Thursday, October 17, 2013

How the 4K has changed my life

I haven't felt much like writing lately, but as I was driving home from school today, this post started writing itself in the back of my mind (that's usually how my blog posts get written, actually). It was the kind of thing where one moment I was at exit 30 and the next I was at exit 80 with a full blog post waiting to be recorded.

It's not hard to see how putting yourself on a bike and surrounding yourself with strangers for ten weeks could be a life-changing experience -- but the ways in which it has affected me keep showing themselves at different times. There were things I knew had changed even before leaving the ride (I'll never eat Subway again, I am much less high-maintenance about my makeup and hair products, and my previous germophobia is pretty much completely gone... eating food off the ground will do that to you). Then there were things that I've gradually realized over the past 10 weeks.

So here are a few ways the 4K has changed my life.

1) Redefined what is possible.
I was talking with a 2012 4K alum about this and we both agreed that "post-4K impossible" is different than "pre-4K impossible." I mean, at one point not so long ago I would've told you I would never be capable of riding a bike across the country. I would've laughed at you if you told me I would. But the physical, mental and emotional challenges that every rider overcomes on the 4K give you a completely different perspective on what you can do. It applies to nearly anything you might doubt your ability to do, but particularly, things outside of your comfort zone. 


Scaling a 12,000 ft mountain on two wheels? Talk about outside my comfort zone..
For example, a month ago I backed out of the Half Full Triathlon, because with everything going on I hadn't had any time to train, and I'd never done a triathlon before. But 5 days before the event, I reconsidered my decision and thought, well, I did bike across the country...how hard could an olympic distance triathlon be in comparison?? And I decided to just go for it. The mental strategies for perseverance that I acquired and sharpened during the 4K served me well in the triathlon. And if it weren't for the 4K I would've never randomly decided to do a triathlon!

Actually RACING on my bike for the first time! (we definitely didn't race across the country..)
Me with my brother and dad after finishing the triathlon
The triathlon finishers from Team Portland



2) The need to do something that matters.
At times over the past 10 weeks I have found myself sitting in class or doing some other activity and suddenly feeling frustrated, thinking, "This doesn't MATTER. What I am doing right now isn't going to have an impact on anyone but myself." And that bothers me. It makes me want to run straight out of class. I've been similarly disgusted with talk of any post-graduation plans, which are unfortunately daily discussions for a college senior. I don't want to hear about jobs-- about sitting at a desk in a cold, polished room that smells like stale coffee and staring at a screen for most of the day, or about how my peers are competing with each other with all that they have for these coveted positions. 

I don't want to see people dressed up in stiff businesswear with their perfume and expensive watches, going into interviews and trying to impress each other with their credentials. I go back to this summer and think about what my team was able to do without any of those fancy facades. How it felt when we went to the hospital and delivered our scholarships to the young, bright cancer patients with hopeful futures. Or when our hosts would be brought to tears thinking about their loved ones affected by cancer, and what it meant that we were riding for them. Or when a car would pull over, be rendered speechless when we told them what we were doing, then hand us a $20 and drive away. And just the sense of accomplishment we felt pretty much every day, having traveled 80+ miles by the power of our own two legs, and made a small difference while doing so. 


Giving out our first scholarship in Cincinnati
Post-4K, I am hooked on that feeling, and I think that whatever my next steps are after graduation, I'll always need to feel as if what I'm doing matters. Granted, you can't always be saving the world, and things may be making a difference but in a small and indirect way, and I'll have to keep reminding myself of that. But the 4K has set the bar high.

3) Stop and make animal noises.
You may have heard this phrase more commonly expressed as "stop and smell the roses".... but this version means the same thing and is way more relevant to the 4K. Yes it's is an extremely cliche phrase to say, but it was so evident during the 4K that I just have to include it.


Or, simply "stop and pretend to BE farm animals" -- yes we are in college
We Americans and most of the developed world have something seriously wrong with our priorities. How messed up is it that we actually take pride in how busy we are? That we actually brag to each other about how LITTLE we've gotten to enjoy ourselves lately?Typically we do this because we intend to reach an overinflated goal at the end: "If I just work like this for X years I'll be able to enjoy myself later"; "As soon as Y happens I can do Z." Trust me, I'm a victim of this mindset as well, but I'm more aware of it now, and will always make a conscious effort to stay out of this trap and instead live in the moment.

It was drilled into us on Day 1 that we should take our time on the road and enjoy ourselves, because we were all going to get to Portland on the same day and it wasn't likely we'd ever be biking through *insert geographical area here* again. And of course, that turned out to be completely true. No one ever got an award for being the first person to get to our destination for the day. And my best memories are from the days my group took every opportunity to stop and be goofy.

Other members of my team may tell you their versions of the saying. "Stop and serenade everyone with the recorder you found on the side of the road," "Stop at a 7/11 and shotgun a Redbull to be completely wired for the rest of the day," or "Stop at a yard sale and purchase a NASA monkey and keep him in your Camelbak for the rest of the trip," to name a few. 


Porter with his beloved recorder

"Stop and ford a river"
"Stop and meditate on a cool rock the top of a mountain"

4) Unable to appreciate a "relaxing" time.

“A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.” -Edward Abbey

If you know me, you know I love planning adventures. That's why I jumped at the opportunity to be a leg leader on the 4K, and plan where we'd stay each night as well as many of our daily routes. Now, having returned from the 4K, I find myself trying to plan new things for my friends and family and I to do, but I've noticed a key difference: a backpacking/camping trip or another cycling trip now sounds WAY more appealing to me than a week at the beach. (And knowing how much I love the beach, it's pretty crazy for me to say that.) I just appreciate the outdoors a lot more, and it wouldn't feel right to be on vacation without doing several hours of activity per day! I'd just be too restless. That's not to say you won't find me at the beach in the future, because you definitely will, but you may also find me on a cycling trip though the Netherlands or backpacking the Appalachians....


This looks like a vacation to me!!
5) 24 new friends.

All of the 4K alums told us this at the beginning and it turned out to be completely true: you start out as strangers and end up as family. I remember reading the online profiles of my soon-to-be teammates after I signed up and thinking, "Who are these people?! What are they like in real life? I'm really going to spend 70 days with them??" For some of my teammates, the only thing I had in common with them was this absurd idea we had to bike across the country. 


Waving goodbye as we leave the Inner Harbor, saying, "WHAT AM I DOING?!"
It's crazy to look back now and see how close we became. By the end, we could all identify each others' bikes in a heartbeat, could name almost everyone's food preferences, and if a random pair of shorts was unclaimed from the washing machine it wouldn't be long before someone would say, "oh that's Paul's" (or more commonly, "that's Maroun's"). We looked out for one another, we knew each other's strengths and weaknesses, and we took care of each other, just as families do. Even when there were conflicts (and there were!!) and we were mad at each other, we still made sacrifices for our 4K Family.



My teammates were there when my mom was diagnosed with cancer, and I couldn't have been with a more supportive group of people. They dedicated days of riding to her and the message that everyone's hearts were with me came through loud and clear. 




A few of the many dedications to my mom
When she passed away, even though the 4K had been over for more than a month, I got a lot of heartfelt messages from them, some of whom have lost a parent themselves. If it weren't for them I would not have any friends that have lost a parent. Over half my team came to her services, traveling near and far to be there even though most had never met her. And several weeks later, 9 of us did the Half Full triathlon, and 5 others came to watch and cheer us on, and yet again over half the team was reunited to support each other.


4K Fan base at the triathlon
We're all busy people, and all of my teammates are going to be out changing the world, but I know that in 10 years I could call any one of them up and say "hey, I'm passing through your town, can I stop by?" and we'd still be willing to do anything for each other. Our GroupMe conversation still goes off multiple times a day when random things remind us of each other. Yes it's only been 2 months, but I can already tell that the 4K bond is unique and will last a lifetime. 

I'll steal another quote from Meredith...

"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart."

6) Never feel the need to take a shower.
Ok, since the last one was serious and borderline sappy, I had to include this one to lighten the mood... but it's true! I never feel dirty enough to take a shower. I mean typically over the summer I'd have a delicious combination of sweat, rain, dirt, sunscreen, Sharpie, and chain grease coating me at any given time, so a shower at the end of the day was WELL warranted. Nowadays, it hardly feels like a 30-minute run has earned me a shower. (...don't worry, I still shower.)

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So that's what I've been thinking about up to now. I'm positive that there are also things that will take years to realize, and things I will never even notice.

To address another question: "Are you going to keep blogging??" The answer is probably no. I have lots I could write about regarding the recent and very traumatic loss of my mom, but I don't feel comfortable making that public. As far as day-to-day stuff, anything I do from now on will most likely pale in comparison to my daily activities this summer (now that's a depressing thought!). I used to really enjoy writing, and then engineering came along and squashed a lot of my creativity (well, isn't that also depressing). However, this blog has rekindled my interest in writing and I do hope I find something else to write for. My mom always loved my writing and said I was going to be a writer...

Thanks to all who have told me they've enjoyed my blog, and for the comments on my writing. They have been very encouraging, and as of 10/17 my blog has over 18,000 pageviews. For now, I'm planning on using it as something for my teammates and me to come back to, to reflect on our trip and to laugh at the little things we forgot about. Also for future riders to read in order to catch a glimpse of what they're in for... hopefully I don't scare them away. If you aren't friends with me on Facebook and don't want to miss future blog updates, you can "subscribe," which means you get an email anytime a new post comes up, by looking in the right-hand sidebar of the page for the "Followers" section, and clicking the link to become a follower.

P.S. It's not too late to sign up for the 4K... www.4kforcancer.org!

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Nancy Schuster Natoli 5/21/65 - 9/17/13

Heaven gained a beautiful angel as my mother slipped away from us in the early morning hours of Tuesday. 

Enough good things can't be said about my mom. It would be pointless to write a nice long blog post about her because I wouldn't be able to encapsulate everything. I'd rather leave it as: if you knew my mom, you already know. She was the life of my family and the abrupt and early loss of her will deeply affect my family forever. I owe every positive quality of my character to her, and my mom will always be my hero.
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Local Newspaper Obituary running on Friday, Sept 20:

Nancy Schuster Natoli
5/21/1965 - 9/17/2013

Nancy Schuster Natoli, 48, of Bel Air, MD, passed away Tuesday, September 17, 2013 in her home. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri and is the daughter of Walter Jule Schuster Sr. and Jacqueline Vogel Schuster of Webster Groves, MO.
           In addition to her parents, Mrs. Natoli is survived by her devoted husband of 26 years, Vincent Dominic Natoli; children, Mary E., Michael B., and James V. Natoli of Bel Air; siblings Sister Dorothy Guadalupe Schuster, S.V. of Suffern, NY, Walter J. Schuster Jr. and wife Anne of Webster Groves, MO, Peter J. Schuster and wife Sonja of Atascadero, CA, and David M. Schuster and wife Loretta of Webster Groves, MO. She is also survived by 12 loving nieces and nephews and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Mrs. Natoli was successful in her roles as homemaker and careerwoman, serving as Program Director of the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense. During her career, she protected the training mission of the armed forces by negotiating agreements with local and state authorities and environmental groups across the nation. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mrs. Natoli was known for her compassion, hospitality, and healthy lifestyle. She served in leadership roles and as a volunteer in many school and community organizations and was an active member of Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, MD.
           Visitation will be held at McComas Funeral Home, P.A. in Abingdon, MD on Friday, September 20, 2013 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.  Services will be at Mountain Christian Church in Joppa on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 1 p.m. with Rev. Ben A. Cachiaras officiating.  Interment will be in the adjoining church cemetery.
            In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Mrs. Natoli may be directed to support colorectal cancer research at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. Please make checks payable to Johns Hopkins University. Gifts may be mailed with a memo indicating that this gift is for colorectal cancer research in memory of Nancy Natoli to the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, 100 North Charles Street, Suite 234, Baltimore, MD 21201 or make a gift online.
Memory tributes may be sent to the family at mccomasfuneralhome.com.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

The C word

Well, this post was supposed to be a positive, fun reflection on my exceptional summer. And maybe that post will come someday. But unfortunately my mom's declining health has kept me from writing the cheery "happily ever after" to this blog that I originally planned. So, fair warning: This is a darker, more raw post than any I've written before, and I'm sorry that it's appearing on my otherwise 100% positive blog. But a dark cloud has descended over my family, and that cloud is cancer. I'm not writing this for sympathy-- on the contrary, I don't like sympathy. Instead, this blog post has been writing itself for the past few weeks, and I feel like sharing as a sort of window to the terrible reality that cancer brings.

I came home to my world turned completely upside down. I used to think this stuff didn't happen to families like mine. Loyal father. Devoted mother. Smart kids. Family dinners and church every Sunday for as long as I can remember. We're literally that family people look over at and say, "why can't we be more like them?"



But cancer is an evil that does not discriminate. It attacks regardless of age, gender, race, wealth, personal qualities, and even health. Two years ago cancer didn't care that my grandfather took fish oil from a spoon every day, grew fresh vegetables in his garden, and was known to sometimes eat the rinds of his grapefruit. 

Cancer didn't care that my mom is the healthiest and least deserving person I know of this tragedy. Cancer must not have gotten the memo that a few years ago my mom literally broke a shovel in half with her own strength. That she routinely shocked her doctors with her ridiculously strong heart, and blood pressures that they only see in athletes. That she did a pushup for every mile I biked this summer, an average of 75 a day, up until she got her surgery.



The nurse comes in every few hours and asks: How do you rate your pain? Right off the bat we had to warn the nurses to scale her responses up by a factor of 10 or so - her tolerance of pain is extremely high; she'd probably say her pain was a "2" if her leg were falling off. We can't be sure but she probably ignored some warning signs that indicated this monster was growing inside of her.



The nurse is talking about the pain being caused by the cancer eating away her insides. 

But up until the day of her diagnosis she ran an average of 25 miles a week. We all knew if she didn't get to go running, because she would be in a bad mood that day. Now she can't get up and walk around the room. How do you rate that pain?

Every weekend she would race to the pool as soon as it opened at 11:00 sharp to jump in and swim her laps and then enjoy the sunshine. Now she can't take a shower without help and without having her power-port covered with saran wrap. How do you rate that pain?

She used to click her heels around the Pentagon all day, writing cutting-edge reports and negotiating land use around the nation for the Department of Defense. Now she can barely put together a coherent thought before drifting off into another narcotics-induced slumber. How do you rate that pain?



Her stomach, which she kept amazingly flat and toned. A woman who birthed three children would sit at the pool in a bikini at age 48 and make girls my age look bad. Now filled and swelled with three liters of sickening, cancerous fluid. How do you rate that pain?

Or the image of her CT scan, now burned into our memories. The red spots lighting up her entire abdomen, so widely proliferated that I couldn't tell what was cancer and what wasn't until the doctor told me. How do you rate that pain?

People tell me to enjoy the time I have with her. Guess what: cancer took that away from us, too. Her cancer is so aggressive and her health in such a downward spiral that she hasn't had a period of being able to function even remotely normally while undergoing treatment. We have not had any even small victories over this cancer, which makes it hard to keep up hope. 3 days after her diagnosis she went on a pain patch and 24/7 narcotics, and her mental fog has gotten progressively worse. 

Though I don't wish to compare what I feel on the same level as what my mom feels right now-- How do you rate the pain of being 21 years old and being involved in life or death decisions for your mother? Or for my dad, pouring out his love through care and unwavering attention -- in sickness and in health, just as he promised 26 years ago -- but still without the power to save her from the grasps of this disease.. How do you rate that pain?

Worst of all, there used to be a sparkle in her eyes, one that lit up any room she walked into, that I haven't seen since the day I left the Inner Harbor. It's been replaced by an awful yellow, as if the disease itself is actually staring at me through her eyes. 

How do you rate that pain?

Friday, August 30, 2013

Why you should do the 4K

This post is aimed at 18-25 year olds, the age range for 4K eligibility... I'm going to try to convince you to do the 4K. I'm taking the time to write this because I want everyone to have as awesome an experience in their life as I did!

For those whose minds are definitely 18-25 years old but whose bodies may outdate that range a bit... you can skip to the bottom and check out some options for you.


Don't you want an awesome photo like this?!
If you've read any of my blog posts you probably thought it sounded cool and could tell I was loving it, but maybe you don't think it's for you.

Does any of the following apply to you?
  • You like being outside
  • You like adventure
  • You like being active
  • You like being around friends/awesome people
  • You hate cancer
If you think even ONE of them applies to you.. you will enjoy the 4K. That's because the others will grow on you during the 4K and you only have to have one of those interests going into it.

Now you're probably thinking, "Okay fine, one of those applied to me. But let's stop at the fact that...

I can't even ride 5 miles on a bike... there's no way I could bike across the country.

To that I will say: young healthy bodies can be trained to do anything. Not everyone on my team was in shape when the ride started, and we all made it to the Pacific Ocean. People have done the 4K having never ridden a bike before. No matter if you're a varsity athlete or a couch potato before the ride, everyone will get to the west coast on the same day. You really truly can push your body to do anything you want.

Fine. But I need to be doing something more useful with my summer than biking across the country... I need to do an internship so can I get a job when I graduate. 

This was definitely my main concern that almost kept me from doing the 4K. Taking off on a bike for 10 weeks is just not something people in my major do. I was even flat out told by one faculty member, "You can't do that... you're an engineer. You have to work."

But for my high-achieving friends that need to fill every second of their lives with resume-boosters that will help them get a job in the future (yes, I am one of you), consider this: biking across the country shows a ridiculous amount of dedication. And biking across the country for a cause is even better. People think, "If so-and-so can bike across the country, they can probably handle any challenge I throw at them." Employers WANT energetic young people.

Don't forget that you have the rest of your life to work. This is probably the only time in your life that you'll be able to do such a thing. And if you have already done an internship or two, an extra three months of work experience is not going to make a huge difference on your resume.

You have four summers in college. The way I see it, if you use the other three wisely, you can spare one of them to do something ridiculous and crazy. Read: The 4K.

OK fine. But I also need the money.

Unfortunately, yes, money could be an unavoidable concern. But not for all. The thing is that on the 4K you can spend as little as $0 the entire summer, since you get all food donated and never spend money on housing. This is the way I thought through it:

4K Life:
  • Spend $0 on housing
  • Spend $0 on food
  • Spend about $250 on bike gear
  • Get a free bike
  • Have a free, 10-week long vacation
  • Have a lot of fun
  • Make a difference
  • See the US
Normal life:
  • Spend $X on housing
  • Spend $Y on food
  • Spend $Z on a vacation
  • Be at work all the time
Also, if you're an average college student on track for a well-paying career, the amount of money you can make as an undergrad barely compares to what you'll make once you start out in the real world, and saving up $2000 over the course of the summer really isn't going to make a huge impact on your post-college life.

Ok... but what's this about raising $4,500.... That's a LOT of money.

It's totally doable. There are tons of creative ways to fundraise, especially for a cause that has affected so many. If you are lucky enough to have an extensive & supportive network of family and family friends, you could receive all of your fundraising just by sending out some nice letters asking for support. If not, fundraising dinners, yard sales, restaurant nights, and setting up a table in bike friendly areas are a few other options. And the 4K will help you out if you are struggling.

Ok so isn't riding your bike across the country on roads kinda dangerous?

Yes, there is definitely an element of risk involved... probably more than your average summer entails. But the 4K does a training day in which you learn how to ride safely, etc. And people are on each other all the time about safe riding habits. 

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One final thought is that the 4K was sort of a substitute for the study abroad experience I always wanted. I'd been planning to study abroad in Italy since I was 14 and I was very upset to learn when I got to college that there was simply no way I could fit an Italian study abroad experience into my bioengineering curriculum. I didn't want to do a summer study abroad program because first, they are extremely expensive, and second, I think they are more like vacations than really getting immersed in the country and culture. 

The 4K is obviously not a study abroad experience, but it does have similarities in that you get to see awesome new things every day, make awesome friends, and experience different cultures across the US. Heck, the 4K lifestyle is even a different culture in itself. Oh, and it's also free. I know a lot of science majors are also unable to study abroad, so consider this as a substitute.

And I'll leave you with some other random incentives to do the 4K. Imagine a summer that involves all of the following:
  • Making 25 new friends that basically turn into a family by the end
  • Climbing mountains on your bike
  • Seeing some of the most beautiful views in the country
  • Delivering scholarships to young cancer patients going through treatment
  • Having no worries each day except getting from Point A to Point B on your bike
  • Getting to absorb the great outdoors all day
  • Accomplishing things you never knew your body could do
  • Knowing you made a difference in people's lives
So hopefully now I've convinced you to sign up... Remember I went to Portland but you can also go to San Francisco, Seattle, or San Diego. If you do want to do this crazy adventure, you can apply for 2014 here. Spots are already filling up and teams are generally full by Christmas.. so apply now!! Ask me if you have any questions.


**For those older folk: You can most definitely bike across the country too. You can go with an organization, or even by yourself if you go self supported. There are many organizations out there that do fully supported or partially supported bike tours. The group we passed was a part of Adventure Cycling, which has MANY different routes, of which the TransAm route is only one. So you could do a shorter one too, that might fit in your schedule better. A few other bike tour companies I found in the Adventure Cycling magazine are: Lifecycle Adventures (allows a lot of customization), Bike Dreams (European tours), Senior Cycling (for 50+, I'm sure my dad will be thrilled to learn that he is eligible for Senior cycling). We also passed 6 or 8 people just biking across the country by themselves or with a partner. They carry all their gear in panniers on their bikes which is definitely an option..just not one I'd choose for myself.

4K Ride Stats and Fun Facts

The Ride Stats:

Mileage:
  • Total number of miles ridden: 4,507
  • Longest day: 121 miles (Moab to Price, UT)
  • Shortest day: 15 miles (Vancouver to Portland)
  • Average daily mileage: 75 miles
  • Number of centuries (100+ miles in one day): 8
Ain't no mountain high enough:
  • Total climbing over entire trip: approximately 140,000 ft (that's about 26.2 miles - a vertical marathon)
  • Number of mountain passes: 11
  • Most climbing in one day: 8,043 feet - Cambridge ID to Baker City OR
  • Highest elevation reached: 11,991 ft - Loveland Pass in Colorado

Bumps in the road:
  • Number of flat tires: personally - 17; collectively, waaaay too many to count
  • Number of falls (me): 0 (Yep, that's right, I was actually the ONLY person on my team to not fall off my bike at all)
Weather:
  • Hottest day: 103 degrees (Western Nebraska)
  • Coolest day: 65 degrees (Oregon Coast)
  • Number of rainy days: approximately 5
  • Number of tornado warnings: 1
Accommodations:
  • Number of nights we camped: 2 (and by choice!)
  • Number of nights we didn't have showers: 0 (yay!)
  • Number of different showers we showered in: 62
  • Number of nights we had beds to sleep in: approximately 10
  • Number of homestays: 4
Geography:
  • Smallest town: Mitchell, OR Population 150
  • Largest city: Chicago, IL Population 2.7 million
  • Number of times there was no cell service for 24 hours: 3
  • Total number of states: 13
Random:
  • Number of other cross-country cyclists we met: approximately 10
  • Average wakeup time: 5:30 am
  • Average number of calories burned per day: approximately 4500
  • Ride days/Rest days/Van days: 55/9/6
  • Net change in weight from Day 0 to Day 70: +10 lbs believe it or not!
Top 3 favorite states:
  1. Colorado
  2. Oregon
  3. Nebraska

Top 3 least favorite states:
  1. Pennsylvania
  2. Iowa
  3. Illinois
Top 3 favorite rides:
  • Loveland Pass, CO
  • into Moab, UT
  • into Jackson, WY
Top 3 worst rides:
  • Hells Canyon (110 miles and 8000 ft of climbing, very difficult)
  • Pittsburgh (poured all day, got lost in the ghetto, super not-bike-friendly city)
  • Des Moines to Atlantic, IA (30 mph headwinds and brutal rollers the whole day)
Scariest rides:

  • ghetto factor: South Side Chicago
  • traffic factor: the Interstate near Boise, ID
  • steep downhill: Teton Pass just west of Jackson
Best rest day: I seriously can't pick one, they were all really fun!!!

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Fundraising Facts:
  • Personal fundraising: $9,618
  • Team Portland 2013 fundraising: approximately $160,000
  • 4K 2013 as a whole fundraising: approximately $800,000
    What we did:
  • Awarded $25,000 in scholarships to help 10 young adults affected by cancer to pursue higher education
  • Created and distributed over 100 'Chemo Care Bags" to cancer centers across the nation
  • Biked and ran over 22,000 miles collectively
  • Changed and inspired hundreds of cancer-affected communities in the United States
    Where the fundraising money goes:


***The only 'program support' for the 4K that is taken out of fundraising is money for gas for our support vehicles. Everything else (food, lodging) we got donated, bike maintenance we did ourselves, and bike gear and transportation back were our responsibility.

With that I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who donated!! I hope you feel confident that your donation made a difference. The service work we did was extremely rewarding, and I saw the funds go into action across the country. None of this would be possible without you! 

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

4K Summary


Once upon a time, 25 strangers gathered in Baltimore, Maryland to set out on a journey that would change their lives forever.



Each rider has a different reason that made them do the 4K. For me, I found out about it through a friend of a friend in late 2011, just a few weeks after my grandfather died of pancreatic cancer. Having recently seen the heartbreak and suffering that cancer wreaks, the cause was important to me. And I've always loved adventure. I love being active and have been a runner and swimmer most of my life. My cycling experience, however, was limited to biking around campus on a cheap mountain bike. Biking across the country sounded incredibly intimidating. But I immediately knew I had to do it.


Me and my grandfather, Dominic Natoli
The 4K for Cancer is a cross-country bike ride that raises money for the Ulman Cancer Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides patient navigation services for young adults with cancer, a historically underserved demographic in the cancer community. Crossing mountain ranges, pushing through wind, and fighting through rain all as a team, the 4K also aims to unite and inspire communities and individuals in the fight against cancer on their way across the country.

When I found out about it, it was too late to sign up for 2012, but the 4K was always in the back of my mind. In the summer of 2012 I did an internship with the US Army where I worked in a research lab. Though it was good work experience, I longed to be outside all day and making a difference. I kept an eye on riders' blogs from 2012, celebrated when they got to the West Coast, and became even more convinced that I'd do the 4K in 2013. I applied the first day applications were available and got accepted. I chose the Portland route (4K also goes to San Francisco, Seattle, and San Diego) because it is supposedly the most challenging, most mileage, most hilly, and most beautiful. 

Then it was time to prepare for the ride. Riders came up with their own strategies to fundraise the $4,500 required from each rider. Most started sending letters to family and friends during winter break, and fundraising kicked into full gear when the spring semester started. I'd convinced my roommate Chelsea to do the ride with me, and together we held a fundraising dinner in which we baked lots of goodies and then invited all our friends to come support us in our crazy plans.







When I met the $2000 benchmark in fundraising, I was able to pick up my Cannondale Synapse, a bike provided by the 4K, from Princeton Sports. I was fitted to my bike free of charge by experts. It was my first exposure to the many incredibly kind and generous people I would encounter across the country.





I got to take home the thin, sleek road bike that would carry me across the country. I had to practice a lot to get used to how light and fast the bike was, as well as learn how to use clip-in pedals, which clip your cycling cleat into the pedal so you can get more power from your pedaling. I was terrified to be attached to my bike and was wondering how in the world I was going to make it across the country...



Chelsea and I did our best to fit training for this adventure into our busy school schedules. Between demanding classes, my research work in the lab, and Chelsea's frequent overnight shifts at Shady Grove Hospital, it was hard for us to squeeze in training for a cross country bike ride. But we stuck to a fairly rigorous schedule that included spin classes, running, swimming, weekly Body Pump classes (with emphasis on the squats!), and some long bike rides on the weekends. Being roommates helped as we were able to motivate each other and help keep each other on track.










The ice cream we treated ourselves to at the end of their rides also helped as a motivator. ;)

Spring Break happened. I went on a service trip to Chicago. Temperatures were a brisk 15 degrees every morning, but I managed to drag myself out of bed to go running along Lake Michigan every morning.

After spring break, the semester started to wrap up and training really kicked into full gear. The 4K riders from UMD arranged to meet up and go on a 70-mile round trip training ride to Annapolis. This is when Chelsea, Meredith and I all learned how to change flats! We got 3 of them!






Meanwhile, Chelsea and I had somehow volunteered to be Leg Leaders, meaning we would call ahead to set up hosts, showers, and hosts, for all of the team's overnight stops between Chicago and Jackson, Wyoming. We spent long hours calling churches, schools, YMCAs, and anywhere else we thought might be willing to take in a group of 25 sweaty young people.


Call history. You can't make this stuff up.
I, being a true princess, made it a priority to research the best camping gear and get some quality items to make sure I'd be comfortable while sleeping on floors for 10 weeks. It all had to be compact because each rider was only allowed to bring a duffel and a backpack.



Finally the day came. The bags were packed and ready to go!!!



25 strangers met in Baltimore at 5 in the morning on June 2nd. They all came from different backgrounds and were about to embark on a 70-day trip together with nothing but two support vans, their bikes, and each other.



Don't let those smiles fool you. All were terrified!
They all said their goodbyes to their families and friends.







Then they dipped their back tires symbolically in the Inner Harbor...


...and headed on their way!

Day 1, a 71-mile ride to Waynesboro, PA, was challenging mentally, physically, and emotionally. Falls, flat tires, hot sun, and a downpour all made appearances. But making it to Pennsylvania was a really exciting moment:




And eventually, though arrivals spanned all the way to sundown, the team made it in.


Over the next few days, starting bright and early on Day 2, Team Portland tackled the Appalachians. They faced climbs of 2,000 ft after being sore and stiff from day 1. But the feeling at the top was incredible, and they got to ride a section of the abandoned PA turnpike in a 1.5-mile pitch black tunnel, tour the Cannondale factory, and see the Flight 93 memorial in central PA. Shoutout to Barry Sherry, Cycling Extraordinaire and friend of the 4K, for being our personal guide for two days (and then for randomly appearing in Indiana as well).







Slowly, they started getting the hang of how the 4K works, started getting into their own routine, and were welcomed with open arms at amazing hosts.




A typical day involved waking up before sunrise, packing our humble sleeping arrangements into our duffels, packing duffels into the van, and a dedication circle before getting on the road early. At dedication circle, we held hands and had the option of verbally dedicating each day's ride to someone. Some people chose to write the person's name on their legs. 



Then we would do our team cheer, which started out as the generic 4K cheer but morphed into a unique Team Portland song by the end of the ride.

We rode in groups of 3-6, spread out by 10 or 15 minutes, to keep things safe on the roads. One support van would set up water stops every 20 miles, while the food van would go out and ask for food donations from whatever local restaurants might be willing to feed us that day. We never paid for any food or lodging, in order to keep our costs low and keep our fundraising going only to the patients. That resulted in a lot of fast food and not a whole lot of nutrition, but we were fine.

Arrival was anywhere between 1 pm and sunset. It always depended on riding conditions, mileage, and the amount of bike trouble we had (and yes, we had multiple flats every day). Upon our arrival our hosts could safely expect us to be 1) loud and full of energy even after a long day of biking, 2) hungry and ready to eat everything in sight, and 3) dirty and sweaty and looking for showers. Our most experienced hosts surprised us with how prepared they were: practically handing us bottles of chocolate milk as we walked in the door while simultaneously directing us to showers and verbally telling us their wifi password. 

We were housed and fed by some amazing churches, schools, YMCAs, and homestays along the way and met some great people on the road, too. Almost everyone has a connection to cancer and we enjoyed sharing stories and experiences with people we met. And we were always, always taken aback by the generosity of strangers.

Back to the trip.........

After a miserably day getting helplessly lost in Pittsburgh in the midst of a downpour...



...and several long days filled with Pennsylvania's endless hills and terribly paved roads, Team Portland reached Lake Erie.




The next day, we couldn't have been happier to get to Ohio and leave the horrors of Pennsylvania behind us.




In Ohio, the theme was family. In Perry, Jared's hometown, the team was warmly welcomed by Jared's family.




After a rainy ride into Westlake...



Who needs Instagram filters when you can use my personal favorite, "Ziploc Bag."
#4Ksolutions
Chelsea and I showing off what are not tan lines, but dirt lines... from a long day of biking in the rain!
...the team received more special treatment by Dan's family. We did our first Hope Lodge visit here. A Hope Lodge is a place where cancer patients and family can stay or eat a meal if they are traveling long distances to receive cancer treatment. The team helped cook and serve dinner, then got to interact with the Hope Lodge visitors.

Then, we finally had our first much-needed rest day, where we gave our bikes a bath, went to the Cleveland Zoo, explored downtown Cleveland, and had a special dinner with the Pan Ohio Hope Ride.






After our dinner we decided to get ice cream, and upon walking about two blocks away from the nice area of Cleveland, we were scared for our safety and witnessed an interesting police event.

From Westlake, the team rode north to border the Great Lakes for a beautiful ride to Sandusky.





We took a rest day to enjoy Cedar Point's world-famous roller coasters.








From there, the team spent a few days heading south to Columbus, staying at an outdoor school on the way, where our lunch nearly got eaten by overly friendly goats.




In Columbus, Team Portland got to attend a Columbus Crew soccer game...




 ... check out the college town around Ohio State University, and eat dinner with a company called Navigator, an ally and future neighbor of the Ulman Cancer Fund.




We also made a trip to the hospital to deliver our first scholarship of the trip to 19-year old cancer patient Phillip Shanks!



Giving out the scholarship was a really rewarding experience for all the riders. The appreciation and joy in Phillip's face reminded all of us why we were putting ourselves through this, and renewed our dedication to the trip.


Team Portland continued on and tackled their first century: 109 miles from Columbus to Eaton, Ohio, a town 20 miles west of Dayton. 





It was a very long, hot day, but luckily the terrain was mostly flat. After it seemed like they'd never emerge from the farmlands, they finally made it!





Totally exhausted but eating free ice cream at Wendy's after their century!
From there, the team crossed into new territory: Indiana! They spent three days traveling northwest through the state, where they stayed in three very welcoming First Baptist Churches and got to ride on a lot of FLAT ground!!


Amazing dinner, on REAL plates (a 4K rarity)


Creative ways to air-dry your bike clothes in a church
In Indiana they also got to spend a lot of time riding on nice, paved trails.



You may notice naps being taken on pavement in the above photo. At this point in the trip we had all adjusted to "4K life" which is NOT the same as "real life." In 4K life, things like sleeping on pavement are ok and not thought twice about, while in the real world that may not be socially acceptable. We used the term "4K OK" to describe things like this. Other things that were 4K OK included:

  • eating food off the ground
  • bathroom breaks on the side of the road
  • eating 4000 calories in one meal
  • never wearing underwear
  • going to bed at 8 pm

For a full list see this blog post.

Anyway....

The day we crossed into Central Time Zone was also filled with zillions of hungry mosquitoes!! Riders were swatting the pests right and left and were forced to keep water stops to a few minutes, while the water van drivers resorted to dressing like this:



The riders had a mail drop set up every 10 or so days, and family and friends would send care packages that would be waiting for riders at that particular destination. 




Mail drops were always coveted days, because riders got to restock with energy snacks, candy, and other goodies from home.  


Next on the list was... The Windy City! 


The team went out of their way to bypass the dilapidated town of Gary, Indiana... but they couldn't avoid going straight through South Side Chicago. 




I'd be lying if I said it wasn't slightly sketchy and scary. Groups of cyclists riding Cannondales do attract attention. And changing a flat in South Side Chicago is something you want to avoid. But everyone made it through unscathed.


Finally, the Chicago skyline was in view!




In Chicago, we got to stay in single dorms at the University of Illinois-Chicago. 




It was a rare treat to have some personal space.


We were treated to an awesome dinner and party at the home of UMD alumna Nicole James, who had ties to the 4K through her daughter, and was more than happy to feed us. As a sorority member, she went overboard with awesome decorations!




On our rest day in Chicago, we did everything from touring, to shopping, to eating at an actual restaurant, to pedicures.






Eventually, it was time to leave Chicago, by far the biggest city we'd be in throughout the trip. From there, we were officially headed into the heart of the Midwest! 

Coming out of the Windy City, the team battled brutal headwinds and oppressive heat that kept them rolling at a slow pace. Things took a turn for the worse when a nasty thunderstorm appeared on the horizon. 




Groups took shelter off the roads and waited out the storm, which brought 50 mph winds and driving rain. 



In Mendota, a small farming town in central Illinois, the team stayed at a firehouse and was treated to Chinese food by the fire chief.


Unfortunately, the day's thunderstorm was the first of a line of many severe storms, and the next morning rain was pounding on the roof and the storms showed no sign of letting up all day. Conditions just weren't safe to ride, and unfortunately the team had to van that day, across the Mississippi River into Davenport, Iowa, where we waited out the storms with the welcoming staff at the Vineyard Church. The team had never seen storms like this before. They don't exist on the East Coast. The rain poured in buckets all day, with wind whipping around the building. To top it off, a tornado warning was issued in the afternoon. ...Welcome to Tornado Alley!!




The locals were amused by our wide-eyed concern. They said they get three or four of these storms every summer. 


Though the forecast looked iffy, in the morning the weather looked like it was letting up. We cautiously got on our bikes and on the road. Luckily, the weather did hold out. But the rain had taken its toll on the surrounding areas... we encountered flooded farms and had to bike through a flooded road along the way!




Truth!
Riders had been promised, nice, "flat" cruising in Iowa... but what we encountered was just the opposite! Brutal headwinds and constant rolling hills were the themes in Iowa. 
The name of a bank in Iowa... how accurate!
One day, the winds were as bad as 30 mph and riders who could normally cruise at 16-17 mph struggled to keep an average speed of 8 mph. Progress was very slow. Whenever the going got tough, we would think about the people we were riding for. How they fought/are fighting bravely, and how they don't have the option to give up on cancer. We'd also be motivated and helped along by each other's encouraging words.







Highlights of Iowa included Des Moines, where we were hosted by the Des Moines Downtown Marriott for free. The hotel's general manager, a cancer survivor, personally greeted them and thanked them for what we were doing, and held a fancy reception for them. Riders got to enjoy the hotel's hot tub and sleep in luxurious beds. It was one of two hotel stays of the trip.


We were also treated to a dinner at the house of a woman named Shelly, a close friend of the 4K whose life has been touched deeply by cancer. She has ribbon tattoos for family members she has lost to cancer, and the tattoos spiral all the way up her lower leg.


Another highlight of Iowa was the small towns we went through. Typically, we'd be on the same state highway the entire day, and the highway would become the "Main Street" of the town. There would be one or two stop signs, usually not even a stoplight, and that would be the extent of the town. Imagine living in a town with no gas station, no convenience store, and not even a stoplight. We passed through towns with populations as low as 31.




After 5 exhausting days of Iowa, The Hawkeye State had claimed #2 in the team's Worst States list, second only to Pennsylvania, and riders were more than ready to enter Nebraska AND have a rest day! They crossed into Nebraska on a beautiful pedestrian bridge over the Missouri River...



"Nebraska: The Good Life." That's the state motto of Nebraska, and WOW did it turn out to be true! Most of us had never been to Nebraska before... and we didn't really know what to expect. I had a bit of an inkling since I set up most of the hosts in Nebraska, but I was still surprised. We were never spoiled more than we were in Nebraska. People are soooo kind and generous, and we most definitely lived the good life there.

In Omaha, we were picked up from the church for our first homestays of the trip! We were nervous about being away from our new 4K family for two whole days.

To be honest, Team Portland hadn't really had high expectations for Omaha, but it turned out to be one of our favorite places of the whole ride. Omaha is a bright, vibrant, modern city and had a really special charm. 


Not to mention that everyone there was incredibly welcoming and we felt totally at home at our homestays. We were in for a surprise when we found out the entire team was being treated to a steak dinner at Cascio's Italian Steakhouse.




On our rest day, riders did everything from a visit to the Strategic Air Command museum, to shopping, to poolside relaxation, to boating on a manmade lake. 


And of course, the animal lovers of the team especially enjoyed playing with their hosts' pets, because they had been without any contact with animals for several weeks now.


We ended our day with a pool party at one of the host homes, where the guys instigated a plan to throw everyone in the pool whether they wanted to go in or not, and they succeeded.


Team Portland was quite sad to leave Omaha and our amazing host families!!


From there, the team headed south and then west through Nebraska, along a series of small towns that have hosted the 4K for upwards of ten years. These were hosts that were very familiar with our needs and had their annual "4K routines" down to a T, which took a ton of stress off of us. We were treated to AMAZING dinners, and got to interact with members of the small farming communities.












The days on the road were long, sunny, and hot, with both temperature and mileage often over 100. We typically spent the entire day on a single road. #NebraskaProblems


That brings us to the 4th of July! Team Portland factored in time that morning to decorate themselves and their bikes. Because what could be more American than being in the middle of crossing the country on a bike?








The water van was required to play only America-themed songs that day. American Pie dance parties occurred numerous times. After a beautiful ride through some true amber waves of grain...


...the team made it to Arapahoe, Nebraska. 



Arapahoe is one of the 4K's favorite host cities. Another town of less than 2000 people, it has an awesome small-town feel, and the church acts as practically a travel agent every time the 4K comes to town, arranging housing, all meals, and fun activities for riders to do every year.

This year, some riders were put in the Hunt Nebraska lodge and some were hosted in homestays. 

Reading material at the Hunt Nebraska lodge




The team watched fireworks together and had a great 4th of July celebration in small-town Nebraska.

The next morning was a rest day, and the entire team was treated to shooting lessons at the Hunt Nebraska gun range! 




We did trap shooting and target shooting, and got to shoot shotguns, pistols, and some really intense rifles. For about half the team, it was our first time shooting. A lot of local guys came out to help the 4K noobs learn how to shoot.

This is the high school principal helping me (I'm terrified to be holding that thing).




Shooting was fun but I'm going to keep my day job.
Arapahoe was an awesome time, and we were TOTALLY spoiled. We were sad to leave, but also looking forward to the next time we'd see a Wal Mart.

Thank you First United Methodist Church!
Here began our 4 am wakeups. With sky-high temps on the radar, for a series of days we awoke at 4 am to try and beat the heat. Coming out of Arapahoe, we got on the road right at sunrise for what was to be our hottest day yet, with over 100 miles to ride.


Here you can see Jared taking extra precautions for the heat.


The team made as much progress as they could before the heat of the day struck, but around 11 am riders started struggling a lot with dehydration and fatigue from the oppressive heat and beating sun. We filled our water bottles with only ice, and it would become hot water within 20 minutes. Water stops were reduced to every 10 miles. Drivers did everything they could to keep riders cool, including squirting the team with water guns.

Throughout the day we noticed a distinct change in scenery. We stopped seeing cornfields and started seeing dry brush and lots of open prairie lands. We even saw some cacti...and a snake. It was the wild, wild West!



Finally we made it to Imperial, Nebraska, yet another incredible host. Alice and other members of the church had adorable signs waiting at the city limits, and even had boxes of sunscreen and medical supplies waiting for us.




Our host, Crossroads Wesleyan Church, was the home church of Todd Burpo, whose son had a near-death experience at the age of three and who then wrote the NY Times Bestseller "Heaven is for Real."



Unfortunately, we didn't get to meet Todd or his son, but we did get free copies of the book!

The next day, we were finally getting out of Nebraska and into the long-awaited Colorado.


Eastern Colorado was more of the same: lots and lots of prairie and dry heat. But we had been steadily gaining elevation for the past few days, and would continue to do so until we reached the feet of the Rockies.


Colorado likes to brag about their elevation by posting the elevation on every city limit sign, so we were always aware that we were steadily climbing. People started feeling some mild effects of the altitude at about 3500 feet. 


Another two days of riding brought us to our first glimpse of the Rockies, through the busy metropolitan area of Denver and into Golden, CO, a gorgeous suburb of Boulder nestled right below the foothills of the majestic Rockies.


It was an amazing feeling to have made it to the Rockies. Thus far, it had felt like we were just going for bike rides each day and seeing cool things. But when we saw the Rockies, there was no denying we had biked all the way there with our own legs!

First glimpse of the Rockies


In Golden, we got to stay with Angelica's family, eat a delicious (Italian!!) meal, and rest for a day before tackling the mountains. On our day off, we checked out Boulder, a really vibrant, eco-friendly and young city. Hipsters galore!

The next day, it was time to climb the giant mountains we'd been staring at for two days!! We switched up their normal ride style and rode in pairs instead of groups, so that everyone would be climbing at a pace that was comfortable for them. Rockies Day 1 was only 40 miles, but what we envisioned being a gentle introduction to the Rockies was actually more like a slap in the face.

With the following elevation profile, it was no joke:


To say the day was grueling would be an understatement; the climbs were brutal and felt like they would never end. But what really got us through was the beautiful views, and the amazing pine tree smell that you could only really notice on a bike.



That brought us to Idaho Springs, and luckily we were not attacked by any mountain lions or bears.

Our legs had no break before the toughest day of the Rockies was upon us. We were to do Loveland Pass and Vail Pass, two of the most famous mountain passes in the world, in the same day. This day was one of the best of the trip.


The climb to Loveland Pass was a whopping 30 miles long, with the grade getting increasingly steeper the closer we got to the top. It got to the point that every pedalstroke was a struggle, and the altitude was making it harder and harder to breathe. Personally, I was getting lightheaded and seeing spots, so I took it painfully slow in order to make it to the top without passing out. There were absolutely breathtaking (pun intended) views on the way up.

              


At the summit, we were at 12,000 feet above sea level! When you consider that we started our trip at 0 feet, it was incredible to think we had reached such a crazy elevation... by bike.








Next on the Rocky Mountain agenda was Vail Pass, a much shorter but still difficult challenge.

The next day, we continued on through Glenwood Canyons, one of America's most beautiful sights.



It was a break from the intensity of the previous few days, with a short mileage and an all-day gradual downhill.



From Carbondale, we ventured to Aspen to enjoy the evening in the popular ski town and temporary home of one of the ride directors.



Us at the Maroon Bells - one of Colorado's five 14000-foot mountains


Live music in downtown Aspen



The next day, we headed west to Hotchkiss and did our last mountain pass of the Rockies: McClure Pass. It was a very steep, 3-mile climb to the summit, followed by a long descent, another all-day downhill, and more gorgeous scenery. 









Towards the end of the ride, our surroundings made a clear change from green pine trees and mountains to brown, dry desert!

The next day, we officially left the Rockies :( It was bittersweet. As much as we had been intimidated by the gigantic mountains, we loved biking them.

Rockies in the rearview
With that, we were officially in the desert. Many of us had never been to a desert before and the sheer amount of dry, dead nothingness surrounding us at any given moment was pretty shocking. But desert can be pretty in its own way. We started seeing rock formations, canyon walls, and mesas!







We enjoyed the college town of Grand Junction by staying in dorms (BEDS!) and going bowling in the evening.

From there, we did a 108-mile ride, leaving beautiful Colorado and arriving in Moab, Utah. It was a scorching hot and completely exhausting ride, but was another of the best rides of the trip because of the incredible red rock scenery. We spent over half the day biking through canyons next to the Colorado River. We even took a swim in the river to cool off after lunch.













In Moab, we took a rest day and explored Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. They were absolutely breathtaking, with crazy rock formations and colors that looked like we were on another planet.





Delicate Arch 
Next, we spent several days riding north through Utah. That's where we did our longest day of the trip (121 miles), and in Salt Lake City we gave out our second scholarship, this time to a young girl named Tiffany, and got to see the Mormon temple. Northern Utah was mostly flat and desertey, with a very dry heat. We went through long stretches where there would be no civilization for 70 or more miles, even along the Interstate.





Giving out our second scholarship to Tiffany!

Mormon temple


From Utah, we briefly crossed into the corner of Idaho for one day before heading east to Jackson, WY. Yes, we had sort of a convoluted route... but we wanted to see all the awesome things we could!



Geyser in Soda Springs, Idaho

Sunrise in Idaho
The ride into Jackson was another of the highlights of our trip. It was a 110-miler. We bordered the gorgeous, teal Snake River for over 50 miles while riding in a canyon steeped with pine tree-covered mountains on both sides.... 




It was so beautiful that we didn't even notice we were going uphill and gaining 1000 ft of elevation.

Once we were finally settled after taking showers at the very generous Lexington Hotel in town, we set up a rustic campsite on Shadow Mountain, about 40 minutes north of Jackson. The big van even had trouble getting up the mountain on the steep gravel. We had a fun night of camping and hanging out with the team with no civilization for miles.


It wasn't till the morning when cars approached our tents that we realized we'd accidentally camped in a parking lot. Oops...

On our rest day groups split up to check out Yellowstone, go rafting on the beautiful Snake River, or go hiking in the Tetons.







After returning, we got to check out the adorable downtown area of Jackson.


Then were hosted by some awesome homestays!

My group with our host Erin, at Nani's Cucina Italiana.

Melone pasta - delicious!
I slept in the most comfortable bed I have ever seen in my life!!

The next morning, we got on the road about 2 hours behind schedule (oops). The laid-back atmosphere of Jackson had really gotten to us and we didn't want to leave! But it was time to head west through Idaho.

The famous Teton Pass was there to greet us just after we set out. It's one of the toughest climbs by bike in America, with a 10-14% grade for 5 miles. 




Idaho showed us mostly flat ground, with some rolling hills. The scenery in Idaho was everything from green hills and trees to rock and sand formations to waterfalls to potato farms.






There was also quite a bit of history to be seen in Idaho, from fossil beds to the Oregon Trail. We actually got to bike along the old Oregon Trail one day. We also spent a bit of time in Idaho riding on the Interstate (it is legal) because of the lack of paved roads in some areas.





Wagon ruts on the bluff from the Oregon Trail.
After a 75-mile ride, Boise, Idaho was where I celebrated my 21st birthday. Who else gets to say they did that?! 



Also, we saw our first sign for PORTLAND:


After another day heading north, we rode through Hells Canyon, which is aptly named... In the same day we crossed into the Pacific Time Zone and Oregon, rode 110 miles and climbed a whopping 8,000 vertical feet. It was a grueling ride and the hardest day of the trip.









When we finally arrived in Baker City at sunset and after 14 hours on the bikes, we were greeted by the following pleasant surprise:


After Baker City, we only had about a week heading west through Oregon before we would reach the coast! 




Our knees were completely shot after all the climbing in Hells Canyon. But there was no rest for them with this elevation profile the next day:

Three mountains!!!
Luckily, it was an absolutely gorgeous day and we immediately fell in love with Oregon. Pine trees EVERYWHERE with that awesome fresh smell. Perfect weather with no humidity. And we were following an adorable river for much of the day.




And we got to sit in a giant fake covered wagon on the side of the road to take pictures so obviously it was a great day.


The last descent was steep, straight, and long, and many of us reached our top speeds of the trip! Personally mine was 44 mph! 

The next day we rode through the GORGE-ous "Picture Gorge," formed over hundreds of thousands of years from layers of basalt:




We stayed in the very tiny town of Mitchell, population 150 and no cell service for 50 miles on either side:


And we got to go out and see the famous Painted Hills that evening:


The next day brought us to beautiful Bend, Oregon, where we had an awesome vacation house with 30 acres of land and a great view of the Cascades, and a rest day.


On our rest day we went whitewater rafting on the gorgeous, teal Deschutes River and then explored the adorable town of Bend in the evening.





Leaving Bend, we did our LAST mountain pass, McKenzie Pass, and the rest of the day was a gradual downhill. We went down into triple-digit elevation for the first time in a month, and would not see four digits again for the remainder of the trip. As difficult and time-consuming as mountain passes are (on average they took us about an hour to climb, which is longer than most people exercise per day), the feeling of getting to the top, and then the speed you pick up on the descent, is totally exhilarating. It was bittersweet to be saying goodbye to the mountains.

On the other side of the mountains, a strange feeling hit us.... we couldn't quite put our fingers on it but it was uncomfortable... HUMIDITY! We hadn't seen our friend Humidity in quite some time. And we had not missed it. Now that we were on the western side of the mountains near the ocean, it was back! 

After an awesome kosher (also vegetarian) dinner served to us at the Jewish temple we were staying at, the next day we had a totally flexible schedule because couldn't get to our next host until 6 pm. Eugene is a really cool college town and also the running capital of the world. Groups hung around in Eugene doing whatever they felt like, and took their time on the road.

My group went to the University of Oregon bookstore for souvenirs, Pre's Rock (memorial for famous runner Steve Prefontaine), Voodoo Doughnut (a famous doughnut place), out for lunch, and to get piercings!






The next day we were following signs for the Oregon Coast!!


It was absolutely FREEZING all day that day. We couldn't believe how cold it was in August. When we arrived in Tillamook, we were welcomed by Pastor Jerry and his most amazing church, and had a great time in our last homestays of the trip. Tillamook has a famous cheese factory and also a local brewery. AND, at only 10 miles away from the ocean, we could smell the ocean air.


With tons of anticipation in our hearts, we had our best dedication circle yet in the morning and set off to finally reach the ocean.





We all lined up a short distance away from the water, and after waiting for Maroun for 10 minutes like usual, we did our cheer extra-loudly and then charged into the ocean! It was an incredibly exciting moment.





From that point, we were pretty much clocked out. We'd biked over 4,000 miles from the Atlantic to the Pacific. But we still had to get back on our bikes and go inland to Portland! We all made the best of our last few days and fun was our top priority. We stopped to watch barking seals, biked across the Columbia River to Washington just because we could, and had our team banquet where we reminisced on all our good times together.




Finally August 10th arrived and it was time to ride the remaining 15 miles into Portland :(

After a teary-eyed dedication circle, we hit the road as a giant group of 25. We looked pretty intimidating and got lots of cheers and honks. 




We managed to get lost within the 15 mile stretch... it wouldn't be the 4K if we didn't get lost on our last day! But eventually made our way to Pioneer Square in downtown Portland, where friends and family were eagerly waiting with flowers, balloons, and cameras ready.


After our graduation ceremony we had one last circle-up where we let our balloons go into the sky, and then one last group hug.


.........And that's what I did this summer!

This was only the skeleton of the trip, and it's missing all the fun stories, so go back and read some of my regular posts if you can... and also be sure to read my reflection post :) Thanks for reading!

Mary