Why I PMC - Bob Dufresne

#WhyIPMC guest blog by Bob Dufresne, 2-year rider, Team Nashua Rides For Hope

On April 6 of this year I lost my big brother Tommy to pancreatic cancer after a heroic 14-month fight, helped by the fantastic care-givers at Dana-Farber (in the Boston and the satellite Londonderry NH locations).
Cancer seems a constant companion to my once 9-member family, having lost our Mother, Father, one of our sisters (Annette) and now Tommy to this disease. One of my sisters required a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery while another required a bone marrow transplant. Thankfully, both are doing great.
When our sister Annette died of cancer some 19 years ago it prompted 54-year-old Tommy to ride his first PMC. He then went on to ride every year thereafter raising over $130,000 for Dana Farber. I always thought he was a lunatic, after-all, who rides a bicycle 200 miles?!?!!? Team "Nashua Rides For Hope" (now Team Hope) became his second family and he loved them and they, him.
Well, Tommy was diagnosed in February 2023 and he knew he wouldn't be able to ride that year. Missing the PMC hung over him like a cloud and we knew it bothered him. I couldn't feel more helpless as he struggled with his diagnosis and what might possibly be the end of his legacy.
On the night of March 31st I had an unusually vivid dream of riding a bicycle in a group of riders on a sunny day. All of us were smiling and enjoying the glorious weather. I woke up the next morning (yes, April First) and remembered chuckling because a) I haven't touched a bicycle since earning my driver's license 38 years ago and b) I never remember my dreams, but I certainly remembered this one. 
At precisely 9:01AM Tommy called to ask my opinion about something on his mind. He wanted to ask my oldest son (Spencer) if he would take on the PMC in his place. He provided me with all the reasons it made sense - Spencer was in his early 20's, he could likely ride the PMC with hardly any training, Tommy's list of fundraising supporters already ran like a well-oiled machine and Spencer could even use Tom's bike!
I thought about it for about 3 seconds and said "Spencer won't be riding the PMC, I will." Yeah, I was 54, overweight and hadn't biked in forever.
Tommy was, of course, incredulous but happy that I would continue the tradition.
Fast-forward to August 2023, I had lost almost 40lbs training more than just my pants off, raised $20,000 - placing me in the top 10% Heavy Hitters - and Team Hope took me under their collective wing ushering me through the starting gate and helped me so much along the way. They are an amazing bunch of people.
Except... on the second day the hills along the Cape Cod National Seashore, while beautiful, sucked the strength out of my legs and the heat reflecting off the pavement was cooking me alive. I was lagging my teammates by a wide margin. 
Team Hope has a tradition of meeting close to the finish line and pedaling across together. As the finish lines neared, the Team took the right to go onto the Provincetown Inn while I took the left and finished at the Monument (Family) finish line. Once I was "done" I called Steve Piper (20-year PMC-er) and asked where everyone was. He told me I had crossed the "wrong" finish line so I had to peddle back down the course and finish across the "proper" finish line and into the waiting hugs of Team Hope. I concluded "someone" had a bigger plan for me and helped me cross the finish line once for me and once for Tommy.   
During the darker days of my training Tommy offered a word of advice, saying "once you ride the PMC you'll never want to stop." He was correct. 
Here's to year-two!