Day Twenty-Seven: Tunneling to La Crosse

One path, three tunnels, and a beautiful day. This was our ride to La Crosse, WI:

The light at the end of the tunnel. It looks manageable from outside but by the time you are in the tunnel's center it is pitch black and not safe to ride without a head lamp. I don't own a head lamp but I used my phone as a flashlight, holding it with one hand over the handle bar. It worked better than most headlamps!

The last picture above is the view of the Mississippi River from a host who opened his home to us for dinner. It was a wonderful evening filled with kayaks, hot tubs, and a pool. The Wisconsin-Minnesota-Mississippi River area has been kind to us.

Tomorrow we cross the river and head into Minnesota, heading westward.

Making Ground,
James

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Today was dedicated to my grandfather, Donald Schwabacher, who stuck through my grandmother's side through all of her life, including her cancer battle.

Day Twenty-Six: Savoring The Road to Elroy

The weather today was beautiful! I wish I was on the road for it--I was on water van duty.

I had never done water van duty before. It's difficult, you must be aware of each group and their whereabouts, track your mileage, secure water and ice, set up water stops, close down water stops, and chalk the path from host to host.

This morning wasn't so smooth. Groups got separated, the route had to be corrected, some riders required assistance, and we had to turn all the way around and go back to the host after establishing the first water stop because I forgot to return the keys to the church in Madison. WHOOPS!

But, no harm done, because all's well that ends well! After the morning hiccups the afternoon was smooth and before we knew it we had successfully and safely brought the team to Elroy, WI.

Here are some views from the route; check out the military technology that was a historical stop along the road:





After a rest day in Madison and van duty to Elroy, I'm ready to get back on my bike. My legs are well rested and ready to go.

Puttin' Pedal to the Medal,
James
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Today's efforts were dedicated to Deb, a cancer survivor and gas station manager who personally donated water bottles and ice for the riders. Thank you!

Day Twenty-Five: Meeting Madison

Today's rest day just proved that Madison is my kind of town!


We started the day off by canning for donations to help the 4K reach the $500,000 mark, which would make us the most successful cross-country fundraiser! Canning was not the most comfortable experience for me. It takes guts to walk up to random strangers, present your pitch, and collect money. Luckily for me I was with Liz, a mass communications major who just happens to be AMAZING at all things social/fundraising. She lead the way (with me learning as I went), and together we swept through the Madison area.

Madison at night!

After successfully fundraising, the team went out for a Wisconsin must have, custard and cheese curds. I wasn't a big fan of the cheese curds (no surprise to those of you who know I'm not fond of cheese, though I did try it), but the custard was delicious. I chose Blue Moon, a Fruit Loop flavored ice cream:

Wisconsin custard, Fruit Loop flavored!

Now's the time to admit that we had dessert before dinner tonight. We were sure to make up for it though:

Oh how I missed sushi. This was the perfect treat!

A HUGE thank you to the local sushi restaurant and our awesome waiter for a great, donation-filled evening. People like you make the 4K possible, allowing the majority of our funds raised to go directly back to cancer patients.

I enjoyed strolling through the busy, neon-lit streets of Wisconsin's capital. Madison is small but it's clean, the people are friendly, and the town is perfect for the younger crowd. I'm almost sad to leave--almost, there's still plenty more of the country to see!

We're Getting There, Quickly,
James

Day Twenty-Four: Why, Oh Why, is Wisconsin NOT Flat?

Someone once told me that the mid-west was flat. I thought I could consider Wisconsin the mid-west. Except Wisconsin isn't flat.

Okay, so I'm exaggerating. Wisconsin has rolling hills (nothing as daunting as the Appalachians), and I guess some would consider that "flat." But today hit 100 degrees, aka IT WAS HOT. Plus, the route was out on the road, treeless and naked in the sun, aka NO SHADE. Throw in the relentless winds (at 20 mph) and those rolling hills become a bigger deal than they should be. No one could blame the team when they were heat exhausted, sun burnt, and tired.


Not that any of the elements stopped the team. Sure, it was challenging (personally my second hardest day ever), but we made it. We always do.

Even though it was hot, the scenery was still beautifully green, coated in a blue sky and sprinkled with clouds:



And then we rode into this:







The miraculous Madison, Wisconsin, a beautiful state Capitol and charming city that is bike-friendly, college-friendly, and 4K-friendly. I love it here. I cannot wait for our day off around town tomorrow to check out what this city nestled between two lakes has to offer!

Cycle Through,
James

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Today, my second hardest day on the 4K to date, is dedicated to my brother, Robert, who I pray comes to realize (as I have) that we are truly capable of anything and everything. Stop at nothing--every single day.

Day Twenty-Three: Milling Through Milwaukee

This morning I bid farewell to the Chicago skyline,



and traded it for the gorgeous, untouched portions of Lake Michigan's coast. This was the view along nearly the entire route today:



Better yet, this was our lunch stop, where we took a refreshing swim in the cold lake waters to cool us from the day's heat:



Before we knew it, the century from Chicago to Milwaukee was over, and we had arrived:



Arriving in Milwaukee, we stopped off at a local park down by the lake shore, where we took another cold dip. For some reason, this dip seemed much, much colder than the first. It was the second coldest body of water that I had ever been in (first being the waters off of Maine's coast).

The city itself was small and reminded me more of a college town. Walking through it's more populated areas reminded me of home.

And there was the thought--home. We have come such a long way, but still have so much more to go. Thank God, because I'm not nearly done touring the country yet!

Movin' on to Madison,
James

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Today was dedicated to a store owner the team met on the way into Chicago who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer (we unfortunately forgot to get her name!). Stay strong, we wish you the best!

Day Twenty-Two: Chilling in Chicago

It was wonderful waking up in a major city in a bed placed in a room that I had all to myself.--it has been awhile!

I started today in the Caribou Coffee shop located next to the dorms where I helped recruit voters for the 100carsforgood campaign. After about two hours I ventured off on foot back to
Downtown Chicago. My first goal was achieved:

The Chicago Classic individual deep dish from Lou Malnati's on State St., Chicago. It was delicious!

I headed to Lou Malnati's for a Classic Chicago deep dish; it was well worth the trip! The pizza was delicious, filled with delicious cheeses, perfect homemade tomato sauce and precisely cooked sausages. As a New Yorker, it felt awkward to eat pizza with a fork and knife (but the old rule prevails: when in Rome, do as the Romans do). 

It was a beautiful day so I continued heading north on Michigan Ave, hitting up the typical tourist locations, like the bean, officially known as Cloud Gate:

Located in Millennium Park, the public sculpture warps light to create stunning reflections of the surrounding city. There are also some other really cool sights and views from the Chicago Loop area:

I also had the opportunity to stop into the Art Institute of Chicago's lobby and gift shop. I will certainly have to check out the exhibitions during a return trip to Chicago (yep, I will be going back, I have to go back--it's like trying to spend merely one weekend in Manhattan). It reminded me of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, although the lions outside instantly brought me back to the New York Public Library on 42nd St.

The day didn't end there. For dinner we decided to splurge a little and check out an Asian restaurant called Joy Yee Noodles which was located within a block from our dorm rooms. It was the perfect way to fulfill my desire for Korean food (Chapchae noodles anyone?). I tried a Red Bean bubble tea; it was delicious:



I would have loved to stayed in this city longer, but tomorrow we have to move on to Milwaukee, Wisconsin (aka time for a NEW state!). I enjoyed every minute spent in Chicago, and I can't wait to come back one day.

Movin' on Westward,
James

Day Twenty-One: Traveling to Chi Town

The lights, the noise, the pedestrians, the skyline--I could live in Chicago! It's cleaner than NYC and a little less congested; I love it!

Then again, everything seems amazing after riding through Gary, Indiana. I have never been through a town that was teetering on the brink of abandonment. It was disheartening to see people struggling to live around broken streets, dilapidated homes, and abandoned buildings. I experienced a true paradigm shift cycling along 12 W. Some people really do have so much and others so little. But, I had never thought of this on a community level. You figure that within each community there are those that have more than others; in Gary, I'm not sure anyone has anything. It's a sad truth and a testament to some of the struggles that we face as a species. (Gary is also an example of the complex relations between economics, politics, race and so many other variables that I'm not even going to bring up here.)

With that said, back to Chicago:

The ride into Chicago--what a motivating sight when you still have more miles to go!

Entering the city through South Chicago.

For tonight and tomorrow we're staying at the University of Illinois at Chicago in suite style dorms. THIS IS LIKE A FIVE STAR HOTEL FOR US (I cannot stress this enough). We have our own rooms, private bathrooms, air-conditioning, private showers, laundry, internet, and--the best yet--PILLOWS! I have not slept on a proper pillow since May! Seriously, it's the little things that matter on this trip.

Tonight I walked around Chicago in the pouring rain. It was against my better judgement, since I would usually be the kind of person to dodge raindrops and open umbrellas. I don't regret it one bit--it was the best way to see Chicago.

Beautiful Chicago skyline one rainy night.

I'm excited to explore more of the city tomorrow. I have a few goals, one of which is to finally eat a deep dish pizza from Chicago!

Sweet Dreams from the Windy City,
James

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Today's ride, which was long and filled with headwinds and heat but not as difficult as expected, was dedicated to my little sisters, Avalon and Meridian. I hope that by the time they are my age cancer won't be nearly as serious of a diagnosis as it is today.