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 trip miles, carrying all supplies for the day, including a pass through all 351 Massachusetts cites and towns. If you would like to be added to the blog d-list, use this email link.

I had a donor offer a place to do a few days of riding in Western NY. The trek along Lake Erie and up to the Erie Canal was on my original Transcon route -- YES!

February 16, 1861. President-elect Lincoln is traveling to Washington for his inauguration. The train stops in the small town of Westfield, NY -- and Lincoln gets off to meet Grace Bedell -- a 12 year old girl who had written him to say "if you let your whiskers grow you would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President!" Enjoyed the visit to reenactment statue in Westfield, followed by a long ride along Lake Erie.

Chautauqua Institution was founded in 1874 as a gathering place for those interested in the arts, music and education. On the banks of Chautauqua Lake, it is a beautiful "get away from it all" setting. I got a guided tour from my friend who had spent two summers working at CI. Chautauqua Lake offered consistently beautiful views during my tour, and I got a chance to exchange waves with numerous Amish farmers who live in the area (although, most Amish are not allowed to ride bikes)

I enjoyed my tour of the Seneca Nation. One of the Six Nations of the Iroquois, they use their nominal sovereignty to wipe out state and federal taxes on gas, cigarettes and liquor, plus run a gaming operation -- capitalism in action!

And, like Sal the mule, I did 15 miles on each side of the Erie Canal -- including a visit to the joined battlefields of Fort Stanwix and Oriskany. In 1777, the British invaded New York from Canada and from the Great Lakes, intending to combine in Albany. Fort Stanwix in Rome was held by Patriots, blocking the way. Patriot reinforcements came to join them, were denied at Oriskany, but with enough losses on both sides that the reinforcements to Burgoyne, leading the advance from Canada, would never arrive. This led to Burgoyne losing his army at Saratoga -- which led to the French entering the war, and ultimate American victory!

2859 miles down -- 641 to go! In Pennsylvania, only 30 miles from the NY border -- basically, set to repeat what I "actually did" over the past few days!