The Prologue

On Thursday night, I made it on time with a half-hour to spare (after driving from Massachusetts), for the ritual loading of the bikes. Many of us see friends we haven’t seen for a year (especially yours truly!), and bid farewell to our trusty bikes. We’re on our own now until Saturday morning. For me, I spent the time visiting friends, spending time with my Dad, and meeting up with friends at Triumph Brew Pub in Princeton. Most of the other riders were busy Friday night doing what I had done on Wednesday night- packing up everything they need for a week of cycling.
Cyclists, families and friends all converged on Waterfront Park in Trenton this morning, where we heard from the ride organizers, said our hellos (to our Anchor House friends), and goodbyes (to families and friends) and boarded the buses that would take us to Charlottesville VA.

I am excited to be on the ride again this year, for several reasons. As always, it’s a great opportunity to raise money for an outstanding foundation that does so much good. It’s also an amazing week spent with old friends, and a chance to make new friends who share a love of cycling. But this year, the most prominent reason, is that it was during last year’s ride that I received a job offer (in Ithaca, NY) that I ultimately accepted (while in Clark’s Summit, PA) that precipitated a move (for me, and ultimately my whole family) to Massachusetts to join an exciting start-up biotech company in Cambridge MA. This move was fated to be, for too many reasons to list here. But most prominently was that the company that I joined, Ascent Therapeutics, changed their name to of all things, Anchor Therapeutics earlier this year. So this Anchor employee is now happily embarking on his 3rd Anchor House ride, and happily re-joining this great group of dedicated people on an amazing week of cycling. Let the wheels turn…

Update- we are now in Charlottesville, checked into our hotels, and settling in for a good night's sleep.We're up at 6AM, and on the road by 7AM. It's great to be back on the Anchor House ride!