Back in 1983, a friend of mine went cross-country on her bicycle, flying out to Seattle and riding back to Boston. She was 45 at the time, and went the whole way by herself. After she did it, I kept saying that "someday", I would do it too.
One Saturday early in 1992 (I was 39 at the time), an alert doctor at Boston City Hospital (remember "St. Elsewhere", the hospital nobody wanted to go to? That was really BCH) saved my life. He noticed I had a tumor on my left testicle. After I had an operation to remove the testicle on very short notice, the results indicated that the tumor was cancerous.
I realized that "someday" might have never come for me. Two days after the operation, I was back swimming laps in the pool at the Woburn Y. The day after that, I went out an bought a brand-new Saturn. The next week, I started radiation therapy and interviewed for a job with the State. They explained to me that the position continuing after July 1st was
dependent on the State budget being approved on time, which was unlikely to happen.
My reply was, "Fine. If the job ends, I am flying out to Seattle with my bike." I did get the job, but the budget wasn't approved. With unused Vacation and Sick time, I was able to finish on July 18th. And so I was off to Seattle, and biked home to Woburn. It took me 37 days, or just over 5 weeks. I camped almost the whole way, sleeping indoors only 4 nights.
Five years later, in the spring of 1997, I started seeing visions of lonely little towns out west and empty two-lane roads, so I became a repeat offender. This time I made it back in exactly 5 weeks, spending only 2 1/2 nights indoors (it seemed really stuffy inside, so I went outside at about 4a.m.).
It's been ten years now, and I've been getting those visions again. Can I still push a loaded touring bike across the continent at the age of 54?
One Saturday early in 1992 (I was 39 at the time), an alert doctor at Boston City Hospital (remember "St. Elsewhere", the hospital nobody wanted to go to? That was really BCH) saved my life. He noticed I had a tumor on my left testicle. After I had an operation to remove the testicle on very short notice, the results indicated that the tumor was cancerous.
I realized that "someday" might have never come for me. Two days after the operation, I was back swimming laps in the pool at the Woburn Y. The day after that, I went out an bought a brand-new Saturn. The next week, I started radiation therapy and interviewed for a job with the State. They explained to me that the position continuing after July 1st was
dependent on the State budget being approved on time, which was unlikely to happen.
My reply was, "Fine. If the job ends, I am flying out to Seattle with my bike." I did get the job, but the budget wasn't approved. With unused Vacation and Sick time, I was able to finish on July 18th. And so I was off to Seattle, and biked home to Woburn. It took me 37 days, or just over 5 weeks. I camped almost the whole way, sleeping indoors only 4 nights.
Five years later, in the spring of 1997, I started seeing visions of lonely little towns out west and empty two-lane roads, so I became a repeat offender. This time I made it back in exactly 5 weeks, spending only 2 1/2 nights indoors (it seemed really stuffy inside, so I went outside at about 4a.m.).
It's been ten years now, and I've been getting those visions again. Can I still push a loaded touring bike across the continent at the age of 54?
4 comments:
You go Mike!. Best wishes from the Inmagic team.
Hell yeah, GO FOR IT, MIKE! 54 is the "new" 34! :-) Have a great ride!
Mike, you are my friggin' HERO. Go, man, GO!
great story...
and admirable vacation.
Norah
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