Day 8, July 27, 1999

Breakfast at the Radisson was OJ, french toast, cereal and coffee. Rather an uneventful ride today except for the end. I arrived at Rye Middle School at 11:45 am. This was the gathering place for all 84 bikers prior to being escorted the last 2 miles to Willis Sands State Beach by the local police. As the riders continued to arrive in patriotic biking shirts emblazoned with the American Flag, I began to sense the celebration atmosphere starting to build. Imagine 84 riders stretching out 1/4 mile led by a police car with its lights flashing. This was emotional and it gave me goose bumps.

When we got to the beach everyone took off their shoes and socks, carried their bikes down to the beach and dipped their wheels into the ocean. This is a traditional ceremony for any cross-country ride - dipping wheels in the Pacific Ocean to start the ride and the Atlantic when you finish. I think the beachgoers must have thought we were all nuts! This scene lasted for quite awhile and then we finished the short ride back to our final destination hotel.

Here at the hotel, I was met by Jenny Seifert. Way back on July 8, I had met with Al Harary at his office in Hamden, CT, and mentioned that I had no idea how I was going to get back home once I had reached Portsmouth! The next day, Al called me at home to tell me about Jenny. She is a member of the New Hampshire Alzheimer's Association Board of Directors. Jenny heard about my ride and offered to drive me home to Connecticut in her personal car. What a special lady! We left at 2 pm. and arrived home in Ledyard at 5 pm.

I met so many interesting people, saw parts of the country I had never seen before, and had a great time! It was an emotionally exhilarating experience that I will never forget. Yes, I would like to do this again next summer! But a longer ride next time - maybe 1200 miles.