July 25, 2019 | Jaxx Artz
Scroll Julie DeLaRosa’s Facebook page and notice her farmer’s tan darkening with each photo, becoming one of her defining features when she meets people on the road. She doesn’t mind it so much anymore, only noticing the stark difference in her skin tones when she peels off her sweaty uniform to jump into one of the many swimming holes she’s discovered on the road.
“I’m actually excited to see how dark it can get,” DeLaRosa says, calling me from a park in San Francisco. Currently, she is only thirty days into her summer-long bike ride from Austin to Alaska and expects her tan will only get stronger. That’s right, Julie is biking to Alaska.
A senior at the University of Texas at Austin, Julie DeLaRosa is part of Texas 4000 (T4K), an organization whose mission is to engage communities in the fight against cancer through organizing the longest annual charity bike ride in the world. While other University of Texas cyclists are spread between three possible routes to Anchorage, Julie is taking the Sierra Route, riding through New Mexico and Arizona before making her way to San Francisco.
During the 18-month program, UT students are required to raise money, volunteer in their community, and train for their 4,000+ mile bike ride. For the 83 students who make up this summer’s ride, it’s about much more than the burn in their thighs and the unique adventure through the country’s western states.
“One of the biggest reasons I get on the bike every morning and continue to pedal even when the hills seem like they will never end is to spread hope that there will be a cure for cancer,” DeLaRosa says.
Throughout the 70-day ride, DeLaRosa will put on programs in the communities she bikes through to talk about cancer research. Her team’s fundraising efforts go towards research grants and donations to facilities.
“One of the biggest reasons we get on the bike every morning and continue to pedal even when the hills seem like they will never end is to spread hope that there will be a cure for cancer.” -Julie DeLaRosa
The main pillars of T4K – hope, knowledge, and charity – are the reasons why Julie joined the organization. And while many of her peers are no strangers to long bike rides and marathons, she’s definitely not doing it for the workout.
“Getting on the bike every morning, even when my legs feel like they can’t go another mile, has been one of the most difficult parts,” she says. “I joined because I connect with the mission, not because I enjoy biking.”
Another difficult part of her ride is being away from her family and community for over three months, something she has never done before. A Preston Hollow resident, DeLaRosa attended St. Monica Catholic School and Ursuline Academy before moving to Austin.
“I have been fortunate to live in great neighborhoods and attend great schools where my neighbors and friends are like family. I would love to move back to Dallas eventually,” she says.
In the meantime, Julie has found a temporary family in her teammates and the people she’s met on the road. Communities have hosted movie nights for the riders and provided food and shelter as the students make their way to Anchorage.
After the ride, Julie will head back to Austin to complete her degree in social work. She plans on applying to law school with the hope of influencing social policy.
“I think the world is a beautiful place, but there are also times when it can be incredibly cruel,” she says. “We need to do better in acknowledging the injustices that take place.”
Though she probably won’t bike for a while after she completes her trek, Julie will take with her the lessons she’s learned and the beautiful things she’s seen on the road.
“My body is capable of so much more than I ever thought it was. And seeing the world from the seat of a bike is just incredible.”
This article originally appeared in the August 2019 print edition of Preston Hollow People. A shorter version of it can be found on the website for People Newspapers here: Preston Hollow Resident Biking to Alaska for Cancer Research
JAXX ARTZ 