Dear Friends and family:

With this summer’s $75 million target the PMC is expected to pass the $1 billion mark in funds raised for cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  That is a pretty amazing feat and it is people like you who have helped the organization achieve this incredible milestone.    For me, this year’s ride will be my 26th and, if I achieve my goal of $30,000, I will have raised in excess of $630,000 which should keep me in the top 1 or 2% of all-time fundraisers for the event.  That is pretty cool too, so, thank you!   

What are my excuses for my abhorrently slow start to training this year?  I have several and they are all, IMHO, quite legitimate.  In no particular order, they include, but are not limited to, it being dark in the winter, it being cold in the winter, it staying dark in the morning after DST, thermometer consistently below 60 degrees, rain, still getting older, planning a 35th anniversary round-the-world-trip for me and Lisa, having to take care of Pepper every time Lisa, now retired, goes away with friends, staying up too late and, you know, general laziness.   

This year’s PMC will be held over the weekend of August 6-7.  Lisa and I leave exactly a week later and are set to return home the end of January 2025.  That means I will be back in time to once again not do any winter training for next year’s PMC!  The revised matching program stays in place.  Repeat donors are matched 100% above a previous high-water level, while new donors continue to be matched dollar for dollar over $100.   

As always, if there is a cancer victim or survivor whose name you would like to add to the list of individuals I ride for, please let me know.

Edward, Sarah, Anne, Doris, Abbey, Paul, Max, Ned, Isey, Paul, Michael, Shirley, Bobbie, Dorothy, Marty, Louise, Francesca, Floyd, Cal, David, Becky, Paul, Jack, Rose, Jack, Sarah, Anna, Joe, Jane, Jerry, Miguel, Donald, Leo, Arnold, Alan, Emily, Debbie, Julie, George, Albert, Harold, Gloria, Jack, Sophia, Liam, Terri, Harry, Wilma, Mark, Samantha, Hank, Dana, Jane, Jimmy, Lynn, Tom, Gene, Ted, Andres, Bob, Mitch, Gina, Joseph, Jack, Carl, Jeff, Gene, CeCe, Robert, Bruce, Lorraine, Susan, Cliff, Bev, Louis, Arlene, Edward, Morty, Peter, Arnold, Elizabeth, Fred, Abe, Tema, Bernard, Sean, Mari, Steve, Dick, Sherry, Mel, Judy, Sue, Mark, Al, Joany, Dorothy, Susan, Honey, Allie, Diana, Ted, Gill, Corny, Ruth, Ana Lee, Julio, Eya, Ken, Allie, MaryAnn, Craig, Alana, Sandro.

To all of you guilt-trippers who have admonished me, I promise not to crash again this year.  Thank you so much for your continued and generous support—it is a blessing.

THANK YOU!

Cliff