Total distance traveled: 830 miles. That is how much ground the Illini 4000 has covered so far on its 4000-mile journey from New York City to San Francisco.The group made a stop in Champaign in front of the Alma Mater on Monday.

The Illini 4000, a Registered Student Organization at the University, is a team of 28 students. They are making this 4000-mile ride to raise funds for cancer research and support services. As of now, they have raised $120,000 for the American Cancer Society and Camp Kesem Illinois, said Mary Russell, director of marketing for the Illini 4000, in an e-mail.

So far, the trip has proved to be an arduous one, said Cristian Garcia, sophomore in LAS, who is new to the Illini 4000. Garcia said there is not really a specific regimen to prepare for something like this, but the team went to the gym and took bike rides prior to the trip.

“We just went over the Appalachians, and that was very tough. A lot of it is mental. You get to the top, and then you go down,” Garcia said. “At first you enjoy the down parts, but then you just go up so much that you know that if you go down, you have to go back up again, and then you stop liking the fact that you’re going down.”

The days for cyclists start at 6 a.m., Garcia said. From there they leave in groups according to speed level. He said they do this for safety reasons in order to reduce traffic on busy streets.

The best part of the trip for Garcia so far is meeting cancer survivors.

“In New York, I spoke with a very nice lady. She cried and sobbed. She poured her heart out. It was really nice to talk with her,” he said.

Maggie Marek, a recent graduate from the College of Media, said it was her first time embarking on the 4000 mile bike ride. Marek said she did not know what to expect from it, but the experience has been very rewarding. She also appreciated the support from the bystanders when they rode into different places.

“The greatest thing so far is seeing the support from all the people. No matter what community we go to, no matter what church we’re staying at, they all support the cause,” Marek said. “We stopped at a random gas station, and people were coming up to us and asking us, ‘What are you guys doing, and why are you riding?’ It’s been really cool.”

Jessica Fairbairn, a recent graduate of the University, came to support her cousin, Gabrielle Fairbairn and the team.

“I think it’s amazing, because I don’t know if I could do it, bike all summer,” Fairbairn said.

Paula Spitz of Buffalo Grove was there to proudly cheer on her daughter, Ellie Spitz, as she rode along the Quad. Not only is she proud of her daughter, but she is proud of the whole team, especially because it consists of mainly novice riders, she said.

“We’re here to support their efforts, and we hope they make it to San Francisco safely while still having fun,” Spitz said.