Saturday 8-11 Day 48

Start: Clarksburg, MD
End: Washington, DC
Scheduled Miles: 53
Actual Miles: Never even checked!

Woke up this morning and checked to see if anyone was chucking their tents, this was the last that many of us would be needing them.

After breakfast it was an easy ride. Soft rolling hills and good weather. It was all good. As we got closer to DC there were many other riders out. I assume doing local club rides. At one point this guy goes zooming past Jodi, Greg and Trish, and myself downhill! I just thought to myself......Oh no you do not! I just got done riding 3,400 miles across the country and no weekend warrior is going to pass me up! So as I'm taking off to catch this guy, I can hear Jodi going, Go Bob Go, get'em! So I catch up to him half way up the next hill, and just before pulling along side of him, I slow for just a second or so to catch my breath. Than as I pull up next to him I go "So, how ya doing?" He answerer's rather breathlessly, "Not bad, gotta another 10 miles to go, but I'll make it" So I says, "well, make 'em strong" and I take off leaving him climbing that hill in my dust! Oh that felt sooooo gooood.

Coming into DC proper we are on a multi use trail, and is it crowded. These must be the beautiful people of the city, all out jogging and running and biking. What struck me is the joggers and runners all had little containers of Guu and sports gels in bandelaros around their wasts. They looked like sweaty super hero's. But we zigged and zagged around them. It was the most congested traffic we had all trip.

In the heart of downtown DC we all gathered for lunch at the old National Postal Building. The Greek Restaurant in the mall their is owned by a former Big Rider, and lunch was on him. After posing for a group picture on the grand staircase we headed out in groups of 2's and 3's for the mall and the finish line. I went with Dan Scott and he had on his cheese and sausage necklace. The line was drawn in chalk on the sidewalk near the Vietnam Memorial.

It was such a cool thing to go through the crowd. Then I spotted my family; my wife, kids, sisters and friends! I gave such a big hug to my wife. For the most part I was able to keep my emotions under control until Marc came up to me wearing a T-shirt that had my brother Martin's picture on it. I gave him a hug, then I lost it and started crying. It was done. I had ridden Martins bike from Seattle, Washington to Washington D.C. And I couldn't have done it without the people who were now surrounding me.

So we spent some time in the park with all kinds of treats and then headed to the hotel to unload the truck one last time.