When riding on a bicycle, you have close interactions with everyone. You make connections and trade smiles with motorists, walkers, hobos, the homeless. It is impossible to be detached. You instinctively recognize that everyone is connected and we all have a story to tell.
When children string beads on yarn to make a necklace, they usually choose beads at random, not trying to keep the same color or same shape together. They like the rainbow effect that happens when you mix it up. As we met people along our journey, it was as if we were stringing people beads on our memory necklace. Each person was unique. Each person was a beautiful addition to our story. We met folks from every walk of life: rich, poor, conservative, liberal, gay, straight, white, black, Cajun, Asian, Native American, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, old, young. Almost invariably, they were curious and kind and we made a connection.
We were 'off the grid' for over 60 days. It is amazing how low your stress level goes when you are not constantly bombarded by negative news. This coupled with the exhilaration of continual exercise and fresh air kept us in a state of near euphoria. The journey is so hard that the rewards at each day's end and journey's end are priceless. There were days that seemed impossible before we ever got started. We'd ask, "how are we going to get through this day?" We'd always say, "We just will." And we did. We were compelled to live in the moment as the life coaches advise. We were unencumbered by the complications and complexities of modern life as we only had one chore each day: between 20,000 and 40,000 pedal strokes. A few times we altered our plan in order to get through it, but mostly we just cycled as long as we needed to reach the day's destination.
The country may be settled and populated, but it is not spoiled, and it is not culturally homogeneous. It is beautiful, diverse, fascinating, and educating. And hilly. If you are pedaling on a gear-laden bicycle, there is no such thing as a flat state. This country has no shortage of hills and mountains!
The sights, sounds, smells, people, places and things we experienced have enriched our lives more than we can express, and more than we could have imagined. After any journey we have taken, we continue almost daily to relive moments that moved us. The stories never grow old for us (although they probably do for our family and friends!). The stories from this journey will be no exception. We will cherish these memories for the rest of our lives.
Thank you to everyone who was a part of our journey, whether by helping us along the way, encouraging us, or just following us. We felt your kindness and love daily. A special thanks to Jenny O'Bryan who faithfully mailed our heavy resupply boxes at the appointed time to ensure they would be at the destination before we were. We couldn't have completed the journey without all those supplies! She also kept up the map at Kelley's work so the students could see our progress.
Finally, when we reached San Diego, we thought we would be finished with cycling, but we actually cycled and hiked each day we were there!
Total cycling mileage (San Diego): 63
Total hiking mileage (San Diego): 25
Total cycling mileage (trip): 3277
Total hiking mileage (trip): 288
