Pan Mass Challenge 2010: My Ride for a Cure
Day 1
My first Pan Mass Challenge ride was approached with more than a little concern as I had not done any long distance riding for more than thirty years. However, my motivation was that a number of close friends and family members have battled cancer and my mission was clear: do the ride, raise funds for cancer research and promote the cause.
Saturday morning started out cool for a day in August but quickly warmed up. Gail drove me to the PMC start and stayed with me while I got settled into the starting line. I met up with Dave, an old friend and Bill, a new friend and, after an inspirational welcome from PMC leadership and one of the best renditions of the national anthem I have ever heard (sung by a PMC rider and professional baritone), we were off.
The first few miles were slow due to the volume of riders but, since we launched with the “fast” riders, we were able to move forward and find some clear road relatively quickly. The early miles went by pretty easily and we approached the first water stop at 23 miles in good time and good spirits. Unfortunately, Dave, Bill and I got separated in the crowd of hundreds of riders just as we got to the stop so, after a brief refueling, I got back on the bike and headed out on my own to Dighton for the next stop and lunch.
The second stage was much like the first: relatively quick and easy (all the training miles were paying off). The encouragement we all received from fans and families along the route helped keep my motivation strong and my spirits high. I rolled into the 2nd stop to the cheers of the crowd and to a much welcomed lunch.
I have to say that PMC is a logistical machine. They organized a crew of 3,000 volunteers who worked, seemingly, non-stop all along the way to take care of the riders. Everything from medical attention, bike mechanics, DJs (playing pretty good music) and, literally, tons of food was there for us. Anything we needed for us to have a successful ride was provided. Hat’s off to PMC for doing a spectacular job in taking care of all the riders.Dave, Bill and I left Dighton and rode on together with full stomachs and high spirits. My legs took a little time to get warmed up again but we picked up the pace and, taking turns leading our little gang, we powered into each of the three remaining water stops feeling pretty good about our abilities and performance.
I finally was able to connect with another good friend, John, at one of the stops (we had not seen each other earlier in the day). Thank goodness for cell phones and texting. After the final water stop it was on to the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne and the end of day one. As we rode through Onset the crowds of supporters and well wishers were louder and more abundant. It was great to see the smiles on the faces of folks holding signs saying things like “I’m a Survivor” and “6 years in remission”. My heart was full as we made the final turn off Main Street in Bourne and into Academy Drive to the cheers of friends and families. Dave, Bill and I felt pretty good about Day 1 and we were all ready for a beer, some food and a good night’s rest.
Day 2
I was wide awake at 3:30 on Sunday morning and back at the starting area of the Mass Maritime Academy by 4:45. I waited for Dave and Bill for a while but, thinking that they might be ahead of me, I finally launched at about 5:15.
The climb over the Bourne Bridge was a wake-up call and got the legs moving. Once on the other side of the Cape Cod Canal, we were directed onto a bike path that paralleled the canal and were treated to a glorious sunrise. I smiled as I cranked along and thought that life was pretty perfect. I was reminded to stay alert and not lose focus as I saw several riders go down early on in the day. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but it pointed out what can happen when you take your eyes off the road even for a few seconds. Scary. I really enjoyed the stretch between the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges on the path but we were directed off the path and away from the water onto regular roads. Our greeting was a half mile climb at a reasonable grade followed by a left turn into another hill with an even steeper grade. By now, though, the legs were warmed up and up to the challenge. Then it was downhill on the back roads to Rte 6A and lots of flat road interspersed with low rolling hills: great riding terrain.
I felt pretty strong and noticed that I had unintentionally ratcheted up the pace. I rolled into the first stop of the day in Barnstable ready to refill the water bottles and grab a snack. I checked for Dave and Bill but did not connect with them so I decided that the day would continue to be solo for me. Riding with friends is great fun and helps the miles go by more quickly but most of my training had been solo so I was not bothered. Besides, all the supporters on the roadside and brief chats with other riders as we rolled along kept me smiling.
I continued to increase the pace along the way and felt really good about my fitness level and stamina. Gail calls me the energizer bunny and I really felt that I could ride all day long. The day was getting warm and I had to remember that hydration is crucial. I think I was drinking about two quarts of Gatorade or water every hour and still wondered if I was getting enough. Some of the roadside supporters had water bottles for us, others had hoses providing mist for us to ride through while more creative folks offered us lollipops or frozen treats (not a good idea for me but still much appreciated).
I rolled into the second water stop at Nickerson State park in Brewster really needing food. Low and behold, they had fluffer-nutters for us. I could not believe it. What a treat! I was also delighted to find some volunteers handing out towels soaked in ice water. These young girls were up to their elbows in big tubs of water and ice and, when asked if their arms hurt from the cold, they replied that it was no problem and that they were happy to do it. What great support from the PMC volunteers!
I launched off onto the next leg which took us on a great path through the state park and, eventually, onto the Cape Cod Rail Trail. More great riding. The volunteers had even been out with brooms to clear sand off the trail to reduce our risk. Unbelievable.When I reached the final stop in Wellfleet, I was ready to refuel and get back on the bike as the end in Provincetown was only 21.5 miles away. I e-mailed Gail that I thought I would be there by 11:00 and set off. I kept trying to remind myself that I had been on the bike for three hours and needed to control my pace so I did not run out of steam before the finish (that would have been a disaster). However, adrenaline is a powerful thing and, as before, the fans, other riders and thoughts of all whom I was riding for kept my motivation very high and my legs continued to piston me forward.
We spent a lot of time on Rte 6 which is a very busy road and I was grateful to the motorists for giving us lots of room and, occasionally, lots of cheers and honks of the horn. After we left Truro, I could see P-Town in the distance and started to get even more excited. The thought of achieving this goal was wonderful and, although there were a couple of long slow climbs we eventually got to an intersection where volunteers told us that the short route (one more mile) was straight ahead and the longer route (5 more miles was to the right). I will chalk up my decision to do the longer of the two to “seemed like a good idea at the time”. I had read stories about climbing the dunes just before getting into Provincetown but had told myself “They’re sand dunes. How bad can it be”? After riding 75 miles, climbing the three “dunes” seemed like more like climbing mountains but once over the top, it was pretty level down the last mile.I found myself alone on the road when I made the last turn into the Family Finish area and was astounded to be greeted by hundreds of friends and family all cheering, banging cow bells, giving me riding high-fives and thanking me by name. I felt like a hero even though I was just playing a small part in the PMC effort to find a cure. It was a fantastic end to an amazing two day journey and finding Gail made it all the better.
I had made great time, arriving half an hour earlier than expected, and was very pleased to have accomplished this part of my mission.My ride was in honor of Jeanne, Brett, Amy, David, Linda, Mary, Lynn, Roberta, Frank, John, Marion, Steve, Sharon, June (my mother-in-law), Grahame, Chet (my Dad), Kathy, Jared and Paws (woof).
Thanks to all who supported my ride with donations, kind words and encouraging thoughts. Thanks as well to Billy Starr, all the PMC staff and, especially all the volunteers (including the many policemen who donated their time to make sure the roads were safe for us). You are all wonderful and I am already looking forward to next year!
Day 1
My first Pan Mass Challenge ride was approached with more than a little concern as I had not done any long distance riding for more than thirty years. However, my motivation was that a number of close friends and family members have battled cancer and my mission was clear: do the ride, raise funds for cancer research and promote the cause.
Saturday morning started out cool for a day in August but quickly warmed up. Gail drove me to the PMC start and stayed with me while I got settled into the starting line. I met up with Dave, an old friend and Bill, a new friend and, after an inspirational welcome from PMC leadership and one of the best renditions of the national anthem I have ever heard (sung by a PMC rider and professional baritone), we were off.
The first few miles were slow due to the volume of riders but, since we launched with the “fast” riders, we were able to move forward and find some clear road relatively quickly. The early miles went by pretty easily and we approached the first water stop at 23 miles in good time and good spirits. Unfortunately, Dave, Bill and I got separated in the crowd of hundreds of riders just as we got to the stop so, after a brief refueling, I got back on the bike and headed out on my own to Dighton for the next stop and lunch.
The second stage was much like the first: relatively quick and easy (all the training miles were paying off). The encouragement we all received from fans and families along the route helped keep my motivation strong and my spirits high. I rolled into the 2nd stop to the cheers of the crowd and to a much welcomed lunch.
I have to say that PMC is a logistical machine. They organized a crew of 3,000 volunteers who worked, seemingly, non-stop all along the way to take care of the riders. Everything from medical attention, bike mechanics, DJs (playing pretty good music) and, literally, tons of food was there for us. Anything we needed for us to have a successful ride was provided. Hat’s off to PMC for doing a spectacular job in taking care of all the riders.Dave, Bill and I left Dighton and rode on together with full stomachs and high spirits. My legs took a little time to get warmed up again but we picked up the pace and, taking turns leading our little gang, we powered into each of the three remaining water stops feeling pretty good about our abilities and performance.
I finally was able to connect with another good friend, John, at one of the stops (we had not seen each other earlier in the day). Thank goodness for cell phones and texting. After the final water stop it was on to the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne and the end of day one. As we rode through Onset the crowds of supporters and well wishers were louder and more abundant. It was great to see the smiles on the faces of folks holding signs saying things like “I’m a Survivor” and “6 years in remission”. My heart was full as we made the final turn off Main Street in Bourne and into Academy Drive to the cheers of friends and families. Dave, Bill and I felt pretty good about Day 1 and we were all ready for a beer, some food and a good night’s rest.
Day 2
I was wide awake at 3:30 on Sunday morning and back at the starting area of the Mass Maritime Academy by 4:45. I waited for Dave and Bill for a while but, thinking that they might be ahead of me, I finally launched at about 5:15.
The climb over the Bourne Bridge was a wake-up call and got the legs moving. Once on the other side of the Cape Cod Canal, we were directed onto a bike path that paralleled the canal and were treated to a glorious sunrise. I smiled as I cranked along and thought that life was pretty perfect. I was reminded to stay alert and not lose focus as I saw several riders go down early on in the day. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but it pointed out what can happen when you take your eyes off the road even for a few seconds. Scary. I really enjoyed the stretch between the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges on the path but we were directed off the path and away from the water onto regular roads. Our greeting was a half mile climb at a reasonable grade followed by a left turn into another hill with an even steeper grade. By now, though, the legs were warmed up and up to the challenge. Then it was downhill on the back roads to Rte 6A and lots of flat road interspersed with low rolling hills: great riding terrain.
I felt pretty strong and noticed that I had unintentionally ratcheted up the pace. I rolled into the first stop of the day in Barnstable ready to refill the water bottles and grab a snack. I checked for Dave and Bill but did not connect with them so I decided that the day would continue to be solo for me. Riding with friends is great fun and helps the miles go by more quickly but most of my training had been solo so I was not bothered. Besides, all the supporters on the roadside and brief chats with other riders as we rolled along kept me smiling.
I continued to increase the pace along the way and felt really good about my fitness level and stamina. Gail calls me the energizer bunny and I really felt that I could ride all day long. The day was getting warm and I had to remember that hydration is crucial. I think I was drinking about two quarts of Gatorade or water every hour and still wondered if I was getting enough. Some of the roadside supporters had water bottles for us, others had hoses providing mist for us to ride through while more creative folks offered us lollipops or frozen treats (not a good idea for me but still much appreciated).
I rolled into the second water stop at Nickerson State park in Brewster really needing food. Low and behold, they had fluffer-nutters for us. I could not believe it. What a treat! I was also delighted to find some volunteers handing out towels soaked in ice water. These young girls were up to their elbows in big tubs of water and ice and, when asked if their arms hurt from the cold, they replied that it was no problem and that they were happy to do it. What great support from the PMC volunteers!
I launched off onto the next leg which took us on a great path through the state park and, eventually, onto the Cape Cod Rail Trail. More great riding. The volunteers had even been out with brooms to clear sand off the trail to reduce our risk. Unbelievable.When I reached the final stop in Wellfleet, I was ready to refuel and get back on the bike as the end in Provincetown was only 21.5 miles away. I e-mailed Gail that I thought I would be there by 11:00 and set off. I kept trying to remind myself that I had been on the bike for three hours and needed to control my pace so I did not run out of steam before the finish (that would have been a disaster). However, adrenaline is a powerful thing and, as before, the fans, other riders and thoughts of all whom I was riding for kept my motivation very high and my legs continued to piston me forward.
We spent a lot of time on Rte 6 which is a very busy road and I was grateful to the motorists for giving us lots of room and, occasionally, lots of cheers and honks of the horn. After we left Truro, I could see P-Town in the distance and started to get even more excited. The thought of achieving this goal was wonderful and, although there were a couple of long slow climbs we eventually got to an intersection where volunteers told us that the short route (one more mile) was straight ahead and the longer route (5 more miles was to the right). I will chalk up my decision to do the longer of the two to “seemed like a good idea at the time”. I had read stories about climbing the dunes just before getting into Provincetown but had told myself “They’re sand dunes. How bad can it be”? After riding 75 miles, climbing the three “dunes” seemed like more like climbing mountains but once over the top, it was pretty level down the last mile.I found myself alone on the road when I made the last turn into the Family Finish area and was astounded to be greeted by hundreds of friends and family all cheering, banging cow bells, giving me riding high-fives and thanking me by name. I felt like a hero even though I was just playing a small part in the PMC effort to find a cure. It was a fantastic end to an amazing two day journey and finding Gail made it all the better.
I had made great time, arriving half an hour earlier than expected, and was very pleased to have accomplished this part of my mission.My ride was in honor of Jeanne, Brett, Amy, David, Linda, Mary, Lynn, Roberta, Frank, John, Marion, Steve, Sharon, June (my mother-in-law), Grahame, Chet (my Dad), Kathy, Jared and Paws (woof).
Thanks to all who supported my ride with donations, kind words and encouraging thoughts. Thanks as well to Billy Starr, all the PMC staff and, especially all the volunteers (including the many policemen who donated their time to make sure the roads were safe for us). You are all wonderful and I am already looking forward to next year!
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