Hello Atlantic Ocean! (Mission Accomplished!)

Day 26 (the final day!)

Thursday, October 6, 2011
Metter, Georgia to Tybee Island, Georgia
87 miles
1,100 feet of climbing

Woke up to the realization that today we would complete our adventure across the U.S.  It’s hard to believe that such a long journey is almost at an end.  At breakfast, there was an air of excitement in the group as we ate and chatted about our plans for after the ride and the loved ones who would be meeting us at the finish.  Packed up our gear bags and loaded them into the trailer for the last time.  Although it was still darkish when we started riding at 7:30, it was a nice, easy ride as we rode out of Metter toward Savannah.  While I was riding, I reminisced about previous days of the ride.  It seemed almost hard to recall the earlier days.  Even the “desert” days - the days of intense heat during which I suffered the most - seemed so long ago.  It made me smile to recall all the towns we passed through and the funny/peculiar objects, characteristics or signs we saw along the way.   Today's first and second rest stops were nothing short of celebratory.  We had lunch at mile 52 at the Tom Triplet Community Park in Pooler, Georgia - just outside of Savannah.  From there, we rode to mile 83, where we would regroup at the “Welcome to Tybee Island” sign and ride to the Atlantic Ocean together as a group.  When everyone arrived, we lined up in two lines, side by side, and rode slowly in procession for the last four miles to the ocean.  When we arrived at the sandy beach, we took off our bike shoes and carried our bikes to the ocean’s shore, and dipped our wheels in the Atlantic to mark the official completion of our journey.  Photo opps abound!  Many of us, including myself, dipped our entire selves into the ocean (the water was fine!).  Family and friends were there to greet many in our group.  We took a group photo with our PAC Tour “Southern Transcontinental” banner.  It was a joyous end to an amazing and challenging adventure.

After our celebration at the shore, we proceeded with the business of gathering our belongings and packing up our bikes for the trip home.  We had a group dinner at 6:00 p.m.  in the shore-side restaurant of the Ocean Plaza Hotel.  After dinner, Lon & Susan presented each of us with a lovely photo-plaque commemorating our ride across the country.  Then they played a slide show of all the photos of our trip set to music.  It was a wonderful celebration.  Jonathan won the auction for our completed “Map” (all proceeds from the auction go to Lon’s charitable projects in Peru).  In true Jonathan style, Jonathan made a heartfelt and sincere statement about the meaningfulness of the map - how it represents our accomplishment, our ambition and even our fears.  With that, he awarded possession of the map to John, the youngest member of our group, to keep on behalf of all of us.  It was a lovely and generous gesture - one that we all appreciated.  


That night when I went to bed, it still had not really sunk in that I completed the ride. Although I felt glad that I finished it, I was not necessarily glad the ride was over.  This is not to say that this ride was easy or that I didn’t struggle at times, because I definitely did.  My emotions ran the gamut - everything from sheer elation and invincibility to self-doubt and, at times, dejection.  But, in spite of the emotional roller coaster, I absolutely had the time of my life.  I truly loved getting on my bike everyday.  I loved following the route sheet; riding to the next destination; experiencing the (sometimes adverse) elements.  I loved the people in our group and the PAC Tour crew.  I loved having my fellow riders pass me on the road and say, “Hi, Rose!”  I loved seeing these people everyday - they made me laugh and smile.  I felt like the member of a family - a big family that rides bicycles.  As Sid so eloquently said when he stopped on the Talimena Parkway to help Art & me with my dropped and jammed chain: “We’re all in this together.“  We certainly were.  We were all going toward the same goal, and we cheered each other on.  I couldn’t have chosen a better group of people with whom to share this adventure.  It was an honor to be part of this group and this tour.

Ron, me and Bob at the 2nd rest stop of the day

Art had to leave the tour at day 19 to attend
a work conference, but took a red-eye
flight to meet me at the finish!

 

Art, Lon & me at the Tybee Island "welcome" sign

Susan & me

The group "procession" to the shore

Brian & me - we made it!!

 

 

 

Sid & Karen - great riders and great friends!

Our Group

 

The map reflecting our completed journey - signed by all riders and crew.

Jonathan presenting the map to fellow rider John.  What a wonderful gift!