August 12, 2007

BY J.J. HARRIER

Frontiersman MAT-SU - It may have taken 70 days, 13 states, two countries and more than 200 flat tires, but they made it.

When many college students are off working, visiting families and expanding on new ways to take it easy during summer vacation, 40 students from the University of Texas at Austin decided to embark on a 4,500-mile bike trek across America to benefit cancer research.

The UT bikers make up Texas 4000 (T4K) For Cancer, a student-run nonprofit organization with a mission to raise money for cancer research, educate local communities about prevention and early detection, and instill hope through their message and activities.

To qualify to participate in the Texas 4000, each cyclist must raise $4,000. This year's event earned the American Cancer Society more than $200,000. Since the ride began in 2004, it has raised more than $850,000 for cancer research.

Most of the cyclists are current or former University of Texas students. The oldest is 32. No matter their age or where they come from, all have been touched by cancer in some way.

The brain child behind Texas 4000 is Chris Condit, an engineering student at UT who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 11.

“I founded Texas 4000 in 2004 to try and make a difference in the lives of those who struggle with this terrible disease by raising money for cancer research,” Condit said. “My hope is that it'll provide hope to those people and their families by showing them that there is life after cancer; to educate communities across the continent about how they can detect and prevent cancer.”

Friday afternoon at Mirror Lake traveling the last leg of their and exhausting road trip through rain, deserts, cities and mountains, 40 bikers took a break. Darlene Gou, 18, a pre-med student at UT and first-time T4K rider, considers herself a lucky woman and a team player. Gou is the travel chair for T4K, organizing 70 places for her team to sleep on their long journey across the United States and Canada. She contacted high schools, churches, community centers, campgrounds and anybody who would support the cause.

After riding together to Lampasas, Texas, Gou and the cyclists split up into two groups. One took a coastal route through New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon and Washington. The others took the Rockies route through Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Alberta, Canada. They then met up in Whitehorse, Canada, and headed towards Anchorage.

Each bike is equipped with just the essentials for any extended trip - extra tire tubes, a CO2 or hand pump, snacks, cell phone and wallets.

“Just in case we died and they needed to identify us,” joked Gou, who made the ride for her mother, who is a breast cancer survivor.

“I was really young when we found out she was sick with cancer,” Gou said. “I felt really saddened by it but felt now I can give back to those who are fighting cancer like my mom did. My mom is really strong and she has inspired me to do great things.”

Gou's favorite part of the trip was stopping on the Golden Gate bridge and looking out into the bay, feeling for the first time like she had made the right choice to make the cross-country bike ride.

“I learned how to be humble along the way,” she said. “When you're riding a little racing bike all day across sketchy terrain, it can suck. You're tired all the time, hungry, lonely, missing your family. But then in the morning we would all circle up and do a group dedication for those who have been affected by cancer and I could see the bigger picture. It made it all worthwhile.”

Anchorage resident Steve Riley is a University of Texas fanatic and graduate.

President of the Texas Exes, a 30-member chapter of UT graduates and alumni in Alaska, Riley couldn't wait to help his fellow UT brothers and sisters, determined to make their last leg in Alaska a memorable one. Texas Exes chapters all over the United States have helped the T4K riders.

Riley, along with Exes' social chair and secretary Kathy Foerster, set up refreshment tables along pit stops from Beaver Creek, Tok, Sutton and Chugiak, finally organizing a finish line party in the parking lot of Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage.

Contact J.J. Harrier at 352-2269 or valleylife@frontiersman.com.