The roads are finally opening up and some of our riding feels more like we can focus on the nature surrounding us as opposed to when the next car back will be approaching. Today was a beautiful day of weather, riding, and bonding between teammates!
Ride Overview
Mileage: 61.6 miles
Elevation: 3,440 ft.
Points of Interest: Sand Bridge State Park, Raymond B. Winter State Park, Halfway Lake, Bald Eagle State Forest, Amish country, Penn’s Cave, Penn State University
Tales of the Trail
Starting the day off with breakfast that was donated by Trinity Lutheran Church in Milton, we huddled in our usual pre-ride circle to discuss the road ahead. Today, we also paid our respects to our ride leaders Maaike and Vedang by having everyone give one compliment to each of them because they deserve the love! While yesterday we were riding for Leslie, the ride today was dedicated by the team to Eve, Cole’s grandmother. Saying some final goodbyes to the church organizers, the team rolled off heading slightly South and mostly West on the way towards some state park roads here in Pennsylvania.
A beautiful view of the roads to come!
Teams of riders on the road were slingshotting back and forth past each other and coming up with new ways in which to try to intimidate the others as they passed (jokingly, of course!). One was a chant of “hooka-chaka, hooka-chaka, hooka-hooka-hooka-chaka” that was especially funny. Turning first into Sand Bridge State Park, which eventually connects with Raymond B. Winter State Park, the team really got its first taste of the type of bike riding we had all been hoping to make it to: quieter roads with more time to look up, look around, and be social during the ride. Somehow, whether by road choice or population, it felt as if we had not escaped entirely the New York City traffic until today. Here, however, the road was clear and everyone could ride in formation as opposed to in a pace line which is what has made up most of the previous days’ riding.
One group on the road gets lined up for a picture. (from left to right: Anthony, Vedang, Ehsan, Aadit)
The greenery was gorgeous! Trees lined the road and purple and white flowers speckled the hedges. The surface was tar and stone, but it was worn enough to be totally solid. The team of Vedang, Anthony, Ehsan, Aadit, and Cole even spotted a black bear in the forest on their way to the first rest stop.
Although not quite fitting in name for the route planned this day, Halfway Lake was a lovely stop to make with the riders and the van. We all paused for snacks and ate them on a stone wall overlooking the lake. Everyone wished, just for the time that we were resting, that the temperature outside was 20 degrees warmer and the lake water bearable because a swim looked oh so enticing.
After consuming snacks to their heart’s content, the team smiles for you at rest stop 1: Halfway Lake. (from left to right: Aadit, Anthony, Cole, Ehsan, Sam, Vedang, Ren, Lauren, Maaike, Nishk, Max)
On the road once more, we rode the extra half-way through the state park and made it into the farmland of Pennsylvania. These little, rolling, punchy hills were doing a number on our fatigue for what was supposed to be a relatively much shorter and easier day of riding. You would look from the top of one incline and think that you could carry some momentum to get you over the next. This was, unfortunately, far from reality. Instead, the momentum you had only carried across the flat and by the time the next gradient in the road hit, the air resistance had sapped most of your energy.
Despite the miles being someone frustrating from a varying effort standpoint, we got to see a whole new side of Pennsylvania which was very neat! Instead of towns in the mountains or rolling hills through forests, there was now farmland and small shops. We saw people plowing fields with horse-drawn plows, farm stands, family-run businesses, and an awesome looking scooter bicycle that everyone wanted to try. Eventually, the signs for our second, and final, rest stop of the day started coming reminding us that we were closing in on our destination with every pedal stroke.
The team eating lunch and resting in the shade before the last stretch of road between them and a day of rest.
At the Penn’s Cave campgrounds and visitor center, we pulled out the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and enjoyed some time under a shady tree hanging out with each other. On the remainder of the ride, the rolling hills continued and so did the enjoyment of being out in the open and mostly alone. Rolling over the hill into State College was the welcoming we all were looking forward to. The end of a ride before our first rest day of the trip. But first…!
An impromptu tour of Penn State’s campus by Cole was decided as a “go” by 6 members of the team. This meant tacking on an extra 5 or 6 miles after already riding 60, but seeing a massive university like this and one that has connection to our team felt worth it. “What connection” you may ask. The reason that Cole gave this tour is that he actually attended Penn State for 4 years as an undergraduate student before moving to Illinois for his graduate studies.
I (Cole) will speak a little about this as the ride today felt very special. Bringing the team over roads and through places that feel so much like a home to me was really neat. I think of all the rides we have over the Summer, this and Day 6 when we leave will be some of the most memorable because of the connection I have with this place. Thank you to those who joined me in riding through my old stomping grounds because it was fun to show you the places that got me to where I am today.
Riding up the hill past the Bryce Jordan Center and Pegula Ice Arena, the team could see Beaver Stadium. As we meandered through campus, we also passed the HUB, Old Main, the Pattee and Paterno Library, and stopped to take a picture at The Lion. We took a quick break at The Bicycle Shop where a couple of minor repairs were done and finally headed up the other side of the valley towards our stay at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County.
A Penn State moment! (from left to right: Max, Vedang, Cole, Nishk, Anthony, Aadit)
We all feel ready for the day of rest coming tomorrow and the best way to start that rest was with a fantastic dinner. A huge thank you must be extended to this church and community surrounding it who brought us food for dinner that will not leave our minds soon: gochujang chicken, salad, macaroni and cheese, and green beans. Yum! We also snuck in a trip to Berkey Creamery on the Penn State campus and played catch on one of the lawns as we watched the sun set on another enjoyable day.
Cyclists’ Corner
Rider: Sam Gerstein
How are you feeling today? Physically? Mentally?
I definitely have been feeling a lot more confident with riding. I think that things look a lot scarier than they are. I know there are some people on the team that see the amount of miles and the hills and they’re like “I’m so excited for this!” I see that and I’m like “how am I gonna do that?” Sometimes I need to go in the van. I’ve really been pushing myself a lot more today and unlocking the physical fitness that I’ve been building since the start of training. The more you push yourself, the better your endurance gets and the more confident you are as a rider.
I’ve never had so much happening and even though I’m seemingly extroverted, it takes me a lot to recharge that battery. Being around the same people 24-7 is new for me to learn.
What was your favorite part of today's ride?
I was pleasantly surprised by the countryside of Pennsylvania. I also found it interesting to think “okay, if I was someone with cancer living here, how would that affect me?”
What motivated you to join Illini 4000?
Both my parents have cancer. My dad has chronic lymphocytic leukemia. It's also known as CLL. My mom has stage 4 colon adenocarcinoma, stage 4 colon cancer. I think that cancer research is really important. My mom is on a drug that was developed from clinical trials back in, I want to say, 2021. It's a relatively new drug called a KRAS inhibitor. Having these new drugs is something that makes a huge material impact in the lives of people with cancer.
Before joining Illini 4000 how much bike training had you done, if any, and did you have any other athletic background that you feel prepared you for this ride?
I was very sedentary and starting with Illini 4000, I really got into the swing of things. At first it was really difficult, but over time with team trainings and on my own I’ve definitely become a lot more physically fit all around. Bike training for me was pleasantly surprising for how quickly my body adapted. I did a 90-mile ride with no sagging and kept a good pace which I was not expecting at all.
What is your bike's name/model?
It's “Chain Guevara,” you know, like, Che Guevara, a Cuban revolutionary during the Cuban Revolution. It is a Trek AL5 Gen 4.
What are you most nervous/excited about?
I’m excited about seeing a wide variety of different communities. Having the perspective of how other people live, what their livelihoods are like, what their communities look like, and what cancer looks like in those communities is a really good experience for anyone to have.
I’m nervous about completing full ride days. I’ve come to test sitting in the van and it just feels like you’re not actively part of it. You feel a little withdrawn from the whole experience, so the new goal is to try and stay out of the van as much as possible.
Anything else you would like to talk about?
I wish that people understood cancer not just as an individual problem, but predominantly as a social problem, especially as an environmental justice problem.