The Finale

Day 69 - 8/11/17 - Near Jamestown to Yorktown, VA - 29 Miles

Lori - In my arms

Average Speed - Between 10 and 11 mph the whole trip

Lodging - HOME

After...

More than 4000 miles

More than 400 hours sitting on a bicycle seat

Around 2,000,000 pedal strokes

70 nights away from home, sleeping in campgrounds, city parks, county parks, fairgrounds, behind stores, fire stations, jail houses, hostels, churches, houses and motels.

More than 300 bottles of water/gatorade

Crossing 10  states

Being chased by too many dogs

10s of thousands of feet of climbing

Enduring cold, heat, wind, humidity, hail, sleet, snow, rain

...I awoke on the morning of the final day of this incredible adventure.

I invited folks to join me on this final day, but when I was awoken by rain falling on my tent, I really wondered if anyone would show up.  It was awesome when Bob, Dean, Tom and Greg met me at the campground.  When we got to Jamestown, Tim was waiting and joined us.  Between Williamsburg and Yorktown, Joann (Greg's wife) joined our group.  It was really nice to be riding with friends.  Their support really meant alot.

When we got to Yorktown and we crested the final hill and turned toward the finish, I was overwhelmed to see the number of folks that showed up to cheer me to the finish.  I can't begin to put into words what it felt like.  I was overwhelmed and humbled by the show of support.

From the bottom of my heart I want to thank everyone that rode with me...everyone that showed up at the finish...everyone that followed along on the blog...everyone that left comments, sent messages, called and prayed.  I am truly blessed to have such a great family, friends and coworkers.

So how do I bring this thing to a close?  Well, it's a Finale, so what does that look like???

The final camp...

 

It's Back to my Real Bed After This

The final sunset...

 

Over the Chicahominy

The final breakfast...

 

I Miss My Smoothies

The final prep...

The final ride...

 

Colonial Parkway

The final destination...

 

The Pacific

 

The Atlantic (well The York River, but close enough)

The final post...thanks for following!

I Just Gotta Do 60 Miles

Day 68 - 8/10/17 - Ashland, VA to Near Jamestown- 64 Miles

Lori - 28 miles away

Average Speed - With this kinda terrain you would expect it to be up there

Lodging - Chicahominy Riverfront Park - $31

I just gotta do 60 miles.  That's what I kept telling myself day after day after day...  To face over 4000 miles was too overwhelming.  Well, as I sit here in my campground on the final night of this journey, I'm ecstatic to be able to say that I don't have to do 60 miles anymore.

I'm less than 30 miles from finishing!!

I started riding early this morning and spent the first half of the day  working my way around the outskirts of Richmond.  I rode through numerous civil war battlefields and stopped often to read the historical markers.  The last half of the day I rode on the Capital Trail.  It was nice to be on a bike path and not have to worry about looking in my mirror to monitor the traffic behind me.

For dinner tonight I rummaged through my food bag and ate everything there was minus what I will eat for breakfast.  Tomorrow my gear will be the lightest its been on this trip.

Portrait of a Bike Tourist

Day 67 - 8/9/17 - Mineral, VA to Ashland, VA 44 Miles

Lori - 90 miles away

Average Speed - I almost passed my first cyclist, but he turned into his driveway

Lodging - Americamps - $11

I like this picture, because it captures pretty well how I see myself as a bicycle tourist.  One would think that toward the end of a long journey that the picture would be more clear, but I'm finding quite the opposite to be true.  So many experiences...so many thoughts...so much inspiration...so much exposure...all in such a short period of time...too much to process!

In the beginning and it's all so new.

I'm in the middle and just focused on a day at a time.

I'm toward the end and the whole experience catches up with me and blows by me like a loaded logging truck on a narrow mountain road.  It's hard to hold a straight line.

I could go on, but this is a blog about bike riding, not philosophy, so let's focus on the ride.

I woke up this morning to nice cool temperatures.  After a cup of coffee and a sandwich from the nearby convenience store, I loaded my bike and was off.  The ride today took me through some nice Virginia countryside...

My original plan was to ride to Mechanicsville and stay in a motel, but they were crazy expensive, so I made the day a little shorter and stopped at a campground.  I was a little frustrated with not doing the miles I originally planned until I noticed this across the street...

Happy...Happy...Happy!!

To start out so deep.  To end so shallow.  Wecome to me!

Winding Down

Day 66 - 8/8/17 - Charlottesville, VA to Mineral, VA - 58 Miles

Lori - 135 miles away

Average Speed - Calculating this everyday makes my head hurt

Lodging - Camping at Volunteer Fire Station - Free

Today was an uneventful day.  I bid Sonny farewell this morning and rode away on a bike fully laden with gear once again.  The mountains are done, but don't think for a second that the climbing is over.  I climbed over 4000 feet today over undulating hills. 

I rode at a relaxing pace, with no sense of urgency.  I'm trying to process the fact that this is my final week.

Speaking of my final week, let's talk a bit about the end of this ride.  I'm expecting to ride into Yorktown on Friday (8/11).  Thursday night I will be camping at the Chickahominy Riverfront Park.  I plan to start riding at 8ish AM on Friday morning and ride the Virginia Capital Trail to Jamestown.  I will be in Jamestown around 9ish AM.  I will ride the Colonial Parkway from Jamestown to Williamsburg.  I will be in Colonial Williamsburg around 10ish AM.  I will continue riding the Colonial Parkway to Yorktown and expect to conclude the ride at the Yorktown Victory Monument at around 11ish AM.

If you would like to ride with me on the last day for all or any part, I would love the company.

Mountains...I Bid Thee Farewell

Day 65 - 8/7/17 - Vesuvius, VA to Charlottesville, VA - 61 Miles

Lori - 195 miles away

Average Speed - One Word...Vesuvius

Lodging - Hampton Inn, Charlottesville , VA

Today was an epic day.  After more than 4000 miles and The Cascades...The Bitteroots...The Rockies...The Appalachians...I coasted downhill and finished the mountains.  However, before then I had to square off and face the climb out of Vesuvius.  It's not the tallest pass.  It's not the longest pass.  BUT, it's the steepest pass by a long shot.  Turns out that today was an absolutely horrible day from a weather standpoint...rainy...cold...foggy!  If you want to envision that climb, think wet...from rain...from sweat...from tears...from drool...think wet!

It was only fitting.  My first major pass of this trip was McKenzie.  If you'll remember, I was met with cold...rain...sleet...snow.  Why should my final pass be any different?

My friend, Lee, drove up from Newport News, parked at Afton mountain and then rode the Blue Ridge Parkway south to meet me.  We intersected just as I crested Vesuvius.  We rode the rest of the day together.  They say misery loves company...I'm here to tell you, it's true!