Sunday, July 18; and Monday, July 19
Today was a 77 mile day, not terribly steep or long. The scenery looked a lot like the small mountains crossing from Utah into Nevada, and wasn’t particularly spectacular… but then again we’ve been spoiled by states like Colorado.
Our day in Ely, Nevada was far more eventful. David, our new 4k Executive Director, joined us. He is 40, has a wife and a baby girl, has worked and lived in Central Asia, run non-profits, and led outdoor expeditions. Most importantly, he has personal ties to our cause that cause him to be devoted to this organization. He fit right in, joking around with us and chatting. We spent time talking with him about the future of the 4k on our day off, and it’s clear that he has great ideas. Eventually, I envision the 4k growing to something much like Teach for America, something that is prestigious, effective, and in high demand. I am confident that in a few years, I will be proud of how much the 4k has grown thanks to him.
We attended the first Relay for Life where I felt what I expected and wanted to feel. The people were incredibly nice, offering us food and kind words of encouragement. We enjoyed a few games of Bananagrams (a competitive cross between scrabble and crossword puzzles), a dinner of fried chicken and potato salad and delicious free cupcakes (I am very picky with my cupcakes, these had chocolate buttercream frosting inside so they were particularly good and I had to have at least four of them). Jose, Adam, and Mariadina participated in a chocolate pudding eating contest (Jose won but everyone did an impressive job), and Andrew did impressions of our team introductions for David.
We watched as a train went through the mountains, with a wedding reception and a huge cake aboard. I guess in Nevada, that’s the coolest place for a reception. A rainbow lit up the sky, a seemingly appropriate sight for Relay for life. We had seen two full double rainbows once, and it was tempting to chase the pot of gold at either end.
I walked a few laps around the track with a friend whose mother has battled breast cancer several times, and it was at this point that the power of Relay for Life hit me. As I looked at the decorated names on the luminaria bags around the track, I realized how lucky I was not to see the names of anyone I knew. I felt how difficult this event, and these laps must have been for my friend. Krystina is an incredibly strong person, and I admire her ability to smile through the hard times and be a pillar of support for other people every day, despite how draining and difficult it is to bike this much. Thinking of her strength in battling life’s difficult situations keeps me going on days where I would prefer to lie down and fall asleep on anything, even a flight of stairs (this has happened).
Following the ceremony, a breast cancer survivor spoke about how not cancer itself, but all too often fear, kills patients. She shared the moment that her doctor told her it wasn’t a question of if she was going to get cancer, but instead, when. At that point, she decided to be proactive in preventing cancer from attacking her, and was lucky to consequently catch it at an early stage by opting for a biopsy even though her breast tissue appeared normal. I thought about how terrible it must be for girls who are told they have the BRAC gene, who are forced to accept the reality that they will some day have to face cancer. I thought about my mother, and how thankful I’ve been that she’s recently started taking better care of herself, and seeking preventative measures. However, she still hasn’t gotten a full skin cancer screening, which frightens me because I don’t think she knew what sunscreen was until I was born, and nevertheless neglects to use it. Skin cancer is an especially preventable disease, yet if measures aren’t taken, your name could end up on a luminaria bag at Relay for Life. That is something no one should ever have to see.
We attempted to sleep in tents at Relay despite the constant music, many of us to no avail. Luckily, I had earplugs, which were fantastic. I did lose my sleeping mask, though, but my sweatshirt proved to be effective enough. I’m an extremely light sleeper, so however ridiculous earplugs and a sleeping mask may look, I find them to be necessities. However, I still heard them announce ‘It’s 3 am, and we’re going to keep playing the music!’ before blasting country music and heavy metal. I thought it was actually 7 am, and spent the following hours confused, and half awake.
When it finally was 7 am, we awoke to a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and ham donated by the Lions Club. We were so tired that many of us returned to the middle school we were staying at to catch up on our sleep. I cleaned my bike, and David helped me fix my derailleur, teaching me more about bike mechanics in five minutes than I had learned on the entire trip. I was ready to trek to the bike shop for repairs and hefty fees, but thanks to him, I didn’t have to.
Some of the team went to explore the caves in Baker, Nevada, and others to the hot springs/natural pool in town. Instead, I slept for two hours, got a Mcflurry and sweet tea from McDonalds with Chris, and made a trip to the pharmacy. I felt lazy not taking advantage of the surrounding area, but sleeping sounded more appealing than swimming or traveling an hour and a half each way to visit caves.
Lunch that day was donated by a couple who helped organize Relay for Life, and put together a meal for us out of the kindness of their hearts. I still find it incredible that we’ve had free lunch every day, and that people are so generous.
Tomorrow’s a 70 mile day into Austin, which has hot springs, followed by 110 miles to Fallon (downhill!). I’m supposed to drive on the 110 mile day, but since I’ve driven five times already, David kindly agreed to drive for me. I can’t believe we only have 9 biking days and 4 days off left… this trip has gone by far too fast!
Natalie Draisin
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