Day 10: Hallmarks of the Midwest - Zanesville, Ohio to Columbus, Ohio

This Tuesday was a fairly routine one on the road, but we had some fun after ride activities and a new type of location for a stayover.  Tailwinds propelled us at the end of the ride into Columbus which was a great way to kick off a period of rest!

Ride Overview

Mileage: 67.8 miles

Elevation: 2,591 ft.

Tales of the Trail

In Zanesville, Ohio for the morning, we had a pretty normal schedule: wake up at 5:30 am, breakfast at 5:45 am, morning circle (the organizing meeting before the ride everyday) at 6:45 am, roll out at 7:00 am.  Everything was on time and we had some very good breakfast at the Bethel Community Center. Even a fresh package of donuts was dropped off at our door right when we woke up!  This was another morning of having some of the ride groups meet up by virtue of hitting or missing traffic lights and variable speed through different sections.  Always fun, but we did break up as always to not create such a huge conglomerate of riders on the road.  

Anthony followed by Vedang on one of the winding bike trails of the day.

Our first rest stop outside of a Dollar General was lighthearted and easy going.  It felt like everyone was in pretty good spirits after having survived the challenge of the day before and looking forward to the rest day tomorrow.  Also, we had a large contingent of us, possibly everyone but the van driver if I am remembering correctly back on the road.  More riders always equals more fun for the whole team.  As the day kept rolling, we were seeing more of Ohio and also more bike trails!  One of them rode right past what must have been the world's largest basket:

View of the basket building in the distance.

We found out from a local on the trail that this was a landmark building and actually under review for what is next since the original company has left its premises.  This bike trail brought us all the way to our second rest stop of the day where we found out Tada, our valiant van driver for the last couple of days would likely be leaving us that evening to go pick up a bike that will be his ride for the rest of the Summer.

Tada has had a tough time over this first week and a half with his, frankly beautiful, vintage Klein bicycle from the 80s being a speed machine on the flats, but tough to get up hills with only 6 gears working at the rear and 2 on the front.  Unbelievably, he made it to the stayover in Pittsburgh!  That just shows how physically and mentally strong he is.  Anyways, with these troubles and a bit of a nagging injury, he has spent some time driving the van for us which has been a tremendous help to the team.  Tonight though, he left with his mother from Columbus to go reset and adjust his setup.  The team has since seen a picture of what will be coming back and we truly cannot wait to have Tada with us on the ride again.  Our first day out of Columbus will be different without him.

The end of the ride brought us through Westerville which is where we found a bike shop to do some repairs for us on our day off and then to Vertical Adventures where we would be staying.  Before I get to that, I must talk about our dinner.  We had food donated by a local Mexican restaurant, Dos Sabores, which was really neat.  They hosted us at their restaurant with fajitas and enchiladas and all the chips and queso we could ask for.  Just when we thought we were leaving, churros came to the table and we didn’t know what to do with ourselves again.  The generosity of others is truly incredible.  

Now, for the stayover.  The church we had stayed at in Columbus years prior is undergoing renovations this year so we needed to find somewhere new.  A full team effort went into finding where might host this team of 13 riders and a climbing gym called Vertical Adventures agreed.  I am writing this from their building right now and it is so fun to be sitting under the rock climbing walls and bouldering facilities.  Even though we were tired from riding, it didn’t stop us from getting a little bit of vertical action in.

Sam conquering a boulder problem!

We’ll see you tomorrow on our rest day! (Don’t worry, the next Cyclists’ Corner will come then too!)

Day 9: Last Glimpse of the Mountains - Wheeling, West Virginia to Zanesville, Ohio

The team had been hyping this day up for the last couple of nights at stayovers because looking forward at the expected route, there was over 5,000 ft. of climbing combined with almost 90 miles of riding!  Although we are all going to sleep well tonight at the Bethel Community Center in Zainesville, Ohio, the mental attitude we started the day with propelled us to a lighter emotional state despite all of the climbing and riding we did go through. 

Ride Overview

Mileage: 91.4 miles

Elevation: 5,433 ft.

Points of Interest: Ohio River, Climb up Kirkwood Heights Road, West Virginia/Ohio Border, many horses

Tales of the Trail

Although the day was littered with hills, the most intense climbing came right up front.  Instead of getting hit again right at the end with the toughest climbing like we were in Pittsburgh, it was a relief to do some of it with fresher legs only 5 miles into the route.  The first climb was 1.2 miles long climbing 593 ft. which averages to a 9.0% grade!  To put this in perspective, it took our riders between 8 and 20 minutes to reach the top, all of which was nearly a maximum effort.  Taking an average, that’s 14 minutes of putting in all of the physical exertion you can!  We all did it, but I can feel the effort and toll this put on my body even writing this right now.  The view at the top of the climb was truly spectacular!  All of the riders caught up to each other and took a picture looking out over Wheeling with the beautiful sunrise.

Riders from the day appreciating the beautiful view over Wheeling that they climbed to! (from left to right: Aadit, Nishk, Anthony, Maaike, Max, Vedang, Ehsan, Cole)

Had we not had some of the “training” from Pennsylvania, there would have been no way this was possible; certainly not during our actual training rides in Illinois.  Now that our legs had become tired right at the beginning of the day, we were lucky to have some small extra hills and then descending.  There was one descent that really worked our grip strength (don’t think we’re just lower body muscles!).  That hill had the team either exclaiming at the wild rollercoaster ride they had experienced or feeling slightly terrified at the road surface underneath them for such a steep road when they got to the bottom.  Soon enough, we had the first rest stop and some much needed rest and fuel at the van.

From here, the day progressed relatively smoothly.  The rest of the elevation was nowhere near as intense and mostly was covered over rolling hills.  This isn’t to say it’s not difficult, actually on the contrary, rolling hills can be some of the most frustrating and difficult type of riding to complete because you are always shifting and measuring your effort; however, the concentration of effort is lower.  We caught some nice long slight descents too where we were able to fly as groups pushing into the 17-20 mph range while not going straight down.  This feels so fun when drafting off of riders in front of you and today was no different.  

Aadit followed by Vedang and then Max all giving big efforts on the hills.

Between the first and second rest stop, the team also met a fun Ohio character: George!  Showing the kindness that strangers can have, we walked across a footbridge where the usual bridge was out and onto the driveway of who we now know as George.  He was curious about how far we had gone, where we were coming from and going to and even offered us water or tea if we wanted any.  Both of the riding groups ran into him which was so fun!  George even gave us the quote, or maybe joke, of the day:

“Which is closer, the Moon or California? … Well I can see the Moon!”

— George

This felt so fitting given as we are heading towards California and that feels like a lifetime away at the moment.  The reason for sharing this interaction is because it is a microcosm of many of the interactions that we get daily along our rides that are not always shared in teh journals.  People can be so kind and caring and we certainly see that a lot while supporting good causes.

Before our third stop of the day, we were able to get back on bike trails which is always lovely.  This one was short because we knew another was just 10 miles out (for a reason you will know soon).  Nishk and Maaike had another kind interaction with a stranger who paid for some snacks from a dollar store for them while in New Concord, Ohio.  Overall though, the ride was beginning to flatten out and the Midwest atmosphere kept on building.  This was all building to Dairy Duchess (also in New Concord, I guess we love it here).  I believe this counted as our first on the road ice cream stop and it was a good one!  Shakes, floats, cones, even some burgers and grilled cheeses were ordered and fueling our team for the final stretch.  Illini 4000 teams of the past have always been raving to us about the ice cream stores, stops, and stands they found throughout the country and this was a great one for us.

Vedang (left) and Max (right) enjoying the bike trails together.

We rode just a bit of highway coming into Zanesville, but shortly turned into neighborhoods and made our way to the Bethel Community Center.  Our hosts, once again, were so lovely, had dinner waiting for us, and even the mayor of Zanesville was there to greet us.  There were two individuals who also shared there cancer stories and the team ended a fantastic day settling in for bed all in the same room; a first since New York City!  It’s nice to have everyone together.

Nishk with the little friend that followed along his ride today. (Oh, and Maaike in the background.)

Cyclists’ Corner

Rider: Lauren Faber

How are you feeling today?

I'm actually feeling really good. I think this stay over had really nice people, and it definitely, for me, brought the mood up. I mean, obviously my mood was pretty good at the end of the day, because I had finished the day, and I don't usually finish the day. Nice stay overs made me feel better, because I was a little bit nervous, especially in a smaller town in the middle of Ohio, but these people were very welcoming and nice, so I feel good.

What was your favorite part of today's ride? 

Favorite part of today's ride? Oh, definitely the trails, because they're flat, and you don't have to watch cars, and you can just talk to your buddies. I grabbed leaves from the trees above me, and then threw them at people behind me.

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

I heard about it because my sister's friends had done it many years ago, and I didn't have any plans for the Summer. It was like the last day to apply, like the extended last day, and I was like, “might as well just throw this in there, and I can decide if I don't want to do it later.” It was good timing for me to find out about it, because you know my grandma passed away from chemo. I won't say cancer, because I think she died from a port infection during treatment earlier that Summer, and now I don't have any grandparents, and it was just kind of crazy to conceptualize that.  So many people are gone, and she was so active and so happy, and bubbly, and talkative, and I feel like she would have been super duper impressed if I had told her that I was doing this. She would have told everyone in her living space that I was doing this. She would show me off. I think she's my main motivation for joining, because I'm not an experienced cyclist, so the cycling wasn't really what I was thinking about. I know how to ride a bike, but that wasn't like my main motivation to join. Of course, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I didn't know that there's only a few schools that do this. I'm very impressed that people who are graduating and are in grad school are doing this, because I feel like for me this might be my last chance to do this before entering the professional space. I also joined it because it's something that I literally could never see myself doing. It's such an out there experience that I would have never expected myself to do. I don't think other people expected me to actually follow through with it. It's kind of motivating that I'm doing something really hard and I'm really pushing myself.

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?

Well, I would say I'm generally an athletic person. I've done sports. I did like soccer and volleyball in my life. The only biking experience I have is just like biking around my neighborhood on a standard mountain bike. I've never ridden a road bike before. I don't actually know anything about bikes and I hadn't ridden a bike in like a year before joining this, because we had to get rid of our bike, so this was just kind of the first time I touched a bike in a while.

What's your bike's name, and what's the model of your bike?

Actually, someone's lending me their bike, so I do not have a name, because I feel like it just feels off to name someone else's bike if I'm going to return it. And no, I actually don’t know the model.

(Journalist input here… it’s a Jamis Renegade with cool pink bar tape.)

What are you most nervous/excited about?

Well, I would say that biking is the only thing that makes me nervous, for the most part, just because I've never worked any of my muscles this hard before. I think it's very much a mental challenge for me to get on the bike every day and try. I’m also nervous to crash, because I haven't crashed yet, or got a flat. I'm also nervous if  our team ever gets annoyed with each other because we're spending so much time together, but I also think we're pretty mature and would be able to work things out pretty quickly.

I'm very excited to see the country because I don't even know what states I've been to, what states I haven’t. I'm very excited for Oregon, and I'm excited for my birthday and Nishk's birthday, because he has the same birthday as me. I also get very excited arriving at every new stay over because you kind of get an idea of what the community is like, and everyone has just been so kind and welcoming. Meeting someone new from every state that we go to is very exciting.

Anything else you would like to tell the world?

To sag or not to sag, that is the question. I like to say, you can do anything you put your mind to. I say, listen to your body and listen to your mind, and be kind to everyone, because you don't know what they're going through, and and try hard things,

Are you pro sprinkles or anti sprinkles?

I'm neutral sprinkle, but I think I've been put on the anti sprinkle, just because I think they're unnecessary.

Day 8: Wheeling to Wheeling - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Wheeling, West Virginia

Waking up at the beautiful Sinai Temple this morning was very nice.  Despite all the complaints about ending our days at seemingly the highest point in each town, starting at the top of Pittsburgh was a relief because it meant we could avoid at least some of the climbing the city has to offer.  Pennsylvania was finished today and despite feeling like a state that takes a month to drive through it only took us 6 days, including rest, to bike through.  

Ride Overview

Mileage: 71.3 miles

Elevation: 1,982 ft.

Points of Interest: University of Pittsburgh, Heinz Field (as it should be known), Ohio River, Panhandle Trail, Yankee Trail, Wheeling Nailers Stadium

Tails of the Trail

The morning start was slightly warmer than our last two days, coming in at 50°F as opposed to around 45°F.  This meant that many of us were able to roll out in mostly Summer clothing, braving the cold air for just a while before it heated up to where there was no chance we would have wanted the jacket.  In our morning circle today, we dedicated this ride to David, Ren’s uncle, who battled and overcame prostate cancer.  David was able to call us before the ride and give a reminder of how hard life can be, yet how fruitful overcoming challenges is. 

On our first descent, we rolled down into the heart of the university district of Pittsburgh through Schenley Park where we could see the unmistakable sights of the University of Pittsburgh and the Cathedral of Learning.  The teams on the road met up with each other much sooner than they had anticipated due to a road closure that forced a change in direction (of course this was coming right after the Day 7 we just had, right?), but Anthony, Maaike, and Nishk, prepared from yesterday, were right on top of where we would all need to go next.  Everyone connected back to the original route around mile 2 and from there tried to space out, sometimes successfully, sometimes unsuccessfully.  We ride in groups of 5 or less to try to make ourselves manageable both from a rider perspective and from a car trying to pass perspective.  When slowdowns happen at the beginning of a day, sometimes a “mega group” can form.  Although it can be so much fun to ride with everyone, we try to avoid this scenario and split it up when it does occur for our own safety.  Spreading out, we rode over and then down the riverside admiring just a few of Pittsburgh’s many bridges.

Pittsburgh still had a couple of wall-like climbs to throw our way as we made it over into the town of Carnegie, but those of us on the road took them in stride, now expecting at any moment the roads could go from flat to what feels like a cliff.  Bushwacking through a section of bike path brought us to the top of this one and sooner than we knew it, we were back on a totally isolated bike trail, this time called the Panhandle Trail.

We have all been impressed by how extensive the bike trail network is in western Pennsylvania because they just take you so far.  As always, we found something that could get under our skin, the gravel was a bit slower than pavement and anytime the trail switched from one to the other our moods would totally swing. We saw so many fellow cyclists, runners, and walkers out today and it was nice to have people to say hello to ever so often.  The first rest stop was just off the trail and the sight of the van was more than welcome.  Snacks picked up from Ebensburg are still being consumed and the team has been loving having the choice of both sweet and savory options.  Sometimes there is only so much sugar one person can handle.

For quite some time after this rest stop, the riders still stayed on bike path and actually had a decently sized section that was at a slight decline meaning that average speeds over that stretch could be much faster than elsewhere.  One group even picked up a friendly local cyclist to tow around for a few miles before he carried on with his training ride.  The end of the bike trails meant the start of climbs into West Virginia.  Although we didn’t know we were crossing the border at the time, the second rest stop should have clued us in: Mustang Sally’s.  Apparently, this fine local establishment has been used by Illini 4000 teams of the past, but of course it was our first time there.  Let’s just say that they tended to accommodate a biker group of a different variety and our space-age spandex suits by comparison were wildly out of place.  Nevertheless, the crowd was very friendly and the staff let us use their bathrooms.  This was a lesson in not judging a book by its cover. 

Rolling now in what we knew was West Virginia, we went up and down some more before finding the Yankee Trail that followed the Ohio River almost all the way to Wheeling.  Another flat happened at this point for one team and some of us were very tired from the ride the day before.  In Wheeling, we saw the local hockey team stadium, the downtown, parks, and more bike paths!  Getting to the stayover required one more detour to a footbridge because the bridge where the church could be seen from on route was totally under construction.

Dinner at the Christ United Methodist Church was a donated supply of Chipotle food and tacos from the church and their community!  This went over so well that we were scraping the bottoms of the containers for more.  After a laundromat run, it was lights out on another good day on the road.

Cyclists’ Corner

Rider: Maaike Niekerk

How are you feeling today?

I'm feeling good. I'm feeling tired, but overall happy. I think my legs are feeling better than I thought they would be feeling, which might be exactly what I said in the first question for the first interview last time. I think I was like: my legs are feeling better than I thought they would, and I think that stays true. 

What was your favorite part of today's ride? 

Ooh, that middle stretch we had, where we basically had a stretch on the trail that was entirely tree covered, and I think like a 2% downhill like the whole time. We were flying, and that was so fun, because it went by very fast. We saw a lot of other cool cyclists, and a lot of people looked like triathlon people. So I enjoyed that quiet trail stretch, because it was super fun. We could just zoom!

You did Illini 4000 two years ago. What motivated you or made you want to do it again this year?

Um, I think a lot of things. I had a really good time, the first time I did it. I loved it, so I kind of never doubted that I would want to do it again. I had a free summer, and I also think that the cause is more important now than ever before. I think that a lot of cancer research is currently really under threat, and so I think it's really important that we continue funding those causes and things that we care about. So, yeah, I think this is a very good time to bike across the country. Last time was also a good time, but this time is a great time to bike across the country.

And so this year being the ride leader, how has that been versus your first ride?

I don't know. It's different. On the team we assign everybody a chore, and my chore in 2024 was being that journalist, which was very fun, and I enjoyed it a lot. It just kind of feels like a different chore to be doing. I don't know if I want to say more work, but just work in a different way. I think it's interesting, it's definitely maybe, maybe a little more pressure, because sometimes you have to make big calls. For example, yesterday I had to decide whether we routed one way or rerouted the other way. There's definitely a lot of pressure that comes with making a decision for a big group of people, but I'm very happy to be doing this again especially with this team. I loved the last team, and yeah, it's overall been a great time. 

What are you most excited for this summer?

I'm really excited to go to some of the places we didn't go on the my first ride. Especially Utah and Colorado. I'm really, really excited to see those. I think it's going to be really, really pretty. Yeah, I'm just excited for some more great nature. I'm excited to go swimming in some different spots, and we're also in the stretch of the ride now that is the same as 2024 So, I'm excited to see all these places again. It's very cool.
What's your bike's name, and what's the model of your bike?

My bike is named Bichael, spelled like Michael, but with a B. He is a Trek domane Al4, I believe. Red bike, I love having a red bike. He's amazing and I love him. I'm getting better at working on him. Redid his bar tape all by myself, and it's held up so far. So, I love my bike.

Anything else you would like to tell the world?

I love Illini4000.I love these people. I love this team, go cancer research! Yay, we're doing good stuff out here. I'm very proud of everybody. I will say that I think everybody is really putting their heart out there this summer, and I'm so happy that we're doing this together.

And last question, a very heated debate on the team: are you pro sprinkles or anti sprinkles? 

I am infamously anti sprinkles. I don't like them. I think they don't add anything. They're texturally weird, pure sugar. I'm a big fan of fun and whimsy, but I'm anti sprinkles. There you go.

Day 7: Trail Riding, Flats, Hiking, and Exploring - Ebensburg, Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Get ready for what may be our most adventurous day of the ride so far!  The one-week marker of the Illini 4000 Summer 2026 ride was scheduled to be an 86 mile route mostly along a bike trail from Ebensburg to Pittsburgh, but it turned into a 95 mile expedition that was filled with all of the hallmarks of our typical rides and much more.  Everyone is sleeping safe and sound at Temple Sinai now, so not to worry, but it certainly was an eventful day.

Ride Overview

Mileage: 94.7 miles (from what was supposed to be 86.4)

Elevation: 3,832 ft.

Points of Interest: Ghost Town Rail Trail, Conemaugh River overflowing

Tales of the Trail

Today the title “Tales of the Trail” is a lot more accurate as a majority of our ride today was on a trail! We started out the ride by saying goodbye to the community members of the Ebensburg Presbyterian Church. They were very gracious and came into the church to start making breakfast at 4 in the morning. (And I thought we woke up early) After a group picture we rolled out onto a very nice and shaded 30 or so miles of the  Ghost Town Rail Trail. 

On our ride today we recruited two new members to Illini4000 (temporarily). We got two community members: Charlene, a friend of the church, and a local commissioner to join us for the first 10-20 miles of the ride. Incidentally during the first 5 miles, one of us got a flat so we could really show them the full I4k experience. This unfortunately brought our 2 day no-flat streak to a screeching halt. After replacing a tire (because it had gotten a puncture from a shard of glass a few days before and finally decided to quit on us), we quickly got rolling onto the beautiful bike path once again. As the path was plenty covered by trees and it was early in the morning, it was quite a chilly start to the day.

Most of the day was quite normal, as it was in the 60s and sunny for most of the morning. It was amazing to start the day off with 30 miles all downhill on the trail. It was quite refreshing to be able to just chat with everyone without having to worry about watching for cars or climbing mountains. We hit the rest stop at mile 40 with a very positive outlook about the rest of our day. 

Just after this however is when things took a turn for the worse. Or a turn for the fun depending on how you look at it. After getting on another bike path the route began to be filled with many sticks and fallen logs that the team had to be careful to path around. About this time on the ride I began partially wishing that I had brought a mountain bike for this trip. Once a group of us got past all the fallen logs we quickly realized why there was so much debris on the path. As we looked in front of us the bike path merged with a lake that had gotten so much rain that it flooded the entire path.

At this point the team faced a tough decision. Try to hike the side of the hill by the bike path and find a road, or completely turn around and definitely add at least 10 miles. The team was feeling brave and decided to try and hike up the steep and wooded side of the path. Even with a heroic effort, we were stumped and were forced to turn around. This adventure surely was not the most time efficient, but was surely a great way to make memories to look back on. With all of our random adventures and mishaps throughout the day it turned into quite a long and strenuous day of biking, more than we had previously thought. 

All of us really locked in at this point as we were very much in need of a warm dinner. Everything went well as we fought a few last steep hills making our way into Pittsburg. We made good time (considering all that had happened today) and rolled into the Sinai Temple around 7. After a very long day of biking which turned into us biking 95 miles with the detour instead of the originally planned 85 miles, we arrived to a warm welcome at the stayover. There was already a big spread of warm food (my personal favorite being home-cooked corn muffins) and we were able to fill up on food right away. We even got to have ice cream for dessert after!

After being fed and our spirits lifted it seemed like the whole team was brought back to life a little bit after the tough day. Some of the team braved a hose shower (with very cold water), and afterwards everyone was fairly wiped from the long day. We got a “midnight” snack of cold pizza, then headed to bed to get ready for whatever adventures await us tomorrow.

One crew in the van at one of their stops.

Cyclists’ Corner

Rider: Nishk Patel

How are you feeling today? Physically? Mentally?

Feeling good. Feeling a lot more tired than I think most days, but it was a longer day today, 95 miles, and I think there were a lot more fast, steep hills that we had to take, especially when we got here closer to the city in Pittsburgh. The legs are a little sore. The cold shower was really nice out of the hose. I honestly thought it would be way worse. We all came into it being like, oh, we're gonna be freezing, but it was fun!

What was your favorite part of today's ride?

As unfortunate as it was to have to reroute, I think it was really cool when we were taking the Ghost Town Trail, and we hit a patch where, because of the rain last weekend, there was a huge flood that came onto the trail, and you could like see the river and the trail just become one. As unfortunate as it was that we couldn't go down that route, and we were made to turn back and add like 12 miles to our route total, it was just really cool to see. We had a little fun adventure going through that whole area and hiking up the side of a mountain to see if we could get over onto a real road. Yeah, things like that. That was a little fun detour.

What motivated you to join Illini4000?

I originally found out about Illini 4000 through an Instagram ad, but I realized that someone I'd known prior had been a part of it. I think it was just something that seemed like a really cool experience, because it's twofold: not only do you get to have this really cool trip with a bunch of people as you bike across the country (which is this totally awesome feat to say you've done, it's like some of the best dad lore you could possibly have), but on top of that, it's done for a really great cause (you get help a lot of people through your fundraising and through sharing the message that Illini 4000 brings). Every place we meet people, every place that we go to, people are super excited and eager to talk about us, talk to us about our journey, and talk to us about the things we fundraise for. It feels very impactful, and it looks like it's changing people's perspective on helping fundraise, and fundraise for cancer research and patient support services.

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?

Not much athletic background that I would say specifically helped for this ride. This past Fall I hadn't ever actually ridden a road bike before, or done any sort of formal training on a bike. I would say I maybe have some general athleticism and play sports with friends pretty often and things like that. This semester was really like a “lock-in” semester because I was training for both a half-marathon and doing training for Illini 4000 plus a lot of the same sports I do with my friends and roommates. So a very physically active semester, and I think that helped a lot with the endurance training because I was basically doing something every day when it comes to physical activity this past semester. When it comes to biking 70 miles every day, it kind of translates a little bit. The biggest thing was just practicing getting comfortable on the bike, getting used to a very different style of biking than when you're riding around in the afternoon with your friends back in middle and high school.

What is your bike's name/model?

My bike is actually Cole’s old bike. It's a giant Defy 5 Aluxx from 2015 and I do have a name for it. The name is “Rim-othy Breaks” because my rim brakes had a little slight issue at one point during the ride, so I had to sit in the van for one day until I could get it fixed, but it is fixed now. So Rimothy Breaks is not currently broken and let's hope Rimothy Breaks survives.

What are you most nervous/excited about?

Nervous for day 9… 1.2 miles at a 9% average grade is a tough, tough climb. Overall, it's the general nervousness of, I don't want to get injured or wear myself out, and then, have to deal with an injury during the ride. So trying my best to keep myself going, keep pacing myself but not push too, too hard, and super excited for when we get out West. I feel like once we get through these these hills and once we get through the corn fields, we'll be in some really cool western states, Colorado, and then we'll hit the whole like Yellowstone tour, basically through Wyoming, and then Montana, and Idaho, and then out West when you get to Oregon, and down through California. All of those states just seem to be super beautiful, and I think those will be a really fun time. We'll probably be stopping every 30 minutes to see some cool view!

Anything else you would like to talk about?

Max ate it today. Max ate it today, but he's doing well. Trooper, trooper.

Are you pro- or anti-sprinkles?

My nickname is apparently “Sprinkles” on the team, and I'm very pro-sprinkles. Anyone who's anti-sprinkles, go home, go home. I’m pro-sprinkles.

Day 6: Feeling Like We Are On Top of Pennsylvania - State College, Pennsylvania to Ebensburg, Pennsylvania

With stomachs full and legs refreshed from our time in State College it was time to keep moving.  We do still have to make it over 4000 miles, don’t we?  Sometimes we joke in the team about ending the trip where we are and heading right on back to our homes.  Today was certainly one of those times because of how nice the stop was.  Nevertheless, onward and upward (emphasis on upward!). 

Ride Overview

Mileage: 64.4 miles

Elevation: 4,764 ft.

Points of Interest: Spruce Creek, Altoona, Sugar Run Road

Tales of the Trail

This morning we had an upbeat start stemming from a surge in overall energy for the team gained during the rest day.  As we rolled out from our second longest stay of the whole journey, the weather was beautiful for riding.  Some of Cole’s friends who visited even cheered us on as we went the first few miles down the road!  Speaking of that road, the first 20 miles of this bluebird Friday leading up to the first rest stop were some of the most fun and gorgeous of the whole trip.  Riding alongside Spruce Creek, the team enjoyed a mostly descending elevation profile and a winding road that followed the contours of the creek to give great scenery along the way.

The rest stop was at a church that had river access and Parker helped an older gentleman down to the water to go fishing (just another unexpected way in which Illini 4000 spreads positivity).  At any rest stop, you will find our team eating as many snacks as they can consume before rolling again, talking amongst each other about the day, doing pushups (an internal challenge to do one pushup for every mile biked), filling water bottles, or applying sunscreen.  When it comes time to roll again, group members are always looking for each other and asking about how long everyone needs before starting up.  This day was no different.  Really, it was the perfect representation of an average rest stop.

Out on the road again, the action today was relatively subdued.  We were riding through more of the Pennsylvania roads and places that we have become accustomed to over the last couple of days and the rolling hills continued on and on.  These climbs and descents certainly made us all tired, so much so that I, writing this journal, have very few photos to share!  The team was really dialed in on their riding today.  The one place where things did get exciting was on Sugar Run Road, a 5.8-mile climb averaging 5.6% grade!  This one road felt like it took forever and had everyone who made it to the top huffing and for some taking a breather under a shady tree.

Don’t be concerned that a lack of riding stories will limit your Illini 4000 journal content though.  The Ebensburg stayover just may have been one of our favorites.  Also, if it feels like we keep saying each and every stayover is our favorite, that is because this statement is totally true.  Every place we have had has been incredibly welcoming with amazing people.  Ebensburg felt special in its own right from the time we first saw the Ebensburg Presbyterian Church where a banner welcoming the Illini 4000 could already be seen on display from the outside.  We were welcomed with open arms to places to store our bikes, snacks, dinner, and even dessert.  The team ate and ate until our stomachs were full, which was well before the food had run out.  Sometimes it really is tough to understand the generosity being shown to us, but we really, truly appreciate it.  During dinner, we received a call from the mayor of Ebensburg, Randy Datsko, who shared his appreciation for our mission and journey.  There should be no doubt that Ebensburg will find its way onto many an Illini 4000 route in the future.  After dinner, we organized with two local community members to record a Portrait (stories of journeys through and with cancer to help foster a community of perspectives from which those who feel alone and isolated can relate) and heard the inspiring yet very raw stories of how each had battled through their diagnoses and were dealing with the after effects today.

Anthony (left) and Vedang (right) posing like the gods.

Nishk claiming his road.

Vedang taking a selfie with his group of Nishk, Sam, and Lauren.

Anthony on the road leading strong.

Nishk at lunch.

Maaike gaining flower power.

Sam and Lauren looking comfortable on the open road.

Inside of the Ebensburg Presbyterian Church.

A phenomenal breakfast to be mentioned again in tomorrow’s journal.

Cyclists’ Corner

Rider: Vedang Mahajan

How are you feeling today? Physically? Mentally?

I'm feeling phenomenal. I'm a little sore, but I'm very motivated for the next day, and I just cannot wait to see what tomorrow has for me.

What was your favorite part of today's ride?

My favorite part of today's ride was just the scenery. It's been lush green rolling hills. It was some challenging climbs, but I feel like that's just part of it, and that really ties it all together. It's like nothing good comes without anything, no good reward comes without hard work. That's why that's what I felt like today. I was also with a really great group, so I really enjoyed the company I was with. Also, the food today. The food today was amazing!

What motivated you to join Illini 4000?

I was really inspired by the fact that as a college student you can have a really meaningful impact on society by raising money for cancer and I think that I really enjoy challenging myself physically. In the past, I found that through mountaineering, and I thought Illini 4000 was something that was similar in the way that you’re able to challenge yourself and do something that sounds wild, like biking 4000 miles. At the same time, you’re doing it for something bigger than yourself and that was super appealing.

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?

Yeah, I feel I wasn't… I don't really have any biking experience as such, but I ran a little bit of track in school. Mainly, I was a basketball player in high school. I played for my school team and club. I was also extensively involved in mountaineering. I'm an amateur mountaineer, and I just like to keep myself fit, so I was prepared physically; also with the Illini 4000 trainings. I just generally like to stay in shape.

What’s your favorite mountain you’ve climbed?

My favorite mountain I've climbed is Lobuche East in Nepal. It's a 6100 meter mountain, and it's very close to Mount Everest, so you see on the climb all the big mountains in the Everest region, of course, including Everest, and it's one of the most beautiful places in the world.
What is your bike's name/model?

So I have a Cannondale Synapse Carbon Four, and it is nicknamed “The Ferrari.”

What are you most nervous/excited about?

I'm nervous about being able to keep going for 77 days. I think the sheer duration and length of this challenge, or this endeavor, is a little intimidating, but at the same time I think it's just going to be really fun with all the side quests and just the things we see across the entire country. 

I think I'm very excited about going out West to places like Wyoming and Colorado and California, and seeing the mountains and the Pacific Northwest, and National Parks. That's what I'm most looking forward to.

Anything else you would like to talk about?

I think the words of wisdom: it's very important to challenge yourself and do something difficult and meaningful, I feel for everybody. It doesn't have to be biking, but anything that challenges you, like even scares you a little bit, definitely contributes to a lot of personal growth. I think experience, like experiencing hardships, is what prepares you for life in general, and when you look back, you feel like you've done something that you're proud of, and want to have. I think everybody, everybody should have that feeling at least a couple times in their life, that they've done something that seems incredibly difficult at first, but they went through it and got it done.

Crunchy or creamy peanut butter?

Crunchy. All day.

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)