Day 23, Monday, September 30

I welcome South Carolina.

I'm not really sure what to say about today. Some parts kind of dragged -- I was even yawning a lot as I rode in the afternoon -- but the roads were scenic and it felt like we spent more time on quite back roads today. I thought that as I got closer to the end of the trip the days would go by more quickly, but instead I'm finding that I'm trying not to think about the end too much otherwise it will seem overwhelmingly long to get there, even though it's only two days away. I don't think I'm going to feel that the trip is really over until I'm securely on the plane heading home.

Smelling the barn door. This is the least scary of several self-portraits I took.

We have 220 more miles to ride until the finish, 120 tomorrow and then 100 the next. It feels long to me. I think that when I still had 160-, 150-, and 140-mile days in front of me, I couldn't afford to think that 120 miles felt like a long day, but I realized for the first time today that 120 miles is a long time to spend on a bike. You'd think that it wouldn't have taken me twenty-three days to figure that out.

On the last day, we all have to wait until everyone makes it to Folly Beach (the trip actually ends there, it's just that no one has ever heard of it so for convenience I've been saying that the trip ends in Charleston) so we can ride to the finish together. That will be interesting, since after 100 miles people are usually spread out by a couple of hours. I guess the fast people are going to have to sleep in that day. Then we have to box up our bikes and enjoy the "closing ceremonies" dinner in the evening before hoofing it to the airport the next morning. There are so many logistics involved in getting forty-five people across the country and back home again, I don't know how the crew has pulled it off.

I've been entertaining myself with thoughts of riding with friends at home and being really strong; walking the dogs; and eating at my favorite Mexican restaurant. In just a few short days I'll get to enjoy all that and more.