Day 52: Reaching the Atlantic

Manchester to Wallis Sands Beach, New Hampshire
Miles:  55  Climb:  2237
Total Miles:  3,889

We did it. We made it to the Atlantic today. It is hard for me to comprehend that it is over.

We started the day with the usual routine: up at 5:45,  hotel breakfast at 6:00, luggage load at 7:00.  It was already hot when we set out.  We rode fast to the first SAG stop at mile 31.5, and we didn't stay long. We rode on to the village of Exeter, the home town of Tony, one of the riders.  He took us to his favorite coffee shop, where we were greeted by a throng of well wishers.  From the coffee shop we were en route on the 12 mile ride to the Middle School, the designated gathering point for all riders to meet to prepare for the parade ride to the beach, when Jan's front wheel hit Hans' back wheel.  Jan went down hard, hitting his head on the road. The impact cracked his helmet. After 3,800 miles of riding we were less than 10 miles from the Atlantic and it looked like his trip may be over.  We were sick.  But after sitting on the curb for about 10 minutes, he got back on his bike and we rode on to the Middle School.

From the Middle School we were escorted by the local police for the three mile trip to the beach. I could smell the ocean before I could see it, and the scent of the salt filled me with emotion.  When the ocean came into full view, I was almost overcome with relief.  The water was an aqua color and the day was clear. I thought it was beautiful.  The beach was filled with vacationers and kids from summer camps.  They cheered as we carried our bikes across the sand to the water to do the ceremonial wheel dip.  The riders were laughing, crying, and hugging.  Some of us dove in with our bike clothes on.  It was a chaotic, crazy, sweet moment and will be a memory forever.
And then, it was over.

Those of us staying the night had to ride eight miles more to get to the hotel.  John, Liz and I decided to add a couple miles and cross the state line to Maine to add another state to our list. Crazy,  I know, but when you've come this far it just seemed like the logical thing to do. After arriving at the hotel my bike was packed and will be shipped home. We really are done.

One trivial, but interesting, thing that happened to me on this trip is that I rode on the same set of tires and tubes  all the way from San Francisco to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and I never had a flat.  Every other rider had multiple flats. One guy had over 25 flats. All other riders put new tires on part way through the trip,  some of them multiple times. When I got to Indianapolis without having "flatted" as we say, and with tires that still had plenty of tred, I started to wonder if I could make it all the way to the Atlantic without changing tires or tubes. Silly, because I had absolutely no control over whether or not I got a flat, especially given the road conditions we were riding on.  I carried two new tires, six spare tubes, CO2 cartridges and a hand pump 3800 miles across the U.S. and I never needed them.

I plan to write notes about this adventure, what I learned, what I will do differently on the next trip I take, and what I did right. There are a few things I already know for certain. I know for certain that tomorrow morning I won't eat instant oatmeal with bananas for breakfast and I won't apply sunscreen and chamois butter when I get dressed.  I also know that I will remember forever experiencing the US by bicycle, the warm support I got from family and friends, and the amazing people I rode with and met  on this trip, some of whom will be friends for the rest of my life.