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.

Quabbin has always fascinated me. Saturday's ride focused on "West of Quabbin" -- rural landscapes, including a return to the Daniel Shays Highway (US-202) -- the only highway in Massachusetts named after someone who rebelled against Federal authority. It also brought back memories of previous rides in this area with my daughter Lily when she attended school in Western Mass. Many miles through towns you have never heard of. And the flagship university of the Commonwealth.

Today's ride was a tour through the Nashua River Valley. A tributary of the Merrimack, it drains much of North Central Mass., and is capped by an awesome rail trail that runs from Ayer up to Nashua, all of which Ian and I enjoyed on the tandem this afternoon, a reprise of an earlier ride. It also fills Wachusett Reservoir -- built as a test run for Quabbin, subject of upcoming blog piece. Full circle!

I realized writing this how much I obsess on rivers / bodies of water -- when you are cycling, you always observe the fall lines -- following those lines -- you are probably taking the path of least resistance, which is why rail lines so frequently follow rivers. And why cyclists follow rail lines!

1214 miles down -- 2286 to go! Over one-third done! Finished today (virtually) crossing into Texas! Still 5 or 6 weeks of riding to complete, but let's hope the better weather holds!