FROM AUSTIN TO ANCHORAGE... MY RIDE FOR A CURE.

2 Months Later... Some of My Favorite Pictures

2010-10-13T16:17:00.001-05:00

Rain

Gravel Road...

More gravel...

Morning was so cold we had ride dedication circle around the fire.

Kelly's photo shoot

I think we're lost...

Second Chance Prom/Pure Sport dress

Napping

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Check out the Rockies 2010 video!

2010-09-07T02:36:00.000-05:00

Click here to watch a video from this summer: Rockies 2010 Video by Jack Reynolds

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 70-Anchorage, AK!

2010-08-16T15:59:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure how to begin summing up the past 70 days. I still can't believe the summer actually came to an end. It doesn't feel like I have been on a bike for two and a half months, but when I think back to days like Slapout, Oklahoma population 7, I remember just how many miles we have come.

Since my last real post on Day 55 a lot has happened. We were held up an extra day in Dease Lake, but the following morning we were back on the bike riding to Jade City. It was a beautiful ride and everyone was excited to be riding again after several days off. After Jade City, with the threat of being held up again for another day, the team packed up and drove to the road barrier in hopes of being one of the lucky 100 cars that would make it through that morning at 8 a.m. Luckily, we made it through and we were able to see firsthand just how bad the smoke was. It would have been dangerous to try to ride, even if the park rangers would have allowed it. We then began our 80 mile ride once we were through the fire.

In the days leading up to our reunion with the Sierra route in Whitehorse, YT, the Rockies team held on as long as possible to our time together. During the day, instead of riding in groups of 3-5, the whole team rode together in a pace line of 27 people. At night, we stayed up around the campfire speculating what it would be like to see Sierra again. On our last night as Rockies, we went around the circle thanking each other for the memories and all the good times. I moved my sleeping pad and bag out by the fire and slept outside my tent that night- the sky was beautiful!

The ride into Whitehorse was a hard 115 miles, but at our 1-mile-out regroup, we regained energy in our excitement to finally be reunited with Sierra. In true Rockies spirit, we painted our faces with Badger (this ridiculous sunscreen that looks more like white paint than anything) and camouflage. When Sierra saw us for the first time in 60 days, we were dirty, covered in paint, and acting like wild animals. They thought we were crazy. After so many days away from civilization, we might have actually been a little crazy.

That night, we had one of the most fun nights either route had seen all summer. Sierra had made us dinner and we started catching up on each other's summers as soon as arrived. We played music and had a huge dance party with 52 people. In previous years, there had always been some tension between routes and for some teams, it had taken several days before the two routes shared tables, rest stops, or mingled much at all. This year we wasted no time in molding together as one big team. However, over the last 10 days it would sometimes happen that I would look around to see only 16 Rockies swimming together or riding together in a big group. Without trying to be exclusive, the two routes remained somewhat segregated for the remainder of the trip. Though I wish I could have gotten closer to many riders on the Sierra route, it's hard to form a bond in 10 days that is as strong as the bonds formed in 60.

On our first night of camping as a whole team, we cooked Alaskan salmon over our campfire. John had come across an overturned 18-wheeler that had been carrying Alaskan salmon, but was handing it out in boxes because it would have been impossible to keep fresh. We enjoyed it! That night, it poured. It was the first time we had woken up and cooked breakfast in the rain. Several riders woke up in puddles, but luckily my tent stayed dry. It was the first of many rainy mornings.

The last week of camping was one of the more difficult stretches. The mosquitos were horrible and we had no running water. The only notes in our travel binder were "vastly unpopulated area."

Day 65 was a strange one. We woke up thrilled to be crossing the Alaskan border. It was a day we had been waiting for for a long time and working towards for months. Our jerseys say "Texas to Alaska", so in some way we were accomplishing our goal. Only 5 days left to Anchorage. For the first time all summer, the Rockies girls agreed to participate in a border race. This is one of the boys favorite things to do, and even Sierra girls had participated in previous states. Because the Alaska border is the only border that the whole team crosses together, some rivalry had developed and Rockies and Sierra wanted to compete against routes. We had a boys race and a girls race, Rockies vs. Sierra. However, the day soon took a turn for the worse. Only 3 miles in, we hit a lot of loose gravel and the entire Sierra pace line went down going 25+ mph. It was one of the scariest sights I've ever seen. Thankfully, a paramedic happened to drive by and helped check each girl that fell before she was allowed to get up. Four of the girls went to the hospital, but luckily came away without any broken bones. Unfortunately, Erica had a bad concussion and was told by the doctor to sit out for the remainder of the ride. The Alaska sign just wasn't the same after that. The next 10 miles to the border were somber. The sign even seemed smaller than it looked in pictures from previous years. Because we were missing teammates, we refused to take the team picture without them. Day 65 did not meet any of my expectations for that day, but I guess that is what this ride is about. That's the way life goes.

Two days later, the team drove back to the border (a 3 hr drive each way) to take the picture as a team. That picture meant way too much to all of us to skip it. We didn't start our 70-mile ride that day until 5 p.m. (getting in around 11 p.m.) but everyone agreed it was worth it. Because we were riding so late into the evening I also got to see 3 moose that day! My favorite was a mom and baby crossing the road in front of us.

The last 5 days, everyone seemed ready to be in Anchorage. We all agreed it was sad that the trip was ending and that one day soon we knew we would miss it, but I was surprised by how excited the team was to be finishing. We were also so excited to see family and loved ones that we knew were boarding planes to meet us at the finish line. It was a cold rainy day, but we didn't really care. We were on bike trails for the last 20 miles and we were escorted to the finish line by the fire department.

I think I learned and grew a lot this summer, but I might not realize just how much until I am back in the real world for a while. But I do know for certain that I was meant to be here this summer.

"That which doesn't kill me only makes me stronger."- Dylan

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help make a difference in the fight against cancer.

Day 65

2010-08-08T11:18:00.000-05:00

After 65 days and over 4,000 miles, the team will cross the Alaskan border this morning! Right now, we are only 19 miles away from customs. This is our first and only border to cross with the Sierra team and it has turned into a race between Rockies and Sierra riders. This is the first state this year that Rockies girls have participated in a border race. It should be fun, but mostly I am excited to take a team picture at the Alaska sign!

We've been camping a lot lately. It has rained the past two nights but luckily our tent has stayed dry both times. Yesterday morning half the team woke up soaking wet and floating in a puddle. If you stay dry, camping in the rain is actually really nice. It was Sierras first rain all summer!

I haven't had much internet lately and this post will be short, but in 5 days we will be in Anchorage and shortly after I will be able to update with more stories and pictures. My mom, James, and brother Sam will be in Anchorage and so will Daniel for a couple days before flying back to Denver to start Law School! I am a little sad for the summer to end, but excited for the next few days and my time in Alaska. Will write more soon. As always, thanks for all of your support!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 55

2010-07-29T16:59:00.002-05:00

These last several days have been some of the hardest days of the ride for me so far. On day 50, many of us felt like we hit a wall- that 50 days on the bike was enough and we were all really looking forward to Anchorage. I talked to some teammates who couldn't put their finger on it, but for some reason felt like they were in a slump. Getting past the hurdle of day 50 was a threshold. I even remember waking up one morning and, for the first time, I actually wished I was somewhere else but here. This last stretch was also some of our most challenging terrain. The days leading up to Dease Lake were full of hills and beautiful wilderness. This sign in the picture is from one of the hardest hills of the Dease Lake stretch--it was a 10% grade, which is steeper than any highways in the United States, and lasted over a mile. It felt so good to get to the top of this climb that several riders actually rode back down it to climb it again! We then took pictures at the top of the mountain.

View from the top:

It seemed like a hard week for the whole team, but luckily we got some inspiration from 6 of our fellow riders. The Dease Lake Challenge is a Rockies tradition that started several years back. This year, six team members (Jack, Dyar, Andrew, Brett, John and Whitney) took on the challenge of riding 210 miles in one day, combining all three days of our ride to Dease Lake into one day. The other part of the challenge is to do the ride completely unsupported. For safety reasons, one of our support vehicles went along with them, driven by Kelsey and Allie. The riders refused to use their assistance, packing 30+ PowerBars on their bikes and filling up water along the way, which sometimes meant refilling their bottles with stream water. Around mile 100, two riders were sick from the water but determined to keep riding. After starting around 5:45 am, they finally made it to Dease Lake around 12:30 am. They didn't stop to rest more than four times over the entire day and they consumed around 35 PowerBars per person. After witnessing this incredible feat, Allie and Kelsey came back to the team with a new level of energy. We have less than 5 days left of being just Rockies- soon we will be meeting up with our other half, the Sierra team, in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Reuniting with the Dease Lake riders on our rest day was exciting and the team seems completely re-energized and ready to make the most out of our last two weeks.

Our time in Dease Lake has been very different than any other rest days we have had. We are staying with Mama Z at her restaurant. The riders who came ahead have been here for three days now working in her kitchen and waiting tables. She has provided all of our meals, but with the expectation that we do our part in helping with the work around the restaurant. We've helped cook meals, wash dishes, water the flowers, and talked with several of the tourists who come in to eat at Mama Z's.

Following another Rockies tradition, last night we had a "second chance Prom". We got very creative with our dresses and suits, drove up to a scenic overlook and played dance music from the speakers of the van. Costumes included everything from dresses made of PowerBars and Pure Sport, leggings of spare tubes, an evening gown made from a hammock, several wigs, trash bag dresses, and lots and lots of spandex. We even voted on "Most Likelys", such as "Most likely to survive in the wilderness if left alone"(John Fitch), "Best facial hair"(Brett Bowlin), and "Most likely to flood our email inboxes after the trip is over" (Shilen Patel).

This morning, we woke up to some surprising news that I doubt has ever happened in the history of T4K. I am able to write this blog right now because we were forced to spend one more day in Dease Lake due to a forest fire ahead that is currently spread over 60,000 acres. The fire is between here and the Alaskan Highway junction (Hwy 37 and Hwy 1) and towns further north are facing evacuation orders. It is possible that even Dease Lake will be evacuated if the direction of the wind blows the smoke south. Tomorrow we are planning to ride to Jade City, but we are now one day behind so we will most likely be making the mileage up by driving through the "most dangerous" or smokiest area. Our biggest concern at this point is just that the highway is open at all tomorrow because it has been closed all day today.

I was hoping to upload more pictures but the internet is going incredibly slow. Hopefully I can add photos soon and will try to keep you updated with the road conditions!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 47

2010-07-21T22:35:00.000-05:00

We are in Burns Lake, BC tonight and staying with host families. This may be one of the last blogs I will be able to write for a while. After tomorrow night, we will begin a long stretch of camping with only a few more hosts between now and Anchorage!

So far, Canada has been so much better than we expected. We have had beautiful weather and some really warm days. One of the things we were warned would happen in Canada was running out of food. We did have a stretch where there were no gas stations or grocery stores for about 3 days or so and we started getting really creative with our PowerBars. This one has animal crackers and chocolate PowerGel drizzled on top. Not as tasty as it looks. The most creative so far was chocolate PowerBars melted in a skillet with some grape jelly and almonds and then poured on a piece of bread. I have a feeling it will only continue to get worse...

A few more pictures from Alberta

A picture from the day we entered into British Columbia:

As we were riding, I was dying to see a moose along the road or in the trees. I was looking really carefully all along the road but I didn't have to look too hard because we soon came across one standing in the road right in front of us! We got a little nervous when we actually saw how big it was, but luckily the truck coming from the opposite direction scared him off the highway. After seeing both a moose and a bear I am satisfied.

Today was my day to drive the van. Unfortunately, the day got a really rough start when one of our riders got in an accident with a car and had to be taken to the hospital. The car had taken a left turn without seeing her and she crashed into the side of the car. She will be off her bike for about a week with a dislocated clavical, but we are so thankful she wasn't hurt any worse. She got to keep me company in the van today and her biggest concern was for the lady driving the car who was also very shaken up and upset by the accident. She's a really strong teammate, I'm glad she'll be back on her bike soon!

The rest of the day went fairly smoothly. We got a lot of food donations from local grocery stores and restaurants (meaning no more melted PowerBars for a while) and tonight we are being very well taken care of by hosts in Burns Lake. Thank you for the letters in the mail, they always make my day! My thoughts are with everyone back home, I love you all!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 41

2010-07-15T20:47:00.003-05:00

I am writing this blog from a laudromat in Jasper, AB. We have been camping for the past three days in Banff and now almost the entire team is camped out doing laundry. The past week has been beautiful. Banff has been my favorite place so far. We spent three days riding through the national park. The first day we rode on gorgeous bike trails--it was the closest I have felt to the mountains on the whole trip. The next day should have been Lake Louise, but because of lots of wind and cold rain we got in really late and had to set up camp before dark. We decided to go to Lake Louise the next morning for ride dedication and after all the rain the day before, we were lucky to have such perfect weather the next morning. The dedication circle was especially emotional that morning--I think it had a lot to do with the breathtaking view surrounding us.

Postcard worthy photo of Lake Louise

Rockies girls!

Yesterday was a perfect example of how even though each day's route is planned months in advance, there are always new surprises. We got a later start that morning because our travel notes indicated a 40-mile day to the ice fields. However, we soon learned that it was actually 80 miles, not 40. We had beautiful scenery and great weather, so no one really seemed to mind. Around mile 40, we also learned that there was a steep mountain pass ahead--the last 15 miles of the day--that was a consistent 8% grade. At this point we were fighting daylight, which is saying a lot considering the sun sets around 10 p.m. here. At around 7:30 we made it to our last rest stop and were given the option of driving the last 15 miles up the pass or biking it. I was so proud that our whole team decided they wanted to climb! Jack and Mahek were driving the van that day and would meet up with us every 2 miles or so playing fun music and cheering us on. We finally made it to the campsite last night around 9:30! We still had enough daylight to set up our tents and cook spaghetti. It felt really good to have finished the climb and as a reward, our campgrounds overlooked the Colombia ice fields. It was a chilly night and morning, but so beautiful. Our ride dedication this morning was at the Ice Fields--I dedicated it to everyone back home because I've noticed our team has been a little more homesick lately without cell reception and internet. Since entering Canada it has been hard for most of us to stay connected to home.

We have seen a lot of elk and yesterday I saw my first black bear! I was riding with Kelsey and it just walked casually across the road right in front of us. I was pretty nervous, but we decided to cross the road to ride in the opposite shoulder and sing loudly as we rode by so that we didn't sneak up on it. It didn't seem to care that we were there. Among the 27 riders, 4 different bears were spotted yesterday!

The black bear. I didn't get my camera out in time to get him crossing the road.

We are in a cute town (Jasper, AB) tonight and cross into British Columbia tomorrow morning. We will be in BC for a while after that. Our next rest day is on Monday in Prince George, BC!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 32

2010-07-07T00:28:00.012-05:00

It has been a while since I last blogged because internet has been hard to come by these past 10 days or so and will continue to be less and less available as we get into Canada. We had our first experience camping and have crossed 2 more states! We are now 3 days away from crossing the Canadian border and being halfway to Anchorage! I can't believe the summer is going by so quickly.

On our rest day in Boulder, CO we went to a host family's lake house and were able to relax and canoe for the whole day. The view was incredible and it was exactly the rest we needed.

In Boulder, we also toured the Fat Tire Brewery. One of the managers was very interested in our ride and gave a toast to our team. He also made my day by giving me a free Fat Tire cycling jersey for being the 2010 team's top fundraiser!

Riding into the mountains in northern Colorado...

Crossing the Wyoming border!

Laramie, WY was one of my favorite towns. We had amazing hosts and this was the view from her front porch. I fell in love with the Wyoming sky. The sunsets were incredible.

The Grand Teton mountain range. The scenery on this ride was unreal...

We spent our first two nights of camping in Grand Teton National Park. There are definitely more responsibilities that go along with camping than our nights with host families, but the team had a lot of fun spending time together around the campfire and cooking breakfast and dinner. On the morning of our rest day we went into Jackson. We all really liked the feel of the town. We went back to the park in the afternoon and found this lake to swim in. The water was freezing!

The morning we rode into Yellowstone was our first really cold morning. It was also our 3rd day in a row to camp and we were pretty ready for showers and a roof over our heads at that point. Thankfully we had great hosts the next night in Bozeman, MT. Bozeman was another one of my favorite towns we have passed through. This has been the most incredible way to experience our country.

Leaving Yellowstone we crossed the Continental Divide twice in an hour. It was one of the most rewarding climbing days--and the downhills were really fun!

Old Faithful

As many of you already know, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time the week that I left for Alaska. Now more than ever I realize why I felt the desire to be a part of this ride. My mom is recovering from surgery and excited to meet me in Anchorage! I'm thankful everyday that I am able to do something to contribute to fighting cancer. Thank you for all the cards, cookies, and support! I think about you all constantly.

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 18

2010-06-22T18:54:00.017-05:00

On day 13, the team made it to the Colorado state line. Although Oklahoma was prettier than I expected, we were ready for a change of scenery. The winds in Oklahoma were frustrating and though the wheat fields were beautiful, it was sometimes discouraging to be able to see miles and miles of flat, never ending plains. We would ride 60 miles without even seeing a tree, much less a gas station where we could stop for restrooms and shade.

The hosts have all been wonderful so far, we have done very little cooking for ourselves. Our first night of camping will not be until Wyoming. That will be an interesting day!

So far, we have ridden a total of 1,231 miles in 18 days! The team is getting incredibly close, and that has really helped us on our hardest rides. They are all such amazing people. We also continue to get stronger as riders and the team is climbing hills we wouldn't have been able to climb three weeks ago.

I had a wonderful birthday in Oklahoma! The team surprised me with a mini party at one of the rest stops with brownies and a pinata! That night we also went out to a mexican restaurant (my favorite!) for chips and salsa and margaritas. Woodward, OK was a tiny town, but we managed to find a pretty fun hole in the wall.

The day we crossed the border was my first day to "SAG" (support and gear) and drive the vans. I, along with 3 other teammates, was in charge of making sure the team had rest stops every 20 miles or so, as well as providing food for lunch and dinner. We were able to get some great donations (deep dish pizzas, pastas, breadsticks, and burgers) and we had a little "on the border" theme night with On the Border salsa, queso, etc. We have competitions each day to see who can come up with the best rest stop themes. It doesn't matter what time of day it is, being in the middle of nowhere is also an excuse for a dance party and ridiculous costumes. Here are a couple pictures of some of the ones we've had so far:

Hula Hoop contest

The van and trailer I drove for the day

The ride into Colorado Springs was by far the best and most beautiful ride we have done so far. It was just the day before, riding into Pueblo, CO, that we saw the Rocky Mountains for the first time. The ride into Colorado Springs was through the foothills and even though we climbed some steep grades, we also had some amazing downhills and it was thrilling to be so close to the Rockies. It was the biggest adrenaline rush we've had all summer and it got us all excited to be in the mountains, even if it is a little harder.

The team coming up a big hill

The Rockies!

Yesterday we arrived in Denver. About 10 of the team members went to visit a recovery center called Brent's Place. It is a small apartment style housing facility for kids who have been released from the hospital, but because of recent transplants or weak immune systems, are not yet ready to resume their daily routines at home. The center has 21 apartments for the children and their families and everything is designed to be very clean and sterile, but without having the feel of a hospital that you might imagine. We got a tour of the facility and it was a very moving experience. I dedicated my ride today to a little boy named Matthew whose parents had donated a brick in the courtyard in his memory. It was engraved, "little trooper".

www.brentsplace.org

Being in Denver made me so excited to be living there starting this fall. We drove by the University of Denver campus and this morning when we were leaving for Boulder, we took some of the amazing bike trails to leave the city. They took us right through downtown Denver, went under the main roads and along a little creek. There were so many people out cycling and jogging. I can't wait to explore more in the fall. Everyone was very excited for me to be living there so soon. There is also a huge T4K alumni base in Denver. Several of them came out to support us the past 3 days on our rides.

Riding in Colorado has been so surreal. Every time I look up to see the mountains, it still surprises me. I keep thinking that in September I will have a mountain view from my living room window! I feel so lucky to be on this ride, the scenery is unbelievable and I know it will continue to amaze me as we get farther north. Just the other day I realized Colorado is the only state I have visited before this trip. Oklahoma, Wyoming, Montana, Canada, and Alaska are all new to me!

Today we are in Boulder and we have a rest day tomorrow. We are going to go to a host's lake house for the afternoon! After 10 consecutive days of riding, we are all very excited for a day off.

I apologize for not updating sooner, but we haven't had a lot of internet access lately. I will update again as soon as possible. Thanks for all your support!

P.S. Thank you for all of the mail drop goodies:) Jackson, the Rockies team really appreciates your packages! It cheers us up every time! Riding for you and Millie.

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 9

2010-06-13T21:52:00.000-05:00

Today we had a 70-mile ride from Oklahoma City, OK to Watonga, OK. The first 40 miles flew by, but throughout the last 30 miles we encountered 17-20 MPH headwind. It was tough, but the team has really shown significant improvement as riders. Lately, anything below 80 miles seems like a short day. We also have so many new stories each day of people for whom we ride. This morning, Austin and I met a man who was very interested in our organization. He asked us questions about our average mileage per day, where we sleep, how long it will take us to reach Anchorage, etc. At the end of our conversation, he teared up as he told us that he had lost his wife to cancer a few years ago. We promised we would dedicate our ride to him today.

A little boy named Jackson is another person that gives our team a lot of motivation. When we were in Dallas, he brought the team a picture he had drawn of his grandmother, who he lost to cancer, and God watching over us as we traveled across the country. He had traced every state perfectly and we keep it with us every day. He and his mom also helped out tremendously by rounding up several waffle irons for Dawn and my Dad to help cook breakfast for 13 hungry, carb-loading boys.

And today and everyday I ride for my mom.

Tonight we are staying at Watonga Christian Church. They have been so accommodating. Our meal tonight was a big burger, fries, and beans and the entire church congregation was invited. We talked with a lot of different people and it was fun to be around kids and a youth group. We are relaxing and catching up on our blogs and laundry tonight.

Here are a few pictures from the ride today:

Tomorrow we are expecting rain and more wind. We have been lucky with the weather so far, I guess we knew it wouldn't last forever! Good news is we are sleeping in until 6 a.m. tomorrow!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 8

2010-06-12T14:59:00.006-05:00

On Day 6 we crossed the Oklahoma state line! The girls went ahead to set up a border race for the guys. Even though we are only one state away (and definitely not even in our favorite state), it was really exciting to leave Texas. Now, when we run into people who ask what we are doing, we can proudly tell them we are from Texas and on our way to Anchorage!

As I am uploading some of these pictures I cannot believe that they are mine. I spent a year looking at pictures of previous teams-- especially the state line pictures--and now they have become a reality for our team. I cannot believe one week has already gone by. Only 9 more to go...

I have really enjoyed Oklahoma so far. Our second morning in OK was the most scenic day we have had so far. We started at 6 am and I loved riding during sunrise! I have already adjusted to the early mornings and I would actually be willing to wake up at 4 a.m. every day if it meant seeing the sun rise each morning. It is so beautiful!

We had a beautiful rest stop the morning of our 115 mile ride. We actually rode through some hills (the Davis Mountains) in Oklahoma, which was not expected. Luckily, a lot of it was long descents and we had a strong tailwind! Last years team had 20 mph headwind instead. It was one of their hardest days of the summer.

Last night several of us went downtown because we could sleep-in this morning on our rest day! Even though we woke up at 4 a.m., we were excited to get to spend some free time together off of our bikes. This is Kelsey, Kate, and Lauren in downtown Oklahoma City!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 7

2010-06-11T05:46:00.001-05:00

Today will be the longest day of the summer. We have 120 miles to Oklahoma City. We woke up this morning at 4am and will roll out by 6 am to try to beat the Oklahoma heat. Few of us have ever ridden over 100 miles. It will be a long day, but it will feel good to get it behind us. Tomorrow we have a rest day in Oklahoma City. On a side note I just dropped my phone face down in my pancakes. Will update more tomorrow and add some pictures!

Please Visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day 4

2010-06-08T19:49:00.018-05:00

The team has made it to Dallas! We have been staying at my parent's houses yesterday and today during our rest day. It took us four days of riding to get here, but so far so good!

On Day Zero we had our first official ride dedication circle with the entire team. We were all very emotional. We were so excited to start our ride, but as everyone went around the circle and dedicated their rides to loved ones, it was incredible to see the way one person's tears affected the entire circle. Seeing our teammates crying brought everyone to tears. We were lucky to have friends and family around our circle that morning to share that experience with.

We officially began the ride from the UT campus and rode between motorcycle police escorts to the Texas capital to take team pictures. We then had a send-off lunch at the Jack & Adams Triathlon store and rode 30 miles out to a middle school in Cedar Park. The next morning was our ATLAS ride. There were hundreds of people riding with us in support and as a final send-off for the 2010 team. Daniel rode the 50 mile route with me, and so did my roommate Taylor and her boyfriend Chas! We all had a great time and there was BBQ and live music afterwards. We slept in a little storehouse on a vineyard and T4K alumni riders camped there as well that night so that they could cook us a big breakfast the next morning at 6 a.m. I was so excited that my aunt Eloise was able to make it all the way out to Lampasas to see me off! It was sad to say goodbye to everyone. The ride really became a reality when our loved ones left and the Sierra and Rockies routes split.

The next day was a long one. We got lost for the first 20-25 miles and it was hard to mentally prepare to continue on for another 90m. It was hot, but we made it through the day. I had my first fall crossing over some standing water. My friend Kristen and I both lost traction and skid across the water. We are both okay and there was no damage to our bikes.

Today is our rest day in Dallas. We have been booked from 8:30 this morning until late this evening. We had a program at a middle school this morning, made a quick trip to Target with the girls, lunch in a park with our executive director, a tour of UT Southwestern Medical Center, a happy hour fundraiser downtown, and tonight a team fajita dinner. Tomorrow we have a 90 mile day to Lindsay, Texas. It will be our last day in Texas before we cross into Oklahoma.

Everyone is getting so close already and rarely does 10 minutes together go by without laughter. We've invented some games to make things more fun, such as rest-stop charades and "the sandwich game". Internet is often hard to come by, but I will do my best to post some updates from my phone and the team computers when available.

It's not too late to make a donation! Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Day -1

2010-06-03T22:56:00.007-05:00

Tomorrow is Day Zero of the Texas 4000 for Cancer journey to Alaska! I have spent the last 2 weeks logging some final training miles, packing my bag, and working on some last minute logistics with the team.

Last week I rode 180 miles in two days, which is comparable to what we will encounter this summer. Unfortunately, on day 3 I experienced some bad knee pain and was unable to finish the last day of Camp T4K. I saw a sports medicine doctor today and worked out the problem. Hopefully it will not be an issue this summer.

Packing my bag took me two weeks but I finally got everything I needed to fit in a 2 x 1 x 1 duffel bag. I used 4 compression sacks that seal all the air out of the bags in order to fit all of my clothes! Packing for 70 days ranging from intense heat to below freezing was quite the challenge. At least we won't be carrying our bags with us on the bikes--the bag weighs as much as I do.

For the past 6 months or so, I have been growing my hair out in hopes of being able to donate to an organization such as Locks of Love. This week, I cut it off and am mailing my curly ponytail to Pantene Beautiful Lengths! I am donating 8 inches and sporting a new do. Here are my before and after pictures:

And lastly, here is a picture of my bike with all its gear. I have new Gatorskin tires to prevent flats, a camera bag that conveniently protects my camera as well as holds first aid, chapstick and phone, a frame pump to air up flats on the road, and a waterproof map cover to store my directions each day.

Tomorrow will be a big day and the first step in a long journey. I am thankful to have my new friends riding next to me. You can do just about anything with the support of your friends, your family, and God. Some days (everyday?) will be tough, but it will be those days that I think most of the ones I am riding for.

Thank you for everyone's warm wishes, I promise to be safe and to keep you all posted as much as possible!

It's not too late to make a donation! Please visit www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help make a difference in the fight against cancer.

14 days...

2010-05-22T10:18:00.002-05:00

Today, I will officially become an alumna of the University of Texas at Austin and two weeks from today, I begin my 70-day bicycle journey to Anchorage, Alaska. This weekend makes me realize more than ever how blessed I am to have such a large and healthy family that loves me. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, especially through the last four years.

I wanted to write this blog today to remember exactly how I felt two weeks out from departure. I have gone through a rollercoaster of emotions over the past year, but now that the reality of this trip is setting in I am mostly experiencing some anxiety and a lot of excitement. I am sad to be leaving Austin. Over the past four years I have grown to love this city and while I welcome the change that Denver will bring, it will be strange to leave Texas. Austin became my home away from home and I never thought for too long about what it would be like to leave. And now, I am in my final weeks in this wonderful city.

My excitement over this summer stems mainly from the friendships that have developed with my teammates and knowing that they will only continue to develop and strengthen. I know that experiencing this summer together will create a bond unlike any other. I am excited to be on the road for 70 days with these wonderful people. I am also excited for the vacation. While it will be no trip to the beach, I look forward to waking up every morning with nothing to do but ride my bike and to have time each day to think, read, write, and of course have fun with friends. As a former rider once said, you wake up with a purpose and a goal and each day, you accomplish that goal. I also know that the people we meet along the way will touch us in a way I can't yet imagine.

I have started packing my one little bag. Next week will be our final week of training before we rest for a few days. On Wednesday, we have another century ride, then 75 miles on Thursday and 50 miles on Friday. On June 4^th, we have a send-off from the UT campus and June 5^this our ATLAS ride from Cedar Park to Lampasas, TX where anyone is welcome to join for the day. The entire Rockies route will be staying at my parents’ houses in Dallas on June 8^th and 9^th.

I will be sure to blog again before I leave, but once I am on the road these entries may get a little shorter. Over the summer, most will be posted from my phone! However, I hope to add something here each day.

Hook ‘Em Horns!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

This Just In:

2010-05-12T14:38:00.001-05:00

This article was published today in the Daily Texan, our campus newspaper. Next feature: Oprah! (Well, that's the goal at least).

Read the Article Here

Group prepares for 4,500-mile ride

By Will Anderson, Daily Texan Staff
Published: Wednesday, May 12, 2010

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Amanda Martin | Daily Texan Staff

Members of the Sense Corp Texas 4000 for Cancer bike down San Jacinto Boulevard during training Tuesday. The Texas 4000 is the world’s longest annual charity bike ride, with a course that runs from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska.

Steely figures on skeletal bicycle frames glide past closed storefronts and sleepy exteriors of on-campus dormitories in the post-dawn stillness. It’s just past 7 on a Saturday morning, but the cyclists are already decked out in full riding gear, sweating, stretching and warming up for the five or so hours ahead of them.

This is just another weekend of training for members of the Sense Corp Texas 4000 for Cancer cycling team, which seeks to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. The real ride begins June 5, when the team’s 56 members set out from Cedar Park with 4,500-plus miles ahead of them. They’ll cover between 30 and 113 miles per day, depending on the terrain, which alternates from oceanside causeways to grueling mountain climbs.

The riders battle all sorts of conditions, and they don’t stop for rain. The two teams — one heading to Alaska via the West Coast, the other traveling through the Rocky Mountains — will spend some days in 100-degree heat, cross deserts in California and Nevada and encounter sub-zero temperatures in the Yukon Territory.

To make it to their destination on time, they’ll have to cover a pre-determined distance every day. For instance, the team taking the Rocky Mountain route will travel approximately 4,734 miles in 62 days, with eight days of rest interspersed throughout the trip. That’s an average of 76 miles per riding day. Riding from Cedar Park to Anchorage, Alaska, would be the same as completing the entire Tour de France twice — plus an extra couple hundred miles.

The team has no fitness requirements for incoming riders. While some of them could pass as elite-level athletes by the end of the trip, many begin the journey having never run more than a mile in their lives.
“No riding experience necessary,” says David Santino, one of the ride directors and a structural engineering graduate student. “Some of [the riders] haven’t been on bikes since training wheels. The majority of us are just your average college student.”

By 7:15 a.m. Saturday, some of the riders began to congregate in the parking lot behind the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Building on Dean Keeton Street. They form small groups, chatting about their weekends as well as the day ahead. There is no social hierarchy. They are nothing less than a family at this point, having spent the better part of the past year and a half together.

“Everyone here has a tie to cancer,” Santino says.

His mother was diagnosed with leukemia in 2008; she has since undergone a bone marrow transplant and is now making a strong recovery.

“We are our own support group in the sense that we all battle with it,” he says. “We all draw strength from each other.”

At 7:50 a.m., the riders gather in a small circle, leaning on one another. The team’s fitness director, John Fitch, goes over the day’s route and offers some motivation.

“Pace yourself. Push yourself,” Fitch says. “We’ve all been through training camp together. We can all do this. Sometimes your muscles have more in them than you know.”

Then they all take turns dedicating the morning’s ride to someone — cancer survivors, those who have fought the disease and lost, their parents, their coaches and one another. It is one of the team’s pre-ride rituals and is as important as the riders’ lightweight Trek bicycles.

“I want to ride today for a few people,” nursing sophomore Kristen Hattaway says. “For my grandmother first of all ... She passed away yesterday morning, but I just want to ride for her because her husband, my grandfather, passed away about 15 years ago from brain cancer, and so she’s been surviving on her own since then. She’s really an amazing lady.”

The riders closest to Hattaway comfort her with a few pats on the back. Everyone is silent for a moment, as if they all know how fortunate they are to be able to ride this morning.

“I think that you guys are a wonderful team, and I’m unbelievably excited for the challenge of this summer,” biomedical engineering senior Daniel Walk says. “I know that without you guys, it would be insurmountable, but with y’all, it is so possible. I just want to thank you all for an awesome year and encourage y’all to finish strong. This is the home stretch. Four more weeks, starting today.”

After a few more dedications and the team’s final instructions, the riders mount their expensive wheels and pedal out of the parking lot. Fitch stays behind, watching the individual groups form and depart.

“I’m looking forward to it as an amazing 80-day vacation,” says Fitch, who graduated in the fall with a bachelor’s degree in radio-television-film and business foundations and now works for a commercial insurance company. “The most incredible part is the people who are involved. This thing is so important to them that they perform regardless of their fitness level. I am more proud of them than I am of myself.”

...

It’s 9 a.m., and riders pass Akins High School on South First Street in clumps. The entire operation functions on the classic buddy system — each person chooses a partner or two with whom they will cover the entire 68.4 miles that day. Later, partners will bunch together with other groups and sometimes form mini-pantheons, columns of riders five- to 10-deep, floating along the narrow country roadways that lead out of town.

Safety and convenience bring the groups together, but they also benefit when traveling in a mini-pantheon because of the principle known as drafting. The riders intermittently rotate their order, pulling the farthest back up to the front to block the wind and keep those behind well-rested.

“The payoff is in the long run, just because you don’t have to deal with the wind all day,” Santino says. “It leads to a much faster ride.”

Luckily, there aren’t many hills on this morning’s route, just gently rolling plains. When the riders reach the southern outskirts of Austin’s suburbs, they open the throttle, ease off the breaks and pick up some speed. It’s here that the cycling also takes on an aesthetic value; with no MP3 players or other distractions to speak of, all the riders have on this Saturday morning are the scenic views of the Hill Country and each other.

They travel through Buda, then turn west and ride out to Driftwood before looping around and heading back toward Buda by a southern route. When they reach Akins again, they make a rest stop, their second of the trip, to refill on peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches and fruit.

Then it’s back on the bikes for another 11.25 miles to campus. It’s a long morning, to be sure, but nothing compared to the physical struggles they can expect this summer.

...

“The cycling is just a means to an end,” Santino says. “Don’t get me wrong. I love cycling, but the main objective is to get the message out.”

Many of the other riders echo Santino’s sentiment. They may be setting out on a journey few can ever hope to experience, but the athletic achievement is still second to the goal of raising cancer awareness. In less than four weeks, they’ll be on the road to Alaska, beginning the world’s longest charity ride. But their sense of accomplishment comes from their belief in one another. And over 4,500 miles and three months, that’s what they’ll have to derive their strength from.

“This is above and beyond what I ever expected from grad school,” Santino says. “I think you could ask any one of us and get the same answer.”

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

A Few New Pictures

2010-04-30T07:48:00.002-05:00

My Bike

Riding out to one of the biggest hills in Austin...

The last stretch of Ladera Norte

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

100 Miles through Texas Hill Country...Done!

2010-04-25T15:28:00.022-05:00

Before the team departs for Alaska, each rider must complete 100 miles in less than 10 hours. Yesterday, I finally became a member of the Century Club. I woke up at 5:50 a.m. in order to get to the departure point by 6:15 to copy down the directions. We were headed west to Johnson City—a 50 mile trip both ways. We left by 7 a.m. and were given until 5 p.m. to be back.

Before yesterday, the most I had ridden in one day was 80 miles. However, the team's last 80 mile route had been fairly flat and our ride yesterday was back-to-back hills. It felt like we climbed the entire way to Johnson City. We also faced a pretty strong head-wind on the way there. I rode with Daniel and Kate Petty the entire day—two of my favorite riding buddies. It was Kate's second time to do this route and I was happy she opted to do it again with me for my first time. And as for Daniel, having never ridden more than 55 miles in one day, he impressed me by not only finishing the ride with me, but having the energy to actually sing while climbing hills as I was cursing under my breath. We all had a great time together. There were five rest stops set up for us along the way. Because of our time limit, we had to be careful how much time we spent resting—we didn't stay at a stop for much longer than 10 minutes.

It was a beautiful ride. We were away from the city and there were green pastures and wildflowers everywhere. We would climb to the top of a hill and look out to see miles of rolling green hills. We were also lucky to have such beautiful weather! At mile 36, there was a low water bridge we had to cross. We had to get off our bikes, take off our shoes and socks, and wade through ankle deep water. It was cool and refreshing, but we had to be careful because some riders slipped and fell on the moss.

Low water bridge, Fitzhugh Road

Around mile 85 or so, we turned onto Daniel's favorite road in Austin, Barton Creek Boulevard. It must be really neat for him to see his hometown from the vantage point of a bicycle (we also passed his high school and the road where his car once overheated). Barton Creek Boulevard is a wide, curvy, hilly, beautiful road. But at mile 90 we were faced with the biggest hill on the route. Had I not already ridden 90 miles, it would not have been quite as bad. But we were exhausted and that hill got the best of me. Other than that, the ride home was much nicer than the way there. We realized it felt like we had gone uphill the entire first 50 miles because we actually had been going uphill for the entire first 50 miles. We flew home, coasting downhill for long stretches at a time, with the wind at our backs. We got caught in traffic in downtown Austin when we were almost done and it took us much longer than it should have to get through the last five miles. However, we managed to make it back around 4:45 with about 15 minutes to spare. Every rider who finished the ride was able to do so in under the time requirement! I also thankfully avoided getting burned after 10 hours in the sun by using lots of sunscreen, but I do have some pretty sweet tan lines from my jersey sleeves, gloves, and sports watch.

We leave for Alaska in 6 weeks!!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

The Pink Palace of Healing

2010-03-26T16:22:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, the Texas 4000 team made a visit to the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. As you may remember, M.D. Anderson is the cancer center that has received the funds from Texas 4000 fundraising for the past six years. We originally chose this research facility for its reputation as the leading cancer treatment center in the nation- possibly the world- and it happens to be located right in our backyard.

Having never been to the Texas Medical Center before, I was very excited to get to tour the facilities. I knew it would give us a more realistic picture of what we are working towards and it ended up being very moving and inspirational. Though our interaction with patients was minimal, we did see several children being treated for cancer, hear doctors who explained their research and the advancements treatment has made over the years, the cutting edge technology MDA employs, as well as some key differences between MDA and other typical hospitals in the United States.

The cancer center is HUGE. It felt more like an airport than a hospital. It was nicknamed "the pink palace of healing" for the color of the buildings many years ago when it was first built. After a tour of the campus, we watched a few riders from the 2009 team present their check for $295,000. If I understand correctly, the money T4K has donated over the past several years has been compiled into one large research fellowship, or the Texas 4000 professorship, where a MDA committee will be deciding where/to whom the money will be allotted. This year, I believe we will be deciding as a team which specific type of research (translational, basic, etc) or cancer (pediatric, young adult, adult, etc) we want our fundraising dollars to go towards.

I was touched by how many doctors, patients, and social workers knew who we were and praised our efforts. Some had tears in their eyes as they told us how much our organization meant to them and to the kids at MDA. Apparently, we really are messengers of hope.

We showed this video during a presentation to MDA and it is definitely worth watching! The footage is from 2008, and it gets me excited every time I see it. Enjoy!

Click Here: Texas 4000 Tribute Video

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

A Few More Pictures

2010-03-24T12:42:00.000-05:00

The trailer and all of our bikes!

Ride dedication

On the road

The Team

Photos credit of Kathryn Flowers

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

A Little Taste of Summer

2010-03-21T16:09:00.005-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, the team arrived back in Austin after a long, cold, windy day on the road- the final day of our Spring Break Training Ride which totaled just under 170 miles over the course of three days. On Thursday morning, we loaded our bags into the trailer and pulled out for Bastrop, Texas at the crack of dawn. The morning started off chilly, but it eventually warmed up and turned into a beautiful day. We rode for 57 miles to Bastrop with two rest stops- one in the parking lot of HEB and one for lunch at Sonic where they donated a free burger, fries, and a drink to each rider. I was in charge of "sweeping" on Thursday, which meant I rode with Dan (ride director) and Arvin at the back of the group, always staying behind the slowest rider to make sure no one got lost or left too far behind. It was a leisurely pace and good conversation.

That afternoon, we arrived at Bastrop Church of Christ where we were provided a place to sleep, eat, and shower for two days and nights. The congregation had only been in this building for two years, so it was new, clean, and most importantly, there was plenty of floor space for 54 sleeping bags! We separated into rooms, and my room, or the "cool room" as we later labeled it, included Ana, Kristen, Kate P., Kate S., Amira, Emily, Jackie, and me. After a cold shower, (55 gallon hot water tank for 54 riders...) we ate dinner and soon turned in for the night. We were all exhausted and knew the next morning would be an early start: alarms were set for 5:45 a.m.

Friday morning we woke up to John Fitch and the rest of the breakfast committee ready to serve us a hot meal. They had woken up at 5:15 to cook 5 dozen eggs for the team! They also had warm tortillas, cheese, and salsa for incredible breakfast tacos, oranges, and bagels. After our ride dedication, we rolled out of the church around 8 a.m. Friday was also perfect weather and the route was beautiful! We managed to log about 15-20 miles in a state park that had very pretty trees, wide smooth roads, and some steep hills. We totaled 62 miles on Friday, with two rest stops where we refueled on power bars, bananas, and of course jars and jars of peanut butter you could slather on anything and everything you wanted.

After another icy shower, we had the best dinner (again credited to Fitch, as well as the Church of Christ congregation)! We had smoked BBQ chicken, potato salad, beans, and a delicious assortment of desserts brought by the church members. I felt spoiled to be eating so well on this trip! Here is a picture of the shopping John and Paul did at Costco before we left Austin:

After dinner, five of our team members presented our program to the church members who joined us for dinner. It was one of the first times our team had presented, but it will be something we present 20-30 times over the course of the summer. We use the acronym T-E-X-A-S to present statistics and prevention tips about cancer to our audience. T is for Tobacco-Free, E is for Eat Right, X is for Exercise, A is for Apply Sunscreen, and S is for Screening and Self-Exams.

We all slept hard that night. For some of us, 62 miles had been the furthest we had ridden in one day, not to mention the 57 miles ridden the day before. We were getting sore, but most of all, we were hoping for the best for Saturday. The weather forecast said thunderstorms and highs in the fifties. Few of us had ever ridden in rain before, much less a 55 mile ride in a thunderstorm. Additionally, unlike this summer where we should be prepared gear-wise for almost any weather, some riders hadn't packed arm and leg warmers, long fingered gloves, or rain gear for this short three day trip. Gotta love Texas weather...

When we woke up on Saturday, it was pouring. We could hear the thunder all throughout breakfast, ominous of the day ahead. A lot of us were nervous if not downright scared to be on the road that day. Our ride got pushed back to 9 a.m., hoping the rain would clear by the time we rolled out. In preparation, we wrapped out feet in plastic bags and taped our ankles to keep the water from seeping in. On the plus side, I was excited to finally put my rain jacket to the test.

Thankfully, the thunder and lightning did subside, but it was still raining when we left the church. I was fortunate to have brought most of the gear I needed to stay warm, if not dry. I joined up to ride with the two Kates and Erica that morning (unlike other Saturday rides, we were all in charge of our own directions on this trip and riding with buddies- much like it will be this summer). A couple miles out, we decided it wasn't so bad...maybe even a little fun? But then, at about mile 6, I felt the first leakage to my right shoe. My shoe was soon filled with cold rainwater, and the plastic bag failed miserably. Then I felt it all down my right leg. But even then, it was just water. I tried not to think about it and kept pedaling. We soon got to TX-95, the highway we would stay on for 15 miles- what should have taken us about an hour. We felt the wind start to pick up and all agreed that it was much worse than the rain. The temperature was also dropping and at this point, we were all soaked. We took turns at the front of the pace line, with the rider in front taking the full force of the wind. We counted down the miles and were relieved after more than an hour, to be only 5-7 miles from the rest-stop. But right around mile 20, Erica's feet were so cold she needed to stop. She was to the point of tears, and we could tell she was in a lot of pain. We called the "sag wagon" (the cars with riders who weren't riding that day) to come pick her up from where we were and take her on to the rest-stop. We waited for 15 minutes in the cold rain, standing still, but finally they came for her.

Getting back on the bike after that was tough, but being so close to finishing, we were determined to make it there as quickly as possible. 20-30 minutes later, we were at the rest-stop at the HEB parking lot. Unfortunately, there was no shelter from the weather besides the actual HEB grocery store. I grabbed 3 tortillas from the trailer and ate the absolute best banana with peanut butter I've ever eaten in my life. I also discovered a new tasty snack- wrapping a banana with peanut butter in a tortilla! We went to the restrooms in the HEB and assessed the damage. I found another teammate in tears from the pain in her feet- damn those plastic bags. We wrung out our socks, and stayed inside for a good 20 minutes. Kate and I even bought a cup of .99 cent coffee, which actually helped me warm up quite a bit.

24 miles down, but still 26 to go. Once we felt ready, we began the final leg of the trip... home to Austin! The rain was gone, but it was still cold, overcast, and WINDY. The route couldn't have been much flatter. It should have been a quick, scenic, 25 miles. But when we got out into the open flat stretches, we faced 20 MPH winds. Where we could have been setting a quick pace of 18-20 MPH, we were crawling at 8-9 MPH in our lowest gears. The wind was so strong our bikes would swerve and sometimes I thought the wind would sweep my wheels completely off the pavement and I'd fall on my side to the ground. It was the hardest ride any of us had faced. We all had points when we were doing everything we could to hold it together. I can't imagine trying to ride alone that day and I'm happy I had Kate, Kate, and Kelly on the route home with me- they were awesome.

When we finally pulled into the intramural field parking lot (our final destination), I was so glad to have finished that ride. I realized then that it is days like yesterday that really prove our dedication and our commitment to this cause. If it was easy every day, it would be an easy feat to accomplish. It's the hard days that really test our strength and our drive and sets us apart as an incredible organization accomplishing incredible goals. Over the course of the three days, we had a couple falls, one rider with a serious road rash injury, and some near hypothermic teammates. I was glad to have made it through safely and almost entirely unscathed. I am proud of my team, and even though it was difficult, it made me even more excited for the summer. I got closer with several girls on the team (we are already sad the team will be splitting to take two separate routes this summer) and I now know I can ride consecutive days- though our mileage will continue to increase. My next challenge: 100 Mile Century Test on April 17th!

(Pictures courtesy of fellow riders Kathryn Flowers, Basia Borodziewicz, and John Fitch- still working on the best/safest way to carry my camera along)

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Steep Grade Ahead- Trucks Use Low Gear

2010-03-01T11:35:00.004-06:00

This has been a big week for cycling! Since Thursday, I have logged over 100 miles, ridden the 360 loop for the first time, and climbed Ladera Norte—the hill I mentioned a few posts back!

On Thursday, I rode with a group of seven teammates (Arvin, Jackie, Kelsey, Paul, Charlie, Kathryn, and Natasha) out to Shoal Creek and Far West. Ladera Norte was not my idea, but I wasn’t going to be the only one to not do it. After about 10 miles, we approached the top of the hill. But before we were able to fly down, hoping to gain some momentum for the climb up, Arvin warned us it was very important that we flutter our brakes for the entire downhill stretch. There is a very sharp turn at the bottom of the hill (not to mention cars coming around the corner) and it would have been easy to get going too fast to stop at the bottom. That meant we were at a dead stop before we started climbing the other side.

The hill was brutal! In .6 miles, we climbed over 360 feet. The incline rose to 24.5% at times. I had to stop twice before making it to the top—but that was the hardest part of all because the slope was so steep that it was hard to get started again without rolling backwards. That hill took the breath out of all of us, but the next time I try it I hope to only have to stop once or not at all.

On Friday morning, Daniel and I rode 360 with Charlie and Shilen. I was a little slow getting started, but we ended up finishing a tough 30 miles in 2.5 hrs and then we all went for Torchy’s Tacos afterwards! The views were incredible and we rode over the 360 bridge—an Austin landmark.

Saturday morning was the team’s 50-mile benchmark ride. We all made it in under the time requirement! Afterwards, I felt like I could have maybe done 20 more (totaling 70 miles: the team’s daily average over the summer), but NOT 50 more. Our century test isn't until April, so I have some time to build up to 100 miles. But this longer ride did help me to get an idea of what it will be like riding long distances daily. Next on my list: a women’s saddle and chapstick!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Atlas Ride 2010!

2010-02-24T12:23:00.001-06:00

Ride with the Texas 4000 team on our first day from Austin to Lampasas! Riders of all skill levels are welcome and non-riding spectators can also come out for BBQ, live music, and entertainment! I'd love to see you there! Register here.

**Early registration ends on February 28th, 2010**

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Thank You!

2010-02-23T01:07:00.001-06:00

I wanted to write a special entry tonight to thank those who have made financial contributions to support this ride and this cause. Tonight at meeting, I was honored as the “Star Fundraiser of the Week” and am now the leading overall fundraiser on the 2010 team. I am so touched by everyone’s contributions.

Also, thank you to everyone who reads and follows this blog—and especially those who have sent my blog out to friends and family. This blog started as a way of updating those interested in my journey and as a kind of outlet for me that has also turned into a hobby. But more than anything, I am surprised almost daily at the reach and impact this blog has allowed. I knew the World Wide Web was a powerful tool, but I never imagined anyone other than my immediate family would be reading this page. I have found encouragement in the most unexpected places and this blog allows me to bring all of my followers along for the ride.

I also want to share with you a tradition of Texas 4000 for Cancer. Before every meeting and before every ride, at least one—often several—dedications are made to friends and family members who have been affected by cancer. We keep those names with us throughout the summer. They are the ones we ride for. If any readers of this blog have any names/stories they would like to share, I will be sure to dedicate my next ride to them. Feel free to leave a comment on this post, or send me an email anytime.

Thank you again for everyone’s support!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Tweet!

2010-02-23T00:59:00.001-06:00

Texas 4000 for Cancer is now tweeting! Click here to read frequent updates from team members and see what people are saying about T4K...

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Back to Blog...

2010-02-21T20:00:00.003-06:00

I am back in Austin after a fun (and cold) weekend in Denver, Colorado. I interviewed with two graduate programs in the area and managed to squeeze in a visit to my favorite bookstore, the Tattered Cover. Now that interviews are over, I wanted to write an update about some fun rides I did last week:

On Monday morning, Daniel and I decided we would attempt Loop 360-the Capital of Texas Highway. The ride is supposed to be very scenic... and with that comes hills. 360 makes a loop around Austin; the portion that the Texas 4000 team rides runs through hill country territory in West Austin. Though it receives a good amount of traffic, the shoulders are wide the majority of the way...and it's beautiful.

Since this was going to be a step up in difficulty for me and Daniel and there would be no experienced 360-goers accompanying us, we decided to drive the route the night before to check it out. All was well until about 3/4 of the way, then on the final stretch we quickly realized that cycling this route would be crossing that fine line between tough and stupid.

Our map told us to turn off of 360 onto Westlake Drive to head back towards campus. The problem is Westlake Drive is a two-lane curvy road with absolutely no shoulder. We even had difficulty taking some turns in our car and figured if a vehicle came around a bend going any faster than 20 MPH, there would be no hope of spotting a cyclist. There is definitely a safer route home than the one we mapped online, so we are hoping to try 360 again sometime this week with some other team members.

So instead of completing the entire 30 mile loop as we had planned, we ended up riding out to 360, getting breakfast tacos at Rudy's BBQ, and then turned around to head home. We also stopped in Daniel's parents' neighborhood and practiced going up some hills that had given me trouble the first time around. It ended up being a really fun trip and a total of about 20 miles.

Knowing that I would be out of town for a good portion of the week, I tried to get my 65 miles logged early. So on Tuesday, I rode with 5 other teammates on the route scheduled for the team Saturday morning ride. It was 45 miles long- we rode out to Buda, Texas again but this time we did a loop around some farm roads in the area and then rode home. It was great practice for hills because there was very little traffic. On one particular road, we even passed an Alpaca farm! Which reminds me, I am going to go on a little tangent about wildlife...

Last week at meeting, two alumni Texas 4000 riders from 2006 came to talk to the team about First Aid. They taught us how to make a sling and swathe for a broken collar bone out of a shirt and a spare tire tube. They also gave us tips on how to avoid heat exhaustion, how to choose a campsite that won't flood, etc. Then came the topic of bears- which for us Texans is super exciting. We couldn't get off the topic. Apparently, the average Texas 4000 rider will encounter about 4 bears over the course of the summer...yikes! So not only did they teach us how to bear-proof our campsite and how helpful bear spray is (it's not), we learned what to do if we see a bear on the road and, my favorite, when to stand your ground and when to keep pedaling!

I'm somewhat of a city girl (my parents are probably thinking "somewhat?"), so seeing wildlife on the rides still blows my mind. I remember at training camp in Fayettville, Texas we saw a lot of cows. But at one particular farm, there was a cow outside his pen running along the highway next to the cyclers. He was really cute until he decided to cross the road right in front of me. I had to stop and wait for this cow to cross and the whole time I'm thinking, "is this actually happening? A cow? Really? Where am I?" So grizzly bears? No thanks. Luckily, we learned the best protection comes in numbers. There have been no reported attacks on groups larger than 3. So in bear country, no wandering off alone!

But back to training... the 45 mile ride ended well. It was the furthest I'd ridden in one ride. This Saturday, the team will be riding 50 miles. Improving slowly but surely...

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Jersey Design

2010-02-17T13:40:00.002-06:00

As promised, here is the design for the 2010 team jersey. I ordered 3- two to rotate through this summer and one to keep clean at home to have as a sort of keepsake when the ride is over. Past riders have also gotten teammates to sign a jersey in Alaska, so that might be fun to have also!

I had some trouble with the format of this image, but you should be able to click on it for a larger version where you can see more details. They look like they are going to be really neat!

I have some fun rides to blog about soon! I am busy preparing for graduate school interviews this weekend and even though I could spend hours editing this page, I should be devoting my free time to those preparations. More soon...

P.S. Thank you very much to all who have donated/are supporting this ride. You keep me encouraged and I love hearing from all of you. Thank you for your help!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

MapMyRide.com | View Buda Taco Route in Austin, Texas

2010-02-14T14:28:00.005-06:00

The weather is finally nice again—sunny and in the 60’s! Even though I think I finally have all the necessary apparel to keep warm, I can’t wait to shed some layers in the spring. On the coldest mornings, I have on all of the following: arm warmers, jersey, fleece, wind-proof jacket, leg warmers, shorts, wool socks, shoe covers, gloves, headband over the ears, helmet, and sunglasses- and my toes are usually numb regardless.

My favorite accessory is my pair of rain/winter long-fingered gloves. My teammates might make jokes about my hands looking like llama hooves, but they secretly wish their hands were as warm as mine! If it is below 60 degrees outside, I wear these:

Yesterday morning was our first team 40-mile ride. We headed south out of Austin and rode to Buda (about 20 miles), ate breakfast tacos, and then rode home. Here is the link to our route:

MapMyRide.com | View Buda Taco Route in Austin, Texas

Posted using ShareThis

We had a great time! The ride home was especially nice because it had warmed up quite a bit and heading north on 1st street and through downtown we had a really cool view of the Austin skyline. It was also much flatter terrain than some of our East and North Austin adventures.

And tomorrow, we place the order for the 2010 team jersey!! I will post the design in my next update!

Happy Valentine's Day!

"What's a little incline on the bike path of life?"

2010-02-07T15:31:00.005-06:00

Well, just from reading my last blog it is clear to me now how drastically different some days on the road might be. Though I am still very much enjoying my bike, today was hard. This morning, I rode with Jack & Adam’s triathlon shop’s Sunday morning ride. It was only 20 miles, which I expected would be a breeze by now. It wasn’t necessarily an easy route—nothing like the Shoal Creek loop that we log miles on throughout the week—but it was shorter and less difficult than our Saturday morning team rides. I was sure I could handle it with ease. This was NOT the case. My legs burned on the very first hill. But I pushed on because I’ve realized that, for me, the first 5 miles can be the hardest. Runners often describe their first few miles in similar terms—it takes that “runner’s high” to kick in before your breathing is steady and those endorphins take away the pain. But then there was the next hill. And the one after that.

I was frustrated with myself because these hills weren’t as big or steep as several we have trained on. But 20 miles never went by so slow. Granted, I was also sore from yesterday and the day before. Yesterday morning the team rode 30 miles in under 3 hrs for our first benchmark test. It was a new route—hillier than the last—and we pushed ourselves to ride as fast as we could to make it in under the time requirement. And on Friday afternoon, I rode with Daniel and some teammates to Shoal Creek and Far West on a 25 mile ride. I saw one of the steepest hills in Austin (that I think over the years has become a T4K treasure) but a few of us on the ride Friday opted instead to watch the two more experienced riders climb it. All I could think about was how fun it looked to go down, but how hard it would be to come back up. It turns out the downhill slope is much more dangerous—unfortunately one of my team members was hurt recently from a fall on this hill. But by April, we will have climbed this hill as a team.

Tour das Hugel, photo credit: Daniel Norton

I don’t want to make it sound like I didn’t finish the ride—we definitely made it and weren’t even the last ones. We did 20 miles in about 1.5 hrs, which was a faster pace than the day before. But it wasn’t my best and my attitude wasn’t right.

This past week, Daniel and I started Bikram Yoga—26 postures in a 105 degree room for 90 minutes. The first class was brutal, but I had been warned. The second class was great. After a 30 mile ride, 90 minutes of stretching felt incredibly purifying. One of the things I love is Bikram’s objective towards wellness and balance in life. At first, it came across a little cheesy. But when the instructor tells you to leave all of your stress from the outside world on your mat, it makes a lot of sense. Not only are you cleansing your body of toxins and improving lung capacity and circulation, it’s a time to face yourself in the mirror and spend an hour and a half perfecting what you can with focus and discipline.

Recently, I have also been able to make a connection between life and cycling. Already, training has been one of the hardest things I’ve faced in my 21 years—which I realize makes me a very lucky person. But lately, I feel like I let so many more of the little things go. Whether it’s not getting ticked off at other drivers on the road or sitting in an insanely hot, humid room for 90 minutes (ha after this summer, I even think giving birth will be a cinch), I’ve noticed more patience and appreciation for the smaller things in life—because anything feels easier than pushing up one of those hills. But, interestingly, this is slightly different than our perspective at T4K. We ride for those who can’t. We compare our difficult journey to a patient’s battle with cancer, because they too keep going when they feel like giving up most. So for us, cycling is the least we can do—climbing hills is easier than a day in the life of a cancer patient, because at the end of the day, we can get off of our bikes and rest. Our thoughts can go elsewhere, and we have our health. So, with this in mind, I can continue to train and prepare myself as much as possible for the journey ahead. This experience has been very humbling and I know that by the end of the summer, this trip will have changed my life for the better.

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

"If you worried about falling off the bike, you'd never get on." -Lance Armstrong

2010-01-27T10:40:00.006-06:00

I'm going to say something that might scare some people if they read this, but it's very honest. When I applied for a spot on this team...when I accepted a position and made the commitment to train and fundraise and ultimately ride to Alaska.... all along I never really even knew if I would enjoy cycling! It wasn't until training camp in November that I knew I would love to ride my bike. But even then, with Christmas break approaching and the weather turning cold (at least for Texas), I stopped riding. I didn't have the appropriate warm cycling clothing/accessories, I didn't know routes in Austin, and did I mention I was deathly afraid of traffic?

This semester has been a different story. Our first week back, we were required to ride 40 miles. I rode 65. Our Saturday morning ride was 25 miles and the other 40 I rode earlier in the week—in preparation for Saturday to make sure I didn't embarrass myself actually. On days I wasn’t riding, I was running. I found that my bad knee actually does better cycling than jogging. (That had been another of my worries with this trip).

Now, I find myself wanting to take my bike everywhere (well, anywhere I can take it inside with me because I refuse to rely on a lock when there are master bike thieves lurking) and I am always surfing the internet looking for cycling jackets, jerseys, and accessories. I’ve always loved the shopping center on 6th across from Whole Foods with Anthropologie and Book People, but since my new love of REI, I could spend all day hopping between the three.

The other night, Daniel, Steph, Will, and I went to TC’s in East Austin for a night of Jazz music and some good home cookin’. Through mutual friends, I met a 2009 Rockies T4Ker and if I wasn’t already excited enough, her stories were incredible—I can hardly wait. Recently our travel committee finalized the day-by-day route that maps out the Rockies route down to the mile. We go through some incredible cities! I have posted it here:
http://www.texas4000.org/rides/routes

So, thankfully, I have fallen in love with cycling. There is even something addicting about it. And there is also something very appealing about having no obligations this summer other than waking up every morning to ride my bike. I may not touch my bike for a few weeks (maybe months?) after Anchorage, but all riders eventually come back to it. I have found a new hobby in the most unexpected place. Don’t get me wrong, I have a long way to go before being ready for June- heck I have a long way to go before I am ready for the team’s Spring Break ride. But the experience is challenging and filled with wonderful people who keep me pedaling on.

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

training camp and more...

2010-01-13T17:51:00.007-06:00

Well, the bikes are in and rides have begun!
The day I picked up my bike the team had an instructional "clip in clinic". It took some practice in the parking lot of Jack & Adam's to learn to clip into the pedals without falling over... but after a few tries it got much easier. This picture is from my first night with the bike.

In November, the team spent a weekend in Fayetteville, Texas at Training Camp. We were so lucky to have such wonderful coaches from the Austin and Houston area meet with us to work on the basics. Many of the team members (including myself) have little to no road cycling experience. Day 1: We learned how to emergency stop. We also received coaching on our steering and how to be safe on the road. That afternoon, we rode 25 miles on the highways surrounding Fayetteville. It was an ideal place to practice because there were very few cars on the road and lots of rolling hills. Day 2: We rode another 25 miles before making the drive back to Austin. All in all, I loved it even more than I thought I would!

When meetings start back up for the semester, we will be assigned a certain number of miles to ride each week. We will have team rides every Saturday morning and the remaining miles we will fulfill on our own time. This semester I will also be taking on the position of Secretary for the Rockies route. I'm also hoping to get to do a lot of training with Daniel! He just ordered a Felt road bike (z85) from Jack and Adams. It looks like it is going to be a great final semester in Austin!

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

Felt Z85

2009-10-07T14:45:00.002-05:00

Here is a link to the bicycle we will be riding to Alaska! Our order is scheduled to arrive late this month... only a few more weeks!
http://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2010-Product-Catalog/Road/Z-Series/Z85.aspx

I ran 4 miles yesterday- Daniel is a great running buddy... and coach. My favorite part of the run was when I wanted to walk to catch my breath and he tells me, "You're going to face much worse than this biking to Anchorage." So true. He also wants me to run a half marathon with him in February. Can't promise anything. I believe there is such thing as a natural born runner... and I am not one of them. But I'll try anyway.

We have a cycling training camp coming up in November in Fayettville, TX with the staff from Jack & Adams! It should be another good team bonding opportunity... and some nice open land to try out our new bikes.

More updates soon...

Please visit http://www.texas4000.org/give/give to find out how you can help.

trip summary

2009-09-27T23:50:00.000-05:00

Dates of Ride: June 6th- August 14th

55 riders: Mostly UT students between the ages of 18-25

Two countries: the U.S. and Canada

Distance Covered: Sierra Route- 4556 miles
Rocky Route- 4545 miles

Goal: $400,000.00 donated to the American Cancer Society and MD Anderson.

Major Cities:

Rockies: Sierra:

Austin, TX Austin, TX
Waco, TX Lubbock, TX
Ft. Worth, TX Albuquerque, NM
Norman, OK San Francisco, CA
Oklahoma City, OK Portland, OR
Colorado Springs, CO Seattle, WA
Denver, CO Vancouver, BC
Helena, MT Prince George, BC
Calgary, AB Whitehorse, YT
Anchorage, AK Anchorage, AK

Our Mission: To spread hope, awareness, and charity from Texas to Alaska.

the journey starts now.

2009-09-27T19:48:00.001-05:00

training has begun...
Every Saturday morning our team meets for a team run around Town Lake. I think it is definitely true that running with teammates pushes you harder than you can push yourself. I have already seen improvements in my endurance from the first few weeks of mandatory workouts. We also have Jack & Adam's (our local triathlon store and T4K sponsor) core workouts every Wednesday, and (as my family will be happy to know) I have not had a Coke all semester. These efforts seem minute compared to the extensive training that will begin once we receive our bikes in October and continue into the spring, but they are nonetheless getting us closer to Alaska.

thank you...
I have received several donations from friends and family and am already halfway to meeting the rider goal of $4,500.00... one dollar per mile. However, because the 2009 team set such a high precedent, we have raised our 2010 fundraising team goal to $400,000! Thank you all for your donations and support, it means so much to me, and to so many others.

my team....
Every meeting, workout, or social I meet someone new that inspires me. I am surrounded by incredible people and I cannot wait to spend the summer with them. I have no doubt that this team will encourage each other every mile, here to Alaska.

why i ride...
I ride for Aubrey, for Joe McLemore, for Ms. Macon, for Ms. Stell, for Neva, for Lindsay Tawney, and for my mom. For their inspiration to my family and so many others. For their strength and recovery, because every day they live is another day that cancer loses. I ride because Aubrey and Joe should still be here. I ride for those that can't, and for the hope of finding a cure.

my blog...
I have to admit, it is strange to write knowing that it will be available for people to read, but I hope to keep this blog regularly updated and, due to the unusual nature of this experience, I am excited about sharing the ride with readers.