Today was the day I received my scan results. I have been pretty nervous the last couple of weeks waiting for this day.

I am happy to say that I finally got to meet NED. NED stands for No Evidence of Disease!

The spots I had in my abdomen are completely gone. The mass in my chest (scar tissue) is even smaller than it was last year at this time.

My Oncologist said Lymphoma tends to grow not shrink so you are officially in FULL remission.

I am SO HAPPY I just do not know what to write. I think I may have to ride today.

Well yesterday I found out I am not allergic to bee stings. I was riding my 18 mile loop near my house and a bee (not sure what type) hit my arm. Then the little bugger bounced off my arm and on to my thigh! It was there he proceeded to STING me!!!

I must of looked pretty funny trying to ride one handed while my other hand is trying to brush that darn bee off before he stung me. Well it was clinging on for dear life and stinging me like no tomorrow! I finally got the darn thing off me and pulled over to find the stinger. Of course the only place to pull over was a church parking on Atlantic Ave. So here I am .. trying not to face the road and not face the church and pull my biking shorts up high enough to get the stinger out!

So I have a nice little welt on my thigh, but no reactions occurred. I can’t remember the last time I was stung and was never allergic before, but you never know.

It took me only 1 hour 10 minutes to ride that 18 miles (even with the bee sting)!

Also, our Keuka Lake ride was AWESOME! I met a new friend (Jim) and could not have asked for a better riding day or better company. We rode 44 miles in 2 hours 47 minutes. We opted not to go into the Y of Keuka lake and stay on the outside of the lake. It was still a great ride. I have a couple photos I will post later.

It’s going to be a busy weekend. I have my Family Renunion in Pultneville on Saturday, Penfield Fair Days, and the Wayne County Fair to attend. Hopefully we can fit it all in!

So our Keuka Lake ride is coming up this Sunday (8/14). Ethan and I will be joined (so far) by someone I met on the CCC mailing list (Cyclists Combating Cancer), Jim Youngs. I am pretty excited to meet a fellow CCC’er.

I have miscalculated the mileage around Keuka Lake though. It turns out it will be 60 miles or more. I did not do the mileage into the “Y” of the lake. So it will probably be a bit of a challenge for me (much like Canandaigua Lake). I have every confidence that I will not need to call Carrie to come get me.

The LAF has posted the 100 route for the Ride for the Roses! It can be found here – 100 Mile Route.

I see from the map that I have to make the 30 mile mark within two hours of the event start in order to be allowed onto the 100 mile route otherwise you get routed to the 70 mile course. It’s a good thing I am riding all these lakes and hills. I think I will be able to make that 30 mile mark well under two hours.

On Tuesday (8/9) I was re-scanned. On a good note … the contrast I have to drink was much better tasting than the last time. In case you are wondering I opt for the fruit punch flavor. On a bad note … the contrast they inject in me bothers me more and more each time. They say you will feel a warm fuzzy feeling and make you have the sensation of going to the bathroom. Well … let me tell you … I get the Hot, Prickly feeling and have the sensation that someone has stuck a torch in my crotch! Luckily it does not last long, but man … what a wake up call.

Having the scans always seems to depress me a little. I don’t know if it’s all the contrast I took in or the fact that it just gets me over thinking about things. I won’t get the results back until 8/30. So it is back wait, wait, wait …

I shouldn’t worry that the cancer is back. I just don’t see how it could be back. How could I be biking all this mileage and have Bubba back?

Currently I have raised $6,065.00 for the LAF.

Only 68 days until we leave for Austin, Texas! Woohoo!

So I have decided that I will try to conquer all the Finger Lakes before the Texas Ride.

Next up will be Keuka Lake (46 miles):

• Jerusalem, NY –> Urbana, NY (16 miles – Google Maps)
• Urbana, NY –> Penn Yan, NY (22 miles – Google Maps)
• Penn Yan, NY –> Jerusalem, NY (8 miles – Google Maps)

After that maybe Seneca Lake (81 miles):

• Geneva, NY –> Watkins Glen, NY (36.9 miles – Google Maps)
• Watkins Glen, NY –> Hector, NY (11.2 miles – Google Maps)
• Hector, NY –> Sampson State Park (18.9 miles – Google Maps)
• Sampson State Park –> Geneva, NY (14.8 miles – Google Maps)

Only 31 days of fundraising left. Please Donate to the Lance Armstrong Foundation!

So today I went to Canandaigua to ride my first 50 miles with Ethan & Cammi.

First of all I want to thank Whit (Cammi’s boyfriend) for installing my new clipless pedals and setting my new shoes up for my bike. What a world of difference that makes when riding now!

What a tough ride! If you had asked at the end of it if I would ever do that again I would have said NO WAY! Now that I have had a couple hours to recooperate .. I can’t wait to go again.

We completed 50.18 mile in 3hr 52min! Not Tour de France performance, but all three of us were pretty happy with our accomplishment.

At one point coming into Naples I hit a max speed of 42.9 MPH!!! It was such an adrenaline rush. I’d like to hit 60mph before the summer is through.

I just want to give a HUGE thanks to Ethan and Cammi for taking me on that ride. It was just beautiful. I did not get a chance to take any photos though this time. Next time I will have a camera phone and take photos throughout the ride.

Stats:
Miles: 50.18
Time: 3H 52M
Cadence: 70-95
Max Speed: 42.9
Avg Speed: 12.9

LiveSTRONG!