Tuesday, June 15th
After riding 120 miles into Jacksonville, IL and 91 miles the day before, our team wanted nothing more than to have an easy ride into St. Louis. Unfortunately, the cycling gods would not let us have our way. To start, our planned route was 89 miles—giving us over 300 miles in 3 days of riding.
Our night in Jacksonville was exceptional. After the grueling ride, we were greeted by the extremely kind church members. We were able to do laundry and were treated to a scrumptious dinner of lasagna and tortellini. The following morning, we were greeted with all different types of egg casserole and cereal. Needless to say, with the generous hospitality, the team started the day upbeat. After our morning circle and ride dedications, Abhishek did an amusing rendition of our team cheer and we set off on our way.
Our journey into St. Louis was eventful to say the least. I rode in a group with Adam, Jose, Terence, Kieran, Chorong—all terrific riders and it was a challenge to keep up. Within the first couple miles leaving Jacksonville, we missed a turn onto Main Street. This type of misfortune foreshadowed the rest of our day. At about mile 20, the rain began to come down. Our first water stop was at mile 25 where the van drivers, Pooja and Sara were able to find a beautiful church where we were able to get shelter from the rain and use the bathroom facilities. Within 30 minutes, the rain cleared and we were back on the road. Even though the roads were wet, the sun had started to beam down on us. At the second water stop at mile 50, we were able to stop at an ice cream parlor. The employees had heard we would be coming through on the radio. Even though we didn’t get any perks from our radio stardom, the ice cream was delicious. At mile 60, rain started to come down extremely hard and our group was forced to pull over at a Jack in the Box restaurant. We tried to wait out the storm, but it became apparent that the weather was too poor to bike through. The van drivers had to drive all the way to St. Louis and then come back to shuttle all the riders from various locations in Alton, IL. The groups at the Jack in the Box passed time through discussing gender roles in society until the vans were able to make it back from the city. Finally, three riding groups able to be shuttled. All the bikes were packed into the minivan and the 15-passenger van was stuffed with riders.
The three groups were immediately taken to the St. Louis Hope Lodge, were we shared stories with patients undergoing treatment in the city. Each patient was inspirational added even more meaning to our rides.
Meanwhile, one of our valiant directors, Jose, had to drive a van back to pick up the last group stranded in Alton. By the end of the day, everyone was excited to get some rest, but the work was not yet done. A group of 4 injured riders still needed to be picked up from Jacksonville. That meant another 90 mile drive back and forth. By 2 am, everyone was safely in St. Louis and ready for a well deserved day-off and an opportunity to explore the city the following day.
-Andrew Lai
Showing posts with label Illinois. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Illinois. Show all posts
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Day 15: Kankakee. IL to Normal, IL
Sunday, June 13
The day started with the usual early arousal, but with the added experience of our cameo at the Kankakee Relay for Life. We had attended the event the night before, and with the number of people in attendance at the time it was no wonder that so many had stayed the entire night and joined us in our morning circle – our biggest yet.
After the rain the day before we were wary of the cloudy sky as we set off, and our fears were eventually founded as an enormous thunderstorm swept over us near mile 70 of our 90 mile day. Luckily a nearby resident allowed us to take shelter in her barn where we watched the high winds bend saplings and listened to the heavy rain pelt the tin roof over our heads. But our time huddled out of the storm allowed us to bond even further, and we were given the blessing of hearing the story of the time Natalie jumped out of her second story window.
Our day did not end with the thunderstorm, however. After waiting for about half an hour, we hit the roads once again with clear skies and soon came upon the historic route 66, upon which we rode for the last 20 miles of the day. And as with all long days, we had plenty of time to improve ourselves as cyclists, as many of us practiced riding hands free – I’m thinking synchronized bike dances are soon to follow…
-Adam Ammar
The day started with the usual early arousal, but with the added experience of our cameo at the Kankakee Relay for Life. We had attended the event the night before, and with the number of people in attendance at the time it was no wonder that so many had stayed the entire night and joined us in our morning circle – our biggest yet.
After the rain the day before we were wary of the cloudy sky as we set off, and our fears were eventually founded as an enormous thunderstorm swept over us near mile 70 of our 90 mile day. Luckily a nearby resident allowed us to take shelter in her barn where we watched the high winds bend saplings and listened to the heavy rain pelt the tin roof over our heads. But our time huddled out of the storm allowed us to bond even further, and we were given the blessing of hearing the story of the time Natalie jumped out of her second story window.
Our day did not end with the thunderstorm, however. After waiting for about half an hour, we hit the roads once again with clear skies and soon came upon the historic route 66, upon which we rode for the last 20 miles of the day. And as with all long days, we had plenty of time to improve ourselves as cyclists, as many of us practiced riding hands free – I’m thinking synchronized bike dances are soon to follow…
-Adam Ammar
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Day 14: Chicago, IL to Kankakee, IL
Saturday, June 12
We had a day off in Chicago yesterday when I got to spend time with my best buddy Raghav from junior school. I couldn’t attend his graduation ceremony that was scheduled for today as we had to wake up at 6am in the morning to bike 60 miles to get to Kankakee, IL. So I dedicate this journal to Raghav. My whole body was aching badly and I didn’t feel like biking this morning at all. I drew courage and encouragement from the young guns in the group who seemed full of energy and ready to roll…Once again I end up riding with Henrik, Kristen and Chorong. Charlie was the new rider in our group today. The day started off pretty slow and soon we were around mile 15 when Charlie needed called out for a ‘pee’ break at Dunkin Donuts. Kristen thanked Charlie and Chorong and I followed them while Henrik waited outside. I asked Kristen if she wanted to have a free donut and she told me she had been craving for one for a long time. So I went up to the manger and told him what we were about and he generously donated us a dozen assorted donuts. That was one satisfying ‘pee break’ . Another group of rides went past us even though we offered them donuts. Kieran at the end of the group yelled out in a baby accent, `` I wannnntttt a donuuuuttt”, that was pretty funny!
It started raining at the water stop and the jerk I am, I always forget to keep my rain jacket in the weather bin. I had to scamper through the van to get hold of my bag and felt great to finally get hold of my jacket. Thanks to Chris who made it easier for me to pack those bags in the van again. A few miles after the water stop we were hit by a strong thunderstorm and winds blowing at 30-35 mph that literally shook our bi-cycles. We decided to pull over into the first parking lot and waited for the weather to clear out a little. Well one thing we all learned was that none of us except Henrik had a real waterproof jacket even though they all claimed to be waterproof. I was glad that I had gotten mine from REI so now I could return it back for a real waterproof jacket. Henrik seemed pretty amazed at learning REI’s return policy. I guess the Germans are way behind Americans when it comes to customer service. Hopefully they can do better in the soccer world cup.
We were back on the road after a short break and soon hit the lunch stop. Chris had gotten us some breakfast food and we were waiting for Amelia like hungry wolves to get there with the lunch donations. Apparently she got lost and riders were getting impatient for food. I was in Amelia’s shoes just 2 days ago and knew exactly how it feels to be that van driver who is unable to get the food to the riders in time. It is way more mentally exhausting that riding a bike and I had rather be on the bike than have the responsibility of feeding 28 riders. But she arrived with a big bang! And by that I mean she was loaded with goodies…an edible basket of fruits, rotisserie chicken, avocado, and the usual groceries. The food was great!!! Good job Amelia!
Back on the road and now it was time for the Charlie magic. Rumor runs that whatever group Charlie is riding in has to have at least one fall. Today Kristen fumbled with her bike and though managed to unclip and shoes and press the breaks, she lost balance and took a minor bruise on the leg. Henrik was riding right behind Kristen and also ended up taking his first ever fall on a road bike. The immortal Henrik Blaute was now one of us. If that wasn’t enough, Henrik also got a flat soon after that. Chorong, Charlie and I waited under a shade and reapplied sunscreen as we waited for Kristen and Henrik to catch up.
We got into Kankakee. Another amazing dinner awaited us at the First Presbyterian Church. I have been amazed at the generosity of our hosts. The love and affection that they show us has been eye opening. We made a brief presentation about the 4K and cancer awareness and cancer prevention and ended it with a round of applause for the cancer survivors in the community. Then we headed for Relay for Life at a nearby school. We did a few laps and were back to get some rest. I filled up the water jugs with Adali for the next day. Need to wake up early tomorrow morning (5am) as our group would be doing the closing ceremony for the Relay for Life before we head out to Bloomington for a 90+ mile day.
-Abhishek Gupta.
We had a day off in Chicago yesterday when I got to spend time with my best buddy Raghav from junior school. I couldn’t attend his graduation ceremony that was scheduled for today as we had to wake up at 6am in the morning to bike 60 miles to get to Kankakee, IL. So I dedicate this journal to Raghav. My whole body was aching badly and I didn’t feel like biking this morning at all. I drew courage and encouragement from the young guns in the group who seemed full of energy and ready to roll…Once again I end up riding with Henrik, Kristen and Chorong. Charlie was the new rider in our group today. The day started off pretty slow and soon we were around mile 15 when Charlie needed called out for a ‘pee’ break at Dunkin Donuts. Kristen thanked Charlie and Chorong and I followed them while Henrik waited outside. I asked Kristen if she wanted to have a free donut and she told me she had been craving for one for a long time. So I went up to the manger and told him what we were about and he generously donated us a dozen assorted donuts. That was one satisfying ‘pee break’ . Another group of rides went past us even though we offered them donuts. Kieran at the end of the group yelled out in a baby accent, `` I wannnntttt a donuuuuttt”, that was pretty funny!
It started raining at the water stop and the jerk I am, I always forget to keep my rain jacket in the weather bin. I had to scamper through the van to get hold of my bag and felt great to finally get hold of my jacket. Thanks to Chris who made it easier for me to pack those bags in the van again. A few miles after the water stop we were hit by a strong thunderstorm and winds blowing at 30-35 mph that literally shook our bi-cycles. We decided to pull over into the first parking lot and waited for the weather to clear out a little. Well one thing we all learned was that none of us except Henrik had a real waterproof jacket even though they all claimed to be waterproof. I was glad that I had gotten mine from REI so now I could return it back for a real waterproof jacket. Henrik seemed pretty amazed at learning REI’s return policy. I guess the Germans are way behind Americans when it comes to customer service. Hopefully they can do better in the soccer world cup.
We were back on the road after a short break and soon hit the lunch stop. Chris had gotten us some breakfast food and we were waiting for Amelia like hungry wolves to get there with the lunch donations. Apparently she got lost and riders were getting impatient for food. I was in Amelia’s shoes just 2 days ago and knew exactly how it feels to be that van driver who is unable to get the food to the riders in time. It is way more mentally exhausting that riding a bike and I had rather be on the bike than have the responsibility of feeding 28 riders. But she arrived with a big bang! And by that I mean she was loaded with goodies…an edible basket of fruits, rotisserie chicken, avocado, and the usual groceries. The food was great!!! Good job Amelia!
Back on the road and now it was time for the Charlie magic. Rumor runs that whatever group Charlie is riding in has to have at least one fall. Today Kristen fumbled with her bike and though managed to unclip and shoes and press the breaks, she lost balance and took a minor bruise on the leg. Henrik was riding right behind Kristen and also ended up taking his first ever fall on a road bike. The immortal Henrik Blaute was now one of us. If that wasn’t enough, Henrik also got a flat soon after that. Chorong, Charlie and I waited under a shade and reapplied sunscreen as we waited for Kristen and Henrik to catch up.
We got into Kankakee. Another amazing dinner awaited us at the First Presbyterian Church. I have been amazed at the generosity of our hosts. The love and affection that they show us has been eye opening. We made a brief presentation about the 4K and cancer awareness and cancer prevention and ended it with a round of applause for the cancer survivors in the community. Then we headed for Relay for Life at a nearby school. We did a few laps and were back to get some rest. I filled up the water jugs with Adali for the next day. Need to wake up early tomorrow morning (5am) as our group would be doing the closing ceremony for the Relay for Life before we head out to Bloomington for a 90+ mile day.
-Abhishek Gupta.
Day 12 and 13: Michigan City, IN to Chicago, IL
Day 12: Sweet Home Chicago!
Thursday, June 10th and Friday, June 11th
After another delicious breakfast cooked by the wonderful Jean at the Hogwarts of Michigan City, we embarked on a leisurely 60 mile ride to Chicago to stuff ourselves with deep dish pizza. I can’t believe how quickly we’ve made it across Indiana already (not to mention Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania).
The first leg of the morning took us through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and an unexpected flat tire turned into a photo shoot as a Park Ranger spotted my group and started snapping pictures to be used in the park brochure. After handing us some waivers to sign he followed us for a couple miles and snapped candid photos and action shots. Just look for us on the cover of the new park map next season ;)
I was pleasantly surprised by the courtesy and enthusiasm shown by the drivers of western Indiana. It was nice to hear encouraging cheers and toots, as opposed to the jeers and ‘Get a car!’ screams we grew accustomed to in Pennsylvania.
The second leg of the day may have not been the most scenic, but was adventurous nonetheless. Unfortunately, holding our breath wasn’t really an option so we sucked it up (literally) and braved the smells that the city had to offer. And of course, no trip through Gary is complete without some sort of drug deal, and despite our best attempts to evade her, one of the villagers was able to force her experimental nutritional supplements upon two of our riders (but don’t worry—nothing was ingested).
East Chicago was a tease, as it turned out to be nothing more than just a euphemism for West Gary. We were a little disappointed by the absence of a sign welcoming us into Illinois (pictures with state signs have become a staple on this trip!), but within a few miles of entering the REAL Chicago city limits we made our way onto the Lakefront bike path for perhaps the most beautiful stretch of the entire trip thus far. The sky was clear and the lake sparkled, and pretty soon we were admiring the magnificent city skyline.
It was great to get another glimpse of my old apartment, and the bike to UIC was a trip down memory lane for me. We were all blown away by the amenities offered by the dorms, and apart from one amusing mix-up with room assignments everything went swimmingly. And if the prospect of deep dish pizza wasn’t enough, we were all giddy with the excitement of our second day off.
But the very best part of the day for me was the visit from my dad and brother, plus one surprise stowaway, who drove straight from DC to meet me for the night.
In conclusion, Day 12 was a GREAT day.
-Sara Achrati
Thursday, June 10th and Friday, June 11th
After another delicious breakfast cooked by the wonderful Jean at the Hogwarts of Michigan City, we embarked on a leisurely 60 mile ride to Chicago to stuff ourselves with deep dish pizza. I can’t believe how quickly we’ve made it across Indiana already (not to mention Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania).
The first leg of the morning took us through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and an unexpected flat tire turned into a photo shoot as a Park Ranger spotted my group and started snapping pictures to be used in the park brochure. After handing us some waivers to sign he followed us for a couple miles and snapped candid photos and action shots. Just look for us on the cover of the new park map next season ;)
I was pleasantly surprised by the courtesy and enthusiasm shown by the drivers of western Indiana. It was nice to hear encouraging cheers and toots, as opposed to the jeers and ‘Get a car!’ screams we grew accustomed to in Pennsylvania.
The second leg of the day may have not been the most scenic, but was adventurous nonetheless. Unfortunately, holding our breath wasn’t really an option so we sucked it up (literally) and braved the smells that the city had to offer. And of course, no trip through Gary is complete without some sort of drug deal, and despite our best attempts to evade her, one of the villagers was able to force her experimental nutritional supplements upon two of our riders (but don’t worry—nothing was ingested).
East Chicago was a tease, as it turned out to be nothing more than just a euphemism for West Gary. We were a little disappointed by the absence of a sign welcoming us into Illinois (pictures with state signs have become a staple on this trip!), but within a few miles of entering the REAL Chicago city limits we made our way onto the Lakefront bike path for perhaps the most beautiful stretch of the entire trip thus far. The sky was clear and the lake sparkled, and pretty soon we were admiring the magnificent city skyline.
It was great to get another glimpse of my old apartment, and the bike to UIC was a trip down memory lane for me. We were all blown away by the amenities offered by the dorms, and apart from one amusing mix-up with room assignments everything went swimmingly. And if the prospect of deep dish pizza wasn’t enough, we were all giddy with the excitement of our second day off.
But the very best part of the day for me was the visit from my dad and brother, plus one surprise stowaway, who drove straight from DC to meet me for the night.
In conclusion, Day 12 was a GREAT day.
-Sara Achrati
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