My Dad turned 83 a month after completing this tour. He is a Great Grandfather several times over. In spite of the daily average mileage on this tour, he didn't have difficulty with the stamina required to complete the daily distance as much as he did with back pain related to four vertebrae he broke a few years ago. If not for that, I think a cross-USA tour would not be out of his reach. He of course is working on ergonomic changes to his bicycle which he thinks will lessen the strain on his back. I wouldn't be surprised if he is the oldest person to ride the GAP trail and C&O canal and I doubt any other riders his age elected to then ride back north to Cumberland. Perhaps there is a record there somewhere.
As we cycled back toward Cumberland, I thought about this tour and life in general. We had cycled almost 600 miles (more than the total shown on this blog because we put in some mileage finding lodging, restaurants and etc.) I was riding with the man that taught me to ride a bicycle and change a flat tire as well as cobble together repairs on a bicycle, no matter what the conditions. He also modeled a talent and interest (which my wife says I share) in interacting with everyone he met. It's easy to focus on natural and historical features on a tour, he also conversed with many interesting people, ranging from Harpers Ferry and Canal Maids to Desert Roses in small cafes. I suspect many of the people we met thought later about the man and his father riding from Pittsburgh to D.C. (I'm sure many people thought about his unique bicycle). I hope some of them will take the steps to plan for an "adventure", large or small with the people that are important to them.