Maddy, Miss A and Nicole

I just realized that I always seem to lead off my posts with a quote or an apology.

Sorry about that.

But seriously, I've been really remiss on fund- and awareness-raising for this year's PMC ride. For me, writing comes hard and procrastination is second-nature, so I'll just apologize for not being more communicative and get on with it. Sorry. Really.

Wheels are still turning, both figuratively and literally for this year's PMC... I've been on the bike every day back and forth to work, but only a few 40-mile rides so far this season. I'm anxious to get at 70-miler in this weekend and the weather looks promising. I'm so fortunate to live in a region where there are so many scenic places to bike -- and tons of routes that I can start by riding out my driveway.

Princess Aurora, my passenger on last year's PMC, happened to be here in my basement lair as I was typing this up, so I took a picture of us both.

Me and Miss A

"Miss A" rode along with me last year as a nod to another Princess, Madison Ward.  Right now, Maddy is back for her 2nd trip to St. Judes in Memphis, TN getting another cycle of chemo. Last year, when I first posted about Maddy, she had just turned 5 and it was her first trip to St. Jude's. 

I have watched this brave little girl from afar for almost 2 years now... watched her endure multiple cycles of chemo and radiation treatments. I've seen her lose her hair, grow it back, then lose it again. But I've never seen her quit. And you better believe that Maddy's family hasn't quit. So why would I? How could I not keep doing the PMC?   And how could I leave Princess Aurora behind ? So I'll be riding with Miss A and for Maddy again this year.

Nicole Rasile McPherson is another person I was riding for on last year's PMC. Nicole is  my cousin Dusty's wife and was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma a little over 3 years ago.  Here's a picture of Nicole and Dusty from 2014.

Dusty and Nicole 

I opted to not post the picture of Dusty in the "chemo wig". You're welcome, Dusty.

I will be riding the PMC for Nicole again this year, but this time it will be in celebration!  After multiple rounds of chemo/radiation and 2 stem cell transplants, she's finally got a clean bill of health: no signs of cancer! All clear!

So while I may have been slow on the blog posts this year (and the bike, too, for that matter), and while I may complain to Sandy about my knees, I will not stop. How could I?

Breakthroughs are being made every day, and treatments are getting more humane and effective. With your help, we'll beat this. It's not impossible. And that brings me to a closing quote from a great man.

Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion.
Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare.
Impossible is potential.
Impossible is temporary.
Impossible is nothing.
-- Muhammad Ali