http://www.ulmanfund.org/Get-Involved/Job-Openings/Intern-4K-for-Cancer.aspx

Details:

Who: anyone and everyone

What: A chance to better prepare yourself for this summer, and better see the capital

When: 10 am April 1st

Where: 921 East Fort Ave, Baltimore MD 21230

Why: these rides are the best way prepare for this summer.

Details:

Who: anyone and everyone

What: A chance to better prepare yourself for this summer.

When: 1 pm March 18th

Where: Centennial Lake, Ellicott City, MD (The address is 10266 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD)

Why: these rides are the best way prepare for this summer.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-12-03/news/bs-ho-neighbors-ulman-fund-1204-20111201_1_colorectal-cancer-doug-ulman-cancer-survivor

December 03, 2011|By Janene Holzberg

Ryan Hanley spent the summer before he turned 18 thinking about organizing a transcontinental bike ride to raise money for cancer. When he entered the Johns Hopkins University, he set about selling the idea and recruiting classmates and friends to ride 4,000 miles.

The maiden effort that he had dubbed 4K for Cancer — which raised $80,000 in 2002 in memory of Hanley’s father, who had died of cancer when Hanley was 13 — operated under the university’s auspices for five years before becoming an independent nonprofit organization.

Now, 4K for Cancer is merging with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, a Columbia-based advocacy and support organization.

Founded in 1997 by three-time cancer survivor Doug Ulman, brother of County Executive Ken Ulman, the UCF is one of only a dozen nonprofit organizations in the country that focus solely on young adult patients and their families, said Brock Yetso, executive director.

“This merger will make each of our organizations stronger,” said Yetso, whose mother died four weeks after she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2000. “Society is recognizing that cancer is the No. 1 killer of our population and getting on the bandwagon.”

The missions and personal experiences of the two staffs are so complementary that they seemed destined to align, he said. Cancer turned most of their lives upside-down in one way or another, and motivated them to re-evaluate their priorities.

“There were 70,000 young adults diagnosed with cancer across the country last year — eight times the number of children,” he said, quoting statistics from the National Cancer Institute. “While there are well-funded organizations that advocate for kids and those that advocate for older adults, there are not a lot in between.”

Merging the UCF’s focus on connecting, educating and supporting young adults with cancer with 4K’s appeal to college students who want to join in the fight will help the UCF achieve the success of other age-specific campaigns, Yetso said.

“Our business model was already based on collaboration and partnerships,” he said. “We’re all about not reinventing the wheel.”

While 4K will retain its identity, staff, programming and website, it will become a program under the umbrella of the UCF, said Brian Satola, assistant director. The 4K staff has already moved into the UCF’s Baltimore office; the UCF’s Howard County office is located on Stevens Forest Road.

“We give them a lot of credit for putting egos aside and seeing the larger picture,” said Satola, whose sister faced leukemia as a child and is a two-time cancer survivor. “This merger will enable us to leverage more resources and have a greater impact. It was a question of taking something great and making it even greater.”

Jessica Protasio, a children’s instructor and research specialist at the Savage branch of the Howard County Library, said she’s “doing great” since her liver transplant in March. But it was the support she received from the UCF during a series of setbacks leading up to her surgery that made all the difference, she said.

And Protasio has been through a lot. An appendectomy was canceled last summer while she was waiting to be taken to the operating room so hospital physicians could further examine her liver. Testing revealed a tumor.

http://www.facebook.com/events/249415551790583/

Combination of Organizations With a Shared Mission to

Activate Young Adults in the Fight Against Cancer

Baltimore, Maryland – November 28, 2011 - The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults (UCFYA)today announced the merger with 4K for Cancer (4K), an organization with a shared vision to empower and activate young adults in the fight against cancer.

4K for Cancer began as the Hopkins 4K for cancer in 2001 when a group of undergraduate students at Johns Hopkins University combined their desire to fight cancer with a goal to cycle 4,000 miles across the country. Each year, the organization coordinates a team of college students to cycle across the country while raising money and awareness for the fight against cancer.

4K for Cancer grew to become a stand-alone non-profit organization in 2008, and teamed up with UCFYA in 2011. The merger announced today will provide 4K for Cancer with the infrastructure and support necessary for growth, while leveraging the relationships both organizations have fostered with volunteers, donors, and strategic partners.

“UCFYA and 4K for Cancer are stronger as one and we’re excited to welcome such an extraordinary organization,” said UCFYA Executive Director Brock Yetso. “We share common values and a mission to support young adults with cancer by providing a platform for awareness and engagement through sport. We are humbled to have this partnership and believe the next chapter of the Ulman Cancer Fund and 4K will bring many successes that we are both anticipating – and those we can’t even predict yet!”

According to 4K for Cancer Board of Directors Chairman and Founder Ryan Hanley, the merger unites two organizations that have similar histories, and an extraordinary base of supporters. Both organizations were founded on a college campus and have grown around the shared motivations of helping young adults and communities impacted by cancer.

“Our goal for the merger is to continue to empower our riders and alumni to make a positive impact in the cancer community, while improving the support that they receive to do so,” Hanley said. “By teaming up with UCF, we will gain much needed infrastructure support while staying focused on our core mission.”

For UCFYA, the addition of 4K for Cancer will enhance its ability to activate more people in the fight against cancer while using sport as a platform to raise substantial revenue to support the growth of UCFYA Patient Navigation Programs at cancer centers across the country. Over the next several weeks, 4K for Cancer will move one employee over to the UCFYA staff and four Directors over to the UCFYA Board of Directors. The merger is scheduled to be finalized with the State of Maryland in early January.

About Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults:

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults (UCF), founded in 1997, is the national leader in providing specialized support for young adults affected by cancer. With nearly 70,000 young adults diagnosed every year, our organization helps young people fight the disease and navigate treatment by providing access to information, support groups, and other specialized programs. UCF Patient Navigation Programs have set a national standard and can be accessed remotely or through onsite Patient Navigators at a growing number of hospitals in the Mid-Atlantic region. UCF is a founding member of the LIVESTRONGTM Young Adult Alliance and a national pioneer in developing innovative approaches in cancer support. UCF enhances lives by supporting, educating and connecting young adults, and their loved ones, affected by cancer. For more information, please visit,www.ulmancancerfund.org.

About 4K for Cancer:

The 4K for Cancer is dedicated to empowering young adults in uniting communities across the country in the fight against cancer through community service and support. 4K for Cancer began as the Hopkins 4K for Cancer in 2001 when a group of undergraduate students at the Johns Hopkins University decided to combine their desire to fight against cancer with their dream of cycling across the country. Founded by Ryan Hanley in the memory of his father who passed away from cancer, the 4K set off on the first 4,000-mile journeys from Baltimore to San Francisco in the summer of 2002.  The founding team included Jenn Hardy, Leah Blom, Kelly Hewitt and Brent Bass. Since its beginnings, 4K has rasied over $1Million to support the cancer fight in Baltimore, MD and communities across the country.

By Janene Holzberg, Special to The Baltimore Sun
5:48 p.m. EST, December 1, 2011

Original Article

Ryan Hanley spent the summer before he turned 18 thinking about organizing a transcontinental bike ride to raise money for cancer. When he entered the Johns Hopkins University, he set about selling the idea and recruiting classmates and friends to ride 4,000 miles.

The maiden effort that he had dubbed 4K for Cancer — which raised $80,000 in 2002 in memory of Hanley’s father, who had died of cancer when Hanley was 13 — operated under the university’s auspices for five years before becoming an independent nonprofit organization.

Now, 4K for Cancer is merging with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, a Columbia-based advocacy and support organization.

Founded in 1997 by three-time cancer survivor Doug Ulman, brother of County Executive Ken Ulman, the UCF is one of only a dozen nonprofit organizations in the country that focus solely on young adult patients and their families, said Brock Yetso, executive director.

“This merger will make each of our organizations stronger,” said Yetso, whose mother died four weeks after she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2000. “Society is recognizing that cancer is the No. 1 killer of our population and getting on the bandwagon.”

The missions and personal experiences of the two staffs are so complementary that they seemed destined to align, he said. Cancer turned most of their lives upside-down in one way or another, and motivated them to re-evaluate their priorities.

“There were 70,000 young adults diagnosed with cancer across the country last year — eight times the number of children,” he said, quoting statistics from the National Cancer Institute. “While there are well-funded organizations that advocate for kids and those that advocate for older adults, there are not a lot in between.”

Merging the UCF’s focus on connecting, educating and supporting young adults with cancer with 4K’s appeal to college students who want to join in the fight will help the UCF achieve the success of other age-specific campaigns, Yetso said.

“Our business model was already based on collaboration and partnerships,” he said. “We’re all about not reinventing the wheel.”

While 4K will retain its identity, staff, programming and website, it will become a program under the umbrella of the UCF, said Brian Satola, assistant director. The 4K staff has already moved into the UCF’s Baltimore office; the UCF’s Howard County office is located on Stevens Forest Road.

“We give them a lot of credit for putting egos aside and seeing the larger picture,” said Satola, whose sister faced leukemia as a child and is a two-time cancer survivor. “This merger will enable us to leverage more resources and have a greater impact. It was a question of taking something great and making it even greater.”

Jessica Protasio, a children’s instructor and research specialist at the Savage branch of the Howard County Library, said she’s “doing great” since her liver transplant in March. But it was the support she received from the UCF during a series of setbacks leading up to her surgery that made all the difference, she said.

And Protasio has been through a lot. An appendectomy was canceled last summer while she was waiting to be taken to the operating room so hospital physicians could further examine her liver. Testing revealed a tumor.

Months later, she awoke from anesthesia after a scheduled liver resection, in which only cancerous parts of the liver are removed, to learn that procedure was stopped when surgeons discovered her cancer had spread. A transplant became her only option as she became very ill.

“When I came out of appointments and my patient navigator was waiting for me … that just meant so much,” she recalled.

UCF patient navigators stationed in several area hospitals offer educational guidance and emotional support to 2,000 clients a year, Yetso said. “We’re there to hold their hands up to a point, but we also empower them to handle their treatment,” he explained.

UCF employees have provided everything from transportation to shoulders to cry on, Protasio said, even hooking her up with a “cancer buddy” who’d had a similar type of cancer and understood what she was going through.

As if that wasn’t enough, Protasio now participates in UCF events, which include walks, runs and triathlons. Soon 4K for Cancer’s cycling fundraisers will be added to that mix.

“I’ve learned that it’s exciting to help people and be part of the community of we, instead of the community of me,” she said. “This is an amazing organization.”

Dr. Susan Moriarty, a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente in Columbia, said her practice has helped fund UCF events and looks forward to the possibilities the merger will bring.

“Young adults with cancer are not in the news a lot, but this is a critical group and merging with another group that involves college students is brilliant,” she said.

Yetso couldn’t agree more.

“We’ve each been able to build an army of supporters using sports,” he said of the two organizations.

“But the Ulman Fund wasn’t immune to the economic downturn these last three years. With a 50 to 70 percent dip in donations, we were begging people to attend events, and we had to lay off three employees,” he said.

“The old way wasn’t working, and we’re becoming more innovative,” Yetso said. “The key is working with people who can help us do our job better.”

On behalf of the Ulman Cancer Fund and the rest of the 4K for Cancer staff, I would like to announce that registration for the 2012 ride will be opening and available to all accepted riders on Wednesday November 16th. We apologize for the delay and hope everyone is able to navigate the page well.

Please check in for future updates and news as we implement new systems to make the 4K a more rewarding experience for everyone involved.

Thank you,

Stephen Hersey

Interim 4K for Cancer Program Coordinator,
Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults

Thanks to Meg for putting together this wonderful 2011 Team San Fran video!

Thanks to Rosemary for putting together this amazing video of the 2011 Team Seattle ride!

We still have a limited number of 5K, Half and Full spots available.

Visit http://4kforcancer.org/join-the-journey/baltimore-running-festival/ to register.

Our host church in Missoula was built by the guy who inspired the novel “A River runs through it”.

After exploring the offices, we were asked to take part in a photo shoot for possible submission in an upcoming ACA publication!  We also had our photo taken and put up on the Hall of Fame Wall (next to the photo of some riders from Team Seattle that stopped in earlier in the way on their way through).

To inspire and unite

June 28, 2011

Save | Post a comment | 

Group Of Bike Riders Surpassing Donation Goal

POSTED: 6:44 pm MDT July 12, 2011
UPDATED: 7:02 pm MDT July 12, 2011

The ride was amazing. We rode a couple 1000 feet up into a national park / mountain. The sights were majestic.

Today I was fully understood the spirit of 4k. I get to wake up ride into awesome places with some of my now closest friends. Even if a rider is not with us in body they are ever present in spirit. Today I rode for Brian and Nate. They are both good people and I am lucky to have them as friends and teammates. I am awaiting your return guys.

About 90 cyclists are crossing the United States for cancer research and treatment, and nearly 30 of them cruised through Morgan County Saturday.

The 4K for Cancer group that visited the area is headed from Baltimore, where the ride started May 29, to San Francisco, Calif. with a planned finishing date of Aug. 6. Two other groups are headed for Portland, Ore., and Seattle, Wash.

The group headed for San Francisco stopped in Fort Morgan Saturday afternoon, then biked to Wiggins for an overnight stay at Summit Baptist Church.

The church has hosted riders from the organization before, said rider Zachary Turner.

The 4K for Cancer group (named for a cross-country journey of about 4,000 miles) got its start at Johns Hopkins in 2001 when some students put it together.

Since, it has grown to a foundation that included college students and graduates from numerous schools.

Turner is from the University of Florida; others come from schools like the University of Connecticut, Johns Hopkins and Loyola Marymount.

They share a common bond, Turner said: “We`ve all been affected by cancer in some way, shape or form.”

Most have had a friend or relative battling cancer; two of the riders in the group with Turner are cancer survivors.

All are college students or recent graduates; they range in age from 18 to 26.

Each rider is asked to raise at least $4,500 for the organization before hitting the road.

“Most people wind up going over the $4,500 mark,” Turner said.

The cyclists are responsible for maintaining their own bikes; donations and a small budget support food needs, and the group stays at churches and the like along the way. Planning for the ride started last fall. Food is a significant factor; cyclists on the trip have been advised to consume a minimum of 5,000 calories a day.

The group met up with some local cyclists in eastern Colorado before hitting Morgan County and received some donations

Riders in the 4K for Cancer cross-country ride take a break at the Fort Morgan Sonic Drive-In.

from them.The cyclists try to ride in groups of three to six; larger groups are dangerous, Turner said.

Often when they stop at a gas station for a candy bar or to fill up a water bottle, someone getting gas will make a donation.

Saturday at the Sonic Drive-In in Fort Morgan, Turner was approached by Jeffrey Whitman, a Sonic area representative, who bought soft drinks for the group and presented Turner with some Sonic gift certificates.

Random acts of kindness like that keep the riders going when they hit rough patches, Turner said, adding, “You don`t soon forget them, either.”

So far, the ride has raised more than $455,000.

To donate or for more information, visit 4kforcancer.org on the Web.

– Contact John La Porte at news@fmtimes.com.

If you’re reading Stephens blog I’m assuming I’ve met you, but I’m his girlfriend. I flew out to visit the team for a few days. I joined them in Boulder for a day off, attempted to bike to Fort Collins, and am leaving today on another off day.

I was very excited to come out here to visit Stephen since it’s been a while, but I was also anxious to meet all the riders that have been traveling together on this long cross country trip. I was amazed to see the camaraderie and love shared between the riders. Biking and being together every day could drive anyone up a wall but this group has only become closer.

Another thing I was surprised to see was how passionate they all are about the journey. Everyone goes to blog whenever there’s a coffee shop near by, talk to whoever will listen about the cause (even if it’s a random person they meet in the bathroom), and bike ferociously.

I am so proud to come out and visit such an inspiring group of bikers. And seeing Stephen wasn’t so bad either.

Bike riders raising money for cancer fight

 

Photo by Adam Strunk A cyclist passing through Miami County last week reacts to Bike Doctor Dale Dollar’s diagnosis. Dollar spent much of the day repairing the cyclists’ bikes for free.

By Adam Strunk

 

 

 

They bike. Through 90-degree temperatures, severe thunderstorms, over rivers and mountain ranges, they bike. When nightfall comes they sleep in churches, in YMCAs or under the stars. They rise before the sun to dedicate the day’s ride to those they lost and those they met along the way. They write these peoples’ names in marker on their legs. The names pump up and down as they traverse narrow country roads or shoulderless highways where each passing 18-wheeler threatens to suck them off the road. The trip is difficult, but so is curing cancer.These riders are a part of 4K For Cancer, a national bike ride that has raised nearly $500,000 this summer in the fight against the disease.They stopped outside of the Miami County Courthouse on June 22 to repair their bikes and to spend the night at the Paola United Methodist Church across the street. Each rider is responsible for raising $4,500 before beginning the trip. The funds are then donated to the American Cancer Society, the Ulman Cancer Fund and other organizations aimed at curing or helping those dealing with cancer.

From Baltimore to Portland, for 4,000 miles, there is no quitting with the group of 26, not with a broken wheel or a broken vertebra. They can’t quit, because cancer doesn’t quit. It doesn’t quit inside the bodies of their friends or those they love.They are young, mostly college-aged from the East Coast, yet few have escaped the shadow of the illness.

“About 95 percent of us have had someone close to us affected by cancer,” said bicyclist Christopher Young of Mount Airy, Md.

Young has dedicated his ride to his grandfather who was diagnosed with cancer in 2008.

Many of the cyclists use these experiences to inspire them and drive them on.

“When it gets hard, I think of those I know or all the other people battling cancer,” said bicyclist Jane Williams of Bethesda, Md., who lost a grandfather to the disease. “They take it one day at a time, so I take it one hill at a time.”The journey has not been without its share of difficulties. Williams took a spill in Ohio and fractured a vertebra. Her back is healing but now she rides in the van that carries the bicyclists’ luggage. In Dansville, Mo., a huge thunderstorm snuck up on the group while they were camping. A large tree blew over between two tents. Only a few feet made the difference between a close call and a tragedy. There is also the day-to-day grind of the trip. The group rides an average of 86 miles a day. Williams said hills and the heat of the 70-day ride have a way of wearing a person down.

“It’s just such a physical and mental challenge,” she said.

Making all these challenges easier is the charity and kindness they receive along the way.

Restaurants often feed the group for free. Others they meet help out whatever way they can.

Dale Dollar of Paola, also known as the Bike Doctor, was one of these people. All afternoon, Dollar sat on the tailgate of his truck fixing bent tires, loose brakes and damaged sprockets.

“Who’s next?” he would yell, and one biker would leave the soccer game they were playing on the courthouse lawn and roll a damaged bike over. A few minutes later Dollar would have the bike fixed. Dollar repaired all the bikes for free.

“No, I won’t charge anybody going so far and doing something like this,” Dollar said. “It’s my own contribution to the cause,” he said. Many others made their own contributions as well. First Baptist Church of Paola provided a place for the bicyclists to shower.

At supper time six women of the Paola United Methodist church served the group a dinner of lasagna, fruit salad and brownies.

For Royce Collins, a six-year breast cancer survivor, helping to organize and serve the meal had a special meaning. Collins said the opportunity to serve those who were working to fight the disease that she herself had battled was rewarding.

“It was amazing to serve them and to talk with them,” Collins said. “They were delightful college-aged students. They were hungry too.”

The next morning it was Collin’s name pumping up and down on bicyclist Clayton Lively’s leg after the group left the Paola church. As the group rode toward Lawrence, Paola faded into the distance but the memories of the assistance the community provided did not.

“As I ride, I will be thinking of Royce,” said Lively in a blog post he made about the visit to town. “We are all extremely grateful for the hospitality shown by her and the Paola community.”

Ten riders from Team Seattle volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They did yard work, cleaned the house, and disinfected toys for the children stay at the house.

Published on -6/27/2011, 10:43 AM

Cyclists on coast-to-coast cancer ride to be welcomed in Lake Lillian

A group of 30 cyclists will ride into Lake Lillian on Sunday as they continue their trek from Baltimore to Seattle.By: Tribune News, West Central Tribune

Published: Sunday, June 26, 2011, 8:00 AM

By Gina Christo, Sun News

CHAGRIN FALLS — On June 9, 30 riders biked into Cleveland as a stop on their 4,000 mile journey to Seattle. Among these riders were two Chagrin Falls residents — Alex Hinch and Graham McClurg.

The riders are spending their summer traveling from Maryland to Seattle on bikes to battle cancer and have a life-changing experience.

4K For Cancer is an organization that sponsors three cross country bike rides each year. The pillars of the organization are to spread cancer awareness, raise funds in memory and support of those suffering from cancer and fostering hope by speaking with those who have been touched by cancer along the way.

Hinch spoke with Sun News in May about his upcoming ride and what he was expecting. Since the ride began three weeks ago, he has found himself pleasantly surprised by the sense of community he has begun to feel.

“Everyone who is here knows why they are here and who they are doing it for,” Hinch said. “Every day we write on the back of our legs who we are dedicating our day to and I think that helps people through the days and what they are doing.”

The reasons these 30 college-aged students are biking across the country vary.

“I wanted to find a ride that benefited cancer and people struggling with it,” said Emma Moody, 21, who graduated from Miami University this past spring. A cyclist during college, Moody wanted to take something she loved doing and turn into something that could help others.

McClurg wanted another summer of doing something extraordinary while benefiting the greater good.

“Last summer I was doing a mission trip in Ecuador and I was thinking about the summer that would follow, and I thought, ‘I want to ride my bike across the country’,” McClurg said.

While each rider has to raise $4,500 to participate in the ride, that is not the only way these riders give back. Throughout the 70-day trip, everyone does a service project in one of the communities they ride through. Riders find it is a great way to take some time off the bike and get a sense of the community they are passing through. Plus, it gives them an opportunity to give back to the people who support them while they are there, whether it be with food or board.

To follow the cyclists route, read the riders’ blog or donate to the cause, go to 4kforcancer.org.McClurg, Hinch and the other cyclists are on the 2011 Baltimore to Seattle trip.

Slide Show

Team San Francisco riders volunteered at the Tammy Walker Cancer Center in Salina, Kansas. We met with cancer patients in the waiting room and also while they were recieving their treatments and spoke with them about the mission of 4K and also heard their cancer stories. Special thanks to Lynn Marshall who is a Patient Navigator and RN at the hospital who showed us around the facility and introduced us to the many amazing individuals we met that day.

After a short nap I went to dinner with my gfs mother and grandfather who happened to be passing through. We went to longhorns to get a taste of some steak. Riding past all of the living longhorns has built up a hunger. Dinner was awesome.

The only sad part of the day is losing Natalie for a week due to her mono like tendencies. Hopefully you will be back soon and healthy.

~ behold the beauty of the land

I am blessed and lucky to be alive and in my position in live. I have many wonderful friends and have learned to appreciate them tremendously.

I am also very excited to see my gfs mother mrs. Jones and her grandfather tomorrow. They have been nothing but kind to me and I love them both.

LIFE IS GOOD

Cyclists enjoy hospitality of St. Joseph Catholic Church

By KEVIN R. JENKINS Daily Journal Staff Writer | Posted: Monday, June 20, 2011 7:15 am | (0) Comments

Kevin Jenkins / Daily JournalAfter traveling as many as 100 miles per day for six days in a row, the 27 cyclists representing the 4K for Cancer organization end each day feeling successful, but exhausted.

 

FARMINGTON – A group of 27 cyclists taking part in a 70 day, 4,000 mile bike ride from Baltimore, Md., to San Francisco, Calif., spent Wednesday — the evening of their 18th day on the road — as guests of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Farmington.

The hungry and exhausted riders arrived at the church about 30 minutes late for the 8 p.m. meal and program due to a couple of flat tires and a few injuries encountered earlier in the day. Their gratitude was very evident; however, as they were warmly greeted by the church’s pastor, Fr. Rickey, as well as assorted church members and community leaders.

Ranging in age from 19 to 26 years old, the cyclists are affiliated with 4K for Cancer, a national non-profit organization dedicated to uniting communities across the country in the fight against cancer. Each raised at least $4,500 to participate in the cross-country journey that began in Baltimore on May 29 and is scheduled to end Aug. 6 in San Francisco.

Most, but not all of the riders, attend Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Some attend other colleges, while some finished their schooling years ago. A few have had previous experience as long-distance cyclists, but the majority have never been a part of a trip like this before.

Phoebe Campbell and Nick Pantaleo are the first of several leg leaders on the journey whose responsibility it is to help plan the day-to-day logistics for their fellow cyclists. Both say they, along with their fellow riders, have already been challenged both physically and mentally on the trip. Both agree the trip’s most difficult and exhausting part so far was cycling over the Appalachian Mountains.

Pantaleo described the experience of cycling up the steep mountain roads in southwest Virginia as “humbling.”

“Imagine a road that goes for 3.5 miles straight up,” said Pantaleo. “A solid hour of constant peddling where you don’t go very far.

Campbell and Pantaleo explained that the group rides for six days in a row and then takes one day off. At first, the cyclists traveled 55 miles, or so. Now, they sometimes cover as many as 100 miles.

Traveling along with the cyclists are two vehicles that provide the riders with water stops along the way, offer rides for the injured or sick and give shelter when the weather turns bad.

At the end of the day, the riders either camp or are given a place to shower and spend the night at public schools and churches such as St. Joseph. Several of the cyclists expressed how much they enjoy meeting people along the way. Although they all get along well with each other, they said that having an opportunity to visit with people outside of their group is always a treat.

After enjoying their meal, the cyclists were welcomed to the area by Farmington Mayor Mit Landrum, Sen. Kevin Engler, St. Joseph Parish Pastoral Council member Dave Sansegraw and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Doug McDermott.

The evening ended with a special presentation by local businesswoman Kathy Dziewa, whose husband, Al, died of cancer in 2005. She was aided in the presentation by her daughter, Ann, and son, Robert. Dziewa told those in attendance how much her husband had loved cycling and what an impact his life had on his family and others.

Following the program’s conclusion, the cyclists took showers and headed to bed, knowing that at 4:30 a.m. Thursday, they were going to be heading for their next stop along the journey.

Highlights of the trip ahead will include cycling through the Rocky Mountain, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion national parks.  The riders will also explore the north rim of the Grand Canyon before heading to Lake Tahoe, Nev., and then on to northern California where they will cycle down through Napa’s famous Wine Country before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco.

 

Read more: http://www.dailyjournalonline.com/news/local/article_5be179b6-9b38-11e0-90be-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1Q3mXTABw

“Many of the first 56 photos were taken by Arvind and Jenna”

From 4K Cont. (Starting on Day 15), posted by Chris Lipinski on 6/12/2011 (141 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

From 4K for Cancer (cont.) Canon 1000D, posted by Chris Lipinski on 6/06/2011 (188 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

“Unfortunately FB reduces the quality of the photos, but they are still pretty sharp for the most part. First photos are from NY, and the rest are from the 4K”

From Shots with the Canon Rebel 1000D, posted by Chris Lipinski on 5/24/2011 (200 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

From I like to touch people and scuba juice doesn’t work…, posted by Muireann Phelan on 6/01/2011 (200 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

“This is a brief collection of photos from the first part of our trip”

From 4k Leg One, posted by Stephen Hersey on 6/21/2011 (57 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

From Summer of 4K, posted by Nate Wineland on 6/02/2011 (102 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

From 4k for Cancer, posted by Katie Marie Osborn on 6/06/2011 (124 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

The storm I awoke to rivaled that of the microburst I survived on the St. Lawrence. A 40 ft tree fell between three of our tents. luckily no one was hurt.

The events that followed reaffirmed my faith and inspiration in not only our riders but also the human spirit. We rallied as a team and got all of our gear and team safe.

News spread fast through the camp ground about the soaking wet cyclists huddled in the pool house eating our cold breakfast. Members of the S.M.A.R.T (special military active retired travel club) opened up a hall for us and cooked a wonderful breakfast.

I can not begin to thank my team and our impromptu hosts for their efforts that day.

The rest of the day was hot and full of hills but was a great ride. It was nice to face all that MO And keep on keeping on.

From 4k for Cancer 2011 part 3, posted by Kate Barry on 6/19/2011 (111 items)