08/11/06 - The Oneonta Daily Star

 

CROSS COUNTRY SUCCESS

 

Margaretville cancer survivor biked 3,761 miles starting May 22

 

By Patricia Breakey

 

Delhi News Bureau

 

 

The Daily Star Online

 

From right, Mike Porter, Bob Thomas, of Morris, and Pat McCullar, of Selma, Calif., bicycle together as they come out of Roxbury on state Route 30 on Thursday. (Star photo by Anita Briggs)

 

MARGARETVILLE — Sirens were blaring Thursday afternoon when Mike Porter and three other bicyclists swooped into the Margaretville Fire Department parking lot to attend a welcome-home reception.

 

A banner proclaimed "Welcome Home Mike."

 

A crowd gathered to greet Porter, who spent the last 81 days riding 3,761 miles on a cross-country bike journey that began in Anacortes, Wash., on May 22.

 

Porter, a cancer survivor, got off his bike, showed off his tan and said he was glad to be home because "it’s time. It was real special to be out there, but it’s time to be home."

 

Porter’s wife, Becky, hugged her husband and said, "It’s very nice to have him back. It’s a great day and I’m glad so he’s home."

 

Porter’s biking companions changed regularly along the trip, but he ended the ride with Terry Hoffart, of Tempe, Ariz., whom he met up with in eastern Washington, Pat McCullar, of Selma, Calif., who has been along for the ride off and on since the second day, and Bob Thomas, of Morris, who joined the group in Cleveland, Ohio.

 

Porter, 56, is a retired science teacher who had been planning to bicycle coast to coast when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on his birthday in September 2002.

 

A story in the May 15 edition of The Daily Star outlined Porter’s plans for his trip despite his battle with cancer, which resulted in a series of television, radio, newspaper and magazine interviews along his route.

 

Porter said he started out on the trip to do it for himself but found that the interviews and attention were a definite incentive to keep going. He said the opportunity to show people that there is life beyond a cancer diagnosis helped define the purpose for the trip.

 

Throughout the trip, Porter documented his adventures on this website. He occasionally mentioned his longing for cherry pie, so in addition to veggies, chips, dips and beverages, six cherry pies were presented to him to kill the craving.

 

A bigger welcome-home parade and celebration is planned for Aug. 31.

 

Porter said that he plans to rest today.

 

"My body is tired," he said with a grin. "Not all of it, but most of it."

 

Thomas said he will cycle home to Morris today. On Saturday, Porter will give Hoffart and McCullar a ride to Boonville, where they will continue their journey to Bar Harbor, Maine.

 

Hoffart said he "ran into" Mike four days into the ride and then diverged from Porter’s route four times, but kept running into him again and again.

 

"I went to Canada and then quite by accident, ran into Mike in Sleeping Buffalo, Montana. Then we met for breakfast in Fargo, North Dakota, and I ran into him again in Lakewood, Ohio, where I stuck with him the rest of the way."

 

McCullar said he also left Porter a couple of times, including a side trip to Binghamton to visit relatives, but hooked up with him again to accompany him home.

 

"We all had the same set of maps we were following, but there are different routes you can take," Hoffart said.

 

Porter said he is taking his wife with him on his next bike trip. He said they are planning to tour on a tandem bike, but it will only be on level gound.

 

———

Patricia Breakey can be reached at 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com.

http://www.thedailystar.com/news/stories/2006/08/11/porter1.html

 

 

Bicyclist Rides to Fight Cancer

Trip Rolls into Lakewood

Lakewood Sun Post

August 3, 2006

 

By Lisa Novatny

 

Trekking across America on his bicycle, Mike Porter rides in pursuit of a lifelong dream and to raise awareness about non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

 

Porter, a 56-year-old retired science teacher from Margaretville, N.Y., decided to ride cross country to celebrate a personal milestone.

 

In September 2002, Porter was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a fatal blood cancer. For four years, he battled the cancer, courageously fighting the disease that attacked his body. Undergoing treatment in Kingston, N.Y., Porter was administered the drug Rituxan, which targets cancer cells. Improvement in his health were soon apparent.

 

After 21/2 years of treatment, Porter's condition was under control, and he was ready to set sail on his cross country voyage.

 

I knew the treatment regiment was reaching its conclusion and that it was a good year to go, said Porter. The cancer was there, but it was not debilitating.

 

Porter's passion for cycling stemmed from his children's desire to ride. His daughter, Megan, and son, Jed, are avid riders who have biked for years throughout the U.S.

 

Porter's cross country tour began May 22 in Anacortes, Wash. and will end in Porter's hometown.

 

After riding for 66 days straight from town to town, through mountain passes and rough terrain, Porter passed through Cleveland, stopping in Lakewood for a few days to visit with relatives.

 

Stopping in Lakewood July 25-27, Porter visited with cousins Chuck and Betsy Shaughnessy of Andrews Avenue.

 

This is exciting and inspirational, said Chuck. Mike has always been good at setting goals and sticking to them, and in this case, he did not let his condition hold him back.

 

Chuck explained that he was thrilled to find out Porter's tour was cutting through Lakewood.

We take great interest in his mission, said Chuck. The fact comes through very solidly that you have to have determination to do this.

Throughout Porter's journey, he has kept in touch with his wife, family and friends through e-mails and a personal Web site, mikeporter.pbwiki.com. Porter's online journal gives a daily account of miles traveled and interactions experienced.

 

 

 

Riding in Hope and Triumph

Cyclist Rides Cross-Country, Talking About Living a Full Life with Cancer

Minnesota Good Age (MNGoodAge.com)

August

 

By Tricia Cornell

 

When Mike Porter rode his bike into the Twin Cities in early July, he marked the halfway point in his four-month trek across the country - a ride that began just two months after his latest cancer treatment.

 

Porter was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on his 53rd birthday. The disease, the most common type of blood cancer, is fatal and incurable. But Porter has plenty to say about living a full life with cancer. He has been talking to groups he meets along the way, including the Minnesota chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, about the importance of continuing to live a life that satisfies.

 

He says he picked up the cycling bug from his two children and that his cross-country ride was in the works before his diagnosis. A relatively new cancer drug, Rituxan, which attacks only specific cells and doesn't have the same side effects as traditional chemotherapy, made it possible for him to go through with his plans.

 

"I'm asymptomatic, right now, according to my doctor," he says. "It is a chronic cancer, so I am faced with it coming back.... But since I've been taking better care of myself since my diagnosis, I feel better than I have in years."

 

Porter says that he has found pleasant surprises throughout the trip. "I told my doctor about my plans and he said, 'Be careful. There are some bad people out there,'" he said. "But I've found out that people are wonderful. It's been a real positive experience."

 

When he arrives home in upstate New York in August, Porter plans to work on a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - and start planning a two-week tandem bike trek with his wife.

 

Almost 60,000 people are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma every year. It is a cancer that attacks the white blood cells (lymphocytes), lymph nodes and vessels that help defend the body against infection. There are more than 30 types of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, some are curable and some are not.

 

Read Porter's online journal at mikeporter.pbwiki.com. Learn more about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at Leukemia-Lymphoma.org.

 

 

 

Courage Over Cancer

Cancer a Companion on Bike Ride Across Country

The News-Herald (News-Herald.com)

July 27, 2006

 

By Janet Podolak

 

 

Mike Porter is riding his bike across the country, despite an earlier diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

 

 

 

Mike Porter has had several 80-mile days on his bike ride across America.

 

He's heading this way along Route 84 on Friday, after taking a break for a visit with cousins in Lakewood before his last leg toward home, in western New York state.

Porter will camp Friday night at Perry Township Park before continuing his eastbound journey.

 

He planned the 4,000-mile bicycle odyssey before he learned in 2002 that he had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a blood cancer that's considered incurable.

 

The diagnosis delayed his trip while he underwent three years of therapy with Rituxan, a relatively new treatment that, unlike chemotherapy, targets only cancer cells.

But he didn't let cancer stop him from setting goals and achieving them.

 

Now the 56-year-old retired school teacher is on the final leg of his long journey, bound for home in Margaretville, N.Y.

 

Dr. Joel Salzman, oncologist at Lake University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center in Mentor, says non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is one of the more common types of cancer. "With modern drugs, patients often are able to live relatively normal lives without the discomfort and side effects caused by traditional chemotherapy," he said.

 

Doctors don't know why, but the incidence of the disease has almost doubled since the 1970s. But thanks to drugs like Rituxan, patients are able to live as if they have a chronic disease instead of a debilitating one.

 

"I won't know until I get back if I'll need more treatments or not," Porter says. "But Rituxan has made having cancer somewhat livable."

 

His doctors support his long bike ride, he said.

 

Porter's online journal, which he updates himself, when he is able to access the Internet at public libraries along his route, tells of killer days biking into 25-mph headwinds, and of days when his legs felt like logs as he pedaled. It also recalls meeting with nice folks and seeing beautiful sights. His Web site is at mikeporter.pbwiki.com.

 

Although it's still with him, he rarely mentions his cancer.

 

"I'm feeling the aches and pains you might expect from sitting on a bike all day," he said, speaking to The News-Herald on his cell phone from Western Ohio. "But I have no cancer-related problems whatsoever."

 

On May 22 he began his journey in Anacortes, Wash., bicycling through the mountains in 21 straight days of rain that caused one of his cycling partners to drop out.

"It was definitely a baptism by fire," he said. "Since then, nothing has been that bad."

 

A second partner also left the trek after the men had to make detours around snow fields 6 feet deep.

 

Other long-distance cyclists joined Mike at different points along the way.

 

"Singles tend to hook up with one another on a long distance trek," he said. "Having someone to talk to makes the ride easier."

 

He's stayed in campgrounds on all but three nights, and sings the praises of city parks in tiny western towns that roll out the hospitality for passers-by. "They even have showers," he said.

He most misses his recliner at home, and, generally speaking, misses chairs with backs on them.

 

He skipped Iowa, Illinois and Indiana by taking the car ferry across Lake Michigan from Manitowoc, Wis., to Luddington, Mich. Mike calls home frequently and keeps his Web site journal up to date - a fact appreciated by loved ones.

 

"I'm enjoying living vicariously through Mike by hearing about his day-to-day adventures," said his wife, Becky Porter, back home in Margaretville.

 

"We knew that the ride would be fun and the scenery beautiful, but I've also been delighted to find that the people he meets along the way have been so kind and welcoming," Becky said. "I miss him, but I have to say that I'm so grateful he can do it."

 

Mike, who is a retired earth sciences teacher, considers himself a nature lover. "I've especially enjoyed the gradual changes in topography, climate, birds and plants experienced at the pace of bicycle journey," he said.

 

He's only lost about three pounds thus far on the trip, as he consumes plenty of food, especially at breakfast time. "I'm expending about 3,500 calories a day," he said.

"The ride has been easier than I thought it would be," he said.

 

The biggest personal lesson he's learned on his long ride is to take each day as it comes and to be prepared, but not overly worried, about pitfalls.

 

"Mike and I have learned a lot about each other and modern medicine through this experience," Becky said.

 

One might believe Mike would not want to even think about getting on a bike again, but he's looking forward to having Becky join him on their tandem bike for a one-day August cycling event in Lancaster, Pa.

 

He's also looking forward to catching up on his gardening, getting his firewood stacked for winter and checking his maple trees to make sure his sugarbush is ready for syrup production in February.

 

 

Area Man Heads For Home on Bike Trip

Margaretville Resident Crosses U.S. After Being Diagnosed with Cancer

The Oneonta Daily Star (TheDailyStar.com)

July 27, 2006

 

By Patricia Breakey

 

A Margaretville man is beginning the last leg of his cross-country bike journey, which is fulfilling a dream and a mission.

 

Mike Porter, 56, is a retired science teacher who had been planning to someday ride from coast to coast, but his plans could have been sidetracked when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on his birthday in September 2002.

 

A story in the May 15 edition of The Daily Star outlined Porter’s plans for his trip despite his battle with cancer, which resulted in a series of television, radio, newspaper and magazine interviews along his route.

 

Porter said previously that the day he was diagnosed "wasn’t a good day," but added that the oncologist said the cancer was slow-growing and suggested that he put off treatment for as long as he could.

 

In August 2003, Porter began getting treatments of Rituxan, which unlike chemotherapy targets only cancer cells. He finished another series of four treatments in March, just two months before he departed.

 

"The interviews have been interesting and fun," Porter said. "I want to enlighten people that there is life after a cancer diagnosis. Everybody who is diagnosed with cancer should continue to do as much as they can, not a cross-country bike tour, but the things they enjoy."

 

Porter said he started out on the trip to do it for himself but found that the interviews and attention "were an impetus to definitely not give up.

 

"It has been interesting interacting with people along the way, and it helped define a purpose for the trip above and beyond my original plan," he said.

 

Porter flew to Seattle on May 18 and started out on the bike tour May 22, when he departed from Anacortes, Wash. He said he has pedaled more than 3,050 miles and had reached Cleveland on Wednesday, with only 600 to 700 miles to go to reach Margaretville.

 

"I’m feeling real good," Porter said by phone Wednesday. "(The trip) is everything I hoped for. I have had a great time with the people, and the biking overall has been easier than I thought. I’m not fatiguing the way I did.

 

"I’m definitely enjoying it," Porter continued. "I could make it home in seven or eight days, but I don’t want to do that."

 

Porter said he purchased a bicycle for the trip and has been pulling a trailer with 40 pounds of gear.

 

Porter said one of the best parts has been watching the landscape.

 

"The drastic change from the Rockies to the plains and then traveling through the agricultural states, going from fields of crops to dairy farming," he said. "And the people along the way have been very special."

 

Porter’s biking companions have changed continuously along the trip. He is riding with Terry Hoffart, who he met up with in eastern Washington, and Pat McCullar, who has been along for the ride off and on since the second day.

 

Today, Bob Thomas, of Oneonta, is joining Porter and will ride the rest of the way.

 

When Porter reached Minneapolis, his wife, Becky, joined him for three days. They are planning a tandem ride for next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Minneapolis Downtown Journal 07/17/06

Biking for a Cause

 

From the Minneapolis Downtown Journal http://www.skywaynews.net/articles/2006/07/17/news/news10.txt

 

photo by Cristof Traudes of the Minneapolis Downtown Journal

...

 

 

Mike Porter with his bike and trailer in front of the Marquette Hotel in downtown Minneapolis, MN.

 

By Cristof Traudes

A retired teacher bikes across the U.S. — stopping Downtown — to raise awareness about cancer

 

High school science teacher Mike Porter had already been planning a 4,000-mile bicycle ride across the U.S. when he found out in September 2002 — on his birthday — that he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The cancer, which is generally incurable, delayed his plans, but it didn’t stop them.

 

For nearly three years Porter underwent a relatively new cancer treatment that, unlike chemotherapy, targets only cancer cells. Today, he’s 56, retired and living with his illness. He’s also more than halfway through his cross-country ride.

 

On July 6, the Margaretville, N.Y. native took a short break in Minneapolis to recharge and speak to the Minnesota chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Porter also sat down with the Downtown Journal to talk a little about his experiences.

 

DTJ: Why bike 4,000 miles?

 

Porter: I’ve always kind of wanted to. I read about people doing these routes, and I decided it was time to do this myself. Originally, my goal was to do this before the cancer diagnosis.

 

DTJ: What’s your current health status?

 

Porter: I’m in good health. The doctor said, “Take some time off; don’t worry about it for three months.”

 

DTJ: Where did your trip begin?

 

Porter: I started in Anacortes, Wash. on May 22 in a rainstorm. The first day, it was about 50 miles of rain. If you can survive that, you can survive anything.

 

DTJ: How long did it rain?

 

Porter: Twenty-one of the first 28 days, on and off.

 

DTJ: Were you alone?

 

Porter: No. I started out with two other guys. One planned on going to the end with me. The mountains of Washington did him in. He left on the third day.

 

DTJ: What do you carry with you?

 

Porter: About 47 pounds of stuff. I carry a tent, sleeping bag, fork, spoon, two shirts to wear as street clothes, one pair of pants and [high-calorie] emergency food. So, not much — you’ve got to keep it light.

 

DTJ: Why did you decide to come through Minneapolis?

 

Porter: It was along the route, it was a big city and my butt was killing me.

 

DTJ: What have you done since arriving here?

 

Porter: I’ve been relaxing a lot. I’ve had my picture taken with Mary Tyler Moore [the statue]. I’ve done 12 radio interviews. That was a real interesting experience.

 

DTJ: When and where will you finish?

 

Porter: In late August, back home [in Margaretville, NY].

 

DTJ: What do you want to take away from this experience?

 

Porter: I think it has to be the satisfaction of completing the cross-country and helping people realize there is a life after cancer. Even if you don’t ride a bike, there are things you can do that meet your life’s desires.

 

DTJ: Any future rides planned?

 

Porter: [My wife and I] have a tandem bike. We’ll probably do an extended trip for two weeks. You know, break her in.

 

To follow Porter’s experiences, read his online journal at mikeporter.pbwiki.com.

 

 

• Listen to Mike **

Haven't heard Mike's voice lately? You can click on the link below to follow other links to listen to Mike on a radio interview.

http://radionewssource.com/Scripts/cancerride.htm

 

The Daily Star, Oneonta, NY 05/23/06

CHEERS to Mike Porter

 

From the Oneonta Daily Star Editorial Page

[http://www.thedailystar.com/opinion/edits/2006/05/ed0523.html]

 

 

CHEERS To Mike Porter for following his dream despite being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in September 2002.

 

Porter, 56, said he loves to travel and finds a bike a relaxing form of transportation.

 

"You can interact with people as you ride along," Porter said. "You can hear the birds sing and see things that people in cars never see because they are going too fast."

 

He arrived in Seattle on Thursday, and was to begin his cross-country trek Monday. Porter, Jay Essington, 65, of Egg Harbor Township, N.J., and Martin Fore, 41, of Seattle, will travel Adventure Cycling’s Northern Tier Route.

 

Porter said he participated last year in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training, an endurance-sport training program. He ended up riding 85 miles a day.

 

Porter’s dedication to his dream is something to admire. We wish him well on his trip.

 

Only one correction needs to be made. Martin Fore has decided to travel on a different schedule and has been replaced by Charles Ginn of Atlanta,GA.

 

 

The Daily Star, Oneonta, NY 05/15/06 thedailystar.com

Cyclist to Cross Country for Cancer

By Patricia Breakey

Delhi News Bureau

 

A retired Margaretville teacher who has been battling cancer is getting ready for a cross-country bicycle trip to fulfill a dream. Mike Porter, 56, said he loves to travel and finds a bike a more relaxing form of transportation.

 

"You can interact with people as you ride along," Porter said recently. "You can hear the birds sing and see things that people in cars never see because they are going too fast. I enjoy nature and I love to be out in it."

 

Porter will fly to Seattle this month and then begin pedaling his way back home along Adventure Cycling’s Northern Tier Route. Porter said his riding partners will be Jay Essington, 65, of Egg Harbor Township, N.J., and Martin Fore, 41, of Seattle.

Porter and Essington met two years ago when they participated in a bicycle tour of the Erie Canal.

 

"We were sitting around the tents at night, discussing our future goals, and Jay and I discovered that we both had the same goal, to ride across the country, but he wanted to ride from here to there," Porter said.

 

Porter said he placed an advertisement in Adventure Cyclist, the Adventure Cycling Association magazine, and was contacted by Fore, who wanted to join them on the journey.

 

"I’ve never met Martin, but we will have a few days in Seattle to get acquainted," Porter said. Porter has set up a webpage at http://mikeporter.pbwiki.com, where he has outlined his journey and stops that the group will make along the way. He also plans to post journal entries on the page to let friends know how the trip is progressing and some of the unique experiences.

 

One of Porter’s first postings details the first coincidence of the trip.

"Jay and I are actually flying into Seattle on May 18 on the same plane," Porter wrote. "I am leaving from Albany to Philadelphia to Seattle and Jay, independent of me, booked the same flight from Philadelphia to Seattle only five rows away. Probably the first of many small-world coincidences."

 

Porter said he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on his birthday in September 2002. "It wasn’t a good day," Porter said. "But the oncologist said it was slow-growing and told me not to do anything for a while. In August 2003, I began getting treatments of Rituxan once a week for eight weeks."

 

Porter said he just finished another series of four treatments in March and will go to the doctor again just before he starts the trip. He said he hopes to only need occasional maintenance treatments in the future.

 

"I just need to keep it knocked down," Porter said. "I have never really felt too bad, but I was just really whipped, tired all the time."

 

Porter said that he participated last year in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training, an endurance-sport training program. He rode in the 109 mile El Tour de Tucson. http://www.pbaa.com/Home.html#ElTour

 

"They have coaches to help you prepare for an event," Porter said. "I started a designated training ritual in April and got up to riding 85 miles a day. I would ride to Stamford and have lunch and then continue on to Delhi and back to Margaretville. Sometimes I rode to Downsville or to Oneonta."

 

Porter said he just purchased a bicycle for this trip and plans to pull a trailer with 40 pounds of gear. The three men plan to begin riding toward New York around May 22 and are hoping that the snow will have begun melting and the mountain passes will be somewhat open.

 

He said if things go as planned, his wife, Becky, will fly to Montana to meet the bikers and will drive along with them for a few days, carrying their gear in her vehicle to give the men some time to just enjoy the ride.

 

Porter said he has been riding bicycles since his children, Jed and Megan, began riding. He has led several 4-H bicycle trips from Camp Shankitunk.