Why I PMC guest blog by Paul Bisson, 2-year Team Crank rider
After many years of watching and cheering Pan-Mass Challenge riders from my roadside beach chair, last spring (2025), I surprised my family and signed up for my first PMC. In order to prepare for the two-day event, I
dropped off my bike for a tune-up at the Little Capistrano Bike Shop in Eastham, MA. Little Capistrano is a 50-year-old, fifth-generation family business owned by Mark and Melissa Ayala. I casually mentioned I was preparing to ride in the PMC, and Mark told me they would tune up my bike for free.
During the last couple of weeks leading up to the ride, I began to have several major issues with my bike: multiple flat tires, a broken derailleur, a worn-out cassette, and a snapped chain. It seemed like every other training ride something would go wrong. Each time I went to Little Capistrano for a fix, I would wade through the rental patrons and roll my bike into their shop, where I could see a dozen or more repair slips as this was their busiest time of the year. Mark would assure me he would have my bike ready for my next ride, and sure enough, I would receive a text message the following morning telling me my bike was ready. No matter what the bike issue was, it was fixed for me again and again and again.
During one of these trips, Mark showed me a used Fuji bike with a slick, all-carbon frame hanging on the wall of his shop, but with nothing on it except handlebars and brakes. (He told me it was his fall project when things slow down). Each time I picked up my bike, I would always ask for my invoice, and Mark’s reply was always the same: "You are riding in the PMC; you can talk to Melissa after the event."
With my new gears and equipment, my bike was ready, and I was excited for my first Pan-Mass Challenge.
My ride started Saturday morning from Babson College. I was riding alone, so I was able to observe the bustle and rhythm of the Babson campus—the atmosphere was simply electric. It was exciting and emotional all at the same time. As the event started, I took another long look at the thousands of riders starting together, and it was very impressive. About 12 miles into the ride, I had an accident and ruined my Trek bike, but I was fortunate to be uninjured. After a two-plus-hour wait, PMC support brought me a loaner bike which I used to finish Day 1, arriving in Bourne much later than planned. While hanging out with other riders at the Bourne celebration, I texted Mark at the bike shop and told him the details of my crash and described the loaner bike: a road bike, steel frame, about 15 years old... good enough for Day 2. He texted me back, "No matter what time you get back from Bourne, come see me. I'll have a bike for you."
I departed Bourne to sleep at our Eastham home. There was a lot of traffic, so I arrived at the Little Capistrano bike shop close to 9 p.m. It was dark, and the lights were off inside, but then I saw what appeared to be a flashlight bobbing up and down inside the shop. It was Mark, working with a headlamp strapped to his forehead. After what had to be a long day of regular business, he had worked well into the night, and he presented me with that Fuji bike—now outfitted with new gears, shifters, a chain, new tires, etc. I profusely thanked him and told him I would come by after the PMC with the cash to pay for all his work on the wrecked Trek bike and for getting the Fuji ready for my Day 2 ride.
His reply still moves me: "I am a survivor, and it’s because of PMC and people like you that I am still in remission." This is my “Why I Ride” moment.
I spent five-plus hours on the Fuji bike during Day 2 and during much of the ride I thought about my conversation with Mark and the impact the PMC has on cancer victims and survivors. As soon as I finished in Provincetown, I went to the photo area and hoisted that Fuji bike above my head where I had my picture taken, and immediately texted Mark the photo along with another heartfelt thank you.
