On Friday, May 11 , I arrived at the Southernmost point in the continental USA at 1 pm , (Key West FL) on schedule. I was scheduled to talk to the 8th and last Boys and Girls Club at 3:30. As planned, I left Islamorada in the Keys that morning at 7:30 am (that was by far the latest sleep in of the 9 day journey), most mornings we were up at about 4:30- 5:00 am to get packed up, get bikes ready and trek to the spot where we stopped riding the day before. One of the mistakes I made in planning this was booking hotels before i left, because i wasn't able to predict where we would be each day about 4pm when we would stop pedaling and get to the club we were scheduled to be at. Because 3-4 of the days the stopping point and the hotel were 40-50 miles away, which meant driving 40-50 miles from the club to the hotel and then 40-50 miles back to where i would start for the day (where i had stopped the previous day). What that meant was 2 or 3 less hours of rest or sleep, which proved to be paramount during those 9 days. I really only felt like going to bed after cycling 10 or so hours a day, and usually did once we got something to eat. The mornings were usually me on the road by myself, while Cody returned to the hotel to pack up his stuff ( and mine). Then he was doing something logistical ( talking to club directors, finding bike shops to service the bikes or repair flats, writing the blog which i was excited about doing but had no energy to do at the end of the day). In the afternoons he would travel with me , being within 10 miles or so so i could get to food, drinks in the Tahoe) The heat was scalding. The wind was from the South (not good) all except the last day where it blew slightly in my favor, and each day in south Florida we had TORRENTIAL RAINS. On that last Friday i left for Key West and Cody went the opposite way to head to Miami Int Airport to pick up Meg, Keehln, and Julia and then the 4 of them would head toward Key west to meet me. They caught up with me at mile marker 9 ( 9 miles from the end). We talked for 5 minutes and then with only 9 miles to go i lightened the load giving them my water bottles, my case with the camera cell phone and maps. They rode ahead 5 miles so they could take pictures of me getting to Key West with the cool signs , beach etc. Within 30 seconds of when they left I GOT THE 6TH FLAT OF THE TRIP. So without a phone , i threw the bike over my shoulder and walked 2-3 miles to a gas station where i called them to come bring me the second bike (UNBELIEVABLE). just glad they were sorta close and not in Miami. As I rode up on the Southernmost point, the 4 in the Tahoe rolled down the windows and started cheering and soon after, another 30 or so started cheering with them. As i walked up to get my picture, at the tip end of the US, i passed the few people left cheering and watched an elderly Oriental woman who was still clapping turn and ask someone (who i presumed to be her son) "Why are we clapping?" We left, got a crab cake sandwich, then spoke to the kids at the Southernmost Boys and Girls Club in the United Staes.
I will post another ( but final ) blog at the end of this week....reflecting
Dennis......encourage your friends to donate to this ride to help me meet my financial goals for these clubs
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