York Furnace to New Holland, Pa. - Aug. 18

Since it has become a deeply ingrained habit, I started from Otter Creek Campground as soon as it got light. It had rained overnight but I was dry since I was allowed to set my tent up under a pavilion. I'm glad I didn't have to get wet on my last night.

There a were some hills along the river, but after I crossed over to Columbia, it was a straight, flat ride to Lancaster. I stopped by my house, talked to my tenants and did a little much-needed yard work before heading on.

I stopped at my brother's house in Leola and then we went to Brady's Pub in New Holland where I saw my niece and nephew. From there, we all went to the New Holland Pool for some afternoon swimming with my brothers and their kids.

At this point, the riding was pretty much done, but the actual, final miles were only logged in the early evening to my parents' house in New Holland. By the end, I had 51 miles for the day and 4,621 for the entire trip.

(I won't go back to my house until after Labor Day when my subletter moves out if my apartment.)

So, what do I make of the trip?

It was cool to dust off memories of the 1987 trip. I got to know a lot about that trip by looking at old pictures, reading old journals and listening to tapes my mom made back then.

At first, I was more aware of what had happened on the 1987 trip, but as this one went along, I thought less about that and more about the current one. After my dad's accident, this trip became pre-eminent, having gotten an unexpected -- and unwanted-- drama.

For most of the trip, we didn't have major problems, but there were still daily, physical challenges as well as tests of mental toughness.

After getting out of the mountains of the West, we rode through some unconscionable heat, with afternoon temps hitting 107, or so. That's when we began riding at the break of day, which let us at least have some pleasant riding before being overtaken by the afternoon oven.

When I was on my own, I dealt with some new problems, including rain and a poorly-timed flat tire as well as the time my seat came apart and I had to figure out how to get it fixed. (A fortunately-located auto garage was the solution.)

Constantly having to deal with problems helped me adopt something of a "ho-hum" attitude toward hardships.

We heard a lot about how terrible upcoming hills were, but it did little good to think about it until you were actually climbing it. Or, worrying about the wind didn't accomplish anything; when the winds blew, we just kept riding.

In each situation, the solution was murky beforehand, but became apparent right in the middle of the problem. The main thing to do was actually quite simple: keep going.

In some commentary for a slide presentation about the first trip, my mom talked about having a "treasure chest of memories," with the bike trip being a way to add to that treasure chest. That experience in 1987 stuck with me long enough to want to do it again, and now I've got a whole lot of new memories that, as my mom said, I can "take out, and savor for a while."

D.C. to York Furnace, Pa. - Aug. 17

Instead of just going to Baltimore, I took the main route that goes around Baltimore ... and then I kept going. In all, I rode 106 miles and am staying at campground on the York side of the Susquehanna River, near Safe Harbor Dam.

I figured that this would be my last chance to ride big miles in a day, to try to test myself a little at the end of this long trip. It was cool to start biking in the early light in downtown D.C. and end up just 16 miles from Columbia.

Tomorrow I'll have maybe 50 miles of real riding and then I'll hang around at the houses of my family members. (I sublet my own apartment through August, so I can't go back there just yet.)

So, the trip will end tomorrow. I'll then do one more post with a few closing thoughts.

Fredericksburg to D.C.

I had a nearly 90-mile day into D.C. It was neat to ride in some familiar areas since I used to live in both Northern Virginia and D.C. All of this bike riding really is bringing me back home!

Tonight I'm staying in a hostel in downtown, just blocks from where I worked, lo those many years ago.

It was neat to ride on the bike route through this area since it took me through familiar territory, but along some roads I'd never bern on. I biked through Quantico and Fort Belvoir military bases as well as along a bike path along the Potomac River.

Tomorrow I plan to bike to Baltimore, and from there the next day will probably get me to the border of Lancaster County, if not in it.

Ashland to Fredericksburg, Va.

I had a short, 65-mile day that included some rolling hills, but nothing too serious. Because there wasn't lodging for nearly 50 miles beyond Fredericksburg, I'm staying there. Also, because I was here by noon, the only camping was "primitive", and there is a threat of serious thunderstorms, I got a hotel room. Plus, I have so much time to kill today, that I didn't want to just hang around outside for 9 hours until it was time for bed.

Tomorrow I plan to ride into Washington D.C. I used to live there, but all my friends, except one, have moved away. Unfortunately, as it turns out, she is away, so I'll be staying in a hostel.

Chickahominy to Ashland, Va.

I backtracked to Ashland, covering some 65 miles by noon. I'm now staying at the KOA that I stayed at three nights ago. In fact, I'm staying in the same site, but instead of anticipating a ride to Yorktown, I'll be heading north tomorrow, towards home.

I had been thinking about lollygagging my way home, but now think I'll just keep going at my normal pace. Tomorrow I plan to go to Fredericksburg since there are few lodging options anywhere else.

It felt familiar to be riding again today, but also strange since "The Trip" is already completed. I'm no longer someone who is biking across the U.S., but someone who has. (I don't know how to italicize things on the iPhone, but just imagine that "is" and "has" were in italics in that last sentence.)

The ride today included various markers for Civil War battlefields.

Yorktown

Had a good day in Yorktown to be with Chad as he completed "the trip". It was fun to watch Chad, Keith and Alex enjoy the last 13 miles together.


It was somewhat difficult not being on my bike to enjoy the feeling of completing the coast to coast ride. I came short 650 miles of completing the ride. Chad and I did rode for 3575 miles together with many wonderful memories. Each day we were ready to start and enjoy the ride. The days that we started at first light in the morning to beat the heat were fun. Each new day I looked forward to the adventures of another day.

Thanks Chad for a great ride. Thanks, for waiting for me at the top of all those hills. Thanks for allowing me to "suck wheel" on those many miles across Kansas or when we had a head wind. It was nice to have you making decisions about how far to ride, where to stay and keeping us on the route.

The 56 days on the road with Chad are full of memories that will be talked about for years. It was fun reliving the trip of 25 years ago and finding spots and things we did on the first ride.

Yorktown photo

Here's me at Yorktown in 1987 and 2012.

Yorktown!

After a long night's sleep in the hotel and a big breakfast at the restaurant next door, Keith, Alex and I set off on the 13-mile ride to Yorktown. Mom and dad followed in the van, stopping to take pictures and videos of us along the way.

At the Yorktown Victory Memorial, which commemorates the final surrender by the British in the Revolutionary War and marks the end of the bike route, we took various photos, some of which were recreating photos from 25 years ago.

I was glad dad and the others were there, but having dad there on crutches brought back how disappointing it was that we weren't able to finish the trip together. It really was bittersweet to be at the spot we'd been imagining for so long and have him be there on crutches. But the trip really is more than just the end, and the only part he missed was the Appalachians, which were wildly overhyped by the riders we met going west.

While Yorktown marks the official end of the trip, I'll be continuing back to Lancaster. I'll be following part of an Adventure Cycling route that goes from Maine to Florida.

After Yorktown, I backtracked to Chickahominy Riverfront park, giving me just over 40 miles total. Tomorrow I plan to ride back to Ashland and that KOA, continuing north from there.

Ashland to Williamsburg, Va. - Aug. 12

Today's ride from Ashland was flat and after an early start, I was able to rack up a lot of miles. I had been expecting to meet up with Keith, Alex and my parents short of Williamsburg, but then just rode all the way there and met them at a hotel. When it was all said and done, I had ridden nearly 90 miles.

Dad and I got caught up on how the trip has been since I last saw him in an ambulance in Booneville, Ky.

Keith and Alex are going to be riding the last 12 miles to Yorktown with me tomorrow. As you can see, everyone is resting up for that.

Charlottesville to Ashland, Va. - Aug. 10

Today's ride was largely uneventful -- thankfully so! The big hills are behind me so it was small hills through fields and forested sections. It was cloudy, but never rained, which also meant it never got really hot. I took a small shortcut, saving about 20 miles. In all, I rode just over 80 miles today.

I'm staying at a KOA near Ashland and I-95. It was only $9 for a tent, which is cheap for a KOA.

The end is very much in sight. That prospect feels strange. While I plan to ride back up to Lancaster, that seems like just a postscript to "The Trip," which will draw to a close on Sunday.

Tomorrow I plan to ride to a campground 30 miles short of Yorktown, setting myself up for a ceremonial, final day.

Afton to Chatlottesville, Va. - Aug. 10

I left kinda late -- around 9:30 -- because it was pretty foggy on the mountain. Once I got down, it seemed to clear up, although it was still cloudy and slightly threatening.

I only rode 32 miles to Charlottesville where I'm staying with Reuben Miller and Holly Scott, who I know from EMU, and other places. We went out to dinner and when we came back, these foreboding clouds were moving in, and then it started raining. I felt glad to be inside.

I plan to ride to Ashland tomorrow. From there, it will be less than 100 miles to Yorktown.

Troutville to Afton, Va. - Aug. 9

I had a short day planned, hoping to camp in Vesuvius, which is at the bottom of a steep climb up to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

In 1987, we got rained on along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and I noticed that there was a chance of rain tomorrow. Looked like history might repeat itself.

The early riding was smooth: some of it was along I-81 and some was through hilly farmland. I stopped at a coffee shop in Lexington to kill some time. But I was still approaching my destination at 1 p.m. The only place to stay was in a field behind a grocery store and I was starting to think I'd possibly have a long, possibly wet stay there.

Suddenly, I started to entertain the idea of riding up to the parkway today, instead of waiting a day. By the time I was nearing Vesuvius, I had decided to keep going up to the parkway.

Then, my seat came apart. The bolt that holds it together sheared right off and pieces fell into the road. It wasn't clear how to fix the situation. I rode -- without sitting down -- about 3 miles into Vesuvius. Fortunately, there was a garage there and I took my bolt and my problem to them. They matter-of-factly got the sheared bolt end loosened and gave me a new one I could use: no charge. It felt like a lucky break.

With that problem solved, I began the climb. As you can see from the elevation profile, the hill is steep. It barely lets up and I often had to stand up just to keep going.

This hill deserves its reputation among cyclists: it was the toughest hill of the whole trip, although it was harder because I did it in the afternoon, having already ridden 65 miles.

Once up on the parkway, there were still some hills, but some of them were down. I decided to ride to Afton, which is at the end of the parkway, rewarding myself with a hotel room with a view. In all, I rode 96 miles.

Tomorrow I only have maybe 35 miles to Charlottesville where I'll be staying with some college friends.

Max Meadows to Troutville, Va. - Aug. 8

I was up early and waited for about 30 minutes until it was light enough to ride. The morning fog settled into the valleys in an eerie way. The ride tracked I-81 through Christiansburg and then went north through some mountains before coming back down to Troutville, which is near Roanoke and I-81.

The mountain riding was scenic and while some of the up-and-downs were steep, none of the climbs were that long, and I made good time.

I had ridden 70 miles by 12:30. In all, I rode 87 miles. I'm staying in a nice town park and took a shower at the firehouse. The Appalachian Trail also runs through this town so they are set up to host both hikers and bikers.

Tomorrow I'll have a shorter day to Vesuvius, which is at the base of a much ballyhooed climb up to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Rosedale to Max Meadows, Va. - Aug. 7

The church had a cupboard-full of food for bikers. I got up at 5:30 and made pancakes and drank coffee while waiting for it to get light enough to ride.

I left around 6:30 and rode up a 2-mile climb toward Hayter's Gap. Some westbound riders couldn't say enough about how hard this climb was, but it wasn't as long for eastbound riders and it was a neat switch-backy ride up and down.

I decided not to go to Damascus, opting to travel Route 11 for a while. This road runs parallel to I-81 and shaves off about 20 miles and also avoids some major hills. We took this route in 1987.

It was smooth sailing along Route 11 and I was in Wytheville at 12:30, having ridden some 75 miles.

I'm staying in a hotel about 15 miles from Wytheville, near I-81.

Tomorrow I plan to ride to Troutville.