Worse than climbing mountains, managing my caloric intake, and counting the daily arrival of new bumps and bruises is the stress of such a rich experience and such poor wifi. Even more than I want to sleep in or run a load of laundry in a real washing machine, I want to brain-dump my every experience into this blog. Whereas you'd think that potholes and inclines are my biggest obstacles, being cut off from internet access is far tougher. I've already run up a $60 bill on my cell phone this month as a result, but what's $60 in comparison to a well-documented and unforgettable experience?
I'm going to do my best, both for myself and for all of you out there watching my journey, to be effective in sharing the challenges, the stories, and the successes of this experience. The poor wifi will continue to be tough on me, but hey - it's probably the reason life out here in the MidWest is so relaxed and so community oriented. Poor wifi connection = rich human connection, eh?
I don't know that I'll ever be able to relive or recap the last 20 days, but I can provide an update and some highlights. Team Seattle is currently in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. We've biked roughly 1200 miles, consumed an estimated 85 lbs of slightly-stale bagels, changed just under a dozen inconveniently acquired flat tires and successfully peed in random bushes in seven of the fifty states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.) We're quickly becoming a big family, as dysfunctional as we imagined we would be, finding our rhythm and settling in (if "settling in" is even possible when you're living as young, broke, nomadic creatures who live for Buffalo Wild Wings and die for non-communal showers.) Hopefully my summary below will do the last 20 days justice and my future blog posts will tell the whole story.
DAY 5
St. Mary's | Amazing cupcakes. Unbearably long and cold walk to the showers. Began a collage of teammate Clay (a southern, tatted, neon-obsessed version of Jesus) posing with paintings of Jesus in every church.
DAY 6
Oil City | Unexpectedly charming town. Beautiful architecture. Community dinner on a Friday night with some of wittiest and wise people we've met thus far. One survivor shared a unique and powerful perspective reminding us that our ride, though based around a deathly disease, should be about life, not about death.
I'm going to do my best, both for myself and for all of you out there watching my journey, to be effective in sharing the challenges, the stories, and the successes of this experience. The poor wifi will continue to be tough on me, but hey - it's probably the reason life out here in the MidWest is so relaxed and so community oriented. Poor wifi connection = rich human connection, eh?
I don't know that I'll ever be able to relive or recap the last 20 days, but I can provide an update and some highlights. Team Seattle is currently in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. We've biked roughly 1200 miles, consumed an estimated 85 lbs of slightly-stale bagels, changed just under a dozen inconveniently acquired flat tires and successfully peed in random bushes in seven of the fifty states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.) We're quickly becoming a big family, as dysfunctional as we imagined we would be, finding our rhythm and settling in (if "settling in" is even possible when you're living as young, broke, nomadic creatures who live for Buffalo Wild Wings and die for non-communal showers.) Hopefully my summary below will do the last 20 days justice and my future blog posts will tell the whole story.
DAY 5
St. Mary's | Amazing cupcakes. Unbearably long and cold walk to the showers. Began a collage of teammate Clay (a southern, tatted, neon-obsessed version of Jesus) posing with paintings of Jesus in every church.
DAY 6
Oil City | Unexpectedly charming town. Beautiful architecture. Community dinner on a Friday night with some of wittiest and wise people we've met thus far. One survivor shared a unique and powerful perspective reminding us that our ride, though based around a deathly disease, should be about life, not about death.
DAY 7
Warren, OH | Support van accidentally went to Warren, PA instead of Warren, OH. Got our first state-sign picture. Initiated the Scenic Peeing Pic Competition. Enjoyed a pool party at an Alumni's house.
Warren, OH | Support van accidentally went to Warren, PA instead of Warren, OH. Got our first state-sign picture. Initiated the Scenic Peeing Pic Competition. Enjoyed a pool party at an Alumni's house.
DAY 8
Cleveland, OH | First official van incident. First expensive, non-donated dinner. First of many Amish-people sightings.
Cleveland, OH | First official van incident. First expensive, non-donated dinner. First of many Amish-people sightings.
DAY 9
Mansfield, OH | Very clearly Cicada season. First 100-mile day. Got really, REALLY lost and then got Chic-Fil-A. Showed up to church in the middle of a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. Slept across really uncomfortable metal chairs.
DAY 10
Columbus, OH | Best BBQ joint in the world. Learned how to lift my bike. Performed in a local talent show and supposedly did well.
Mansfield, OH | Very clearly Cicada season. First 100-mile day. Got really, REALLY lost and then got Chic-Fil-A. Showed up to church in the middle of a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. Slept across really uncomfortable metal chairs.
DAY 10
Columbus, OH | Best BBQ joint in the world. Learned how to lift my bike. Performed in a local talent show and supposedly did well.
DAY 11
Rest Day in Columbus, OH | Teammates toured The James and ran Bone Marrow drive. I took a 6 hour nap in a total strangers basement. Went to City Hall to hear the good news. City of Bexley passed a proclamation naming an entire week "4K for Cancer Week". Spent the night talking about life and sleeping in the guest room of former CEO of Livestrong, Doug Ulman's house.
DAY 12
Upper Sandusky, OH | Rode first leg of the ride with Doug Ulman and the mayor of Bexley. Subhash's first day on the road. Gracious alumni Steph Kos read my blog and sent me her old air mattress (THANK YOU SO MUCH). Headwinds are the enemy. So is Wal-Mart in the Mid-West.
Rest Day in Columbus, OH | Teammates toured The James and ran Bone Marrow drive. I took a 6 hour nap in a total strangers basement. Went to City Hall to hear the good news. City of Bexley passed a proclamation naming an entire week "4K for Cancer Week". Spent the night talking about life and sleeping in the guest room of former CEO of Livestrong, Doug Ulman's house.
DAY 12
Upper Sandusky, OH | Rode first leg of the ride with Doug Ulman and the mayor of Bexley. Subhash's first day on the road. Gracious alumni Steph Kos read my blog and sent me her old air mattress (THANK YOU SO MUCH). Headwinds are the enemy. So is Wal-Mart in the Mid-West.
DAY 13
Perrysburg, OH | Anticipated an all down-hill day. Headwinds are still the enemy. Finally made it in the news, but didn't make it to Cedar Point.
DAY 14
Ann Arbor, MI | Dedicated my life to water-van decoration. Started an endless chain of every-day ice cream stops. Visited our first Cancer Support Center and had dinner with Team Gino.
Perrysburg, OH | Anticipated an all down-hill day. Headwinds are still the enemy. Finally made it in the news, but didn't make it to Cedar Point.
DAY 14
Ann Arbor, MI | Dedicated my life to water-van decoration. Started an endless chain of every-day ice cream stops. Visited our first Cancer Support Center and had dinner with Team Gino.
DAY 15
Lansing, MI | Saw a sign for "Nick's Graduation Party" and almost attended. Took a detour to Hell, Michigan and endured the horribly corny jokes of my overjoyed teammates. Went to a lovely Road House for dinner who donated our dinner to us at a generous 0% discount.
Lansing, MI | Saw a sign for "Nick's Graduation Party" and almost attended. Took a detour to Hell, Michigan and endured the horribly corny jokes of my overjoyed teammates. Went to a lovely Road House for dinner who donated our dinner to us at a generous 0% discount.
DAY 16
Wyoming, MI | Revisited Urgent Care. Got steroids and then got soaked in an impromptu monsoon. Began my slow but steady creation of another Myers Briggs cult. Slept in the swaggiest YMCA I've ever seen.
DAY 17
South Haven, MI | Scored some fresh fruit and sliced it up in a random parking lot. Ate a whole bag of Americana-themed M&Ms. Enjoyed a lovely evening in an unexpected beach town.
Wyoming, MI | Revisited Urgent Care. Got steroids and then got soaked in an impromptu monsoon. Began my slow but steady creation of another Myers Briggs cult. Slept in the swaggiest YMCA I've ever seen.
DAY 17
South Haven, MI | Scored some fresh fruit and sliced it up in a random parking lot. Ate a whole bag of Americana-themed M&Ms. Enjoyed a lovely evening in an unexpected beach town.
DAY 18
Michigan City, IN | Came across "peace" and "love" statues in a strangers front yard. Found another state sign! Started the "Rider of the Day" van program. Endured gravel roads and crazy thunder storms.
Michigan City, IN | Came across "peace" and "love" statues in a strangers front yard. Found another state sign! Started the "Rider of the Day" van program. Endured gravel roads and crazy thunder storms.
DAY 19
Chicago, IL | Accomplished goal of being 1st group to the host site. Made it out of the South Side alive. Ate a 6-million-course Italian dinner courtesy of Team Gino. Went to a Latin Bar and cultured the team.
DAY 20
Rest Day in Chicago, IL | Visited our Scholarship Winner. Did all the Chicago classics. Re-decorated the vans. Slept like a baby.
Chicago, IL | Accomplished goal of being 1st group to the host site. Made it out of the South Side alive. Ate a 6-million-course Italian dinner courtesy of Team Gino. Went to a Latin Bar and cultured the team.
DAY 20
Rest Day in Chicago, IL | Visited our Scholarship Winner. Did all the Chicago classics. Re-decorated the vans. Slept like a baby.
DAY 21
Milwaukee, WI | Brownies for breakfast, courtesy of Aaron's awesome uncle. Scenic beach view at lunch time. Celebrated Shark Week @ Coldstone. Care package from Baltimore with sleep masks and Berger cookies.
Milwaukee, WI | Brownies for breakfast, courtesy of Aaron's awesome uncle. Scenic beach view at lunch time. Celebrated Shark Week @ Coldstone. Care package from Baltimore with sleep masks and Berger cookies.
DAY 22
Sheboygan, WI | Harry-Potter themed teams = taping brooms to bikes. Strawberry Festival = strawberry gelato. Hit a pot hole, flipped over handlebars and got some nasty road burns.
DAY 23
Fond de Lac, WI | Spilled 26 liters of water on a gym floor. Got free lunch at Applebees. Really nasty bruises developing. Fantastic brownies at host site.
Sheboygan, WI | Harry-Potter themed teams = taping brooms to bikes. Strawberry Festival = strawberry gelato. Hit a pot hole, flipped over handlebars and got some nasty road burns.
DAY 23
Fond de Lac, WI | Spilled 26 liters of water on a gym floor. Got free lunch at Applebees. Really nasty bruises developing. Fantastic brownies at host site.
Finally got Wi-Fi, finally got to blog. I'm going to bed. Stay tuned for more.