Transcon 2020

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.

A local ride with Ian took us to the workshop of Henry Wilson, "The Natick Cobbler", and 18th Vice President of the United States. Massachusetts' natives have a strange record as VP -- they have all either become president or died in office as VP. Wilson did the latter -- suffering a fatal stroke in the US Capitol in 1875. Natick proudly preserves his workshop as a landmark -- right on 135 near the Framingham line.

Sunday brought me to Cape Cod on my Pilgrim's Progress to finish the final mainland towns -- with a conscious choice to finish that quest in Provincetown, finish line of the Pan-Mass Challenge. I enjoyed a quick visit with one of my donors. I managed to avoid the Slough of Despond and finished strong on a glorious weather day. It felt fitting to cap the day with a pic with the Pilgrim Monument in the background! I enjoyed the full 30 mile length of the Cape Cod Rail Trail on my return -- always a pleasure!

With the mainland towns done, I started my touring of nearby states, starting today in Rhode Island. I continued my earlier exploration of the Blackstone River, pushing south to its conclusion in Pawtucket (Algonquian for "river fall"). This section was much more populated than my earlier tour in Mass, and included a necessarily brief tour of the smallest city of the smallest state. What surprised was the return trip, I turned west and quickly found myself in rural countryside. My perception of the Ocean State was colored by my limited experience beyond passing through on I-95 -- this was pretty country, and fun riding. I will come back and spend more time over the next few weeks!

2489 miles down -- 1011 to go! In Ohio -- pointed towards home!