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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.

Day Twenty: Touching Borders, from Michigan to Indiana

And just like that, we're in a new state. I truly enjoyed Michigan, but I was happy to say goodbye to their poor roads--they did a number to my bike. I can only imagine what those roads can do to the front end of a car.

When state-crossing, there is no greater moment than stopping at the border sign (which, unfortunately, not all routes have). Today we got to stop at the Welcome to Indiana sign:

Indiana; now we're really starting to move westward.

Now I can officially say that I've been as far west as Indiana!

The wind today was little bit of a pain, but worst was the traffic. The drivers in Indiana are relentless to pass cyclists (sometimes a little too close for comfort) and are aggressive in doing so. Regardless, all riders followed the safety guidelines and everything went smoothly. We reached our destination of South Bend, Indiana swiftly and even got to tour a little bit of Notre Dame's campus.

Friends of a team member were kind enough to help us obtain showers, laundry, and dinner, so we all had a great night--especially important because we have a notoriously rough 88 miles into Chicago tomorrow. I'm confident we can handle tomorrow as a team, after all, we made it through our unexpected century through the Appalachians (see Day Four). 

Here's to Hoping Tomorrow is Always Greater than your Yesterday,

James

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

Today was dedicated to the food vendors from South Haven, MI who suffered great heartache and hardship but were positive and generous despite all odds. May things look up for the both of you!

Day Nineteen: Noteworthy South Haven

I would go back to South Haven, Michigan. It was a gorgeous little town that reminded me of summer/tourist locations along the New Jersey shore.

South Haven is a shore town, it lies on Lake Michigan, and comes complete with a stunning sunset:

The South Haven Sun setting over Lake Michigan. The locals told us that it was a must-see (and they were right)!

After having a great ride today we were happy to discover the luxurious shower and amenities as the South Haven Wellness Center, who generously welcomed us. It was the perfect start to a great night that included a delicious, home cooked dinner from our hosts at the First Congregational Church of South Haven (the Lasagna was a great treat!), Harbor Fest (music, food and beaches), and a sad but touching encounter with sibling food vendors.

The food vendor owners that we spoke to after the sunset at Harbor Fest informed us that their mother passed away from cancer, followed all too soon by the passing of their father. The brothers were very generous and made sure we were fed well with onion rings, funnel cakes, and lemonades before they closed for the night. We were touched by their story, as they were impacted by our journey. I can only hope that our meeting was a positive, healing blessing for everyone. Such generosity never ceases to amaze me. Perhaps the world isn't as greedy as some would have us believe.

To top it all off, while sitting in the grass down at the lake I had the rare opportunity of spotting a green shooting star. Well, to be honest I wasn't sure what it was at the time. I wasn't confident that shooting stars could be green or that I could eliminate the possibility of delirium (caused by riding a bike all day). But, as it turns out, shooting stars with copper in them can have a green tail. Maybe I'm not crazy after all?

No matter what it was (I'm going to stick to my shooting star theory) it was another experience to tack on to an already amazing day.

Keep Your Eyes Westward,
James

-------------------------
Today was dedicated to my father, because he would have loved South Haven and its sunset.

Day Eighteen: Everyday's an Adventure

Everyday on the 4K is sure to be interesting. But today was something extra-special.

The weather was beautiful and spirits were high. On I-96 my group was able to stop at the raceway and have the once in a lifetime opportunity of riding our road bikes on a dirt track (no, our bikes are not made for such a  track but when else are you going to get to do such a thing?).

A big THANK YOU to the owners for letting us ride around the track!

And then we hit a milestone--our 1,000 mile mark! It baffles me that only a few weeks ago we were just starting out and yet we have quickly rode over mile 1,000.

As you can see, I was pumped to have reached the 1,000 mile mark!

Thank you everyone--donors, supporters, readers and cheerleaders for helping to carry me to this point. Without your perpetual spirits as my great motivation I would not have made it this far. These 1,000 miles also belong to YOU!

To make things even better, we also stopped at a small Lake Side Shop. The owner Paul was a great host and offered us free wet burritos, which reminded me of a cross between an enchillada and a burrito, smothered in delicious cheese and a gravy/enchillada sauce mixture (we were fortunate enough to have snagged the recipe; we're taking wet burritos all the way to Seattle!). There happened to be a lake right by the store ("Lake Side Shop"), so we cooled off with a swim before gearing up to conquer the rest of the day.

And conquer the rest of the day we did, all the way to Grand Rapids, MI. It was a great day, complete with good foods, better memories, and even better people. I can't wait to see what the rest of the trip brings.

Don't Forget to Have Some Fun,
James

------------------------------------------------
Today was dedicated to my great-grandfather, Ciro Apicella.

Day Seventeen: Seeing Michigan, from Ann Arbor to Lansing

Michigan is beautiful. Mostly flat, with some rolling green hills, blue skies, blueberry farms, asparagus crops, and magnificent Lake Michigan.

Riding through this state has been a pleasure, with views like this one:



The occasional dirt road has been a bit of a nuisance and can do a number on the wrists, but overall I am enjoying my time in Michigan.

Today was pleasantly uneventful. It was a great day to ride and simply enjoy time spent under the sun.

Don't Worry, Be Happy,
James

-----------------
Today was dedicated to my grandfather, Charles Overton.

Day Sixteen: Setting the Sun in Michigan

We've made it to another state as we continue to trudge westward!

And what trudging it was! It rained for most of the day today (and I'm sure you're all familiar with how much I dislike cycling in the rain--it's so uncomfortable). However, unlike last time, the temperature was higher and the rain was warmer so it wasn't so bad. Besides, (like I always tell myself) I'm sure any cancer-patient would much rather be having to deal with a day in the rain than having to deal with cancer. Suddenly the rain doesn't seem like much of a problem.

So I get over it, and I move on. I stop periodically to wipe my glasses and scrub some mud off my shins, but I keep going, along with my group, along with the whole team. We keep moving, pushing forward to our next destination, which just so happened to be Ann Arbor, Michigan. We took the back roads out of Ohio, through farm fields aplenty and famished fallows, over dirt roads and muddy potholes, past crossroads with no street signs and turns that looked like something out of a scary movie (have you ever seen Wrong Turn?). Despite getting lost, pedaling through mud (up hills, mind you), being hungry, wet, and cold it was still a great day. The rain stopped, the roads became paved and we had a filling lunch.

On this ride things turn quickly, shifting from bad to good and from good to bad as often as we shift our gears along the way. Still, everyday still manages to be a great day. Everyday is a great day because we're alive, we're moving forward, and we have the support of many, many others. Additionally, I'm learning to be grateful for the little things, things normally taken for granted: a shower to clean me, some food to feed me, and a place to rest my head. I'm grateful for my loved ones, my health, and the opportunities that I have been so fortunate to have come across. Not everyone has such things, but I wish everyone could.

I'm truly grateful, and that's why I believe I'm truly happy. What have you taken for granted today? You're one "thank you" away from happiness.

Don't forget to smile :), it's good for you,
James

---------------------------------------
Today's ride is dedicated to Kathy Ramos, a neighbor and family friend who is bravely undergoing the battle against cancer. Today is to show her that she can do it and that there are those of us out there who are fighting alongside her in many different ways. Best wishes and blessings!

Day Fifteen: Feeding Time (Food Van Duty)

I maintain a love-hate relationship with van duty. On one hand it's nice to have a day off the bike and it's fun to go around and collect donations for the team. On the other hand sometimes you just want to be out there on the road with the team cycling the route. Plus, getting food donations can be very frustrating--it's a lot of pressure to have to find food for 27 people, people who will be very hungry and very mad if there isn't lunch.

So far it's been going well. All van riders have done a great job of securing meals for lunch (and dinner when necessary). Today was no different, though it was off to a shaky start. My co-pilot Molly and I received a lot of what we like to call the "corporate card." It goes something like this: You ask to speak to the manager, introduce yourself, your co-pilot, the organization and present the official letter head to then hear "I'm sorry, but we can't do anything at the store level, you'll have to apply through our corporate office." This is, in fact, usually a lie. Walmart, Target, Giant, Weis, McDonalds, Tacobell, Subway, Dominos, Papa Johns, Chipotle and so many other chains have already donated to us. Now it sometimes depends on the owner of a particular location, but in general, managers have some pull for small donations without having to go through a corporate office. This information, of course, makes it all the more frustrating to hear a manager attempt to pull the corporate card. Fortunately, we have learned to not be so easy for taking no as an answer. Sometimes all the manager requires is a little more persuasion.

I recognize that some people may not be so fond of the idea of a group of students scrounging around for free food, however this is essential to 4K for Cancer operations. Food donations from generous, kind-hearted people from across the nation allow for low overhead costs. Imagine for a moment that the 4K had to pay for all food and lodging along the route. The cost would be astronomical and no funds would be left for the cancer patients. By securing food and lodging for free, the 4K for Cancer can send the maximum amount of money raised to programs and operations that directly impact cancer patients.

In fact, as a whole we have raised nearly $500,000 (we are only $40,000 shy of this goal, which would make us the most successful cross-country cycling fundraiser in existence). This is an exciting time for all connected to the 4K mission--we have a chance to make history and have  a greater impact on lives across America. I think that's something worth donating and cycling for.

To those who have donated--whether you have donated time, money, food, shelter or even showers, THANK YOU. The 4K for Cancer could not exist effectively without your loyalty and support. It is astounding to see the good of the world united on one front, fighting for a cause deemed worthwhile. Every day of this trip I am reminded of how remarkable people are, and how generosity and kindness are not dead in the world. Days on the 4K teach me to hold on to hope because the human potential is truly infinite.

"Hope springs eternal" -Alexander Pope

The view as the team entered Toledo, OH--our YMCA home for the night.

James

----------------------------
Today's ultimately successful efforts were dedicated to Luis DeSousa Pereira, the father of a donor. I will hopefully be posting more about Luis and his life in the near future.