I had this very interesting e-mail from Steve and Bev Allen this morning. Our congratulations to their son, Doug - what a fine thing to make such an effort to raise money. It sounds as if he had fun doing it, too. Here's the report:

Our son Doug has successfully completed the 190 mile Pan Mass Challenge, and generous donations have helped him exceed his $4200 dollar pledge, on the way for 500 riders exceeding $31 MILLION Dollars for the Dana-Farber Cancer center! We are so proud we could burst, and Bev and I were at the Cape to help him celebrate his ride! Read his account of the PMC here : http://carolinejingbo.blogspot.com/

Proudly! Steve & Bev Allen [Meadow Lane, Joe's Pond]

Congratulations, Doug! And thanks to Steve and Bev for sending letting us know.

I've been really busy trying to tie up loose ends before this Saturday's Cabot Alumni Association tour of one-room school sites in Cabot, which I'm leading. As with any event like this, things sometimes don't go as planned, and for a while last week I was nervous because I hadn't been able to confirm the use of a bus and driver. Today it all came together when Deb Bothfeld returned my call to say she's available to drive the bus; I got all my hand-outs printed yesterday and except for loading everything up to take with me Saturday, I'm good to go.

Speaking of going, Bob and Theresa stopped by this morning to show us their new tandem bike and the carrier they use for their elderly dog, Casey. They have been taking lots of biking trips this summer, using various bike trails, and today were going to ride our back roads, including the Bayley-Hazen Road on Cabot Plain. They said Casey really likes going with them. Once they are moving, there is plenty of air circulation and of course they carry water for her as well as for themselves.

Bob was showing us how the manufacturer of the tandem bike has redesigned it so it is ultra light, then he laughed that it is pretty much canceled out with the dog carrier attached.

I have always thought the bikes today must be the most uncomfortable things ever designed to torture a human body. I don't understand the high skinny (gotta be uncomfortable!) seats, or the low handlebars that force a back-breaking position. Seems to me the wheels are a lot smaller than the ones on my Elgin bike of the 1940's, too, but the tires on their tandem seemed good and rugged, more like the ones I remember. I haven't been on a bike for at least 40 years and I'm happy about that.

Joe's Ponders will be glad to learn the new buoys are on the way and Jamie (Dimick) believes they may arrive on Friday. If the do, he will get them out right away. You'll certainly notice the pretty orange ones that will mark the sand bar at Smith's Point . . . I don't know exactly where the others will be going, but those of you who are on the water regularly will spot them right away, I'm sure.