would have to cover in two journeys to Bend in order to be able to carry everything that we need for our trip.  Those of you good at mental math will see that with no stops, someone would be in the van for 10.5 hours today and adding stops to load and unload, get fuel, and just take a bathroom or mental break would take that near 12 hours.  Max and Nishk were courageous in offering to be the duo that made the transfer back to John Day and therefore would be in the car the longest.

We started our drive at 8:30 am and Cole, scheduled to be the driver if this were a normal day of cycling too took a few bikes and all of the team with the exception of Tada and Aadit who offered to stay behind in John Day and be the drivers on the final leg returning to Bend with the second load.  For this first leg, we decided to take a route that was far away from the active wildfire location at the expense of a little extra time in the van.  This would not be the same decision later.  Overall, the drive was quite pretty out of John Day and through the mountains, then it turned into easy straight roads the rest of the way into the city.  We dropped everyone off at a coffee shop and smoothie store (Anthony was very happy about the latter of these) and then Max and Nishk went to grab a quick bite to eat before getting back on the road.  

During the afternoon, while most were in locations to go and explore a little, we each had our own activities.  Maaike and Lauren ran off to a bookshop.  Ren, Sam, and Ehsan stayed around the coffee shop.  Cole and Anthony grabbed large smoothies to enjoy.  Ved and Parker went to look for food.  Back in John Day, Tada and Aadit were going for a short 10-mile bike ride to see the area.  Of course, Max and Nishk were driving.

Once the van had been loaded for its final trip of the day, the four in it decided to try to cut some time off the drive and go for the more direct route, which was open but through locations where the wildfires had recently been.  They were able to see fire crews working their way through the area, trees and shrubs that were still smoldering, and in patches, fire off in the distance.  That was a sad and humbling sight.

When everyone finally made it to the stayover at the First Presbyterian Church of Bend, we were mostly tired and ready to go to sleep.  After planning some activities for tomorrow (look forward to that), we got down to rest and were excited by the prospect of having some clear air to be outside in.

Day 59 and Day 60: Four Wheels Instead of Two - Boise, Idaho to Ontario, Oregon

Day 59:

The whole team was excited to start biking again, but in the morning we received some sad news. Unfortunately due to the air quality it was unsafe to ride today, so we would have to take two van trips to transport the team to Ontario. The one benefit is that we were all able to go back to sleep as we did not have to leave until 12. The first van trip was mostly filled with our backpacks, bikes, and other random things that we need, while the second trip was filled with people. A few brave people volunteered to go on the first trip to unpack everyone's stuff and have the next stayover by themselves for a few hours. 

The rest of us hung out for a while in Boise and tried to keep ourselves busy. Many of us however just took this opportunity to take a nap, which was actually quite refreshing. The good thing about this is that we got to spend a few extra hours with Anna before she said goodbye and we all made our way to Ontario. And yes of course we all made the joke that we were going to Canada. When we arrived in Ontario we saw the whole town encased in a slight “smog” and we could all smell smoke when we stepped out of the car. Although once we got inside we saw that the inside of the church had plenty of space and had lots of those nostalgic big white plastic tables. The team was joking that it was like being a camp counselor at summer camp. 

It is actually Parker's 21st birthday today! While I was relatively disappointed that I could not ride today, the team soon raised my spirits as they surprised me after dinner with a red velvet cake. (My favorite cake, although I am still unsure how they knew) They also let me choose what movie to watch after which really turned my day around. We all popped some popcorn, layed out our sleeping bags and turned on The Lego Batman Movie. Although this may seem like a kids movie the whole team enjoyed it and it brought us many laughs. Sometimes you just need a funny movie to take your mind off the smoke outside. While not my ideal day for my 21st birthday, I have no regrets and would not have rather spent it with anyone else. After the movie we all went to our spots to sleep and discovered half of the lights did not turn off. This made things fun as we all moved to the darker spots of the room. We all went to sleep hoping for better air quality tomorrow, but we shall see what happens. 

Day 60;

Everyone who decided to go in the second crew found themselves very hungry and in need of lunch. We knew however that in these upcoming days we might go out to eat, so we all decided to go to the grocery store and get a meal that would be cheaper. This made us all think back to our childhoods where we would all have “struggle meals” or meals made from random scraps in the  house. Most of us chose to eat some version of a taco, whether it was filled with just salsa, cheese, or lunch meat. Aadit was even very creative and made baked beans in a hot dog bun. It was also fun to talk about what we would eat as kids which is quite interesting to see the difference based on where we all were from and how we were raised. After this we had quite a bit of time to kill until the van came back for the second load of people, so we all decided to download minecraft on our phones and start a new world. A funny quote from Maaike was “The AQI is a beautiful 0 in minecraft.” And this was quite true, the outside world might be smoky but in minecraft we all had a wonderful time building houses. It almost felt like covid again and resorting to video games because we were all stuck inside. 

During the van ride we realised that shuttling might temporarily become the norm and that we should make it fun. We started playing a couple games. Not the usual road games that you would think of though. The first of which being imposter. Everyone got a word and then the “imposter” got nothing and had to try and fit in. How the game works is everyone says a word related to or similar to the word they got to “clear” themselves of being the imposter. The imposter wins if they get the others to guess that someone else was the imposter or if they guess the word correctly. While being spread out through the van it was slightly hard to hear everyone, but it was awesome to include the whole team in a fun group activity to pass the time. The other game that we started playing was codenames. While very similar, this game was on our phones. We split into two teams, and in those teams there was a clue master and the guessers. Everyone got a big board with about 25 words, 18 of which being 9 words that each team had to guess. The other 7 words were either neutral, or there is also one each round that if you guess that word it is an instant loss. In this game similarly to the other, the cluemaster has to give a hint of a word that matches with multiple of the words the teams have to guess. My explanations of these games may be quite bad, but our team had so much fun playing them in the van. It really made our days go by that much quicker. 

Once we got to the stayover since the smoke was relatively bad outside we opted to stay inside for most of the night. Although some of the team did manage to find a restaurant that had a $8 burrito with unlimited chips and salsa which was awesome. Except for this everyone really stayed inside. Since this was not our first day of riding in the van we had gotten most of our things we needed to do done yesterday. As  we were all “trapped” inside it felt very similar to covid once again. Whether it was making up our own games or playing actual games like among us and minecraft the whole team made sure to make the most of our time inside and spend it together. Days like this can really bring the team together. Although everyone would much rather be out biking, the time that we spend indoors and in less than ideal situations really brings us a lot closer together as friends and as teammates. As the aqi was not looking up for tomorrow everyone went to bed slightly later, slightly hoping we would be able to ride tomorrow, but also knowing that most likely we would be able to sleep in. 

Day 58: Rest Day - Boise, Idaho

Today was a rest day that was actually very productive and full of many activities. While usually it is quite easy to sleep in and lay around, our day today actually was quite fun. The first of our activities though were errands, which not quite as fun still needed to be done. Parker and Max started the day out by visiting 3 Urgent Cares. Due to their crash about 2 weeks ago they just wanted to double check and make sure that everything was healing well. Their results were good and they are both recovering well. 

The team split up into a few smaller groups to see the sights around town and get done a few things we needed to do. Aadit, Vedang, and Tada went to watch Backrooms (a movie) in theaters. They said it wasn’t the best but still worth the watch. As we were in a long stretch without a bike shop, many of us took our bikes to Mcu Sports, which was able to give us a sizable discount on our repairs. They were also extremely helpful and the mechanic I talked to even had biked across the country 4 times! Lauren went to the zoo and saw lots of exotic animals. Today we were also joined by Anna Williams who was a very exciting edition to the team. She was originally going to go on the ride this year but had some health problems last minute. Anna has been very supportive of the team though, and will even be Portraits Director this next school year! The team spent the day exchanging stories and appreciating the presence of another person we knew outside of the 13 of our teammates. 8 of us all went out to get brunch together. Honestly I cannot remember the name of the diner, but the food was wonderful and raised all of our spirits.

Last night as Max was walking around town he talked to a local and got some great information for an activity for today. The local gave us some popular spots for bridge jumping. We gathered up some brave souls and took off to go check it out. When our group got there we discovered about 20 people also doing the same thing. Interestingly enough throughout the duration of our time there, 100s of people floated by down the river on inner tubes and rafts. Anyways, this bridge was probably 15 feet in the air, but it was definitely deep enough for us to jump in safely. This did not fully prevent us from being slightly nervous, but when else would you get an opportunity this fun. Everyone who came: Parker, Anna, Max, Nishk, Lauren, and Maaike all built up the courage to jump in. Some even doing backflips! 

After an amazing day spending probably 2 hours in the most crisp cool water, the whole team met back up to go to In-N-Out for dinner. For some of the riders this was their 3rd trip to In-N-Out in 24 hours. Honestly I cannot blame them as the food is delicious. As the day started to wind down most of the team went over to Anna’s hotel room, as she generously offered the team to use the shower. This was awesome as we definitely were in need of a shower. I think after 50 something days together we all start to go a little nose-blind at times. Anyways the team will definitely be sad saying goodbye to our new addition, but Anna will be back to send us off in the morning.

Day 57: Making the World Cup Final - Mountain Home, Idaho to Boise, Idaho

Outside of Illini 4000, another important event for the world was happening this Summer, the World Cup.  It was even being hosted, in part, in the United States along with Canada and Mexico.  With a few of us being big football (soccer) fans, trying to find a way to watch the Spain vs. Argentina game today was a must, especially since we were going to a city.  Along our journey and route of the day, we played previous World Cup songs on our speakers and were talking about who we thought was going to be best in the game.  Would Spain continue their streak of shutouts and dominant gameplay?  Would Argentina play their aggressive style and earn Lionel Messi another trophy for his cabinet?  I’m sure at home you already know the answer (I guess I do while writing this too), but we had to get there and watch to figure it out.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 56.2 miles

Elevation: +974 ft. / -1,397 ft.

Points of Interest: Interstate 84, Blacks Creek Bird Reserve, Boise, Idaho State Capitol

Tales of the Trail

The World Cup group, as they called themselves, was formed from the get go as those who would be trying to move a little faster on the last stretch from the second rest stop into Boise to see if they could make it in time to find a television to watch on.  It was Lauren, Vedang, Maaike, Cole, and Max that headed out with this goal in mind, but as the day wore on, the other group ended up with the same intentions.  We all wanted to watch the big game!  

As we were exiting Mountain Home, we made it onto the Interstate 84 Frontage Road and must be for a combination of the time of day and the road really leading to nowhere but the highway itself, we only saw one or maybe two cars the whole way to the first rest stop.  We were listening to music, talking, riding, enjoying the clear weather, and no one had a worry at all.  The road was all ours.  Max and Nishk continued the hunt for license plates, each finding one or two before we stopped.  Nishk, Anthony, Aadit, and Ren were having an equally good time in their ride group too until really the only notable riding event occurred other than pure joy.

Since the road was so empty, Anthony, Tada, and Nishk decided to test their legs and sprinting skills.  A bit after takeoff, while the torque to the wheels was high, Anthony had his shoe come unclipped and that would cause him to wipe out.  Luckily, he had good teammates around and the van arrived shortly to help clean up his scrapes and pick up his bike.  Anthony, unfortunately, didn’t get back on the bike today, but he was walking and smiling, so we could tell all was fine and he will certainly be back on the saddle soon.

After that tough moment to wake us all up, we had to also be mentally prepared for a little under 10 miles on the actual interstate.  With good communication and confident riding we made it down Interstate 84 and into our next, and final, rest stop of the day at Blacks Creed Bird Reserve.  Everything kept moving along at this stop with the continued intention to make it to watch the final in Boise.  We even planned how we were going to make it there and try to hold a table at Buffalo Wild Wings for everyone.

Over the final stretch, we started to see some smoke in the air, or at least what we thought was smoke, and hoped that that was not an omen for what is to come on our days ahead.  There were a couple of rolling hills coming into town and we were very surprised how close to the city we needed to get before we could distinguish anything but empty fields.  The bike lanes through the city were nice and they led us straight to our stayover while going past the State Capitol.  

Rushing to the restaurant for the game, a couple of us made it over in time to get the last table while others put their name on a waiting list and ran around the neighboring blocks looking for a spot to watch.  Luckily for us running, Spain and Argentina kept the score tied at 0-0 all the way through regulation, so we didn’t have to worry about missing any peak action.  Eventually, Spain broke through in extra time and a new champion was crowned.  Those less interested in the match also got to see the wildest mashup of musical artists for the halftime show including: Madonna, Gustavo Dudamel, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, and probably someone else we are forgetting.

As the team was getting settled into their places for this evening and next, Maaike went to the airport to pick up a special guest whom I am sure you will hear about in tomorrow’s journal.

Day 56: Triple Digit Temperature - Shoshone, Idaho to Mountain Home, Idaho

We are getting closer to our rest day in Boise and that was certainly on our minds for the ride today.  Although the mileage was shorter than all but one of our days during this spell of riding, the day was still going to be tough because we were starting to get fatigued and the temperature was forecasted to get over 100°F in the afternoon.  Even with the lack of humidity, triple digit temperature was still brutal and required us to be thinking of our bodies and our hydration as we ticked the miles off.  Fortunately, we had an air-conditioned stayover to retreat to and showers at the local pool this evening to help us cope.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 72.3 miles

Elevation: +1,223 ft. / -1,564 ft.

Points of Interest: Snake River, Train Line, Glenns Ferry, Mountain Home (Community Pool and Skatepark)

Tales of the Trail

Rain worries had no place in our minds last night which was very nice after our exciting night in Arco yesterday.  The morning was a smooth operation and we were outside and ready to ride in no time.  When we made it out to the roads, traffic was pretty light again and the vast expanses of fields, hills, and mountains in the distance were nice to look at.  The group that left first (Maaike, Tada, Cole, and Vedang) had a little longer to appreciate the views from off their bikes when Tada caught a flat at mile 8.  Other than that, the ride to the first rest stop was a very relaxing time.  Slight tailwinds again made pedaling easy and the temperature, at least for that moment, was just perfect.  

Our break was just at a gas station, but there was a country store across the road that at least Cole and Vedang checked out.  The prices were way too much to actually be considering a purchase of anything.  Generally though, for both this rest stop and the next, which was just beside the road, everyone who was riding was trying to keep their pace moving right along and time at the stops very short.  The forecasted high temperatures had us a little scared, so we were trying to get as many miles behind us as we could before the heat became grueling.  

The exception today was our third rest stop.  Anthony had found a good spot along the route, a Mexican restaurant, called Lulu’s Cafe and we stopped for a while to catch our breath, cool off, and eat a bunch of good food.  A few of us purchased the real sugar sodas that, particularly on such a hot day, always seem to taste just that much better than the ones with corn syrup.

Over the last stretch, we had some climbing and Vedang was up for the challenge.  He led his group to some super fast speeds uphill, so much so that Maaike set the second fastest time for a woman up a couple of the climbs (as recorded on Strava).  The team back on the road were rolling consistently and made it to the stayover not long after.  We were welcomed to Mountain Home with air conditioning and Powerades in the refrigerator.  There was even macaroni and cheese and pulled pork for dinner!  Our situation for the night really couldn’t be much better.

After refueling our bodies, we had showers scheduled at the public pool, but that also meant we had a chance to swim!  Most decided, with the temperature still in the 90s, to have a jump into the water and those who did were certainly happy.  We cooled off and cleaned up and walked back to the stayover.  Along the way, Max showed off some skateboarding skills with an ollie at the skatepark and not long afterwards we are getting to sleep.  Tomorrow we make it to Boise and our rest day.  This should be a fun one too because the World Cup final is tomorrow and we are going to see if we can make it the just under 60 miles in time to watch the game.  Read on to Day 57 tomorrow to find out!

Day 55: A Soggy Start and A Gorgeous End - Arco, Idaho to Shoshone, Idaho

You know how we were just loosely concerned about rain during the night after the sprinkler incident yesterday?  It happened.  Around 1 am, all of our tents started to ripple in the wind which woke a few of us up and had us wondering what was happening.  Then came the thunder.  Maybe this was just a storm passing by and that wouldn’t actually hit us.  The weather app said there was only a 5% chance of rain, right?  Rain drops started to fall.  Others in the tent began to wake up at the sounds of rain hitting the rain flies or blowing into the vents.  Then the skies totally opened up and there was a downpour.  All of our clothes hanging on the fences were getting soaked and blowing from where we had hung them.  The bikes and bags outside were getting washed whether we wanted them to or not.  Vents needed to be closed and there were a few of us running back and forth across the campsite trying to figure out what to do and where to get the necessary tools and supplies to reinforce the tents.  One sleeping group even went without the rain cover for their tent thinking, as one might, that the chance of rain was so low it would be unnecessary.  They were frantically throwing that on and pounding stakes into the ground.  Maaike was fixing the zipper on her tent cover and Cole was grabbing his backpack which had been out after getting hit by the sprinkler earlier.  The sprinting around lasted for maybe 20 minutes and we wished the rain had only lasted that long.  It went on for 2 hours.  When everyone was waking up, we opened the zippers to our tent to see what the damage had been.  Lauren had her whole backpack drenched since it was at a picnic table through the night and no one had spotted it before the rain.  Many of us had sleeping pads that were soaked, clothes that had not dried at all, and so little sleep it felt like we should just call the day here.  We are the Illini 4000 though, so tough times do not stop us.  We packed up, scavenged for what had blown away, ate breakfast, and started our day.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 82.7 miles

Elevation: +928 ft. / -1,781 ft.

Points of Interest: Craters of the Moon National Monument, Forest Fire Fighting Aircraft, Shoshone Falls

Tales of the Trail

A little bit of a rise in elevation coming out of Arco ended up being just fine because it gave us views over the valley and led us right to the Craters of the Moon National Monument.  Scenic overlooks just a bit before the rest stop, which was at the visitor center, gave the team a chance to see the landscape and wilderness that looked so foreign and almost of a different planet.  The geological features here had been created between 15,000 and 2,000 years ago from volcanic eruptions.  The visitor center was a neat place to stop and learn about the history of the area and pick up some fun momentos to carry with us.  

The rest of the day, from here forward was entirely downhill.  We also had a tailwind!  Rolling out from the visitor center, we must have averaged right around 20 mph over the next 25 miles to the second rest stop.  It was incredible!  For the first stretch, Ren had been resting in the van but wanted to be added in at some point during the day.  She was shocked when she woke up to find out that we were already miles away from the van because of just how fast we were moving.  The tailwind and descent combination is unmatched in generating velocity over the road.  Wow! After waking up, we did pick up Ren a few miles in and kept on rolling fast like we had been.

What was supposed to be quite a long stretch turned into something quite short.  We pulled off again in Carey at a gas station to fill our bottles and grab snacks.  While were were hanging out, a family came by in their van to say hello and were really interested in our cause.  Just before they were going to leave, they shouted over, “Would you like some bread?” and we did a double take.  Would we like some bread?  We will eat anything at this point.  “It’s homemade sourdough from this morning!”  Oh, of course we will have some now!  And the family came back over with a loaf of amazing sourdough bread.  Some of us were even describing it as the best bread we have ever had in our entire lives.  It was awesome!

This was turning out to be one of the best days on the ride.  We were flying, we were being given food from kind strangers, and now we were getting close to finishing.  The temperature was rising into the mid-to-high 90s (ugh!) again as we were making it to the last rest stop.  Nishk, driving the van, did a great job at encouraging us to get going again for the last 17 miles and still with the tailwinds, we made it.  There was an antiques store just before the stayover that distracted us for a while, but then we made it to the Shoshone Community Center and started to setup for the evening.

As we were waiting for dinner to be prepared, a plan to go and see the Shoshone Falls that were about a 40 minute drive away started to form.  Ehsan, Max, Tada, Nishk, and Vedang all were down for the trip and were treated for their commitment to an adventure after an 83-mile day.  

See you tomorrow!

Day 54: Breakfast, Research, and Dinner with an Alum - Sugar City, Idaho to Arco, Idaho

A seemingly normal day on the road through Idaho turned into another Illini 4000 day for the history books with the activities we got up to along the way.  Ren was looking forward to seeing the sites of Idaho National Laboratories, the team was ready for another donated meal for dinner at the restaurant attached to our campground, and other surprises would make for a special day.  The ride itself was over 90 miles, so it was no slouch of an effort, but favorable winds meant we had one of our highest average moving speeds of the Summer.  Parker also got up on stage in the evening and put on a performance for the ages!

Ride Overview

Mileage: 92.0 miles

Elevation: +1,171 ft. / -770 ft.

Points of Interest:

Tales of the Trail

This morning, instead of oatmeal as usual, or bagels during the camping days, we had pancakes, eggs, and bacon!  How, you might ask?  Since we were in a school and the kitchen we had access to was fully equipped, Cole decided the night before that he was going to surprise the team and cook in the morning.  Ren was the only one else who was in on the plan having gone to Walmart last night with him and the reactions were priceless.  Nishk helped with the cooking as he usually would, being the breakfast chore, and Vedang who also does was amazed when he came to the kitchen to the sounds and smells of true cooking.  The rest of the team came in so surprised and happy and were also laughing about how Maaike was concerned that Cole’s things were not packed yet (she’s always on time).  Everyone worked together for the cleanup after fueling themselves and we made it to the morning circle almost on time still.

We talked at morning circle how today would be another camping day, but that we would have dinner and showers which were luxurious compared to where we were before (even though those were actually very nice campgrounds too haha!).  Then, it was time for another activity from Cole: the Illini 4000 spelling bee with cycling terminology.  We lined up and did our best.  After four rounds, it was ultimately Maaike and Aadit who were co-champions of the inaugural event.  After all of this, it was finally time to choose groups for the day and hit the road.

The name of the game today on the bikes was tailwinds.  We were trying to get in as many miles as we could before the wind was predicted to change directions, and, as always, the temperature got hot.  This meant that rest stop number one was nothing more than just a refill of the bottles, put on a little sunscreen, and keep on rolling.  There was no real “rest” to the rest stop this time.  That was okay though because the riding itself was in some ways restful.  Cars were few and far between and the pedaling was not too difficult because of the winds.  We were able to keep rolling at a decent clip without putting in much more power than if we were casually cruising on a flat road.  Just before the second rest stop, where we actually did take a little bit more time, although not much still, the first group riding found some hay bales that were just the perfect picture opportunity for a group of people traveling across the country.

The roads were so empty today that the van was one of the only vehicles out there.  After some honking and Ehsan figuring out what in the world we were doing on our bikes by occupying both lanes, we were able to get him to pull over the van and take a couple of classic photographs that are usually seen on the Western highways.  

Don’t worry, we didn’t make him too mad.  Ehsan was having a great time driving the van today!

Along the road next came Idaho National Laboratories!  Ren was so excited to see the entrance and buildings here because they do a lot of research in nuclear energy and right now are working on micro-reactors.  Ren is a Nuclear Engineering major, so it is only fitting that she would know more about this spot than anyone else.  Hopefully there’s a show-and-tell in class after the Summer so she can say she visited.

The winds hadn’t yet shifted, so we were doing very well on time despite it being an over 90-mile riding day.  The temperature, on the other hand, was rising.  Our last two rest stops were just by the side of the road which can make it tough to cool down and actually feel like you gained energy after you stopped.  For this reason, the van crew and the group of Ren, Cole, Nishk, Ved, and Aadit decided to pull off at a place called “Desert Stop.”  It really was the only source of food and snacks for miles and we found their slushies and burgers very appetizing after many hot hours of riding our bikes.  The final miles of the day felt long, but Arco came soon enough and we had super nice, grassy campsites at the Mountainview RV Park to set up our tents on.  

Casey, an Illinois alum who now owns and cooks at the restaurant, welcomed us to the park and had dinner options ready to go.  Some of us had pulled port, some pizzas, and other chicken and fries.  Everything tasted so good after our day and even better because it was coming from someone supporting us.  Troy and Ross, the owner and manager of the RV park also came by to give us coins for the showers and make sure everything was going well on our journey.  We got to add our names and legacy to the restaurant ceiling by making an “I4K” out of $2 bills and the evening was going so well.  There was one sprinkler incident that caught us off guard and a few of our tents got splashed, but we were able to figure out how to shut them off (not really sure how they turned on in the first place).  Hopefully this isn’t a harbinger of events to come because there is a chance of thunderstorms tonight, but very low and we haven’t had any rainy camping so far this trip.

Finally, to end off the night, Parker talked with one of the live music performers and managed to convince him to sing and have Parker join in on Numb by Linkin Park!  All of the team came over and Parker really had a whole audience of us and others enjoying their evenings to hear him sing.  That’s another story to be added to the archives. 

Day 53: Returning to a Familiar Friend - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming to Sugar City, Idaho

The one and only time during this trip that we returned to a state happened today.  Welcome back to Idaho, Illini 4000!  We were only gone for 4 days, but we come back having experienced the United States like we have never seen it before and are individuals that have grown beyond what you knew before.  To us, Idaho also changed.  There were mountains, but nothing as close as we had observed during our first foray into the state.  Now, Idaho was a much flatter state as we followed the Snake River Basin and we are learning about what this area of the state has to offer.  So far, for bike riding, it is great!  Downhill all the way!

Ride Overview

Mileage: 91.0 miles

Elevation: +1,586 ft. / -3,534 ft.

Points of Interest: Exiting Yellowstone National Park, Montana State Border, West Yellowstone, Idaho State Border, Harriman State Park, Frostop

Tales of the Trail

Before we could make it out of the campground in the morning, all of the teams on the road, including those in the van, had to make a stop at the campground shop to pick up some cans of the Old Faithful Root Beer.  The price and taste made this popular last night and no one wanted to leave without getting some more.  We stocked our cooler and then, finally, were able to carry on.  The fringes of Yellowstone National Park were still pretty just as the central areas were.  Through the forests and down the Madison River we rode until we made it to our first landmark of the day: the Montana State Border.  Our route barely touches the state, but we do end up catching just the corner, so we can claim to have been to Montana!  The first rest stop, a small café in West Yellowstone, was even in Montana to really make that statement true.  For this occasion, we will give you a Montana border montage:

After Montana, Idaho came up quickly.  There was a tough, short climb to enter the state, but progress was moving so steadily for those riding that they carried on through and the only one to get a picture at this border was Cole in the van.

Unfortunately, this was about the point that the road started to get quite busy too.  The ride from here was much more stressful through the day and tiring due to the continuous traffic along the road.  After that climb into Idaho, at least we were given the grace to have a slight downhill the rest of the day to counteract the traffic.  Before the second rest stop, in the van, we met a pair of cyclists from England who were riding the Great Divide and very excited to see the result of the England versus Argentina World Cup game today.  The man we talked to even said, “if we win, I’m going to Denver as quickly as I can to make it back home for the final!”  The rest of our riders on the road were moving along very well and still had high spirits when arriving at the second rest stop on the day.  

Some days, we seem to just catch one bad break after another and today was one of those starting at this second rest stop.  Rain started to fall from the sky and quickly brought everyone to layer on their rain jackets.  Rain also means that the cars from the heavy traffic have a harder time with visibility, so more effort has to be put into making sure we communicate and keep everyone in our riding group safe.  Additionally, we all, always, get covered in sediment any time there is rain because the particles just stick to us when they get caught in the spray from a tire.  The nice thing about this rain is that it did not last all the way to the third rest stop.  Pausing halfway through and giving a chance to dry off, the rain paved the way for the next interesting event: a traffic jam.

As the riding groups were waiting along the side of the road with the van at the third rest stop, they started to see cars in the direction we were traveling back up and stopped moving.  What could this be?  After asking others in their parked cars along the road, we caught word that a massive accident had happened a couple miles away and that no one was being let through.  We hoped that the drivers involved were alright and decided to wait a little longer and see if anything happened.  As cars stayed still or turned around, we sent one of our groups out for reconnaissance.  A couple miles up the road, they reported that even cyclists weren’t being let through and that someone had been told things would be cleared in 30 minutes about an hour and a half ago!  The next decision was to wait a bit longer and see if anything was going to change before we might have to consider a shuttling situation.  Now, things started to go right for us.  The road was opened with one lane about 10 minutes later and our group ahead called to tell us.  The second group rolled out and the van followed suit.  Everyone made it through pretty easily at this point since most of the crash appeared to have been cleared.  That part of the road was followed by a nice, long descent into the last stop of the day.

At Frostop, a drive-in that we had heard about from past Illini 4000 teams, we all pulled off to enjoy some food and a couple of their famous huckleberry shakes.  The stop was definitely great and the food and fries were amazing, so too the huckleberry shakes.  I don’t know whether this is a placebo from being in Idaho, but something about the fries here also tasted better, as if the potatoes were more fresh or something.  Last on the day was the bike ride to Sugar City.

Arriving at the stayover, we found we would be sleeping in the band room of the Sugar-Salem High School.  This was going to be so fun!  We met the Assistant Principal and a local reporter who just so happened to drive by looking for stories and interviewed a couple of us (lookout for something in the Sugar City news).  There was pizza and a bunch of cookies that had been given to us and critically, critically, there were multiple washing machines to help everyone catch up on the laundry we could not do during the last couple of days while camping.  This was going to be an ideal stayover.

In a fun final side story, Nishk (because who else would) found the pate of all license plates mounted to a car.  The Alaska plate.  Literally!

Day 52: One National Park to Another and Always Gorgeous Views - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (Madison Campground)

Just as the ride from Jackson into the Grand Teton National Park where we are starting our day today was an incredible, mystical experience, so too was our journey into Yellowstone National Park.  Where Grand Teton was a sort of shocking experience to see the mountains rise from the flatlands that surrounded, Yellowstone was a story of natural beauty.  The forests, hills, and hydrological features felt like a true embodiment of the best of the American landscapes we have encountered across the country.  We saw wilderness, tourist attractions, and wild animals.  We even got to meet at 2014 Illini 4000 alum at the end of our day to cap off another great one.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 72.1 miles

Elevation: +3,595 ft. / -3,579 ft.

Points of Interest: Yellowstone National Park Entrance, Continental Divide (x5), Lewis Falls, Thumb Paintpots, Yellowstone Lake, Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, Madison

Tales of the Trail

Packing up our campsite at Lizard Creek in the morning was a bittersweet goodbye.  We had such a good time there over our two nights and it was hard to imagine that the ride would get any better than it already had been.  Nevertheless, the van got packed, we ate our bagels, and teams started getting on the road.  The route today was mostly North with a little bit of travel to the West around halfway through the day before turning North again.  We caught our last glimpses of the Tetons and said “so long” in our heads hoping that we will have the opportunity to return once again in our futures.  

Riding out of this park and towards Yellowstone, we had a great descent through the forest that was long, but wide open and meandering where you could take the road at almost any speed and feel comfortable.  The cars on the road going by were again from all over the country and sometimes as we are riding we can tell that they are interested in our jerseys and what it is that 13 people all dressed in the same orange jerseys are doing.  Soon enough we were at the entrance sign for Yellowstone National Park and trying to get our photos in with the sign before buses of people showed up to get in line behind us.  As was the case with Grand Teton National Park, we had the van shuttle us through traffic for about half-a-mile and then continued our riding towards the first designated rest stop, Lewis Falls.

These falls were pretty neat and able to be viewed right from the parking lot where we could stock up on water and snacks.  Had this been anywhere but Yellowstone, I think we would have thought they were amazing, but our expectations were sky high, so Lewis Falls actually felt kind of small.  Another 12 miles up the road, our second rest stop was right next to Yellowstone Lake where the Thumb Paintpots are.  This was the start of the natural attractions that many of us had heard about or seen in photographs before.  The colorful and steaming basins of water were very neat to walk by and take pictures at.  Since this is a popular stop, we also had so many people coming up to ask who we were and what our cause was.  Seeing the reactions on people’s faces when you tell them you are biking from New York City to San Francisco to support those with cancer is something special.  They go from shocked, to amazed, to warm with love and generosity.  This rest stop was just particularly fun because we had so much of it at once.

We had seen signs for it before the paintpots, so we knew that next up on the road would be Old Faithful, the crown jewel of Yellowstone if one could even be named.  The riding over to it though got quite a bit more difficult than previously in the day.  A couple of longer climbs followed by a surprisingly steep descent made this stretch tough.  It also felt really long because of how short the distance between the first two rest stops was.  Eventually though, we made it to the borderline metropolis that are the facilities around Old Faithful.  Teams went inside the shop to get food, huckleberry floats, and memorabilia centered around Yellowstone and Old Faithful.  We had around an hour to wait before the geyser would actually go off.  There was a +/- 12 minute window on either side of 4:22 pm for us that it could be possible for the geyser to erupt.  The whole team and everyone else nearby (maybe a thousand people) gathered around on the walkway to watch Old Faithful in action and she did not disappoint.  For almost all of us, this was the first time we had seen a natural geyser and it really was amazing to see how high it went!

Before heading out again, we went back to the shop to pick up any last minute items and snacks needed for the remainder of the day.  Then, it was just 7.5 miles to Grand Prismatic, our last attraction of the day.  We marveled at its colors and the immense heat coming off of the pool of water that was driven by heating from within the Earth below.  Grand Prismatic was an amazing way to end our Yellowstone Adventure.

The last 10 miles on the day were downhill and into the campsite in Madison, so this was pretty easy.  Then, as we were setting up our tents, Ellen Butler, of the 2014 Illini 4000 team and who now works for the parks at Earthquake Lake Visitor Center showed up to say hello!  She was so much fun to talk to and we figured out that she has been meeting just about the last 10 years of teams here in Yellowstone National Park.  We found out the differences between our team and others.  On behalf of the 2014 team, we also received a ton of snacks that will fuel us as we go on down the road.  Thank you Ellen and thank you to those who came before us!

Our Yellowstone day was a success.  We saw everything we wanted to see, made it to the campsite before sundown, met a previous rider, and had an awesome spot to camp.  Tomorrow we leave Wyoming and we’ll see what kind of sights are up for us next.

Day 51: Rest Day – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

As usual for a rest day, the team slept in as long as physically possible. After finally awaking to the outside world and adventuring out of our nice warm tents we all had some bagels for breakfast. The team had all decided to go on an adventure back to Jenny lake today and then to Jackson for most of the day. After the bear scares yesterday we made sure to all pack our bags away in the bear boxes and got in the van to head towards Jenny lake. We only had an hour or so to adventure as we had already been here yesterday during a rest stop. Many of the teams decided to get into the water as it felt amazing in the 80 something degree heat. 

After the lake we all regrouped, Ved an Ehsan continuing on a scenic hike starting in Jenny lake, and the rest of us went off towards Jackson. Although we had been there yesterday as well many of the team didn’t fully get a chance to see all the shops they wanted to go to. Also as this was our third day camping in a row some of us were glad to get the chance to go to a cafe in order to charge our electronics. While completely doable without them, those with a bike computer were very happy to be able to charge those in order to have the route tomorrow easily accessible. 

Ehsan and Ved reported back afterwards that their hike was very beautiful. It was 8 miles around Jenny lake and they even swam, saw some waterfalls, and a black bear! Tada was the only one who did not come with us in the van and decided to bike from our campground all the way to Jackson. Basically completing our route from yesterday backwards. While he noted that it was very beautiful and scenic, he also forgot to wear sunscreen on a day the UV got up to 11. Tada was able to meet up with some of the team in Jackson to hang out in the shade for a while. After everyone's shopping spree and delicious meals had come to an end we all reunited downtown to make our way back towards the campground. We made it back to the campground around 7:30 and decided that we would try and eat dinner as fast as possible so that we could go back to Jenny lake to swim hoping we could get there before sunset.

For some of us our dinner was out of the ordinary. A long-standing I4k tradition they do mostly every year is a pie eating contest. The van crew had been looking for pies for a long time and this morning they found them. Although the pies happened to be larger than we imagined. Everyone got a 2 lb pie of their flavor of choice. The type of pie proved to be a very important decision as some pies seemed to be much easier to get down than others. The participants were: Vedang, Parker, Nishk, Max, and Sam. It was interesting what strategies everyone had in this eating competition. Some went straight in with their hands while others chose forks. Some chose to go without water while others decided to chug water between bites. Only one strategy proved fruitful however as only 1 out of the 5 of us was able to complete the whole pie in 16 minutes. Sam, hesitant at first to even compete, took a commanding victory as the only finisher. After this we cooked hotdogs, s’mores, and other random things as fast as we could. We barely made it out of the campsite by 9. In a race against time we hurried as much as we could towards Jenny lake.

We soon were not in a rush however after songs that the whole team knew kept coming on the radio. This quickly turned the entire van into a team-wide karaoke session. This was maybe one of the best random moments of the trip so far. As the sun was setting over the tetons we were seeing the most gorgeous views while singing some of the most classic karaoke songs. (My favorite of these being Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls) By the time we got there we had little to no light, but this did not bother us whatsoever. The team quickly derobed into swimsuits and jumped into the cold water. After a fruitless effort of taking scenic photos in the dark, everyone decided to put away the cameras and just enjoy the moment. Whether just dipping toes in or going 200 feet out into the water everyone had a wonderful time which I am sure that we will all remember for the rest of our lives. Although we made it to the campsite well after our lights out time the team was not worried about getting less sleep than usual. Sometimes the sacrifice is well worth it.

Day 50: Is This Even Real? - Jackson, Wyoming to Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming (Lizard Creek Campground)

We have made it somewhere special!  Everywhere along our route so far has been new for someone on the team and that alone has made each stop unique.  This goes without mentioning the community support and involvement we have seen and received along the way.  Still, nothing will quite compare to the first sight of the Tetons as we rode up and out of Jackson this morning.  The jagged, rocky peaks, the veins of snow still remaining, the sheer magnitude of the mountains next to the flat valley below, and the coloring of their sides and edges will remain etched in our minds forever.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 52.3 miles

Elevation: +1,886 ft. / -1,227 ft.

Points of Interest: Grand Teton National Park (enough said)

Tales of the Trail

We woke up in Jackson ready for the shorter day ahead of us and so excited to make it to our first stayover in a national park.  The morning circle had a special element to it today because of one of our supporters and religious journal readers: Brad T. Opstad.  Yes, everyone on the team knows of him and only ever says his full name, not “Brad,” or “Brad Opstad,” always “Brad T. Opstad.  Does anyone actually know him?  No.  But that’s what makes this fun!  Over the course of a few months, Brad T. Opstad has donated to each one of us and left an encouraging message and he is always doing the same on our journal posts.  Today, he surprised the team with bandanas which he wears every time he goes cycling and it also represents a good way to stand with those who have lost their hair during chemotherapy.  We hope we might get a chance to spot or see Brad T. Opstad as we travel through California because he has become a character in our story.  Maybe we will, who knows?

After this, we then had another surprise!  Nishk had been planning ahead and purchased water guns for everyone specifically for today and told us we would be playing a game of “assassin.”  Everyone had a target during the day to try to hit and if they did they would take over that person’s target until everyone but one winner was eliminated.  The only ways that we could prevent being knocked out were to have a hand on our head or be legitimately riding on the route.  Although this continued into the day, I’ll tell the story right now.  The start of the game immediately got intense with Vedang taking out Ehsan just after morning circle.  Maaike managed to get her first target, Max, at a stop along the road as she was still riding her bike.  Then, it was off to the first rest stop where there was carnage.  Maaike struck again by hitting Tada, but as she was doing this, Parker was getting her at the same time!  That whole line had been eliminated.  Sam managed to get Ren and then Anthony took out Sam at the first rest stop.  The last of the first rest stop knockouts was Lauren who was eliminated with a shot from Nishk.  Phew!  That really was a lot.  Remaining in the game once we started riding again were Anthony, Vedang, Nishk, Aadit, Cole,  and Parker.  There was a lull in action until the second rest stop, but afterwards, only two would remain.  Vedang was able to catch Cole with his hand off of his head.  Anthony managed to get Parker, but was then eliminated himself when Vedang, having received his name from Cole, also attacked.  Nishk found Aadit at Jenny Lake in a disputed event and we were down to our final two: Nishk and Vedang.  At the last rest stop, Nishk pulled out the victory in the game he started!  Good job Nishk!

Now, finally, we can get back to our regularly scheduled programming and talk about the ride and other activities we got up to during the day.  On the bike path out of Jackson, everyone was wondering how soon we would be able to see the Tetons.  We knew that we would be entering the national park officially at mile 14, so they would certainly be visible then, but what about before?  That question was answered just after mile 5 when the Grand Teton National Park sign was visible up the road and just over the knoll the mountains began to show themselves.  No words will be able to describe this feeling, so we will leave it at awe-inspiring and magical and show you some of our pictures.

We shuttled through the traffic at the park entrance during our first rest stop and continued along the trail afterwards.  There were many other cyclists out, both for recreation and for training which was fun to see.  This time, we were riding to Jenny Lake.  As you heard above, there was action with our game of the day and that took some of us out of actually taking a closer look at where we were and the lake itself.  To be fair, we did still have 30 miles remaining on the day, so getting ready to ride again was the primary concern of the rest stop.  Jenny Lake will reappear in our stories tomorrow during our rest day, so don’t fret.  The cars parked along the road with license plates from all across the United States were neat to see and told us, as if we couldn’t see for ourselves already, that we were in a special destination.  Tourists, hikers, climbers, and us were all out and about enjoying some of the best that nature has to offer.  

We rode on and continued to have our eyes glued to the West.  The views were spectacular and often we would find ourselves forgetting about the riding ahead and just enjoying what we had around us at the moment.  When we were passing Jackson Lake near Signal Mountain, two groups again stopped for pictures and Sam, Ren, and Ehsan decided to get in the water.  This was becoming one of our favorite places across the whole country!  The third rest stop was also near Jackson Lake in a place called Colter Bay where there were so many people around.  Instead of a small set of bathrooms though, this place had different centers, restaurants, shops, and even showers and laundry that we kept note of for the night.  This is also a good time to mention that Max was back on the bike today!  After being sidelined from his crash going into Salt Lake City, Max decided that these 50 miles were the time to make the return.  Although he still had lingering pain, he was more than happy that this was a day he was capable of coming back for.  The sights alone made it worthwhile even if there was a struggle to ride.

From Colter Bay to our final destination, Lizard Creek Campground, there were only 10 miles remaining and that went pretty quickly.  Again we were treated to views, the likes of which we had never seen before, and a great road to enjoy them from.  We set up our tents and prepared our campsites for the evening even though it was still only 4 pm.  There was another order of business yet to happen on this day.

From past Illini 4000 teams and our ride leader Maaike, we have been hearing about challenges that might happen over the course of the Summer.  Today was the pie eating competition.  Aadit, in the van, picked up pies for everyone that wanted one at a grocery store before entering the park and once we had arrived and settled, the time had come to chow down.  Nishk, Sam, Max, Parker, and Vedang were competing with everyone else either watching or eating their pies casually.  Let it be known that these pies were massive… 2 lbs!  The competition was strong and everyone got off to a good start.  Around halfway in, Parker realized the task was too big today and decided to drop out.  Vedang was looking good and making swift progress and so was Sam.  Max and Nishk would look up at each other every once in a while and have some of the most disgusting pie filled laughs that we have ever seen or heard.  They kept going.  Next, Max was forced to end his run for glory as he had to take a trash bag and walk away.  Nishk did the same moments later.  With this said, both Nishk and Max returned to the table to finish their pies afterwards claiming, “I’m doing this for me.”  Sam and Ved were all that was left of the original 5, but as the end drew near, Sam was clearly in the lead and ultimately won the competition giving us this great moment:

With stomachs stuffed for some, we all took a walk down to Jackson Lake and enjoyed the remaining time we had in sunlight.  A few got in to swim and a few stayed on the side laying down or skipping stones.  Dinner and showers came next.  This was our first time being in a campground where the fire risk wasn’t so high that we couldn’t have a campfire and Nishk showed off some good firemaking skills for the team.  We cooked our hotdogs and veggie patties and then went off to Colter Bay for showers and laundry.  There was some other hanging out as a team in the evening at the campsite with s’mores, but this was most of our day.

Grand Teton National Park is already an incredible place and we have so much to explore during our rest day tomorrow!

Day 49: The Last Century! - Soda Springs, Idaho to Jackson, Wyoming

At our first rest stop, we saw a one-room schoolhouse and decided to move back in time with our team photography.  The small towns and Western landscapes made this look feel fitting and we hope you enjoy our creative masterpiece. 

Ride Overview

Mileage: 107.6 miles

Elevation: +3,215 ft. / -2,637 ft.

Points of Interest:  Blackfoot Reservoir, Wyoming State Border, Snake River, Snow King Mountain, Jackson Town, Antler Arches

Tales of the Trail

Leaving Soda Springs was a little colder than usual in the morning because we started an hour earlier.  Turns out that time actually does matter!  We were waking up because we knew that we had many miles in front of us and that this would be our last day riding over 100 miles as it appears to be planned.  The cold air was welcomed though after so many days baking in the heat.  The other nice thing about starting this early in the morning… no traffic.  There were many times over our first 20-mile stretch, maybe even most of the time, that we could look forward and back and not see a vehicle anywhere in sight.  That was awesome!  

As we approached rest stop number one, which is where the team photo was taken, we were also treated to some gorgeous views to the West out over fields of yellow flowers and the Blackfoot Reservoir.  So pretty was the scene that the group of Anthony, Vedang, Ehsan, and Cole took a good 10-minute stop just to appreciate its beauty before continuing their rides.  At the rest stop, Max, Parker, and the others in the van had found an interesting looking general store, albeit closed, with a chicken farm out back.  Parker definitely took a look at the animals and was disappointed when no one else who was riding shared his joy (sorry Parker!).  Then, of course, we took our photo and carried on.  

The land that we were on was open range, meaning that livestock could go wherever they pleased.  All of the riding groups encountered some cows near the sides of the road and the van had a couple very close to blocking their path.  At least this made for some interesting sight seeing along the way while we were in the valley having a tougher time viewing the mountains beyond.  Maybe it was the location, maybe it was that they could roam free, but those cows were some of the happiest we have ever seen.  We also had some that chased us as we were biking past.  Cows.  Running!  When have you ever seen that?

When we turned East towards Wyoming, we had a climb up to the second rest stop on the road.  In case you are wondering back at home, it is also very strange for us to have any miles going East.  The Sun being ahead of us in the morning is the telltale sign and that was just weird to be heading into.  At the top of the climb, the van was waiting with more snacks and water for all.  Water supplies ended up being a sore subject on the day.  While we did not realize it then, this rest stop would be the last time we saw one of our beloved water coolers.  Left just in the blindspot of the van, our orange Igloo was never to be seen again and hopefully, maybe picked up by someone else who could make use of it.  We will always remember our fallen cooler!  It served us well.

The next stretch of the day was beautiful.  We had 16 miles of downhill that took us all the way to the Wyoming border.  It also just so happened to be through a gorgeous wooded canyon and riding it felt like we had been transported to a totally different place from where we were in the morning.  The next rest stop came up so quickly we almost didn’t need it apart from the fact that the temperatures were now getting up into the more usual (at this point) 90°F range.  What else was fun about this rest stop?  It was right on the Idaho and Wyoming border where one side of the road was Wyoming and the other Idaho.  We had a lot of fun with that as we started off down it when we departed the rest stop.  “Woah, I’m in Wyoming right now and you’re in Idaho! … Want to travel to another state with me? … “Let’s cross the border.”

When we crossed into Wyoming for good, we saw others out trying to avoid the heat and swimming and paddle boarding in the Salt River.  It looked appealing, but we were way too far from the end of our day to sacrifice comfort on the bike for a quick reprieve.  The roads also became a bit busier here when we got on Route 89 towards Alpine.  Despite definitely not being on back roads for most of the day, the traffic had been quite light, so seeing many cars to the rear was a sight we had not been used to for our hours on the bike at that point.  Our rest stop was just on the edge of Palisades Reservoir before the point we would enter the Palisades Wilderness and just across the Snake River.  We had heard from someone at a stayover a night or two back that we would be following the Snake River soon and here it was.  The landscapes now had some large hills or small mountains to the sides and rocky barriers on the edges of the river.  The temperature was now getting to the high 90s and we sheltered the best we could inside of the grocery store that we stopped at.

The rest of the ride was a slow but steady climb to Jackson and with the heat that was pretty difficult.  From rest stop four to rest stop five, Cole left his water bottles behind at the van and it was a rough time for that to happen.  Him and his team decided to take a detour around half-way through though at the Snake River and cool off.  After watching some river surfers down below the road, Cole and Ren had seen enough to be convinced that this was the place to stop and to get in.  Wow, was this a relief!  They both cooled off and were feeling so much better before they went off to attack the second half of this stint.  The river at this point also just continued to be a beautiful sight off to our right and we could watch the white water rafters any time we wanted to.  There was no lack of engagement on this road!

At our last rest stop of the day was when we finally realized that the water cooler was missing and we were also doing our absolute best to stay out of the scorching sunlight.  We sat on shaded steps and made many trips into the gas station convenience store to cool off.  We knew now though that the ride would be certainly finished before sundown (always a worry in the morning on century-long days) and that gave us some peace of mind to take enough time for our bodies to recover here.  The final total on the road was around 12 hours of time between riding and rest stops which was inflated by taking that time each rest stop to cool off.  After reconciling with the news of the cooler and taking on some nutrition, we started the final leg on the trails that would lead us all the way to Jackson.

The Jackson Hole Community Pathways, the name of the trails we were on, were really fun as they went up and down with the terrain, curvy, and revealed to us some of the mountains in the distance.  This wasn’t yet the Tetons like I am sure we will see tomorrow, but it was still special to be heading to one of the most popular ski towns in the world and see the mountains that surround it.  The Sun was getting lower in the sky as we were approaching mile 107.  Everyone made it to the stayover!  We enjoyed our pasta and lentils and then made a short walk into town for some ice cream at Häagen Dazs.  The team also snapped a picture at one of the famous antler arches.  

It feels like we are getting back into adventurous territory and that is exciting!  We are looking forward to making it into Grand Teton National Park tomorrow and seeing what all of the hype is about.  Right now, we can just dream and imagine.

Day 48: A Famous Oregon Trail (and Now Illini 4000) Stop - Logan, Utah to Soda Springs, Idaho

For a day of riding that appeared by map as if it was going to be somewhat uneventful, we had so many little fun moments to remember and share.  We also left Utah today which is a state that will mostly be remembered fondly with the exception of our couple of crashes a few days ago.  Max, now becoming our trusty van driver, was back at it again in livening the spirits at all of our rest stops and today was a memorable day on the road for the team moments that it brought about.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 78.7 miles

Elevation: +2,536 ft. / -1,564 ft.

Points of Interest: Idaho State Border, Napoleon Dynamite House, The Most Perfect Patch of Grass, Oregon Trail, Soda Springs Geyser

Tales of the Trail

Before the cranks even got turning or the wheels even started rolling, we began our morning with a game of what I can only describe as beer pong but replace the cups of beer with people and the ping pong ball with grapes.  Two teams were competing against each other to see who could catch the grapes thrown by Max or Parker in the least number of tries.  It came down to the wire with two overtime rounds that eventually revealed the winning team after two throws and catches in a row by Max and Nishk.  Lauren and Parker couldn’t quite connect on the last try.  This was a game Maaike pulled out of her back pocket and we had many laughs and so much fun before getting on our bikes.

The road to the first rest stop was exactly what we had left yesterday afternoon, so it felt familiar and familiarly busy.  We had one concrete mixer stop near us at a light and say we should be careful out here.  Although this stretch was just the same road, we did have an exciting event around mile 19: the Idaho border!  It just so happened that both teams were going at a very similar pace today, so everyone who was on the road was able to meet at the sign and take a picture.  Then, we saw a horse statue just down the road and you know we had to stop to get more pictures there too.  The mountains to our East were beautiful and by the time we made it to the first rest stop, we were already pretty happy with our accomplishment on the day in making it to a new state.

Between the first and second rest stop, there was another landmark that we were able go past and Lauren, who was riding in the van at the time, was able to really get in character to show it:

The Napoleon Dynamite house!  It actually was a great detour to have because going to the house got us off some of the main roads and even made the distance shorter compared to if we had stayed on the highway.  Cole and Ren found a little bakery stand that they seriously considered buying sourdough from but just couldn’t figure out how they were going to carry one of the massive loaves for well over 10 miles before they would reach the next rest stop.  Instead they got a picture:

At this point, the riding part of the day got quite a bit harder with some climbing and descending along the route.  When there is a lot less wind blowing past from your own speed, those climbs can feel really hot.  Unfortunately, when this tougher riding and heat was culminating, we were also quite a ways from any town, so the rest stop was along the side of the road.  We kept this one quick in hopes that we would find the next rest stop more relaxing and just to keep ourselves moving and moving air in our faces.  Our plan did not let us down!

Yes, there are many more things I could talk about on the ride to Niter, Idaho like the road conditions, or the continuing beautiful mountains and fields that surrounded us, or the temperature continuing to rise, or the conversations we had along the way, but we need to get to this rest stop in writing much more quickly than we did while riding.  We found the absolute perfect patch of grass to lay down and rest in!  There were mountains in the distance, a convenience store just across the road, and a giant tree to give us shade.  The whole team spent almost a full hour here just resting, napping, and eating the good food we still have in the van.  I probably sound crazy writing this, but nothing will be able to describe the feeling and happiness we all had just sitting here and admiring what was around us.

As if things couldn’t get any better, we started off our last stretch with a fantastic tailwind that helped us knock off the first 11 miles as if we weren’t even pushing the pedals.  When we turned East towards our destination in Soda Springs, we then started to join some of the historical path of the Oregon Trail.  There was a park just coming into town that had some of the original tracks and impressions still remaining from the 1840s because of how many people were traveling this route.  That is incredible they still exist today.  

At the stayover in Soda Springs we were greeted warmly and with a donated dinner.  We found inside that there was a news clipping from last year’s team who stayed at the same Presbyterian Church and it was fun to read about some of the members that we came to know during our training through the semesters back at school.  A couple of us even went out in the evening to see the Soda Springs Geyser which was pretty neat and maybe an introduction to what we might see as we get into Yellowstone National Park a few days from now.  We are getting closer to the exciting natural wonders ahead on our journey and when we make it to Jackson, Wyoming tomorrow, we will be right on that edge.  Today was a fun day for the team and we’re looking forward to what’s next on the road.  See you tomorrow!

Day 47: Olympic Trails and Cache Valley Treats – Salt Lake City, Utah to Logan, Utah

The rest day in Salt Lake City was phenomenal, but it was time for us to get back on the road once again.  We were able to ride from one Utah university to another, in University of Utah to Utah State University.  The temperatures were rising after coming down from our forays in the mountains and the new challenge, or maybe the returning challenge, was staying cool and hydrated.  Our team in the van, now unfortunately adding those who wiped out on our last riding day, was being super helpful in meeting us at the rest stops and doing their best to keep everyone else in good shape and spirits.  Let’s retell what happened on the road for us today.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 88.5 miles

Elevation: +2,286 ft. / -2,417 ft.

Points of Interest: University of Utah, Salt Lake City Olympic Flame Holder, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Great Salt Lake, Box Elder Creek, Utah State University

Tales of the Trail

Since the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church where we were staying was very close and just to the South of the University of Utah, we had a little bit of a tour through campus to start the day.  We saw where the Olympic Flame for the 2002 Winter Games would have been lit and then made it through the center of campus before diving more into the heart of Salt Lake City.  As we rode through the city, we saw just how big of an operation the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is with office buildings and churches and temples.  It was almost a city of its own within the greater city.  As we approached our exit from town, a train problem had us hike our bikes over a pedestrian bridge and then we were onto the amazing trails that would continue long into the day.

To start, we followed the Jordan River and Legacy Parkway Trails, then it was the D&RGW Trail that we would take all the way to West Haven Trail and finally we would exit as we were Southwest of Ogden.  Before all of that though, we noticed along the trails we were riding earlier that the 2002 Olympic Games logos were present, so some of this biking infrastructure must have been built for the purpose of getting people around and improving the city at that time.  It was neat to have been at the stadium where the opening ceremony would have been and then follow it up by riding the trails that were built for the event.  

There was also not a cloud in the sky this morning.  We looked around while riding at one point and couldn’t see anything but blue.  For early in the day, that was really nice, but at the time it made us worried about the afternoon without any shade from the Sun that seems to be so powerful up here at elevation.  We passed plenty of cyclists and had plenty pass us along our way to the first rest stop.  That first rest stop was a hit, by the way, because it was a gas station that was so new it wasn’t even on Google Maps and it had many, many calories on offer as displayed so well by Anthony here:

The temperature kept rising as we continued on, but because we were on trails and separated from traffic, the mood continued to be easy going since that stress of moving vehicles around us was taken away.  We found a treehouse to climb in and grab a moment in the shade and then the two teams found each other at the end of the trail just a couple miles before the second rest stop.  Again, we fueled here and brought plenty of water for the next stretch because the ride too was going to get tough.  Most of our day thus far was flat, but the crossing from Brigham City to Logan over Sardine Summit was looming.  After another 16 miles, we reached the base.

This climb was nothing insane compared to what we have been conquering over the last couple of weeks, but being on the highway and having the Sun bake us for the hour in which we would be climbing did not make the effort that much easier.  Those on the road found the van a couple miles in at a pull off and filled up the water bottles again.  Cole jumped into Box Elder Creek to cool off and was dry again almost before starting to ride.  Everyone made it to the top successfully though and followed it up with a descent most of the way to Logan.  The road afterwards was a little bit longer on the flats than to say we descended to Logan, those last couple miles brought on some extra exhaustion and hurt for sure.

We are spending the night at the First Presbyterian Church here and they arranged dinner for us along with showers at the local high school, so we could not be happier.  For dessert, we even had some ice cream popsicles called Creamies that are local to Cache Valley and they were so good.  We’re looking forward to checking off a new state on our list tomorrow.

Day 46: Rest Day - Salt Lake City, Utah

There will be a theme apparent by the end of your reading about our stay in Salt Lake City.  I will spoil it now: that theme is good food and lots of it.  After an amazing dinner last night, we woke up to having bagels, yogurt, or cereal available to us for breakfast along with orange juice and milk.  We really have come far from eating oatmeal now!  With our injured and sick crew, this was exactly the type of rest and recovery that will be useful as everyone attempts to get back on the road.  The mornings are usually taken at everyone’s own pace, but we did have a couple people begin their adventures for the day.

Vedang, Nishk, and Cole decided to go try to find a hike that would get them outdoors and give a good view of the surrounding area.  They stumbled upon a path called “The Living Room Trail” which was just about a mile and a half from the stayover and on the North side of the University of Utah’s campus.  This hike ended up being a good mix of easier to follow trails to preserve already tired legs, yet enough elevation gain to be able to see the whole city.  The way down, they took a different route and had fun sliding on running shoes down the inclines until they reached the original trail.  By that time, the Sun was now well up and the temperature was rising, so hiking was called to a close.

Lauren decided to go on a solo adventure to some attractions of her own.  First on the list was East High.  To some, this might just look like any unremarkable high school, but to those who know, this is where High School Musical was filmed!  Lauren took an iconic jumping shot at the front and got to see the place where a beloved childhood (and frankly adulthood too) film was created.  After this, Lauren went to downtown to explore more of Salt Lake City before the van swung by to pick her up.

The majority of others went to various shops for bike parts and servicing.  Maaike and Tada did get up to their own early morning adventure and breakfast, but then joined in on the cycling related missions when they returned.  We found new tires for all of those that received punctures over the last few days, chains for those whose were getting stretched out, and other repairs that I can’t quite recall when writing this (oh! and a new helmet for Max).

Anytime any of these groups returned to the stayover, they were able to eat more and more.  Fresh fruit, sandwiches, leftovers from the night before, baked goods, and much more that I am forgetting.  There was one person though who did not return before dinner to the stayover, and that was Anthony.

Anthony, after having been absent from riding yesterday due to knee pain, decided he was going to attempt to climb the same Guardsman Pass we did, but instead of just going over once, climb it again and again until he reached an elevation gain equal to one-half the height of Mount Everest!  Talk about someone who loves to bike.  He left and started by heading up Big Cottonwood Canyon and made it to the top of the pass.  Then, Anthony descended the other side to make it towards Heber City and turned right around to climb the same road we did.  With the temperature being extremely hot and very little cloud or tree cover available today, by the time he reached the top the second time, it was getting late and the fatigue was setting in.  How could it not?  I don’t know.  He decided to come back for dinner after doing around 9,600 ft. of elevation gain which is well over one-quarter and very near one-third of the elevation for Everest.  This was by far the most extreme adventure of the rest day!

For dinner, we had pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, salads, and fruits.  Also, there was a special dirty soda bar where we added syrups and half-and-half to our fizzy drinks to give them new flavor profiles.  We were again trying the Utah special.  As the night winded down, we couldn’t help but feel already that we were going to miss this spot.  The journey must continue, but we want to come back and have this life over and over again.  The love of adventure and our cause will bring us back in the morning for sure, but for now, this is the sentiment.

P.S.

Parker walked 3 miles there and back while injured to a Panda Express which he had been craving the whole trip.  He said “it was worth it.”

Day 45: Our Biggest Climb and Hardest Falls - Heber City, Utah to Salt Lake City, Utah

This is a day that everyone will remember.  Even before making it to Heber City, many among the team had been watching out for this date on the calendar because despite all of the climbing we did through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, we knew that the route held in store for us the largest and steepest continuous climb when we would cross them again heading into Salt Lake City.  Guardsman Pass consisted of over 4,000 ft. of elevation gain up to nearly 10,000 ft. above sea level over the course of around a 10-mile span.  We climbed that today.  For some, the prospect of such a road and such a climb were tantalizing to test our bodies, and for others, a challenge that would signal a true accomplishment of the Summer.  Today, even our expectations were not grand enough for the events that transpired.  It really was as the title says, a day of the biggest climb and our hardest falls.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 41.8 miles

Elevation: +4,511 ft. / -5,406 ft.

Points of Interest: An Aspen Forest, Many Cyclists of All Levels, Guardsman Pass, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Solitude Mountain, Salt Lake City 

Tales of the Trail

As our introduction to this tale stated, the anticipation for this ride today was one of the highest of the entire Summer, bar potentially the 134-mile day out of Columbus, and the climb up Loveland Pass.  The morning was perfect for what we were undertaking: cool, but not so cold we required jackets; sunny, but not without clouds in the sky, and riding out of a town where other cyclists were on the road so that we knew we were not alone in our endeavors.  We peeled out of the gym we had spent the night at in Heber City and looked, gob smacked, up at the mountains, ski lifts, and cars just barely visible through the trees climbing the passes themselves with the understanding that very soon we would be up on that level too.  

Once we reached the base of the climb, it did not let us even question the idea that it would be easy for a second.  The first switchback brought the grade up to 15% and had our legs pumping and heart rates through the roof.  At the morning circle we had heard that the road up the mountain might be heavily trafficked based on some words from the previous year’s riders, but we were greeted with a very nicely paved road that also had pretty subdued traffic on it through the morning.  Without the constant worries about what was behind us, we could focus on the climb at hand and the scenery to take in along the way.  That combination made this ascent one of the most special of the entire trip.  On the way up, we had one or two other cyclists come by us and either say, if they were coming downhill, that we were in for a rude awakening, or, if they were going uphill, pass while breathing too hard to share words.  

For the most part, everyone was running their smallest gear ratio to keep their cadence and speed high enough just to hold balance.  Around 1000 ft., or ¼ of the way, into the climb we were really realizing how big this mountain was.  Never before had we been on such a consistent steep gradient for so long.  This was a new experience, and although it was tough, there was a lot of enjoyment to be drawn from it too.  Something about going up climbs gives a sense of accomplishment that long distances on the flats or high speeds on the descents just don’t quite reach.  When you make it to the top you can look back down and say “I did that!”  Huffing and puffing, we made it to the part of road where we could see Tada (van driver for the day) waiting for us and that gave a huge mental sigh of relief.  Extra water and snacks with sugar and salt went a long way at this point. 

Even though we already had been, looking down the mountain that we had behind us after the rest stop was a special moment.  We had just a little more energy to spare a glance and we could see so much of the valley below and mountains off in the distance.  The sight was lovely!  Now, we just had a little more than halfway to go.  This climb is much, much easier said than done, and that’s saying a lot because it does not sound easy either.  The gradient did not let up.  By the very end, it actually still held within it a 10-mile segment averaging 10% gradient.  As the elevation became higher, we made it into an aspen tree forest where the white bark and small leaves made it feel like we had entered a whole other world. 

Other than the rest stop, both of the groups rolling on the road did not stop on their bikes much for the entire climb which was very impressive by itself.  We rode in the saddle, out of the saddle, and any other way that felt like it could give us more power to move the pedals and the wheels forward.  The reality is that good portions of this climb could have been walked just as quickly or even faster than the speeds we were going on our bikes, but the goal was to get both us and our trusty rides up the mountain together.

As we crossed 3,000 ft. and then 3,500 ft., the top was becoming more of an achievable reality than a dream.  There were some segments that we could sniff the high mountain air and our destination getting closer and it felt so good to put the power out and go.  Any time we needed a reminder of our abilities, we could look out behind us and see how far we had come.  This was the most fun climbing could possibly be!  The final incline was there to test our resolve one more time.  Right on the corner, we heard from another cyclist we met at the top, the gradient surpassed 20%.  As we pulled over onto the rest area on the left of the road, we looked out again over our left shoulders and saw the entire world.  We rejoiced in the arms of the beautiful blue skies at the top of Guardsman Pass and to the shouts of encouragement from our teammates who had ridden in the van or made it before us.  We can all be proud of making it up this one.

We spent some time at the top of the mountain recovering, eating, and kind of celebrating our accomplishment and success on the biggest climb of the entire ride.  We took pictures, gave high-fives, and had some onlookers come up and ask what it was that we were doing.  One cancer survivor who had been a state champion criterium cyclist years ago even came and took a picture with us.  All of the other bikes we were seeing come up the mountain were far more advanced than ours and many had come up different routes, from Park City or from Salt Lake City because the Heber City route is known as the hardest.  That made us feel proud of what we had accomplished.

Before the descent, we rotated teams to put those who were more eager to be speed merchants in one group and those who were more comfortable with a quick but moderated downhill in another.  Just minutes after that first group rolled out, we received word that there were problems on the road, one crash, then another.  The steep entry to the multiple mile descent brough the speeds well over 30 mph quickly and for some well over 40 mph.  On a sharper than expected corner, Parker could not hold grip on his tires and slid out into a wall guarding the side of the road.  He was found in quite a lot of pain and a little shocked at what had just transpired.  The adrenaline was still running high.  At the next corner down the road, a blind hairpin, Max had a similar fate.  Realizing that he could not make the curve with his entry speed, Max decided to fall and slid off the road into a tree.  Since we first knew of Parker, the van immediately went to rescue him.  Max’s fall was seen by a family and father Riley who were able to make sure he was at least well enough to wait for further aid from our van.  Parker took some serious hits, and Max caught some scraping and bruising as well.  With both having quite serious looking injuries, the decision was made to head to Park City where an urgent care and emergency room were closest.  They remained there for most of the rest of the day, returning around dinner time at the stayover.  Parker found out that he had fractured parts of his neck and spine and Max had more serious bruising on his quadriceps.  Both were walking and talking when we saw them before bed tonight.  They have roads to recovery, but they will be fine and will make it there.

While all of this was transpiring, those who remained at the top of the pass as the van went for rescue duty had their own adventures.  After continuing to look out at the beautiful sights below, more cyclists continued to roll in.  We first met a professional enduro mountain biker who happened to be on her gravel bike that day and training for the Leadville 100, a famous race in Leadville, Colorado where we had just come from.  Then, a group of women riders started coming up the mountain and pulling in.  One, from Wisconsin, saw the Illinois logos and decided to say hello.  She then proceeded to introduce us to her ride leader, Mari Holden, a time-trial world champion and Olympic silver medalist at the 2000 Sydney Games.  How is it that all of these people were there at the same time as us?  Both were extremely nice and wished us well on our journeys ahead.  Then, we had to find our own way down the mountain since the van had no timeline for returning.  Sam, Ren, and Anthony were able to hitchhike with Maaike’s bike down the pass to a park and ride while Cole, Nishk, and Ehsan descended on their bikes very cautiously.  All of this went well and they found each other, along with the remnants of the first, fast team at the stayover.  The descent through Big Cottonwood Canyon was pretty spectacular as well.

After such a long day, a great place to rest and stay was highly desired and that is exactly what was provided at the Zion Lutheran Church in Salt Lake City.  They were so welcoming and had food ready from the moment we stepped in the door and more on its way.  Everyone we met was genuinely concerned for our fallen riders and wanted to do what they could to help.  We had an amazing lasagna dinner and desserts consisting of “I” cookies to follow that up.  Our resting places look great, and we know tomorrow will be a day for a ton of rest and recovery.  

The team survived and acted with poise and maturity in the face of difficult circumstances.  We had one of our favorite rides of the Summer today and those emotions will not go away.  Parker and Max will recover and be back on the road sooner than we will know it.  This is a day that everyone will remember.