Hopkins 4K for Cancer

June 3, 2005

Cleveland, OH
When I rode in the Hopkins 4K for Cancer two years ago, I had just completed my freshman year, and I rode to promote cancer awareness, having been one of the fortunate few to not have had an immediate family member afflicted by cancer. Two years later, in the 2005 Hopkins 4K for Cancer, I rode as a fresh graduate from the Johns Hopkins University, having personally experienced the effects cancer has had on my family members and family friends, as well as the people I met on the trip two years ago. These ranged from a close family friend who was affected by cancer of the ear, nose and the throat to the co-owner of a motorcycle store in Lyon, Colorado, who gave me a stuffed animal to tie to my bicycle and bring to San Francisco, as a symbol of her fight against cancer eight years ago, when she was told by doctors that she only had weeks to live. Till this day, each and every story touches my heart in its own unique way, just like how every drop of water creates its own special imprint of ripples. And that is why I have chosen to ride in the Hopkins 4K for Cancer again, not because I enjoy the thrills of seeing this beautiful country while perched atop of two skinny wheels, but because I believe that spreading stories of cancer survivorship is important as it imbues people with the courage and knowledge to combat this disease bravely.

The sixth day of the Hopkins 4K began on a special note for me, because it also happened to be my 22nd birthday. The pop songs that usually woke us up in the mornings were replaced by the familiar tunes of “Happy Birthday,” as the other riders streamed into my room to wake me up. Travis prepared a crown made from twister balloons that said “King Weijie” on it, and it was a wonderful way to start the trip. It was also a pleasant surprise to find that Nisha had attached party streamers to the back seat of my bike in the night, rendering it the most colorful bike in the group. Having experienced 40 degree weather, freezing rain, dense fogs and steep 9% grade 5-mile Appalachian climbs on the corresponding day two years ago, I was not very excited to hear that the weather forecast predicted rain for our ride today. However, the day turned out much better than expected, and the weather was beautiful. Our wonderful hosts at the Coitsville Presbyterian Church had even called ahead to the police department in the town of Warren to arrange for police escorts through the town. Today’s ride was relatively easy compared to our first couple of days through the Appalachians, and everyone was in high spirits as we looked forward to our day off in Cleveland after almost a week of cycling.

The whole group managed to get into Cleveland by 5 pm, and we were definitely ecstatic to find fresh sheets and clean towels waiting for us as we checked into the dorms at the Hitchcock House of Case Western Reserve University, not to mention the nice mattresses which were a welcome change from our sleeping bags. After having boxed dinners prepared by Bon Appetit, most of us decided to go into the Severance Town Center to catch up on our latest summer movies. Most of us decided to watch Madagascar while a few went to check out Star Wars Episode 3. Having been on the road for almost a week, it felt refreshing and strange in a way to finally be back in civilization, but it was also fulfilling to know that we were doing this for a notable and meaningful cause.

-Weijie