Day Twelve: Territory Westward

Save yourself the trouble of debating it with me--Ohio is a western state. Take it from an east coast city boy, anything to the left of PA on a map is indeed west. Today we rode 81 miles "westward" into Ohio. This is especially exciting because this is as far west as I have ever been! Seeing the "Welcome to Ohio" sign forced me to realize what a journey I had begun and just how far I have come in a relatively short amount of time--less than two weeks. From this point forward, it's all new states!



Renewed in my passion for 4K adventure, the 81 mile trek did not seem draining at all, (although lack of sleep did make me slightly drowsy during the few long miles before lunch). We were able to stop and get ice cream donate from Doug, whose brother is suffering from cancer and has decided not to fight it. Hearing this was disheartening and the perfect motivation for completing the day.

Riding into Cleveland from the east was particularly interesting, given the state of the area. It did not lend well for first impressions. However, over the course of the evening I saw more of Cleveland, a charming city, and the surrounding area. A 4K Alumnus, his parents, and parents of some of the great team members of this year's trip, came together to host a scrumptious dinner. By far, the best part of the night was sitting around an outdoor fireplace with the team stuffed with delicious food. Cleveland looks pretty good from that seat!

So far I'm loving the "west" and its cities. I can't wait to get moving again.

Westward Bound,

James
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Today was dedicated to Corina Correia Rodrigues, the aunt of a donor who passed away from breast cancer. I hope to be hearing more about Corina and sharing her story with you in the coming weeks. 

Day Eleven: Heaven at Camp Sherwin

The day was long and arduous, but the terrain was calm and flat in comparison to Day 4's surprise century. My wonderful group kept me laughing for all 106 miles, making the 12+ hours on the bike route all the more bearable. Today's century didn't feel like the last one.

Along the north something shocking occurred: a deer darted out in front of our drafting line, brushing the front tire of the leader's bike and dashing off into Route 5 traffic. Luckily no one was hurt and we all got to trudge on and laugh about the scare. All is well on Team Seattle. The route itself is beautiful. I love riding along lake Erie. The water glistens blue under the sun while the coast beckons us to sit on its beaches.

Along the route we stopped at a strawberry farm for freshly picked strawberries. In short, they were the best strawberries I've ever had.



Better than riding along the lake is spending the night by it. Our generous hosts at the YMCA Camp Sherwin provided us with dinner, breakfast, storage for our bikes, beds for our weary heads, and beautiful camp grounds for our enjoyment. We gathered to watch the sunset over lake Erie, , which was absolutely stunning. The hues of red and blue faded into a starry purple as the horizon slowly swallowed the sun. Afterwards, we gathered around the campfire to celebrate the day and roast marshmallows for smores.






There's no better way to end a 106 mile day than a sunset over lake Erie and smores over a campfire. This is one of my favorite days on the 4K thus far.


Keep Warm by the Fires,

James
-------------------------------------

Today was long and difficult and therefore dedicated to my grandma, whose memory kept me pedaling even when my legs cried out against it.

Day Ten: Time To Do It All Again

By this time in the trip we have certain things down to a routine: the morning wake up, packing, breakfast, checking the bikes, circling up, and heading out in our ride groups. But today was different. Today was a glorious rest day! And I was in luck-- I got to sleep in!

While others went to the Buffalo Hope Lodge for an afternoon of service, I wandered down to the lake front. It was absolutely beautiful and more massive than I realized, stretching farther than my eye could see. This excursion was brief, and we soon headed out to gather food donations for lunch. Buffalo was kind to us, donating pizza, Mongolian buffet, and Buffalo Wild Wings.

We returned back with a van stuffed with food to feed our hungry do-gooders. I assisted the mechanic and others with checking the bikes an performing some minor maintenance. I've learned a lot of important information about changing tires, patching, degreasing, lubing, and adjusting brakes. Hungry again, we cooked breakfast for dinner and geared up for a local ABC interview (I will post the video as soon as I get it!). However the best part of the night was going out with the team for some Duff's famous wings while watching our news segment premiere on TV. It brought a sense of pride and accomplishment that every evening of the 4K brings. I've never been more productive in my entire life.

Tomorrow we will start the routine all over again: up at 4, groggily pack, dress, and force ourselves to eat, check our bikes, circle up for the day, and finally set out--all by 6 am. With a century ahead of me, I'm off to sleep. Tomorrow is sure to be a long day.

Savor Every Moment,

James

----------------
Today was dedicated to the wonderful hosts at the Harvest House for opening their doors, hearts, and wallets.

Day Nine: Nice, Cold Rain

Day eight's trip in the rain made me vow to wrap my feet in plastic before the next rainy day. I should have listened to myself. Today started in the pouring rain in a chilly 52 degree Rochester, NY. I quickly learned to be thankful for my cycling rain gear, which kept my core warm and dry. My feet, however, were sunk in shoes filled with water.

And slowly things got worse. We got a flat, and then another one, and another one, and a fourth one. And that was just my group. Overall, the whole team had over 20 flats. The vans were shuttling riders tools and tubes all along the route, slowing us down more than we had anticipated the rain would. We were cold, and all our feet were soaked.

But sometime along the way something peculiar happened: I had a flashback to a snowy winter day. I was at my grandmother's house on Staten Island. I didn't have my snow boots but needed to go out in the snow. Her solution was simple--plastic bags. Growing up in a poor large family they didn't have the money to spend on snow shoes, so to insulate their feet and keep them dry they would wrap their feet and socks in plastic bags before putting on their sneakers. Their sneakers would get wet, but their toes would remain warm and dry. Thus, the next time my group stopped at a gas station, I went inside, peeled off my wet shoes and socks, and wrapped me feet in plastic pastry bags. Buying tape from the store to wrap around my ankles, I sealed off my feet from the tumultuous weather outside. So it wasn't exactly correct--my socks weren't wrapped inside plastic with my feet since they were already wet (instead I put them over the plastic bags), but it made a huge difference. Soon my most uncomfortable ride ever became much more bearable.

The day grew better as time passed. Before we realized it we had arrived at our host, the Harvest House, which is such a great place to be staying for the two days! After showering (what a glorious feeling) and eating (I can't decided whether showering or eating is a better feeling these days) we set off to check out Niagara Falls. The city was bright and touristy, but the falls were beautiful. It was such a thrill to be able to see them lit up at night. By the end of our excursion we were exhausted, and settled in for a sleep lengthier than what we're accustomed to. The best feeling of the day, by far, was crawling into a sofa to sleep. I forgot how much better a couch is than a floor!

Niagara Falls at Night--from the US side.

Despite all the challenges and temporary struggles, this trip is well worth the effort. I've never felt so healthy and productive.

Good Night from Buffalo,

James

Day Eight, Ain't it Great...

Ain't it great cycling in the rain? No. I finally found the one thing I hate more than hills--rain. My shoes each contained an ocean, a cold, uncomfortable mess. On top of that, drafting to reduce the wind drag caused splatter from the back wheel of the rider in front of me to cover my face and sunglasses. It was my first time riding in the rain and it wasn't pleasant. About halfway to the host I decided that I would trade the rain for some sun and hills any day. Go figure!

But rejoice, because today was only a 43 mile ride--the shortest yet. This weather could have easily occurred on a century day. And even though I got a flat I was able to fix it quickly (thanks to Meg the mechanic) and get back on my way. It was also a great day because my group was able to secure and Arby's donation; we got to choose our meals and everything!

Once at the host we were able to work on our bikes and shower. I'm glad I learned some bike maintenance basics it will definitely come in handy over the next 3,500 miles. Best of all, the Unitarian Church hosting us tonight was warm and welcoming, featuring a deliciously bountiful community dinner. It was the perfect end to a stormy day.

Tomorrow we get to head to Buffalo, where we will take a rest day and visit Niagra Falls. The team is really excited, it should be a nice few days. We're almost at the most northern part of the route!

Stay Dry,
James

---------
Today was dedicated to my grandfather, Charles Overton, a skin cancer survivor. Wear your sunblock!

Day Seven: Save Our Souls

Don't let the title fool you, today was a good, easy day. The ride was enjoyable (despite the four consecutive flats the team experienced) and not too long or too hilly. It was a little chilly, but we had some great views of the NY hills and vineyards, along with Seneca Lake. We passed the Seneca lake front on the ride into Geneva, a gorgeous and amazing little town with a touch of charm.

So why "Save Our Souls"?

After reading the last few updates that I posted I realized that I was leaving out a very crucial observation: people are more generous than this world would lead you to believe. In a time where the media portrays images of greed, financial decay, and moral collapse, the good  still exists. For instance, meet Michael Bassett, a great man from the US Navy who donated 90 dollars of his own and fundraised an additional $200 from friends and family so we would be able to eat. 

See the full Team Album here, updated often!

Mike then drove an hour out of his way to the falls by Ithaca to meet up with us and hand deliver the cash. He saved our souls. We now know that if, for whatever reason, we fail to obtain food donations or an emergency occurs, we have cash on hand.

And it's not just Michael Bassett--communities from along the route have been just as generous. Churches welcome us openly, even trusting us enough to leave the backdoor open and allow us to use the space without instruction! Managers and food vendors offer large amounts of food to us willingly. There have also been cases where employees have paid for the food that we were given, usually in honor of someone they know who has been affected by cancer. Strangers have let us into their homes to fill our water coolers. PEOPLE ARE GOOD.

Sure, evil exists, and there are those out there that you wouldn't want to cross paths with. Yet, there are those out there in the world who will gladly give a total stranger a helping hand and join together for a common cause. Like the amazing people who make up the team. Without them, I would not have climbed as high or rode as far as I had. They've been there to help me through everything and the world has been there to help us all along on our journey.

The universe (or God, or whatever entity/ being/ random probability that you believe greases the gears of life) has provided us with what we need through people who give just to give. There is no greater gift than the selfless sacrifices that we have experienced every day. Be grateful for something, better yet--be grateful for everything for you have more than you know and so much more than you will ever need.

I consider our souls saved; we're going to be more than fine.

Be Good, Do Good,

James

-------------------------------------------

Today's ride is dedicated to Scott, a friend of my Pedal Pal Beth, who sadly lost his battle with cancer early this year.

Day Six: Say Yes

Since I decided to embark on this 4,000 mile journey I've tried to be open to things: new foods, new places, new people...

So today I said yes and ate a worm. Yup. And it tasted like dirt. It's become a team challenge, with everyone partaking one by one. Today just happened to be my turn.

Today I said yes and walked in the river, slipping and sliding (and almost falling) among the slime covered rocks. We hiked around the Taughannock Falls, which were beautiful and refreshing.


Today I said yes to exploring the Ithaca festival, helping to scrounge for food donations, and forcing myself to be outgoing and personable (not always natural for an introvert like me). The team was rewarded with a wonderful feast of a variety of food from various festival vendors.

The general idea behind saying yes is simple: You probably won't ever be here again, see these people again, or get this opportunity again, so just do it. I have to say that I feel this principle seeping into every area of my life. I've learned to take opportunities as they come, riding them until they fade and enjoying the moment as it passes. The 4K is no different, calling for intense moment-by-moment immersion.

I'm so happy to be here.

Though a great many things happened today, the most rewarding and fulfilling was volunteering at the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes. Cleaning, scrubbing, weeding, demolishing and moving were all on the agenda. The center is undergoing and ambitious renovation plan for their back yard space. It was helpful to have the manpower of Team Seattle behind them. We got a lot done in a short amount of time (as my step-mom says, "many hands make light work"). Most importantly, the staff at the center were so warm and encouraging, going so far as to make sure that we were well fed--which means EVERYTHING to a 4K rider. It felt great to give back to the community and connect with others on a meaningful level.

I will always hold my experiences here at Ithaca within me. Ithaca has been a wonderful city to us riders and I have truly enjoyed spending the past two days here. But it's time to move on. Tomorrow we continue to venture north to Geneva, NY. I'm excited to move on!

The days are beginning to fly by now. I can't believe that it has already been a week already. WOW! One week down, nine more to go...Let's plow forward, pedal by pedal.


Just Say Yes,

James
-------------------
I dedicate today's service to the Cancer to 5K teams, "a free 12-week training program designed to introduce and/or reintroduce cancer survivors to training for and completing a 5K road race." KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK, we're pedaling beside you!