Hopkins 4K for Cancer

June 14, 2002

Day 13 (100 miles) Glenview, IL to Dwigh
Today was our second 100-mile day. Early in the day, Wylie, Brent, Gary, Dave Courson, Fred, and I took a couple of early stops to buy Powerbars. We really hauled to catch up to the groups ahead of us. When we didn’t see anyone, we got worried that we were going the wrong way. We called Thayer only to find out that we were on the right road and that everyone else had taken a detour. He instructed us to bike until our odometers read 40 miles.

We pulled into a gas station just as we heard thunder. It rained on and off throughout the day and during our 3-hour wait for the rest of the group we witnessed the pavement dry and get wet again several times. There, we ate lunch that was donated by Subway. After we knew that Travis had found us a place to stay for the night, we resumed biking.

The daylight became our enemy. We had to get in before the night fell. The road did not help us any. Four tires went flat in 10 miles. Another rainstorm forced us to wait and regroup at a gas station along Route 53. At this time, people began to question whether we would be able to complete the ride. However, we pulled together and rode hard against a nasty headwind to arrive at our destination in Dwight just as the last rays of light disappeared. Never before have we appreciated the hot showers, dry clothes, and warm food at the Ambulance Shelter where we stayed at as much as tonight.

-Rajeev Mahajan