The Last Week: Readers Digest Version

I am currently sitting in the library in historic Gettysburg, and I just wanted to give a quick update on events for the month of August.

It was such a great surprise and so much fun to be able to spend my "weekend" with John, Evelyn and Darin. Thus, no updating last weekend.

The road rash is healing and the back is getting a bit better day by day and I hope not to have to wear the back brace for the last two days.

By now the daily events are very routine. It has truly become: eat, ride, sleep.

For the most part the weather has been good, we have had rain, during the rides and while trying to set up camp one night and into that night. It has been getting more warmer and the humidity has really picked up, making all the difference. The roads have been very good for the most part, with some minor construction from time to time.

We spent a day and a half on the YRT trial which is a rails to trails path paved with crushed limestone. The grade was only .212% but it was a continuous uphill, so there was no coasting. There were some spectacular views from some of the old rail bridges, but the limestone did build up on the bike as the trail was still damp from the rains.

Yesterday, was supposed to be the hardest day, 100 miles into Gettysburg. There were some really tough climbs, with some wickedly fast curving descents. Temps hit 100 degrees, and the humidity felt really high, so it was "100 miles, 100 degrees and 100% humidity" (it did rain a bit) as Trish said after the ride.

Today is a rest day, and I will explore Gettysburg a bit and do the laundry. Tomorrow, Friday, is only 53 miles and we'll be having a nice last dinner together at a restaurant. Than Saturday, 50 miles, a last lunch together, and we roll into Henry Bacon Park, on the Mall in Washington DC just after Noon, and after over 3,300 miles.

It is hard to believe it is almost over. It sunk in yesterday as we were riding, that by golly we did it! We rode our bikes across the USA!

I will update this blog with daily entries as soon as possible, but it may not be for a week or so till I can get to a computer or time to do so.

I want to thank everyone who has followed along, and left notes or comments here or with my family with all the words of encouragement or said prayers for myself and my fellow riders.

I especially want to thank Barbara for allowing me to do the ride and putting up with all my training and being gone for 2 months, Mary and DJ for stepping up and helping while I was gone. I could not have done it with out you. To my Mom, sisters and brothers and extended family, you guys are the best, your support and enthusiasm made it so much easier in so many ways.

And a special shout out to my fellow workers: Thanks for your support, you'll probably have to retrain me all over again when I show up on the 15th.

See ya all real soon!

Bob