Spring semester is completed, fall semester is months away. Why not ride a bike to Alaska?

Emily Bollinger, a sophomore at the University of Texas, and 49 of her newfound friends are taking part in the Texas 4000, a bicycle ride to Alaska. The goal is to raise money for cancer research and awareness of the disease.

The first ride originated with a UT student and a group of friends in 2004.

Since then, sponsors have signed on and applicants for the 50 spots have increased to about 200 annually, Bollinger said.

While all cyclists will start the 4,500-mile trek in Austin, the group will split in Lampasas, with one group heading to the West Coast and the other to the Rockies. The 50 riders will regroup in Canada for the last leg of the trip on into Alaska.

Each rider is asked to raise $4,500, which will be donated to the American Cancer Society or MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Bollinger, a Temple native, said she had never been an avid cyclist before becoming involved in Texas 4000.

To make sure all the riders are ready, a century test was required - a day trip of 100 miles. A couple of weeks ago, the 2008 participants rode from Austin to Johnson City and back and everybody completed it, she said.

There is a learning curve when becoming familiar with the ins and out of long-distance bike rides. For instance, clips. Cyclists on long-distance treks clip their shoes to the bike’s pedals. Not a problem until the bike stops and the rider falls over because they forgot to unclip their shoes.

“We’ve all fallen several times,” Bollinger said.

Bollinger said she’s not sure what she’ll gain from the adventure, but she’s heard it changes people - giving them the strength to take on new challenges.

“A lot of people say they did it to raise money for cancer, but it ended up changing them in other ways,” she said.

Initially, Bollinger said she thought she wouldn’t want to ride to Alaska with 49 people she didn’t know, but now, since they’ve all become close friends, she can’t wait.

The daughter of Bruce and Cindy Bollinger, she said her father scheduled a vacation day at the beginning of the ride because he didn’t think she’d make it out of Texas.

“I think they’ve come to believe I’ll complete it now, considering all they’ve spent on the ride so far,” Bollinger said.

Cancer is also a motivating factor for Bollinger. Her father had cancer when she was young and her father’s first wife and her half-brothers’ mother died of cancer.

Bollinger has been sent names of people - some who she knows and some who she doesn’t know - to ride in memory of.

“It’s a big honor,” Bollinger said. “Some of the riders will write the names they’ve received on their jerseys, while others will carry the piece of paper with them.”

The ride will begin June 7 with an anticipated ending on Aug. 14.

Bollinger expects an adventure. The riders will stay with host families, sleep in church recreation halls and camp out along the way.

“I heard one rider was chased by a bear,” she said.