Texas 4000 bicycle team on trek to Alaska to fight cancer

You may have spotted a team of bicyclists rolling through western Kentucky and southern Illinois this weekend. It was a return to the region by the Texas 4000 cycling team, who is making another 4000-mile run from Texas to Alaska to raise money for cancer research.

The "Ozarks" half of the split team left Memphis last Thursday and pedaled into Paducah last Saturday, then Marion, Illinois on Monday. They'll continue on Day 28 of their journey to Chicago today, en route through Wisconsin and Minnesota beforecrossing into Canada for the majority of their miles to Anchorage at the end of July.

At the same time, the "Rockies" team is taking a westward tack through New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana before they cross into Canada and rejoin the Ozarks crew.

Both teams launched May 23 from Austin, and then to Houston's M.D. Anderson Center, a leading hospital for cancer research and support services. The annual event is the longest charity bike ride in the world, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years for several such cancer research facilities across Texas.

At the same time that the Ozarks team reached Paducah, the Rockies crew were making snow angels on Pike's Peak.

The epic journey -- more than twice as long as the Tour de France -- is also a leadership-building exercise for the young riders. Each is required to train for 2,000 miles in preparation, and to raise $4500 from friends and sponsors before they leave. As a team, they also have to arrange for food and lodging from churches and charities along the route.

The concept was originated by a pair of students at the Universitiy of Texas at Austin, one a cancer survivor. They organized 43 other students for the first ride in 2004, raising $112,000 for the American Cancer Society.

You can see the team's progress, learn about the Texas 4000 organization and donate at their website .