The crash happened on April 14, during my bike commute to work. The result was not good. For the medically inclined, it was a comminuted fracture of the right proximal humerus involving the surgical neck and greater tuberosity. For the less medically inclined, it was a broken shoulder.
My first concern was whether I’d be able to ride the Pan-Mass Challenge this year. The ride is the reward for raising money to fight cancer. It’s always my favorite weekend of the year.
I didn’t know how long the doctor was going to keep me off the bike. I didn’t know how long my recovery was going to take. The broken shoulder was not going to stop me from the Pan-Mass Challenge and raising money to fight cancer. I’m committed to the cause, committed to raising money, regardless of whether I’d be able to ride my bike during that first weekend in August.
Lots of good healing and lots of physical therapy over the ensuing 3.5 months. Would it be enough?
Friday: Day Zero
I lined up with seven other teammates on the state line between Massachusetts and New York on Friday morning. Was I physically and mentally ready to ride 300 miles over 3 days. Only one way to find out. It was time to pedal 100+ miles to Sturbridge for PMC Day Zero.
It had rained hard all night. By dawn it had passed, leaving wet roads and cool air. Unlike the blazing heat of last year, I pulled on a vest and arm warmers. I did some math on the ride lengths over the next three days. We would end up with 298 miles if we went straight to the New York border. Being a “mileage ho”, I turned the wrong way out of the house and pedaled an extra mile out and back to get those extra two miles. Lance, Cathy, Miggy, The Kid, Bennie, Dave P, and Reno joined in.
It was a big turn-out at the border. Lots of teams were embracing the last ride to Sturbridge. Next year, we start in Worcester on Saturday. We’ll need to figure out a new route.
It took some warming up as we pedaled through West Stockbridge. Then we hit the first rise into Stockbridge. That hill warmed up our legs and bodies. No need to to hit it hard. We still had a lot of miles ahead of us. Then lots of rolling miles into Lee.
Then it was the first long climb. It lasts for miles getting up and over the Berkshires. Ten miles of uphill.
Natascha and Alyssa set up the first rest stop at Jesters Lane at the top of the climb. A welcome oasis. After the heat of long climb, it was time for miles of fast downhill, chilling us again. It was a left on to the old state highway for the nicest section of the day. Off the traffic and speed of Route 20, following the river towards Huntington.
After that pleasant section, the nasty climb of the day. Three miles up a 5% grade on Route 66. We stopped at Outlook Farm to refuel and recover. It was a relief knowing the hardest sections of the ride were behind me.
Downhill into Northampton to the Norwottuck Rail Trail with a beautiful crossing of the Connecticut River, we were enjoying the relatively flat roads into Amherst and to Atkins Farm. That’s the traditional donut stop of the Day Zero ride.
After the donut, it was time to go up the penultimate climb of the day. Harris Mountain Road lay ahead to avoid Bay Road and Route 9 hurt the legs. Then we dove down to the Palmer Library for the Bikes Fight Cancer popsicle stop.
All that remains was my least favorite section of the ride: along Route 20. But Sturbridge and thousands of other riders were there to kick off the Pan-Mass Challenge celebration.
Together, we all pulled into the Sturbridge Host Hotel, one last time.
Time to dip in the pool for recovery. Eat. Drink. Recover. We’d up early to do it all over again the next day.
Saturday: Sturbridge at Dawn
This was our last ride out of Sturbridge. A bunch of the team gathered together to start in the cool morning air. After passing the traditional flag draped across Route 20, we dipped downhill into a valley filled with fog. A spooky start to the ride.
At the first corner, we found Sheila cheering for Jared (and us).
On to Whitinsville, where we had a surprise waiting for us. Former rider Dawn-a-Matrix was there to greet us.
Next stop: Franklin. This was the official PMC rest stop. After refueling here, we pedaled along the glorious celebration of Cherry Street. This wonderful street closes to traffic and turns the whole street into a party.
At the end we have our traditional celebration for Danno, a fallen teammate who lived at the end of Cherry Street and ran Sheldonville Bikes on his property. A toast to Danno.
On to the merge, where we the Wellesley starters and Sturbridge starters come together for the rest of day. With lunch coming just a few mile later. After a start at dawn, lunch at 10:30 seems reasonable.
From lunch, it’s the ride to Lakeville, the Pedal Partner stop. In the approach to Lakeville there are Pedal Partner signs along the ride. Waiting for us is the rabble of Pedal Partners. And Del’s iced lemonade. That’s my favorite treat on PMC Saturday.
Zinnia was running a little late but showed up in time. I won the lottery and Zinnia ran to me first for a hug.
From that emotional rest stop, we pedaled off to Wareham. The Zinnia boost helped my tired legs. From Wareham, as we close on Bourne, I start smelling the sea air. I know I’m close. I know I can keep pedaling to the finish. I know I can embrace my teammates.
Sunday: Day Two – Pre-dawn in Falmouth
Cap’n Dave was nice enough to host us Saturday at his house. Caleb, Rob, and Tyler were very generous to shuttle us from MMA to Falmouth. We were up before dawn to roll out at 4:45. Along the Shining Sea Bikeway, up to the Cape Cod Canal, we merged with the riders coming down from the Bourne Bridge and grouped for a team photo.
It’s a beautiful ride along the canal with the sun rising ahead in an explosion of red, orange, and yellow. PMC teams where kits, exploding with a rainbow of colors.
Into the Barnstable rest stop, we met Roy and Sharon. Dad is still going strong after his fight with cancer.
We got the special treat of salted watermelon.
The Hedge is not what it sued to be when the summer campers would line it and create a wall of cheers. It still gets a champagne toast from the team. It’s a prelude to the fun rest stop of Nickerson Park.
The rail trail was a little less harrowing this year. I think we just got lucky to avoid a crowd. The reward was the Davis Family handing out Twizzlers at the top of Ocean View Drive in Wellfleet.
Down the rollers on Long Pond Road and to the Wellfleet rest stop.
The headwinds of Truro and rolling dunes of Provincetown hurt my tired legs. We had our traditional team photo at Herring Cove Beach.
That left us with the final mile to the Provincetown Inn Finish.
That was the end of bike riding for the Pan-Mass Challenge.
Still time to raise money. We do that year-round.
Donate here: https://egifts.pmc.org/PMC/DC0176 or here: https://egifts.pmc.org/unpaved/DC0176
Time to re-charge with a ferry ride and beverages.
After the sweat and tears of the weekend, it was time for the blood. My annual tradition with the PMC is to donate blood after the ride.
It’s hard to put the Pan-Mass Challenge in perspective. How about looking at the mass quantities of food it takes to feed the riders and volunteers during PMC weekend.
