We enjoyed 2 days off in Cedar City to take a detour (by car at least) to the Grand Canyon. The mini road trip was fun, I kept “resting my eyes” as a true grandma does. We got to the Grand Canyon, enjoyed a small picnic at the North Rim welcome center and then hit some of the highlights with short drives and walks to look out points. Being there really made me want to just hike to the bottom and camp (though obviously I’m completely unprepared for that, but someday I’ll do it again-I had hiked to the bottom of the south rim with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins a whole decade ago) Next time I want to hike rim to rim or just spend time exploring because that’s the only way to get the best appreciation for the canyon, removing yourself from all the tourists. It was still a great time, and yet another look and the wonders of the world, of  the country. The best part was a small group, myself, Jess, Alana, and Phoebe were staying overnight to camp! We had to drive out of the park to do so because its such a busy time of year, but it was nice to camp in a small group. I prefer it. Not that I don’t love you all and camping as a group of 27, but camping as a group of 5 is the way to go. We could actually cook a meal in a decent amount of time and its just more personal. How camping should be, being one with nature and having closer experience with each other. All in all it was a fun trip, but of course we couldn’t help thinking, “I wonder what everyone else is doing.” It was weird being apart from everyone. Gave me a glimpse into what life without the 4K will be like.

Day 53: Bryce Canyon City, UT to Cedar City, UT

Today goes out to the Devine Twins, Agnes & Rosemary.

They are my paternal Great Aunts. My great Aunt Rosemary died a few months after I was born, herself having a long battle with cancer constantly spreading and shifting from breast to lung to brain to bone cancer. My Great Aunt Agnes has ALS and was diagnosed in 2000. Since then she has been a fighter and always positive. I’ve never met someone with such a wonderful outlook on life and who always spreads so much joy. All of the Maryknoll sisters in NY tell us when we visit that she is the life of the party there-I believe it. Part of the day turned into an individual day, again due to the climbing. We did stop just before the climb for some ice cream-of course. Is there a better way to get climbing energy! I also got some airheads, and in it was a card with very wise words from Kung Fu Panda, “If you have inner peace, you will be outer strong!” Perfect words to have in my head before a long climb.

I enjoyed it though, going at my own pace and know eventually-not sure when-but eventually I’d get to the top. That’s the best mentality to have. Too often I forget it. But really just keep moving however fast or slow you can go, and you’ll get there. The thing is to never give up. Before the descent, I took my first poop outside (not in my lifetime, but for this trip). Sorry if that’s too much information, but seriously I biked 52 days across the country and managed to not have to go #2 (without a bathroom being around) until now. I think that’s pretty awesome. But pooping outside is nothing new to me, I camp etc so I’m practically an expert The descent after a long day’s climb was wonderful, as it always is. The wind was in my face and the rest of the ride into Cedar City was just perfect.  We had a delicious pasta dinner cooked by the local Catholic community and after getting reenergized with tons of carbs a group of us went to take on the Cedar City night life and rocked some Karaoke.

Today went out to Bob “Chaos” and his wife, Patricia, whom he lost to breast cancer in May 2010.I also want to thank the entire Cedar City community where in fact so many are affected by cancer as there is a large generation called the “downwinders” who have cancer in this location. Downwinders are those who were down wind of the test sites in NV back in the day and the wind carried harmful chemicals.

Chaos is a member of the Cedar City Community. The Cedar City Community was absolutely wonderful to us. The ride today was fairly straightforward. I rode with Maria, Justin, and Ganesh, as team “Can’t stop, won’t stop, we don’t need no water stops.” This was partially because between the four of us we missed the most water stops (goes back to the record breaking day). We missed one today due to missing a turn. It ended up being one of the few times missing a turn paid off because we avoided the road stricken with crickets.We also passed through a town called Minersville, naturally I had to stop and take a picture.

We arrived at our host fairly early and were able to enjoy the local pool where we split up and tested our skills at pool basketball. It was clear pretty soon that we are not basketball players but it was still so much fun.

Day 57: Milford, UT to Baker, NV I met Ann at the Grand Canyon gift shop and was chatting with her and learned that she lost her father, Harold to cancer. She also told me that her niece lost her 22 month old baby to cancer. I couldn’t imagine losing my father and life was cut entirely too short for the 22 month old, Eden. Today goes out for Ann, Harold and Eden.

We have definitely reached the desert. The ride today was terribly hot, the sun was constantly beating down on us, and shade did not exist. Today began the “4K fun” series where each day in Nevada has a theme. Today was 4K trivia where each person submitted 5 fun facts about themselves and each group had to determine which fact belonged with which person. At each water stop we were given 5 new facts to ponder for the next 15-20 miles. It was a great way to learn random things about the other riders and it definitely kept the ride more interesting.  My group was Adam, Megan, Alana, and Lisa.

We won the regular round, but lost in the bonus round because unfortunately the two teams that correctly answered the bonus question had heard the stories before. While beautiful and scenic in its own way, the ride initially was mundane. We would gradually climb for about 10 miles, reach a summit of around 6,400 feet (which pales in comparison to our 12,183 foot summit), descend for about 10 miles and then repeat for 3 total summits. The rest of the ride was pleasant with either a slight decline or flat with a tailwind. And then at the VERY end of the day, we crossed into NEVADA and stayed at the Border Inn campground which literally was right across the street from the Nevada sign.

Day 58: Baker, NV to Ely, NV Today went out  to Lindsay Lawley who Laura Stidham made her donation in honor of. The 4K fun day was trivia day and I rode with Ganesh, Maria, Ilana and Vanessa (Team Sugar Daddy). We were definitely the best scavenger hunt group and we clearly weren’t in a rush to get to the host because I think we showed up 4 hours after everyone (partially due to the 4 flats the group had). We built the tallest rock tower and created wonderful bike and dance videos. We probably found every piece of road kill along the way too. This was a day where it truly was about the journey and not the destination. We had so much fun.

Day 59: DAY OFF Ely, NV Today we had a very low key day off in Ely, NV. It was nice to spend most of the day in a bed (we had a hotel host!) Ely United Methodist Church also provided us with a great dinner.

Day 60: Ely, NV to Eureka, NV Today went out to Beverly, a member of the Ely community.

Today began our long stretches on Route 50 which is “the loneliest road” I’d say this stretch is not the loneliest. I rode today with team Bare Naked Ladies: Phoebe, Alana, Bunny, Vanessa, and Lisa. NBD

Day 61: Eureka, NV to Austin, NV Today goes out to Cindy and her mom, Cecile. Cindy opened up her community with outstretched arms for us all. Last night was one of the best dinners we had and this morning Cindy’s words were so touching. We could really see how we were impacting people we met. Cindy told us, “I don’t even know you, but I love you.” These words were so warm and sincere. Cindy’s mom will be returning home in a week, to peacefull pass around familiarity after her long battle with cancer. Our thoughts are with the entire family.

Today’s 4K fun day was alter ego day where we all had someone else to pretend to be on the 4K. I rode with Omar (Jess), and Zac (Vanessa). It was interesting to see what trademarks people had. The ride was, brown mostly but still beautiful. There was a long climb just before Austin that seemed to go on forever and than a tricky descent with tight switchbacks. We had to be careful not to miss our final turn or we’d be climbing back up. Austin is an interesting town, which is FULL of hills and not small ones either.

Day 62: Austin, NV to Fallon, NV Today went out to William Daviero who my friend Phil made his dedication in honor of. It was a century day. Unfortunately this was my first century of the ride that I’m missed because I’m a van driver. But van driving today turned out to be a difficult task. People are guaranteed to get spread out on century and other long days, making it hard to support the front and the back. Today was definitely a rode of nothing. Heat radiated from the rode and I was sweating so much without even riding. I felt for everyone out there. The worst part was that I had little to offer since there wasn’t anything along the way to get food. I did manage to stop at Midway which had a small diner/gas station filled with post cards saying I survived Highway 50 or I survived Midway just to give you an idea on the type of area we were in. I managed to have some frozen sourdough donated from the station. While I couldn’t get it to everyone at this stop, they had freshly baked sourdough by the next stop as I baked it on the side of the road (yes, that’s how hot it was out there!). Also along this road we passed the “famous” shoe tree. Needless to say, I was happy to reach the host and know everyone made it especially when 4 riders were still out when a crazy desert storm began.

This ride has taught me so much about living life to the fullest, every day. It’s something I hope I can keep in my heart and daily actions as much as possible after the ride. But those 32 Hokies who’s lives were taken too soon, too suddenly and unexpectedly and cruelly already knew about living life to the fullest.  Today was team Leg Leader Day (Pants, Phoebe, Basit, myself, Ganesh, & Zac). All 6 leg leaders rode together, so we could ride to Cali as one group since we got everyone here The first part of the ride, Fallon to Carson City was speedy. We made cycling look pretty, pace lining, turning together. In Carson City, we waited for everyone so we could begin one of our last climbs together. While waiting, we all passed out in Starbucks. I mean I was face down on the floor. That’s one thing about the 4K, you sleep anywhere on anything and you don’t even care if people will give you funny looks. The climb today was really tough and I climbed most of it with Phoebe. I love biking with Phoebe, we have similar climbing, biking, pacing styles. I’m so glad she was with me because towards the end it was getting rough and some headwinds picked up. We did finally make it and again were hugged and high-fived by everyone already there. We all waited for everyone before beginning the descent into California. At the top we danced around the parking lot, froze a bit with the passing rain storm, and overall were just completely elated and elevated.

The descent was beautiful with amazing views of Lake Tahoe to the right. It was another one of those days where after the descent, the hills were rolling but so exhausting because of the climb earlier in the day. Eventually I made it to our other waiting point…CALIFORNIA! The sign for California was disappointing (compared to the other state signs) but incredible at the same time. We did it, we biked here, we biked to California! Absolutely crazy. And again, we waited as a team. Everyone in the area was just looking at the cluster of us, probably wondering why the in the world we were so excited. We circled up and screamed out our team cheer, blocked the roads to take countless pictures. We were ecstatic, we were one.

I met Keith freshman year at Virginia Tech. He was a great person and his personal motto was living life to the fullest, which he did until August 1, 2006 when he died from an unexpected head injury. I know thinking of him will help me get up the tough climb we have at the start of the day, and just the entire day in general. Today’s ride is 130 miles! It was a new record for everyone and the best part was EVERYONE made it . I rode with Megan, Basit, and Justin. It was fitting to ride with Basit and Justin on our century plus day as I rode my first century back in Kentucky with them. We barely made it to 100 miles back then and now we crushed 130 it’s rewarding to see the progress we’ve all made on this trip. The day started with a tough climb which was fairly short climb but around 8-12% grade and each switchback elevated us a significant distance. The climb was worth it though as we were rewarded with one of the best descents of the trip.

Today went out to Grandpas. It went out to my paternal grandfather who had bone and lung cancer and passed away before he and my mom met. It went out to my maternal grandfather who suffered from diabetes and heart issues and passed away just weeks after I was born. I wish I had met them, I heard they were great men and I wonder what it would have been like to have Grandpas. I’m sure it would have been wonderful since both my grandmothers were amazing women. It also goes out to everyone else’s grandpas and of course, “Grandpa” Tom on the ride.

I rode with Jess, Phoebe, and Kaitlin as team “Grapes of Rosé.” I was a Rosé, Jess was Cabernet Sauvignon, Phoebe was Merlot, and Kaitlin was Riesling. The day was supposed to be an easy, flat 55 mile day. We cruised through the early part, not worried about the destination only the journey. At our water stop around mile 40 (which was a fabulous cheese and cracker water stop to get us ready for Napa), we were told we were going to be rerouted (of course!) and that we had to bike an extra 15 miles AND go over a mountain. 4K O.K. At this point we shouldn’t be surprised. The news of course annoyed people, since we only had 15 flat miles to go and wanted to stop along the way at some vineyards. Expect the unexpected. The best part of this reroute was that it was beautiful. Unlike our original route where I’m certain the scenery would pale in comparison. We cycled along the backroads that winded through vineyards.

The climb was tough, but nothing we couldn’t handle. I took my time getting to the top. Jess and I sang the whole way up (mostly repeating the lines of Summer Lovin’ and Ain’t No Mountain High Enough that we knew) which made for an easy going and enjoyable climb.

NAPA! What a beautiful place! Today we spent the early part of the day wandering around downtown Napa and enjoying brunch. Later we went to the Artesa vineyard which was absolutely breathtaking.

It took me back to Tuscany a bit, only Tuscany was cooler since we were in a castle. Regardless, the views around the main building were astonishing. Though I’m considered “grandma Rose” I’m still a bit young to have the palate for true tasting. It is something that is developed over time and years of practice. I look forward to practicing and another trip to Napa (maybe when I have more dough) and another trip to Italy of course.  Regardless, the wine was delicious and I know I’m still a bigger fan of the reds though a cool Riesling has its place in the summertime. The reserve Pinot Nior was definitely my favorite, but the Cab Sav gave it a good run for its money. After enjoying tasting at the winery we travelled downtown Napa for another round of tastings at TASTE. While not a winery, this place provided numerous options. We further expanded our palates while enjoying a meal at restaurant featuring types of South American street food. While isolation and solitude along much of our western route were beautiful and profound in their own way, the culinary options were a welcomed experience.

Today was the second to last riding day. One we took at a leisurely pace. One we tried to enjoy with our group as much as possible. My last riding group, “The Final Countdown” was Alana, Phoebe, Omar, and Nick Pantaleo.

I’d say it was a pretty solid group for the last day. Phoebe helped delay the ride  with a flat, which was actually welcomed in my opinion. I wasn’t in a rush for the day to end as it only brought us closer to the final day which I wasn’t sure I was ready for. Once off the bike path, we were deeper into civilization aka traffic than we had been in a while. We pissed off California drivers  when we forgot that things such as traffic laws exist (maybe we were in Nevada too long), but still we didn’t care. As is tradition, there was an unexpected climb during the end. I didn’t mind, it was another thing that made the day go just a bit slower.  The riding day concluded with a pit stop at a Mexican restaurant for some celebratory Margs just before reaching the host.

Tonight we had our final pow wow. The comments have changed so much from the first pow wow and these few hours really made me realize that I was going to miss this group of people a lot. It also made me realize, that I have to keep finding my adventures, I can’t let life get stale.

The other thing that kept the day from being 100% perfect was the fact that the ride was over. I know this end only means new beginnings, new opportunities, chances to see where these wonderful people go, opportunities to stay in touch, travel, perhaps even plan another epic bike ride. But the past 70 days were incredible, wonderful, indescribable experiences, a journey full of challenges and accomplishments (and a journey I made without getting a single flat!). Life was truly elevated on this final day, the high, the adrenaline, the pure happiness during that 11 mile ride, crossing the Golden Gate bridge, and running into the Pacific Ocean.

We did everything TOGETHER that day, a sign of how far we’ve come, how much we bonded. The water was so cold, but I felt like we could have spent forever in it, in one big group hug, letting all the emotions of the trip flow through. So I’m going to stop here, all I can say is this journey was amazing. I cannot possibly describe it so others will understand. Actually, other people will never fully understand, and that’s okay. I hold this special bond with 26 individuals on what the 2011 4K for Cancer to San Francisco really means and will cherish each memory and look forward to days we can reunite and reflect, smile and laugh.

And of course, my mom and sister greeted me in costume

I’m sitting here, in my empty apartment in Denver just barely one week after our arrival in San Francisco. A week ago at this moment we were having our final pow wow. It feels like it was years ago. It feels like it was a decade ago that I biked across the country. Maybe the realization of it all still hasn’t fully happened. All I know is that I’m terribly missing the 4K already. In a week’s time, I flew back to Philly, drove to Wilmington, had a welcome back/departure dinner all in one, and began the 1800+ mile drive out to Denver with my parents. The drive took us THREE days (granted I was in somewhat of a pinch to get out here for the moving truck and work). It took us from May 29 to July 3 to go from Baltimore to Boulder. The drive was just not the same. Other points in time I would have found it fun and exciting to drive across the country, and maybe even in the future. But doing so immediately after biking across the country was just not exciting. I didn’t have any thrill from completing a twelve hour day (750 miles in the car) or eight hour day driving as I did on the bike. The quote by Ernest Hemmingway is so true, “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country the best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you and you and you have no such accurate remembrance of the country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” The only way to see the country is on a bike. I saw all the signs (or most of them anyway). I saw the people who adopted sections of highway and what or who they dedicated it to. I saw random historical markers that I never knew existed. I saw a lot more roadkill. I saw everything it seemed. When you are biking, you see the land, you feel the land, you feel the sun, wind, rain. You feel the people. I never spent so much time in a gas station or spent so much money at a gas station on something other than gas than when I was on the 4K. But a gas station was a treat, it was ice cream, it was a chance to walk in there in our chamois and jerseys and tell our story and ask for ice and water. This trip made me realize how much good there is in the world. How kind people are and how willing they are to help out some strangers.  I just want to say thank you to all. Many of the people who helped might never see this, but thank you, thank you, thank you for reaching out. I also want to say 4K team San Fran I love you and miss you already. I miss all of you, your hugs, laughs, tears, smiles, jokes, just everything. And thank all of you for making this summer unforgettable. Hope it’s not too long til we meet again (cough come to Denver cough)!

And now that I’m finally posting this 41 days after and not just a week later, I feel exactly the same. I miss everyone just as much, if not more. I already miss biking 12 hours a day.

Today went out to Erika Bury who my donor, friend, former lacrosse teammate Katie Berkel made her donation in honor of. The day started off a little rough mostly due to the previous day’s ride. But it was yet another beautiful day. I rode the day with Zac, Megan and Maria.

There was a stretch of about 20 miles where we absolutely killed it. I felt like were in a bike race and actually could pull off looking like road bikers! We came upon a lovely Bed and Breakfast off the side of the road that served the world’s only Bullberry Jam. Native to the area and apparently that area only. At the bed and breakfast the owner served us up some toast and delicious jam. Again it was another one of those random stops where we met someone who had their own cancer story and he had numerous family members who had, passed from, or are currently battling cancer.  That’s the thing about this ride, I knew before I started that so many people are affected by this terrible disease but riding across and hearing stories from strangers first hand just really puts a face to all the numbers. Naturally, as per 4K tradition, there was a beastly hill (mostly due to pure exhaustion) on our way into Bryce Canyon, but no worries-we conquered it. We conquer all.

Bryce Canyon is beautiful! I never knew this area existed before, so I’m happy this journey brought me here. Bryce Canyon is almost like an inside-out cave. Large formations that look like stalagmites fill a large canyon. The reds and oranges of the rocks are breathtaking. I cannot fathom how these wondrous places form, all I can say is each place leaves me in awe. America is truly beautiful and has so much to offer, so many places for adventure, so many places to explore.

Today was a big day, we knew it from the start, so I dedicated the day to my big sister, Monica.

Monica, one of my donors and biggest supporters of everything I do, has been a wonderful sister to me. We’ve grown so close over the years, particularly from when I began applying to colleges 8 years ago. My group today was Phoebe and Speedy Meg. Early in the day, there was a long climb to the summit of 9,600 feet.

It was a rough 40 miles, but we were promised a nice downhill. Our team name was “Can’t stop, won’t stop, just get to the top.” After a mile of beginning our descent, there was an uphill! At least it wasn’t long, but just unexpected. However, the rest of the day was not a breeze, but rather filled with several long and steep climbs. We climbed into Escalante Grand Staircase where the views were unreal. I didn’t even know this place existed before, but it was gorgeous and pictures don’t do it justice-like many of the views we have on our ride.

At the top, there was a sign showing the 14% grade descent we would embark on. The descent felt much like a roller coaster, sometimes a cliff on each side where I’d have to take the middle of the road. I’ve come a long way because I wasn’t terrified, my hands didn’t hurt from gripping the brakes. Of course I used them to slow down around some of the dangerous curves, but I was able to enjoy the views and wind in my face during the descent and the adrenaline rush. Today ended up much more difficult than I anticipated and it was a never ending ride it seemed. We ran into a fellow cross country biker we met in KY who was riding on his own, but now was with two more companions he met along the way. Again I couldn’t imagine doing some of these climbs with all that stuff!

The good part was despite what seemed like a constant beat down of steep climbs that came out of nowhere, today was one of my more positive days. All the way up, I was able to cheer on every person who was in my sight and of course a general GO 4K! For some reason I had enough air in my lungs to climb well and cheer. We finally reached our “host” another campground after a really long detour at yet another gas station where we all stuffed our faces! Unfortunately, tonight I had to settle for a tent instead of under the stars.  I’ve successfully managed to sleep outside every camping night until now, but it had rained and I wasn’t sure if it would stay dry through the night. We also were at the same campsite as the Bike the US for MS group. The campground did have a lovely view though

I mentioned before that the slogan for the American Cancer Society is More Birthdays. I decided that my slogan is More Ladies Nights.

The girlfriends I have had over the years have been wonderful. I have had so much fun with them over the years. I want to shout out to Meredith, Becky, Katie, Kammy, Anna, Burtch, Bridget all wonderful women I met at Virginia Tech and have been great friends with over the years. We’ve enjoyed many margs or bottles of wine together, a break from the motonony school or grad school can sometimes be. A group of girlfriends is so refreshing when in an engineering program and I mostly see guys on a daily basis. The statistics are startling, 1 in 3 women will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime. We are a group of 8, putting odds against us and so I cannot fathom any of us having to go through that battle. So today is for more ladies nights. May we all drink and be merry and someday we’ll join the red hat ladies, someday we’ll be old Hokies back at a VT football game. Today was a tough day, a 94 mile day. The hardest part was mile 60-80 as the winds picked up and there were several steep climbs. It’s tough enough climbing steep hills, but with winds against you sometimes it feels as if I’m going to just fall off my bike since I’m going so slow. It is also frustrating when you have to pedal hard down a hill. Overall the ride was beautiful, but in a different way. We definitely reached the desert, desert sands around. I made a sand angel at one of the water stops. Today my group was team Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

I was Splinter (who is the wise one that teaches the turtles), Nick was Donatello, Adam was Raphael, Alex was Michelangelo, and Justin was Leonardo. Capital Reef was a national park I never heard of, but was still interesting. Many of the rock formations looked like Swiss cheese or what I imagine some of the reefs look like when scuba diving. Tonight was our first of a long stretch of camping nights. We also were attempting to cook pasta for 27 people, 25 of which biked 94 miles, with two small camp stoves. We can do anything, right? Pretty ambitious and fortunately a park ranger came over and lent us his camping stoves as well. Still a slow process but could have been worse. We ended up eating late, around 9pm, and then I tuned in to sleep under the stars. I really enjoy being out in the open and surprisingly I don’t get any more bug bites than I do on a normal basis.

Today was a slight struggle getting up after getting 2 hours of sleep, but surprisingly it wasn’t as rough as other mornings. I dedicated the day to Helen Wozniak, who one of my donors Lindsay Huber made her donation in honor of. I was on team 9 ¾ today which consisted of Jess, Maria, and Vanessa. The day started out riding along a beautiful bike path that paralleled the highway. We were completely immersed in the red rocks of the area. The day overall was fairly short, and mostly scenic. I did have to find some small sagebrush to use as a ladies room in a rather sparse, desert area.

We stayed in a very interesting home in Green River that I guess could be considered a community house of sorts. The décor was just short of astonishing with star wars, Obama in a cowboy hat, the pope, a hanging collinder, and buzz light year. We were hoping to add our own artwork to the wall (a wedding gift I purchased for Alex and Bunny) that would have fit in perfectly, but of course we couldn’t find it in the black hole of the van.

Tonight we also had our third pow wow of the trip. This was special as you could really see how much we grew as a team and how much of a family we have become. The general comments were related to finishing as a team, getting everyone to the host, a complete change in mentality about biking. Most people discussed just getting there. Sure some days would take a while, but it’s about the journey, enjoying it, making the most of it, one pedal push at a time. A major triumph was of course everyone getting to the top of Trail Ridge, which showed that everyone is physically and mentally capable. We each have our own tough days our own personal hurdles to get over, but we realize when someone needs a lift to get them through the day. Maria had especially touching words when she discussed how we became a family, which is so true as I care about everyone in this group. I know I’m going to be sad to leave them, but I am also excited to see where everyone is headed and what great things they will do in life. Tom also brought up a very relevant idea. Everyone was talking about this being a once in a lifetime opportunity. Sure, biking across the country might be a once in a lifetime thing, but we can’t stop living. We don’t have to conform to what we think is the path we are supposed to take or get ourselves stuck. Seize all opportunities. Go study abroad, if your job takes you somewhere, go, if you want to move to another country or part of America for a while just do it. Embrace life, live life. This is much like what Rockstar Shirley is doing, and something I want to hold onto. Live, love, laugh and never stop trying.

Most of today was a typical day off, touring the town, buying souvenirs, and doing laundry. The evening, however, was special. We all went up to Arches National Park for the sunset. We went to Windows and then to Delicate arch. Walking to Delicate arch was surreal and it felt like we were walking on mars (or what we imagined mars would seem like). When we got to the arch, the moon was beginning to rise and instead of watching the sunset, we watched the moonrise. I have never watched a moonrise or even expected to see a beautiful one like this. The moon was surrounded by various blues, pinks, and purples each shade gradually getting darker while the moon grew brighter. I was in awe and it was beautiful sharing this moment with the 4K family.

After the moonrise, half of the group went to see midnight Harry Potter back in Grand Junction (yes, of course I was in that group)! We drove 2+ hours back to Grand Junction to see the midnight showing since it was not playing in Moab. Certainly this was crazy, we wouldn’t get back until 5:30am only to get up at 7am to bike. Fortunately the following day was a “short” day. The lack of sleep was totally worth the adventure of going to Grand Junction and seeing the awesomeness of HP.

Today went out to Rockstar Shirley.

This was the second century day of leg 2 and also the last day of leg 2. The morning started off great with Main Street Bagels opening the shop early to provide us with delicious, toasted (a rarity) bagels!

I cycled today with my co-leg leader, Basit in our awesome matching jerseys purchased at a thrift store weeks ago.

The ride was great, and not nearly as rough as anticipated. While hot and sunny on open, empty roads it was a really beautiful ride.

Again, Colorado surprised me with its ever changing landscape. We also entered Utah, notching another state off and the awe of how far we’ve cycled really sinking in.

About 40 miles out of Moab, after cycling past a ghost town, a storm or rather the apocalypse was beginning. Some groups were already ahead and probably in the canyon. We were on the outskirts, listening to the thunder and the wild streaks of lightening. We only made it about 4 miles from the water stop and decided we had to take shelter. Three of us, Caity, Vanessa and I, carried our bikes off the road, down the bank, to hide under a bridge. The storm continued to pick up with howling winds, roaring thunder, and flashes of light across the sky. Pretty much the Apocalypse was occurring. The rain poured down and the wind blew it under the bridge, keeping us from staying entirely dry. We at least were not as soaked as other groups, or the front group that biked through the storm. As the winds died and the rain slowed to a sprinkle, we emerged from our hiding place to forge onward. It’s crazy to think that back in Illinois, a storm less of that magnitude stopped us from biking and we all go shuttled. Now it just causes us to pause, seek temporary shelter, and then move on. No one wanted to get shuttled, we all wanted to continue biking and knew that the storm would be quick. We met back up with the other group who was just a few miles ahead and regrouped into our teams. The rest of the ride was through a canyon which was gorgeous. Overall, the day was spent on roads less traveled further reinforcing how we are really seeing things that not many people get to see.

Today I dedicated the day to Katie Fitzgerald, who my friend and teammate Michelle made her donation in honor of. Michelle used to visit Katie at a center when she was in grad school at Duke. Instead of biking today I went with 7 other riders to Grand Junction to visit St. Mary’s Cancer Center and the local hospice. We took a tour of the cancer center which was a beautiful place where they have a lot of support for the patients. At the center we briefly met Shirley, a volunteer at the center (who came to dinner later and was just amazing). We also met Tracey and Andrea. Andrea is 22, and was in the center for more blood work as 3 months prior she was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer that does not usually strike the young and would be more common in people over 40. Her mom had kidney cancer four years ago and really stressed being your own advocate. She discussed how persistence is what kept her here today because she knew something was wrong with her own body and would constantly push doctors for more tests. Andrea also was sick for the past year and it was difficult to diagnose her blood cancer. Ironically enough, before we arrived at the center Andrea was talking to her mom about wanting to run a marathon. We came in and shared our accomplishments, and shared how Tom, one of our riders, will complete this cross country cycling journey 1 year after being diagnosed with cancer. It is our hope that she will continue to fight and one day run that marathon. After visiting the cancer center we went to the local hospice which was the most beautiful place. It is a non-profit hospice that has 13 large, comfortable rooms. The entire building is calming and aesthetically pleasing. Butterflies and stain glass are a common theme throughout. We also learned that one of the builders, Dan, had a brain tumor at age 32. He continued to build the hospice because he truly believed in it and passed away at 34 leaving behind his family. The walkway around the hospice is named “Dan’s Walk” and just truly shows the kindness and connections between people.

Dinner was provided by several organizations. Wendy who is a part an interfaith group pulled together amazing things on two days notice. I was so happy that Shirley, who we saw at the center, was at the dinner. She was wearing a shirt that said, “I’m not a rockstar, I just party like one.” I saved her a seat between me and Emilie and it was the most amazing conversation I have had in a while. Shirley is truly an inspiration. She had breast cancer 3 times. She is now 88 and has traveled all over the world. Shirley was full of wisdom, everything she said was so true. I’m so excited to have met her, so full of life despite some of her setbacks, and just always moving forward. She said, “I move up, and I don’t look back at who is chasing me, it’s the only way.” Other lines related to loving yourself first because it’s the only way you can love others and you need a little bit of ego to move forward in the world and take leaps and bounds. She continually travels and will be going to Germany and Romania in August. She travels through an exchange program called French Force International where she stays with hosts and really learns the culture rather than having every step planned and staying in hotels. Shirley was filled of great wisdom, even her saying some of the most simple things that would seem obvious were just so profound and true. The best part is she visits her grandchildren in Denver, so I have already exchanged information to visit with her when I move out to Colorado in August!

Today I dedicated the day to Charles Bennet, who my friend Katie Murray made her donation in honor of. I rode with team O.R.J.I. (Omar, myself, Jess, and Ilana).

It was a great riding day where the first 20 miles were along a scenic bike path that actually had a speed limit posted for bikes of 20mph! We continued to cycle along a river and then began a steep 3.5 mile climb.

While that climb was challenging, the decent and rest of the route was quite the reward! I reached my maximum speed of the trip so far of 40.5 mph on the descent! After the long descent, we maintained 18mph to the host, with Omar leading the way. I was excited to get Omar to lead all the way at the host because he doesn’t like to lead since he’s worried about getting lost. Today was the perfect day for him to be up front since there were fewer turns. A mile out of Paonia, we stopped at a winery and enjoyed some free tastings. We learned that the manager of the winery had his own battle with cancer and they donated a few bottles of wine to us along with some snacks.

We stayed at the United Methodist Church of Paonia, where the pastor Russell, whom I’ve been in contact with, was just as wonderful in person as on the phone, and his 5 year old grandson is absolutely adorable. He was so excited to hang out with all of the riders and his grandmother even bought a 4K shirt for him. Russell and the entire congregation were so welcoming. They also had the best meals for us, both a delicious dinner with plenty of vegetarian sides and hearty breakfast. A nice surprise (more for the Hopkins students) was the Johns Hopkins alumni that was present at the dinner who lost his wife a few years back to cancer. I also met a retired mining engineer who went to Colorado School of Mines. It was nice talking to someone in my field and getting some more guidance (every bit helps) before I start work! A woman from the congregation also gave us $50 to get ice cream at the local ice cream shop!

Today we all enjoyed a day off in Glenwood Springs and most of us went whitewater rafting. Our river guide, Jessica spends the summers rafter and the off season in Antarctica! I found that unbelievable and she works with providing meals for the scientists. It was interesting to hear about since I never met anyone who has been to Antarctica. This was further proof that there are all sorts of opportunities out there. We rafted 17 miles along parts of the Crystal and Colorado rivers. It was another pleasant way of seeing the surrounding area and we didn’t have to pedal!

Today goes out to Carol Huffman who my friend Matt Miller made his donation in honor of. I rode with Bunny and Justin. The ride today was gorgeous. Most of it was on unpaved roads, which for once didn’t bother me or really anyone else. The route took us through yet another amazing part of Colorado. We went from snow covered mountains to red and grey soils and sands. The red soil is a result of oxidized iron while the sandy, grey rocks are indicative of calcium deposits. We rode along a good portion of the Colorado River. Being on unpaved roads with few cars passing us reinforced how we were getting to see things that most people don’t get to see.

Today I was the designated van driver and missed out on a 42 mile, mostly downhill ride. The scenery looked beautiful, but overall glad I didn’t miss a big day. All the riders were in by noon. I dedicated the day to Team San Fran because I’m so proud of everyone’s accomplishments yesterday (and Katie and Adam who are going to ride Trail Ridge today since they were van drivers yesterday, and Justin who is going to ride it for the 2^nd time in a row). We’ve all come so far, crushed personal hurdles, and have really grown as a team and family. Today is just for fun, today is for smiles and sitting back at the host and just relaxing because everyone deserves it! We were hosted by Kremmling community church, who have been supporters of this organization for many years and we had delicious lasagna. Everyone enjoyed relaxing and watching Shrek since we don’t often have downtime for movies or TV, or even have it as an option. I enjoyed spending most of the afternoon in the local coffee shop, which is one of my favorite, Saturday or Sunday activities to do.

Since we made it up Trail Ridge it seems as though everything will be downhill, not literally obviously. We are out west, there are still mountains but since everyone made it to the top, we know we have no limits and can do anything. When we have tough times ahead, we will know we can make it through, we just need to keep pedaling.

To maintain tradition, we all took pictures on top of the 4K rock which was a few miles after the 2 mile high marker.  It was so exciting seeing everyone standing on top of the rock, like we were on top of the world as well as really becoming rooted in 4K tradition. To me that rock is like a pact, a pact made to never give up, a pact that anything is possible if you try.

The feeling  I had reaching the top and getting to the welcome center was nothing I ever felt before. Upon entering the welcome center, I found every rider who was already there and hugged every single one, and hugged everyone who entered after me. This was no time for simple high-fives, we really accomplished something. EVERYONE finished. Just 40 days ago, people were struggling; we had days where we needed to shuttle people, not today, not on the hardest day of the trip. We all ROCKED the Rockies. We all showed that we can do anything, really that anyone can do anything if you stay focused, have support, have patience, and persevere.  I couldn’t be happier and more proud to be a part of this group.

We stayed at the top, relaxing and enjoying the view. At one point, we looked out the window of the welcome center and saw that we were over a rainbow!

How awesome is that? Actually being on top of a rainbow shows how high we were and was just so surreal. Eventually we started our descent sometime after 5pm. The first part of the descent before reaching the continental divide was rather scary.

The roads were wet, parts were covered with snow melt, and a dense fog loomed over the mountains decreasing visibility. Despite the increased anxiety and adrenaline, it was still a nice reward for climbing to the top. After the continental divide, the scenery was beautiful and the wildlife was bountiful.

All in all BEST DAY EVER

Today was truly amazing to see how connections can spread across the country. In a really round about way, we managed to come up with one of the best hosts of the trip so far, our first cancer center visits and community presentation, delicious food…etc. I loved meeting some of my cousin’s closest friends (Ruth and Freddie) during her Kansas days.

The mileage today was 92, but it ended up being a beautiful 92 miles through Kansas and into Nebraska. Most of the way we were in Kansas and traveled north on 183 all the way up to Alma. Although it gets boring, its sometimes nice to be on the same road w/o having to worry about many turns. Today was also a 4K record smashing and setting day. Ganesh biked 77 miles without touching his handlebars and Justing biked 80 miles without sitting in his saddle.

It might sound silly to try this, but it added another element to the ride and something for them both to push for. I managed to travel with them as a witness and to take pictures of the awesome moment which meant I skipped all water stops and didn’t stop for a break until we reached the Dairy Barn in Alma at mile 88. I think that it proved that we can all move faster (though not drinking water is of course not recommended) but we don’t need the long breaks we started out doing and we now realize we can cover some serious ground in less time now. Kansas and Nebraska were just full of open, blue skies, the temperature was perfect and as we got closer to Nebraska I could definitely notice the change in the smell in the air as it started to smell like sweet corn, and close to Alma flowers lined the highway excreting the sweet smell of what I believe was lavender.

Crossing into Alma we cycled over the Republican River and a nice bike path led the way into the Methodist Cove Campground which was beautiful campground with a lake and many of us had the opportunity to see some local wildlife, deer and bunnies, running about.  The local Relay for Life in group Alma provided us with an amazing dinner that was enjoyed by all. Angie, one of the members of Relay for Life had a battle with Leukemia 2 years ago. It was really nice to have a dinner with another cancer organization as they really believed in what we were doing and had so many of their own amazing stories. Following dinner we all enjoyed roasting (by the way I’m a slow roaster, not a burner) marshmallows by our first campfire. The weather was perfect for camping and I enjoyed sleeping under the stars and watching the show the lightning bugs were putting on. It was even better waking up outside the tent to see the sunrise. I’d have to say that sleeping outside without a tent is so wonderful and free I hope the other riders (Bunny joined me this time) try it out on another camping night. The best part is that I didn’t wake up with a ton of bug bites like last time!

Another exciting part about the day was that Maria was back for her first ride after being out for 2 weeks from her injury. It was awesome that it was a great day for her to get started on the bike again.

Day 23: Girard, KS to Fredonia, KS Today I am dedicating to my friend, classmate, and donor Lindsay Alexander’s mom mom, pap pap, and Aunt Carol. We were all excited about sleeping in until 6am and having a short day of only 55 miles. However, by the time we had the vans packed we found out that there might be a 20 mile detour. I guess 75 miles could still be considered a short day. To set our groups today we each picked skittles out of a bag. The intention to mix the groups was good, but I ended up with people that I already rode with, Ganesh, Phoebe, and Justin.  The wind made this ride extremely difficult. Since it was a short day we were all expecting to get in around noon or 1pm but did not make it in until after 4pm. The roads are finally flat, but we cannot seem to catch a break and the wind made cycling difficult. It was extremely discouraging to be pedaling on flat roads at barely 10mph. The wind easily decreased our speed by 10 to 15mph.  By the end of the day we took a long break at a gas station just before town. I was able to introduce Ganseh to pixie sticks and Ganesh, Nick & I each enjoyed a giant pixie stick and a big sugar rush following. Ganesh was definitely a novice which was amusing.

When we arrived at our host, we found out that we were going to have a nice dinner at the local park and be entertained by hula dancers…that’s right, HULA DANCERS in Fredonia, KS! Who knew? It was a neat surprise, and the woman who teaches hula was from Malaysia and recently began a dance school in Fredonia and the show was comprised of 10-13 year old hula dancers.It was very neat and of course random which is something I always enjoy. While back at the church and getting settled in, the storm began to cover overhead. We walked out and the sky was growing darker.

Since we aren’t used to the Kansas weather we weren’t sure what to expect and were given lessons on tornados and “hooking” in the sky to know what to look for. Fortunately it was just a really big storm, but nothing that kept any of us awake (since we can sleep anywhere at anytime).

I now have my first smartphone…super exciting (but figuring out all the capabilities is a little tough as I’m still a bit old school, remember I’m the “grandmother” on the trip at age 25). We made it to the store and learned that the rep working had his stepfather recently go into hospice care as he was on his final leg battling cancer. It’s insane how nearly every person we meet and talk to, no matter where we are has had their own battle with cancer or has been connected in one way or another.

Dedication: TO BLOGGING!

Today was awesome! I slept in until 9am, in a hotel bed. What more could I ask for? After breakfast, I started catching up on blogging for the entire trip. Took a break to head with the group on a little family, touristy trip to Mammoth Caves right outside Cave City, KY. Mammoth Caves have over 300 miles of caves and is continuously being explored. What we saw was merely a needle in a haystack, but incredible to say the least. It was nice to see something other than the inside of my eyelids on a day off, as we all are getting used to the tiring days and want to make the most of our days off.

After the cave tour, went back to the hotel and had dinner at the hotel restaurant followed by an attempt to blog more which was interrupted by a massive downpour. We ran out to the tennis courts where our bikes were being stored to run them into the covered pool area. Within one minute I was soaked to the bone, sprinting with bikes. On my return trip to run into the hotel to get the key for my bike lock, I was running so fast I was suddenly flying, and by flying I mean falling. I did get good air though apparently and was pretty much parallel to the ground. It was a phenomenal wipeout that I wish was recorded. Even after the fact I just layed face down laughing in the rain because I could only imagine what it looked like to everyone else. Anyway, my fall with style cost be 5 bucks since an hour before the occurence we created the “Fall Fund” where you owe more money (on a scale from $1 to $5) when falls are more embarrassing or stupid, such as wiping out in a rainstorm not even on a bike, or falling over at a red light while still clipped in). I’m proud to be the first contributor and if you have been reading my previous blogs it shouldn’t come as a surprise. If this fund was created on day 1 I would probably owe $30 by now!

Day 10: Council, VA to Pippa Passes, KY Dedication: Nick Pucci. Today my ride goes out to more birthdays, the slogan of the American Cancer Society. Nick Pucci is one of the San Francisco riders and his birthday is today. He is a survivor of Hodgkins lymphoma.  Today I was biking with Nick and Megan and Mike joined our group after lunch. Today was a tough ride, probably the most difficult so far with multiple climbs that were all over a mile long.  We had a very long stop about halfway through the day to wait for the other groups. This 2.5 hour wait made it hard to get back on the bike and there were many times between mile 50 to the end where I thought about giving up, but then I reminded myself, “this is for more birthdays,” every time I climbed up the mountains.  I also may have not made it the entire way if Nick wasn’t in my group. If he’s doing this ride, then I can do it too. Highlights of the day included crossing into Kentucky after 8 days in Virginia, climbing Pound mountain, a Snickers Ice cream bar, and hitting my longest mileage yet which was 93. We finally reached Pippa Passes & Alice Lloyd College just before dusk.

In Marion, VA we stayed at First United Methodist Church which did not have showers. However, the members of the church were so kind and welcomed us into their homes to shower. Myself and a few others went to Joette and her husbands home which was the most beautiful home I have ever seen. Large, white pillars in the front, a porch that you could drink sweet tea on all day long, and an inside that had its fair share of antiques. Her neighbor also let us shower and then we spent the evening chatting on the porch until we had a ride back to the church. Joette also gave us all moon flowers which only open at night and have the most beautiful smell. Before we left Joette, her husband, and neighbor all gave us hugs that were so warm I felt like they made us their grandchildren! I’m blown away at the kindness of people in southwestern Virginia.

Chowing down

The people in this town were so friendly as we took over in full force and it’s a very rewarding feeling when people are so interested and inspired by what we are doing. We stayed in Southern VA University and were able to sleep in the dorms. The dorms brought me back to freshman year, they were hot but it was nice to have a mattress. A shoutout also goes to the Ruby Tuesday’s in Lexington, VA who gave us 25% off our bill.

Happy Memorial Day! Today is dedicated to my other grandmother, Ann Patterson who fought breast cancer two times in her life and passed away on February 13, 2006. This route turned out nice, but quickly turned south when we realized that our original path to Dale City was blocked due to parades. We were then rerouted to Route 1 around D.C. I probably aged five years from this route alone. The heavy traffic and multitudes of potholes did not make it easy for a novice biker! The only upside was the section of

route 1 that we (Mike, Megan, and I) were escorted because of the Ride to Recovery for wounded vets that were riding from Arlington, VA to Virginia Beach, VA.  It was a nice break from dealing with the traffic, only I felt pathetic when every rider would pass asking if I was okay. My response “I’m fine, just slow.” The other neat part about route 1 was that when it was completely backed up with t

raffic, we were able to ride down the center like a motorcycle…see ya later suckers! The cars eventually caught back up to us, but not anytime soon.  The highlight of the day was entering Virginia (unfortunately the sign is difficult to read, one state down and how many more to go?! When we arrived, we went to CVS and bought a gallon of ice cream and split it between the 3 of us. DELICIOUS and such a nice treat after a long, stressful, hot ride. Our café church host did not have showers, but the local fire station said we could use theirs. Three of us got dropped off at a fire station which turned out to be the wrong one. The really awesome part about it was that they heard what we were doing, let us shower there and then also realized we hadn’t eaten and gave us watermelon, burgers, hot dogs, pasta salad etc which made for an awesome meal and a nice end to a rough day, and they even donated first aid kits. Each shared how cancer affected their own lives and we were all so grateful for the kindness of everyone at Station 13.

Today was dedicated to my Aunt Maria who is a cervical cancer survivor. I biked with Justin and Nick Pantaleo, unfortunately we never gave ourselves a team name. We came upon two surprise gravel roads where I experienced my first fall on gravel, something my bike, and my skills aren’t quite ready for. Later it left a nice trail of bruises leading from my knee to my butt from each rock that I landed on. The terrain today wasn’t bad overall, some smaller climbs. The battle today was the heat. Once the sun was out, it was unbearable. We had a slow but steady day, taking multiple breaks. However, due to our “long cut” we weren’t going to make it to the host before dark. We still hit the day’s mileage though, 81.3, and ended up in Louisa County, just about 8 miles from the host. So I’d say it was a successful day and a finished day despite having to get picked up. A nice surprise was when a gas station donated a bunch of Gatorade and power bars to us when we were sitting outside at one of our water stops and even a truck driver loaded with cakes passed along a box of goodies to us. We spent the evening at Louisa Baptist Church and are very grateful for our hosts.

Along the way, we were able to spread the word of what we are doing to locals in Bucanan when we stopped to treat ourselves to homemade brownies! Later on, I had the pleasure of meeting some AT through hikers, PC & Ross, that I met at a gas station I stopped at to pick up some snacks. They shared that they both did a century ride in support of breast cancer and thought this was awesome and hope to follow us along the way. I see them as potentially being future riders

It was such a surreal feeling to be riding into Blacksburg on a bike, just 2 weeks after I packed up my apartment and said goodbyes. It was awesome to be back so soon, and I felt so proud of this place as the other riders commented on the beauty of the area and Virginia Tech and our lovely buildings made of Hokie stone.

I also am so proud of every rider and support van driver. Despite it being a long day, and even longer with detours, everyone cycled into Blacksburg which I think is just awesome and shows how far everyone has come in this first week and how much they have been able to push.

The long day ended with a cookout sponsored by the Outdoor Club of Virginia Tech, a group I have been a part of during graduate school. I just want to shout out and say how awesome they all are and give tremendous thanks. I called on Wednesday (with not much advanced notice) to ask if they had ideas for food donations, and they turned around and sponsored a cookout for us! It truly shows the mission of Virginia Tech, Ut Prosim, that I may serve, which makes me incredibly proud to be a Hokie.  As fellow outdoor and active enthusiasts and the OCVT members being touched by cancer in various ways they are inspired by what we are doing and wanted to help make sure we were well fed and strong to continue.