Into the Drink!

On the morning of the last day, we got up and helped ourselves to some watermelon that was donated by the house across from the soccer field.  Exit interviews on camera were wrapping up (someday, they may become part of a documentary...stay tuned.).

We all rolled out and went to Jake's Cafe for breakfast.  Usually when we invade a restaurant for breakfast, they struggle to keep up with the unexpected volume.   Not this place!  The waitress had our orders and breakfast was served and we were done eating with water bottles filled within 45 minutes - no small feat considering 25 people arrived all at once.  Also the food was delicious and portions were huge.

As we left the restaurant, we vowed to stay together for the thirty miles into Seattle...but it was easier said than done.  For the first couple of flat tires, we all waited, but eventually the group spaced out into clumps.  There were some pretty decent hills on the way into Seattle and much of our ride was on a bike path.

My Uncle Mike, who lives in Seattle, met us on his bike near Gasworks park and joined us for the ride to Peddlar's Pub - where we would all be joined by our families and friends.  There, we had beer and tacos and donated a check to the Seattle MS clinic.  In addition to Ben, Uncle Mike and my Dad, Aunt Sharon and Uncle David came down to celebrate.  It was so nice to see them as it has been a long time!

After the pub, it was time for the big moment.  We rode as a team to the beach where we would dip our tires...just as we had done in Bar Harbor.  It was kind of an obstacle course to get to the beach...steep inclines, weaving on various bike routes...and we walked our bikes through the locks on the way....

Once we reached the beach, we got our official photo....

.....and then we all broke out the champagne and abandoned our bikes to dunk ourselves in the Pacifc.  We hugged and cried and laughed and yelled and it was AWESOME.  We had finally completed the journey that had started 69 days earlier in Bar Harbor, Maine.

The original breakfast club

My favorite dinner companions

Hearts and Wine

A dear friend of mine gave a speech at his wedding where he talked about the family we are born to and the families we create along the way.  I would like to thank all my families, including my Northern Tier family, for their love and support this summer. Dipping my tire in the Pacific,  I am so very grateful to have been afforded such an amazing adventure.

There is so much about this trip that I cannot possibly put into words or capture in pictures. I leave you with this drawing that I found a few years ago...which pretty much sums it up.  (So if anyone is reading this and wonders what it would be like to ride a bike across the US - or follow another dream - DO IT!!)

                   
   * THE BEGINNING *