about b2p names: 2007 The Foundation (the FND) photo galleries, stories the latest news home Sign our Guest book!	NEWS FROM B2P: for an online version of our latest email newsletter, click The b2p EmailNews Here is a running commentary on the doings at b2p... from the first post in 2005. Check in for the latest news, but also, scroll down to read about our humble beginnings... who woulda known? 7/04/08 Growing Pains... b2p 2008 Memorial Day has, for me, been the day to kick into gear getting ready for the year's b2p. As we turned that corner this year, panic began to set in... My highest priorities for the ride are to protect the safety of everyone involved, and the spotless reputation we have as a fundraising organization. It became clear that, in this stage of our growth, it would take a lot of work to insure both goals were met. As we headed down the stretch to July 4th, it became clear that I couldn't devote the time I needed to meet this challenge, and reluctantly stepped down hoping we could move on to a new level, with new leadership. Unfortunately it seems that was a little optimistic. The decision I've come to is to close the ride for this year, rather than risk not doing it responsibly. Naturally this was a tough call. Beyond just my interests, we have a whole lot of people who have a lot of time and effort invested in this. Read more here... YouTube, 9/14 8/31/07 Avici Systems joins Corporate Sponsors Our third official Corporate Sponsor, Avici Systems, Inc. joins us to support their employees fundraising efforts! GO Fred! (...and don't foget to rope in a few co-workers... heh.) 8/27/07 b2p breaks 100 riders! With almost 3 weeks to go, we got our 100th rider signing up: Alexander Hatziyannis, doing the 100 mile ride, is rider 100! Dare I believe we're going to break 150? We'll see soon enough... 8/4/07 CitySports, html newsletter, b2p on YouTube, crazy stuff! ...details to come, but now, not only the website is where I want it to be, but we got the email newsletter looking good too. The current issue is posted on the site. too. CitySports has agreed to sponsor us, we're working out the details, but you can be sure there'll be news to post, and bring your video cameras next year to get your vid up on the b2p YouTube page! 7/28/07 MAJOR website re-do... check it out. WING ROCKS! We have updated maps, rider forms, fundraising tools, and a signup page for our return shuttles... Surf around adnd tell me what you think. We've also added a Guest Book on the front page, and the "Who is b2p?" pages. Sign in and add your comments. BOSTON2PORTLAND 2007 gets in gear! 07/26/07 4th of July 2007 has come and gone, and, as we close in on the dog days of summer, we are only 8 weeks away! The actual final total by Jan 1, 2007 was well over $60,000!! We already have nearly 50 riders registered, and this year have a contingent from the Foundation there to cheer us on... talk about encouragememt, these are the folks who will actually be able to use the funds for research. Some of them will be riding, some helping Edna's teams... We even have Porta-potties arranged, and are talking with the police departments along the way... especially the Old Orchard department, and we're trying to block off half the road on the final approach. We've got maps by Google Maps now, and finallly they pass my approval. No more bad maps! On top of that, we're officially sponsored by Tech Superpowers, and are preparing our non-profit incorporation papers. wooHOO! It's an exciting time... we're growing by leaps and bounds, and who knows what we're going to accomplish this year! (ted discovers tables, no more frames... heh) - - 10/8/06 Final count: $54,601.26!!!!! - - 09/25/06 $50,000 and 90+ riders... Who could have guessed? We're getting the final donations in, and will post them here as soon as we can, but this is just incredible. Just for luaghs, scroll down this page and take a look at where this started. Plans and ideas are already starting for next year. Give us some feedback, look at Amy's gallery of the ride, and savor the moment! 09/14/06 FINAL PLANS Please note the site navigation has changed silghty... hopefully it's a little easier. All the rider information is on the "rider pack" link to the left. We may have a REAL LIVE CORPORATE SPONSOR! One that sells, uh, refreshments! That's all I can say right now... but, cross your fingers! The volunteers now have their own page, see the "volunteer" link on the nav bar... and the volunteer team is pretty well in place. Don't worry if you don't see your name there, I'm going to update everything this weekend. GET SOME REST, and make sure your bike is ready! WOOHOO! 09/06/06 Route Change and 50 RIDERS! We've topped 50 riders! Go to the "about" page to see a list of the volunteers and riders! PLEASE NOTE, START OF THE 50 CHANGED TO WALLIS SANDS! Rider packages posted... register on the "rider" page for the link! 07/25/06 MAPS! we got MAPS! ...go to the riders page and take a look at our new Google Earth MAPS! 07/04/06 New LOGO, TShirts, web features! Check out the link to Cafe Press! You can order t-shirts, and promote the ride while looking FAB! (Tshirts are priced at cost... as cheap as we can get 'em, so you can buy more!) Also, on the riders page you'll find a link to Sponsor Tracking... send in your donations now, and fill out the form. We'll track your contributions for you. Only 3 months! Get out there and GIT RIDIN'! 05/30/06 BIG news. We are now working with the Foundation for Neurological Diseases. This is important because now 100% of every dollar earned will go directly to research. No paperwork, on overhead. Research can hit the street faster. A cure can be found sooner. We now accept credit card donations through PayPal, and have some fundraising tools... check the links to the left. We've been pretty quiet on the outside, but a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes! ...hope you've been riding! 01/23/06 we got FORMS! Riders can now sign up online... check the "riders" link. (GEEKS REIGN!) 01/21/06 We've got a plan... A 3-tier ride, different starts, the same finish... Revere, Hampton and York beaches, all finishing up at Old Orchard. The date: Sept 23. Also, we're meeting with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Center for Neurologic Disease in the next week. I'm sure there'll be plenty to report. Check back! 11/18/05 Meeting with MJFF getting set! They're moving into a new HQ in NY... as soon as they're set, in early Dec., we're meeting for a "check" presentation. Details coming soon! We're also planning a dinner for mid Jan... 11/10/05 The MJF Foundation called! They're announcing the site TeamFOX, launching in January, as a resource for groups like ours... We're going to have a chance to present a representative of the Foundation a check, and I think we should have a celebratory dinner in honor of that event... don't you? Plans are already starting for next year... check in soon! 09/25/05 WE HAD A GREAT RIDE! THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP, AND ALL THE DONATIONS! ...check out our photo gallery, up soon. We're already setting the date for next year... SEE YOU THEN! 09/11/05 after plotting out the course, riding some and driving the rest, we've made the decision to start the ride at Revere Beach, and ride to Old Orchard Beach... nicer, safer ride, and about 100m even. Donations are up, we have a swinging shot at our goal, and we have about 6-8 riders! 07/21/05 We have 3 volunteers for mechanic and support vehicles, and we have a decision... it's going to be a one-day CENTURY PLUS ride. 07/01/05 we just recieved our biggest donation... $500! AND, our first on-line donation to MJF foundation!! (THANKS STEVE AND GINA!!!) 05/17/05 WE HAVE A LOGO!! WOOHOO!! (Thanks Vivian!) 05/08/05 contribution status chart is up over navigation bar! 05/07/05 contribution and rider information (such as it is) is now up. 05/06/05 hey, woo hoo! I am now WE! We got our first volunteers, contributors and a rider! crazy stuff! 05/04/05 website is progressing... i got the domain, the hosting (thanks FATCOW), and im building stuff. whoop! ...sometime in April, 2005: I can remember the exact place, on the Carson beach bike path in South Boston, on the ride to work. It was dawn, and I'd been thinking about how there were no rides for Parkinson's research. I decided to just do a ride myself, and then was facing the question of the route. I live in Boston, my sister lives in Portland. The name hit me. boston2portland, and there it was. The first thing I did when I got to work was to check and register the domain name, and call a few buddies to rope them in... ...oh. THEN I checked the mileage. HA!
	"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead