Voice Post: 2010 PMC Fri West Stockbridge

The following is a transcription of a phone post that originally appeared in my main journal, here.

Hi! It's 8:00 on Friday morning, PMC Day 0.

We are about to depart the New York border into West Stockbridge, Massachusetts for the beginning of our 300 mile trek. Paul and Jay look ready to go, so I'm gonna keep this brief, but expect a couple updates throughout the day and then an update at the end of the day.

Talk to you soon. It's a beautiful day; looking forward to a challenging ride.

Voice Post: 2010 PMC Fri Amherst

The following is a transcription of a phone post that originally appeared in my main journal, here.

Hi, this is a report from Atkins Farm in Amherst, which is 60 miles into the 95-mile ride for today. Sorry I haven't updated previously, but we were out of service range in the woods of western Mass.

We've done both Jacob's Ladder, which wasn't terribly bad but with a fun descent on the other side, and then we did the big hill on Route 66 which was just insanely difficult. But we all made it up okay (in time) and another screaming descent on the other side into Northampton.

Everything's good, except I did have a front tire puncture on the way up Jacob's Ladder, but we had assistance from our friend David Katz and his group, who are also doing the same kind of ride.

So we've been having a few adventures, but it's beautiful weather out, generally got a tailwind, and we're 6/9ths of the way through the ride for today. So things are holding together pretty well.

Sorry for the late update; we'll have another update probably when we arrive in Sturbridge, which will probably be two or three hours from now.

Enjoying the day, and thanks everyone for your support, your donations, and for staying in touch.

Voice Post: 2010 PMC Fri Sturbridge

The following is a transcription of a phone post that originally appeared in my main journal, here.

Well, we're here in Sturbridge at the end of a 95-mile day -- Pan-Mass Challenge Day 0, from the New York border to Sturbridge -- on the day before the official Pan-Mass Challenge starts. My first time doing that route. The two big hills were pretty substantial, but we managed to get through it, although we were starting to flag by the end, and it will be interesting riding tomorrow!

Tomorrow is 112 miles from Sturbridge to Bourne, and then another probably 15 miles additionally at the end of the day to my hotel, although those miles will be a little more relaxed. But tomorrow should be interesting.

Today, aside from the puncture that I had, we had a great day. Got into Sturbridge at 2:45, which was pretty good time. Weather was absolutely beautiful -- occasional clouds and bright sun -- but overall was a pretty good ride, and a great experience for my first time riding from the New York border.

Also it looks like (if I count the two verbals that I have, in terms of people who said they've made donations through their company that haven't showed up yet at the PMC site) it looks like I may be on the threshold of having 100 people sponsor me, which aside from doing the extra miles from the New York border was my second big goal for the year. So it looks like I've achieved my two big goals, although I suppose I can't count the extra miles one until I actually do the PMC ride Saturday and Sunday.

But really looking forward to those, should be fun. Had a great day today with my buddies Paul and Jay took a quick brief dip in a pond behind the hotel here in Sturbridge where riders register. Got registered, got my ride jersey, and now we're off to the hotel to go shower, get some food, get some water, and try and prepare my body for the excitement that will happen tomorrow.

I may be updating again this evening, and I may not, but otherwise there will be an update at 5:30 tomorrow morning when we leave the line in Sturbridge for for the official start for the Pan-Mass Challenge: my 10th ride and my 5th year in a row as a Heavy Hitter. Thank you everyone for your support. It really means a lot to me to have your support, and also to be able to participate in an event that does so much good for an organization that does so much research and treatment and assistance with the cause of eradicating cancer.

So that's it: mostly a wrap for for Friday's ride, PMC Day 0, but look forward to two more days of riding down to the cape and out to the end of the cape at Provincetown. I'll talk to you soon!