Each item of the ALSFRS-R is scored between 4 and 0. Higher scores represent greater functional ability. A maximum total score is 48 and the minimum total score is 0.
With Massachusetts on the horizon it feels like we are almost home. As much as this trip has been an opportunity of a lifetime, I think we are all getting tired of waking up in a different place every day for the last three weeks. It is so much work to pack up and make sure nothing is left behind. The LG guys are keeping us focused on this task but I'm sure they are getting a bit weary as well. This morning tasks also required lubing up the chains that got a bit rusty overnight after the torrential rains.
Today was a day of riding without rain!!! It was overcast and a bit humid but certainly a good day for a bike ride. The fab 4 of Gio, Dave, Steve and Rodney managed the hills of the Berkshires like the pros that they are. Charlie decided to take a rest day after a rough night of not sleeping well. Rumor has it that there were no Italian swears coming from Gio like I was told happened after a crazy steep hill yesterday! Even Rod kept his cool on the hills claiming he is a changed man! Thirteen days ago, Rod hated hills and let everyone in a mile radius know!
At about mile 16, we stopped to meet Steve's brother Pete and his wife Kim at their incredible indoor soccer venue called The Field House in Canaan, NY. They have created a facility that basically runs on it's own as various teams, camps and colleges rent out the space for practice and games. Pete is also an avid cyclists and helped Steve reroute the group a bit to avoid at least one massive hill. We set up our lunch stop in the quaint New England town of Stockbridge, right behind the town hall. Here we met an adorable English bull dog named Buster (I think that was his name) and Charlie got a chance to climb on some rocks.
The crew then set out for the final leg of the day while the second support vehicle went to the hotel to unpack the luggage and prepare for the rest of the activities planned. I had made arrangements with a dear friend who I met through her work as an oncology massage therapist at the PMC, Nanci Newton. Nanci owns The Healing Zone located in Hadley, MA. She agreed to meet us at our hotel in North Hampton to provide massages for the crew! Yesterday, she surpised me with the news that Janice Peterman would also be joining her. Janice is the wife of a dear friend and fellow PMC cyclists, Mark Peterman. Janice is also a trained oncology massage therapist and when she heard Nanci would be coming to work on us, she and Mark decided to drive 4 hours from Maine to join her. They are spending the night in the same hotel and will see us off tomorrow! Mark will then join several of my other cycling buddies on the final leg of our ride into Boxford. The massages, for anyone who wanted one, were wonderful and certainly rejuvenated tired bodies for both the riders and the LG crew. Nanci and Janice, we cannot thank you enough. They are even talking about "when we do this again..." they want to come along as part of the regular crew! That may be motivation to do this crazy thing once again. Nanci worked for quite awhile on my hip trying to release the psoas muscle which we think is what has been causing my pain. I'm still hopeful I will be able to ride on Friday. If you are in the Hadley/North Hampton area and are looking for a fantastic massage, please consider contacting Nanci and her staff. They are top notch. https://www.thehealingzonemassage.com/therapists/
My dear friends Claudia and Paul Worth, who recently moved to Hadley, MA from Boxford, brought the entire crew a delicious meal of chicken and broccoli alfredo, salad, lots of wine and fresh baked break. It was so wonderful to see them and share some laughs. The food was fabulous and the friendship even better. They even brought a replacement supply of blonde brownies and delicious cookies that our dear friend Joanne had baked and shipped to Claudia's house to bring to us! Thank you Claudia, Paul and Joanne!
We had a chance for another award ceremony at dinner and of course the awards went to Nanci and Janice for Lifting us Up and Claudia and Paul for Fantastic Friends. We also gave an award to the hotel manager Regina, as she and her crew extended great hospitality to our group; a much welcome change from some shaky couple of days. Please consider staying at the North Hampton Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott if you are ever in the area.
As the party was just breaking up, we had a welcomed visit from Tara Lopez-Gotlieb from the MA ALS Association, who brought us a beautiful cake with the words, "ALS Sucks" which has become our rallying charge as we start each ride. Thank you Tara! Tara will also be joining us on Friday when we make our way into Boxford!
After dinner, the guys were at it once again, plotting out the specifics of our route, rest stops and lunch. They are simply the best. As you may notice, another Alpha Delt has joined the crew today, Jeff Wagner, who flew into Albany from LA last night! Welcome Wags. Our plan is to be be in East Boxford Center between 2 and 3 pm. on Friday afternoon. We'd love to have you join us as we celebrate our efforts to crush ALS!
One thing I forgot to mention last night was to thank the Alpha Delt guys for joining forces with our neighbors the Spoffords in buying us dinner last night as Doug and I celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary. Very much appreciated and we couldn't have asked for a better crew with whom to celebrate!
We will be home soon! Thanks again for checking in on us! One amazing journey...
With much gratitude,
Dolly
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