2020, Day 34: THE END

One Man

Two Wheels

Four Thousand Miles

Six Years

(Seven if you count 2017 when there was no riding)

Eight kids cheering him on

Fourteen States

INFINITE BRAGGING RIGHTS.

This trip is really a great metaphor for how dad's lived a lot of his life. Working hard, sometimes fighting unexpected hills and playing the long game. Sometimes even taking time away from working toward the goals to help others, or to focus on something more urgent, but ultimately making it happen and coming through every time.

I'm not sure we ever thought about it taking seven years. In the time since dad started, he's had multiple kids finish college, several grandchildren born, and moved homes. He may have wondered if he'd ever finish, but I never did.

And let's not forget mom! The faithful, patient, sometimes lost but always determined, endlessly anxious for dad's safety, sometimes massager, sometimes feeder, and sometimes talker-out-of-crazy-things companion. Mom, you've been there day in and day out, fretting and encouraging, loving and helping, driving and camping, and it would have been a much longer and lonelier path without you. What better way to cap off a long to retirement than being on a long road with someone you love long enough to spend 40 years and have 8 kids with? None, that I can see. #wifeGoals

Thank you to all of you who have followed along with Dad as he's pedaled his way to glory. You haven't heard the last of him, though you may be happy to be done with this mediocre blog. It's been an honor on my part, and likely an exercise in patience on yours.

Dad, it's been the greatest treat narrating your adventure over the last seven years. Many days I felt like I was riding beside you, and more days I wished I actually was just to see you make that victory lap. Here's hoping that the completion of this grand adventure is just the first of many in your new retirement. We love you!

October 13, 2020

SUCCESS! END OF THE ROAD! I DID IT! UNBELIEVABLE! YAHOO!!! The final 41 miles to complete the trek are FINISHED!

Expecting it to rain by mid-afternoon, we got started as soon as it got warm enough to ride. We started a little after 9:00. Once again the hills were mostly gradual, but they have begun to wear on me. I have not ridden up every hill in Maine, but I do believe I have climbed a representative sample. Some of today’s roads were in pretty poor repair, and several sections had no shoulder whatsoever. The motorists were kind, however, and we arrived at Lubec with no mishaps. Then I turned south toward Quoddy Head State Park, “the eastern-most point in the United States” according to a monument on the premises.

Once at the park, I rode my bike down to the fence by the lighthouse above the ocean. It was about 1:00. It was about a 50 foot drop to the rocks below, Further exploration located a trail and a flight of steps down to the shore. So I carried my bike down the steps, over some rocks, and across the gravel to the water, and set both wheels in the ocean. The water was much warmer than I expected--but then we didn’t go wading. After we came back up I saw a sign that said the tide rises an average of seventeen feet in this area because of the funneling effect of all the islands. It was apparently low tide, because it was quite a ways to the water.

We took quite a few celebratory pictures. For one, Mom had me lift the bike above my head. The thought did cross my mind to chuck it over the fence to the rocks below. But I couldn’t do that to such a faithful friend! I don’t know how far I have ridden that bike, but 4050 miles “from sea to shining sea” across the United States is just a start. I am sure I am well over 10,000 miles.

Mom says no more highway riding adventures; from now on I am to stick to bike trails. Fair enough.

So now we will meander our way home over the next couple of weeks, trying to avoid the COVID police (and the disease, too, of course.)

THE END.