Follow my journey through the southern tier of America on my bicycle through my blog.

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Day 46 (41 riding): Total overall distance: 3002.28mi Total distance today: 28.05mi Total time: 2.23.09 Avg speed: 11.7mph Top speed: 32.5mph

Random thoughts of the day:
-Just one: I DID IT

Today started with a quick goodbye to Paul, Ricky, & Nadine knowing we were gonna have a ceremonial dinner either Saturday or Sunday night. I left the hotel at 9:15, which gave me plenty of time to find a donut shop for a Hirt breakfast and then head the 28 miles or so to Mission Beach where my brother would be waiting. I found a neat little donut shop in El Cajon where I had a donut in the shape of a foot...how fitting. I then went up a road to Santee, CA and turned west to head up one last long climb up a hill to begin my descent into San Diego. After riding along a busy road with on ramps and off ramps cutting through the bike lane for around 15 long miles, I turned onto Old Seaworld Dr. This road used to be the main drag but now there is a much nicer and busier one just a few hundred yards away. This old road is now essentially a bike/pedestrian path that runs along the San Diego River. I took a short break to eat a muffin and kill a few minutes for my brother to get to the end of the jetty road I would arrive on. I embarked on my final 2 miles at exactly noon. I went up and over a bridge with a nice view of Mission Bay and then turned parallel to the beach for the last mile of the journey. Upon turning onto North Jetty Road, I caught sight of my brother, future sister-in-law, and another gentleman towards the end of the dead end road. They had a streamer set up across the road and balloons tied to the car. The other fellow was filming my arrival. I rode the last 50 yards with my arms held high in celebration (somehow managing not to fall over). I cannot explain the feeling I got when I rode through the streamer and knew I had arrived at my final destination some 3,002 miles after beginning the trip of a lifetime. I could not have arrived to a better welcome put on by numerous people...the ones in attendance and some more that were not there in person. I can't thank my brother and his fiance enough for being there and helping me celebrate the completion. I also have to thank Renny Brown, the PGA Head Pro from Aviara Golf Club and a representative of the Southern California section of the PGA of America. He was the other person waiting for me and congratulating me on my ride and my successful fundraising. I also have to thank Tom Addis, a past PGA president who helped coordinate the southern Cali PGA section to be there to greet me and congratulate me. Thank you also goes out to Steve Napoli, the PGA Director of Golf who worked so diligently in setting up the greeting. One more thanks to Teri Carreiro, the Business Manager at Wannamoisett for overnight shipping a massive Wannamoisett flag for the ending "ceremony." I was also told it would have been better attended if I hadn't messed it up by arriving so quickly...whoops. I can't thank all of these people enough and everyone else who I forgot to mention who made the ending so very special. It truly shows the integrity of the PGA of America and its members to go through so much just to greet 1 of its over 25,000 members at the conclusion of a worthwhile journey. I am very fortunate to be a member of such a world class association.

I also want to throw a quick thank you out there to all of my warmshowers hosts along the way for making my trip much more bearable and a lot more memorable as well: Dave, Robert, Glen, Al & Sally, Linda, Phil & Goldie, Carol, Hilary, John & family, Mons & family, and the crew at B&B Bait & Tackle.

Thank you to everyone who cheered me on along the way and to everyone who followed me on this epic adventure.

The most thanks goes to everyone who donated to Executives Without Borders and their cause in Haiti. Also to everyone who donated to me to help offset my costs. I really can't express my thanks in words.

In conclusion, this was truly the trip of a lifetime and I would not have changed a single thing about it. From the places I saw to the incredible people I met, most notably Ricky, Paul, Nadine, Ed, & Katie. I hope and think that I have made friends for a lifetime and will do my best to keep in touch with all of them.

I am sad to have the adventure end but am also glad to have completed my quest and cannot wait to return home soon!

P.S. I know there are people I have forgotten to mention or to thank..please forgive me!

P.S.S. Keep your eyes opened in the coming weeks for a special surprise I will be working on. It may allow you to see some of my journey...firsthand (kind of).

Total overall distance: 3,002.28 miles
Total time: 232 hours, 17 min, 44sec
Average speed: 12.4mph
Top speed: 43mph
Average distance (riding days): 73.23m
Average time riding per day: 7.24.23 (I think)
Total flats: 8 (6 front, 2 back)
Tires worn through: 1
Spokes broken: 0 :)

3 comments:

  1. Good Job Devin. Any idea how much your bike weighed fully loaded on this trip?

    Richard/Krypto

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks! I weighed my bike once and it was 88lbs. However, I didn't have too many extra supplies so I would say it hovered between 85 and 95 pounds during the trip.

    ReplyDelete