This will be my 19th consecutive year doing the PMC, but the first in 6 years where I will be riding in the actual event, with other people. My previous five PMC's have been solo, unsupported bike tours (except for Covid-impacted 2020). These included a 107-day ride across the country, an 11-day ride to Williamsport, PA, and two multi-week circumnavigations of New England and Lake Michigan. In all those rides, I rode alone, on my own schedule.
On Saturday, August 3, I will line up, before dawn, in Sturbridge, MA, with several thousand other riders to ride 112 miles to Bourne, MA. Then on Sunday, we will once again leave before dawn for the 77-mile ride to Provincetown, at the end of Cape Cod. It is both extremely exhilarating and scary as hell to ride with thousands of others! I have done it a dozen times before, and I can hardly wait to do it again!
I am also doing some other big rides this year. During the month of June, I and a friend will be driving out to Colordo for a few weeks of mostly road riding, without panniers. We will be camping from the car and doing day rides. Then in December, I am driving down to Florida for a solo ride from the west coast of Florida down to Key West and back. As always, I will try to blog along the way about my adventures. You can follow along at bikerdan.wordpress.com.
Why the PMC
My story is simple and depressingly familiar. My mother died of cancer in 1985 at the age of 62. My wife Jennifer's mother also died of cancer in 1985. (Jennifer and I met in 1991.) My father-in-law remarried, and his second wife also died of cancer. Then some years ago, my father died of esophageal cancer. Not to mention countless other friends and family.
Yet, every year, progress is made in the fight against cancer. Many years ago Jennifer was diagnosed with uterine cancer, had the surgery, and to this day is cancer-free with no chemo and no radiation. Both of my brothers have been diagnosed and successfully treated for skin cancer. The battle is being won through hard work by dedicated researchers. This requires money - lots of money.
Each year's PMC is an incredibly emotional experience for me. I expect this year will be no different. Part of the emotional impact comes from the tremendous financial support given by my family and friends. Please donate and help me fight the scourge of cancer, so that all of our kids won't have to worry about the big C anymore.
Thank you.
Dan
