I am just not ready to call it a wrap on the summer of 2017. Though the leaves are turning colors and the days are getting shorter, my mind is telling me it’s still summer- and for good reason. For the past three years, I have penciled in our Caregiver and Family Member Bike Ride as the official end to summer – no offense intended to Labor Day.

That means this Saturday, September 16 will be the proper send-off for the summer of 2017. I hope you will join me at UMass Memorial Clinton Hospital for either a 5-, 9-, 19-, or 31-mile ride through some of the most scenic bike trails in Massachusetts. All registered riders receive a UMass Memorial Health Care cycling jersey or shorts. You can register online.

I know it has been a busy year for all of you as we head into the home stretch of our historic launch of the Epic electronic health record (EHR) for the entire system. I cannot think of a better escape than a nice bike ride with my colleagues. I look forward to personally introducing myself to each registrant, hearing about your experiences at UMass Memorial Health Care and getting your feedback on how the transition to Epic is going.

Registration begins at 9 am and the riders will depart on their chosen routes at  10 am. This is a free activity and is open to riders of all levels. Weather will not be a problem as forecasters are calling for a beautiful day this Saturday.

For your convenience, Tomten Biketown has committed to being onsite for the event to assist with pre-ride preventative maintenance. Benefits-eligible caregivers can log this and future rides under the “A Taste of Cardio” challenge on the myHealth Matters website for an easy 15 points.

I hope you will join me for this fun and rewarding bike ride.

Thanks for all your great ideas and for taking great care of our patients and each other,

Eric