Pan-Mass Challenge and ride home

[creadinger]

Hi all,

Since this is the area bike forum, I wanted to mention that this weekend my wife and I will be driving up to Massachusetts to ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge. We’re riding to raise money for the Sarcoma group at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, of whom the clinical director happens to be my wife’s oncologist. Last year at the age of 29 my wife went through a scary bout of a rare cancer called angiosarcoma. Fortunately this year things are looking much much better (cancer free) and we’re trying to help out.

If you haven’t heard of the PMC, it’s a pretty big deal – it’s supposedly the largest sporting event fundraiser in the country – this year the goal is to raise $34 million. And for the first time, Lance Armstrong will be making an appearance. I’m picturing him drafting behind me for all 111 miles from Sturbridge to Bourne on Saturday. Haha.

After the PMC, on Monday I plan on riding all next week from Boston back to Arlington, VA on the AC Atlantic Coast route. I estimate it’s about 650 miles so I’ll have to put in some long mileage days to make it in time. Here’s to hoping the weather cooperates and the heat wave doesn’t reappear! Once I get back and settled I’ll post the link to my crazyguyonabike journal with the details of how the trip went in case anyone is interested.

Does anyone else has any touring experience? I’ve done 3 short trips all under 2-weeks long, but am hoping to someday ride coast to coast.

Topic

[creadinger]

I made it home yesterday afternoon and was amazed at how beautiful the weather was in the area. What a difference a week makes!

The PMC last weekend was good. I didn’t see Lance, and aside from the heavy, heavy downpours last Sunday we had a good time. The trip home I started last Monday. I survived all the climbing by taking shorter days when I needed it. Overall I rode 10 straight days (not highly recommended) and covered approximately 750 miles.

Now it’s back to work while attempting to suppress my voracious appetite.

[KLizotte]

Super awesome achievement! I can only imagine how sore you must be or how many calories you used up. Now you can eat as much chocolate/ice cream/steak as you want

Too bad about the rain up there last week; highly unusual for the area (I’m from MA). Post pics if you can.

[SteveTheTech]

wow

Impressive accomplishment in support of a great cause.

We were back home (Ma) the weekend of the ride. The coverage and support are serious.

Congratulations

[eminva]

Congrats to you on your accomplishment and big congrats to your wife on hers!

Let us know if there is any way we can support your fundraising ventures.

Liz

[creadinger]

@eminva 7239 wrote:

Congrats to you on your accomplishment and big congrats to your wife on hers!

Let us know if there is any way we can support your fundraising ventures.

Liz

Thanks everyone for all the nice remarks. The PMC truly is a world class event and the trip home was a really challenging and adventuresome way to put an exclamation point on it.

For any one who may be interested in donating to our PMC fund, I have happily posted the links below. We recently broke the $10,000 mark, which is way more than we could have hoped for but every little bit helps when it comes to cancer research, and especially rare cancers like sarcomas.

For reference, the main PMC page is http://www.pmc.org – very inspiring. Our team page where you can make a donation as well as read a bit more back story about my wife and her ordeal and how things are going now is here – Team Puddin’ Thieves: http://www.pmc.org/profile/TP0132

Also, I’m also slowly writing up a crazyguyonabike journal about the PMC and my trip so that is where I will post pictures and a narrative of the trip in all its stages from planning to training to doing. http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/express

Thanks so much!
Chris

[Dirt]

Awesome! Sounds like a great ride and a great cause!

[Author]

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