Hopkins 4K for Cancer

June 1, 2003

Goodbye, Baltimore
Things got off to a great start this morning. We got out the door on time today. We met friends and family in front of Shriver Hall. Then, we got an escort by Hopkins security off campus. We were met by a few T.V. cameras and reporters at the Inner Harbor. After talking to the reporters and having our daily moment of silence, we ceremonially dipped our back wheels in the harbor.


Although the morning festivities went well, the morning ride was discouraging. It was nice to have a few of the riders from last year join us on the ride, but the wind made the ride very difficult. Also, several people got lost along the way. Fortunately, we found everyone.


The ride after lunch was much better than the ride in the morning because the wind weakened significantly. In addition, people were relieved to find out that the monstrous four mile hill that they had heard so much about was only about one mile long and that the route was mostly downhill after they got to the top of that hill. Riders pulled into the Otterbein Brethren Church with upbeat spirits and hungry stomachs. The great people of the church cooked a hearty meal for us. After everyone had their fill of fried chicken, baked potatoes, ham, green beans, and pies, we introduced ourselves to the members of the church. Then, the pastor, Rick, told us a touching story about Ralph, a five year old boy who went from being healthy to feeling sick and being too tired for any kind of physical activity to being diagnosed with cancer and having no chance of survival to being successfully treated in an experimental program. All of this happened within a span of two months in 1964. After we were told this story, we learned that Ralph was one of the members of the church present today. After exchanging some more stories with members of the church, we retired to the gym. There, we got to learn a little more about each other by playing the name game.


Overall, the trip was off to a good start. We all went to bet anticipating a difficult ride the next day.