My friend John

Theres nobody like my Friend John to brighten up a ride. John always rides with his Trumpet, and just when you think that the ride isnt going to get any better, he starts playing the perfect tune for that perfect moment.

I will never forget the day that I met Rich Pinto and John Totman. The three of us had never met before and were on a group ride that started in South Natick. Flying along at about 25 MPH. John started playing "What a Wonderful World". I heard Rich say, "This guy has too much wind!"

The other day John sent me this story about riding on Marathon Monday on the course. I asked if I could add it to our blog and he said yes.
Here it is:

About two years ago I pedaled my M5 Low Racer, ( in line Wheelchair ) into Boston just ahead or at least I thought I was ahead of the Boston Marathon. Turns out that the real wheelchair racers had caught up to my friend Geoff Borris, he was on his mountain bike. I tried to get off the course but all the race officials kept physically directing me back on. We were pretty close to the finish line. The police hauled Geoff off the course then asked him where he got on the course. He of course said "Hopkinton". Meanwhile I just rolled through the finish line - then miraculously jumped off the bike and quickly exited the finish area. It turns out that it is much easier to leave a restricted area then to get into one.

Geoff added:
I remember the marathon story well! It was really funny.
Just the two of us, rounded the final corner and saw the finish line waiting for us. I remember cow bells and all kinds of cheering, as well as the announcer saying something about John being in a specially designed wheelchair for pedaling with his hands! It seemed to me that they thought he was a marathon racer. I was laughing the whole time, as they waved John through and cheered for him. I, on the other hand, was quickly motioned to pull to the side by a group of police officers. They were none too pleased with me and grabbed my bike as they escorted me off the course.
Somehow I was able to make my way back to find John and see how pleased he was for showing them how he was not, in fact, disabled, but just a man with a trumpet on a day-glow colored recumbent bicycle!