Another one of the many gorgeous weather days to ride - sunshine, and now a bit cooler near the coast. Well, perhaps it was simply cooler because we started about 6:30 because the plan was we needed to all gather at mile 102 at the Tybee Island Post Office to ride the last 2 miles down to the beach as a group.
As you can see from the route profile, we had very little up an down today - finally - and the wind was not a factor for most of the ride. The first SAG stop at mile 27.7 came quickly, and the lunch SAG at mile 67.5 was no problem. We all were feeling good and the end was in sight.
At about mile 83, a rapid series of turns through Savannah (or its suburbs) began, .3 miles this way, .2 miles that way, .1 mile another way. then a quick right, then an immediate left. The cue sheet said (CAUTION) but while trying to figure out exactly where to go (and not being able to turn my head to see due to my fused C1-3 vertebrae in my neck), as I was turning left, the passenger side rear view mirror of a van trying to pass me hit me on my left upper arm. The van fortunately was not moving fast and it immediately stopped, with me with my momentum continuing forward and hitting the mirror a second time with my arm and helmet. I was able to stop and catch myself on my left foot with my bike hitting the pavement, but otherwise unhurt. Once I saw that I was OK and my bike was not damaged, I got right back on and continued.
I soon got on Hwy. 80 going out to Tybee Island. It was a four lane road with no shoulder, so I hugged the white line while a LOT of traffic buzzed by me at 65 miles per hour. Not my cup of tea! However, the discomfort was lessened a bit by a nice tail wind, so I finished the last 10 miles at about 21-22 mph and feeling great.
I arrived at the Tybee Island Post Office exactly 7 hours after departing Vidalia. 102 miles in 7 hours of total elapsed time? Hmm, that is as good as I did the Tour de Tonka last summer, and that was just a one day ride, not the 10th day in a row. It may have been more riding time, however, as today I did not spend much time at the two SAG stops, a store stop for chocolate milk and a few more quick stops at ummm ------ impromptu "comfort stations".
The guys were all there at the Post Office before me, and lots of "at a boy's" and other congratulatory comments were much appreciated. The group has been awesome the entire way, and it did not change at the end.
At the Post Office where we gathered for the final 2 miles together.
At 2:30, Mike led us the final 2 miles to the beach, where we carried our bikes down through the sand to the water, where some of the riders dipped their wheels in the water in the "Traditional Wheel Dipping Ceremony".
At the Tybee Beach in Savannah, Georgia - Coast to Coast completed!
Our final 2 miles to the beach.
After the beach ceremony, we rode back to the Post Office, loaded the bikes onto and the riders into the vans for the ride to the motel in downtown Savannah.
It was a busy time unloading the vans, boxing the bike and getting ready for the banquet at 7:00. At the banquet Mike played a slideshow of some of the photos he had taken on the trip, and we had a chance to relive the past 27 days while we ate. Then we each had a chance to say whatever we chose to say to the group. I again thanked the group for their encouragement and support along the way. After the banquet, I caught a cab to my offsite motel (much less expensive) from which I took another cab the next day to the airport for my flight(s) home to Minnesota, arriving in Minneapolis at 7:00 p.m.
For our ride leader's take of today's events and photos, go here .
Final Reflections on the last 27 days:
I rode the first 7 day leg a total of 565 miles, with days of 83, 84, 115, 40, 64, 100 and 79. The second 8 day leg a total of 648 miles with days of 82, 91, 96, 48, storm day, 120, 105 and 106. The last and third 10 day leg a total of 1014 miles with days of 124, 104, 71 (the phone call day), 121, 100, 100, 101, 86, 101 and 106. The grand total of the planned 2,900 route miles I rode then adds up to 2,127 ridden, not the entire route as I had dreamed.
So, my original goal was not achieved. Also, the joy of riding with others was pretty much shot, with my being slower than the others resulting in my riding at least 2000 of those miles by myself with no other rider in sight. Those aspects of the ride were thus disappointing.
However, it was all a grand adventure! To ride 2127 miles in 27 days, to feel and experience the improvement in my riding over the 27 days with a good last 10 days of riding, to ride across many states from one ocean to another, to enjoy absolutely awesome weather (not a drop of rain all the way, except for the storm day we did not ride), to share this experience with an awesome group of supportive riders, and to be supported by an exceptional crew from America By Bicycle was all very rewarding, and in that regard, a great success.
To all of the followers and supporters along the way - THANK YOU! I also thank the riders and crew. And, I must thank my wife, Linda, for allowing me to pursue these kinds of challenges and being excited for me. But as you can gather from these pages, this was in many ways my mom's story, as I applied many of the things she taught me as a youth, without which none of this would have been possible.
For our ride leader's final thoughts on the trip, go here.
For the photos from the third leg, go here.
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