Day 18

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

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

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

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

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

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.