� WHEN I MET YOU IN SUMMER � >>> WE'RE BACK NOW WITH A TEXAS TRADITION WITH A BIG HEART, A NATIONWIDE CYCLING EVENT THAT SPREADS HOPE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER, HITTING THE ROAD AGAIN AFTER A PANDEMIC PAUSE. TAKE A LOOK. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> TEXAS 4000 IS THE LONGEST ANNUAL CHARITY BIKE RIDE IN THE WORLD. EVERY YEAR U.T. AUSTIN STUDENTS RIDE 70 DAYS TO ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. ALONG THE WAY WE SPREAD HOPE, CHARITY AND KNOWLEDGE. >> WE STARTED IN 2004 FROM OUR FOUNDER WHO WAS A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN. HE MET SOME CYCLISTS WHILE ON A TRIP IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AND CAME BACK WITH THAT IDEA OF WANTING TO GIVE BACK IN THE SAME MANNER BY HAVING A CYCLING EVENT DRIVE THAT WENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THEY ARE MEETING PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY SPREADING CANCER AWARENESS PREVENTION INFORMATION BUT ALSO MEETING THOSE CANCER RESEARCH CENTERS AND HOSPITALS AND CANCER SUPPORT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS WHICH WE DONATE TO. >> I THINK WHAT UNITES A LOT OF THE TEAM IS THE SHARED LOSS OF LOVED ONES TO CANCER AND FOR ME PERSONALLY I'VE LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY LIFE DUE TO CANCER. SO I WANTED TO BE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER. >> EVERY STUDENT THAT IS PREPARING FOR THE SUMMER RIDE HAS TO DO 2,000 TRAINING MILES. THEY ALSO HAVE TO RAISE $4,500 FOR THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER AND THEY HAVE TO VOLUNTEER 50 HOURS IN THE COMMUNITY WITH OTHER CANCER ORGANIZATIONS FOR EVENTS THAT SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS. >> WE RIDE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 80 AND 90 MILES A DAY WHICH USUALLY TAKES US ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE HOURS DEPENDING ON HOW HOT IT IS OR HOW FAST WE'RE FEELING OR WHETHER THERE ARE GIGANTIC HILLS WE HAVE TO CLIMB. � >> I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING IS THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE BESIDES JUST THEM THAT CARES AND THAT IS WILLING TO FIGHT FOR THEM. >> THERE IS A MOMENT WHERE YOU CREST A REALLY BIG HILL OR YOU FINISH A FAST SPRINT AND IT MIGHT SEEM DIFFICULT BUT YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT YOU'RE DOING IT FOR A REALLY GOOD CAUSE. � � >> I THINK THE MOST REWARDING PART IS COMING IN CONTACT WITH STRANGERS AT GAS STATIONS OR HOST FAMILIES OR HOST LOCATIONS AND GETTING TO HEAR THEIR STORIES AND TALK WITH THEM AND TELLING THEM YOU ARE RIDING FOR THEM AND THEN ACTUALLY DOING THAT IS THE BEST PART BECAUSE IF YOU BELIEVE IN SOMETHING YOU CAN STAND UP TO IT AND YOU CAN FIGHT FOR IT AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A 4,000-MILE BIKE RIDE BUT IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES THERE ARE