As what I call "The Year of the Bike" comes to an end and I am tying
up loose ends I finally place fingers to keyboard to write my
personal thoughts on THE trip. Thank you for reading.

Willie Weir states in an August 2004 article in Adventure Cyclist
that one is having an adventure if the answers to the following
questions are yes: Am I beyond my comfort zone? Am I pushing my
physical limits? Am I taking a risk? Well, yes, we had a true
adventure with generally no assurance of the conditions of the day or
anyone waiting for us at the end of the day with welcoming arms or,
on some occasions even a bed!

I had entertained the idea of bicyling cross-country for years and
when we finally got serious I dragged out 10-year-old articles I had
saved and reread several books on the subject. Ken persisted and
Eric started mapping...would it happen?...could it happen? I had
always thought I would do the ride alone because I wanted to map my
own route but am VERY glad I had companionship and still got to give
route input. Ken, the optimist, would argue whether a day when I
thought it poured could technically be called a rainy day. Eric was
constantly on watch for the best route, often interviewing locals for
advice. Gail was our "eagle eye" who saw so many things the rest of
us may have missed and could often identify the flower, bird or other
animal she spotted. Susie used her persuasive skills more than once
to get us an optimal place to stay and sometimes just a place (read
city park in Wiggins) to lay our heads. Martin was often our scout
and was especially good at spotting places to have icecream on a
sizzling afternoon.

Like most of us, I struggle to simplify my life and make it less
cluttered. Condensing my needs and carrying all of them on my bike
is the closest I have ever come to a truly simplified and self-
contained existence. Did I have deep thoughts? Sure, afew! Did I
ponder the meaning of my life...of course...but mostly I worried
about the mundane: How much longer do we ride today? Will the weather
change? Should I use Desitin or Chamois Butt'r? Will I continue to
live despite some horrible roads, winds, rain, and exhaustion? And,
of course, where was the next coffee/icecream stop depending on the
weather.

Would I do it again? Under the right circumstances, absolutely, sign
me up! What was the best thing? The people - my co-riders, my
family who gave me a much needed boost in Chicago, my friends along
the way, and those left behind who lived this vicariously with me and
gave me periodic doses of encouragement via email and phonecalls.
But the VERY best was the wonderful kindness and interest of
strangers whose lives connected with ours as we made our journey.

Here's an excerpt from my journal for May 25 when we rode 88 miles
from Julesburg, CO, to North Platte, Ne.: "Strong sidewinds along
Highway 30 - we thought maybe we should have stayed in Julesburg. I
started coping by swearing to myself (out of earshot of others)
because I was sure I was going to be blown over sideways. I kept
looking at the sloping grassy area next to the road and reassuring
myself that it would not hurt THAT much and I would probably not
break any bones if I fell over. After about 30 minutes I had
adjusted to the wind and felt better able to cope and stay upright,
so i did! It took us 2 hours to get 12 miles to Big Springs where I
found two places to NOT get coffee then went into the Farmers' Coop
where I asked if I could buy a cup. One man gave me his folding
chair and another paid for my 25 cent cup of coffee. They seemed a
little uncomfortable and mystified by my presence but since one had
given me his chair I felt I should visit for a bit. The town women
were all at the closed coffee shop having bible study. Warmed up I
went out and got back on my bike." I'll always remember the
gentlemen sitting in the Farmers' Coop in Big Springs, CO., who
allowed me to warm myself at their stove and even waived the usual 25
cent charge for a cup of coffee on a cold and windy morning, as they
represent to me the "kindness of strangers" which we encountered
repeatedly.