Friday, July 25, 2008

Thanks

Made it home last night after a very long day, started in Portsmouth then on to Boston and finally home. I was so tired that I just dropped everything on the floor and headed for the deck and a view of these amazing mountains I have missed so much. Better to look at them than to ride over them! Just kidding.Still can't believe we're finished, think I biked in my sleep last night but amazingly enough I can't wait to get back on and ride, soon as Fed ex gets it here I'm good to go.Some of the most memorable moments ere the Golden Gate, Donner Pass, Truckee, thru Nevada with gambling and slot machines everywhere, across the Salt flats(unbelievable) and my first two back to back centuries with amazing tailwinds.Day off in Salt Lake and being totally exhausted after 12 days.Across Colorado, meeting up with the Ride the Rockies guys, over Monarch Pass(whew) and seeing Simon on Highway 50. Birthday with very special people in Pueblo, the best balloons ever, seeing Kim in Pueblo. Then on to Kansas, miles and miles of hay and cornfields, smelly cattle feed lots,ran out of water one day(one memorable low point when I burst into tears when the van came by!)They dumped water on my head and said keep going, no rest for the weary!Seeing TS in McPherson, going on into Missouri, the land of a million rollercoaster hills and "interval training" for endless days, legs hurt so bad I thought they would never quit. I think that period was the hardest, still a very long way to go, wondered if I could actually finish it, still a month away. Ohio, Indiana, surprised atbthe beauty of Indianapolis, cool to see the racetrack, and day off with a SUITE! ON into Pennsylvania, feeling a little better , had one week with 4 centuries, hope to never do that again but we all(pretty much) did it and just kept going.SAG stops running together. so many hotel rooms I had to write down the number of the room each night or I'd get lost!Eating nonstop all the time but actually lost 9 pounds, bo y It'll be fun to put some of that back on!Bring on the pizza and beer!Vermont was one of my favorites, beautiful mountains and lakes. New Hampshire takes second prize for STEEP hills--killer at the end with a really tough 90 mile hilly and rainy day. Seeing the ocean as we came around a curve was unbelievable, still makes me cry.Such an amazing group of friends I have in addition to all of you--the group was what helped us all to finish---they will be in my heart forever. Flowers from Simon, calls and emails from everyone--those are the memories I will take to my grave someday, probably be climbing a mountain or biking when I'm 80, I hope.Where from here???I have no idea, need to veg for awhile and do some thinking, enjoy my friends and family, not back to work for awhile. Thank you SO very much for being behind me---Guess I'd better go wade through the mail and see what bills need paying, back to reality with a jolt. If you have a dream, go for it, the world is an awesome place a nd we are so fortunate to live where we do------

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