Thank You PMC 2023!!

Thank you once again for all your donations and well wishes. So far, we have raised $39,766 (lifetime) and all of that goes directly to the Dana Farber-Cancer Institute. That has to make a difference. You are all so incredible! Like I always say, you do the work and I get the experience.

My Road Crew

This year there were about 5,800 riders, but I have to say, by far, I have the best road crew. With all the drop offs and pick ups they covered about 325 miles. This year the plan was executed flawlessly.

The Volunteers

The PMC volunteers also need a shout out. They are there with water, hydration fluid, snacks, and food. They are directing traffic, transporting luggage and so much more.

The Challenge

I always say it’s called The Pan Mass Challenge. This year the challenge came early. I was in a wreck in May. It’s a long story that you don’t want to hear about. I am feeling great now, but it did take me about a month to get back. I had already committed to riding in the PMC in May. I wonder if I hadn’t, maybe my cycling career would have been over. So this year, I would say the PMC helped me more than I helped the PMC.

Day 1

So far as the ride went. I can not remember a ride where the weather was so perfect 🌤. I mean after all, it is August we are supposed to get some heat, humidity and rain. This year it was partly cloudy in the 70s. Perfect! Towards the end of Day 1, riding towards the cape, at 75 degrees, past lakes and cornfields, I thought, this has to be as nice as any part of the world. Who needs Tuscany!.

Day 2

We started day 2 at about 5:30 AM. After a bike traffic jam getting on to the Bourne Bridge we rode along the Cape Cod Canal at sunrise. There were fisherman on the left and was like now that’s a hobby. Again the sunrise in front of me, fishermen, 66 degrees, once again I thought, this has to be one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Who needs the Greek Islands.

The support all throughout the cape is always fantastic. I mean to get up at 5 AM to ring a cow bell WOW 😳. That continued throughout the day.

My road crew met me in Provincetown with all the expected enthusiasm for me and other riders and we were done.

I was ready for lunch.

Why We Do This

At the end of the day 1 ride as usual I was sitting alone, like that kid at the lunch table in high school. A volunteer came by and asked how my ride went. I mean this sitting alone thing is actually pretty cool. Last year I met the Irish guy from Bermuda and this year I met this wonderful volunteer.

The volunteer’s name is Liz. She was treated at Dana Farber and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. By chance at BWH she was treated not on the same floor, but in the same department where Michelle works. So we got to talking. She introduced me to her family. They were also volunteering.

Liz received a stem cell transplant and was at BWH for 24 days. She couldn’t talk enough about the great care she received and how thankful she was for that, the PMC, and everything you all do.

Doesn’t she look great?

I have to say since I started doing this, and I hope I am right, there seems to be more and more success stories like Liz.

She sent me this text.

In some way, as long as I can keep duct taping and gorilla glueing myself together, I will keep doing this.

From the bottom of my heart. Thank you to everyone who has ever donated or encouraged me to ride 😍 🙏.

John

If you know someone who still wants to donate to this years ride it’s not too late. My link is https://profile.pmc.org/JD0487.