Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Raleigh, North Carolina - Done

Day 47 - Since the day's ride was fairly short, we got to sleep in a little and leave a little later. The ride took a big group of us through Frederick, Maryland which has a beautiful historic district. After passing through and getting a quick lunch it was not that much farther to Clarksburg, Maryland where we set up camp for the night. Riding through Maryland offered some very nice rolling hills and wide open fields. For being such a small state, Maryland is incredibly diverse.

Dinner at camp that night was a little quiet. There was a general bittersweet vibe running through the entire group. I suspect that everyone was a little torn between having to leave such an incredible experience on one hand but also the feeling of relief on the other hand.

Most of us cleaned our bikes up that night as to look presentable for the ride into DC the next day and afterwards, around a big camp fire, a bunch of us stayed awake being loud and obnoxious and laughing at each other for the last night.

Day 48 - It was a strange feeling to pack up my tent for the last time. After a quick breakfast, a large group of us rode out together through the beautiful Maryland rolling hills. We were shaded by trees on both sides and big fields beyond them. I once again found myself riding with Noah and we rode in silence to our first rest stop.

After regrouping Noah and I set out for DC with a bunch of other riders. We rode through the busy streets and highways on the outskirts before finally getting on a very crowded path that took us right alongside the Potomac River before spitting us out just a little ways from the finish line near the Lincoln Memorial.

After getting lunch from the Greek restaurant of a past big rider, Ed, Austin, Greg, Chad, Noah, Simon, Catie, Rachel, Letty, and I rode together towards the finish line at the intersection of 23 and Constitution to conclude the 2008 Big Ride Across America.

The experience was all together too much fun and too incredible for me to be happy that it is done. I have learned so many things about myself and while I do not think that I will behave any differently, I definitely think much differently.

To all those that sponsored me, thank you for your financial backing.
To my fellow big riders, thank you for the good times.
To friends and family, thank you for your support.

Thanks for reading and I hope that you all enjoyed it.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hope you can succeed finding a plan to ride across Europe summer 2009.