July 23 Day 52 3860 miles
This is our last day. It is with mixed emotions that we face the reality that this is the end. It was a rainy day from the start, and we dressed the part. There was a gentle grade all morning, and we made good time to Exeter, NH, where we regrouped for the final ride to the beach. Jim Nealon lives in Exeter, so we actually stopped at his house on the way through, and met his wife and daughter. The rest of the group met at a bakery and we rendezvoused there for a last snack. It was just a few more miles to the beach and the reunion with all of our families. It is indeed great to arrive!
The last hotel is another 10 mile ride up the beautiful NH coast, and we all made the ride, even though I wasn't staying there.
That evening we had a final get together at a bar in Portsmouth, and made toasts and said our final goodbyes.
The night before our last day, the America By Bicycle staff organize a party with food, cake, and a chance for everyone to say a few words about their experience. They suggested that people could sing or put on a skit, so the 3 Amigos couldn't resist the chance.
It is wet from the outset, and we dressed the part.
Jim's house is a block from our route. His lovely wife Kristen was waiting for us with doughnuts and coffee.
The Amigos then met the rest of the group at a local bakery. We ate more there, just to show our support for the wonderful baked goods on offer.
From there, we carried on to the coast for a final wheel dip and reunion with families.
I was greeted at the beach by Michelle. It was wonderful to be together after 8 weeks!
We dip bicycle wheels into the Atlantic, as a bookend to the Pacific dip at the beginning.
We all celebrate in our own way, including Chris who opted for a swim in his full kit.
We met at the Irish bar RiRa and said our goodbyes and "Adios" from the Three Amigos.
It has been an amazing summer with plenty of challenge, and sometimes frustration, but most of all a great appreciation for the beautiful country that we live in, which has a unique appeal when seen at 15 miles an hour from a bicycle seat. It will certainly take take me awhile to process all of the experience that has been crammed into these few short weeks. I am grateful for the company I had along the way, that has added a whole other dimension to the daily experience, in a way that I never could have imagined.
