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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 7 was a return to the Old Colony -- this time to Bristol County, the western edge of Plymouth Colony, part of which was stolen by the adjoining Rhode Island colony. Bristol County is divided by the Taunton River, one of the flattest rivers in the world -- it changes in elevation by only 20 feet over its 37 miles. It is also the largest tidal river in Massachusetts -- with ocean flow reaching Taunton, over 20 miles from open ocean.

I was impressed by the unusual glacial errata -- boulders carried from elsewhere by glaciers and dropped as their vehicle melted. In most of Mass., these are hunks of granite or slate, but in this region they were conglomerate rocks -- see the photo of Ian in the cemetery. Also impressive -- the Raynham Milk Bottle! Given the flat terrain, I saw it long in the distance ... what is that?

Day 8 - a quick "beat the rain" solo run to Harvard, one of three Mass. towns named for Ivy League schools. Studying is not the only way to get to Harvard, as it turns out :)

Day 9 -- like the errata, a conglomerate day -- industrial towns like Fall River and New Bedford in the west, cranberry bogs in the east. But in between -- Massachusetts's Wine Country. Centered on Dartmouth (another Ivy League town) and Westport, there are several excellent wineries. I was reminded of previous trips to this region. Highly recommend Running Brook and Westport Rivers. Sadly, both closed today due to COVID :(

607 miles down -- 2993 to go! Virtually, now halfway across Arizona!