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After years of dreams, Mike made plans to spend April and May riding 3500 solo miles across the USA, using the effort to raise money for cancer research at Dana-Farber as a supplement to his regular Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) fundraising. Donations, large and small, are welcomed and can be made via this link.

Then -- COVID. Rather than scrap the plan, a "virtual transcon" -- 3500 New England day trip miles, carrying all supplies for the day. The first 2000 miles will cover all 343 mainland Mass. cities and towns, the rest will add adjacent states. If you would like to be added to the blog d-list, use this email link.

Day 1 needed to begin with ocean. No ceremonial dipping of tires in salt water, but -- lots of blue water.

Essex County the perfect place to start -- ocean and salt marshes everywhere. Today's ride went through 20 cites and towns comprising Mass's Northeast corner. This is mostly countryside -- settled early, with the highest concentration of 17th century houses anywhere in the US, because no one ever bothered to redevelop. Ipswich alone has 59.

I had forgotten how cool it is to ride for miles along the Merrimack River -- once a polluted industrial dump, now a place for egrets and ducks. The towns tucked in the narrow 3 mile strip between the river and the NH state line are quaint, rural gems.

I did a long strip from Newburyport to Gloucester following the route of my last trip through Essex County, a training ride with my Pan-Mass team -- visiting "Washington Slept Here" in Newburyport, remembering Alex's shoe disintegration, putting Lauren in the stocks in Ipswich. Happy memories which reminded me of my riding purpose.

And Rockport -- one of 4 Mass. towns that border only one other town -- I rode the entire loop of the peninsula today, enjoying vista after vista -- reminding me of the rocky beaches in California I was supposed to be seeing this morning.

Overall, a great first day on the road -- and while I am not 95 miles closer to home, I am 95 miles closer to my goal.