Prepping for the PMC

$35M Raised for Cancer Research

2011-11-11T15:37:00.000-05:00

Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Gives $35 million to Jimmy Fund
One-third of a billion dollars given over 32 years

BOSTON –– The 2011 Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC) raised $35 million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and its Jimmy Fund. The 2011 fundraising total is $2 million, or 5.7 percent, more than the PMC gave in 2010 and brings its 32-year Jimmy Fund contribution to $338 million.

Tonight, PMC Founder and Executive Director, Billy Starr, will present a ceremonial check to Dana-Farber President Edward J. Benz, Jr., MD at a Fenway Park celebration that will be attended by more than 500 PMC cyclists and volunteers.

The PMC is the most successful athletic fundraising event in the nation; it raises and contributes more money to charity than any other. The 2011 PMC exceeded its own fundraising goal of $34 million by $1 million. “PMC riders are committed to the cause and to this event,” said Billy Starr, PMC founder and executive director. “Their dedication to raising money for cancer research is unparalleled in the fundraising industry.”
The contribution represents 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar, a charity pass-through rate that is nearly unparalleled within the athletic fundraising event industry. Approximately 3,100 volunteers and 200 companies supplying almost $5 million in products and services provided riders with food, mechanical and medical assistance, luggage transport and support of all kinds.

Last August, 5,169 cyclists from eight countries and 37 states rode one of 11 routes that ranged from 25 to 190 miles. Riders included seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, Massachusetts Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, 350 cancer survivors, and avid cyclists and weekend warriors alike. Many rode in support of loved ones being treated for cancer or in memory of those who have been lost to the disease.

“PMC money is seed money that enables our scientists to conduct the earliest forms of research,” Benz said. “The money they raise is critical to our work. It enables us to invest in major new patient care and research initiatives that could otherwise go unfunded.”

Founded in 1980 when 36 cyclists rode across Massachusetts and raised $10,200 for the Jimmy Fund, the PMC is known today as the “gold standard” of athletic fundraising events due to the unprecedented sums it raises and its consistently efficient charity pass-through rate. One of the very first athletic fundraising events in the nation, the PMC was a pioneer in the way it focused on raising money for charity.

The 33rd annual PMC is set for Aug. 4 and 5, 2012. Registration opens online on Jan. 10 for PMC alumni and Jan. 17 for newcomers. For more information about the PMC, which is presented by the Boston Red Sox Foundation and New Balance, visit www.pmc.org.

Lance and Me

2011-08-02T12:29:00.001-05:00

It's official. Lance Armstrong will be joining me for this weekend's Pan Mass Challenge. (Me and 5300 other cyclists raising money for cancer research.)

For Lance, the 192 mile ride is little more than a warm-up jaunt around the neighborhood. For the rest of us, it's a wonderful way to spend two days on our bikes, enjoying the scenery, the comraderie and supporting the mission of the PMC.

For me, the ride is a gift -- an opportunity to make new friends, see old friends, enjoy two days on the bike cheerleading for such an important cause. It is the payback for the months of training and fundrasing. One of the very special parts of the ride, for me, is the climb along the ocean in Wellfleet. When I first did the ride some 15 years ago, I struggled up this climb. Now I attack it, drawing strength from my fellow riders and the onlookers. Here's what the climb looks like from my vantage point.

I committed to raising $10,000 for cancer research this year and to pedaling the 192 miles from Wellesley to Provincetown. I will continue to share some of last year's videos with you, so that you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the ride.

I have a fabulous support team for the ride, including my wife who has been volunteering for the PMC for many years. In fact, for every two riders, there's one volunteer -- a team of more than 2,500 volunteers who help ensure that the event is successful.

And I have built a team of financial supporters over the years, several hundred people who donate $10 or more (averaging almost $150 per person). Without this second team, the PMC would be just another weekend bike ride.

I need your help to make my personal goal. Together we will raise $35 million this year for cancer research, with fully 100% of all donations going to the Jimmy Fund and the Dana Farber. 100%!

The ride starts in 4 days. I have training and fundraising to do and I appreciate your support.

Best,

Lee

To donate, please visit https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033

11 Days to Go

2011-08-02T10:10:00.000-05:00

(Originally written on July 26, 2011)

Myra Kraft passed away last week, after a battle with cancer. She was an amazing woman, giving so much of herself over the years. She ran the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation; was active in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, the American Repertory Theater, and the Combined Jewish Philanthropies, among others.

In addition, for more than 30 years, she supported the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Her husband, Robert, is a Dana-Farber trustee. I don't know if she ever rode the Pan Mass Challenge, but I would not be surprised if she had!

Given her work with children, she would have enjoyed riding by the summer camp in Brewster. Every year the campers line up alongside the road, cheering and doing the "wave" as we ride by.

Here is a rider's view of their cheer.

I committed to raising $10,000 for cancer research this year and to pedaling the 190 miles from Wellesley to Provincetown. Over the next few weeks, I will share more of last year's videos with you, so that you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the ride.

With your help, we will raise $35 million this year for cancer research, with fully 100% of all donations going to the Jimmy Fund and the Dana Farber. 100%!

The ride starts in 11 days. I have training and fundraising to do. I appreciate your support.

Best,

Lee

To donate, please visit https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033

Amie's Story

2011-08-02T10:09:00.000-05:00

(Originally written June 26, 2011)

My friend Amie has been battling cancer for six years. For the past two, I've ridden the PMC with her, and hope to ride with her again this August. On Saturday, she was at Fenway Park, with the Boston Bruins, the Stanley Cup, and the annual gathering of the PMC at Fenway. Here's a link to a short video in which she discusses her cancer, the PMC and the Dana Farber.

And here is a link to a video of Amie, her husband Greg and the rest of our PMC team riding into the Provincetown finish line at the 2010 PMC.

With your help, Amie will be able to enjoy many more PMC finishes like this one!

With your help, we will raise $35 million this year for cancer research, with fully 100% of all donations going to the Jimmy Fund and the Dana Farber. 100%!

The ride starts in 41 days. I have training and fundraising to do. I appreciate your support.

Best,

Lee

To donate, please visit https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033

Too Young

2011-08-02T10:07:00.000-05:00

(Originally written May 15, 2011)

In January, as I have done in each of the previous 13 Januarys, I registered for the Pan Mass Challenge and committed to raising money for cancer research. Between the snow, the rain, the new job and life in general, however, I have not been focusing on PMC training.

While my bike waits patiently, cancer does not. We've lost more than a few good people to cancer this year, some famous, some family, some friends. The news delivers the constant reminder that the fight must go on.

And then I attended the Needham Relay for Life this weekend and noticed a young girl walking in the first lap of the event...the Survivor's Lap.

She's too young to be a survivor, I thought. That's just not fair.

Survivors are supposed to be older, adults who can understand the disease, who can ask questions of the doctors, who can deal with the questions "why me" and "what if"...and sometimes "how long."

Then I thought of the young girl, another cancer survivor, who I met at a water stop during the 2009 PMC. When I asked if I could take her picture, she requested my camera and demanded a picture of me! That brief encounter left a large imprint.

This courageous young girl was battling cancer and just didn't know that things should be different, that she should be out playing ball or roller skating or playing with friends, rather than going to the Dana Faber and receiving chemo.

Or maybe she did know...and was insisting on some normalcy in her life. After all, I was the one who had just ridden 80 miles on a bicycle (on my way to Bourne and 100 miles for the first day), while she sat with her mom and sister under a shade tree watching the event. She did take a great picture.

So I ride for her and for all the other children who shouldn't have to deal with cancer.

I committed to raising $10,000 for cancer research this year and to pedaling the 190 miles from Wellesley to Provincetown. The ride itself should be easy...I've done it many times before and it is always my favorite ride of the year. I see old friends, make new ones, laugh and cry with all.

With your help, we will raise $35 million this year for cancer research, with fully 100% of all donations going to the Jimmy Fund and the Dana Farber. 100%!

The ride starts in 82 days. I have training and fundraising to do. I appreciate your support.

Best,

Lee

To donate, please visit https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033

The Law of Attraction

2011-03-16T15:13:00.007-05:00

Driving instructors tell their students to look where they want to go. For a clean line through a curve, look way ahead to the latter part of the turn. And they caution to avoid looking where they don’t want to go. Don’t look at the headlights of the oncoming traffic. Instead, keep your eyes focused on the road ahead of you...where you do want to go.

The universe has a similar law of attraction. What you focus on, you get. Good or bad, the universe doesn’t care. Focus on good things and you get good things. Focus on bad things…

Most people know me as a positive person. And it’s true, I’ve worked hard to clear out the negativity in my life and to focus on the positive. I truly believe that one creates whatever he or she wants by being clear about those wants and by using language to create the possibility.

Does it also take hard work? Sure. Are some things physically impossible? Maybe. However, the reality is that we are capable of accomplishing far more than our current belief systems allow. My friend Pam Fernandez didn’t let her blindness stand between her and a gold medal and World Record Time, in cycling, at the 2000 Sydney Para-Olympic Games!

So what does this have to do with the Pan Mass Challenge and cancer research?

Over the past fourteen years I’ve spent a lot of time and energy focusing on fundraising for cancer research. And I’m well aware of the law of attraction.

But I haven’t been focusing on cancer. I’ve been focusing on creating a world free of cancer, a world of health and vitality. I get great pleasure in riding the 194 miles of the Pan Mass Challenge, not because it’s a wonderful bike ride, but because I have the opportunity to be strong for those who may be struggling. I consider myself a cheerleader for the cause, enrolling others not just in the fight to end cancer, but to create a world of health and vitality.

Sometimes maintaining a positive context can be a challenge. One of my PMC teammates told me last week that she’s now undergoing weekly treatments at the Dana Farber. She’s been coping with her cancer, with her typical positive attitude, for a long time. She didn’t need a cheerleader; she just needed a hug.

I was there to give her that hug. And it was the kick in the pants I needed to get into action around this year’s PMC. I’ve started my fundraising earlier and I intend to raise more money this year.

And I need your help. Together we win.

Together we can create a world of health and vitality. And to do that, we need to continue to fund the research that will help to eradicate cancer.

To donate please visit the PMC website. Fully 100% of every dollar raised goes to cancer research. If you have already donated, thank you!

Resources: For an introduction to the law of attraction, I’d suggest the excellent book Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting, by Lynn Grabhorn. You can purchase it here on Amazon .

Business executives who want to foster health and vitality in their businesses (and enjoy a boost to their bottom line) should contact the Boston-based wellness firm, AdvancingWellness. The founder of the business is a long-standing supporter of the PMC.

Together we win!

Thank you,

Lee

The Optimist Rides Again

2011-01-24T15:52:00.004-05:00

Registration for the Pan Mass Challenge opens in January, and for each of the past 14 years, I have logged on to the PMC website, confirmed my registration information, accepted the various commitments and disclaimers, and hit the registration button.

The first day of registration fell between several of the many snowstorms we've had this year. The seemingly unending snow did give me pause for thought. Will it ever stop snowing? Will I be able to get out on the road to train before June? What will the economy be like this year? Will people donate as they have in years past?

Then I pressed the registration button. I have faith that just as the weather will turn and the snow will melt, we will once again raise some $35 million for cancer research and the Jimmy Fund.

We have made great strides in cancer research, yet last year we also lost more than a few great people to the disease. Laurent Fignon, a two-time winner of the Tour de France, lost his fight with cancer in August. Fignon was just a month older than I am. A good friend, Steven Gainsboro, lost his fight with brain cancer in December.

So I ride. I am a cheerleader for the PMC, for fundraising, for the eradication of cancer. I see the possibility of a day when people no longer have to suffer through chemotherapy, to quietly endure the extended after-effects of chemo, to have to grieve for those they've lost.

With your help, we can fund the research that will bring that day closer.

To donate please visit the PMC website. Fully 100% of every dollar raised goes to cancer research. If you have already donated, thank you!

Thank you,

Lee

The Road Awaits

2010-08-06T23:02:00.001-05:00

Time to go. The road awaits.

As always, the journey to the PMC is different than what I expected. The bike is ready, the bags are packed, the legs have fewer miles than I would have liked. Amy is ready to take up her traditional volunteer role as a crew leader in Bourne, helping tired riders find their dorm rooms, showers, luggage, a spare towel, a cold drink, a sweaty hug!

For me, this great bike ride is no longer about the ride. It's about the experience, the conversations with other riders and the many supporters along the way, and with the survivors.

Last weekend, halfway into a 60 mile training ride, I struck up a conversation with another rider at a popular rest stop in Carlisle, just north of Concord. We had some friends and experiences in common. She had ridden the PMC, supporting her husband who had been stricken by cancer a few years ago. He survived the radiation and chemo and is now cancer-free. But the treatments have changed him and his health has not come back. His work is affected, his life is affected. Call it collateral damage. The cancer is gone but the patient is forever changed. She didn't know if they would survive as a couple.

I offered my assistance, my phone number, and my Livestrong wristband. Then I headed up the road to continue to my training. I rode strongly, motivated by the knowledge that we still have much work to do.

So off I go to ride another PMC, another 192 miles towards the goal of eradicating cancer. We expect to raise more than $31M this year, and my personal goal is to raise $10,000. I'm about a third of the way there, and I'm counting on you to help!

100% of the money raised is delivered to the Jimmy Fund to support cancer research. One hundred percent!

This is why I ride...why I am so passionate about the PMC and raising money for the Jimmy Fund. I do it because I can make a difference...by raising money for cancer research, by recruiting new people to the cause, by showing strength and determination at mile 80.

I can't do it alone. Together we will win.

To donate please visit the PMC website. If you have already donated, thank you!

Time to ride!

Lee

Ouch!

2010-07-10T14:38:00.006-05:00

My story, and I'm sticking to it, is that I was hurt during the Tour De France. 14 stitches and the doctor told me to stay off the bike for five days! Wait a minute, other riders in the Tour have broken wrists, broken collarbones...all I've got is a measly few stitches.

The good news is that I will probably have a great scar...one in the shape of a Campagnolo Record 50 tooth chainring on my left calf.

So...I was invited to participate in a video shoot in preparation for the PMC opening ceremony. Six of us spent a couple of hours this morning riding up a long sun-drenched side road, past a young cyclist who then jumped on his bike and gave chase. At the end of the shoot, coming back towards the camera, I came to a stop but didn't clip out.

Crash.

Ouch.

Blood.

Somehow I managed to catch my left calf with my big chainring.

No major damage, except to my ego. The bike is fine. I'm off the bike for five days. Stitches will come out in 10, just before Amy and I head to Kansas City where she attends the annual Silpada Jewelry sales conference and I go biking through rural Missouri.

I hope Lance can maintain his position in the tour without me!

At least I can still fundraise :)

To donate please visit the PMC website.

Time to ride (or not)!

Lee

29 Days and Counting

2010-07-09T16:24:00.008-05:00

29 days to the 2010 PMC. $1,598 raised so far, as part of my contribution to the $31M expected to be raised this year for the Jimmy Fund. 192 miles between Sturbridge and Provincetown. 4,500 riders. 2,500 volunteers. 100% of all money raised delivered to the Jimmy Fund.

But the PMC is not about the numbers. It's about an 8 year old girl battling leukemia. She's a pedal partner of one of the teams, and she'll be waiting at the lunch stop to meet the team. They'll be hot and sweaty, and when they sit down to talk with her, they will forget their aches and pains and just have a good cry. Or maybe they'll be strong for her and not let her see the tears in their eyes.

It's just not fair.

Stephen was beating cancer. Holly was so positive in all posts on CaringBridge. Then it came back. He's fighting again.

Another friend doesn't know how long her husband will be around to raise their children. Maybe a year. Maybe 10. She lives with this unknown and deals with it every day.

One of my workmates was diagnosed with ovarian cancer four years ago. She is now the focal point of our riding team and she puts in the miles with the rest of us. She simply refuses to give in to cancer.

This is why I ride...why I am so passionate about the PMC and raising money for the Jimmy Fund. I do it because I can make a difference...by raising money for cancer research, by recruiting new people to the cause, by showing strength and determination at mile 80.

I can't do it alone. Together we will win.

To donate please visit the PMC website.

Time to ride!

Lee

It's Over...but we're not done...

2009-09-21T10:53:00.005-05:00

The ride is over, the miles are done, the bike has been cleaned up, the muscles are long since recovered.

The 2009 PMC was another great event. The weather was perfect, the ride was fabulous. Almost $30 million in the bank so far.

My 2009 fundraising ends in just over a week, on October 1, and I would appreciate your donation of $1000 or whatever you feel comfortable contributing...

To donate please visit the PMC website.

Thank you!

About the ride...

I felt like I didn't have enough miles under my belt for a strong ride, but I was wrong. I rode strongly, averaging 20+ miles per hour for several segments on both Saturday and Sunday.

On day one I stopped at a water stop and chatted briefly with a young girl obviously in the middle of chemo. She was playing with her older sister and when I offered to take her picture, she grabbed my camera and asked if she could take mine! Of course...and the picture was a keeper.

Other pictures from the weekend are available here.

On the second day I rode with other members of Team Pedal 2 The Mettle for a while, then sprinted off to play in the pace lines down Route 6A. At one of my favorite parts of the ride, heading to the ocean beaches and turning left to climb up a steep rise, I encountered an oncoming truck.

In the early years of this ride, this climb frustrated me; now I rush it in a big gear. I squeezed past the truck and took the hill...it felt fabulous to get to the top and to continue up the false flat (really a shallow ascent). This year the fog blocked the view of the ocean...but it was still a gorgeous part of the ride. Not long after this climb I arrirved at the last water stop and spent a few minutes sitting on the revered "ice chair."

Then off to Provincetown, a quick shower and some food, and then a fast drive back to Boston to pick up Rachel at Logan Airport. She had been in Israel for the past five weeks and we had a great homecoming!

After a brief respite I'm back at it. While the 2009 PMC may be over, the fight against cancer goes on. According to the National Institute of Health, some 3,400 people are diagnosed with cancer every day in the US. Another 1,500 die from the disease every day. One recent notable loss -- Patrick Swayze lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on September 15th.

So our fight goes on.

While I haven't yet reached this year's goal of $10,000, with your help I do expect to come pretty close.

Thank you for your support of the Pan Mass Challenge and joining me in the fight to eradicate cancer!

To donate please visit the PMC website.

Lee

Time to Ride!

2009-07-31T22:33:00.002-05:00

The 30th annual Pan Mass Challenge starts Saturday morning at 7 am.

And not a moment too soon.

Connecticut senator Chris Dodd announced this week that he has prostate cancer. I just found out that a good friend and neighbor is battling lymphoma. The head of my PMC riding team starts radiation therapy in a couple of weeks for a brain tumor. A loved one is waiting for the results of a biopsy.

While I can't make their cancers go away, I can ride my bike 190 miles to raise money for the Jimmy Fund and cancer research.

In the first five miles of my ride on Saturday, I will stop to hug the widow of a riding buddy lost to cancer. I don't know how I will be able to get back on my bike and leave her. I also know that it is the only thing for me to do.

With your help, we will raise $30 million this year and donate 100% to the Jimmy Fund.

My bike is ready. My saddle bag is packed. My riding gear is laid out, a uniform to be worn into battle with 5,000 other cyclists, all riding to help cure cancer.

More than a few of the people on my mailing list have lost loved ones to cancer. More than a few have had a brush with cancer themselves. I ride for you and I ride for those who are battling cancer now.

If you have already donated, thank you for your support. Every dollar is appreciated. I'm just over 20% of the way to my goal of raising $10,000 this year and with your help I may just make it.

If you have not yet donated to the Pan Mass Challenge this year, please do so now. We're all fighting this battle together, one way or another.

To donate please visit http://www.pmc.org/profile/LL0033

Time to ride,

Lee

Thank you for the support

2009-06-30T10:30:00.005-05:00

When I first got involved in the Pan Mass Challenge, it was for the bike ride. Then just 10 miles into the ride, on my very first day, out in the hills near Sturbridge, I started to see families sitting by the side of the road. 6 am, drinking coffee, holding signs saying "Thank you for supporting us".

I wondered why the signs said that. Then light dawned on marble head. D'oh! They were cancer survivors. They weren't there to provide support for me riding 190 miles. They were there to thank me for supporting them in their fight.

And right then and there the ride turned into a cause.

When I conduct my fundraising, when I ride the PMC, I think of all of the people who have been afflicted with cancer. All who have shared their stories with me. The father who lost his son to cancer. The woman who lost her twin.

And all of those who have fought and won.

Support the PMC and its mission by contributing at http://www.pmc.org/profile/LL0033.

Thanks!

Lee

Another Battle Lost

2009-06-25T12:03:00.003-05:00

Farrah Fawcett died today after a two year battle with cancer. She was 62.

Will I Be There?

2009-06-23T09:17:00.003-05:00

In January I signed up for the two day Pan Mass Challenge, committing to raise $4,200 for cancer research. At the time, I did not know whether I could make the two day ride, as my daughter was scheduled to return from a five week leadership trip to Israel on that Sunday.

Things have a way of working themselves out...or more precisely, I trusted that the universe would open up a space to allow me to ride and to get to the airport in time for my daughter's return.

In April we found out that her flight comes in mid-afternoon, which gives me just enough time to complete the Sunday ride, shower, eat and drive back from Provincetown to Logan Airport. I'm still a bit concerned about the timing, but I trust that things will work out. The day will be gorgeous, the weather perfect, I will pull strongly through the dunes on the Cape and into Provincetown, and then get to the airport in time to throw my arms around my daughter as she walks through the airport.

I do this because my friend Adam just finished chemotherapy and we're celebrating. I do this because my friend Jan just finished chemotherapy and we're celebrating. I do this because my teammate Aimee is still fighting her battle and a ten mile ride is a good ride for her right now. She's planning on riding the PMC and I will be there to support her. I didn't know this when I signed up, but the universe has a way of making things happen.

I've raised a grand total of $90 so far this year, not very far towards my goal of raising $10,000. It's a tough year with the challenges of the economy and the PMC has set a relatively modest goal of raising $30 million this year. I will do my part and I need your help.

Together we can raise the money to fund cancer research. Fully 100% of every dollar raised goes to cancer research. Please use this online form to make a donation. Every dollar helps.

I'm pedaling 192 miles in August, my annual pilgrimmage across the Cape to help eradicate cancer. Will you help?

Perhaps my Best PMC Ever!

2008-08-04T22:47:00.002-05:00

This weekend's PMC was possibly my best ever...and for so many reasons. Talking with a good friend on Friday afternoon I have a premonition that it's going to be a very special PMC, one about connections and support and energy. My PMC experience always seems to mirror everything else that's going on in my life, and twice now the PMC marks an important turning point in my life.

And even before the start, it happens. At registration Friday evening, I bump into an old friend, a guy that had stopped riding the PMC for a few years but was back. He had been in my original PMC riding and training pack. Another in the group lost his mom to cancer two years ago, then one of our group lost his own battle with cancer last summer just after the PMC. My friend can't stay away any longer. He's back to resume the battle against cancer. Then Amy and I run into another old friend, a cancer survivor herself. Her husband is riding for the first time. We go out to dinner together, for one or two final plates of "carbo-loading", and we spend way too much time just sitting and talking and laughing. And it's okay, it's great, it's what this is all about.

I have too much to do on Saturday morning -- prepare the bike, pack the clothes, pack the car...I start a full hour late, leaving my house in Needham at 8 am, long after the official Wellesley start.

The roads are deserted. I make my way along the familiar PMC route, following the signage and wondering where everybody is. Did something terrible happen and the PMC was cancelled?

No...I eventually catch up with a couple of stragglers...people who are taking a long time to cover such a short distance. The red PMC sag wagons begin to show, circling these riders, helping one after another as they stop with mechanical problems.

In the meantime, I am underway. I always have "happy legs" on Saturday morning...lots of energy, little regard for the 90 miles that lie ahead. But I know the route well, and I know where I can push hard. I arrive at the first water stop at 20 something miles and find much of the group that started in Wellesley. I top off my water bottles and continue on. Now I am truly rolling.

Just before the lunch stop, the Wellesley and Sturbridge routes merge, with *many* cyclists of all skills heading in the same direction. Arriving at the lunch stop, at 42 miles, I had averaged over 18 miles an hour, a good average for a 40 mile ride. I feel strong. My training in the heat and rolling hills of Missouri the week before is paying off.

But it's not about the ride, it's about the cause and the people. Parts of the weekend do hold special treats for me, like the sprint up a hill in Wellfleet and the long fast run into Provincetown. More about that later.

For the 50 miles from lunch to Bourne, I take it a bit more slowly and enjoy the ride, connecting with people, seeing old friends, seeing the familiar pictures of children on the route, and pictures of cancer victims attached to other riders' jerseys. The last is a sad reminder of the ongoing battle against cancer.

Arriving in Bourne is like coming home...Amy volunteers for the PMC in Bourne her her entire team cheers my arrival (as they do for every rider!). Amy and I stay at a B&B near the Mass Maritime Academy and we're always treated like family...

The Sunday morning 4 am wake up call comes too early...I am not asleep, but I haven't slept enough. It doesn't matter, it is time to ride.

Out the door, watching the weather. Saturday had been warm and sunny, but had also threatened showers. Those showers came late in the afternoon, long after most riders had finished for the day.

The clouds promises rain, but thankfully, they will hold off. That rain never happens.

The ride Sunday is different than I expect. Usually the first twenty miles is a warmup and the second twenty is my fastest. This time, the first twenty is eerie...the fog was dense along the Cape Cod Canal and we can barely see the water. It's never been that thick before and the humidity weighs heavily on us. My gloves are sticky with moisture on the handlebars and my sunglasses are fogging.

In that first twenty miles I meet up with a rider from Princeton, New Jersey, who is riding an old classic Italian racing bike, a Colnago. I have a particular love for Colnagos as they fit me extremely well, and we talk for a while about bikes. We get into a rhythm and I lead a long fast charge along the route, 24 miles an hour and better. We'll meet up again several times over the course of the day and her team of three will provide me with a leadout at the end, but we're still not there yet...

I am wearing a Boston Road Club jersey and another rider calls out "Go BRC"...turns out he's a fellow club member, an old racer, and we have similar business interests as well. We ride together for a while, and my average speed comes way down.

The day turns into one of connections as I spend time talking with one old friend after another. One friend is riding for his sister, who had lost her battle with cancer three years ago. Another is riding for his mom, who had lost her battle last year.

Another connection surprises and delights me...years ago I passed an elderly lady in a wheel chair, by the side of the road on the cape, just one of the many supporters. I wanted to stop and visit with her for a minute, maybe to cry, maybe to laugh, to give her some of my energy for whatever fight she's facing, but by the time I thought about it, it was too late, I was too far down the road. This year, another lady in a wheelchair is along the same stretch of road. She's clapping and waving, and it's an exertion for her. I don't know whether she's just an elderly lady with a connection to cancer, or whether she's fighting cancer herself, but I pick her out of the crowd and for a few seconds our eyes latch on to one another and we briefly connect...even as I'm rolling by at 20 miles an hour. As we connect her face lights up...and I can now forgive myself for not having stopped years ago.

I talk with riders from across the country. A rider from Newton, now living in Kansas. We talk about riding in the rolling hills of rural Missouri. Another rider from Fort Lauderdale -- no hills (except the causeways), but plenty of headwinds along A1A, headwinds I've suffered in the past.

My favorite hill comes up sooner than I expected, but I am ready for it...this steep hill climbs from sealevel to three or four hundred feet of elevation, providing a beautiful overlook of the Atlantic Ocean. Each year I attack this hill more strongly. Taking a lesson from Lance Armstrong, I upshift and attack. Climbing the hill at twenty five miles per hour, I rush past other cyclists struggling to ascend. It's been a long two days, with almost 150 miles under our belts, but this hill is mine.

Then we arrive at the last water stop, twenty five miles from Provincetown. I hate this water stop...it means the PMC is almost over, and I want it to go on and on. I spend ten minutes sitting on the "ice sofa", providing some cooling relief...I had heard of the magical effects of this sofa constructed from bags of ice, but had never tried it before. A couple of other riders stop by and comment about my rush up the hill. They marvel at my energy, and I do too...but this is the essence of the PMC for me...bringing my energy to this event so that it will accomplish our shared goal of eradicating cancer. I leave the waterstop and stop again only a few hundred yards later in front of a fire station. Amy is there cheering me on. A big wet sweaty hug (she must really love me!), another ten minutes just hanging out, enjoying the day, prolonging the PMC by that many more minutes.

Then it's on to Provincetown...the paceline down Route 6, fighting the ever-present headwind as we leave the dunes of Truro and come into PTown. I'm following, I'm leading, I'm rolling towards the finish line. Along the dunes of PTown, my friend with the Colnago and her teammates go by and I latch on. Two miles to go, I'm on the back of the train, and it's time to go. I've been sitting in the protection of three other cyclists, blocking the wind, conserving energy. Then I'm out in the wind, upshifting again. It's flat from here to Route 6, and I'm sprinting for the finish. I've never had this much kick at the end before, but this time, the energy is there and I go. My leadout team is far behind now and I'm rolling into the finish line alone, just hundreds of cheering supporters lining the road. And another big sweaty hug for Amy, who is there with my CSC cowbell, ringing it for every rider crossing the finish line.

That feeling of riding with hundreds of people cheering me on is indescribable. It's part of the reason I ride...all of those people have some connection to cancer. Nobody lines the side of the road at 6 am or in the heat of the day cheering and clapping without that connection. I'm there to pay that energy forward, to do my share in the fight. I show them that I can be strong for them. I want them to take that energy for their own personal fights.

Provincetown today is full of PMCers. Amy and I meet two first year riders, a father and daughter. Neither was a cyclist, both are motivated to ride for the cause. I congratulate them on their ride and am a little sad at the same time. I don't ask, but first time riders are usually motivated by a friend's or loved one's diagnosis.

This year's PMC is over. The fight is not. If you've already made your donation, thank you. I'm exactly halfway to my goal of raising $10,000 for cancer research. Along with my dad and my father in law and my cousin (all survivors) and many friends and oh so many other people, I carry the names you provide, of survivors, and of loved one's lost. More than a few of my supporters are survivors themselves, and I carry those names with me as well.

If you haven't yet made a donation, there's still time. This year the PMC is expected to raise $34 million for cancer research -- the Jimmy Fund -- and fully 100% of the money raised goes to cancer research. Yes, 100%.

I need your help. Will you help me reach my goal of $10,000, of the $34M goal of the PMC, of our shared goal of eradicating cancer? You can visit the webpage below and donate online, or if you'd prefer to donate by check, let me know and I'll send you more details.

We ave all been touched by cancer one way or another. Thank you for the support and your help in this battle!

Thanks!

Lee

PMC Donations
PMC Story

P.S. I'm also pleased to report a minor personal win. For years I've struggled with significant sensitivity to sun, so much so that last week in Missouri I cycled with a long sleeve lycra jersey in 95 degree heat. It kept the sun off my arms, but I roasted. I've ordered sun protection shirts and Castelli knickers, but I'm concerned about overheating, as I did in Missouri. "Normal" sunscreen -- Coppertone Sport 50+ -- tends to work pretty well for me, except on the inside of my elbows and the backs of my knees. These areas seem to be more affected by the sun, perhaps because of the perspiration or flexing of the skin...last week at REI I picked up a small tube of Aloe Gator 40+ sunscreen, guaranteed for 8 hours of coverage, and I applied this clear gel to these two areas. It worked beautifully, no burning or itching from those two areas.

The Morning of the PMC

2008-08-02T06:08:00.003-05:00

The bike is ready, I'm ready, the road beckons.

Forecast for this afternoon is for heavy thunderstorms...hopefully I'll be in Bourne before they arrive.

It's time to hit the road...I have miles to cover, friends to connect with, people to cheer on, and to be cheered by.

http://www.pmc.org/mypmc/profiles.asp?Section=story&eGiftID=LL0033

Lee

Only 100 degrees...

2008-07-28T09:51:00.005-05:00

Last week I accompanied my wife to the annual Silpada Designs sales conference. This is our second time to the conference, and again, it was a wonderful experience. Amy attended the conference, learned a lot, hung out with her team, and networked with many other independent Silpada reps.

I continued my training for the upcoming PMC, only a few days away now. I shipped my bike out early via Fedex Ground and it was waiting for me when we arrived on Wednesday.

Thursday I started a ride just north of Kansas City in a small town aptly named Paradise. 80 degrees, sunny, a cool breeze, virtually empty roads, and curteous drivers. Yep, Paradise!

I rode a loop through Trimble, up north and east to Plattsburgh, and then back south to Paradise. About 50 miles. Just a gorgeous day to be out on the bike.

Friday I headed south. Starting in a town about 15 miles south of KC, my intention was to complete a loop down to Peculiar. Peculiar is an interesting town, nothing overly peculiar about it, just another one of many small towns in rural Missouri. Peculiar is on a major north/south roadway, so it gets a fair amount of drivethrough traffic, and I believe it's also a starting point for a popular KCBC ride.

Well, I didn't make it to Peculiar...it was a hot day...a very hot day...at one point my cyclometer read 100 degrees. IIRC, last year I saw 102, so 100 wasn't so bad. :)

At about 20 miles, I stopped at a large industrial supply retailer, a shop that sells architectural stone and other goodies for landscaping. The retailer had a couple of wooden rockers on their large stone front porch, nicely shaded from the sun, and music playing through a set of outdoor speakers. This was an ideal place to stop and just relax for a while.

I then continued south towards Peculiar, but I never found my way there. I ended up getting somewhat lost, which interestingly, is not a real problem in rural Missouri. The roads are essentially laid out in a big grid, with numbered roads generally running east-west and lettered roads running north-south. I wandered for a while, made a few wrong turns and eventually found my way back to a familiar road.

Not far from my starting point, at about 5 pm, I saw another cyclist...the first and only other serious cyclist over the several days. When I commented on this to a bike shop owner the next day, he said "we don't ride in the heat...we get out early and finish by 10 am." I was starting way too late to see any other cyclists.

That Friday evening, as I was having dinner, the KC Critical Mass group went by...a collection of riders on really interesting bikes, everything from old Schwinn banana seat bikes, to fixxies, to tandems, and everything else you can imagine. They were having fun...

Saturday I took my last ride in KC...a beautiful 35 mile loop north of the city. Another hot day, but this year I brought my Camelbak and had plenty of water.

Sunday Amy and her team and I visited the Silpada corporate headquarters, and then headed home. American Airlines was kind to us, upgrading us on both segments from KC through Chicago and then home. I guess I was one of the few Platinums on the route...

Five days to the PMC. I'm ready, the bike is ready, I've raised $3,200 to date, about a third of the way to my goal this year of $10,000. I expect to make it...most of my donations come in just before and after the event.

I remind myself that the PMC is not about the ride. It's not about the bike. It's about raising the money for cancer research, and for me specifically, it's about enrolling people and getting them involved in the event -- as sponsors, as volunteers, as riders. If you are interested in being part of this ever-growing team, drop me a note and we'll find an opportunity for you to contribute.

And of course I'd appreciate your financial support. Fully 100% of all donations go directly to fund cancer research. This year I expect the PMC will raise somewhere between $35M and $40M in total, and your $10, $50, $100, or $500 donation is critical to our success.

http://www.pmc.org/mypmc/profiles.asp?Section=story&eGiftID=LL0033

Thanks!

Lee

Climbing to the Scenic Vista

2008-06-24T06:14:00.003-05:00

On Sunday I did a 44 mile bike ride in memory of a 19 year old girl, Alison Hayes, who lost her battle with cancer last December. Her father and her two younger sisters announced the start of the ride, a fundraiser for cancer research.

We climbed 22 miles to a scenic vista on the Kangamangus Highway, a road that winds through the beautiful White Mountain State Forest in central New Hampshire. The last five miles of the ride were a nasty, steady climb, an 8 or 10% grade, and I walked more of that climb than I really wanted to. It was hot (90 degrees) and humid. And I was racing against an approaching tormfront that threatened both downpours and lightning.

But I also had a quote from Lance Armstrong echoing in my head "Pain is temporary, quitting is forever."

And I was thinking of Alison's sisters who had sent us off 20 miles and 2 hours early. I couldn't disappoint them.

I made it to the scenic vista at mile marker 22.2, our turnaround. There they were, cheering us on.

The rest of the ride was a breeze, literally. We donned our raingear and plummeted south down the mountain, averaging 35 miles an hour for the first 5 or 6 miles. The rest of the ride was easy and largely dry.

Other riders didn't have it so easy. 15 minutes after my riding buddy and I put our bikes on the car bike rack, the weather finally hit. Torrential downpours and frequent lightning. About half of the riders were still out on the course and the organizers went out to retrieve them. They all rrived wet and safe.

We had accomplished what we had set out to do. It didn't matter that some had finished by car. It didn't matter that I had only one donor for this particular event (me), or that I had to drive 160 miles to get to the start of the ride.

This is what we do to battle cancer, one dollar, one donation, one mile at a time.

I need your help. This is a personal request. If you want to honor those who have been stricken by cancer, and those who have beaten it, make a donation.

If you want to help beat cancer, please make a donation.

Thanks,

Lee

http://www.pmc.org/mypmc/profiles.asp?Section=story&eGiftID=LL0033

Closer by the Mile

2007-08-03T20:16:00.001-05:00

Friday night. The 2007 PMC has already started with the opening ceremonies in Sturbridge. A tearjerker this year, with stories of loved ones that have lost their battle with cancer, and a conversation with an 11 year old boy who first battled cancer at 4.

The bike is almost ready. An updated weather forecast suggests that I can remove the fenders I installed yesterday. Hooray! I still have to put the PMC numbers on the bike, pack my stuff and get to bed early (yea right!) so that I can get an early start. The weatherman is talking about 90+ degree temps even on the Cape tomorrow, so I'll be working to get to Bourne as early as possible (by 1 at the latest, perhaps earlier.)

The ride for me is payback for the months of training and fundraising. It's the best supported ride I've ever done, and I've done the route so many times that I have a series of favorite sections.

After 15 or 20 miles tomorrow morning I'll get into a groove, ticking off the miles, stopping when necessary for food, water and suntan lotion. It's a great feeling, flying along with 4,000 other cyclists all working towards the same goal...of arriving in Bourne early to get a great massage, and of course, of raising $27M to help cure cancer.

Thank you for your support of the Pan Mass Challenge and of the Jimmy Fund.

If you haven't donated yet, please visit:

https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033

I've raised almost $7,000 as of the PMC. My goal remains $10,000, with your help we'll reach that goal, and we'll help fund the cure for cancer.

Thanks!

Lee

Missouri -- A Great Place for a Bike Ride!

2007-07-27T10:04:00.000-05:00

I'm in Kansas City Missouri, accompanying Amy at a Silpada jewelry conference. On Wednesday, I headed south to a town named Peculiar (weird, huh?) and did a 45 mile loop. What a wonderful place to ride.

The drivers are extremely curteous -- they wait patiently behind riders for an opening to pass, sometimes for several minutes or more. Clearly, they've been trained not to overtake unless they have a good view of the road, no overtaking on hills or before turns. And when they do pass, they move over to the opposing lane and wave cheerfully (and with all five fingers!).

It was hot on Wednesday, in the 90s. I stopped into a small town called Freeman, had a sandwich and reapplied suntan lotion. Then I went looking for some water to replenish my supply. Freeman is a *small* town and didn't even have a sandwich shop or bar...I *did* find the Freeman Municipal Water Department and stopped in. Hey, they're in the water business, right?

Anyway, a kind lady refilled my water bottles with water and ice. I do have to say that their water was particularly good, probably local well water.

I continued on my ride and eventually took a five mile detour to Louisville, Kansas, mostly to say that I rode all the way from MO to KS!

The sights and sounds on this ride were simply awesome. The rural country roads were largely deserted, virtually no traffic at all, save the occasional farm tractor.

Thursday I headed north and started a 50 mile loop in a town called Liberty. A bit more climbing on this ride, mostly lots of "rollers" -- short steep hills that don't actually build to any real elevation.

I stopped in at the Smithville Lake Project, an Army Corp of Engineers manufactured lake (and a big one!). Their air conditioning and cold water were appreciated.

On this ride, the drivers were equally scarce and courteous...I still can't get over how well mannered they are. This is somewhat less true closer to Kansas City, but far better than most drivers in the northeast.

This was a hot day...so hot that I skipped a 5 mile extension to Paradise and headed back in mid 90 degree heat. It was as hot a ride as I've ever remembered and I suffered through it.

At one point I stopped at an intersection, leaned my bike up against the stop sign and took my helmet off. Not long afterwards, a guy on a Harley pulls up, nods, and then asks "Are you okay?" Now this is a common question cyclists ask one another on the road when one is stopped, but I've *never* seen a motorcyclist ask a cyclist this question. Perhaps he saw that I was overheated, but more likely, it's just this midwestern courtesy!

I'll get another ride or two in before we head back to Massachusetts on Sunday. With any luck, the weather will be a bit cooler...

Then I begin my taper for the ride next week. The bike is ready and the legs are ready. All I need now is to raise another $6,000 and I'll have reached my fundraising goal.

To contribute, please visit the PMC website:

https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033

And please forward this link to friends and coworkers. With your help I can make my $10,000 fundraising goal!

Lee

The Fourth of July in New England

2007-07-04T21:13:00.000-05:00

This weekend, and again today I rode one of my favorite training routes -- north from Needham through Wellesley, Weston, Lincoln, past the Air Force base and airport in Bedford and into Concord.

The history contained on this route is amazing. 200 years ago we fought for the independence of our country on this ground, and many of the battlefields are now protected as national park land. It's amazing to ride through these areas, past houses that were built in the 1700s, along roads that may originally have been horse paths, and think that some of our nation's most important history happened in these very places.

This legacy is much of what keeps me in New England...the richness of our heritage is so evident here.

I took a break at the Concord Rotary and watched the tourists flock. Those of us that live here sometimes take this heritage for granted...we speed past the battlefields without a second thought, ignore the houses and taverns in which our nation's history was written. The tourists, from Alabama, or Missouri, or California, or New York, or even western Massachusetts, stare wide-eyed at these same historical sites. They read every word on the signs and plaques. They remind us of how lucky we are to live here.

Riding through these historical lands is a real treat. I am reminded of what happened here 200 years ago, and think of how difficult life then must have been.

By the way, I crossed paths with a fellow PMCer today...a guy that lost his right leg to cancer 30 years ago. He's out training for the PMC as well...doing his part to raise money for the cause. Or perhaps he's training for another triathlon. Either way, he makes a marvelous model for living after cancer. And for those who say riding 200 miles in 2 days, or raising $3,000 is too hard, well...all I can say is that anyone who puts their mind to it can accomplish this and much more.

The training is going well. I put in 100+ miles this weekend and another 55 today. I'm feeling old and slow and fat...at least the bike is losing weight. Between the two of us I think we'll do okay.

The fundraising has picked up some. I've raised almost $4,000 to date, which means that if I don't raise any more, *I* will be writing a check to the Jimmy Fund for $2,600 to meet the commitment I made.

My goal remains to raise $10,000 this year, and I'm confident that I will reach this goal. I've got so many people are with me on this mission of wiping out cancer, I know we'll do it!

To donate, please visit:

https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033

Thanks!

Lee

The miles are coming...slowly

2007-06-10T21:32:00.000-05:00

And the donations are coming too. Since I launched this blog, I've raised a total of $2158 and have commitments of another $1,000 or so, which puts me almost a third of the way to my goal of $10,000.

I've got about 350 miles on the bike this year, about where I was last year at this time. Two years ago I was at 525, and in 2004 I had 750 miles in by early June. An alarming downward trend!

The good news is that I feel pretty good on the bike. After knocking off 4 days of commuting to work a couple of weeks ago, I then enjoyed three beautiful days of riding in upstate New York.

At my 25th college reunion, in addition to connecting with a lot of old friends, I also had the opportunity to ride through the farmlands surrounding Colgate. I still don't remember the area being that hilly, but the riding was good. Each day it rained (poured, actually), and each day I managed to get in a good long ride before the weather turned wet.

I had forgotten what fun it was to be out in the middle of nowhere, just me and the cows, and an occasional farmer on a tractor or combine waving back at me.

Last week was a loss...with business travel taking me away from my bike and my training. This week brings more of the same.

All of my rides have been relatively short so far...I need to get some longer rides in or my butt will be toast.

All of this avoids the real issue, though. Donations are up and I've already brought a few new people into the fold.

My goal is to raise $10,000 this year, and I'd like to meet that goal before the ride in August.

Please help me to reach this goal. To donate, visit:

http://www.pmc.org/mypmc/profiles.asp?Section=story&eGiftID=LL0033

And come back to this blog often to see how I'm doing!

Thanks!

Lee

The Cool Still Dawn

2007-05-30T05:49:00.000-05:00

While I was riding this morning, I couldn't stop thinking about what I wrote last night. I train hard for the PMC so that the ride itself is easy. So that I can show up strongly for other less experienced riders and for the spectators.

Invariably, the less experienced riders are there because they're fighting for someone. So I'm there to help them up the hills with a kind word or a pat on the back or to change a tire for them.

I also train hard to ward off illness. A good friend and neighbor battled cancer and won, in part, because of his excellent physical condition. I pray that I will never have to undergo what he went through, but if I do, I want to be prepared for the battle.

Early morning is my favorite time to ride. There's little traffic...in fact this morning I saw more cyclists than cars until about 6:30 when the commuters started to show. The mist rose over the river and all was still, except for the birds and occasional other wildlife.

This morning was a treat.

Lee

The Headlong Rush to August

2007-05-29T20:48:00.000-05:00

I'm already starting to feel pressure to ride again. I rode 4 days last week, skipped Saturday, rode Sunday and Monday. Monday I launched this blog and emailed a few of my friends. Donations jumped almost 50% today.

For those who are interested, corporate donations are gladly accepted along with personal donations.

So tomorrow I'm not riding to work, but I'm thinking about getting up early and riding with the Crack O' Dawn Riders. "Be There at 5:45 or Ride Alone" is their motto.

Thursday I'm driving to upstate NY for a college reunion, then next week I'm doing some business travel. So time on the bike is dear.

And only in part because I'm pretty selfish about my time on the bike. Just as importantly, I view it as my opportunity, my obligation to ride the 192 miles strongly. To ride past the many spectators and supporters on the route with a smile on my face and spring in my legs. I actually have several spots on the route in which I take pride in sprinting up hills to show the spectators that I appreciate their support as much as they appreciate mine. To show them that I and the other riders bring unending strength to this fight.

I think I'll get up early tomorrow and ride. Those spectators by the side of the road are counting on me.

Lee

Prepping for the PMC

2007-05-28T20:43:00.000-05:00

It's late May and I'm late to prepping for the PMC. A week ago my bike and I got reacquainted. I left the car at home 4 of 5 days last week and rode the bike to work. Sunday I did a hard ride in the hills of the Berkshires, about 30 miles. Earlier today I did another ride, finding one killer incline that really pushed me to my limit.

With this blog I intend to capture the both the thoughts, feelings and the physical preparation that make the PMC so special. I've pushed some of this out in email in the past; I figured that this would be a great way for me to become more involved in the web 2.0 phenomenom, withouth taking up too much space in my supporters' email boxes.

So what's going on?

Last time I thought about writing, cancer had just hit the news. Elizabeth Edwards annouced that her cancer was back and that her husband John would continue with his run for the presidency.

Shortly therafter, Tony Snow, White House press relations, also announced the return of his cancer.

Public people in the public spotlight, dealing with a very private issue.

I was torn. These are private matters that have no business in the public spotlight. Or these are political people maximizing the value of the cards that have been dealt them. I don't know.

I do know that cancer research funding did not rise from last year to this. I do know that clinical trials are at risk for lack of funding.

I do know how it made me feel to see my father-in-law, along with a dear friend of his, lead the survivor's lap at a recent Relay for Life event. I do know how I felt when I saw my father's name listed in the presentation as a cancer survivor.

I do know how I felt when I saw friends' names on luminaria bags at this Relay for Life, friends that were my age and had passe away. And how it felt to see my father's name, and my father-in-law's name, and his friend's name, on other luminaria bags, signifying hope that others could also beat cancer.

So I ride. And I raise money. And I pester people for donations to the PMC, to the Jimmy Fund, my one big cause. This year I've set out to raise $10,000. And to bring 20 new people into the fold, as sponsors or riders or volunteers.

As of right now, I've raised just about $1200. And it will be a headlong rush between the end of May and the end of July to get my body ready for the 192 miles and the $10,000 raised so that I can say this year, again, I've done my little part in the fight against cancer.

Enough for now.

To donate, please visit:

http://www.pmc.org/mypmc/profiles.asp?Section=story&eGiftID=LL0033

And please do leave your comments after reading.

Thanks,

Lee

Prepping for the PMC

$35M Raised for Cancer Research

Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Gives $35 million to Jimmy FundOne-third of a billion dollars given over 32 years

Lance and Me

11 Days to Go

Amie's Story

Too Young

The Law of Attraction

The Optimist Rides Again

The Road Awaits

Ouch!

29 Days and Counting

It's Over...but we're not done...

Time to Ride!

Thank you for the support

Another Battle Lost

Will I Be There?

Perhaps my Best PMC Ever!

The Morning of the PMC

Only 100 degrees...

Climbing to the Scenic Vista

Closer by the Mile

Missouri -- A Great Place for a Bike Ride!

The Fourth of July in New England

The miles are coming...slowly

The Cool Still Dawn

The Headlong Rush to August

Prepping for the PMC

Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Gives $35 million to Jimmy Fund
One-third of a billion dollars given over 32 years