To All My Friends and Family Who Supported Me for this Ride:
First, I would like to thank everyone for their love, support and generosity. Making donations is often not an easy thing to do financially, and asking for them is particularly hard for me. I used to just give the money to whatever organization my kids were selling candy for (and they would end up eating it all anyway). But seriously, thank you all for your donations. The ride raised over $107,000.00, the proceeds of which will be donated to McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, for the education, research and treatment of mental illness including anxietpy, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders and substance abuse.
On a personal note, my dad passed away two weeks ago. He was an intelligent man, a devoted husband, loving father and beloved grandfather, who suffered from anxiety and depression, which made him sometimes difficult to deal with. Understanding these conditions can go a long way to improving strained relationships of this nature. I have heard mental illness referred to as “the invisible disease”, because you can’t see it. My brother Steve always said, when dealing with our father, “you can’t expect a man with a broken leg to run a marathon, we can’t expect dad to be able to do certain things” because of his illness.
So please pardon the delay in extending my gratitude. I am lucky to have friends like you, and blessed to have the family I have. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for giving us each other.
On a lighter note, I found the below article in the New Paltz Press, or the NPZ Gazzette, or some such local publication. The paper was tossed in somebody’s driveway, wet, shabby and discarded. I picked it up and read it with my morning coffee, and, lo and behold, they must have gotten word that Marcel and I would be up there for this event. Read on, and ride on!
New Paltz, NY: Shrugging off the looming demon that haunted them for the past year, Tommy Dominguez and his riding partner Marcel Pissi conquered the mighty Mohonk Mountain in a single bound: no dismounting, no Schwinn-riding dungaree clad teenagers passing them, and no drama as they rode their way to the top, crested the summit, and quickly descended in the drops at 45.7 mph to continue their journey through the verdant and vertiginous region in the name of awareness: ending the stigma of mental illness.
In what is sure to become a major cycling event, The Ride for Mental Health, also known as Eric’s Ride, was a triumphant success, with over two hundred registered cyclists, many of whom showed up despite the gloomy weather forecast. Braving intermittent rain showers and cloudy skies, the intrepid riders of all levels and stripes pedaled off as Master of Ceremonies Tom Munno launched the ride with a resounding, officious shout of “GO!!”
The first 15 miles were uneventful, with Dominguez and Pissi joining a group led out by none other than the infamous ex-racer Malcolm “Mac” Dorris himself, setting a brisk early pace as the group settled in. Supported by his loyal friends, consiglieres, lieutenants and domestiques from Prospect Park, Brooklyn, he led the charge despite commenting to the press prior to the ride that he was “not going to lead the pack”. Well, lead he did, and his trusty compatriots heeded the call as they rolled through the beautiful streets of downtown New Paltz and into the glorious open roads, humming wheels and clicking gears that sounded like a swarm of killer bees. These were men on a mission. And a woman on a mission as well: the fastest woman at the ride was in this group, making the boys’ efforts all the more significant as she frequently pushed the pace, forcing her male companions to try and turn their painful grimaces into smiles as she passed them.
But was it at Beaverkill Rd. around mile 20 that Dominguez sensed trouble? As the road turned up gradually and seemingly forever, he watched the group drift off and pedal away in the distance, his exhausted efforts yielding little progress as the long hill laughed and yawned, not moved by his suffering. Dropped. No worries, he thought, he had his Garmin and would find his way to the finish. Besides, what better way to enjoy the views of the majestic Shawangunk Mountains and the glorious Ashokan Reservoir as one rides alone in peace and solitude? But, alas, it was not to be.
Suddenly, another cyclist also stung by the drag of the unrelenting incline surged past him. Relief! Dominguez jumped on his wheel and held on for dear life. The cyclist, Derek, another thoroughbred from Prospect Park, glanced back, and, seeing the struggling Dominguez, proceeded to put some serious power down, bridging the gap and bringing both riders back up to the pack, gruppetto compacto. It’s riders like Derek who epitomize what the sport of cycling is all about: teamwork, strategy, and the commitment to completing the mission in the face of pain and extreme discomfort.
Recharged and with new found energy, Dominguez took advantage of the generous pull and got back to work, surging up short, punchy hills, and waiting with trepidation for his impending encounter with the massive monster lurking just a few miles up ahead, so beautiful to look at from a distance, so intimidating and ferocious on ascent, breathtaking and terrifying when descending at speed on two wheels.
The actual climb was grueling but manageable, as proper preparation and training yielded the desired result: last year’s attempt on his Specialized Tarmac Pro SL4 with 52/36 chain rings and an 11/25 cassette made the climb arduous. This year, using his go-to stallion, a Cannondale CAAD9 with a 50/34 and 11/28 setup, combined with multiple prior climbs and hill repeats under the watchful eye and iron fisted training regimen Pissi crafted, the mountain became a memory to be cherished until faced again.
After completing the North Loop, Dominguez and Pissi opted to go the distance and rode the 100 mile course with their new companions, culminating with Dominguez significantly besting his times from last year.
By the #’s:
Mohonk Climb 2017: 13:43
Mohonk Climb 2018: 9:57
North Loop 2017: 51.38 mi.; 3:36:56; avg. speed 14.2mph*
North Loop 2018: 52.23 mi.; 3:18:51; avg. speed 15.8 mph**
South Loop 2017: 49.47 mi.; 3:21:22; avg. speed 15.8 mph*
South Loop 2018: 49.47 mi.; 2:51:08; avg. speed 17.3 mph**
* 2017 North Loop ridden Saturday, 2017 South Loop ridden Sunday
** 2018 North and South Loops completed on the same day, Saturday
Dominguez was ebullient after the ride. “I don’t know what’ll happen next year, but this year we attacked it. I felt strong. This was an epic day!” he quipped. When asked for his post-ride thoughts, the laconic Pissi, seasoned from years of racing and riding in the states and through the mountains of Spain and Italy, offered merely that “it was a bike ride”. Conditions were perfect for them: sitting in with a strong group, no wind, cool temps, good cloud cover and perfectly placed rest stops stocked with healthy fuel staffed by cheerful volunteers all added up to one of their best efforts to date. Indeed, it was a great accomplishment by all who participated.
The day concluded with a delicious dinner that featured an epicurean cocktail hour and live music at the Mohonk Preserve, overlooking the spectacular Shawangunk Mountains. The first 150 riders were all treated to this truly lovely evening courtesy of the ride organizers, Mac and Ginny Dorris, who lost their son Eric after his battle with mental illness and to whom this ride is dedicated, and their generous slew of sponsors in support of McLean Hospital (http://www.mcleanhospital.org/).
Sunday consisted of a spirited 25 mile recovery ride, as many from Saturday’s group turned out again for more camaraderie, scenery, hills and wide open roads. “Healthy people sharing a common interest in support of a great cause under such idyllic conditions makes for a magical weekend”, mused Dominguez, as he was last seen pedaling through town on his way back to the hotel, or perhaps in search of more miles…