Watch CBS News

Bike To Breathe Day 5 - "Rest" and Ride On

Day 5 of biking

After two days of "rest" that included some stops to see friends, get our bikes tuned and some grant writing and office work for me, we were ready to head to Providence this morning. Ok, we also had a little bit of fun in Boston, including joining some cheerleaders we spotted while out and about. We figured, "Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em," right?

Day 5 - Rest day in Boston - when you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
Rest day in Boston - when you can't beat 'em, join 'em! (photo provided by Jerry Cahill)

The rest days definitely helped, but even with all of my training, there is nothing that could've really prepared me for this 500 mile ride. As you can imagine, just as my muscles were starting to heal over these past two days, it was time to put them back to work on the bike!

Day 5 - Rest day in Boston - when you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
Rest day in Boston - when you can't beat 'em, join 'em! (photo provided by Jerry Cahill)

When I woke up, it was overcast and I felt a bit of that New England fall chill in the air. But, as the morning wore on and the sun rose, it started to clear up and we hit the road. Well, before we left, I checked my FEVs (levels that tell me how my lungs are functioning) with a device made by Spiro PD – another company that has been supporting me and has made this ride possible. And, while I'm in this mode of gratitude, I have to reiterate, while Em and I are doing all of the biking, we have a great team of people – Mike, Mike, Rich and Chris – that are here with us to help keep us hydrated, fed and safe and film us. There's no way I'd be able to do this without these guys.

Day 5 - Em cheering me on as I check my FEV's
Em cheering me on as I check my FEV's (photo provided by Jerry Cahill)

Off we went and continued south on the ECG. The terrain for the first 25 miles was hilly, coupled with strong winds. Nothing feels more fun than going uphill with the wind at your face! But, Em and I know that anything can happen during this ride and we were just grateful we haven't experienced anything much worse than this so far, weather wise. The silver lining to this stretch of ride was when we stopped in Hudson, MA and a very generous woman at a bakery gave us a big box of muffins. Please remember what I told you in my last blog posting – muffins, or any kind of treat like this – is gold during this journey. So, a big thanks to this lady for helping to get us to Providence today!

The last 15 miles were really enjoyable, in terms of the terrain, low wind and beautiful scenery. We also literally rode right into a cemetery. I couldn't help but laugh and think to myself, "My legs are dead, like this cemetery." Seriously though, it was the perfect way to wind down our 51 mile ride.

Other stops today included DCU, a credit union in Massachusetts, who has been incredibly generous in support of this ride. And, we stopped at a Walgreens in Providence, RI for a reception and an amazing lunch. It was another great day of riding in the books for us!

Tomorrow we have a big day, so I need to rest. We'll embark on a 75 mile ride to Hartford, CT and before we know it, we'll be in NYC! I'm looking forward to the finish line at NY Presbyterian as they've been behind me before and during this ride, and will continue to be here for me after this ride. So, you can understand why even though I'm experiencing some fatigue, my excitement for this big finish seems to be eclipsing it!

Day 5 - Our team member Mike H. trying to keep us with us to get us on film
Our team member Mike H. trying to keep us with us to get us on film
View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.