Hopkins 4K for Cancer

June 16, 2002

Day 15 (91 miles) Clinton, IL to Litchfi
Energized by the free McChicken Flatbreads and DQ Blizzards from the night before, our group set out for a ninety-mile ride to Litchfield, IL. Our spirits were lifted early in the morning when it was announced that the Clinton High principal / doctor of neuroscience / wresting coach / new friend was going to put up our group in a Super 8 Hotel for free that night. We sped off down the road that morning with a pace rivaling Tour de France riders as thoughts of a soft bed and a chance to watch World Cup soccer rattled through our minds. The day also surprised us with a swift and helpful tail wind as opposed to the strong cross wind we had been battling for days before.

However, our fun and fast morning ride came to a literal crashing halt when Adam Rueben hit a golf ball sized rock going close to 25 miles an hour. His bike and body slid across the dry, cracked pavement and our group silently hoped another ambulance ride wasn’t imminent. We ran back to Adam who was pinned under his bike and in his usual thorough Adam way, he told us exactly where and what type of pain he was feeling. His elbows, chin and knees all showed bloody evidence of his unplanned acquaintance with Illinois Route 48. Adam, nevertheless, was doing well considering the circumstances and was even so inclined to have his wounds documented with his digital camera. He was eventually taken to the local hospital for X-rays and unfortunately, to Adam’s dismay, seven stitches had to replace his pride and goatee.

The rest of the day we pushed our bodies to finish in a record five and a half hours. After moving in to our air-conditioned, double queen sized bedrooms, we readied our stomachs for the local Mexican restaurant’s hospitality. After dozens of burritos, quesadillas and tamales, most of the group headed back to the Super 8 for a much awaited comfortable night sleep, while a few diehards prepared for the 1:30am match of USA versus Mexico in the World Cup. Those “idiots” (Gary, Brent and myself) as most of the group likes to refer to them were rewarded with a 2-0 American win and a first time birth to the round of 8. The entire day showed our group the generosity of one man, the lighter side of a tragedy and just how unpredictable and rewarding our summer adventure can be.

-Thayer Hirsh