Tom’s Ride to Aid Cancer Survivors

Chronicle of 2007 Tom’s Ride

The 2007 Tom’s Ride to Aid Cancer Survivors (TRACS) was a rousing success! We’ve raised quite a tidy sum for a very worthwhile charity, CuzWeCare.

June 30th found us starting the day at Tom’s gravesite with family and friends to bid us farewell. Five people made the trip that day: Tom’s wife Laurie, his daughter Mariah, friends John & Jen Webster, and myself, Joe.

As Tom preferred back roads to interstates (as do I), we stayed off the beaten path as much as possible and never set a tire upon an interstate highway for the entire 506-mile ride. We made several stops along the way for gas and food, which worked out well for those of us suffering from tingly hands (or butts!). We kept the speed down, not only to accommodate beginners Laurie and Mariah, but to soak in the beautiful and changing landscape. (Sorry John!)

The weather was perfect that first day: warm yet cool enough to be comfortable wearing full riding gear, and mostly sunny with those big, dramatic puffy clouds scattered throughout the sky (cumulus? nimbus? I can never remember).

We made our first stop in Cornish, New Hampshire in mid-afternoon. Tom’s best friend since childhood, Jim Osterlund, and his wife Kathi were kind enough to offer their home to us for the night. Unfortunately, Kathi was away tending to her daughter’s new apartment. (We missed you so much, Kathi!) Jim was the perfect host and shared numerous stories of his and Tom’s exploits in years past. Thanks to both of you for sharing your lovely home and the even more lovely view.

Day Two found us bidding farewell to John & Jen and just three of us moving on northward into Vermont. I learned long ago that the thinnest, squiggly lines on a map are the best indication of great roads and my maps did not disappoint. In spite of cooler temperatures and a thick cloud cover, we drove through some of the most picturesque parts of Vermont I've yet seen. Lots of farmland and little towns nestled in majestic mountains just took our breath away around every corner. I literally could have stopped every two miles and snapped off scores of pictures of the spectacular scenery, but that would have extended the trip and tried the patience of my comrades. As it was, this was the longest leg of our trip at just over 200 miles.

We stopped at The Lodge in West Dover for the night, located at the base of Mount Snow. After a little mix-up with the keycards for the rooms, we unloaded our gear and rode down the street for dinner and also found a nice little market that had just about anything and everything a person could need—all under one roof. After getting back to the Lodge, it was quite evident that we had endured a long day. I think it was especially hard for Laurie and Mariah as they weren't used to long hours spent piloting a motorcycle. Fortunately, the beds were very comfortable and we all slept well. Kudos to the management for a very pleasant stay and for the rooms with the magnificent view of the mountain.

July 2nd, 2007, what would have been Tom’s 50th birthday, was quite the pleasant journey, since Tom was kind enough to clear many of the clouds out of the sky for us. I deliberately took the girls down a couple of very twisty roads in northern Massachusetts that I've often travelled (albeit at higher speeds). This may have been the cause of Mariah’s upset stomach, but after a brief stop, she felt much better and on we rode. We made a quick pit stop in Shelburne Falls, MA, to walk across the Bridge of Flowers and ambled down into Connecticut. By 1:00, we were home and the trip was over! Plenty of time for Mariah to get to work by 3:00.

It was good to be home again, but a little sad that the trip was over. Fortunately, none of the bikes gave us any mechanical difficulties (again, “Thanks Tom”). And we had time to think about Tom and how he had such a big impact on our lives. We accomplished his goal of making a difference. Though this is just the beginning....

See more photos of our trip here.

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