A long day in the hills...

Hello from Everett PA. Today we biked from Boonsboro MD to Everett PA a distance of over 85 miles. Today’s ride consisted of many hills, as we have now hit the Appalachians Mountains. We departed Boonsboro shortly after 7:30am this morning after packing up and eating breakfast. At around 40 miles we stopped for lunch and a swim in the lake at Cowans Gap State Park. The hills seemed to intensify after lunch growing longer and steeper. About 16 miles after departing Cowans Gap State Park we stopped for a water break and fed the horses and ponies on the side of the road. We then continued to climb capturing many great views as we made our way through the mountains. With about 10 miles left in the day we stopped at McDonalds for ice cream sundaes to refuel ourselves for the final leg. We are currently staying at the Everett United Methodist Church where they fixed us dinner of lasagna, scalloped potatoes, beans and salad along with pie for dessert. Tomorrow we head to Mt. Pleasant on another 80 plus mile day that’s sure to be full of many more hills and possibly our first rainy day of the trip.

Photos and DC

Hello! I am currently coming to you from Catholic University in Washington D.C. where my sister's kind friend Tori is letting me use her computer resources. Today is our first off day of the journey and we are using it to catch up on things and rest our legs for the hills that await us in the coming days.

This morning we took a tour of Walter Reed Army Medical Center visiting the Comprehensive Breast Center. It was an amazing opportunity for our team and I think we all took a lot away from it. After our tour we visited with an U. of Illinois alumni who was receiving a treatment at the center. It was another experience that reminded me why I'm doing this ride and that I will remember in the weeks ahead.

Yesterday we rode into D.C. following the paths that run through Rock Creek Park. After riding on many busy roads during our first few days it was a nice break and the trees and scenery made for a beautiful ride. The end of the ride yesterday made up for the first part of the day when things got off to a rather shaky start. About a mile after leaving the Frisby House in Baltimore, Dana and I both fell on a rather bumpy stretch of street. We are both fine and escaped with just a few scrapes however I broke one of the cables on my bike which I need to get repaired if I want to ride in any gear other than granny gear (where it is currently stuck!).

I know this is short but I will try to add more later. Before I sign off I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Gehres and the members of the Salem United Methodist Church in Newark, Delaware for putting us up for the night and feeding us during our stop in Newark. Though I'd never met them before the Gehres married my parents 29 years ago and when they heard we were going to be stopping in Newark offered to help out. The generosity of their church was amazing from the food to connecting us with someone to let us take showers at the local YMCA - so Thank You, Salem UMC!

Finally - I've uploaded some of my photos to my Picasa Web Album and they can be viewed by clicking the photo album link on the right side of my profile. More will be added next time I get non-firewalled internet access!

On the road again...

Hello from Hillsborough, NJ! We have completed one day of riding putting in over 70 miles today after a number of missed turns and detours. We departed Central Park in New York City around 8am this morning crossing over the George Washington Bridge and into New Jersey. The majority of today’s riding was stop and go traffic with many lights, pot holes and missed turns. The group I was riding with managed to find the lunch stop around 2pm and then later had a nice holdover snack of pizza when the kind owners of Maria's Pizza & Restaurant offered us a free pie at a stop mid afternoon.

We arrived in Hillsboro around 5:45 pm where we are spending the night at Anish's home. His parents fixed us a wonderful dinner followed by cake.

Tomorrow we head to Philadelphia a distance of between 50 and 60 miles. Others are waiting to use the computer so I won’t post them right now but hopefully within a few days I'll have photos posted in my photo album.

Thank You!

Thank You Erick Mosher!

Part II - 2008!

When I arrived in San Diego last summer I had no plans of riding this summer however here I am about to set out another journey in just two days. The next 24 hours are going to be crazy as I rush around getting things done before I leave. Thank you to all who have supported us and the cause we ride for. This summer we will not be using blogger to update our team blogs however I may copy my entries over to hear as well so I can include photos, video, etc.

Speaking of San Diego, I want to congratulate the Nation Run team as they are just a few days from completing their four month run across the nation! Congratulations on living your dream!

T-7 Days!

It’s hard to believe that in just seven days we will be meeting in NYC to begin this summer’s journey. Between work, training and other stuff this past month has been absolutely crazy and I’m really looking forward to taking life at a slower pace, meeting new people and hitting the road for our cause. Training has been going alright and despite a slight twitch of the knee about a week ago I’m feeling great and ready for a change in scenery!

For anyone in the Oneonta area, I will be speaking about my experience as a member of The Illini 4000 (both last summer and as I prepare for this summer) at the Davenport United Methodist Church this coming Sunday at a brunch following church services - all are welcome to attend!

Thanks to everyone who has continued to donate – it’s still not too late!

Spring?

Hello and Happy Spring! Despite the snow flurries and chilly temperatures we are just over a month away from the start of this summers ride. I’m excited to have the opportunity to ride again and am looking forward to meeting everyone in about 37 days!

Outdoor training got off to a slow start due to the weather. I was finally able to get outside the first week of April and have been riding outside ever since, although not continuously. I rode to Sidney and back last Sunday for a round trip total of 57 miles and was planning on riding to Cooperstown yesterday however the weatherman had other ideas when he invited a cold front to town for the day. Personally, I blame Punxsutawney Phil, even though it’s far surpassed the six weeks since he saw his shadow I'm pretty sure he had something to do with it. Despite the cold and wind I did manage to go out and ride 20 miles mid-afternoon. It’s suppose to warm up over the course of the week so hopefully that will equal some quality training time!

Thank you to everyone who has donated thus far, it means a lot to have your support.

The westward trail...

I know many who thought I was insane when I decided to embark on a 4000 mile, coast to coast bike ride. However these guys make me feel like a slacker.

Tomorrow fellow Oneonta State alumni, Andy Wahila and Matt Durkin along with current senior Ken Stannard will set out on a coast to coast journey of their own - on foot! Yes, you read that right they are RUNNING across America! No support van to provide them with water every 20 miles rather they are pushing their gear in baby joggers! The three will leave from near Savannah, Georgia on February 1st and continue westward until hopefully arriving in San Diego sometime around June 1st. Their friend Dewey DeLisle will be riding along on his bike. Andy, Matt and Ken all ran cross country and track at Oneonta State and Andy interned in the office where I work his senior year.

From one Oneonta graduate to another I wish you guys 116 days of amazing adventures!

Check them out at http://www.nationrun.com/

Happy Trails!

On a side note, the first day of summer is only 141 days away!

You know your a member of the Illini 4000 when...

I'd completely forgotten about this list until I found it in the back of my journal the other day. Alex and I started it one day after we got lost in Kansas and it grew throughout the summer. Please note this was created with humor in mind, however if there is anything you find offensive let me know and I'll remove it. (http://moxley4000.blogspot.com/)

You know your a member of the Illini 4000 when...

• to fend off danger you just point to Mark's calves.
• you realize that not only did Nick invent the jukebox but he knows the lyrics to more songs than are in it.
• you have played country road slalom, London bridge, cracker toss and catch and bicycle telephone while cycling.
• you have played the Keith game and also know what Keith pockets are.
• there are four food groups - peanut butter, pasta, milk and ice cream.
• you realize you have been wearing the same clothes for the past three days.
• showering twice a week is accepted and you think taking a shower in the sink or with a garden hose is normal.
• you look like an Oreo cookie when not wearing your bike clothes from your crazy tan lines.
• 70 miles is a short day.
• your clothes for the summer consists of two different bike jerseys and spandex biking shorts.
• you actually know where Rush Center, Kansas is!
• you've gotten use to Brandt sneaking up and scaring you and constantly whispering about peoples moms.
• you wash your clothes by shoving it in your backpack dirty and taking it out to wear again three days later.
• you've woken up to "Hey, do you know where Alex slept - I can't find her" on numerous occasions.
• you know it only takes the Police/Fire Department of Gunnison, Colorado about 20 seconds to respond to a 911 call on the fourth of July.
• you've gone faster than the speed limit - on your bike!
• you have some random object you found on the side of the road attached to your handlebars and your always on the lookout for trash treasures to use as bike ornaments.
• the local library is the "coolest" hangout in town.
• you know who bird shark, tiger bear and banana man are.
• you have a love/hate relationship with the state of Utah.
• you celebrate Christmas in July and shop for gifts along the side of the road.
• you've been Moshered or fake Moshered.
• there is a special place in your heart for Erick Mosher.
• you've mastered the art of packing the van.
• the town of Monroeville scares you.
• you can sing Jimmy Cliffs, Hard Road to Travel - backward.
• you've slept on the side of the road in Caineville, Utah.
• you've been woken up an hour early because cell phones don't register the time change in Fredonia, Arizona.
• you see groceries on the side of the road and stop to collect them.
• you go to an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game and the next thing you know Andrew is running around in center field with four women.
• Golden Puffs make a good addition to your sandwich.
• you've mastered route writing 101.
• you've spent significant time at the gas station in Hite, Utah.
• you know that it really does rain in Utah and Arizona.
• you know who Baby Alicia is.
• you know what PLKP means.
• you cycled by the "great wall" separating the United States from Mexico.
• you spent your summer cycling 4000 miles raising money for cancer research giving someone, somewhere hope.
  

On a side note... I've uploaded over 2,000 photos that I had on my computer from this past summer to the web. Email me for access!

iMovie

Greetings! A while back (September) I took all the video that I had taken on my digital camera from this past summer and combined it using iMovie. I've been meaning to put this file online for awhile but didn't know how to compress the file to upload as it's rather large. I've finally figured it out and have uploaded the file to YouTube. It's rather random (I kept it in chronological order for the most part) however it gives a 10-minute glimpse at some outtakes from of our 72 days on the road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4swWISVejoI