Some of the young riders had family members who have died of cancer. Others were doing it simply because they want to help others.

Photo by Kathy Browning

Members of the Paonia United Methodist Church hosted riders in the 4K For Cancer on Monday, July 11, for dinner. The riders began their bicycle journey in Baltimore and will finish in San Francisco. United Methodist Women provided dinner, United Methodist Men the breakfast and the riders stayed at the church. Tuesday morning they left for Grand Junction.

Pastor Russell Fletcher of the Paonia United Methodist Church shared that he had seen a lot of young groups, and that the 4K For Cancer riders were the finest young people he had worked with in his 50 years of ministry. The Paonia United Methodist Church has hosted the riders for six or seven years as they make their journey from Baltimore to San Francisco.

Before they left Baltimore, they each raised $4,500 to participate in the 4K for Cancer. Because corporate sponsorships offset the organization's costs, they distribute 100 percent of the donations to organizations dedicated to fighting cancer.

For the first time three teams are taking the nationwide trip. The other teams will finish in Portland and Seattle. So far they have raised over $460,000. Prior to leaving Baltimore they gave $100,000 to a cancer organization they support. There is still the opportunity to support their work by giving online at www.4Kforcancer.org. Donations can be given to the organization or through a specific rider.

The trip is 70 days long. They average over 80 miles a day, burning up 5,000 calories as they pedal. They bike in rain or shine, averaging 13 to 17 miles per hour. They ride for six or seven hours. The total ride each day takes about eight hours with breaks every 20 miles to eat and rest.

Each morning every rider dedicates their ride to a survivor or one who has passed away because of cancer.

The team that spent the night at Paonia United Methodist Church had 27 members. They enjoyed dinner and an early breakfast. After Monday night's dinner and presentation about their mission they walked down to Ollie's Ice Cream for dessert.

Zachery Turner was the only rider who had done the trip before. He came through Paonia two years ago. He does the ride in honor of his grandmother who passed away of colon cancer in 2003. His grandmother lived for three years after being diagnosed and told she had only three months to live. The way she faced her own challenges in life gives him help to continue when he is confronted by tough obstacles on the ride.

The 27 members break up into smaller teams of three to six for the ride. Turner explained if someone is having a bad day the others can help push their companion through the challenges. He spent six months in raising his $4,500.

"I've learned that just because something seems insurmountable that doesn't mean it's impossible," Turner writes on his 4K For Cancer blog. "The 4K is an opportunity for all of us to come together for a common cause. No matter how large or small you think your part may be, it all makes a difference."

The team members have a blog of their ride and enjoy reading comments from people following their trip. It's encouraging for the riders. By clicking on "Follow Us" you can read each rider's biography and blog and post a comment.

When asked how they trained for the physically demanding cross country ride, they laughed. Alanna Kols, a senior at Johns Hopkins University majoring in mechanical engineering, said the students only have one week between finals and the ride. That makes their first week of riding their athletic training for the trip.

For the San Francisco team the biggest challenge of the trip so far has been the summit climb over McClure Pass. The best part of the trip for some was the ride over Trail Ridge Road.

The team stays mainly in churches and also at schools and YMCAs. They relish the few occasions they stay in a hotel. They will be camping in Nevada and Utah.

Felix Belmont of KVNF Public Radio spoke to the riders after dinner. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1940. He joked, "There are a few living dinosaurs and I'm one of them." He lost his wife to cancer eight years ago.

Prior to leaving Tuesday morning, they gathered in circles and dedicated their rides in honor or in memory of someone with cancer.