Training update from Franconia Notch, NH...

Here's my ride for the day today.  Just a 34 mile ride.  Here's my ride map and stats.  It was just a "down and back" from Mittersill (behind Cannon Mountain) down to Woodstock/Lincoln today.   

The ride down was really pleasant, although overcast most of the way.  Riding down the trail toward Woodstock the scent of balsam hit me like a Christmas Tree sale.  It was really nice.  The sun peeked out by the time I got to LaFayette campground, hung around for about 5 minutes but then ducked behind the clouds till lunch.  

Got the bike up to 45 *coasting* down the the hiway from the Flume into Lincoln.  That was nice. 

Met up with Sandy, my mom, Ben and Kevin in Woodstock where we had lunch and played in the river for an hour or two.   Had an ice cream, then back on the bike.  The ride back up the notch was pretty much nothing but a 15-mile uphill grind.   Great scenery, though.

Jumping in the pool at the end of the ride was the best.   

More rides to come this week, prepping for the PMC on Saturday!

/douig

PMC 2011 Passenger Profile: Charleen Hinkler

My fourth passenger for this year's PMC is Charleen Hinkler.  Cindy Scanland, a long-time friend from Spring, TX, sent Charleen's story and pictures.

Charleen, Cindy's friend and co-worker at HP,  was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2009.  By the time they had diagnosed the cancer it had already spread to her bones.   However, rather than traditional radiation and chemo, Charleen was able to undergo treatment with a new targeted biotherapy (in her case, Tarceva).  Her cancer responded to the treatment and  Charleen did really well for about a year: her bone and lung cancer went into remission and she continued about her life.


After about a year, however, a small tumor was discovered on Charleen's liver. Radiation and chemo treatments for the liver cancer were very hard on Charleen, but again, she continued to be positive, outgoing and active, going on bike rides on her recumbent trike.

In early October 2010, Charleen felt ill enough to be hospitalized.  Her condition degenerated rapidly and she passed away soon after admission from multiple organ failure (likely precipitated from liver damage).

I'm honored and happy to carry Charleen's pictures and story along with me on the PMC and ride in her memory.

PMC 2011 Passenger Profile: Judy Grande

The lovely woman in this picture is our friend and neighbor Judy Grande.  

Judy and her husband Ray are two of the nicest, most outgoing and genuinely caring people that you could ever meet.   Sandy and I met Judy and Ray years ago and we cross paths with them regularly through the work they do for the Devens area Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.  

Judy was diagnosed earlier this year with throat cancer and has gone through surgery and radiation treatments.  Judy's CAT and PET scans haven't shown any reappearance of the cancer, so she stays cautiously optimistic, getting on with life -- but with follow-up tests every few months...     I'm glad that the world has people in it like Judy and Ray.   I'm especially glad we can count them as our neighbors and friends.  And I'm certainly proud to take Judy along as a passenger for this year's PMC ride.

You go, Judy!

/doug

PMC 2011 Passenger Profile: Ann McPherson

The woman to the right here is my Mom, Ann McPherson.  This will be the 3rd year that Mom has gone along with me on the PMC, and I'm glad to have her.   Mom is a breast cancer survivor, and has been cancer-free for at least 10 years. (I'm sorry, but I've lost count.)    You can read my previous passenger profile for Mom from PMC 2010 here.

This year Mom will be a passenger AND an active participant in the Pan Mass Challenge.  She'll be visiting us here in MA during the PMC and is volunteering at the Mass Maritime Academy stop in Bourne, along with Sandy and Ben.   I can't tell you how excited I am to have her helping out and getting to experience it first-hand  (I hope the weather is nice for her.)  

So there you are.  Love you Mom.  See you soon.

Your favorite son,

/doug

PMC 2011 Passenger Profile: Wehlan McPherson, my dad.

I started this "passenger" thing a few years ago for a couple of reasons: 

• it allows me a sort of symbolic way to share that special weekend in August with people who can't be there.
• it helps me stay focused on the fact that even though it's a 2-day bike ride, it's really not about a bike ride at all.  And finally, 
• it gives you (yes, I am talking to you) an opportunity to share your story, too.  

That said, my first "official" passenger for my 2011 PMC ride this year is my dad, Wehlan McPherson.   Daddy died in January of this year.  He struggled with chronic pain from Lupus for years, and was only diagnosed with lung cancer in January after it had already metastasized to his bones.  He died soon after.

Daddy was always "prone to action" -- which may just be a nice way of saying "impulsive".  When Daddy saw something he thought needed doing,  it chafed him if it remained undone... so he would just *do it* -- sometimes with more planning than others.  Results may not have always been perfect, but in the final analysis, things got done.  

There are countless other reasons why I want to remember Daddy and take him as a passenger on this year's PMC.  However, in the interest of brevity  [you're welcome],  I believe the main reason is this: his memory reminds me how vitally important it is for each of us to actually act, as opposed to just wishing that we or someone else would.   I don't know who said it originally, but I've heard that "...the world is changed by those who show up".   Daddy reminds me to keep showing up.  So, thanks for that, Dad.  And welcome aboard.

Call for passengers for this year's PMC...

Listen up!   I'm reprising my call for "passengers" to take along on this year's PMC.    (See my original post from 2009 for background.)    If there's someone you know or love that's a cancer survivor, is currently fighting cancer or that you've lost to cancer, I'd like to help you honor them by taking their picture along with me on this year's ride.

So, please don't be shy.  Send me a picture and a word or two about your special person.   Over the next 3 months I'll be posting "passenger profiles" here on this blog and will also carry them along with me on the bike on PMC weekend as my "passengers". That way, they can enjoy the Big Ride, too.

If you like, you can see my 2010 passengers online here, and my 2009 passengers here.

Hope to hear from you soon!

/doug

First *real* ride of the season! Come on Spring!!

Just back from a FULL out-n-back up the Nashua River Rail Trail.  What a day for a ride!

Believe it or not, north of Groton, there's still patches of snow and ice across the trail.   I actually saw someone wipe out on one of the packed-snow patches... not pretty, but they were OK.

All the fallen trees from the winter have been cleared from the trail, and the peepers (little frogs) were out in fine form (and LOUD) as I rode through the swamp near Groton.   There was still a lot of winter detritus, twigs and junk on most of the trail from Groton up to Pepperell.  In spite of that,  there were an awful lot of roller bladers out on the trail.  That couldn't be very much fun rollerblading with all that junk on the (otherwise smooth) trail.  

Most memorable event from today's ride was the girl's roller derby team I passed (both ways).  There was about a half dozen of them out, in full pads & helmets apparently on a group skate.  They were impressive.  I'll assume the one with the most tattoos was the team captain.  ;-)    They looked like they were having a good time.

So, a nice 36mi ride today; the Red Sox won their season opener at Fenway yesterday.  So things are starting to pick up around here.  Come on, Spring!

/doug