A Ride Against Lymphoma

hola compadres, senors, senoritas, friends, friends of friends, babes, dudes and supporters...

it is officially the end of day one. after nearly a year of talking, planning, chatting, joking and dreaming this ride has finally begun.

it is to all of you that i'd like to say, thank you. thank you all for the interest, support, morale, kind words and donations. and for those of you that donated before i left...way to go on the faith. i know there are people out there that will benefit.

welp now that the sap is out of the way, how bout a report on the day.

manhattan, ny to Sussex, nj -85 miles-ish. honestly my plan to track this adventure has not panned out as i hoped so be ready for guesstimations.

when i woke up and looked out the window i noticed the wind howling and began to think "should i take off on monday instead? hell no" it was this very wind that i fought all day and most of it was head on. most of the time i felt like i could have walked faster. fortunately my good friend justin p came along for a solid 40 miles to help pull a little bit and provide some company. if you're saying what's pulling? he rode in front of me and sliced through the wind so i didn't have to, therefore i rode in a bit of an air pocket. after those 40 miles i was then on my own but i don't think the true reality of what I'm doing will set in for a week or so.

something i do realize is that i'm about to turn into a human garbage disposal that will eat anything in sight. i had just decended my first real hill and came across a little snack shack and knew i had to refuel for the next hill. i swalloed a bowl of chili and a hot dog without chewing. but it was here that i meant a cool dude named kenny who immediately took an interest in my fully loaded bike. we began chatting and i told him bout the ride. turned out he lost a good friend to lymphoma years ago and just like that another supporter. the beauty of it is i know he'll go and talk about it to family and friends and the word will spread on. and like that i was off.

after a while if riding i noticed a photographer crouching on he side of the road and he snapped a photo of me as i rode past. he shouted "keep riding man." he then drove past me, hopped out of his car and snapped another shot. this went on for a couple miles until i stopped and we begn talking. i was actually expecting him as the day before i did an interview with the new jersey herald. the article should be in mondays paper-crazy.

the sky began to grow dark and i still had 10 miles to go. actually riding in the dark was great. the traffic died as did the wind so i tirned on my lights and cruised into the pleasant acres farm campground who generously provided a trailer for me to crash in for the night. this trailer is nicer than my apt back in the city. fully styled out with a kitchen, living room and a bed. couldn't have been a better place to arrive when one is cold and hungry.

tomorrow i'm heading to blakeslee, pa where there will be a tent site waiting. what happens in between i have no idea.

ok, thats enough, thanks for reading.