Epilogue

Why did I want to ride across the country? There were several reasons to do this ride, but why did I want to ride across in the first place? My completely honest answer is, “I don’t know.” Perhaps it is some unexplainable power drawing me to do it. Maybe it is that wandering and exploring gene I inherited from my Grandpa Stevens. Or maybe I just like to sweat a lot while inflicting pain to myself by sitting on a small, hard saddle on rough roads. If I had it to do over again, would I? YES!

Looking back on most any experience there are things I would and wouldn’t change. So here’s a short list of those things for my Big Ride.

The things I wouldn’t change:

I would still ride my BLT. It is heavy but comfortable and reliable. It now has a little more paint missing from the chain hitting the frame when riding on those rough roads, and I need to do some work on my bar end shifters, but I consider those things to be usual for a 3400-mile ride.

I would use Armadillo tires again. They are fairly soft and it looks like they tend to cut easy, but they now have about 3700 miles on them with no flats.

I would still stay as much as possible in a tent. I never stayed in a motel during the ride. However, that could have been different if we hadn’t had nearly perfect weather the entire time.

I would still use the Kelty Gunnison 4 tent. The full-coverage fly kept everything dry even in the downpour with very high winds. The extra space was also very good to have. I had a place for the two dufles, the stuff that was on the bike while riding, a place to sleep, and still had room to move around. All of this for only two more pounds compared to the Gunnison 2. The 2 is still the tent for loaded tours.

I would definitely do a small tour of at least three days with one of the days being at least 100 miles. Those days I did early were very helpful in figuring out if I had too much or not enough gear, and it also helped get my mind into spending multiple long distance days on the bike. I also discovered a few items I had forgotten about.

 The things I would have done differently:

I would give up some of my responsibilities outside of work to better prepare for the ride. I was only able to ride about 300 miles during the last four weeks before the ride, and I didn’t really have time to spend with my gear and the borrowed computer.

I’m tempted to say I wouldn’t blog as much. It took time each evening to edit pictures and type up the day when I could have been spending that time visiting with the other riders or the local residents. However, I still feel I owe the reporting to my sponsors and supporters, so I would probably still do the daily blog.

I would spend time in the gym on the stair machine. I would have been standing more earlier in the ride while climbing hills if I had.

I would have stopped that one day and played horseshoes with that old guy that scared me away when he threw the double ringer.

Me and my girlfriends in front of the white house

Big Ride Miles

“Life is like a movie. Write your own ending. Keep believing.” – from The Muppet Movie

Today we completed the ride, but the adventure continues. Some of us older riders were discussing how we viewed the ride compared to how the younger riders may view the ride. For me this is a goal I have had for many years, and it feels really good to have accomplished the goal.

When I took down the tent today, I found both sets of poles have one that is slightly curved. The result of yesterday’s high wind. This morning I was honored when Bruce and Clifford asked me to ride the final day with them. We rode some narrow roads with very little traffic Later in the day we re on some wide roads with much traffic. There were some very fantastic homes (mansions) on our route. We also saw some very poor farm houses. We saw wild animals including a group of Turkey Vultures roosting and waiting for the morning air to warm. We saw domestic animals like cows and a couple dogs that thought about chasing us.  It was a day of contrasts. We had hills and we rode on a bike trail. We rode fast and we rode slow. I just enjoyed everything that was going on around me. Just as we were approaching the bike trail, Clifford’s back tire got spongy. He put air in it, but about ten minutes later we were stopped changing out the tube. About fifteen minutes later the tire went down again. We had checked the tire for defects or sharp objects that didn’t belong. We took his tire off and put the spare I was carrying on his bike. I found a really small piece of something shiny in the old tire, but it didn’t appear to be going all the way through to the tube. I still don’t know what caused the flats, but the new tire got us the rest of the way to DC.

Our finish was near the Lincoln Memorial and I had a very good surprise waiting for me. Besides my wife and a friend who I knew were going to be there, one of the local Pathfinder clubs (This is the world-wide organization I volunteer for) was there to give me a big cheer. I was meeting all of them and getting some pictures taken when up walks James Black who is the director for all of North America. We did a couple interviews on camera and took pictures and had a good visit. Thank you Sligo Pathfinders and James. That was fun!

I kissed my bike goodbye and put it on the truck for its ride back west, and went to the hotel room for a shower. The hotel room is air conditioned, has indoor plumbing, a shower with nothing growing in it, and I hope I remember how to sleep in a bed with real sheets.

Vultures waiting for us at the top of the hill Still shooting barnsThe PathfindersThe finish is a very happy placeVisiting with James BlackMy favorite person in the worldAsh and Pauline sponsored a reception for riders and their families and friendsThe birthday girl at dinner

Big Ride Miles

Yesterday after I completed my blog, we had a storm come through with tornado warnings. I was in the game room and saw it coming and threw my stuff in my pack as quickly as I could because I wanted to be in the tent for it. It hit a few seconds before I could get out the door. So I stayed put rather than risk drowning while making a dash to the tent. Once the rain slowed to a sprinkle, I went to the tent and discovered everything was dry except for a little spot where I left the vent open. The tent held up well and did the job. Another shower moved through later and I was able to enjoy that one from inside the tent. It was so relaxing I almost fell asleep, but mostly just drifted around the edges of sleep.

Today I stepped back in time 34 years to when I was in the army and stationed at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland. As Kevin and I rode our bikes around on the base, names and faces I hadn’t thought of in years came back to the front of my mind. It was an interesting experience seeing the place. I know some of you reading this were there with me. So here is a short version of what I saw. The location is the same, but there are so many changes the place is sometimes difficult to recognize. Security is a real thing there now. I won’t describe it in detail, but it truly deserves the “Fort” in its name. The building I worked in, USAMRIID, is still there and security has clearly been enhanced. The barracks I lived in appear to be offices and the mess hall is being remodeled for some other use. The wide open spaces behind the barracks and where the ball field was and where the skeet range was are all filled with buildings. It is not the same base and the town has also really grown up.

Kevin and I rode all day together. It is fun to spend time with Kevin. He is laid back and takes most things that come his way in stride. (Just don’t yell “Wakee wakee” to him at 0530). It was really fun to show him around Detrick a little and then to get lost while trying to find our way out of Frederick. We grabbed some lunch and were back on the road. Kevin later pointed out that when we were wandering around in the old part of Frederick, we passed several quaint little restaurants where we could have eaten rather than at Roy Rogers on the strip. We were just too focused on the task at hand. Where’s a woman when you need one? Patty H. joined us for the rest of the ride to camp. (Too late to point out the places to eat.)

Tonight I am very glad to be near the end of the ride and looking forward with great anticipation to see my wife again. Yet, I am sad the adventure is coming to an end. I will miss the people and the bonds we have developed by experiencing this together.

Yersterday’s Storm State number 12It was paved.My last campsiteImitating road kill?Meloncholy campfireClifford did a good job of holding up that tree

Big Ride Miles

“The world will little note, nor long remember…” – Abraham Lincoln

What president Lincoln said is mostly true. The world doesn’t remember most of what was said that day in 1863 when the cemetery was dedicated. This is also true of our Big Ride. The world just keeps spinning around with each person doing his own thing and very few taking note of a small group of people on bicycles pedaling across this nation that has endured. However, just like the few that fought here at Gettysburg or the few who heard Mr. Lincoln give his speech, the few of us who have done the Big Ride will remember this endeavor to our dying day.

We have new lifelong friends. We have a greater appreciation for our country and for those who traveled across the country by horse and wagon with no real roads. What we have done is just a small taste of what the early pioneers experienced. We have also had much time to reflect on many things in our lives, and I know some life-altering decisions have been made during this adventure.

I am very grateful to my employer, my sponsors, and the many supporters who have made this adventure possible for me. Thank you very much!

Breakfast with Diana and BarbMonuments everywhereThe poor cows didn’t have a chance

Big Ride Miles

“The Final Countdown” (A very interesting movie with Martin Sheen)

Today is what is known by Big riders as the final exam. Long mileage and almost 7000 feet of climbing gives the day its name. I woke up at 0230 this morning and never really got back to sleep. At 0420 I saw a flash of lightning and decided to get up and pack my tent before it got wet. At 0425 the sky opened up. So I just laid back down and enjoyed the rain pounding on the tent for the next half hour. Then the rain stopped at 0455 and we were up packing and getting ready for 0530 breakfast. That was the last rain we saw all day. We had hills today. The steepest grade we had was 13 percent. So it wasn’t the steepest of the ride, but they just kept coming. The scenery was really beautiful, but like on other long days, I didn’t take very many pictures.

Our lunch stop was at a park on a lake. I really felt like just jumping in the water to cool off, and I don’t even swim! The last 20 miles was mostly downhill with a 20 mph tailwind cruising at 20 to 28 mph. It was the perfect ending to the “Final Exam.” I rode those last 20 miles with Barb and Janet. We knew our campground was a couple miles from town and this was a per diem night. So we stopped and found a restaurant that let the three of us sweaty, stinky riders come in and eat. I had a Portebello Panini (see picture). After dinner we rode to camp and got set up. Only about a third of us are staying in tents tonight. The rest have motels or are in the camping cabins just next to the tents.

Tomorrow is a rest day. I don’t feel as ready for a rest day as the one w had after seven days of riding, but it is still welcome, and this is a good area for the rest day with plenty to see and do. I have been here multiple times, so I plan to take it pretty easy tomorrow.

 Those last few moments of rest before the century We just came from somewhere down thereJim   Mmmmmm. Food!

Big Ride Miles

“Just Another Day” – Sir Paul

The outlet from the dam was the perfect noise to almost drown out the train. The combination of the two put me right to sleep. This is the only place on the ride with no cell phone service of any kind. So even the people who update blogs by cell were not able to do so.

The ride today started with two options. One option was to take the highway that climbs to the highest point in PA while sharing the winding, narrow road with trucks and other vehicles whose drivers may not have had their morning coffee. The other option was to continue on the crushed limestone trail for another 31 miles. I was seriously tempted to do the climb because I won’t be here to do it again, but then I started thinking with my brain rather than my emotions, and decided with a century ride tomorrow it would be best to take the trail. There were 7 or 8 riders that did the climb and had a great time and said it was not as difficult as some of the other climbs we have done during the Big Ride.

We are staying tonight in the Friendship Village campground which is located very near the Cannondale bike factory. I believe we only have one Cannondale on the ride.

Tonight we did a camp supper and I was on the grill. When I was about three quarters done grilling the burgers, someone noticed the vegetarian was grilling their burgers. I believe there may have been a wave of concern flow over the crowd, but the burgers all got eaten and I don’t believe anybody got very sick. So they must have been okay.

Trail crosses this valley on a very long and very high old rail trestle. This was fun!More hills  Campground sign with Cannondale factory

Big Ride Miles

“Every Picture Tells a Story”

Good morningBreakfastTearing downMark filling our water containersEd getting pumped upWaiting for cue sheetsCue sheets Morning ridingWashington, PABaloonFirst sag stop and detour planning Lunch52 miles on crushed limestoneDewayneTony 2000 alumnus rider lunch stop. Sub sandwiches, drinks, ice cream. Wow! Thanks FredAfter the food  Afternoon riding Truck unloadedSetting upMy 220-grit legs from the limestoneCatered supperThe internet cafe – Barb, Diana, RosieCribbage – Austin, Noah, Steve

Big Ride Miles

“A Beautiful Day”

Today was awesome. We were in the hills and I was using my granny gear. I saw a cell tower in a small town and called Mom. We had a good visit. Barb and I stopped about 10 miles from camp for ice cream. The area seems generally depressed, and that was depressing. But the rest of the day was beautiful. We saw some corn fields again. I didn’t type this entry until a day late because Brad and Chad got me to play a game of cribbage.
So I don’t remember specifics about the day – good memory – short retention.

LoadingOur gear truckGuessState number 11Today’s Barn

Big Ride Miles

“I thought it was just really quiet.”

It has been interesting to see how the road kill has varied as we have crossed the country. In the west we had larger animals like deer and antelope along with the occasional rattle snake. As we moved farther east we went through prairie dog country, then raccoons, one day it was frogs, and now I’m seeing opossums. There have also been road-killed birds across the country. One of the riders was telling us about a 6-year old niece that crossed the country in a trailer behind a bike. When asked what she learned, she answered, “Animals pick bad times to cross the road.” I can confirm that statement.

Today’s ride was short and to the point. I don’t feel like I earned supper, but I’ll eat anyway. I ended up riding most of the day with Bruce and Clifford. They are both fun to be around and the time just passed so quickly. At the lunch stop Bruce treated us to some Poppy seed Kalachi – see picture. It was very good!

Five or six of the riders are working on my favorite riddle about a man without eyes. It is very fun to see all that brain power at work and to hear the different solutions they pose. So far we are still waiting for the correct solution.

Last night flashing lights woke me at exactly midnight. At 0020 we had the wind. At 0039 the rain dumped with really hard wind. At 0100 things had calmed down and the temperature had dropped four degrees to 68. I had to fight to stay awake for the storm. Rain on the tent just puts me right to sleep. It was excellent!

Tonight’s supper is in camp. It is Mexican and I already know I will be eating too much.

CliffordBruceThis was yummy… and on the eighth day God created billboardsTonight’s internet cafe

“Amish Paradise”

Breakfast. Library to upload blog. Snack for lunch. Reorganize bags. Visit with fellow riders. Supper. Ice cream shop. Warnings of a thunder storm (I’ll believe it when I see it). Bed.

We were talking this afternoon about the firsts we will do when we get home after the ride. I already know my first meal will be oatmeal for breakfast the morning after. Why mess with something that works? My first bike ride will probably be the evening after I get home. I will enjoy eating more salad than I have been. It will also be a little different typing on a full-size keyboard. I will miss the simple routine of wake up, pack, load truck, eat, ride, unload, set up camp, shower, eat, sleep. I will also miss all of my fellow riders. Before the ride started I figured there would be some of the riders that I wouldn’t care if I ever saw them again, but I could very easily spend a lot more time with any one of them. They are an exceptional group of friendly and talented people. But I’m getting way ahead of myself. We still have seven more fun-filled days of turning the crank.

This is where we are staying