This year will be my 12th year riding the 2 day ride. Prior to that i volumnteered for 3 years with my dear late partner john Deshazo, flipping burgers in Bourne fo rthe riders. From that first year at the grill through last years ride facing the strong headwinds coming into PTown, i am alway struck and overwhelmed with emotions from this incredible experience. The heat of the grill or the heat, the wind or the rain, and even just the incredible effort it takes to endure this ride, always makes me feel inadequate compared to my friends and colleagues that have experienced the earth shattering diagnosis and treatments and so sadlly for some, the worst of all outcomes. At the same time I feel encouraged and somehow empowered by the knowledge that the collective efforts of the riders the volunteers and our supporters are producing such meaningful and substantial funds to better deal with this terrible affliction. To hear from the doctors we support about the advances they have made and the promise in their voice, I somehow feel that what we are doing is important. I feel at least to some extent less helpless.

While trudging along and feeling sorry for myself (largely out of a lack of training) I think of the friends that have overcome so much, those that are fighting, and of course of those we have lost. Johnny D will always be in my heart as I ride, and allthose who are currently fighting AND WINNING their battles, ride with him, including my dear friends Rosemary Porto, Harry Rose and Bobby Cuggino. I am dedicating my ride this year to them for all that they are doing to win their battles. Their courage and endurance and persistence is what gets me through to PTown this year.