Day 27 (last day)

104 miles / 5:27 hours / 19.13 mph avg /  710' climbing

TRIP TOTALS: 2879 miles / 153:53 hours / 18.71 mph avg

Breakfast: yogurt, banana, orange juice, oatmeal.
Snack: 2 bananas with nutella, oranges, 2 oreos.
Lunch: sandwich, 2 bananas with nutella, coke.
Snack: yogurt, strawberry shake.
Dinner: salad, chicken with rice and veggies, chocolate brownie with ice cream, strawberries and cake.

Sorry this comes a day late, but yesterday was quite a busy day. We started early as usual with an amazing sunrise.

Although we managed to keep the morning routine going, knowing this was our last ride had the air a bit charged. The jokes were all about it and there was a bit of both excitement and sadness at the same time. I know this looks like a mess, it is organized chaos...we load our luggage into the trailer, then check our tires and get ready to roll.

(Karen and Mike supervise the chaos)

As we rode off into a very pleasant morning it was clear to that a 100% humidity was something I'm not used to back home. My glasses fogged in the first 3 minutes so they were useless for most of the day and we were drenched in 15.

Many rivers and a lot of Spanish Moss later...

...we arrived at Savannah where I got to see some of the fabled streets and houses you read about. Yes, we passed many abandoned ones (not this one though), but I didn't get to photograph them, traffic was heavier and I had to pay attention this time...

A couple of miles before our final destination, we stopped to regroup and take the obligatory pictures, but most importantly, to give us the chance to arrive all together, proud and happy.

Here is the entire group sorted by size...yes we are goofy that way: Reem, Russ, (Hawaii) Mike, Jim, Dick, (Bermuda) Mike, David, Paul, Randy, Jay, Richard, Scott, Nico, Per, Wolfgang and Brian. Missing from the picture are our beloved Barbara, Mike and Karen who make all this possible.

As I rode in my eyes got teary as I saw Lori cheering for us.

Finally the Atlantic, after 27 days, 4 tubes of shammy butt(er) and an infinite number of calories later I was there.

And Lori was there all the time. I was the only one to get a care package every day even though Lori was traveling accompanying my Mom on her tour for the last 3 weeks.

After dipping in the ocean, which was really refreshing after the hot day, four of us had to get back on our bikes, ride back 2 miles to were the van was parked, load the bikes and drive to a bike shop to have them shipped back home, then drive to the hotel. Lori got a ride to the van and then we stayed together the rest of the day. We finally made it to the hotel. As I was done with the cheap hotels (granted, in some places there was simply no better option) I booked us a couple of night in the Hyatt by the river. Check out the room...

...and the view...

That orange thing was eye level with us as it passed a few yards away from our 5th floor window. After a 20 min nap, we were ready for the farewell banquet were we had our last meal together, said our goodbyes and acknowledged to each other and our few guests what an amazing accomplishment this trip is. Then we had our cake...

...and we ate it too.

After my first night with Lori in 18 days, I woke up still sore and limping, happy and sad that the adventure is over. We had lunch with Carey, the daughter of our dear friend Toby, who is studying art in this wonderful city of Savannah. She then pointed us in the direction of a museum, how very civilized! If it wasn't this hot (or if could get used to it) Savannahwould be a lovely place to live. It is full of life, history and nice beaches with the relaxed feeling that brings.

I am now a very proud bearer of the mark of the rider. None of us, no matter how much we tried were able to escape it.

(bike glove tanned hands)

As my skin fades to its uncharacteristic white, the mark this trip has imprinted in me will remain forever.