Part of the excitement about PMC is just getting ready for the rides. Typically, I ride twice over the weekend, but this year I am riding three days. More prep! You’ve got to choose what kit to wear each day, what your nutrition and hydration plan will be, what comfort items to bring, what to…

For the past 8 years, he first weekend in August has been the best weekend of the year for me. It’s the weekend of the Pan Mass Challenge, a charity ride to raise funds for cancer treatment and research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The PMC attracts over 6000 riders from all over the world…

When I awoke on Sunday in the hotel, my eye was burning and clearly infected, my sinuses painful and clogged, and I could tell that sleep had not restored much energy. In fact, a had felt feverish over night and had to get up several times. I picked up my phone and saw a text…

Soon after I arrived at my hotel in Jackson. I received a text from Kai. He had arrived at the next campground, and had experienced both weather and mechanical difficulties. “Got to the campground. Pretty brutal day. Last 5 miles just mud. My belt came off and my rear brake is busted.” Ugh. I was…

Morning of Day 3, Kai got going early as he had a steep climb ahead of him in iffy conditions. I slept in a bit longer. I got going about an hour and a half later after packing up my bike and eating a big breakfast at the resort restaurant. Before leaving I received two…

Waking up in Colter Bay it was clear that my body had not rid itself of COVID. My first coronavirus infection hit me sometime between my son’s senior prom and his graduation day, roughly 10 days prior to my trip. I knew it was a risk deciding to continue on the trip, but my symptoms…

June 15 was officially day 0 for the trip, and we had planned a relatively level, paved 46 miles from Jackson to Colter Bay Village, where we would camp. I had spent the night blowing my nose, taking medicine, going to the bathroom, all in an effort to force out the remains of Covid that…

We (Kai and I) arrived in Jackson, WY without incident, collected our bikes and bags and caught a Suburban taxi to our hotel for the night. The bike boxes weathered the journey, and so we set to reassembling our bikes. This being my first time reassembling a bike, it took a while, and ultimately I…

Having never flown with a bike before I arrived three hours before departure to check mine in. The process could not have been simpler. A Delta agent led me over to the bulky items check in area, where I was second in line. Five minutes later, Naomi from Delta wheeled my bike away. If all…

The bike is in a box, my gear are in bags, and I’m ready for the adventure to begin. Just a restless night between me and my flight. Thanks to the careful folks at Belmont Wheelworks for getting Ruby all tucked in! And thanks to my family for supporting me on this adventure!