Final Post

As many, many of you know the transition back into the real world hasn't exactly been paved with smooth pavement for me. I miss the life on the road, my new friends, and the ease of living out of two small bags.

I believe that I could quite easily live the life of a bike gypsy traveling from here to there and then maybe back again. For now, however, that isn't possible. In the mean time the pictures will help bridge the gap....maybe.

Five albums of pictures are posted in "My Favorite Links".

Enjoy!

Very special thanks to Shelley making sense of all my pics....

What about the pictures and the PTD?

Pictures will be posted soon. There are quite a few more than expected - Shelley is organizing them for me - she totally ROCKS!!

PTD (Post Tour Depression): Saying goodbye to my new friends after seven weeks was a miserable experience. The trip home wasn't any fun at all, however, I did have an amazing chicken sandwich in the Chicago airport - little things count! Adjusting to a closet at home rather than two bags of "stuff" was actually very hard to do. Coming back to my team at work - PRICELESS!

Day 48 - 18 miles to Revere Beach

Talk about a buzz-kill......it's all over!

Breakfast was very quite this morning, as we expected it to be. Our normal morning routine was the same except we didn't deliver our bags to the truck. We huddled as we did on the first morning at the beach in Los Angeles and then we rode out together. However, rather than racing off to establish pecking order, we rode together. When forty riders ride together, dressed alike, it's impressive! We were either cheered (by smart people), or honked at by angry drivers. We were in no hurry.

At 13 miles out we made a planned stop in a parking lot. Fortunately, in the absence of restrooms there were two sets of large evergreen bushes. Immediately we deemed one the ladies room and one the men's. It's what I do now....beware! With one Crossroads van in front and one at the rear we lined up to ride (two-by-two) the final five miles to the beach. It was just like a funeral procession...we'd been told to expect these feelings after our seven weeks of bonding.

HOWEVER, today something different happened. About four miles from the beach a police car came screaming by us with lights and sirens. And then there were two, and then three. Two blocked intersections and one led the way - all with lights and sirens. Could it get any better than that? The funeral procession almost turned into a sprint finish!!

Friends and family were waiting, cheering, snapping pictures and looked really happy to see us. The police were just happy we were off the streets.

For about an hour we hugged, kissed, took pictures and even swam in the Atlantic. There weren't any waves - very weird. Our final pictures were group pictures and then we loaded up bikes to head back to the hotel.

Dana is here with me. He was at the beach and helped with the pictures and drove riders back to the hotel. My sister, Pam, didn't make the trip - we changed the plan weeks ago. Pam was truly my biggest supporter through my "challenges" on the trip. Thanks Pam!

PTD (Post Tour Depression) we are told, should set in about three days from now. I'm going to try and just sleep it off on the plane! My bike was just boxed up for shipment directly to Steve's shop and should be delivered on Wednesday. By Thursday I'll be "back in the saddle again".

On Monday I will post my final thoughts and have additional information related to the online photo gallery of my pictures. Until then....

Day 47 - 87 miles Brattleboro, VT to Burlington, MA

Although we are actually in Burlington, MA, I consider this BOSTON!!!

Today's ride was one of the most difficult, and fun, rides of the tour. After the very long and hard day yesterday I did hitch a ride in the truck after 40 miles. But, the big climbs came early in the day - it was great!

I am extremely grateful that I am back on my bike after the crash. The outcome could have been quite different. Again I must acknowledge my new friend Mary Ann who carefully assessed the situation, and with Janie's help moved me off the road.
I owe them and will make up the favor in October when we have our first reunion at my house. They're coming for a weekend of riding - imagine that!

Tomorrow we will ride the final 18 miles in our Crossroads jerseys to Revere Beach. I'm sure we'll laugh, cry and go a little bit crazy. One of our other new friends, Laura, who was only able to ride the first two weeks of the tour is flying in from Southern California to join us at the beach for the celebration.

Tonight we have our last "route rap" to talk through the plan for tomorrow morning. After dinner we'll spend some time together discussing what all of this has meant on a personal level.....that should be interesting. I'd give anything to have a snappy little PowerPoint presentation prepared. :)
Sent from my iPhone

Day 46 - 80 miles Albany to Brattleboro, NY

Very long day - fortunately I was able to finish strong, but only after ten hours on the bike due to other folks mechanical issues. Sometimes you just need to stay and help.

Tomorrow is the last long ride day. Friday we ride to the beach to dip our front wheel in the atlantic. Emotions are running high - mine, too.

Just in case you've wondered about my pictures - when I decided to bring
an iPhone I didn't realize blogspot and iPhone weren't playing well together so made the decision to craft a photo summary after the fact.

However, because I am blessed with fabulous business partners, Julie and Shelley will create an online gallery and post it to the Marketing site on Monday after I send all the pictures with captions. I will also post a link on the blog. How cool is that? Thank you, Julie and Shelley!

More tomorrow.

Sent from my iPhone

Day 45 - 73 miles Little Falls to Albany, NY

How many times have I said this was the best day ever? I have to say it again, and this time for four reasons. First of all I felt good. I guess you really do need to rest after you hit your head on the highway. :) Second, our route today from Little Falls to Albany was not just beautiful, but beautiful with cool weather and a tail wind. Third, I was able to ride with one of staff early in the ride and having a wheel to ride and go faster than I usually would felt like home when I ride with Dana. That was nice! Forth, one of the tour participants lives in this area and took those of us who wanted to (which was the majority of the tour) on a side trip.

The side trip was mostly on a beautiful bike trail along the river where we were able to see a working lock. It was like a fantasy ride, it was that beautiful. In the middle of the ride we rode through the historic section of Schenectady which was amazing. Several people commented they were ready to move. Honestly, it's really nice, but I know what happens here in the winter - they aren't riding their bikes - and we are riding our bikes in California!!!!

During the early part of the ride today I had some after effects of the crash that caused me to stop on the side of the highway. And when I say stop, I mean that my bike wouldn't move. My back tire actually came off the rim. When I took the wheel off the tube exploded. Never have I had anything like that happen before. All of us were required to carry an extra tire with us (which I thought was silly), but now I feel differently. Although the van was just a few miles back, it was nice to just change it quick myself and get on with it. I'm happy I've acquired the skills to do that.

Emotionally the whole group is getting crazy. The reality of this ending looms in front of us. We have two hard days of riding and then the short day to the beach in Boston on Friday. I've cried several times just thinking about it. On the flip side, I've had wonderful feelings about getting back to work and fitting an increased cycling schedule into my "normal" schedule. I have to wonder what will ever be normal again, and also have to believe that somewhere along the way between here, home and work, I'd better create a re-entry plan.

Day 44 - 78 miles Syracuse to Little Falls, NY

I didn't ride today. The wife of one of the staff was here so I choose to drive her
car to the first SAG stop so they could ride together. My plan was to ride the second half of the ride after they had finished. As it turned out, I felt it best to use this day to rest and feel stronger so I rode in the truck coming into Little Falls. Interestingly, the staff person I mentioned is a retired VSP provider. A really nice man with a darling wife!

New York State continues to be absolutely beautiful. We managed to avoid any rain today until later this evening, and then it poured again.

This afternoon, before I took a nap, I took a walk behind the hotel were the Mohawk River was once connected to the Erie Canal. Tomorrow we will ride past more parts of the canal system and be able to view the locks in action. I'm looking forward to that. Of course, I look forward to all of it every day.

Each day is passing faster than the last now. I don't know of anyone who is anxious for the journey to end.