Day 5: A Much Needed Rest Day in State College, Pennsylvania

Aptly named, our rest day was full of relaxing and also getting a few important things done that we hadn’t had the chance to do in the days previous. The team was very glad not to have a specified wake-up  time, although only a few of us really got to sleep in as by this point we are so used to waking up early. 

Tales of the Trail

We started our day with a breakfast consisting of eggs and blueberry oatmeal bars provided by UUFCC. After breakfast one group went to get coffee from a local coffee shop and get random groceries that we needed from Walmart. Another group stayed at the stayover and decided to have fun on the playground behind the church. They had an amazing time making up random games and being kids again. It was one of the most fun activities they’ve done on the trip so far. After this we all piled into the van to go to get lunch. Not everyone could decide on what exact place to eat, so after talking it over we all decided to get our own different foods and bring it back to the stayover to eat together. A few people got pizza slices bigger than their head, while some other groups decided on Thai or Chinese food. (I personally got Pad Thai and it was delicious).

Largest pizza slices i’ve ever seen! (Sam left) (Tada right)

Most of our day after lunch was either spent relaxing at our stayover or out running errands. A few of these being most of the team going to a local laundromat while a few others went to a bike shop to get a few bike problems straightened out. One of our teammates even got a great deal for $20 bike shoes! After all of our random things we had to do the whole team settled in and got cozy for the evening and tried to get some valuable relaxation after the hectic and busy start to the ride.

Ren (left) after putting new parts on her bike! Ved (right) getting ready in case we ever have to switch bikes (although it would be quite small)

During the evening we invented a new game that I am sure will be played by us many more nights to come. The game is pretty simple, one person plays music and whoever guesses the song name first gets to play the next song. As simple as this is, some of our team played for at least 2 hours and it never got old. I think it is awesome to hear other people’s music taste and get introduced to lots of songs that I ended up adding to my own playlists to listen to later. The team would soon head to bed a little early  as we definitely needed to get as much sleep as we can now to prepare for the days ahead.

There is no cyclist corner today as there wouldn’t be too much to talk about seeing as we didn’t ride today. Stay tuned though, there will be plenty more interviews to come.

Day 4: Taking a Break from Traffic and Riding to State College - Milton, Pennsylvania to State College, Pennsylvania

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.

Day 3: The sun came out to join us! - Lehighton, Pennsylvania to Milton Pennsylvania

The main theme of today: climbing. Something that I, Parker, totally forgot about when I first signed up for this. In my mind I somehow had this too optimistic image that it would be flat and downhill the whole way. (News flash, it is not) This only being our third day on the road means that we haven’t quite come to grasp how large mountains and hills can be, but today gave us just a brief taste of what is to come. I am sure that at the end of the ride we will look back on these early rides and appreciate them for preparing us.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 74.7 miles

Elevation: 4,939’

Tales of the Trail

The team rolled out bright and early at 7 am in the most beautiful weather the team has ever seen yet. This combined with the early morning Pennsylvania mist covering the mountains in the background provided us with some very wonderful scenery to start our morning. The sun rejuvenated us in a way that is almost indescribable, and the team made a few goals for the day. The first being, as always, is to have fun and enjoy the day. The second was to decorate the van. With all the busyness and rain of the first few days we hadn’t had a chance to write on it yet, and it was looking quite bland. Special shout-out to Nishk for drawing a near-perfect outline of the U.S. and for all the other van crew and contributors to making our van look much more lively. This even led to quite a few in person donations! I am always very appreciative of the van crew, always helping when and wherever they can, even if they are quite tired! The team also dedicated our ride today to Leslie, who we did a portrait of the previous day in Lehighton. 

Nishk’s amazingly accurate map of the United States

As the team started biking, vibes were high, and of course one of us got a flat just 5 miles into the ride. Luckily one of our resident team mechanics happened to be in the group and was able to get the glass out of the tire and assist with swiftly repairing the flat and getting back on the road. Besides this, the first 20 miles until the rest stop went swimmingly. The area in Pennsylvania that we are in, as we heard from some locals, is as they say: “coal country”. This being said is evidence that we are not quite in New York anymore. A fun fact about this is today we brought out Zoleos for the first time. For those of you who are not familiar, Zoleos basically connect to satellites and let us connect our phones to them to be able to send messages to the support van in case we have an emergency and have no signal. 

Days since last flat: 0

Despite the wonderful weather, today was a tough day for many. The main reason for this was on our route today we had 5 or 6 significant climbs. One climb is usually not so bad but after being tired from the first, and another one coming up rather quickly your legs can get quite fatigued. The fun thing with a tough climb though is that usually most of us pull off the road for a little rest and get a drink of water. On the ride today this gave us the chance to meet up with the other groups during the ride which was very fun and also encouraging! The main tough climb today is a 1.6 mile long climb consisting of a constant grade anywhere between I believe 6-13%. For my legs this was a great shock, as I have never had to pedal so forcefully to go so slow. However I think many people on the team discovered they were actually better at climbing than they gave themselves credit for. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I have heard someone doubting themselves saying something about needing to walk up a hill, me included, but then being able to make it up perfectly fine. (Not that there is anything wrong with needing to walk. One of my personal favorite days consisted of being on a team where we named ourselves “Hikers not bikers,” as we walked up a couple hills) I personally believe however that most people are a lot stronger than they give themselves credit for. 

““Wow Ehsan you look so strong on this climb.” -Cole
”Yeah. I changed my diet to... sugar!” - Ehsan”

On the route after this climbing the team was then rewarded with some big descents, which many riders were looking forward to. (I have a tiny friendly competition everyday with a few of the riders to see who gets the fastest top speed, today mine was 45.1 mph). As the day got hotter some of the riders in my group were passing around water bottles to share with others who ran out. This felt fun for me as I envisioned myself as being in the tour de France and passing water bottles like they do in the support vans. It also doubled as a fun "exercise" to help us work on our balance on the bike. 

Some beautiful Pennsylvania views

After a fulfilling but tiring day in the sun the team rolled into Trinity Lutheran Church in Milton Pennsylvania. We were greeted by the wonderful church staff, including Chuck who we actually did a portrait of last year. We also were greeted by a local reporter who was able to do an article on the Illini4000 in a local newspaper. After a long day in the sun the team was definitely in need of a shower, which the church set up for us at a local pool. For the first time, but definitely not the last,  all 13 of us piled in and got cozy in the van to go shower. When we got back, the church had graciously made us dinner filled with sloppy joes, mac n cheese, and many more. After being clean, getting food, and gradually getting tired the team went about their nights. Whether journaling, relaxing, working on various chores, the church started getting quieter as the team slowly began making their way to bed in preparation for the activities of the day ahead.

Getting cozy in the van

Cyclists’ Corner

Rider: Aadit Kolar

How are you feeling today? Physically? Mentally?

Tired, but very grateful for the opportunity to do this ride and to see such beautiful parts of the country. Even though it's so tiring, it's easy sometimes to just fall into, “oh my god, this is so hard.” But also, just to look up and be like, “wow, this is beautiful.” That is something I'm very grateful for. The first day was actually the worst day physically. After the first day, my knees were hurting. And then the second day, in the morning. But now, now I'm good. Surprisingly, today was pretty rough, but we worked on it. Tomorrow's [ride] should be more chill though. Fingers crossed.

What was your favorite part of today's ride?

That's a good question. Ooh, the descent after the really steep 12% hill!

Do you remember how fast you were going?

I know my top speed over the whole ride. Wait, don't tell Maaike… 45.5.

What motivated you to join Illini4000?

Let's start with the cancer side of things. As with most of the writers on the team, I've been touched and my friends have been touched by cancer. I've lost a few people to the disease. And especially hearing about, when we spoke with B+ [Foundation] and hearing about the kids that get it, it just seems so unfair. We spoke to someone, who was driving us to showers nearby at their house. And, you know, they had a six month old that had cancer. I was like, “what do they do to deserve that?” You know? So that's kind of why I was motivated to help the fight against cancer. And also just personally, I had a few friends who were doing it and that made it less intimidating to sign up for it. So that helped.

Before joining Illini4000 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?

Since halfway through freshman year, I've been part of the cycling club. I was vice president this year, which was fun. I've been a fairly active cyclist and part of the cycling community. So that part of the ride was slightly less intimidating for me which helped for sure, but definitely people (the team) are very, very strong. I've been blown away by how strong all of our team has been.

Cycling is your sport, right?

Cycling is cycling because there's so many like cycling races all the time. It's hard to keep up with anything else, but it's great.

What is your bike's name/model?

I unfortunately do not have a name for my bike and I don't think that's going to change. It is a BMC Road Machine X 2019. With awesome bar tape. Bright yellow.

What are you most nervous/excited about?

What I'm most nervous about is honestly not the riding. This is the first time I've been, apart from living with my family, is the first time I'm living closely with a group of people. Obviously cycling makes people tired and tired people get upset, including myself. So that's probably what I'm personally most worried about is the interpersonal aspect of things or the team aspect of things. But it's worked out in the past and I'm sure it will for us too. The vibe has been great with the whole team. For that, I'm very glad. As for what I'm excited about, the next few days in Pennsylvania I'm sure are going to be absolutely beautiful. Going through Champaign and Chicago, meeting alumni, riding along with people, in both cities, I'm looking forward to that too. And then Utah, Colorado, Yellowstone. Oh my gosh! It's the whole second half of the ride. It's going to be amazing!

Anything else you would like to talk about?

I really love neon. I really love neon. I'm sad that there's not more neon on this year's kit but that's why I'm joining the board next year: to get more neon on the jersey. That's my fun fact.

Day 2: The Rain Doesn’t Quit - Clinton, New Jersey to Lehighton, Pennsylvania

After an incredibly riveting and rainy first day, the team was ready to conquer whatever day 2 had to throw at us. Which happened to be, you guessed it, more rain. This however, did not make us skip a beat as we all were very excited to explore all the views that New Jersey and Pennyslyvania had to offer.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 52.4 miles

Elevation: 3,217

Points of Interest: Cherryville Pizza, Black bear encounter, Pennsylvania and New Jersey border

Tales of the Trail

The team got an early start to our morning today as we all woke up bright and early at 5:15 am. The team was a little groggy waking up so early after the previous day’s biking. This  feeling was soon replaced with joy as the church we stayed at provided us with a breakfast consisting of: egg casserole, watermelon, bananas, and much more food than you could ever ask for. After packing all of our gear we donned our rain jackets once more and rolled out at a prompt 6:50 am to start day 2. As Cole is driving the van today I, Parker, will be recounting most of the ride:

Despite a rainy start there were many other elements to today’s route that definitely made it worth it. The rolling hills in New Jersey were mostly new sights to us, which were mostly received as a positive change compared to our usual flat routes in Illinois. A personal favorite was an 8% downhill about a mile or two long that was quite exhilarating to get up to high speeds. However, even some things so simple as trees, nature, and bridges  lining the route is a welcome difference to all of our training routes in the spring on long country roads. Evidently it must have been a nice day outside as some wildlife even decided to show up during our ride. One group even encountered a black bear in the middle of the road, which I believe was documented on one of their go-pro. (Which will definitely be fun to look back at the footage). 

We love a good bike path!

Further into the ride we crossed from New Jersey into Pennsylvania across a very scenic bridge. (which most everyone made sure to stop and take a picture) Pennsylvania officially marks the third state of our ride only two days in! After our first rest stop the team was still feeling energized as we heard the news that the sun was going to come out soon.​ The next stretch was full of many hills that really tested our climbing abilities, but we persevered. It was just soon after we crested a steep hill that during our descent we could see the van in the distance marking our second rest stop. The van in the distance is like our statue of liberty. At this point the team was definitely in need of fueling. Some chose to have the classic PB&J, while others decided to grab a slice of pizza at Cherryville Pizza which was very scrumptious and warm. 

Double Decker PB&J!

Our group then tackled the rest of the ride with ease. The team rolled into Trinity Lutheran Church in Lehighton Pennsylvania where we were greeted by a 2012 Alum of Illini4000 who recounted on her past ride, and even provided us with lots of snacks!  I thought it was interesting how she told me that the first week of her ride was also the hardest part, and also how so many things are very similar to what they did 14 years ago.  Also, a wonderful group of people from the church provided us with a very filling dinner of pasta, lots of fruit, a new item the team had never heard of before called jigglers (basically just JELLO in the shape of an egg), and we even got ice cream for dessert. 

We were able to hear some amazing stories from a former rider and 2012 Alumni

After everyone was fed the whole team got a chance to interview Julie at the Trinity Lutheran Church who got to share with us her unique story with cancer. A story Julie told that stuck with me was how when she got diagnosed and during her treatments that she was amidst raising a service dog. During the portrait she mentioned that it's very important to focus on something besides cancer and to care about someone else. For her that was caring for and raising the service dog. 

With quite a busy day coming to an end the team just had a few important tasks left in the night. One of these was doing laundry in the basement at the church. (which after all the rain the team desperately needed) The other, but more fun necessary task especially after the rain, was having a full team bike cleaning party. For a lot of the team that hadn’t done bike maintenance before, it was very fun to learn how to degrease and clean their chains and cassettes. Although before we all went to bed a few of us got a little wet as some people got a little spray happy while using the hose to rinse off our bikes. All in all it was a great day and the team was glad to get to bed after a very busy, yet fulfilling day. 

Who knew we could fit so many clothes in such seemingly small backpacks

Cyclists’ Corner

Rider: Anthony Salemi

How are you feeling today? Physically? Mentally?

Physically, I'm tired. It's hard to get a lot of sleep, you know, because we get back late and then it's like a rush to get to bed and then it's a rush in the morning and there's not enough time in between.

Yeah, but mentally I feel good because tomorrow it's going to be like low of 54 and a high of 75 or something and no rain! Compared to the last two days that's like amazing and it's going to be great tomorrow, it's going to be awesome!

What was your favorite part of today's ride?

When the rain stopped and the sun came out… and I could take off my rain jacket. When I started sweating I was like, this is good. Instead of rain dripping on my face, you know?

What motivated you to join Illini4000?

I learned about the club because I biked in UIUC and you of course hear about this crazy ride that they do across the country. Because I love biking so much, I wanted to join and then I, you know, learned about everything else that's actually involved other than biking. It's a great cause to do all that and fundraising.  We just did a portrait and it's really amazing to hear all these different stories. She was talking about the puppy and how her raising her puppy got her through cancer. And I'm like, wow, that's such a great way to look at that. And that was nice.

Before joining Illini4000 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've done a lot of biking before this. I started biking when I came to college. I just finished my junior year, so I'll be a senior in the Fall. I started in the Fall of my freshman year. So in the Fall, I'll be biking for about three years. Of course, I learned how to bike when I was a kid, but then started biking, all the time in college. Before that I swam. I think in many ways, it's kind of similar because I would, in high school, do swimming at 5am for two hours, six days a week. Except for Saturdays, I think we started at… it was 9am on Saturday. So that was nice. But that's kind of similar to Illini 4000 in that you wake up really early and then do a bunch of exercise.

What is your bike's name/model?

I have a 2017 GT Grade Carbon. That's the model. It doesn’t have a name. 

What are you most nervous/excited about?

I'm nervous most about this week because we were talking to the alum who came here (the stayover) earlier. She said that the first week was the hardest and I'm like, we're only two days in! I think it's only going to get a lot harder from here and then maybe it gets easier as you, you know, kind of get used to it. That's what I'm most nervous about. 

I'm worried about the Rockies, you know, but once we get there, I think we're going to be like, “Oh, this is nothing,” you know? At least, that's kind of like what Andres and Kev were saying. It's just another hill.

What I'm most excited about is the Rockies because I've never been out West. The farthest West I've been is Champaign itself. (Unless you maybe count Houston. If that's more West, I'm not sure where that lies on the map.) But that's not really West. So I'm really excited to go out West and San Francisco is going to be awesome and seeing the mountains! It's going to be awesome because they're so much more than the Appalachian.

Anything else you would like to talk about? How about do you like sprinkles? Or are you opposed to sprinkles?

Context dependence.

I'm not inherently for or against. I think it's, in some ways it's added like nothingness, you know? It's because it doesn't put it in, in other ways, it kind of adds like an extra texture to ice cream or something. I think… I don’t know. I can't answer that question.

One more bonus question: Do you like crunchy peanut butter or…

Smooth. Creamy peanut butter. Smooth peanut butter. 

I was heartbroken when we bought crunchy and then we only had crunchy. That was very saddening.

Yeah. I like the smooth.

Day 0: Visiting Damon Runyon and Continued Exploration of New York City

Day 0 brought a day of team activities, further bonding between riders, and an overwhelming excitement for what is to come. 

Tales of the Trail

After the first night of sleeping in everyone’s new camping setups since the practice stayover on April 3rd and 4th, the verdict came back split on whether it was a great night of sleep or actually quite poor.  On a location right across from an NYPD barracks, you can imagine those who sleep lightly may have had some disruptions.  Of course, this is not a harbinger of nights to come as the riding and events we have planned along the way will get us all so tired nothing could wake us up!

Ren sleeping comfortably and waiting for the rest of the team to raise their heads.

When the alarms rang at 9:00 am, the team got their first taste of what a typical morning might look like, albeit 4 hours later than the typical 5:00 am start (yikes!).  Packing up the sleeping bags and pads quickly and running off to catch the subway going downtown, the team was excited for what would be their first in-person visit with the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.  From Friday (the previous day) Aadit had us hooked on the express trains and we found the “A-express” heading right near our destination in the Financial District.  After walking past the New York Stock Exchange and Trinity Church, we arrived at our destination.

Walking to the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation meeting!

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation is a beneficiary of the Illini 4000 having received over $500,000 since the partnership began.  What separates Damon Runyon from other cancer research initiatives is their commitment to funding young scholars on fellowships that secure funding for multiple years.  This allows these scientists to pursue high-risk, high-reward solutions without wasting time for fear of where next year’s funding will come from.  

On this day, the team was joined by President and CEO Yung Lie along with two research scientists in post-doctoral programs, Wenzhi Song and James Swann.  We learned more about the foundation and some of the groundbreaking ideas that are currently being pursued to improve outcomes for patients with cancer diagnoses.  Everyone asked some lovely questions, but Ehsan in particular was able to flex some of his Physics and Biochemistry knowledge as he is currently a PhD candidate in those fields.  Our chat was accompanied by a selection of great New York City bagels and some merchandise that will certainly make a photo or two over the course of the Summer.

Once the meeting had ended, the team split into groups to go exploring their destinations of choice.  One team stayed downtown to visit the 9/11 Memorial and out-of-this-world looking Oculus train station followed by a trip to midtown for Bryant Park and one of New York City’s many public libraries.  The other was set on visiting Governor’s Island where they found expansive views of the Statue of Liberty and a thrilling slide that caught its riders by surprise with the rainfall speeding things up quite a lot.  A couple of us also went our own ways to visit friends and family on the last day before the ride begins.  Here are some photos from those adventures:

With the exploring in the books, everyone returned to St. Mary’s Church for dinner with their community members and the most fittingly named priest… Mary!!  Pastas, salads, and eventually brownies filled the team’s stomach so that they could go to bed feeling replenished (all of which was very tasty, by the way).  The team congregated and then settled in for the night dreaming of what the first riding day had in store.

Group dinner at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Quote of the Day

Nishk showing off his ability to fit into the local crowd in New York City 30 seconds before our subway stop for a 40-minute journey:

“That feels like 40 minutes, let’s go.”

— Nishk

Sure enough, the stop was there.  (Cole as the only New York State residing rider felt outclassed)

Day 1: Rolling! - New York City (Central Park) to Clinton, New Jersey

The day had finally arrived that everyone had been waiting for: the start of the cross-country bike ride!  For all the conditioning, camaraderie, and coordination the team had built, this was something new.  We all felt different rolling out of Central Park than we did through any of our training rides or even yesterday just being in the city together.  

I (Cole) rode alongside Parker, Tada, and Ehsan and despite the weather, which you will hear much about through this journal entry, smiles were on our faces almost the whole day.  I know that those in the other groups on the road felt the same because of how we acted while gathering in the morning and in that we all hold a similar aspiration for adventure.

Ride Overview

Distance: 78.9 miles + 3.5 miles (from stayover to Strawberry Fields) = 82.4 miles

Elevation: +3,763 ft. / -3,653 ft.  (ascended / descended)

Points of Interest: Strawberry Fields, George Washington Bridge, New York/New Jersey Border, Round Valley Reservoir

Tales of the Trail

It is hard to understate how monumental a day this was for the entire team.  We are now committed more than we ever have been before. 

The day started with a reminder of who we are helping, why we are riding, and how much we mean to our loved ones.  After waking up bright and early at 5:15 am to pack and have the traditional instant oatmeal breakfast of the Illini 4000, we stood in our team circle, determined the riding groups, and pumped ourselves up for what was happening.  As wheels started turning, whoops and hollers could be heard on 126th St. and down Amsterdam Ave.  Rolling up to Strawberry Fields in Central Park, a location we had seen in pictures of past teams who had already accomplished similar missions to what lay ahead for us but which we could never quite imagine ourselves, we saw friends and family waiting to wish us well on our journey.  We were also joined by Nico, a representative from the B+ Foundation, who shared a quick story about one of the families their organization recently helped; a mother and son who was dealing with childhood cancer.  Your donations to us as a team are going towards this cause which has been able to pay rent for this mother and child so they can focus on moving forward with life and getting back to full health.  We took pictures, met Ben Wooley (a 2-time Illini 4000 rider in 2013 and 2015), and said goodbyes to loved ones.  This was real.

The entire team standing with our B+ Foundation banner at Strawberry Fields in Central Park, New York City. (from left to right back row: Vedang, Maaike, Cole, Ehsan, Sam, Nishk, Aadit, Anthony; and from left to right front row: Ren, Parker, Lauren, Tada, Max)

At long last, it was time to push the pedals for our Day 1 ride to Clinton, New Jersey.  Waving and hollering some more, we went out on 72nd St., then Riverside Dr., eventually making our way to the Hudson River Greenway.  This took the team all the way to the George Washington Bridge, our path off of Manhattan and into New Jersey.  Taking a moment to appreciate waving goodbye to our first state, everyone then powered on.

Getting ready to cross the George Washington Bridge, two teams stopped for a photo. The first (from left to right) was Ren, Aadit, Anthony, and Max.

The second was (from left to right) Sam, Lauren, Vedang, and Nishk.

Tada (left) and Parker (right) celebrating entering their first new state, New Jersey!

From here forward, we were back into what was more normal riding.  Let me take a brief moment to say just how bad this riding weather was.  Some areas along our route experienced over 1 in. of rain during the day, the temperatures ranged from 50°F - 55°F, and the rain really did not let up until around the last 15 miles.  We were soaking wet even upon arrival in Central Park and no one, and I mean no one, was enjoying the riding conditions at all.  Okay, covered.

Trying to dry off and fix a flat tire in a public restroom having just entered New Jersey.

In the ride, the first event outside of those which were geographical was the first flat tire.  At mile 11, Cole picked up a pinch flat and the group along with one more that caught them along the way made an unofficial rest stop out of a public bathroom which was conveniently warm and dry.  From there, those riding met Maaike’s encouraging smile at the first official rest stop and stocked up on calories that were necessary to keep our bodies functioning through physical exertion and mental perseverance.  Continuing on again was a challenge, but eventually we did and found some fun neighborhoods and parks through the beginning of New Jersey.  The second rest stop was also a tough one because we knew many more miles were still to come.  Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches lifted our spirits enough to exit the lot and carry on once more.  By the third rest stop, the mood was significantly improving.  The rain was slowing.  Two groups had met each other on route and briefly mingled in a larger group to add for some new conversation and encouragement, and we knew we could make the rest of the ride happen.  From there, the scenery continued to improve albeit with more climbs up hills to conquer, but we were enjoying nature instead of lamenting it.  The reservoir we passed near the end was beautiful and the last couple of hills stand now only to have strengthened us.  We rolled into the parking lot of the Clinton United Methodist Church.
Beaten and battered but satisfied with our accomplishments, the community in the town of Clinton came together to bring us to shower and at the church provide us a lovely dinner.  We discussed our own personal “Tales of the Trail” and settled in for bed.

Maaike (front) showing enthusiasm for her riding teammates Ren (second), Aadit (right), Cole (middle, orange), Parker (left), Ehsan (behind Aadit) and Anthony (behind Parker).

Round Valley Reservoir as seen from the route

Quotes of the Day

“The only century you’ll see me do is my tire pressure.”

— Ren

In reference to Ren pumping her tires to 100 psi, shocking all of us who run wider tires that would explode under such pressure.

For the driver and our ride leader Maaike, this was a difficult day coming out of the city.  She made it more than fine though exclaiming at one point,

“I parallel parked a Ford Transit (van) in New York City!”

— Maaike

Extra

This was many of our first nights wanting to wash up clothes after accumulating the grit and grime from the roads as it splashed and splattered with the rain.  We learned that getting the clothes “clean” in terms of smell and feel was possible with our sink and bag laundry setups, but removing all the sediment was very difficult.  Hopefully we encounter a laundromat the next time we have such bad weather.  Confidence is high in clothes washing for the hot and sweaty days sure to come though.

One team stumbled upon a horse statue they just had to take a picture with. (from left to right: Tada, Parker, Ehsan, Cole)

Cyclists Corner

Rider: Ren Goodfriend

How are you feeling today?

Nervous and excited at the same time. Things went good and things went bad, but what else are you going to expect on day 1? I feel like I got the I4k experience, I can say that. 

What was your favorite part of today's ride?

Riding over the bridge from New York to New Jersey!

What motivated you to join Illini4000?

Originally when I joined I all I heard about was bikes. When I learned more about the cause, it reminded me of my grandpa who died of cancer and so many and so many of his family members. He was a big cyclist, so a big reason that I am on this ride is to honor him. When I think about cycling I think of my dad and his dad and their experiences with cancer. Recently when I've been on my bike that has been what's in my head: there are generations of my line that have done this and those people have all had to deal with cancer experiences. My grandpa died prematurely during covid. He could have lived longer, but the hospitals were overrun, and he died because of hospital management during that time. Research is very important and recently i've been thinking a lot about the B+ foundation and how supporting families is what really makes an impact and how it can have an impact on families like mine.

Before joining Illini4000 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 have biked for a long time, ever since I was a kid. I did RAGBRAI (which stands for Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa), and that definitely prepared me because it is endurance cycling. It gave me the vibe-check and understanding as to what group cycling looks like. I also play ultimate frisbee which helps in a different way. I understand the mental game of sports more and how the way that you think about what you are doing has such a heavy impact on how you do it and how hard it is. Today when we were going up one of those hills I was thinking: “this hill is easy.” And somehow that made the hills easier. I think ultimate frisbee taught me that it is really all in your head. 

What is your bike's name/model?

She's a trek 1.2 womens specific design, I think made between 2006-2013, and her name is RainbowDash. She's an extra extra small.

What are you most nervous/excited about?

I am nervous about my brakes, they disintegrated today. They were fine this morning and then at mile 40 I looked down and I couldn't stop. (Note from Parker: they have been fixed :). Most excited about? Honestly, the 40 miles today was in considerably miserable conditions and I had a great time. So my thought is I am very excited for every day that we get to have and all the things we are going to get to see. I got to see so much even though I only went 40 miles. Even though it was raining and kind of sad the whole time, I saw so much and interacted with so many people who were driving by. 

Anything else you would like to talk about?

Today we got really wet and it was kind of sad and now all of our stuff is drying on chairs. The church today is really nice to us, our stayover is awesome! They gave us yummy food.

Day -1 (Part 2): The Adventures of New York City

The cross-country journey has officially begun as marked today by the team arriving in New York City from Chicago, family homes, or friends nearby. The excitement was and is real and even these first stories traveling as a team give so much hope for the Summer ahead! How did we get to New York and what has happened so far? Read on to find out!

Ride Overview:

Distance: 725 miles

Elevation: ~35,000 ft. (cruising altitude)

Quite a rapid ride on some kind of seated vehicle that flies over the ground!

Ren (left) and Lauren (right) at Midway Airport in Chicago on a very early morning.

Tales of the Trail

Day -1 started with half of the team meeting at Midway Airport in Chicago bright and early at 3 am.  (Or dark and late depending on how you view it.)  The others would eventually meet us all in NYC through their own transportation (Cole in the van).  As you might expect, everyone was pretty tired, but excited for the journey to come.  We made it through the airport to our gate without any issues, and once there, most of the team either tried to relax or get a few more minutes of shut-eye before boarding the airplane.  Once we landed at LaGuardia airport, we all got off the plane and took a bus, heading towards our first stayover at St. Mary’s Episcopal church in Harlem.

Aadit (left) and Anthony (right) becoming acquainted with true New York cuisine.

When we reached the church we were greeted by our gracious hosts; then eagerly awaited the van to bring our bikes for us to unload so we could start our adventures in the city.  By the time we were ready to explore, most of us were incredibly hungry, and decided the best first meal in NY would of course be a slice of pizza!  Throughout the day more members of the team met us at the church, most of which either flying in a few days before or living close enough to make the drive up to New York City.  After being satiated most of us went out to explore the city, as it was a few of our first times being in the Big Apple.  It was the perfect weather to walk around New York City, which the team was very excited about especially since there is rain in the forecast for the next few days.

One group made their way to Brooklyn for a fantastic view of the Manhattan skyline. (from left to right: Cole, Maaike, Parker, Aadit, Anthony, Tada, Vedang)

The team was a little split up still, some visiting friends and family in the area, but everyone got plenty of pictures of the many sights New York City has to offer all over town.  One of these being a big group of us who went to visit and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.  At the first sight of a picture-worthy view of the bridge, we all laughed as everyone pulled out a digital camera instead of just their phone.  Where did the space come to pack all of those?  Another group went to explore Central Park and ran into a retired professor who made for great conversation (not pictured).  The weather, which was especially beautiful, made that trip more than worthwhile. 

With all of the excitement in exploring the city, as soon as we looked down at our watches, it was time to head back uptown for dinner.  We were honored to be joined by Professor Bipin who has been a host, sponsor, and friend of the Illini 4000 since its inception in 2006.  He brought with him a strong message of generating change through love and kindness and friends that had their own inspirational words to share too.  Economics, non-violent protest, and changes in the world of cancer research were all at the table for discussion.  Oh, and some fantastic food!  The team had a feast of Indian cuisine: channa, biryani, samosas, and rice.  Stomachs were certainly full!

In the evening, after a wonderful dinner the team had been rejuvenated with energy (once we had digested) and decided to go to a basketball court nearby.  We had a quite surprisingly competitive 4v4 game that would go down in the history books.  Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if people walking by would even mistake us for the New York Knicks.  After this, however, the team had officially worn ourselves out enough that we were ready to head to bed to get ready for new adventures tomorrow.

This basketball game also led to our favorite quote of the day:

“Don’t worry, I am a legend.”

— Lauren

All smiles from Maaike after the post-dinner matchup! (group from left to right: Maaike, Vedang, Lauren, Sam, Parker, Max, Anthony, Nishk)

Day -1 (Part 1): Oh, How Far We’ve Come!

Hi there and welcome to the 2026 edition of the Illini 4000 journals!  I know there are many of you out there who have been waiting for this moment to read along once more to the stories from our cross-country ride and get to know who is on this new team.  Who am “I” you ask?  Cole Pawlak.  Myself and Parker Bledsoe will be writing the check-ins on this page for the team and sharing perspectives that we and our wonderful, kind, and amazing teammates have throughout this journey.  

Hello, Parker here! As Cole and I write the journals I just want to take a moment to acknowledge all of our fellow teammates, board members, beneficiaries, and many more who have helped us get to this point.  It would be impossible to name everyone that has helped us get to this point or we would end up writing a whole book instead of a blog post.  I cannot thank them enough and without all these people to support us, this whole trip would not be possible. 

Today, everyone is arriving in New York City for the first stayover of the 2026 Bike America at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Manhattanville.  First, however, let’s take just a brief look back at some of what has transpired to even make arrival at the starting line a possibility.  

The team of 13 riders that you will all come to know was built throughout the academic year at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  It is a fun coincidence that the two of us writing this (Cole and Parker) ended up being in the same pairing for interviews back when we were all trying to work our way into this group for a good cause and good adventures.  Enough about us though, the team has already had some major accomplishments to be proud of.  

Our team so far has raised over $50,000, biked up to 90 miles at a time in training, and even biked for 24 hours straight on the quad to fundraise together as a team.  Some of the most meaningful moments up to this point though have not been physical accomplishments, but rather firsthand stories that we have been told. Whether through Joe McDonough teaching us about the origins of the  B+ foundation and how many families they help every single year, the Prairie Dragon Paddler’s firsthand experiences with cancer, learning about research from Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, and many others, all of these stories help us to understand the reason why we are doing this.  It is amazing to see how important our fundraising is and how many lives we impact.  As a team, we hope that throughout our ride we can continue to encourage others and bring more awareness to these causes. 

For those of you who are new to the Illini 4000 journals or if you are returning and need a refresher here you go: 

We will often be using terms and lingo that are relevant to cycling or that we may come up with during the ride to describe our riding and life situations that can be found in our I4K Dictionary. Everyday we will also take note of the day's mileage and elevation in a ride overview section to give you some kind of a sense for the physical effort being put in by the team that day.  In the future posts, we will also have interviews with riders in a “cyclist corner” section of the journal.  Last, but certainly not least, we will have a “tales of the trails” section detailing our many adventures.  And who knows?  Maybe the two of us will come up with some new fun content we don’t even predict at the moment as well!  

A favorite of the team already is sharing quotes amongst each other.  It is only fitting that we start this series with a message from Joe McDonough:

“You’re not asking for yourself, you are asking for someone who cannot ask for themselves”

— Joe McDonough

This was a perspective that particularly resonated with us throughout our time fundraising and helped us to feel confident in any situation.

So what has the team been up to?  Here are some photos of our training rides this spring:

First outdoor training ride as a team posing with the now famous “Anthony lift”

70 mile training ride to Monticello and back where we saw the Sunsinger!

Posing at the Lake of the Woods covered bridge (left to right: Ren, Max, Vedang, Aadit)

Rides got tough and we got tired

Practice riding with a group on a chillier Spring day (from left to right: Tada, Anthony, Cole)

Parker (left) and Aadit (right) showing spirit through the night during the 24-hour bike-a-thon

Banana!?!?! (from left to right: Anthony, Ren, Cole)