This was the final day of the trip. My journal entry notes are slim but I do have some photos to help activate my memory banks. The fact that we would be finished today was all so surreal. My head was filled with all kinds of thoughts ranging from the past, the trip itself, all we had seen, the many wonderful people we had met, and my future from that point in time. 

The end being so near was simultaneously exciting and bittersweet. A part of me truly enjoyed being on the road and free but another side of me knew that I had to, in the words of Chuck Noll to Terry Bradshaw (but not until 1984), "It's time to get on with your life's work." Terry didn't take too kindly to that order, but I knew I had to and didn't need Coach Noll to tell me so.

Heart

0

Comment

0

Link

Log in to comment or reply

From Berlin, we rode through Hudson, Massachusetts. I remembered that a few years earlier, I had been there to listed to a local band that was riding the Boston music scene wave in the late 1970s. I can't remember the name of the place where they played but I do remember it was a good show and a good time.

Heart

0

Comment

0

Link

Log in to comment or reply

Berlin is only 28 miles from Westwood, where our parents lived but it seemed to me like the other side of the state at that time. Since having subsequently lived and traveled in other parts of the country, where towns and places are much further apart, I chuckle a bit when I go back to Massachusetts and remember how I thought some places were so far away and in reality, they are merely a few miles apart.

Perhaps another reason that I didn't record much from this last ride was because the closer we got to Westwood, it all became so familiar. We rode through Hudson, Marlborough, Framingham, Natick, Dover, and then into Westwood itself. Like I said earlier, my head was swimming and it was all so surreal. After all the miles and all we had seen, this adventure was really going to be finished. We were going to succeed and complete the darned thing after all.

Quipping about the degree of difficulty when extracting a tooth, a dentist friend once said, "They're all easy once the tooth is on the tray." I suppose the same can be said about a long bicycle tour... They're all easy once the bicycle is parked in your garage again.

Heart

0

Comment

0

Link

Log in to comment or reply

We rolled up to the IGA Market, at the intersection of Pond and Clapboardtree Streets. From there, we paused, grabbed one last cold drink, took one final photo, and separated once more to go to the homes of our respective families. Paul's family lived about a 3/4s-mile in one direction, while mine was about 3/4s-mile in another. 

I rolled up into my parent's driveway and it was officially over. The immediate family reunion was great and we all talked for a while. I called Paul a little bit later and he was enjoying being with his family too... and we didn't have to find a Catholic Church that night to take pity on us and let us camp somewhere on their grounds. Sister Nicola would be proud!

Heart

0

Comment

0

Link

Log in to comment or reply

There was a nice gathering to celebrate the completion of our trip, a few days later. A number of people were there who I hadn't seen for a while. It was a wonderful night. 

I have to confess to having had a bit of a post-ride letdown. Paul did, as well. He wrote about it in the 42-year old letter I found recently  and had mentioned in the introduction to this journal. I suppose it was a normal process for stepping down from such a long and eventful journey. 

We both got over that and on with the work of our lives and we both achieved measures of success and happiness. I believe that having completed this journey made better people out of both of us. I'm proud to have done it and very lucky to have shared it with a guy like Paul. Heck, if we're both still healthy in a few more years, I'd be up for a 50 year anniversary repeat! If it happens, you'll be the first to know! Stay tuned.