My passengers for this year's ride -- so far...

FYI, here's the collage of my "passengers" for this years PMC. These are pictures of some of the people I'm riding for -- and now I'll be riding with them (sort of).

There's still more room on the bike, so please don't be shy: if you know someone who has fought/is fighting cancer, or if there's someone you've lost to cancer, then send me their picture. I'd love to take them along with me.

/doug

Training Update...70mi ride to Needham

Just a quick training update... While I was off last week I decided to bike out to Needham to the PMC headquarters and pick up my Thank You cards.

It was about a 70mi round trip ride, and I couldn't have asked for better weather. I'd forgotten how beautiful route 27 is down around Wayland/Sudbury. Once again, the curious among you can check out my GPS tracklog for the ride on Google Earth by downloading this file. If you use the "street view" features, it's almost like being there. ;-)

Remember: I'm still collecting "passenger" pictures for this year's ride. If you know someone who's fought/is fighting cancer, or if there's someone you've lost to cancer, please send me their picture and I'll take them on the ride with me.

/doug

For those with Google Earth: The PMC 2-Day Route

People often ask me about the route that everyone rides on the PMC. I can only speak about the "classic" 2-day ride from Sturbridge to Provincetown, since that's the only route I've ridden.

On last year's PMC, I took my GPS along so that I'd have a log of the ride with actual elevation, speed and waypoints for later review.

If you have a little curiosity, some free time and Google Earth on your PC (and you should -- it's free and incredibly cool), you can download and view my GPS waypoints and "virtually ride" the route via Google Earth.. I split the track log into 2 files: one for Day 1 (Sturbridge to Bourne -- about 111 miles) and one for Day 2 (Bourne to Provincetown -- about 82 miles).

Click here for Day 1

Click here for Day 2.

I don't know if the 2009 2-day route is substantially different. They change a little from year to year. Anyway... just thought I'd make those links available for the curious.

TTYL!

/doug

My Pedal Partner

As I mentioned in a previous post,  I have a "Pedal Partner" for this year's PMC:  little Kristen Hoenshell from my very own Littleton.   You can read about the Pedal Partner program on the PMC website, so I won't re-type it all here.

On Saturday May 2, the PMC hosted a "meet-n-greet" at Fenway Park for the Jimmy Fund clinic pediatric oncology patients and their riders.  Kristen and her mom, Elizabeth, came out that morning to Fenway for the event.    It was the first time I'd seen Kristen in person.  She is a full-on cutie.  

I didn't know what to expect and was completely unprepared.  I didn't even think to bring a camera.  Oh well.   Elizabeth and I chatted while Kristen scoped out the area.  She (Kristen) went climbing through the bleachers, and unnerved her mom a little. (We were up high behind home plate near the State Street Pavillion, so it's a ways up.)    Stacey Lucchino, PMC rider and organizer (and wife of Red Sox President &CEO Larry Lucchino)  spoke for bit, as well as Billy Starr.   But the most memorable speaker was Matt Bodenrader: a former Jimmy Fund patient and Pedal Partner who's now a PMC rider in his fourth PMC.

There's a good summary of the Pedal Partner Party on the PMC blog, with additional pictures.   I felt a little awkward, since most of the kids were paired up with actual bike teams -- but I'm a "team of one".   Kristen was very gracious and didn't seem to mind..  :-)

Anyway, check out the PMC web site and blog (above links in this post)  for more (and better-written) info.  

/doug

You never know how things are going to play out...

You can never know how things are going to play out.
This year I'm riding in honor of Dave Haynes, a family friend who passed away from cancer this spring. That was my plan when Sandy and I went to Dave's wake. That was where I met Liz Hoenshell and her mother and listened their stories. (I won't recount all of that in this post -- it's in the previous one.)

At that point, things changed a little. I figured that Dave wouldn't mind if I also rode in support of little Kristen H. on this year's ride as well. So: for the first time in 6 years of riding the PMC, I will also be riding with Kristen Hoenshell as my PMC "Pedal Partner". The Pedal Partner program is a one that the PMC has developed to pair up young patients at the Jimmy Fund clinic with riders and teams to personally involve those patients with the PMC and motivate riders. (I'll write a little more on the PMC Pedal Partner program later.)

Of course, time passed and things changed again. The more I emailed and talked with people for this year's PMC, the more personal stories I heard about people who are fighting/have fought cancer. Some stories end better than others, but they are all memorable -- some heart-wrenching, some beautiful, but all memorable. Then I started thinking, "Maybe I could carry a few 'passengers' on the PMC with me too..."

So, in addition to riding in memory of Dave Haynes and in support of Kristen Hoenshell, I started asking the people with their "cancer stories" to send me a picture of their friend/family member/self so that I could *virtually* take them along with me on my PMC ride. As it works out, I'll now have a picture of Dave Haynes making the ride with me, as well as a few others for company.

Then I thought, "In for a penny, in for a pound," so now I'm using this forum to extend my offer a little wider: if you or someone you know or love has fought or is fighting cancer, tell me your story and send me a picture. I'll add them to my "passengers" for this years' ride. I haven't figured out exactly how I'll carry/display my the pictures I collect, but I have a little while to work on it...

That's all for now.
/doug

In Memory of David Haynes

Below is a copy of the email that I sent this year to "kick off" my fund-raising for this year's Pan Mass Challenge.    This year, I'm riding in memory of David Haynes -- whom I rode for last year.  David passed away this Spring and he is missed by all.   

/doug

---

Hi,

I'll get to the point immediately:  I'm writing you to ask for your support for this year's Pan Mass Challenge for the Jimmy Fund.  The Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) is a 192-mile, 2-day bike ride to raise money for the Jimmy Fund.  (The Jimmy Fund supports cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber in Boston.)  My fundraising commitment for this year is $4,200 and I am looking to your support to help me meet -- and hopefully exceed that amount.

Some of you may recall that for last year's PMC I rode in support of David Haynes, a family friend who's been battling cancer since 2004. On February 25, David finally lost that battle and passed away. He is deeply missed by his family and friends, and I will sadly -- but very proudly -- be riding in his memory this year.

I started drafting this email in early February, not knowing the seriousness of Dave's condition.  It was a little surprising just how unprepared I was to deal with his death.  I couldn't bring myself to work on this letter any more... just couldn't seem to get the words out. Then Sandy and I went to Dave's wake and something happened.

There at Dave's wake, Sandy and I ended up speaking with Elizabeth Hoenshell, another friend of the family.  Elizabeth shared with us how her youngest daughter Kristen had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer last Spring, and had been undergoing chemo treatments at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute down near Fenway in Boston. And Kristen isn't even yet 18 months old.  Elizabeth shared with Sandy and me about the amazing level of care, attention and sensitivity that she and her family received from the staff at Dana-Farber.  At the time, I believe Kristen was due for one more round of chemo.  Almost before that could sink in, Elizabeth then proceeded to introduce us to her mother, standing near us: a cancer survivor and former Dana-Farber patient.

The entire experience was simultaneously heart-breaking and uplifting -- and it shook loose whatever it was that was keeping me from finishing this letter. Standing in the room face-to-face with two more "living proof" stories at David's house, I could feel the wind come back into my sails.  So, with a renewed sense of purpose and vigor that I write this.  Come the weekend of August 1st, I'll once again set off peddling that 192 miles in memory of David -- and with great hope for Kristen and her family.  I sincerely hope that you will be able to help.

Your support is absolutely vital to help Dana-Farber continue their fine work in cancer research and treatment.  It's working.  Since 1988, two out of every three children who enter the Jimmy Fund Clinic are cured and survival rates for localized breast cancers have steadily increased to almost 98%.  Breakthroughs in detection, diagnosis and treatment would not have been possible without the support of people like you and me.  So please, support me on this year's 2-day ride with as generous a donation as you can.  You can also be very proud of the fact that 100 percent of your donation goes directly to the Jimmy Fund.

By far, the quickest and easiest way to help is to donate on-line using your credit card.  Just follow this link the PMC website: https://donate.pmc.org/dm0192  and follow the instructions there.  The transaction is secure and far and away the most convenient and efficient way to donate. While you're at the PMC web site, stop and look around! You'll be amazed.

If you'd prefer to donate by check, then please make it payable to "PMC - Jimmy Fund" and mail it to me at the address below and I'll take care of the rest:

Doug McPherson
13 Marble Farm Road     

Maynard, MA 01754

...or just hit *reply* to this email and I'll send your a pre-addressed stamped envelope to you right away.

Once again, I appreciate your support on this, but if you'd rather not receive these emails any more, simply reply with "unsubscribe" and I will take you off my list, no questions.

Thanks very much,
/doug

 

Getting started is always the hardest part.

Hi. This year will be my 6th year riding in the Pan Mass Challenge, and I've decided that I'd try to see if I could augment my fund-raising & awareness approach with a "blog".  Please bear with me, I'm trying to get used to this idea. 

I'll try to make good use of this chunk of cyberspace as well as your time.

If you're tuning in here, then thanks for stopping by. Remember, you can help us fight cancer with your donation to the Jimmy Fund.