Wednesday, July 9, 2014

The end

Its been a crazy few weeks, rain, heat, bike trouble, a strange man from Ct driving 10 hrs to ''surprise'' me, (no worries there I refused to meet him, changed my route and hid) by the time I got to Pa. all I really wanted to do was come home..I was tired, hot, sticky, tired of being on the road, tired of sleeping on the ground, tired of bad food, just plain tired tired tired.  In Pa. I stopped into a persons yard to see if I could camp on their lawn, as I was taking the cart off the bike, I had an issue with the rear wheel..the couple was kind enough to drive me to the 'big city' of Willkes-barre Pa. where there was a bike shop, so nice of them I could never have pushed the broken bike that 30 miles.  The next day the bike was up and running fixed and new tires and breaks...at about 80 miles a day, and less than 200 miles to go after I left the bike shop I knew Id be way ahead of the planned arrival on July 27th, the YMCA had very much wanted to have a welcome home event, I was thinking of going to my daughters and hanging out for the two weeks...but...tired tired tired and just plain tired...so I decided to simply peddle home....yesterday at about 5 pm with 20 miles to go, after a long hot sticky 4th day without a shower, I was done, ready to set up camp for the night, as I sat in the grass resting, I thought to myself...why set up camp, get off your backside and just push through and go home to your own house, your own bed and a hot shower...through out the trip I've had a policy of not being out after dark, last night was the only time I broke that, that last 20 miles took me about 3 hrs....while it lacked fanfare, I was never so happy to be anyplace...Today, I got up with an excitement I haven't felt in weeks, went to the Y with Miles Walker, who is usually the star of the show...it was so great to see everyone who was there, can't wait to reconnect with the others who I missed....It is soooooo good to be HOME !!!
The trip has been many many things, there's been days full of wonder and excitement, and days so dark I didn't think I could take even one more step, through it all I've seen America up close and personal, and to sum up the experience that is our country in a few short words....''while people maybe different in other places, they aren't so different that they are different...'' Our country is vast and full of wonder, in the end everyone wants the same thing, happiness (however you define yours) health, love and comfort...

1 comment:

  1. We SO understand your feelings! Just . . . . "FINish It Drive On!" is a mantra to get through so much these recent years (substituting "colorful metaphors" as needed to . . . just . . . keep . . . moving (falling is movement) . . . forward.) What an awesome inspirational story to this cancer "surthrivor" and family. Miles just ROCKS! Hope to hear more, feels like, well, thanks for sharing your journey!

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