August 9 Clarksburg, MD to Washington, DC 55.2 miles

The group poses at the finish line

Liz, Katey, Simon, Amy, Rosie, Noah, Steph, and Ed at our last camp breakfast

We did it! We’ve completed the Ride Across America. Everyone is in and all are safe. What an amazing, uplifting journey this has been. I would like to thank my sponsors for their support— without you we would not have been able to make this trip that benefits the Lung Association. Together, we have raised over $270,000 in support of this worthy cause. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support.

Austin, Ed, Noah, Simon, and Steven leave for one last ride

A special thank you also goes to Mac and Marge McDonald, who drove 150 miles in 110 degree temperatures in Montana just to say hello and take me to dinner. Another thank you to Keith, Bev, Lynette, and Val Burrows for hosting me in their lovely home in Billings– still dreaming about those ribs! Thanks to my mom and dad and my sisters, Joni and Lynnie, for their encouraging emails. And  a thanks to the other riders’ friends and family who started reading this blog to see the pictures of their loved ones and ended up checking in each day to take part in our journey.

We saw this tree full of turkey vultures... something dead somewhere!

A huge thank you and note of appreciation to Sharon, Mark, Amy, and Nick, our marvelous support staff that kept us fed, watered or gator- aided, our bikes tuned up and kept us moving down the road to this goal. There are no words to show the appreciation felt for your patience and the care you gave us.

The Seneca Schoolhouse Museum

Finally but never last in my heart I would like to thank my fellow riders. You started this journey as strangers to me and along the way you have become much loved friends. Your tenacity and strength have moved me. Your antics have made me laugh until I cried and we have developed a bond that can never be broken. We have been together day and night for 48 days and now the thought of not seeing each of you every day seems so strange! It will be quite an adjustment to go back to a life where all of you aren’t around all the time. Enough said– I’m getting teary eyed just writing this …..

Thanks to Costa (center) for a wonderful post-ride lunch!

Diana and I at the finish

And now, the blog of today’s ride—– We have so lucked out with our weather on this trip! We spent last night enjoying each other’s company and rose this moring to cool temperatures and clear skies. The temperatures could have been in the 90’s with the same for humidity but we got temps in the 70’s and low humidity. Perfect riding weather for  our last day. Knowing I was going to send my black bag back on the truck, I repacked things so that I’d have what I wanted to take home in my red bag and the rest of the stuff went into the black one. We loaded the truck and enjoyed one last camp breakfast, made extra special by lox and bagels as well as some Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The ride started out pretty hilly and we wondered if we ever would get to some nice flat roads. However, the countryside was gorgeous, with many large horse farms– we could tell these folks had lots of extra cash by the size of the houses and barns. Plus one person had a zebra grazing with the horses!

Barb, Janet, and Diana celebrate the ride completion

We rode the first 40 miles on road, then 10 on trails that brought us right into DC by the Watergate Building. From there, we circled around the Lincoln Memorial and over to the Post Office Pavillion building where Costas, a rider from 1998, provided lunch for all of us. And it was a huge lunch– gyros, a big skewer of grilled meats and veggies, and some delicious baklava for desert. Once lunch was done, we were unsure of how we should go to the finish line. Some people said we were to go in groups of 2 only and others said no. I wanted to finish with Diana but we’d been riding all day with Samuel and we didn’t want to leave him to finish alone. Finally, it ended up that Ash and Pauline lead our group of Diana, Samuel, Tracey, Liz, and me in since Ash knew the way from his previous ride. It was great finishing to people’s cheers. The Lung Association banner was there for us to sign and everyone got a certificate of accomplishment from them. Plus Mark gave everyone cards. Mine is one of those music cards and it plays “I’m So Excited”.

What a wonderful group to ride the country with. Thanks all!

Of course we all had to have a group shot and we ran around hugging each other, too. Then it was off to the hotel and one last unloading of the truck. I loaded up my black bag and left my bike there to go home on the truck. Its strange to be here in this hotel room by myself. I keep expecting the others to walk in but instead, I am off to the reception that Ash and Pauline are hosting for us this evening. This will be an early evening for me. My flight leaves from Baltimore at 7:30am tomorrow and the Supershuttle will be here at 4:30 or 4:45.