4K for Cancer

Apply for the 2009 Team!

2008-09-13T18:18:00.000-07:00

Do you want to join in the battle against cancer by having the experience of a lifetime biking across America?

Click here to apply for the 2009 team, and let you hearts, and legs, make a difference.

Thanks Again!!

2008-08-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all our friends, family, and supporters from home and across the country who have made this amazing experience possible!

I've uploaded a final album of pictures that runs through our spectacular arrival ceremony at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA!

All the riders will be sifting through their own photos and the team has organized a way to share them all with each other over the Internet, so ask your rider for the thousands of photos still to come!

Also, every team member will be contributing their own journal entry for our final day into San Francisco, and they will all be posted over the next week or so.

Thanks again!

A Crazy Busy Day - San Rafael, CA (Day 62)

2008-08-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

It was a process leaving Stockton this morning, mainly because the hosts were so nice and we decided to play some games before circle-up. One of the community members offered to lead us on his bike out of the city. It is always fun to caravan as a group, but unfortunately by mile 20 we realized we were way behind schedule and would have to begin a shuttling process earlier than expected.

With such time restraints, a team dinner to make that night, and a complicated and important day tomorrow, Meg "da Leg Leader" and I decided to get some work done. We jumped in with Rob's parents at the lunch stop that they set up for us (thanks Mr. and Mrs. Kasten!!!) to go ahead and begin chalking out the 40+ turns for the next day. Though San Rafael is only about 20 miles north of the Golden Gate, the directions were complicated since we had to avoid the California highways.

The project became much more difficult than we had anticipated, and after about 3 hours of driving around getting lost and discovering non-existent bike paths, Meg and I decided to join the rest of the group (which had spent the last few hours shuttling over the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge) at a great team dinner provided by Mrs. Gotimer (again, we love parents!)

Though the chalking and re-routing process went till about 4am, with some vital help from Thomas, Clare and Anna, and though no one on the team had time to shower, the adrenaline-pumped anticipation for our day into San Francisco kept everyone on their toes and ready...

-Dan

The Brewing Church - Stockton, CA (Day 61)

2008-08-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

We finally reached sea-level (well, 15ft) today in Stockton, CA. The ride from Diamond Springs was great, especially because I was part of Team Broadway- we belted it out all morning and afternoon. You would be surprised how well you can sing on the bike with wind blowing in your face. (Note: though I sing a lot, and especially in groups like this, I really, really can't sing - ask the other group members.)

It was so weird knowing we were so close to our goal - the landscape honestly eerily reminded us of something out of Kansas or Nebraska. All we could see for miles was fields of gold, though in California that unfortunately means dried crops. As we got closer to Stockton, however, we came upon some fruit trees and vineyards. Jess took one for the team and picked a bunch of grapes. Though they were very tart and obviously not meant for consumption, they hit it home for us that we were finally in California.

Though we got lost right before we hit Stockton, and I got flat tire (I've lost count of how many of those I've gotten on this trip) it was nice getting there for another great community dinner and homestays. After having some of the church's home-brewed beer, "St. Anne's Ale," Jesse and I settled in with our host, Sarah King, who shared with us the powerful story of her son who lost his battle to leukemia 30 years ago when he was only 20 years old. It is in memory of her son, she told us, that she hosts young men from the 4K every year.

A truly powerful story to have with us tomorrow on our last full day of riding into San Rafael.

-Dan

An Incredible New Host - Diamond Springs, CA (Day 60)

2008-07-24T22:11:00.001-07:00

Today was finally the day we began our journey back down to that amazing thing we dream about called sea level. Other than two climbs, which were nearly nothing compared to all the climbing we’ve done through Nevada and into Lake Tahoe, it was so glorious and thrilling down hills for most of the day into Diamonds Springs.

The first highlight of the day was Echo Summit, at which we all tried to yell and hear an echo, but to no avail. We yelled enough to make an effective scene, though. As we descended, we saw countless burned out patches of trees, reminding us of the ever-present danger of forest fires in California.

We were excited to meet our hosts in Diamond Springs, anticipating our first real community dinner and interaction in well over a week. Our expectations, however, did nothing to prepare us for the overwhelming hospitality, generosity, and kindness that we found at the Solid Rock Faith Center in Diamond Springs.

In addition to an amazing dinner, the church, along with the gym that provided showers for us, donated $2000 to our cause, which is something well beyond what we expected. Again, our appreciation for this community cannot truly be expressed in words. Pastors Sue and Don Pritchard were incredible.

The community also organized home stays for us, and Ondrej, Rob and I had the pleasure of staying with Mary and Pat Frost at their beautiful home overlooking the California valley. They also provided more hospitality than we could thank them for, and shared the story of their son, a many-time Iron Man and tri-athlete.

Without hesitation, I personally would say Diamond Springs, even as a brand new host for the 4K, was one of the greatest days we have had all summer. Their generosity and understanding of our mission is immeasurable.

-Dan

California Vacation - South Lake Tahoe, CA (Days 58-59)

2008-07-24T21:51:00.000-07:00

On the day out of Fallon, we found that reading road signs is harder than expected. We left Fallon bright and early at 7 am. Like every other day in Nevada, we followed the biggest road we found. This turned out to be route 50 Alt, not route 50, which heads toward Reno instead of Carson City. By the time we realized this at the first water stop 20 miles in, we were at least 15 miles away from our intended destination. Turns out that the van drivers noticed the turn, but followed our route since they saw riders. We were following the route because we saw the vans on it! In any case, this erroneous turn tacked on another 18 miles to our route, turning out already challenging 91 mile day into another 110 mile day.

We really knew we were in Nevada when we passed through Carson City, and saw a sign for marriage licenses down the street. The other interesting feature of Carson City was the towering mountains which we would climb shortly. Compared to the Rockies in Boulder, the Sierras stand nearly 2000 feet higher from base to peak. This made for an impressive display, towering over everything nearby.

As we arrived at our final climb into Tahoe, my bike odometer already showed 98 miles. We watched the Baby Bear/Hubie race begin; a rather uneventful start. We started up the mountain soon afterwards. After 2 months of biking, even the 11% grade did not feel awful. What WAS awful, however, was the 40 mph wind which played with us, occasionally helping along with a tailwind, but mostly destroying our speed as a headwind. After over an hour, I finally arrived at the top of Dagget Summit, 2400 feet higher, and 8 miles closer. The cheering was incredibly intense as each person arrived and joined, but it was indeed an amazing feeling. I can only imagine if the euphoria approached the triumph of successful chemotherapy. After just a few short miles of descent, we were in view of the lake. We arrived at the Lake Tahoe Presbyterian Church extremely late, but very happy.

On our day off the following day, I decided that hanging around was not quite what I wanted to do. Considering the absolutely amazing views just outside the door, I decided to go for a short bike ride to look around. Before I knew it, I was already halfway up the (extremely steep) hill above Emerald Bay. Considering the absolutely amazing view, I decided that I might as well spend the day biking around the entire lake. From reading the placards, I found out that Lake Tahoe is the third biggest lake in North America- 22 miles long and 12 miles wide. At 1600 feet deep, it contains enough water to cover the state of California in 14 inches of water. Its bottom is in fact lower than Carson City. The water is so clear, objects 75 feet deep remain visible. The gorgeous deep blue color is due to the color of the sky; during stormy days, the water is gray or nearly black. Following my extremely long but rewarding day, I finished off with some yummy Chinese food and went to sleep.

-James Gao

Change(s) in Scenery - Fallon, NV (Day 57)

2008-07-24T21:50:00.001-07:00

110 miles. Mostly downhill. I thought it would be easy, but I was wrong. This morning we woke at 4am to a lovely mix of songs courtesy of Hubie. You know it’s early when you are already awake and moving about when the rooster crows.

The desert was absolutely beautiful during the sunrise, however, making most of us forger we were running on little sleep. After a few miles, we took a long descent onto the desert floor, and the terrain changed from canyons and shrubs to mostly sand. Anyone on the team will tell you that today was not only filled with many scenery changes, but also some very weird sites.

Our lunch stop was set up under a very large tree. Yet this wasn’t just a tree to provide us with some much needed shade. We dubbed the tree the ‘Shoe Tree’ because hundreds and hundreds of shoes were either hanging from its branches or strewn about underneath. We debated for a while what sort of cult-like activity people out here were up to with this tree, but no consensus was reached.

Following the tree, and after another nice downhill, we again found ourselves biking in the open desert. My group of Yogi, Meg, and myself started noticing some odd warning signs posted on fences lining the road. Meg got curious, stopped her bike in the middle of the road, and decided to walk over and check them out. The signs said something along the lines of “Restricted Area – Keep Out,” so we immediately decided it must be some top secret military nuclear site. Sounds cool, right?

We came upon some really spectacular salt flats near the end of the day, and saw hundreds of messages written out on the sand with rocks along the road. We dubbed it ‘western graffiti.’ A long day, but, as always, some amazing sights along the way.
-Dan

An Isolated Day Off in the Desert - Austin, NV (Days 55-56)

2008-07-24T21:37:00.001-07:00

Austin, NV is said to be one of the most isolated towns in America. The ride from Eureka was mostly flat, but of course a nice head wind made it become a challenge for all the groups. Knowing there would be two large climbs at the end, we tried to move fast through the day. I rode with Hubbie, so in anticipation of his ultimate climbing battle with Baby Bear (Henry) going into Tahoe in a few days, we made sure to pass his group, stay longer at the water stops, and then pass his group again. Effective demoralization of the opponent.

The two climbs were challenges, but nothing we hadn’t seen or conquered before. As we began to downhill, the town came up fast, since the entire town is built on the ridge. Austin was once a booming silver mining hotspot, but has since dwindled to a population of about 300 people. Donna White, our host at the Austin Baptist Church, has been touched very personally by cancer. Her son battled the disease for nearly 30 years, before dying of natural causes. She understood the power of our mission, and was a gracious host for our two nights in town.

There is only so much to do on a day off in such a small town. We spent the first night putting together a drive-in movie on the church yard, which required Taylor to climb onto the roof to hang a sheet for the screen. It was simply awesome. On the day off, most of the team ate upwards of 3 meals at the local diner, and some of us made it out to the local pool in a naturally heated pool (the sun is really hot out here). All in all, a great few days out in the Nevada desert.

-Dan

San Francisco Arrival Schedule!

2008-07-22T23:51:00.000-07:00

Friday, July 25
Late Afternoon – Arrival in San Rafael, CA to the Lucas Valley Community Church.
Night – Team dinner.

Saturday, July 26
6:15am (approx) – departure from Lucas Valley Community Church
(Guests are welcome to come see us off it they would like)
2000 Las Gallinas Ave
San Rafael, CA 94903
8:45am – Estimated time of arrival at the observation point on the north (Sausalito) side of the bridge. Team will stop for regrouping, photos, etc.
9:00am-9:15am – Crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge.
9:15am-9:30am – Estimated time of arrival at the beach at Crissy Field on the south (San Francisco) side of the bridge.
9:30am-10:30am – Arrival ceremony hosted by the American Cancer Society, including a toast, tire-dipping ceremony, pictures, and breakfast.
11:00am-1:00pm – Final team Pow-Wow on the beach, followed by van clean-out and claiming of lost items. (Family and friends, during this time we ask that the team have its final moments alone.)

Sunday, July 27
1:00pm-5:00pm – BBQ at the house of rider Judy Penati. All are welcome and asked to RSVP through your team member.
128 Lyford Drive
Tiburon, CA
(There is a ferry from Pier 41 to downtown Tiburon from where the Penatis have offered to shuttle people to their house. Street parking there is available.)

Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road in America - Eureka, NV (Day 54)

2008-07-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

Today, we began what I have been looking forward to for a long time – the 'Loneliest Highway in America' – aka Route 50 through Nevada. Though we felt there were more cars to justify the title, it was still a fun experience.

My group of Ondrej, Rob, Ben, Katie, and myself felt very free riding down the road, and we positioned ourselves effectively to reduce drag and fly openly down the road. We got a lot of support in the form of honks and cheers from many of the cars that passed us, which really helped make the long day through the dessert a lot of fun.

It was a long day, and the groups arrived rather staggered, but Eureka, NV is known as the “Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road in America,” and it sure lived up to its name. We were hosted at the school's gymnasium, and were treated to delicious burgers, shakes, and Mexican food at DJ's diner. All in all, another good day in a nice, small town.

-Dan

A Little Caving to Start the Day - Ely, NV (Day 53)

2008-07-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

Today had an interested start! To start with, there was a frantic, false wake up, because some people forgot to reset their clocks yesterday when we passed into Pacific time zone (woot! Last time zone!). However wake up was still extra late, because we stayed late in order to check out a guided tour of Lehman Caves in Great Basin National Park 5 miles up the road. We had an awesome tour of the caves and an awesome tour guide, Roberta. Roberta is herself a breast cancer survivor, and was very touched by our mission and purpose. She was also extremely impressed; she told us a story of a 60 mile walk she participated in once that was supposed to raise awareness for the challenge of dealing with breast cancer and joked that the walk was even harder than her struggle! The caves were beautiful, even though they were extremely damaged from years of tourists breaking stalactites and stalagmites (Roberta tought us all about all kinds of cave formations!). Lehman Caves are most famous for their rare Shield formations, but I think the beautiful curtains were my personal favorite.

It was a fun ride into Ely, we stopped at a neat roadside restaurant for our lunch stop where we left a signed dollar bill as a memento for them to add to their entire wall of signed dollar bills! When we finally arrived in Ely, we were welcomed by a free public BBQ across the street that we were kindly allowed to crash. It was an awareness and publicity effort for a new coal power plant they want to build 20 miles out of the city. After the BBQ and refreshing showers, a bunch of us checked out the local karaoke bar for a bit of fun before bed!

4K Lovin,
Anna E. S. Johnston

Welcome to the Silver State - Baker, NV (Day 52)

2008-07-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

This morning we woke up to Yogetta's bike strung up to the basketball hoop behind the school in Milford. Though we liked to say it was a mischievous local, the 4K yellow rope kind of gave it away as an inside job. The culprit is still on the lose. No arrests have been made.

Today was the day of the three uphills, with three equal down hills. This is the topography that 4Kers love, because we always look for that reward after a climb. After each summit, we descended into beautiful (and empty) valleys. I think the entire team finally realized we were truly in the middle of the desert.

Near the end of the day, we began to enter Great Basin National Park, and out of the dry terrain came a large lake. Only a few more miles down the road, after I had been complaining the entire day about not seeing any major wildlife crossing the road, we saw a heard of maybe a dozen antelope (or a similar animal, sorry I'm not an expert) run across the road maybe 20 feet in front of us. All three of us struggled to get our cameras out, but I think Greg was the only one to actually get a shot of them on the road. It was really exciting.

Of course, the greatest part of the day was reaching the Nevada state border, and the Pacific Time Zone! We are that much closer to west coast. Though Baker was a tiny, tiny town, the hospitality was huge, and we were treated to great lodging and a nice community dinner. Time and time again, it is always the smallest towns that show the greatest kindness towards the team and our cause.

-Dan

A Run-in with a Rake - Milford, UT (Day 51)

2008-07-22T21:29:00.001-07:00

This morning we said goodbye to the last major city we would see in a while. The ride to Milford, UT, our last stop in the state, was pretty short by current 4K standards (somewhere in the 50s) and only a little uphill. As always, a scary-looking storm cloud was on our tail for the entire ride, so we decided to push it the entire way.

Near the end, there was a ridiculously steep hill, and we had a right turn to make at the end. My team sees this little boy in his yard playing with a metal rake (don't ask me why). After Clare, Amy, and myself pass the yard, the little boy runs out to the street and smacks Meg right in her ribs with the rake. She was a little shaken up, a little angry, but mostly shocked. I guess we experience something new every day.

It was great staying at the Milford High School, since not only were there nice showers, but also the community pool right next door. Of course, most of the team took a nice cool dip before settling in for the night. Without a community dinner, we decided to use the school kitchen to make delicious (and maybe even nutritious) grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, and tuna melts. Even though we love dinners where we can interact with the community and share stories, some team-bonding food making is always fun!

-Dan

Into the Festival City - Cedar City, UT (Days 49-50)

2008-07-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

Today we made it to Cedar City, UT! We started out the morning with a steep 6 mile climb out of Bryce Canyon and onto a plateau. Laughter could be heard from the top of the summit as 4kers approached the summit sign which read 7777 feet. For the next 20 miles we descended from the plateau down an amazing bike path through Red Canyon. The bike trail was long and winding and we could see fellow riders far below as we skirted the red cliffs and arches characteristic of Utah's rugged landscape. Our day ended with a 14 mile climb and two of the later groups found thunderstorms waiting for them at the top. The van drivers faced the dreaded task of informing some riders that they would have to cut their lunch stop short in order to outrun the approaching rain. Our consolation prize was a beautiful 20 mile downhill that ended somewhat unexpectedly 4 miles from the bottom of the hill as an 18-wheeler had crashed minutes before the first group arrived. It was around a sharp curve and it made us all appreciate our experience. The truck driver was fine, but the crash made us all really think twice about biking safety.

For all of you parents with a tendency towards nail biting who are reading this, all 28 of us made it into Cedar City safely and on time (at least for the most part.) Upon arriving, we were welcomed at the Episcopal Church where we will be spending the next two nights. We just came back from dinner at the Cedar City Catholic Church where we had a delicious dinner of lasagna, salad and as a treat for dessert, strawberries whipped cream and shortcake. Cedar City is having a fair tonight with live music, a car show and tons of vendors with various treats, jewelry and local goods. We are all excited to fall asleep in our warm sleeping bags, our bellies full of Utah hospitality, and our bodies rejuvenated for Zion National Park and all of the other activities that await us on our day off tomorrow. It's good to be in Cedar City!

-Sarah and Katie Biggart

A Short Day With a Little Present from the Winds - Tropic, UT (Day 48)

2008-07-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

It was nice to hear that after two very hard and long days, we would be treated to a nice 40 mile journey into Tropic, UT, right outside of Bryce Canyon National Park. Unfortunately, the weather never cooperates with us. The first 20 miles was slightly uphill, but we were met with a nasty headwind that made it feel like a serious climb the entire way.

We were able to down hill the rest of the way into town, where we got to stay at Bryce Valley High School. It was a beautiful school, fit with showers, plenty of air-conditioned sleeping areas, cooking facilities, and wireless internet. Since it was a short day, the group got to take a nice nap in the afternoon before getting together with some music and tie-dye aprons to make burritos. After dinner, a bunch of the team members went to the park to explore around and take in the beautiful sites. Since we were told there would be some significant climbing the next day, most the team (at least myself) hit the hay early, awaiting another challenging yet rewarding day on the 4K.

-Dan

A lot of Climbs - Escalante, UT (Day 47)

2008-07-22T15:44:00.001-07:00

It is time to tell the non-sugar coated truth of the Hopkins 4K for Cancer. People who snore are persecuted and ostracized. I do not enjoy condemnation and humiliation for an act I cannot control, and if you ever heard my Dad, you would understand that it is purely hereditary. That being said, I was woken up in the middle of the night because of something I cannot control to be asked to stop doing something I cannot control. Yes, I am bitter about the anti-Snorites. But it was a glorious morning. Biking when it is cool outside is surprisingly refreshing.

Leaving Loa, all I had in my head was Tom's stunning rendition of The Kinks song Lola modified to Loa, L-O-A, Loa. Pretty clever, eh? My group was Judy and friends, the friends being Benji and me. The day started innocently enough. We breezed through to the first water stop; the terrain was predominately downhill with little rolling hills. It was quite relaxing. But honestly, that never lasts long.

We entered the Dixie National Forest after the water stop. We climbed and climbed and then climbed some more. It was beautiful though. Utah is the strangest state ever (in terms of landscape). You bike through deserts that are next to forests and canyons and the entire state seems like a grab bag. It was nice to see some green after the desert.

After the fake summit and the real summit at 9600 feet, there was an incredible downhill (don't worry Mom, I was safe). There is no better feeling than cruising after busting your rear to get up a mountain. Then we got to the most exciting part of the day. The name of the trail was the Devil's Backbone. Does not sound good. The parents reading this just cringed. But it was awesome. The trail was definitely wonky. It was a ridge that was ridiculously gusty and serpentine with 14 percent downward grades. But we took it slowly and it was unlike anything I have ever seen.

There was a mean little climb after the backbone. But everyone was cheering each other on, and it was one of those moments that you realized how much better you are than when you started. When we finally got into Escalante, we found out there was a water main break at the State Park, so we couldn't stay there. So Judy and friends went to Subway and ate delicious sandwiches and then ice cream sandwiches that have 500 calories, which is wonderfully irrelevant when you bike 80 miles in a day :)

We showered in a reservoir and it was delightful. Some people went to Georgie's diner. She let us camp out in her yard. That's all folks.

I snore loud, I snore proud,
ABF

The Loooongest Day - Loa, UT (Day 46)

2008-07-22T15:42:00.000-07:00

After a short ride into Green River from Moab, we were all ready to take on our most challenging day of the trip. We woke up dark and early at 3:50 AM and got ready to welcome the sun. I remember last year waking up in Green River before 4 AM and having one of the hardest days of the trip into Capitol Reef National Park. Today we would be going to the same campground where the 2007 team stayed and then continuing on for another 26 miles.

The beginnings of today were rather pleasant, before the sun finally topped the hills to the east we had already ridden 10 miles and had but 113 to go. In the morning we welcomed the sun, to warm us on the brisk morning, but the very sun that took the chill off of the early Green River morning, would heat our route to well over 100 degrees by late afternoon.

Dan, James, Clare and I were 27 miles into the day when in the distance we saw a stand alone rock formation. We decided to take guesses on how far away the rocks were. Seven miles later when the rock was still sitting on the horizon I was out of contention for being the closest, at mile 13 we had finally reached the rocks which seemed to be just down the road over half an hour ago. James and Clare were close with their guesses of 10 and 15 miles respectively while Dan overshot by 7.

Things seeming to be closer than they really were was a theme of the day. We arrived at a waterfall in Capitol Reef at mile 90 and were all feeling like this day was going to fly by. We dropped into the waterfall for a swim and so began the physical challenges of the day. The challenge at the waterfall was to swim behind the falling water. I was the first to accomplish this after my third or fourth attempt and was treated by an amazing view of the back of the cascading waterfall. In time everyone else who cared to try swimming back made it and we all agreed that it was well worth the effort. After basking in the mid-day sun for a few minutes to dry off we were back on the road to lunch part two.

Mile 95 brought our second lunch stop of the day at the camp ground where the '07 team had stayed the night. We were treated to homemade pies, ice cream and Henry Weinhart's soda at a little cottage that served as a gift shop at the campground. Leaving lunch was 7 miles of steep climbing, something that we have grown accustomed to ever since we crossed the Rockies. What we were not accustomed to however, was trying to climb in 100 degree weather after 100 miles of biking. Those seven miles took our group nearly two hours and the mid-afternoon had painfully turned into the early evening.

Topping the climb we had only 18 miles into Loa, we were already at our second longest day on the trip and had climbed more feet than any other day. We were in Southern Utah baking in the sun and still had 18 miles of slight uphill to finish the day. When finally arriving in Loa we were beaten, burned and overall demoralized. While it was satisfying to know that we had actually finished a day of 123 miles with nearly two miles of vertical climbing, there was no cheer or joy. We were physically exhausted beyond belief and food was scarce due to the town of Loa closing at 8 and most groups getting in around 7.

Finishing the day drove home the point that sometimes days are just hard and even though they end, you do not necessarily feel refreshed and renewed to take on the next day. This day will make tomorrow more difficult than it should be and the day after as well, but all said and done, 123 miles is a badge of pride that we can all wear. When we look at hard days in the future, they will come nowhere near comparing to this brutal day. There are obvious parallels to individual battles with cancer, some days are better than others and some days seem like they will never end, but weeks later when you look back you can grow from the struggles that you have already endured.

-Greg Gotimer

Photos, Photos, and More Photos!

2008-07-13T13:59:00.001-07:00

I love to hear that people read our blog and check out the pictures multiple times a day (parents, you know who you are)

Photos from the road are uploaded about once a week, so make sure to check out the most recent updates at http://picasaweb.google.com/4k4cancer!

-Dan

Next Mail Drop - Austin, NV

2008-07-13T13:57:00.001-07:00

Our next mail drop will be in Austin, NV. Please make sure all letters and packages arrive by Friday, July 18 to the following address. Thanks again!

Austin Baptist Church
Attn: Hopkins 4K for Cancer – Rider's Name
P.O. 183
Austin, NV 89310

Sampling the Interstate - Green River, UT (Day 45)

2008-07-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

This morning, we left Moab, UT after a day off filled with adventure, suspense, and intrigue. The day before, a number of us partook in a myriad of outdoor activities ranging from ATV riding, mountain biking, dirt biking, rafting, and hiking through Arches National Park. Moab as a community is particularly interesting because it offers some of the most unique vistas on earth; the community caters to the adventure seekers (like us) looking to enjoy the terrain that the area has to offer. Part of the Colorado Plateau, the area consists mostly of red-tinged rocks formed over millions of years of wind, pressure, and most of all, water.

Speaking of water, the morning started off by our group visiting a natural spring and filling our bottles with delicious natural spring water tapped from the underground water deep inside the red rocks of Moab. Much of the team was concerned about parasites or water contamination... not me. The crystal clear water was truly satiating, a beverage that really hit the spot.

The first part of the route started on a bike path that took us to the entrance of Arches National Park. Eventually the bike path deteriorated to the point where it was unusable; my group of three riders decided to crawl under a barbed wire fence that divided the bike path and the state road and ride along the road. Eventually, we reached our first water stop: the Moab municipal airport. The second leg of the day took us to I-70, where we were aided by a brisk tail wind all the way to Green River, UT. The short 50 mile day ended in Green River at around noon. We were served lunch by the staff of the Green River Community Center. Their staff consists of a number of AmeriCorps volunteers who assist in their summer children's program. It was interesting to hear their story because in many ways, they were going through a similar experience as us. We are both groups of volunteers spending our summers together for a specific cause.

I was particularly impressed by the generosity of the town. In a town with a 40% poverty rate, the community welcomed us with food and shelter, even when resources are stretched as they are. It is the spirit of a town like Green River that I will remember fondly when I look back on this trip.

-Hubert Lee

The Changing of the Guard - Moab, UT (Days 43-44)

2008-07-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today marked the conclusion of my duties as leg leader, and in the epitome of bitter sweet endings, we left Colorado. To me, and I think a lot of riders will agree, Colorado was a turning point for the trip. Crossing into the state, the distance that we traversed on our bikes became abundantly clear: we were “out West.” The arid western landscape gave way to the Rockies once we reached Boulder, and then the second half of the trip began. I had never seen such awe-inspiring terrain in my entire life. From Boulder to Naturita, it was without fail that around every bend there was a unique and incredible view. It was truly unforgettable.

With that said, crossing into Utah was difficult. The vast difference in scenery was welcomed by most, but it was also clear that we were entering challenging territory. One of the riders told a story about how her mom reads all the blogs and doesn’t buy the fact that everything is peachy, and hunky-dory, and whatever other fluffed up adjectives we can conjure up. I thought that was funny because it is true that we avoid talking about the hard times, the exploding tires at 100 degree water stops, the swarms of terrorizing mosquitoes while we’re playing hide and seek with cell phone service in rural towns so we can try to talk to our girlfriends/boyfriends before bed, the saddle sores, the snoring, and the five day old bag of breakfast sausage that we gamble with. So in the spirit of the 4K journal entries, I won’t talk about barking like a dog on my way up the last big climb before Utah because I was delirious, or about hitting a pothole going down the mountain at 40 miles per hour. I won’t talk about the tourist trap “Hole “N the Rock” with its excessive use of apostrophes on the “”N” and out of place petting zoo with a wallaby that my team got sucked into. For that matter, I won’t talk about having to check for snakes in the abandoned gas station where we stopped for lunch. But because I know my grandma reads these entries ritually (Hi Gram and Gramps!) I’ll just talk about how excited I was to get to Utah and see Arches National Park, and to meet our gracious host Pastor Howe at Moab Baptist Church, because that’s what Moab brought to us.

As sad as it was to part with Colorado, I know that Utah will bring unique and exciting experiences, and I’m happy to hand my leg leader duties off to Meg so that she can get up 10 minutes before wake up to start hunting down riders who are sleeping in the most obscure of places!

Honestly, I conclude my leg with extreme satisfaction, and the minor bumps along the road pale in comparison to the magnitude, gravity and enjoyment that the 4K brings: no fluff.
With limited muttering and sarcasm (Tom, your impression still needs work,)

-Jesse Richter

Article in the Moab Times-Independent

2008-07-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

Bicyclists ride cross-country to help fight cancer
by Ron Georg
contributing writer

As the 25 riders on the Hopkins 4k for Cancer bicycle tour across the United States gathered into a circle in the Moab Baptist Church parking lot on Tuesday morning, their friendly banter stopped abruptly. They were getting ready to ride, and it was time to focus on their purpose.

Holding hands and facing each other across the big circle, they shared stories about the people they’re riding for. After each story, they fell silent. Without any cues, another rider would break the quiet, offering another testimony in soft, reverent tones.

The ride has a three-pronged mission – to spread awareness, raise funds, and foster hope. The morning dedication helps the riders maintain their own sense hope, according to rider and spokesman Daniel Ingram.

“When we dedicate our rides, it’s very important to us,” Ingram said. “On a hard day, biking up a mountain, if you keep in the back of your mind that you’ve dedicated your ride to someone back home, or someone you met along the way that’s battling cancer, it helps get up that mountain.”

Before the mood in the circle grew too somber, Ingram steered the riders back toward their purpose, announcing it was time to hit the road. He broke the spell with a quick call-and-response: “Where are we from?”

“Baltimore!”

“Where are we going?”

“San Francisco!”

The riders unclasped their hands to clap, and with a quick cheer they gathered their bikes and rode off in small groups. Out on the road, they spread out to avoid impeding traffic. In clusters of three or four, without any banners to announce their purpose, they become anonymous cyclists on the road.

Even in a group, riding a bike over distance is an individual challenge. “Every day biking 80 to 100 miles, it’s hard to do that if you don’t have a real purpose,” Ingram said. “Biking for a reason really helps, it’s powerful.”

The reasons to ride were powerful enough to inspire Yogeeta Manglani to overcome a major obstacle to participate. “When I signed up for it I didn’t know how to ride a bike,” Manglani said. “I mean, I did, but on a smaller bike, and it had been a long time. When we got these bikes, I was like, uh-oh, I think I’m in trouble. I went on a training ride, and I went straight into traffic.”

Manglani has since become comfortable enough on the road to appreciate that traffic isn’t all the same. “We’ve gone through some cities, like Moab, that are so bike friendly,” she said. “You do go through cities where people seem to just want you off the road.”

Cancer hasn’t impacted Manglani personally. She said communicable diseases were bigger issues when she was growing up in Dubai. However, she has been impressed by cancer’s prevalence in this country, especially because she is a public health major in college.

“The cause is something that’s really close to my heart. Once I got here, everyone knows someone who’s got cancer,” she said. The ride, she explained, provides her with an opportunity to help address a gap she sees in cancer care. “I feel like prevention isn’t stressed enough in the U.S. health system. The amount of money they spend on research is enormous compared to the amount they spend on prevention.”

Throughout the ride, the cyclists will spread their message, which includes information on prevention. “Most of the places we stay are at a church or community center,” Ingram said. “That’s our time to share our stories, and allow them to share their stories with us.”

While they didn’t have a chance to give a presentation in Moab, they still didn’t let an opportunity slip past. As they’re getting ready to leave, rider Jessica Arms handed Moab Baptist Church Pastor Cole Howe a handful of pamphlets, and she asked if he can work their message into his own.

The church hosted the riders from their two-night stay in Moab, as well as their one-day rest. “We can’t give them money, but we what they really need is a place to stay, and we can offer that,” Howe said. He added that while the church isn’t fully equipped as a hostel – it doesn’t have a shower – he can point them to all the resources they need.

Ingram said that sort of hospitality is the norm. From free burgers to bike service to lodging, the riders have enjoyed the kindness of strangers. Manglani even told of a woman who gave them the run of her house, and then handed her a set of car keys with no instructions beyond “enjoy yourselves.”

By the end of the ride, Ingram expects to bring in $100,000. That includes the $4,000 each rider is required to raise before the event. While that amount is up from last year’s $3,500, it didn’t dissuade Greg Gotimer from signing up for a second trip.

“You start sending letters out, thinking, $4,000, this is going to be tough,” he said. “It’s amazing how many people will donate $100.”

This is the seventh year the Hopkins 4K has come through Moab. While Moab isn’t on most cross-county routes, Ingram said his group seeks a more scenic route, which is how they rack up 4,000 miles between Baltimore and San Francisco. They’ll reach the West Coast on July 26.

Most of the riders on the trip range in age from 18 to 26 and are students at Johns Hopkins University. More information about the ride, the riders and the cause is available at the ride website, www.hopkins4k.org.

Next Mail Drop - Cedar City, UT

2008-07-07T17:34:00.000-07:00

Our next mail drop will be in Cedar City, UT. Please be sure all mail arrives by Saturday, July 12 to the address below. Thanks again for the support!

St. Jude's Episcopal Church
Attn: Hopkins4K for Cancer - Rider's Name
70 N 200 W
Cedar City, UT 84720

Article in the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent

2008-07-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

Crossing the country for a cure
Bikers ride coast-to-coast to raise money, awareness for cancer
By Jeff Caspersen

http://www.postindependent.com/article/2008892293375

WEST GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — Judy Penati’s grandfather and aunt have battled cancer, but that’s not the first thing she mentioned to explain why she chose to cycle cross country to raise money to fight cancer.

The Johns Hopkins University sophomore-to-be had other reasons for applying to part of this summer’s incarnation of the Hopkins 4K For Cancer, an annual cross-country ride with a mission of raising funds for and spreading awareness of the fight against the oft-deadly disease.

“I was kind of inspired by the people who did the trip before me, and it’s such an incredible cause,” said Penati, who along with a team 24 others — most college students — enjoyed a night’s respite at the Church of Christ in West Glenwood Springs Tuesday. “Also the thrill of biking cross country, knowing I can do it.”

That’s not to say her grandfather and aunt don’t often find their way into Penati’s thoughts, nor her in theirs.

“I know they check out the blog everyday,” the neuroscience major said, referring to a journal housed on the Hopkins 4K website, http://www.hopkins4k.org/. “A lot of people do. I didn’t expect that so many people would check it out.”

This summer’s Hopkins 4K team is the seventh to trek from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., to San Francisco, Calif. Co-founders Leah Blom and Ryan Hanley, both JHU students, started the entirely student-run effort back in 2001, and it’s blossomed into quite the annual operation.

Twenty-five cyclers and three support vans make the two-month, 4,000-mile trip tick. Depending on terrain and the day’s conditions, riders log from 70 to 110 miles a day and make temporary homes of churches, community centers or schools in various communities along the way.

But, when idle, the Hopkins 4K-ers do more than just catch up on sleep.

“We hold community dinners, we’ll sit down the community members and interact,” said Daniel Ingram, who’s cycling as well as handling media relations duties for the team. “It depends on the community.”

Due to last-minute lodging complications, such functions weren’t on the Glenwood Springs agenda for the Hopkins 4K team prior to its Wednesday morning departure for Paonia.

The group of riders — most from JHU — have heard countless touching tales along the way. Some from people at the community functions and others simply in passing.

“One woman was just saying how her daughter is fighting one kind of cancer and her niece is fighting another,” Ondrej Juhasz, a 2006 JHU grad, recalled. “She asked if we could dedicate our ride to her family.”

Ride dedications are a ritual for the Hopkins 4K group. Every morning, before cycling off to their next destination, riders form a circle and dedicate the day’s pedaling to someone touched by cancer — whether it’s a person they know personally or someone they met along their summer journey.

For most, it’s the people with whom they cross paths that make the trip.

“It’s been great,” said Ben Margolis, a pre-med major at JHU. “We’ve stayed in a school building with no one around. We’ve been in a school building where the principal came and cooked us all dinner. We’ve been in a church with 25 to 30 people. It’s all about hearing stories and spreading awareness.”

And that might just mean more than the $100,000-plus they hope to raise for various cancer organizations.

A Wet Day Through the Canyons - Naturita, CO (Day 42)

2008-07-07T17:27:00.001-07:00

Today saw the formation of Team Mountain Men, which included us men with overgrown and unkempt facial hair (sorry Mom). This included Tom, Andrew, Jesse, Ankit, Rob, and myself. We of course only communicated in grunts and growls.

The day involved two significant climbs. On the first one, I saw a biker a good distance ahead. Thinking it was a 4Ker, I pushed myself to catch up, only to find out it was in fact a 66 year old woman. Amazed, I biked alongside her for the rest of the climb. It turns out she was training for a bike ride she wanted to do with her son into Moab, UT. It was inspiring (and a good kick to my ego) to see this woman pushing the physical limits of the body at such an old age.

The downhill after the climb lasted a good 15 miles into a beautiful canyon, where we had a great burrito lunch at a rest stop. Following this year's tradition, it started to rain and we all huddled under a shed before be forced back on the road. After a few more miles of pleasant, yet wet and cold, downhill, we all learned the downside to being in a canyon – you have climb out of it. I found it weird when, at the top of the climb, instead of being at a picturesque peak, we looked out onto rolling plains.

We got what turned out to be one of our last glimpses of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains before continuing on to the little town of Naturita, CO. While sitting around at the school we were staying at that night, a few local kids came by with their BMX bikes to show us some tricks. We tried to imitate the wheelies, unfortunately to no avail. The only cool thing we could show off was our mud-covered bikes and bodies from the miles of wet and muddy riding.

We were treated to a great barbecue dinner and drinks at the local saloon, before hitting the hay, some of us later than others.

-Dan

Picking Up Hosts Along the Way - Montrose, CO (Day 41)

2008-07-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July!! This morning, the group got to sleep in till 8am (woohoo!) and then march in the Paonia Fourth of July Parade. I led our 4K cheer at least a dozen times along the route, rousing up the group and the crowd. Somehow, my voice is still working. Though not a very long day into Montrose, it was blistering hot, making every mile on the road that much harder. The terrain also changed significantly, and all of a sudden we found ourselves biking through what seemed like arid desert. Jesse wanted us to make it in before 5pm so that we could also participate in the Montrose Parade, so we kept up a pretty good pace.

Without a confirmed host in Montrose (our planned host unfortunately had to back out), we revised the parade route cheer to include “What do we need? Housing!” Luckily, it paid off and a lovely family allowed us to camp out in their backyard. With a trampoline (which Ben couldn't pull himself away from), water guns (Henry and Chris had an impressive showdown) and fireworks to launch at night, it became one of the best hosts we've had so far.

The constant generosity we encounter along the way truly amazes us sometimes, and even in a place where we had no arranged plans, community members come out and support us. It is situations like this that show the power of caregivers and community, especially for those we know undergoing cancer treatments.

-Dan

Cherry Days Festival - Paonia, CO (Days 39-40)

2008-07-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

It was sad to leave Glenwood Springs, especially because we were giving up our opportunity to truly experience the hot springs. My group of Rob and Amy were excited for the day though, knowing there was a day off at the end of it. The first twenty miles were nice and flat, with farm lands on either side of the road. I got a kick out of seeing a tractor-crossing sign on the road with the snow-capped mountains in the background.

Before any real climbing, we came upon a beautiful waterfall. Of course, the team stopped and found the energy to hike up the hillside and get a spectacular view of the water from the top. It also gave us time to be off the bike, and also tell the other tourists about our trip. Like always, we got some great reactions.

Finally (maybe not happily) we reached McClure Pass, a challenging three miles straight up the mountain. It posed a good challenge to the team, and even the groups that got rained on still felt great getting up it. The reward for the climb was a great downhill to a nice lunch stop on a ledge overlooking a beautiful valley. We were told the rest of the day would be nice and easy into Paonia, making us all excited.

It was going great until we reached a side road with several railroad crossings. Knowing me, I of course had to take one at just the wrong angle to get my tire stuck. I was thrown to the ground, with the battle scars to prove it, and Rob, who was right behind me, ran right into me. There is nothing like a good fall, however, to motivate you to finish the day.

It was the annual Cherry Days Festival in Paonia, so our day off was filled with fun things to do. It was great walking around the town, exploring the stores, eating free food and cherry ice cream, and buying awsomely-ugly t-shirts for three bucks. It is small communities like Paonia, who open up their arms to our group and cause, that make long and mountainous days worth it.

-Dan

Dirt Roads and Flooded Bike Paths - Glenwood Springs, CO (Day 38)

2008-07-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

The sun arose like any other day in Kremmling, CO, but it was anything but a normal day. Today was a monumental day. Monumental enough to put down in the annals of...the world. It was kind of like (ENTER REALLY IMPORTANT EVENT!!!). Today saw the second reunion of TEAM SAUSAGE!!!

Clad in their most spandexey of spandex, the Team to End All Teams circled up like any other day..but today was anything but a normal day, like I mentioned earlier, pay attention. Today was to be a very difficult day, fraught with peril and other thinks a lot like peril. Rob dedicated his ride to Danny Sussman, hoping that the enthusiasm that he is showing in his fight with cancer would somehow reach him as he climbed through the Rockies.
::dramatic music and drumroll::

The Sausages began the morning with a rousing chant of “Jimmy Dean: Sausage links and patties,” and then started the climb through the mountains. Climbing out of Kremmling, they made their first turn...

Onto a dirt road.

These were trying times for all sausages. Momo's knees continued to hover right on the verge of snapping due to his seeming inability to shift into any lower gear. Seriously man, really? Tom wouldn't shut up about the scenery. The bears (Papa and Uncle Hubie Bear) were their quiet, pensive selves, with PBJ gently muttering and Uncle Hubie blasting Pearl Jam.

Downhills were the most dangerous part. Imagine, if you will, driving over a rumble strip. Now imagine that you are doing that on a bike with no shocks. Now make those rumble strips uneven, on a 7% grade downhill at 30 mph, and with random large rocks in the way. Its kind of like that but worse.

Despite the harsh road conditions, the wurst were treated to some of the most b-e-a-utiful vistas of the entire trip. Breath-taking canyons with miniature railroad and Colorado River (we crossed it today!) winding through the bottom. The scenery started to become more barren, with jagged red rocks and sparse green scruff dominating the views.

With bums totally numb from the morning's dirt road action (which lasted about 30ish miles) and a nice thunderstorm scare (with unsafe fire and boulder (looking at you James)), Sausages reached the bike path that would take them into Glenwood. The path ran adjacent to the raging (totes rage) Colorado River, sandwiched between two 300 ft sheer cliffs on either side (and I-70.) Only a few miles out, a major obstacle: The bike path was closed due to flooding. With little choice in the matter (we couldn't bike on the interstate), we had to ford the river. The water turned out to be only a few inches (read: 6-7) with little current. The real fun was getting everybody's bikes over the 12 foot high chain link fence on the other side. The sausages also took delight in watching Ondrej try (and succeed...) in fitting through a hole in the fence really not meant for a man of his size.

The hot springs people wouldn't let us in, which caused much displeasure. But a team SAUSAGE day without any flats? Was that mentioned yet? No flats? BOOSH! What a day.

No flats! -- Rob out --

A Report on Yogi's Birthday - Kremmling, CO (Day 37)

2008-07-07T17:22:00.001-07:00

Kremmling, CO – It has been reported that today was a relatively easy day for the 25 riders of the great organization called Hopkins 4k for Cancer. Witnesses claim that most of the 46 mile ride was downhill and the riders pedaled at most once or twice. The riders seemed pleased about this, stating that the last two days had been intensely hard, with climbing up Trail Ridge and touching the snow line at 12,000 feet and what not.

Our sources also stated that it was one rider, Yogeeta's (affectionately known as Yogi Bear or Precious) 20th birthday. She was going to use this happy occasion as an excuse to ride the van instead of her bicycle, but changed her mind at the last minute when she found out what the terrain was like. When we interviewed her after the ride she said, “I am really glad I decided to man up and ride my bike today. I got to see some incredible scenery on the way from Grand Lake to Kremmling. It just would not have been the same if I were in a car. Also, my team and I thought it would be a great idea to take a break by the swampiest part of the Colorado River. We ended up getting attacked by an angry storm of mosquitoes and spent the rest of the day simultaneously scratching our arms and legs while biking. I would not have missed this for the world.”

Another reason for her happiness was the fact that her team, which consisted of her fellow band members Alison (aka Harmony) and Katie (aka Destiny), Jess Arms (aka Hater) and Jesse (aka PBJ/ Papa Bear), decided to celebrate her birthday with a breakfast at the Bear's Den instead of leaving with the other groups. The 'Papa Stacks' of pancakes, free slice of chocolate cheesecake, eggs and root beer were reported to be delicious. The team finally got on their bikes at 11:45 am, mainly because Papa Bear was getting restless and angry, and they did not want to deal with the wrath of Papa Bear.

Once they reunited with the other riders in Kremmling, they had the good fortune of meeting Kim and Glyn, their hosts for the night. Kim and Glyn are two sisters who reside in a cute house by the church where the riders were taking shelter for the night and were described as “great” and “awesome”. Kim is learning Hindi and spent a large part of the dinner conversing with Yogeeta and Ankit and sharing her love of the language, Indian culture and Bollywood movies. Yogeeta later found out that she has over 200 Bollywood movies and remembers most of the actors by name, which basically made Yogeeta's day.

In conclusion, the day ended well, everyone went to bed quite content, stuffed with tacos and frosted cookies. The general consensus was that Colorado rocks and that it is going to be hard to find memory space for the gazillions of pictures that are being taken of the gorgeousness all around.

This article brought to you by Yogeeta Manglani.

(Illegal Message thrown into article – Papa, Mama, Hits, Dings love you and miss you guys!)

Trail Ridge Road and Rocky Mtns. National Park - Grand Lake, CO (Day 36)

2008-07-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

12300 feet. Our final elevation. Our day started at a mere 7600 feet, at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Although you'd expect the climb to be the hardest part of the day, the elevation of the area was in fact far worse.

Elevation has a huge effect on your body, much of which may not be immediately obvious. While walking across town in Grand Lake last night, I was panting for air despite the extremely low exertion. At 12300 feet, an otherwise gradual and relatively easy hill becomes an insurmountable mountain, as the body tries to utilize more oxygen than the lungs can provide. The first 20 feet after a brief rest feels so great, so easy, yet it quickly becomes nearly impossible after your muscles have burned all the available oxygen.

Despite the 25 mile 4000 foot climb, the extreme elevation, and all the associated hardships, the mountain was absolutely spectacular. Each turn, each hairpin provided new vistas, more beauty. At each turn, I thought, wow, I should take more pictures – it can't get any better than this. Yet it does. At the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, we were already stunned by the view. The beauty there was breathtaking, snowcapped mountains framed by lush evergreen forest. Within a few miles of entering the park, we were already a few hundred feet up, and we stopped to take pictures of various people climbing a tree.

We first passed snow around 9800 feet. Just pass the 10560 ft elevation sign (2 miles above sea level!), we stopped and launched a few snowballs at passing riders. Unfortunately, we didn't hit anyone, but it gave us a moment to reflect – we just biked from Baltimore to snow in the middle of summer! As we pushed on, the elevation made moving harder and harder, but we were motivated by the majesty of the views. Just short of 11,700 feet, we passed the famed “4K Rock”, and everyone took pictures of the mountain with bikes over their heads.

When we finally reached the highest elevation on the road – 12,183 feet, we stopped for some pictures. Greg told us that he climbed the hill just behind the road last year, so we figured we might as well do the same. The route up was extremely rocky and steep, but reaching the top was absolutely worth the effort. At our final elevation – 12,314 feet, we took panoramic pictures and videos. The surrounding peaks no longer towered above us, and the crystal clear sky allowed us views for miles. The sense of accomplishment was palpable, which didn't even account for the anticipation of our coming descent.

After a brief stop at the lodge at 11,796 feet for some lunch, we set off on our descent. Within a few hundred feet of leaving the lodge, I was already at 30 mph and climbing. The first hairpin was a hair RAISING ordeal. The label for the turn was only 15 mph, but I couldn't brake down to less than 25 mph. What more could I do but bank as hard as I can and hope there's no gravel? The turn was off the edge of a cliff, and I couldn't decide what I wanted to look at more – the road, or the mountains in the distance. Good thing I choose the road, otherwise I would be PART of the mountains right now!

After dropping a good 1000 feet at petrifying speeds, we arrived at the continental divide. On one side of the line, water flowed toward the Atlantic ocean; on the other side, the Pacific. More pictures later, we descended another 1000 feet toward Grand Lake. The hairpins kept coming, but our speeds kept climbing. Although each turn was labeled for only 15 mph, we topped out at 35. That was by far the most out of vertical I've ever been on a bike! Through the entire descent, the exhilaration was matched only by the beauty of the mountains in the distance, and it was a constant battle for attention – control of the bike or the beautiful view.

As we ended our descent, the mountains opened up to Grand Lake, a spectacular lake nestled within mountains. As night passed, we were stunned by the sky, packed with many more stars than normally visible. Although the town had many street lamps, the Milky Way remained obvious. The entire day will be one I will remember for the rest of my life.

-James Gao

Welcome to the Rockies - Estes Park, CO (Day 35)

2008-07-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

“Everything happens for a reason.” - random conversation with another 4K rider

Seven days before the ride into Estes Park—the hardest ride of the trip—I was hit from the back and almost lost all hopes of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge with the team this year. The slow collision pushed my bike seat into the lower part of my spine leaving me with no feeling in my feet for a short period of time. As I began 'hospital hopping' from Red Cloud Hospital for a CAT scan to Karney hospital for an MRI, stranded on a backboard, I realized how quickly something can be taken away from you. In an instant I literally went from biking across the country to not being able to walk. It was emotionally and mentally frustrating as I took for granted the most important asset of all—my good health. Strapped onto the board for the next nine hours, all I thought about were the things I had planned to do in the future that would require mobility. The NYC marathon I want to run in the near future, the school I want to build in Baghdad, playing sports with campers as a counselor, etc. Fortunately, I began to gain feeling in my toes. A buzz of senses came alive and I knew that everything would be okay. The MRI was negative and I was left with wearing a back brace for the rest of the week.

Seven days later, the ride (climb rather) into Estes Park, became a test of how I was going to see myself for the rest of the trip. “How are you feeling?” Each rider asked me affectionately. I didn't know to be honest, but I thought the famous mountain ahead would generously let me know. I grouped up with Hubert, Dan, and Papa Bear (Jesse). As the climb began I saw Hubert and Jesse ride ahead. Knowing that I needed the motivation of others to push myself over this, especially with the constant back pain, I knew that I would have to push myself and stay with Jesse and Hubert. The climb came out to be that much more special as we screamed and yelled 'MAN UP!!!' to help each other stay pumped. As a group we climbed the twenty miles uphill to reach at about 9,000 feet of elevation.

Everything that goes up must come down and we did with big grins on our faces, but before going downhill we searched for our sweats in Thomas' van as the temperature was less than 50 degrees at the top of the mountain. The rest of the ride was a beautiful downhill with a short stop by a lake reflecting the snows of the mountains in background. Speechless by the view, we envied a bride and groom getting married and began conversing with the wedding crew. After a couple of group photos we flew the next fifteen miles (getting lost twice) and ending up at the YMCA of the Rockies—more of a resort than a YMCA.

The ride rejuvenated my hopes of being able to successfully complete this journey and to finally be able to see The Golden Gates of San Francisco. It reminded me of the beautiful bond of a team, and the compassion that complete strangers a month ago could have once brought together to complete a common goal. The ride and the trip in general has also changed my views on people. When given the right components to live a good life which I have been raised on to believe are a mixture of loyalty, honesty, respect, trust and love will be its constant means.

As I was wheel-chaired back to my hospital bed, two visitors came to take me back to the church in Franklin, Nebraska. Thinking about my family back home and my new 27 brothers and sisters, the presence of people caring about my health made me fall asleep soundly in the car ride back to Franklin.

-Mohammad Modarres

Feature in the Fort Morgan Times, CO

2008-07-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

Wiggins hosts Hopkins 4K team

Riders stay at Summit Baptist Church

By DAN BARKER
Monday, June 30, 2008

Members of the Hopkins 4K for Cancer team take some time to enjoy a little 4-square game in the basement of the Summit Baptist Church in Wiggins. The church hosted the bicycle riders for a night last week.

Hopkins 4K for Cancer riders stopped in Wiggins and stayed at the Summit Baptist Church.

Wiggins Town Council member Brad Weese welcomed the Hopkins 4K for Cancer team last week.

A group of riders on the Hopkins 4K for Cancer team comes into the outskirts of Wiggins on Morgan County Road Q. They had come almost halfway through the 4,000 miles of their trip from the East Coast to the West Coast.

Every year the Hopkins 4K for Cancer bicycle marathon rides through Wiggins — and this year was no different.

Last week, 25 riders and three team support staffers rode to the Summit Baptist Church after a month on the road. They still had another month to go to finish their 4,000-mile ride from Baltimore to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, said team member Jesse Richter.

The church has hosted the riders for at least five years and others in town had done so before, said Wiggins Town Council member Brad Weese, who greeted the team.

Richter just graduated Johns Hopkins University with a B.S. in civil engineering. Taking the long ride was something he had always wanted to do and it was the perfect thing to do before he started his career, he said.

His family has been touched by cancer. His grandfather had died before Richter was born, he said.

Team member Jessica Arms' family was also touched by the dreaded disease. A week before she set out, her father was diagnosed with prostate cancer and he had surgery two days later, she said.

Fortunately, it had not spread and he's doing well, Arms said.

Others in her family have also contracted cancer of some kind. One died and another fought it for years, she said.

Both of the riders said cancer is something that seems to affect almost everyone, either personally or through knowing someone who has had it.

On top of raising funds for cancer research, the ride is an adventure because not many people get to make such a tour.

“But the cause keeps you going," Richter said.

The 4K is definitely about the cause. Each team member has to raise at least $4,000 in pledges for the effort and major sponsors also chip in. This team raised more than $100,000, he said.

This is no Sunday ride with the kids.

"The first 10 days were rough, but it got easier," Richter said.

On the other hand, the riders do not have to be champion bike riders. Richter said he's a runner and plays rugby, but not a road cyclist. Arms said she's not a serious bike rider, either, but is fit as a cross country runner who has done triathlons and backpacked across Europe and South America.

Of course, the riders don't do it alone. The support staff drive vans that carry gear and are also there with water and food for lunch stops, Richter said.

"They're really pivotal," he said.

Candidates for the trip are interviewed in October and chosen in November each year. Then the teammates get together for training and to work as volunteers at the Hope Lodge, which is a place for families of cancer victims to stay while their loved ones are getting treatment, Richter said.

Most of the riders do not know each other, but it is amazing how they "click," he said.

The team tends to stay in churches along the route, but also stopped at the University of Illinois, Illinois College and some YMCA chapters, Richter said.

Richter was the leg leader for the middle third of the trip, which means he serves as the spokesman for the group. He also has to beg lunch from places along the way, he said.

"We've had a lot of McDonald’s," Richter said.

It was easy finding food in Nebraska, but the job will be harder as the group heads over the Rocky Mountains, through Estes Park and over Trail Ridge Road, and when they hit the desert — not to mention the grueling effort, he said

Nonetheless, the group was excited about a change of scenery, Richter said.

Arms said she's taking the trip because people often talk about the "bleakness in the world … but don't do a lot about it."

"This is a chance to do something," she said.

Arms stresses early detection.

"It saved my dad's life; it will save a lot of lives," she said. Also, diet and exercise can help. "Two-thirds of cancer is preventable."

A third of cancer cases are attributed to smoking and another third to diet, Arms said.

— Contact Dan Barker at business@fmtimes.com.

Bold in Boulder - Boulder, CO (Days 33-34)

2008-06-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

The night we arrived to Wiggins we watched the sun set over the rocky mountains. We saw shadows of towering peaks in the distance as we all filled with excitement about conquering the mountains after Boulder. The next day, we departed Wiggins to embark on an 80 mile day into Boulder, where we would have a day off. My group started out spectacularly, three flat tires in a row within the first 5 miles, all mine. After falling about an hour behind the group, we got started again. We came to a large hill, and we all knew that upon reaching the top, the mountains would come into view. A few minutes later, we were speechless as we saw the snow covered peaks in the distance.

As the day progressed, the mountains got bigger and more detailed. The experience of cycling in 90 degree heat while staring at snowy mountains was unforgettable. As we approached Boulder, the heat got hotter and the mountains grew tremendously more towering. Thomas unfortunately had some van troubles and got stranded on the way.

From the rantings of past 4k riders, I had built a mental picture of Boulder, a hippie-ish place with outdoorsy stores lining the streets and a beautiful view of the mountains. I was not disappointed! Boulder is quite possibly one of the neatest places I have ever been. We stayed at a church just a few blocks away from Pearl Street, a street closed to traffic filled with live music, street performers, restaurants, and shops. Needless to say . . . the 4k riders did some damage to their wallets.

We heard about a reggae concert going on at night, and decided to check it out. We were told that the singers of the band had polio, and performed while supporting themselves with crutches on stage. The band was called Israel Vibration, and was absolutely incredible. We decided to “play the game” and bust out some psychedelic dance moves to fit the scene. Thats a more elaborate way to say we made complete fools of ourselves. Needless to say, the concert was extremely uplifting and made me think a lot about our own cause. Seeing these singers overcome their disease to do what they love, with such passion, reminded me of all the people we met at the hope lodge this semester, fighting their battles to get back to living their lives.

-Ben Margolis

Mountains Looming in the Distance - Wiggins, CO (Day 32)

2008-06-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

We woke this morning in the comfort of beds in our host's houses again. It was truly hard to get up and I wanted to pretend I didn't hear the alarm, but that could only last so long. We were warmly greeted by our host family for breakfast as they welcomed us with eggs, bacon, and cinnamon buns. The Lubbers are an athletic family, so they were sure we got enough calories to start off the day right.

The morning round-up at the church took longer than usual, but we circled up outside and dedicated our rides. I'm sure it has been said before in a journal entry, but it seems like the one commonality all of America has is the impact of cancer and everyone's struggle to overcome the disease as best as they can. Everyone was also thankful for the warmness of our hosts and we set out on a 76 mile trip into Wiggins, CO.

The day was hot as we passed very arid areas of Colorado. It felt more like what we imagined Nevada and Utah would look like, not Colorado, the home of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains and the famous and mighty Colorado River. Our water stops were painfully shade-less and some of us didn't want to ride anymore.

As we neared Wiggins, a small thunderstorm loomed in the distance and we welcomed the shade of the clouds. As we approached it seemed to dissipate, but a large windstorm hit us. I have never seen tumble weed actually tumble before and seeing Taylor get smacked with a really large piece as I dodged others was hilarious. Our hosts were kind as always and the spaghetti sauce was delicious. We ended the day by watching the sun fade past the rockies as we anticipated what Boulder would bring.

-Judy Penati

Into the Mile High State - Yuma, CO (Day 31)

2008-06-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I dedicated my ride to Fern and Rachel, two lovely ladies I met when I and others helped make noodles at the senior center in Benkelman, NE. They were kind enough to show their support by venturing to the fundraising fair in honor of Rosemary the night before. Benkelman blew me away by their awesome generosity and ability to raise several thousand dollars to battle Cancer. I didn't want to leave such a lovely town. Even the send-off was made spectacular by an escort of three amazing brothers who cycled with us to the border.

Marked by a wooden sign the Colorado border was upon me sooner than I expected. It stood there in all its wooden glory embodying my notions of a rugged Colorado. The rest of the day, though, proceeded to shatter the rest of my preconceived notions of the state. Colorado was the home of the Rockies, so shouldn't it be full of endless trying hills from border-to-border? I thought so, but all I saw was a gorgeous sky meeting an endless expanse of flat ground.

Upon entering the town of Wray, a delicious meal awaited us at La Familia. The restaurant was kind enough to provide us with air-conditioning, ice tea, chips and as many burritos as we wanted. After finishing off the delicious meal with spoonfuls of honey, I was refreshed and ready to continue the journey onward. I wasn't in a hurry, though, and thoroughly enjoyed a conversation with a couple in the restaurant about Ride the Rockies, a bike trip through the Rockies that we missed by a week, and some attractions other than the Rockies themselves, such as a fishery at Stalker Pond.

In Yuma a surprise awaited us, the return of the home stays. I was adopted for the night by Dave and LuAnne who welcomed me and five other riders into their lovely home. When we drove there I was only expecting the glory of an actual bed with actual sheets, little did I know that even more exciting things awaited me. A little while later I found myself piloting a lawn mower that turned on a dime. The excitement didn't stop there. A blue tractor was at my disposal. When I embarked upon this trip I pondered what it would feel like to finally reach San Francisco knowing that I had just cycled across the country in an effort to fight cancer, what I didn't ponder was the thrill of riding a tractor. Yes, the tractor moved slowly, but you had a gigantic shovel at your disposal. To top it all off was a trip to the neighbors to see kittens and pigs. Needless to say I slept soundly at the end of the day. Having a beautiful gray tabby named Rowdy cuddling in the crook of my arm was just a tremendously welcome push into dreamland.

-Ondrej Juhasz

An Emotional Welcome Home - Benkelman, NE (Days 29-30)

2008-06-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we rode from Arapahoe to Benkelman. Wake-up call came too early given my comfortable bed at Karme and Anthony Fisher's; for the first time, I didn't wake up ready for the day. After saying goodbye to our generous hosts and eating a wonderful breakfast at the Methodist Church, we circled to dedicate our day. As I listened to each rider speak in honor or in memory of someone they had met who had been touched by cancer, I was rather suddenly struck by this trip and what we're experiencing along the road. As I've done the trip once before (in 2006), and being as we are half-way through this trip, it seemed strange that I'm only now coming to truly feel all aspects of what we're doing.

Spreading awareness about cancer, one tier of the 4K's mission, is something I understand on an academic level and believe in absolutely. I have always believed in the power of education, and given the number of cancer cases that are preventable, I hope our trip inspires people to be more mindful of their bodies and environments so as to reduce all controllable risk factors (e.g. tobacco use and obesity). This element of the trip was one of the first things which attracted me 2 years ago. Likewise, raising funds is an important part of what we do, and I think our contributions make a difference to the organizations to which we donate. Yesterday I began to have a deeper understanding for the more emotional aspect of the trip: fostering hope.

It started as a vague feeling while we were circled with members of the Arapahoe community. I was overwhelmed by an accumulation of stories and lives that had been shared with us. I thought about people I had met 2 years ago who were still struggling, as well as those who had since passed away. About 20mi outside of Benkelman we stopped for a wonderful lunch with Johnny and Nell Walker. Johnny hosted the 4K in 2006, as well, when his first wife, Rosemary, was struggling with an aggressive cancer. Again this year, Johnny invited us into his home and shared his life with us. Rosemary passed away in August, 2007; Johnny talked about his family, their struggle, her last days, and how he continues living and loving. He talked about being touched by a rider on the 2006 team who was himself a cancer survivor. The honesty and emotion of his story brought together all the emotions I had been feeling the last couple days, and I cried listening to him speak about his experiences. I was shaken by the love, pain, and hope in his message.

Arriving in Benkelman felt like coming home after having been away for a long time. It was one of my favorite stops in 2006, and I had been looking forward to seeing Chris and Carolyn, our hosts, this entire ride. Here is a small town that epitomizes what we experience across the country: limitless generosity. Chris and Carolyn invite us into their home every year, let us eat in their diner, and take time from their lives to provide for us during our day off. What's more, together with Crystal, Johnny and Rosemary's daughter, and others from the Benkelman community, they threw us a fantastic benefit picnic in the town park. There were festival games (like a dunk tank and bingo), a silent auction, food and drink, karaoke, and a dance. All proceeds went to the 4K, which this year totaled just over $2,000! Not even the early end to the evening caused by a violent thunder and hail storm could hamper our total enjoyment of the day.

Biking to Benkelman and throughout the day off, I thought about the 4K - our goals, our challenges, and ideas for improvement. It's easy for me to get discouraged; I always feel I could be doing more. When I get upset about all the little details, I hope I can remember the advice of a dear friend: “You're a human being, not a human doing.” This is about who we are, not what we do. At the beginning and end of long days, it's not about what we've done on the road, it's about who we've been, who we are, and how we interact with those around us. I believe we have a positive and lasting impact on the communities through which we pass, and days like those into Benkelman remind me of how important it is to keep reaching out to these places.

As we move from community to community, we encounter all types of people and personalities. Something that remains constant, however, is the generosity and openness of those we meet. Whether we're passing someone on our route, eating dinner with our hosts, or being taken into someone's home for the night, people treat us as though we're dear friends, not perfect strangers. They tell us stories of hardship, confide in us the experiences they've suffered, and share their hope for a better future. At the end of the day, they remind me of why I'm doing this again: this isn't about biking, it's about the people (riders and hosts) - their stories, their pain, their love, their hope. I'm told we inspire others with hope for the future and the next generation. Honestly, the people we meet inspire me with hope for the future. They show me that it's possible to love, to struggle, to hope, to hurt, and to continue in spite of everything.

-Clare Blubaugh

More Photos Have Been Added!

2008-06-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

Photo albums from Sweet Springs, MO to Benkelman, NE have been uploaded for your viewing pleasure!

Check them out at http://picasaweb.google.com/4k4cancer

Next Mail Drop - Paonia, CO

2008-06-22T18:27:00.001-07:00

We've arrived in Benkelman, NE for a much anticipated day off. Thanks for all the packages! Our next mail drop will be in Paonia, CO. Please make sure all packages and letters arrive by Wednesday, July 2.

Send mail to:

United Methodist Church
Hopkins4K for Cancer - [Rider's Name]
307 Onagara Ave.
Paonia, CO 81428

Look Ma! No Hands! - Arapahoe, NE (Day 28)

2008-06-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

Today was a very enjoyable short day. The 60 miles from Franklin, NE to Arapahoe, NE was beautiful and scenic. The rolling hills, wide open spaces, and sparse traffic were a good place for a lot of the riders to get more comfortable with their riding skills. While not admiring the countryside, many riders practiced riding with no hands and by the end of the day were able to pat their heads, rub their stomachs, and ride their bikes at the same time.

We arrived at the First Methodist Church early in the afternoon and were promptly lead into a small holding room where we were put up for adoption. For the first time this trip, various community members in Arapahoe graciously opened up their homes and provided small groups of riders with homestays. As expected, the lovely ladies were the first to find a new home for the night, while the smelly boys were left to grunt and mutter.

In an incredible string of events, a man and woman hiking across the country happened to knock on the door of one of the homestays and later found themselves at our dinner table. The pair are hiking 4,834 miles from Delaware to California. They hike under the name Hugs for Humanity and hope to give one million hugs and raise one million dollars for the Alzheimer's Association and Neurofibromatosis Inc. You can see read more about their trip at www.hugsforhumanity.com

-Taylor Almond

Introducing our Van Drivers!!

2008-06-21T20:16:00.002-07:00

April Harris

I am a van driver, April is my name
Flat tires and injuries- I fix them all the same
In my little white car I save the 4k riders
With every distress call, my heart grows a little wider
I spend my days finding donations, putting food in hungry bellies
Make me angry and for you – eternal peanut butter and jellies

Thomas, Andrew and I scour the streets for any trouble
Sometimes my work is tiresome and I want to leave the 4k bubble
But I know no matter what hope will pull me through
The hope of those who are suffering – of every cancer patient I ever knew
With every mile every day each hot sun and stormy sky
I am happy to be a part of this and now I hope that you know why!

Thomas Beerbower

After much deliberation, I've come to the conclusion that my biographical thoughts can only be truly expressed through poetry.

For example, in haiku:

Thomas Beerbower
Van driver extraordinaire
How 'bout dem apples?

Or iambic pentameter:

Thomas, my name is, and I drive a van.
If asked, the team might say I am the man.
I stuff them full of apples every day.
And tell them jokes, so they can't stay away.

I bring them water and some tasty snacks.
When I am close, they know I have their backs.
I make them slather sunscreen on, you see,
With SPFs that keep them cancer-free.

I drive to honor my friend Caroline
Whose cancer came without much prior sign.
She's only twenty-four and, yet, so strong,
So thoughts of her keep pushing me along.

Andrew Gotimer

During my Senior year of high school, my brother, Greg, was a Freshman. This meant that I drove him to school each morning. At the time, NBC News did a story on our school, declaring it as having the earliest start time in New York State. I was up at six every morning; Greg was up by seven thirty-five. Many a late mornings I spent arguing with my brother as we broke all kinds of land speed records trying to at least make it in by second period.

Due to my apparently uncanny ability to not learn life lessons, I now find myself up at 5-6AM every morning, packing a van to the hilt and driving my brother and twenty-four other students to that proverbial school four-thousand miles away. This time, the start time is earlier, the commute longer, the load heavier and I'm glad I never learned my lesson. My name is Andrew Gotimer. Van driver. Documentarian.

Heartfelt Dedications - Franklin, NE (Day 27)

2008-06-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

Today started with a scrumdillyumptious breakfast in Fairbury, NEBRASKA (no, we’re not in Kansas anymore!). They got up very early and made us an extensive hot breakfast with fresh scrambled eggs and the works, and I definitely appreciated it as the 100 miles of rolling hills never seemed to end. However, the landscape for the ride today was beautiful, the plains were vast and beautiful and it was sweet to see the cows bathing in the water today in order to escape the heat!

I think my favorite part of today was the host dinner! After a refreshing shower we sat down to a delicious meal, and I was lucky enough to share the company of a couple awesome Franklin, Nebraska natives. Gary shared with me the story of his wife, who is a third generation colon cancer victim. She has also survived three recurrences, and just finished her last bought of chemotherapy five weeks ago. If that wasn’t awesome enough, she was busy up and helping with dinner all night! The hospitality we receive everywhere we go is truly incredible, and in this case the mutual kindness and hope is reciprocated on an even deeper level.

Pastor Neil was unable to join us due to his current heart condition, and I know I will keep him, and his recently deceased wife, and his five year old granddaughter, McKensie, who recently passed from a neuroblastoma, in my prayers.

4K Lovin,
Anna E.S. Johnston

Entering the Cornhusker State - Fairbury, NE (Day 26)

2008-06-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, in the little town of Frankfort, Kansas, 25 courageous kids with their shiny bikes and their 3 sidekicks (the van drivers) set out again on a new 68 miles journey to Fairbury, NEBRASKA (: ...

The morning began with a delicious breakfast prepared by the Annunciation Catholic Church and was followed by the traditional group ride dedication. During our dedications, while others shared their stories, I remained silent with mine. Now, I have the pleasure of sharing it with you all. For my ride, I dedicated it to Sandy, my former college mentor, friend, and breast cancer survivor.

Today, for the first time, I rode with just the boys: Jesse, Tom, and Ben. I was a bit concerned in the beginning that I wouldn't be able to keep up with their pace but after the first water stop, I felt more comfortable riding with them. The first half of the ride was the last of scenic Kansas and its ups-and-downs on hills; and unfortunately, the sunshine. During the second half, we entered beautiful Nebraska but lightning, thunder, and heavy rain ended our ride. Luckily, we were able to take shelter under a friendly farmer's shed until we were able to be shuttled to our next host, the Grace Lutheran Church in Fairbury. Thank you to our hosts, Jack and Janice, for arranging transportation for us in the rain, for our showers, and our amazing community dinner. Sorry for the slight mistake on the back of our tee-shirts that says we're in Kansas instead of Nebraska!

I'm looking forward to exploring more of Nebraska tomorrow! Good night and sweet dreams! And don't worry, we're in super safe hands! And oh yeah, use that sunscreen!

Don't let the bed bugs bite,
Alison Zhao

Rolling Kansas Hills - Frankfort, KS (Day 25)

2008-06-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Frankfort, KS! We biked 106 miles today from Lawrence, KS. We woke up early this morning to Jesse's lovely voice and we were on the road by 7:15. This morning's dedication was particularly inspirational to me. Clare dedicated her ride to Gabe, a 5-year-old boy from Paola, KS we heard about along our trip who just started his chemo treatment yesterday. I thought about her dedication and Gabe all throughout my ride.

The ride itself today was absolutely gorgeous. The day was mostly flat, but finished with some rolling hills. We spent the majority of the day on rural country roads with herds of cattle on either side. I rode with Alison and Mohammad and we successfully made it to Frankfort with zero flats! After having many many many hard days on the trip so far, it was exciting to have a fun, relatively carefree day to enjoy the scenery and spend seven hours on the bike. Mo and Alison kept the day interesting with tons of stops for pictures, including a stop by the Oregon Trail, and a brief few miles of Alison and I belting out pop songs. (Although I don't know if Mo would describe those miles as “brief.”)

Alison, Yogeeta and myself also spent some of our free time today rehearsing our hit single. We have formed a musical group entitled “Trapped in a Shoebox” to describe different experiences we have had throughout the trip. Look for lyrics to be up on the website in the next few weeks! The first annual 4K Talent Show is only days away, so we have been hard at work.

Upon arriving in Frankfort, we were greeted by Pastor Paul and members of the Catholic Church with a delicious barbecue dinner. (I myself ate three hamburgers, but was beat by James who ate a whopping four!) The gracious nature of our hosts never ceases to amaze all of us. As a storm approaches tonight, we all know we will be safe inside on the church property.

Hopefully tomorrow will be as relaxing as today was! It's time to go rehearse with Trapped in a

Shoebox, album in stores this September!

-Katie Biggart

Jayhawk Country - Lawrence, KS (Day 24)

2008-06-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

According to a recent study by a group of bored physicists, the state of Kansas is actually flatter than a pancake. If someone had a griddle large enough to make a pancake the area of the Sunflower State, then it would have more topographical variation. This pointless studying not withstanding, there are a lot of hills between Paola and Lawrence. Beautiful rolling hills past picturesque lakes, green farms, and other bucolic delights, but hills all the same.

Luckily, it was a short day of hills (about fifty miles) and we rolled into Lawrence around lunch time. If Kansas were a pancake, Lawrence would be situated at the top of the irregular lump in the middle: perched atop Mt. Oread—not a mountain, but not small either—it presents a challenge to cyclists and offers a little preview of what it might be like biking the streets of San Francisco. After a delicious lunch provided by my grandparents (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Pinkston!), we headed downtown to our host... Unfortunately, there had a been a little miscommunication with the host and we were a temporarily homeless group of twenty-eight. Luckily, one of our riders is somebody who knows people—or his mother is someone who knows people—we were able to make arrangements to stay at Trinity Episcopal Church. Thanks a lot to Bob Sanner, Judy Davis, and all the other people who made our stay there possible on incredibly short notice. It was unbelievable hospitality and also a perfect location.

Once situated at Trinity, the riders had a chance to explore Lawrence, do a little shopping, score some University of Kansas gear, learn the origin of the school's enigmatic Rock Chalk chant, get some food, and just wander around the campus. Some of us managed to take in a Boston Celtics World Championship at local institution the Wheel before getting to bed early for a hundred mile ride—and plenty more of those poorly publicized Kansas hills—the next morning for Paola.

All in all, despite the complications, it was another wildly successful day on the 4K. Though the trip has been meticulously planned ahead of time, certain adjustments just have to be made on the fly and the group—thanks to a lot of people's help!—responded fantastically. And as one of our leaders reminded us at the end of the day, this need to adapt to surprises and changing conditions is appropriate for a trip that on a very humble level serves as a metaphor for the journey of cancer treatment—an experience that is sadly often full of unexpected challenges and setbacks.

-Tom Koenigs

"There's No Place Like Home" - Paola, KS (Day 23)

2008-06-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

The day the gravel won: Today was my first day as leg leader, as the second leg has gotten underway. It’s hard to believe that we’re only a third of the way through the trip, while at the same time we’re already a third of the way through the trip. We had a 115 mile day into Kansas today, and for whatever reason, on the longest day of the trip so far, we had 18 flat tires. With 25 riders and 18 flats, it’s hard to believe that we finished at all, but fortunately, most groups finished reasonably on time. I haven’t examined the 4K record books, but I imagine that we’ve taken the lead in some sort of flat tire category.

The morning ride was scenic, and played host to one of my favorite moments of the day. As two clustered groups were coasting downhill and mooing at a group of cows, (it probably won’t ever get old,) I heard Greg say “is that a B-52?” We all looked up and saw a B-52 Stealth in flight, turning around about a half mile from us. Now for my favorite part: all of the guys slam on their brakes, pull to the side and rush to get their cameras out. All of the girls, well, let’s just say they didn’t want to lose their momentum for the pending uphill.

Our host in Paola was the Crossroads Assembly of God, and the hospitality was spectacular. After the delicious spaghetti dinner, the 4Kers unleashed their musical talents on stage with an impromptu jam session. Jess, Taylor, Hubert and I grabbed the guitars, while Ankit showed off his drumming talents, or aspirations. Pastor Rhodes even brought out his Taylor acoustic. I’m not a car guy, but I’ll try an analogy. A bunch of kids who haven’t driven all summer because they’re, say, riding their bikes all the time, stroll upon a bunch of free VW Jettas. The kids are all ecstatic, and drive around for a while. Then the dealer pulls up in his Porsche Carerra 911 and offers it out for a test drive. That’s kind of how it went with the Taylor.

So anyways, the day was light and successful all in all, and I was happy that the start to my leg went smoothly. The support we receive from communities never ceases to amaze me, and Paola was no exception. Sometimes in the heat of the day or at the base of a hill, we can forget why we’re all doing this. When we reach our hosts, however, and they show their gratitude for our efforts to fight cancer, spread awareness, and foster hope, it becomes very clear again that we’re making the right decision.

-Jesse Richter

Next Mail Drop - Benkelman, Nebraska

2008-06-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

Our next mail drop will be in Benkelman, Nebraska. We will be arriving on Saturday, June 22, so please be sure to get any mail to the address below by that date. Thank you again for all the support!

Strikers
Attn: Hopkins4K - (Rider's Name)
1309 A Street
Benkleman, NE 69021

A Sweet Day Off - Sweet Springs, MO (Days 21-22)

2008-06-15T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today started with a great, early (6AM) pancake and egg breakfast provided by Pastor David and the Fayette First Christian Church. After breakfast we were on the road by 7AM to take on 91 miles of the Missouri countryside, at least that is what I told everyone.

Last night Katie came up with the idea of telling everyone the day was going to be longer than it really was (it was actually 61) so they would bike faster and we would get into the host sooner. Our ploy had the team going for the first 52 miles until they all passed a sign that said “Sweet Springs 9 miles.” Acting quickly on his feet Andrew told everyone that while Sweet Springs was only 9 miles away our host was actually 30 miles from the city limits.

The prank came to an end when at lunch we started dumping buckets of water on people and not letting anyone leave the stop. It became rather apparent that the host was in fact less than a mile away. We were all able to get into the host by 2 PM thanks to Katie’s plan, and we were able to enjoy the afternoon at the Sweet Springs Community Pool.

After going to the pool we were treated to a pizza dinner by Pastor Tim and the Sweet Springs Wesley United Methodist Church. The Methodist Church’s hospitality was truly generous and has extended through our day off.

For the day off the team woke up to do laundry and came back to a pasta lunch provided by the church. During the afternoon people took care of postcard writing, card playing, reading and napping. The day off provided a great time for riders to relax and prepare for our long day into Paola, KS tomorrow.

For dinner we were treated to a community BBQ which had to be moved indoors due to weather, after the BBQ we had our second Pow-Pow of the trip to mark the end of the first third.

I passed on the leg leader responsibilities to Jesse and no longer have to wake people up in the morning (something that everyone is happy about)

-Greg Gotimer

A Long Day in the Car - Fayette, MO (Day 20)

2008-06-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

Today began with a wake up at around 5am - not from loud music, but from thunder, rain and lightning outside. Unfortunately, the terrible weather continued throughout the day, keeping us bike riders stuck in Montgomery City. Our hosts were great, bringing us food throughout the morning and afternoon, and even playing board games with us.

Around 3pm, we finally started the shuttling process to Fayette, MO, stuffing as many bags, bikes, and bikers into the vans as possible. It took two trips, but everyone finally made it in (clean and dry) to Fayette.

We were all bummed that we didn't get to bike at all today, but our spirits (and stomachs) were uplifted when we saw what can only be described as an endless variety and quantity of food our hosts provided for dinner. It was delicious, and I think all other meals might pale in comparison.

The weather for tomorrow's ride in Sweet Springs for an (official) day off seems good, and we are all excited to get back on the bikes.

-Dan

A Rider's Letter Home - Montgomery City, MO (Day 19)

2008-06-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Dear mom and dad,

4K bike camp is (insert adjective)

the food has been (superlative).

we even had (fast food) for breakfast! You guys NEVER let me do that! I think I'm gonna trade you in for different parents next chance I get. My counselors (directors' and leg leaders' names) are really awesome. I think I want them as parents. But they also wake me up really early, with terrible music... I guess maybe I'll keep you guys.

Anyway, today we woke up in (name of town), ate breakfast very early, and then got on our bikes and started pedaling. I rode with my friends (names 1 through 5), who are really (adjective), and were very supportive. We had a pretty (gerund) day, with (number) flat tire(s), and a big tear in another one. Just when we were all ready to give up, a gas station saved us with (drink). The weather was extremely (adjective), but don't worry, I put sun screen on (number) times today, just like you said.

We didn't end up making it into (name of town 104 miles away from last town), and had to get shuttled by our excellent drivers (names of drivers 1-3), which really made us (emotion). But I think we are all learning valuable lessons about how much more there is to this trip than just the bike ride.

Ok, that's about all for now. I'll write again in (number) days. Say hi to (dog name) for me.

Love you,

Andrew Telzak

WORD BANK:

Frustrating
Rio
Delicious
Greg
25
Gassy
Clare
upset
AWESOME
Yogeeta
April
water
Katie
Andrew
4
Alison
Thomas
hot
Taylor
Montgomery City
St. Louis
Taco Bell
7
tasty
1 billion

The Gateway to the West - St. Louis, MO (Days 17-18)

2008-06-13T19:57:00.001-07:00

The first few moments of riding each morning are always kind of exciting. It might be partly a combination of food in our bellies, the fresh smell of sun screen, and the echoes of Dan's soon-to-be hoarse voice leading us in chant: “Hey 4K! Where are we going?” But despite what any rider will tell you at the end of each hard day, a lot of the excitement comes from the promise of adventure in every new morning.

In the past few days our group has had its share of adventures and tests – flat tires, broken bikes, spills, tornadoes, and flooded roads. So this morning was difficult for many who wanted nothing more than to pretend that Greg's 6 AM knock on the door was an illusion and roll back over to sleep for another few hours.

A century – 100 miles – awaited us as we reluctantly hopped out of our beds (yes, you heard me, beds!) at Illinois College. As we road out of the college and off with the promise that we would at one point pass into the state of Missouri, spirits were surprisingly high. When there are 100 miles of road ahead of you, a few miles here and there don't seem like a big deal. And so as we took an unexpected “detour” out of the College, the usual chatter continued between riders and groups as many pondered what the day would hold. Chris was probably wondering what tall object he would find to climb (it ended up being a goal post), Allison was probably still wondering what the answer to Dan's daily trivia question was, and Ankit was probably just wondering. I don't think any of us felt those extra miles we road trying to find our way out of Jacksonville until around mile 90 when we found ourselves in St. Louis and lost once again.

The events of the day included a couple of flat tires, most of which were fixed by Ondrej, story time with Papa Ankit at the lunch stop, and a few ridiculous pranks along the way. We may have started and ended our day lost and confused but changes in directions, discrepancies in street names, and less that accurate mileage markers have become commonplace on the 4K.
With the help of John, a fellow cyclist clad in yellow and a St. Louis tourer who went miles out of his way to guide our group to our destination, we eventually made it. The day had been long and eventful – most of us were riding for a full 12 hours. Thinking back to the moment I first got a glimpse of the Mississippi River late that afternoon, I remember the shouts and hollars of my team mates as we struggled up steep hills our Midwestern legs hadn't felt in days. We may not always find the right road but there's comfort in knowing that we're all riding together. Truth be told at the end of a 100 mile day or a 40 mile one, there isn't another group of 27 people I'd rather be lost with.

-Sarah Biggart

One-Fourth West Around the World - Jacksonville, IL (Day 16)

2008-06-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

We had a late start today, since the weather reports seemed a little ominous. Given our experiences over the past few days, we didn’t want to take any chances. We decided to pack the vans early, send them to our destination in Jacksonville, IL and then wait for them to return to Clinton just in case we needed to be shuttled through bad weather. Thankfully, not a drop of rain came down on us all day.

We finally departed around 9am, even with some dark clouds in the sky. My team of Chris, James, Jess, Ben, and I decided to be Team Barnyard, each of us intimidating a barn yard animal for the entire day. Apparently I do a pretty mean cow, so I found myself mooing at every pasture we passed. With the heavy rain over the past few days, we passed a few flooded areas, including a soccer field with only the top of the goals and the scoreboard visible. One of the roads we had planned to take was flooded out, sending us on a short detour. Overall, however, the day was easy, with sweeping fields and picturesque skies. The sounds of animals (from the team, not the fields) also helped pass the time.

Near the end of the day, we passed a major milestone – we came across a sign marking 90 degrees longitude, which is one-fourth the way west around the world. It was really cool, especially because we are also about a fourth the way through our journey across the country.
We rode as a team into Jacksonville, where a large group of supporters at Illinois College came out to greet us with cheers, food, and t-shirts. The campus is beautiful, our hosts are gracious, and it was great to sleep in real beds again. We head into St. Louis tomorrow, signifying our passage into the west – we can’t wait!

-Daniel Ingram

Article in the Michigan City News-Dispatch

2008-06-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

Cyclists Pedaling for Hope
Students from Hopkins involved in fundraising campaign for cancer patients

By Elizabeth Hogge
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&subsectionID=1&articleID=14316

MICHIGAN CITY - Students from The Johns Hopkins University are in town for their fifth visit, staying at Barker Hall on Franklin Street.

The group is making their way from Baltimore to San Francisco for the Johns Hopkins 4K For Cancer, hoping to raise $60,000 for the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge. Hope Lodge is a residence for cancer patients seeking medical attention at Baltimore hospitals.

The group anticipates crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on July 31 to end the 4,000-mile ride.

"It's been going good so far; we feel as though we've been biking so long, but we have a long way to go," first-time ride participant Daniel Ingram said.

"It's been a different experience every day, every community is unique. Everywhere we go we meet survivors, and this is a way for us to go through the country and to see the reason that we ride."

Johns Hopkins student Ben Margolis added, "this has been an amazing experience, we've been meeting great people and hearing inspiring stories. That's what it's all about."

Mayor Chuck Oberlie welcomed the group as they gathered in front of Trinity Church, proclaiming June 4th "Johns Hopkins 4K For Cancer Day." He commended the group, saying that "making a huge statement by taking part in an effort like this is a wonderful thing."

The students participated in a fundraising ride from Barker Hall to Washington Park led by Michigan City School Board President Clyde Zeek. Students from around the school corporation were invited to donate $1 and ride alongside the college students, also entering them into a drawing for a new bicycle from The Bike Stop.

Springfield Elemetary student Ry Hook, 10, said that he was excited to take part in the ride.

The Invisible Hill - Clinton, IL (Day 15)

2008-06-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

My dad gave me one 'joking' piece of advice when I left Baltimore two weeks ago, “Watch out for the invisible hills.” I remember smiling and thinking, “Okay, Dad. I'll be sure to look out for those invisible hills.” Well today, I came face to face with an invisible hill and it was quite the experience.

Our day started out like any other. We work up around 5:40 and got ready to bike. We were warned that we would have to bike 110 miles in windy conditions, but the warning did not prepare us for what lay ahead. I had the pleasure of biking with Clare, Sarah, Alison, and Amy. The five of us quickly decided to name our team Spice Girls and each of us received a nickname of one of the five members of the band. We spent the first five to ten miles singing songs and quizzing each other on different trivia facts. The time flew by and before we knew it we were at our first water stop. We relaxed, hydrated, and then returned to the road.

The winds had picked up significantly and we soon found ourselves biking against 30 to 35 mile per hour winds. Four of us are inexperienced riders and quickly were forced to learn how to pace line or face the consequence of being pushed backwards by the winds. About five miles after the water stop, I found myself out of breath and tired! My muscles ached and I was covered in a thin layer of dirt. I didn't understand why I was so tired! The road was perfectly flat- there was not one degree of elevation change. Despite the flat lands, I could not go faster than 8 miles per hour. Just as I was about to give up, I thought about my dad's words of advice “watch out for the invisible hills.” It was now that I realized what he meant. It is when the head-winds can be so strong that you feel like you are forever biking uphill!

We quickly discovered that we would be unable to bike the whole 110 miles in 30 miles per hour winds. Our leaders devised a plan in which each group would be shuttled 30 miles of the route. My group was the second group to be shuttled. After being driven, we were about 25 miles outside of Clinton (our destination for the evening). Each member of my group looked at each other as we stepped out of the van. None of us wanted to continue. We were tired. We were in pain. Yet our drive to finish was greater than our aching muscles and droopy eyes. And so we climbed back on to our bikes and increased our pace. To keep each other motivated we debated whether biking is good because you have to think or whether biking is bad because you have time to think. We came to a 2-2 split decision with Alison abstaining from our vote.

Before we knew it we past a road sign “18 miles till Clinton.” It was then that our true motivation set in. Together we pushed through those 18 miles and entered the town of Clinton. We joked that seeing the sign for Clinton was as significant as entering a new state- we were that happy. We pulled over into the first gas station to refill our water bottles. Just as we stopped, Clare received a call saying that the team would be shuttled to the school. We decided that we would finish the trip- on our bikes- making us the only the team to bike to the high school.

The last few miles to the school may have been the easiest all day...Physically the biking wasn't easy. The winds were still extremely strong and the temperature was still just over 100 degrees. And yet, I found biking enjoyable. Through the wind and sun we had done something incredible: together, as a team, we laughed, we talked, and we motivated our way to the end...as a team!

-Meg Hindle

Weather Problems - Kankakee, IL (Day 14)

2008-06-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

Well, nobody said there wouldn't be any adventure on this trip. Today's was more like a movie than real life, though.

The day started a little slow. Some of us (me) had to grab our clothes out the dryer from the night before. Wow, the washing machine stuff was clutch. The packing took a little longer today than usual. I had to take care of all of the care packages I received (thanks rents!), which meant that my suitcase bulged even more than usual and I had to lug an extra couple pounds of fruit snacks and granola bars.

We had the typical healthy 4K breakfast of deep-dish pizza, pad thai, and Jamba Juice. After blocking traffic with our morning circle, we took off through the most interesting parts of Chicago. I was surprised to find that all of a sudden every single sign was in Spanish (I should learn that) and then that we were biking through Midway. For a second I thought the 4K was a huge joke, and that nobody had ever actually biked across the country, you just biked to Midway, hopped a plane to San Fran, and then photoshopped yourself into pictures of the Midwest and the Rockies.

The first water stop was where today REALLY started to get fun. We had a slight change in the directions...which apparently very few of us were actually able to follow. A few groups were able to make the right turns, but my group somehow ended up on a 5 mile long detour. My group (btw it was Meg, Taylor, Amy, and MoMo) valiantly fought on to the last water stop...to find that the directions had changed again. So, we started on the road again, got lost again, then found ourselves...again...and biked down Center Rd. about 30 miles from our destination.

Until...

We got the call that there were going to be tornadoes in the area. Nobody was worried. We had been in “tornado” warnings before, and we got drizzled on and that was about it. But we pulled off the side of the road and waited to get shuttled. Just in case, we took shelter in the garage of “Jim.”

Jim was a really nice guy with a really bad cigar. He fed pheasants and killed coyotes. He also had some first-hand experience with tornadoes (two in Illinois and one in Wisconsin), so we felt safe with him. Its a good thing we did too, because very soon the sky went black/green, the cloud ceiling fell, and those fast moving clouds overhead actually started to swirl. No joke, I have it on video.

Jim told us what a tornado would sound like (a freight train) and where we would run if we had to (under his house). I was watching the cloud line across the field behind his house and started talking to him about how fast the tornado would form and touch down. He had basically just finished telling me how it would happen incredibly quickly when we actually saw a funnel cloud form. It was a few miles away, and small, but it was certainly there. It formed and then disintegrated. Other groups got to see the big one that really caused some damage while stuck in a barn. I guess thats cool too.

When we finally arrived at the YMCA, Dan flashed the sheet of paper that he used to try to track all of us down. There was chicken scratch all over the thing. What a logistical nightmare. I can only imagine how difficult it was for the church people and the 4K leaders to find us spread out all over these random roads.

Also Ben just stepped on Ankit. Oh, the 4k hi-jinx.

And the barn bikes just got here. Always something happening to keep things interesting. GO TEAM TORNADO!

-Rob Kasten

Homecoming for Hubert - Chicago, IL (Day 12-13)

2008-06-09T19:39:00.001-07:00

Today's ride was particularly significant for me because it was a ride into my hometown, Chicago. After two weeks of transient living; changing beds, meals, showers, etc., the idea of something constant and familiar sounded refreshing.

The morning began with a breakfast in the top floor of a century old episcopal church in Michigan City, IN. After breakfast, we packed our bags and circled up to begin our ride into Chicago. The ride today was different than most days in that we rode together as an entire team rather than in smaller groups. We also used primarily bike trails rather than streets. Our ride started out through Michigan City's famed Indiana Dunes National Seashore. The forested bike path leading into the dunes provided us with an incredible view of the lakeshore and the five story high sand dunes that line the lake side. It reminded me of how my family took trips out there every summer when I was a child.

Our ride into the city also brought back a lot of nostalgic feelings. As a former resident of the south side of Chicago, we rode through the diverse neighborhoods that make up south Chicago. The weather was incredibly hot and humid, our arms and legs were covered with white cotton-like seeds that were blowing through the air like snow. In spite of these conditions, spirits were high as the residents of Chicago began to root us on, honking in their cars and cheering on the sidewalks. We eventually reached a point in the road where the path to Chicago seemed uncertain. Because of my expertise of the city, I was asked to lead the group toward the right path. With chants of “Hubie!” raining down, I navigated my bike to the left and we were on the lakeshore bike path headed towards the Loop. I'd like to think that it was my expertise of the city that saved the day, but in reality, it was really my ability to turn left that made everything possible.

As we traversed toward the increasingly visible skyline along the lake, our group stopped a number of times to take pictures. I took a picture of my old dormitory and texted it to my freshman year roommate. This leg ended on Chicago's West side on the University of Illinois-Chicago campus where we were staying for the night. Being home was a much needed break, but ultimately it is just a short stop on our journey across the country.

-Hubert Lee

4K Day - Michigan City, IN (Day 11)

2008-06-09T19:38:00.001-07:00

It has been 11 days since we left Baltimore and the three most important life lessons I have learned so far (in order of importance) are – 1) people are awesome 2) food tastes better everyday 3) doing coordinated dances on a bike is harder than it looks!

Today rode from Elkhart to Michigan City, which, quite confusingly, is in Indiana but is so named as it borders Lake Michigan. We left relatively early in the morning and got to our host (a beautiful Episcopal church) by 2 pm. Since our lunch had been donated by McDonalds, Amy and I (the two herbivores on the trip) dragged our starving selves to a restaurant across the street. The hostess, Megan, was nice enough to let us into her upscale restaurant even though we clearly did not belong there in our smelly spandex. While we waited for our food she told us about one of her close friends who is suffering from cancer and has undergone various experimental treatments with painful side effects. Another proof of the omnipresence of this disease.

After lunch, and 40 hilarious minutes of watching half the team play a loud game of samurai outside the church, we got back on our bikes (yes, I whined about it) for a 2 mile ride by the lake shore. It was part of an event organized by the Michigan City School System and supported by the Mayor of Michigan City. As if it weren't enough that the Mayor had taken the time and effort to personally address us and praise our cause, he also declared 4th June, 2008 the Official Hopkins 4K for Cancer Appreciation Day. Not helping our ever-inflating egos!

The organizers of the bike ride had a raffle ticket drawing to give out prizes like a skateboard and a shiny new red bike to the participants. We were all hoping that the bike would go to this one boy who had come out to ride with us on a bike borrowed from his neighbor (which happened to be purple and had a big basket with flowers on it...needless to say, totally unsuitable for a cool kid like him). Although he did not actually win, the participant who won willingly handed it over to him. It was amazing. It was like one of those perfect stories out of a Chicken Soup for the Soul book and is definitely up there on my list of favorite 4K moments.

All this happiness had left us starving (which seems to be a constant part of you when you are riding a bike for 7 hours a day). Thank God for Jean, a wonderful lady who cooked us a great dinner (complete with ice cream sundaes). I learned the next morning that Jean had lost her daughter to cancer, which made me appreciate her generosity even more and reinforced life lesson #1.

We decided that our day in Michigan City would be incomplete without a swim in Lake Michigan. The entire team made their way over to the shore where we had biked earlier, hung out on the beach and watched the gorgeous sunset. It felt really strange to think that most of us have known each other less than two weeks and yet it is hard to remember how life was pre-4K. Once it got a little darker, Jess, Ondrej, Chris and Dan brought out the fireworks (legal in Indiana) that Ondrej and my team (Team “Super Fun, Number One”, just for the record) had picked up on the way into the city. Our soiree was cut short by really loud sirens which we confused for police sirens. We were convinced we were going to get arrested on Hopkins 4K for Cancer Appreciation Day. Thankfully, it turned out that it was just a false tornado warning.

Another day on the 4K, another set of crazy adventures!

-Yogeeta Manglani

Photos have been uploaded!

2008-06-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

The team is in Chicago, and thanks to a nice day off, I have uploaded over 100 photos from the road. See them at http://picasaweb.google.com/4k4cancer

Captions, more photos, news articles, and of course more journal entries are still on the way. Thanks again to everyone for their support!

-Dan

Riding in the Rain - Elkhart, IN (Day 10)

2008-06-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

I woke up to the sound of what I thought was a car passing by, only to realize that one of my fellow riders (and temporary roommate) was snoring away next to me. Sleep is precious when you have to bike 100 miles the next day so I decided not to lose any over Taylor's 9th symphony. As I moved to the room next door so did the other riders who were trying to get some sleep.

An hour later we all had a wake up call to Madonna's new single and a mix of our own grunts, ready to take on our ride across three states in one day! As all the riders indulged in a breakfast consisting of fresh bagels, homemade muffins, and delicious French toast made by our great hosts at Fayette, Ohio, we packed and began our ride west on route 120 towards Indiana.

Along with me were riders Alison, Meg, and Katie. As we biked out of Ohio and went in and out of Michigan to reach the Indiana state line, we were welcomed into a country side that many of us had never seen before. Being close to New York City as I now live in Paramus, NJ, I was never in an environment that has more livestock than people. It was a new atmosphere that I greatly enjoyed.

As we continued riding after our first water stop, Meg kept our team updated with her phone about the latest weather reports which were not sounding too good. “This is us,” pointing to a small dot on the map, “and this is the storm.” It was a massive green blob moving from the west and going straight through Chicago to meet us very soon.

As we met everyone for lunch under a pavilion a couple miles into Indiana, it began to pour, making us have to decide if we should go any further. Because of constant thunderstorm and tornado warnings we decided to shuttle to our gracious hosts in Elkhart, Indiana making our day's trip 30 miles shorter.

Although we ride rain or shine, our safety always comes first. It is very comforting knowing that no matter what there will always be 27 other people with you who care for you like family. After all, following months of time with each other—from the team huddles to the snoring—we have become one big happy family.

-Mohammad “MoMo” Modarres

Our First Century - Fayette, OH (Day 9)

2008-06-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

This morning was a journey down memory lane to early middle school mornings. There was the 6 am wake up and getting dressed in a zombie like trance. We journeyed down to the cafeteria and were met by the one thing that truly motivates the stumbling out of bed: food. As usual there was the slew of cereal selections but today our wonderful hosts at Jackson Middle School provided us with something special. At first I thought we were being served corn-dogs, but I soon found out what was before my eyes (and quickly on my plate) were pancakes wrapped around a breakfast sausage. As I consumed this pancake on a stick I talked with the middle schoolers about the trials and tribulations of finals. One never stops disliking tests.

Right before we departed a girl timidly approached me with a request. She hoped I would dedicate my ride to TJ and Joy. I gladly agreed for although I will never meet these individuals they are obviously greatly loved. They were in my thoughts as I tackled this 98.8 mile day.

98.8 miles on the flattest day of the trip provide plenty of time to ponder tough questions such as whether or not the chicken or egg came first. I concluded that the egg did, but I am willing to still debate the issue on another long cycling day. Although, the day was obviously long I felt it was one of the best. Perhaps I am glutton for drudgery, but honestly my day was a blast. There were intense games of 'I Spy' and 'Categories,' the consuming of delicious local ice cream guilt-free (I did after all cycle all day) and the best part, the gracious welcoming faces at Fayette Christian Church.

At the end of the day it is not about the aching legs that have been repeatedly peddling all day, but about the people we meet who welcome us with smiles, laughter, delicious dinners and showers. Though I have to admit hitting a runner's like high around 90 miles did help.
Endorphines are amazing.

-Judy Penati

The Roller Coast - Sandusky, OH (Day 8)

2008-06-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

Today the group arose dew covered and disoriented, after our first outdoor sleeping experience of the trip. Many of us had slept out under the stars and others in the make shift tarp shelter that had been constructed for the night. Though chilly, the day was sunny and bright, and another delicious breakfast awaited us in the cancer survivors tent at the Vermilion Relay for Life. We had a very short biking day, only 21 miles on route 6 West; we were biking into the wind, but the ride seemed effortless compared to the long and hilly days that we had
experienced earlier in the trip.

We unpacked our belongings for our stay at Jackson Middle School in Sandusky, Ohio. We were generously provided lunch and dinner, lasagna that could be heated up later for consumption, by the school principal Scott Matheny. Rob and JoAnne Freeman had traveled 2 hours, all the way from Livonia, Michigan, to meet us in Sandusky to talk with us. They had stayed at the Baltimore Hope Lodge for a few weeks while JoAnne received treatment for cancer of the appendix. Due to the expendable nature of the appendix, it would seem like an easy cancer to treat. However, it had spread to many of her vital organs and she had to get extensive surgery performed to remove the cancer. JoAnne and Rob seemed to be in good spirits and determined to win their battle with cancer.

Since we had finished quite early in the day the team was presented with a few wonderful options; visit Cedar Point, one of the best roller coaster amusement parks in the world, head to the largest indoor water park in the country, or relax and enjoy the Lake Erie coast. Everyone had a fabulous day and seemed pleased with their choice.

My choice, and about 12 other team members, was Cedar Point. We had an incredible day of running, dancing, and skipping to every terrifying ride possible, cheering and screaming along the way. We were even able to instigate the wave and the slow clap on a few roller coasters.

After hitting virtually every major ride, and thoroughly embarrassing and nauseating ourselves, it was time for dinner and we returned to Jackson Middle School. Tired but content, we ate and geared up for the next long day that awaited us. If you ever find yourself in Sandusky, I highly recommend checking out Cedar Point; it rocked my world.

-Jessica Arms

Relay for Life - Vermilion, OH (Day 7)

2008-06-03T18:32:00.000-07:00

I never thought that sleeping passed 6 am would be considered a luxury, but the 4K has already changed my perspective on many things. Today was a short day and sleeping until 10 am was delicious. We biked from Cleveland to Vermilion. In case you were wondering why it is called Vermilion, we passed a sign that said it is named after the clay that the Indians used to make pait.

The ride was one of the easiest days so far, only 45 miles, but the wind was surprisingly strong and made it more difficult to pedal. This morning, my group, Team We Know How to Work It (named for Judy and Yogeeta's ability to get free Quiznos) biked by the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame to admire the outside, which is shaped like a record player and the construction of which was actually managed by Anna's dad Al Johnston, who we were sad to say goodbye to today. After biking through Cleveland, we made it to a beautiful pier over Lake Erie. The waves were beautiful and it was very peaceful to watch the shadows of the clouds moving over the lake.

Upon arriving to Vermilion, we had a wonderful lunch/dinner donated by Mrs. Johnston. The homemade granola bars were a highlight. We ate outside the football field of Relay for Life at Vermilion High School. For those who don't know what Relay for Life is, it is an American Cancer Society event that is held at locations across the country which lasts all night. During Relay, one person from each team walks around the track at all times. It is a wonderful event that honors those who have been lost to cancer as well as those who have survived. At each Relay, there is a contest of Miss Relay, which is basically a drag contest judged based on the amount of money each drag queen is able to raise. I rooted for Matilda.

Tonight we will be camping out at Relay so we are covered in bug spray and ready to have a fun time. Good night all!

-Amy Farkas

Causing Downtown Traffic - Cleveland, OH (Day 6)

2008-06-03T18:30:00.001-07:00

The day started like many other. Another generous host offering us breakfast in the early hours of the morning. Its easy to forget the willingness of our hosts to donate so much time and effort on our behalf. Even though it becomes commonplace, I have to say it is definitely not forgotten.

The Westminster Presbyterian send-off went like many others, but we had the benefit of knowing that the 4k made it onto local TV News and the newspaper the day before. Throughout the day many riders mentioned they talked with people who saw us on the news! A bus full of high school baseball players even said they saw us the night before. What a feeling knowing that we are actually noticed in the communities we cycle through. I personally feel that it is one of the biggest missions of the 4K during the summer, to be noticed! Maybe one person saw the story and will contact us, or the ACS for the cancer screenings.

The ride throughout the day was pretty standard as we pushed on to Cleveland. We were all pretty excited to meet up at the end of the day as we knew we would caravan into the city for the last 10 miles or so. A caravan is when the entire group bikes in together, with support vans on either side. The caravan was fun as we definitely got noticed by a lot of the people around as we screamed “Where are we going?... San Fransisco!” along the way.

We spent the night at Case Western Reserve University. The 4K has stopped here before, so they put together a welcome sign for us. It was nice to get to sleep in a REAL bed for once. What a luxury. We celebrated the night away as we knew it would be Chris, Katie and Mr. Al's (Anna's dad's) last day with us. What a help they have been in the first week with tips and just being fun and friendly to be around. The three of them were replaced by Greg, who joins the 4K after a baseball championship tournament.

-Ondrej Juhasz

Hopkins4K on WKBN-27 News in Youngstown, OH

2008-05-30T15:55:00.001-07:00

Cross Country Bike Run

by Dennis Biviano

See video of the news broadcast: http://www.wkbn.com/news/local/19376419.html

Coast-to-coast bicyclists are riding to raise awareness for cancer research...They call themselves 4-K for Cancer.Tonight about 25 members of the group made a pit stop in Boardman. But, they won't stick around for long... Because as Dennis Biviano tells us... They still need to pedal 3-Thousand miles....

After a 53 mile trip in from Butler Pennsylvania.....a well deserved rest....But the Hopkins 4-K for Cancer bicyclists have just begun.

"WE JUST KINDA CRUISE ALONG STREETS, HOPEFULLY NOT TO HIGHWAY, NOT TOO POT-HOLELY. IT'S KIND A HARD TO GUESS HOW THAT WORKS OUT BEFORE WE START."--Ondrej Juhasz

Each of the 25 riders have to come up with 4-thousand dollars worth of sponsorship. They are hoping to raise more than 100 thousand dollars for the Baltimore Hope Lodge which is headed by the American Cancer Society.

"BASICALLY IT'S A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR PEOPLE RECEIVING CANCER TREATMENT IN MAJOR CITIES AND ITS PRIMARILY FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD THE HOUSING THAT IT WOULD COST WHILE THEY ARE RECEIVING TREATMENT."--Katherine Young Fairhaven, New Jersey

The group travels with three cargo trucks...and makes stops at local churches or community centers across the US. Westminster Presbyterian Church of Boardman hosted them tonight for the second year in a row.

"THEY CONTACTED US AGAIN THIS YEAR. SO WE CAN DO THEM TH SAME. PROVIDE THEM A MEAL TONIGHT. SNACKS WHEN THEY GOT HERE EARLIER AND BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING BEFORE THEY TAKE OFF."--Vivian Naome Local Coordinator

The entire trip...4--thousand miles...of course taking a few detours from here to San Francisco California...They're expecting to arrive there Saturday July 26th. Members say the best part of traveling the country is meeting new people along the way.

"I'M NOT SURE ITS REALLY SET IN WHAT EXACTLY WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO. BUT I THINK ITS DEFINITELY GOING TO PAY OFF BECAUSE I'VE NEVER BEEN TO CALIFORNIA, NEVER BEEN PAST KANSAS. SO NOT ONLY AM I GOING TO MEET SO MANY PEOPLE. I'M GOING TO SEE A WHOLE PART OF THE COUNTRY I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN A COMPLETELY AND UNIQUE WAY THAT MOST PEOPLE NEVER GET TO."--Anna Johnston

After a good night's rest...they rise with the sun...pack up their belongings...and ride on....70 plus miles northwest...destination Cleveland.

Article in the Youngstown Vindicator

2008-05-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Students cycle across country for cancer
Published:Friday, May 30, 2008
By ELISE FRANCO
http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/may/30/students-cycle-across-country-for-cancer/

BOARDMAN — Not just anyone could spend the three hottest months of the year bicycling across the country, but one group of college students from the East Coast is doing just that.

Their cause — helping to find a cure for cancer.

And late Thursday afternoon they came to Boardman. About 15 of the 25 riders participating in the Hopkins 4K for Cancer arrived at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Stadium Drive, promptly kicking off their shoes and helmets and making themselves at home on the front lawn.

The Youngstown area was just one stop along the 4,000-mile bike trek for the students, who ride anywhere from 50 to 120 miles each day.

Dan Ingram, a junior at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md., said some of the cyclists fell behind due to flat tires.

“We have a set schedule that we follow, but some groups do fall behind,” he said. “It seems like there were two groups cursed with flat tires all day long today.”

Ingram said three vehicles stay with the groups at all times. They are in charge of setting up respite stops so the riders have enough food and water throughout the day.

“We burn about 5,000 calories per day, and it’s really hard and dangerous to bike hungry,” said Clare Blubaugh, a recent graduate of Johns Hopkins. “It’s important to eat at every stop, even if you don’t feel hungry, to avoid dehydration.”

This is Blubaugh’s second time riding in the Hopkins 4K. In 2006, she decided to ride for a close family friend who was fighting breast cancer. This year, she’s riding for the people she met along the way the first time.

“That was one of the best experiences ever,” Blubaugh said. “I learned so much about myself, my peers and the people I met along the way. I saw such a wonderful side of people.”

Ingram’s motivation came from his grandfather who died of leukemia when Ingram was 12.

“I heard about [the bike ride] from a girl in my class wearing her Hopkins 4K hoodie, and right away I was super interested,” he said. “It was my last summer to do something spontaneous, so I went for it.

“It’s hard, but I just think about [my grandfather,] the person I am riding for, and I keep pushing.”

Blubaugh said the hardest part for her, and many of the other cyclists, is the first week.

“We start with the Appalachian Mountains, and even those who have been training will find that difficult, especially because we’re just starting out,” she said. “They can be very daunting.”

The 9-week-long journey from Baltimore to San Francisco kicked off Sunday, as the 25 riders ceremoniously dipped their back tires in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, and will end July 26 at the Golden Gate Bridge, where they will dip their front tires into the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Each student is required to raise $4,000, although Ingram said almost all of them have gone above and beyond that amount. So far this year, the 25 riders have raised more than $100,000, most of which will be given to organizations working on the fight against cancer. In its seven years, the Hopkins 4K has raised more than $500,000 in the name of cancer research and awareness.

Blubaugh recalled her most touching memory during a stop in Greensburg, Pa., a few days ago, when a woman came over and asked what they were doing. After they explained who they were, the woman went over to an ATM close by and returned with money.

“She handed us the money, and said, ‘I know it’s not much, but I want to tell you my story,’” she said. “She told us that she’d recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor, and she thought what we were doing was amazing. I think she only gave about $5, but it didn’t matter.”

Ingram said for him the best part is being able to understand why the journey is so important.

“All of us have a personal reason for doing this. For me it’s my grandfather, and if I didn’t have that I would have a hard time because I wouldn’t understand the reason behind it,” he said.
“We fight every day to keep going, just like the cancer patients.”

efranco@vindy.com

Welcome to Ohio! - Youngstown, OH (Day 5)

2008-05-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

What's high in the middle and round on both ends? Give you a hint – it's where we've arrived at today. That's right, Ohio! After a relatively short day, we've arrived at Broadman, Ohio tonight. Thanks to some wonderful route planning today, we still had quite an adventure. The weather has been beautiful however, so there are no complaints about the trip so far!

We started the day bright and early at 6. We've become slightly more efficient at packing now after Clare's pep talk last night. After some wonderful granola and yogurt for breakfast, we set off around 7:30, and ran headlong into one of the most brutal hills so far less than a block from where we stayed. Normally, this hill wouldn't be a problem – it was extremely steep, but very short. However, the extreme cold and the lack of any actual warmup meant lots of pain and suffering. My team, the “Trailblazers”, was assigned the job of backup route marking, in case the vans couldn't stop to mark them. We set off first and blitzed up the hill at full speed – something I regretted for the rest of the day. Part of the problem today was that the route yesterday was far too dangerous and packed with cars (blame Greg!). Thus, we looked at today's route and tried to route around any dangerous roads. Unfortunately, this meant we had to change the directions as conditions required.

Team Trailblazer was moving full speed when we arrived at the first water stop. After a quick stop and welcome to the rest of the team, we set off again at top speed to mark the turns. Shortly after we left, a text message arrived with some new directions – no problem at all, we'll mark them as needed. We flew into New Castle, PA without incident. The rolling hills posed very little problem for team trailblazer and our average speed topped 16 mph. Still following the directions, we smacked into the scariest hill we've seen so far on the trip. This monster hill was extremely short, probably only half a mile. However, the grade was off the charts! Figuring the directions MUST be right, we followed them up the hill, and past it for a good 3 miles before we figured something was wrong. Something WAS wrong – another change was made while we were climbing the hill, and we unfortunately had to descend the scary thing to meet with the rest of the team. Ah well, the price you pay for being a trailblazer...

Lunch was delicious and came none too soon. Joe's Pizza graciously donated three absolutely delicious pies, which we scarfed down without hesitation. After lunch, Trailblazer's job was finished, and we settled into a more sane pace. After the hectic traffic of yesterday, the beautiful countryside was a dramatic breath of fresh air. We were all extremely excited to see the Ohio state sign, and there was a marked improvement in roads too! Before long, we passed Poland and entered Broadman, excited to get to (another) Westminster Presbyterian Church.

We showered at one of the most beautiful YMCA's we've ever seen. The dinner spread that was laid out was absolutely impressive! Roast chicken, sloppy joes, casseroles, and salads all tempted our ravenous appetites, and we devoured almost all of it.

Looking forward to a wonderful day to Cleveland tomorrow – team Trailblazer away!

-James Gao

Day of Dangerous Roads - Butler, PA (Day 4)

2008-05-29T17:27:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard the expression “Go the extra mile?” Well, today my group biked 8 extra miles. We started off the day eating breakfast with a preschool class at the YMCA in Greensberg. The class provided us with breakfast and enough laughs for our long journey ahead. The children were timid at first, refusing to enter the room. After a few moments, the children integrated themselves into our groups. One child, Josh, challenged a rider to an eating contest. Surprisingly the five year old out-ate a 4Ker. Another kid, Nathan, was asked the question “what do you learn about at school” and replied “arts and crafts.” The college students surrounding him wished for a time when life was that simple! After our moment of silence, we rode off for Butler getting as many high five's from the kids as we possibly could. They wanted to accompany us, but we figured it was in their best interest not to take them along.

There was not a cloud in the sky all day, but the wind was cold which made the riders anxious to warm up. At the first water stop in a shopping strip parking lot, a woman passed by who wanted to donate after her trip to the ATM. After getting some cash, she requested a group hug which we promptly gave her and she told us she was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Words could not describe the look of joy in her face after seeing us; the entire group was touched.
The directions for the day consisted of one thing: follow Route 8. Apparently this should have been enough information to get us to the next host . . . but our group experienced differently. The first wrong turn came when Route 8 took a right turn that was allegedly signaled by a sign. We did not see this sign. Fifteen minutes later we were close to Pittsburgh and on a very populated street. After noticing a lack of Route-8 signs, we decided to ask for directions. The first man told us to go straight for three miles, the second woman told us to turn around and travel eight miles, and the third man told us to turn around and travel three miles. After calling the van drivers, we turned around and found the right turn.

Excited about being back on course, we started conversing and soon after found ourselves off of Route 8 again. Dumbfounded about how we could have landed ourselves off the road once more, we turned around and again found the right turn that we had missed. Lunch tasted especially delicious after biking eight miles out of the way. Amy's brother, Andy, generously provided the team with foot-long sandwiches. The rest of the day was challenging: hill after hill with no relief. When we finally arrived at our next host we were exhausted and felt extremely accomplished. This journey is all about the unexpected . . . and today we got our share of surprises.

Signing off,

Ben Margolis, Meg Hindle, & Sarah Biggart

"the lost ones"

Climbing Every Mountain - Greensberg, PA (Day 3)

2008-05-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

Hey 4K Supporters, Friends, and Family!
Last night in Bedford, PA while having dinner, one lady warned some 4K'ers that the next was going to be very difficult. Since our ride to Bedford was challenging, I got slightly nervous.
Everyone got up around 5:30 this morning and most of us were still tired from yesterday's ride. However, everyone still had that look of confidence and determination to take on what is “supposedly” one of the hardest rides throughout our journey. Our wonderful hosts from the church in Bedford made us a amazing breakfast and then we were off.

After 15 miles, we hit our first mountain of the day. The summit was around 3000ft and it was a steep climb. After we past the mountain we had our lunch at Burger King who donated free hamburgers to the team. After lunch we continued biking and hit some rolling hills. The rolling hills we slightly challenging but nothing the 4K'ers couldn't handle. While riding, the scenery was amazing and at a water stop Ben and I visited a local shop and bought some Flight 93 postcards since the memorial was only a few miles off our course. All of 4K'ers wanted to visit the site but we were on a strict schedule to arrive at Greensberg, PA around 6 pm. After climbing some more steep hills most of the team arrived at our destination at around 5:30pm.

Dinner tonight in Greensberg, PA was very special. The parents of a past rider hosted the whole team for a amazing dinner. The food was excellent and all of the people there were very welcoming. I admit that today's ride was challenging but it is during time like these when we get to meet generous and kind people that make the ride worth it. When the 4K'ers arrived at the house everything was already setup and they even had their swimming pool open for us. All of the riders were very hungry and filled up their plates.

We all thanked our host for an amazing dinner but a simple thank you does not truly describe how grateful all of us are. We know all of the preparation and planning that must have taken days and we sincerely appreciate all of the kindness and generosity of those who have help the 4K in a variety of ways. It is truly amazing that, even during time of economic hardship, the people we meet are still very generous and willing to help out. I thank all of all of these people because without them, our mission would be impossible.

-Henry Peng

Article in the Baltimore Sun!

2008-05-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

'Great things can happen'

Cyclists launch cross-country cancer benefit

By Jennifer McMenamin

May 26, 2008

www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-md.cancer26may26,0,2779015.story

Alison Zhao is not what you'd call an expert cyclist or even a biking enthusiast.

Until March, in fact, the 20-year-old college student hadn't been on a bicycle since middle school.

But with a few months of training ("What is it called? Spinning?" she responded when asked about her preparations) Zhao joined a group of 25 students yesterday who began pedaling 4,000 miles across the country to raise money for cancer treatment and raise awareness about the disease.

"It was kind of spontaneous. But I wanted to take a more active role in the fight against cancer," said Zhao, whose grandfather died of lung cancer several years ago. "I never felt like I did enough."

The group of students, mostly from the Johns Hopkins University, ceremoniously dipped the back wheels of their bikes into the Inner Harbor yesterday morning just before starting their journey. They plan to dunk their front wheels when they end their 60-day trip at the Golden Gate Bridge, where the San Francisco Bay meets the Pacific Ocean.

Along the way, they'll ride 70 to 110 miles each day while crossing 12 states. They'll stop in 53 cities and towns, bunking at churches, YMCAs, community centers and the occasional camp site. They'll share their stories and those of their friends and loved ones whose lives have been affected, or ended, by cancer. And they'll encourage the people they meet to take advantage of every test, every screening and every precaution that can lead to early detection or prevention of the disease."

It's important for communities to know that they're not alone," said Anna Johnston, a 20-year-old Hopkins student whose grandmother survived breast cancer and whose uncle died three years ago of melanoma that spread through his body. "Hearing stories of recovery, you learn that great things can still happen against all odds."

The annual bike trip - called the Hopkins 4K for Cancer - started in 2001 when two students, including one whose father died of the disease in 1995, decided to blend their desire to help fight cancer with their dream of biking across the country.

Since then, the 4K riders have raised $511,000, with much of it going to the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge, a center that offers free housing for out-of-town cancer patients undergoing treatment in Baltimore. Many Hopkins students who participate in the bike ride also volunteer at the center during the school year.

For the past two years, donations also have gone to the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.

With the sun still low on the horizon and the air crisp and cool, riders began arriving at the Inner Harbor early yesterday. Gathering between the two pavilions of Harborplace, the parents, friends, boyfriends and girlfriends of the cyclists mingled together in a sea of Blue Jays blue and T-shirts emblazoned with the cycling group's logo - a stretch of road that loops from the Golden Gate Bridge into a cancer ribbon and then the Baltimore skyline."

It's scary," said Christian Weaver, 20, whose girlfriend of nearly two years was heading out on the bike ride while he stays back in Baltimore to take summer classes at Hopkins. "I've never been away from her for this long. At first, when she signed up, it seemed so far away. But now ... she's actually going across the country for two months. I have faith she can do it, though."

This year's group of 10 female and 15 male riders includes students riding in honor of grandparents who died of cancer, aunts and family friends who beat breast cancer and a best friend who survivied leukemia. It includes a Massachusetts native inspired by his father and Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, both of whom fought non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. And it includes a graduate student who intends to pursue a career in health advocacy and a neuroscience major who hopes to advance cancer treatments through a career in biomedical engineering.

Several of the students spoke of knowing that no matter how difficult their days on the bikes are - even as they climb grueling mountain roads or cross blazingly hot stretches of asphalt in the Nevada desert - the struggle pales in comparison to those of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments."

I think that if people can go through something as bad as cancer, I can pick up biking and ride these 4,000 miles," said Ankit Sharma, 22, a cycling novice who graduated in May from Hopkins with a degree in engineering mechanics.

Judy Penati, a 19-year-old sophomore whose grandfather underwent treatment for prostate cancer, described the cause as "magnificent." Through her months of training, a friend mistakenly thought that she was training for a 4K bike ride - that is, 4 kilometers.

"He finally said, 'Why are you doing so much work for two miles?'" she recalled, laughing as the riders prepared to dip their wheels in the harbor, just in front of the Constellation. With roughly 3,998 more miles than that ahead of her, Penati adjusted her helmet and wheeled her bike toward Pratt Street to begin the trip."

I have heard that the first few days are quite demoralizing," she said. "But I can get through because I'm not biking for myself."

jennifer.mcmenamin@ baltsun.com

Riders with the Hopkins 4K for Cancer will be contributing to a blog as they pedal their way across the country. Find it at http://4k4cancer.blogspot.com/.

Day of Two Mountains - Bedford, PA (Day 2)

2008-05-26T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hi 4k supporters, family, and friends,

After a restful night's sleep in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, I awoke at 5:10am to “Life is a Highway” by Tom Cochran, a very fitting selection of music. After a solid breakfast of cheerios and banana's provided by our gracious hosts, I was well fueled and ready to tackle the day.
Still tired from last days ride, I searched for a riding team that wanted to enjoy the scenery at a slower pace. I found five others who shared these ideals, and we decided to call ourselves, “Team Take It Easy.” However, the day was anything but easy.

The day started off well enough. On the first stretch, we encountered several rolling hills that provided us with good momentum. Living up to our team name, we took several interesting scenic breaks including one where we stopped at a school playground where we played on swings and slides. We contemplated replacing our highly uncomfortable saddles with the wider, ergonomically shaped swing seats but decided that the idea was probably not the best and continued biking on. I regret our decision – my butt is feeling the pain.

Reaching the base of our first major “hill”, my team mates and I encountered our first major challenge. Since my fellow riders were moving at a faster pace, I found myself separated from the group. As I pushed up the hill, I felt my legs throbbing in pain and had fleeting thoughts of quitting. But I found the inner beast within me, gave a couple of grunts, and pushed on. I took several breaks to catch my breath but made it to the water break at Tuscarora Summit at an elevation of 2123 feet. There, I was greeted by enthusiastic 4kers who cheered and yelled. The team has been great and certainly great motivators.

After a refreshing and somewhat scary downhill ride at 40+ miles per hour, I met my team for lunch and had, what was probably the greatest ever turkey sandwich. The team pushed on and met our next hill which was longer than the first. This hill was even more painful than the first, but yells from other riders and a keep going attitude helped me reach the Sideling Hill Summit at 2195 feet. There were several smaller afterwards and my teammate, Andrew Telzak, had an interesting experience with a flat tire, but overall, the rest of the ride felt a lot easier (other than the mad amount of fatigue settling in).

Battered and owned, we arrived at our hosts at 4 something PM and were later treated to a wonderful dinner filled with pasta, desert, and “awesomeness.” So far, this journey has certainly been painful, but emotionally satisfying. I hear tomorrow will be even harder.

- Ankit Sharma

First Day on the Road! - Waynesboro, PA (Day 1)

2008-05-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

Our journey began today at 5:45, when the team met to load our personal gear into the vans. By “personal gear” I mean the 3500 cubed inches or less as Clare described...(like we were supposed to calculate the exact volume of our duffel bags?) After loading all the gear and filling the water jugs for our first water stop, we mounted our bikes and began the ride to the Inner Harbor. The ride was nice because it was pretty much all down hill. It didn't seem bad until we arrived and realized we had to go back up that hill. Once we were all downtown we had a few great speeches, and dipped our bikes into the Inner Harbor, before officially starting.

Somehow we all managed to make it out of the city without any flats, despite all the potholes downtown. We made it out of the city pretty quickly and were soon biking through beautiful wooded twisting roads. The hills gradually became more frequent and slightly larger, but we soon made it to our first water stop; a fire department 15 miles away. The station was selling snowballs as a fund raiser. Within seconds there was a line of 4k'ers waiting to have an ice cold and refreshing treat. After snowballs, a few stretches, and water refills we hopped on and began riding again.

We had another water stop at 30 miles, and stopped for lunch 48 miles into the trip. For lunch we started off with junk food and hard boiled eggs, until the van arrived with everything to make sandwiches. After eating and a little lounging around, we pressed on and shortly made it to the Pennsylvania border were we quickly snapped a few pictures and continued to look for the “mountain” of the day.

After more foothills we finally made it to the base of “the mountain,” which was about 2 miles of uphill at around 7-10% grade. Without hesitation we started to climb, pedaling hard in the lowest gear possible. When we made it to the top, a water stop waiting for us. After a quick refill we were happy to start the 2 mile descent, some of us nearing the speed limit (40mph) on the way down.

Once at the bottom we had a few very small hills in town and quickly made it to our hosts for the night. We all showered, stretched, and then devoured the salad, pizza, fried chicken, and ice cream our host had prepared for us. Afterward we spent time socializing in the gym, and after not too long the riders began to slowly pass out in their sleeping bags, resting for the two, large mountains in tomorrow's ride.

-Chris Beksinski

(Time-lapse video from the Inner Harbor to the first water stop - Courtesy of Taylor's CycleCam)

Send-off Weekend Information

2008-05-19T14:14:00.000-07:00

The 7th Annual Hopkins4K for Cancer Send-off is this Sunday, May 25.

A half-hour public send-off ceremony begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Inner Harbor. Representatives from the American Cancer Society and WellPoint Inc., a health care plan that is also major sponsor of the ride, will be speaking, along with Dr. Jean G. Ford, the director of community programs and community-based research at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.

At 8:30 a.m., the students will ceremoniously dip their bikes' back tires in the water before embarking on their 4,000-mile coast-to-coast trip. The journey will end on July 26 at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Upon their arrival on the West Coast, the students will dip their bikes' front tires in the water.

We hope to see you all there!

Welcome to Our New Blog!

2008-05-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

Hi friends and family of the 4K for Cancer!

Welcome to our new, interactive blog.

Check back here over the summer for daily journal posts from the road!