Hopkins 4K for Cancer

June 8, 2006

Chicago, IL
June 8

Michigan City, IN, to Chicago, IL

67 miles


For me, along with many other riders, Chicago was the first significant destination point on our journey across the country. It was on this day that I was first fully struck with the significance and magnitude of our journey, Chicago being the first city on the map that I considered ‘far away’ from home.


In addition, the whole manner of our entrance into the city was nothing less than poetic. The city welcomed us with over 30 miles of exclusive bicycle trails. However, the numerous connecting routes we had to take in-between these trails led us to eventually disregard our cue sheets and ride the entire length of the trip together as a single group. Throughout the day I remember just looking ahead or behind at the long group of riders stretching out for nearly half a mile on the cycling trails and realizing that I had never felt prouder to be a part of this group. This vibe extended through our entire group and drove home our identity towards everyone we encountered on the cycling trails in our matching jerseys. This was especially evident when a local school employee and fellow cyclist whom we had met earlier in the day unexpectedly showed up at a particularly confusing section of interconnecting roads and guided us through them. Much thanks to you, Keith!


The day had started with a picturesque view of the Lake Michigan shore, with Chicago still out of sight (but not out of mind) to the West. At the end of the day we were lucky enough to return to that lakefront and ride straight up the Chicago lakeshore as a single group. It was, hands down, one of my best experiences on the bike (and I’ve spent a bit of time on my bike), with both the approaching skyline and the lake in full view, in perfect weather. Chicago has done a wonderful thing for cyclists with that lakefront trail, and I now an in love with it for that…


We stayed in the dorms at the University of Illinois, just a few blocks below the center of the city. We were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Nicole Silva, returning from a short leave, upon reaching our destination. That night we were treated to an AMAZING dinner on the scale of a community potluck dinner, only prepared entirely by the Ross family. Especially on this day, the food never tasted sweeter. Thanks SO much to the Ross family for the dinner and the breakfast for our departure, and also for the hospitality shown towards us by the U of Illinois housing.


I couldn’t get enough of the city. Inspired by the beauty I had seen upon entering, I spent much of the day off simply biking around the city and the miles of lakefront path it offered. This alone time on the bike offered me a chance to reflect on all that has been happening at near-light speed on this trip, and helped me clarify my purpose for the days ahead. After having dinner in the inner city and spending the dusk hours at a Blues festival in downtown Grant Park with some fellow 4Kers, I biked back to our dorm rooms at night, stealing a final glance of the lit-up skyline as I rode over an elevated overpass. Sights like this are not seen all that often…..

-Ryan T

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Even though every day of this trip has been exciting, today was especially amazing!

We headed out of Michigan City bright and early after dedicating our ride to friends and family, including Jean, a very sweet lady that we met at the church who lost her daughter to cancer three years ago. I want to thank both Jean and Father Eugene as well as the other generous people at the church for cooking and providing shelter for us. We will keep you in our thoughts as we bike to San Francisco!

We then quickly found ourselves on smooth, traffic-free bike routes with shade! The team rode in one big group because the route was particularly complicated today, which made for a great bonding experience. I rode side by side with Jessica, our unofficial team photographer, and we talked about whether she should transfer to Berkeley or Hopkins next year. She’s a genius and got accepted to both! I hope she chooses Hopkins, but sunny California sounds great too. I can’t wait to get there!

Besides some pot holes in the neighborhood and a couple flat tires, the smooth ride continued all the way to Chicago, our destination for the day. My favorite part of the day was when we could finally see the skyline. While we were biking into the city on the bike path around Lake Michigan, I couldn’t believe that we made it all the way from Baltimore to Chicago in under two weeks! Of course, I couldn’t have done this without the support of our hosts as well as my friends and family back home. A special hello and thanks to my mom, dad, Aki, my family in Japan, John, Ray, Lauren, Ping, Isi, and Jeff! I love you and miss you guys!

Although today was wonderful, not every day has been perfect for me thus far. I struggled through the Appalachians in hot and humid weather, we rode through the pouring rain on our way to Cleveland, and my group and I got lost while it hailed through Pennsylvania. However, my pain doesn’t compare to the suffering of cancer patients like my grandfather. During the last months of his life, he could barely eat, walk, or even talk.

But as I ride in memory of my grandfather on this trip, I like to think about the happy times that we spent together, even while he was undergoing treatment at the hospital. One of my last happy memories with my grandfather was in the spring of last year, when I flew to Japan to visit him. He had lost a tremendous amount of weight by then, but on this particular day that I visited him, we ate lunch together in his room, and all the nurses were surprised to see him eating so much. Even though eating lunch doesn’t seem like a big deal to the average person, the fact that my grandfather could finish what was on his plate gave me hope that he would regain his weight and energy and win this battle. Although he passed away last summer, I think my grandfather fought cancer courageously, and his strength through the three years that he battled cancer will inspire me throughout the trip.

Until next time! I hope everyone reading this is having a fantastic summer!

Hugs,
Fumi