I read this to my parents when they took us out for a Maine lobster tail to celebrate our bicycle trip’s completion. 

Read and laugh about our surprise ending:

We told you when we said I do

The plans that we would soon see through

A trip to Washington all the way to Maine

One you all thought to be insane

We promised each other that when we got back

We’d try for kids to fill up our shack

But somewhere throughout this bicycle journey

A baby got started a little bit early

Our new little miracle is growing healthy and strong

and mom’s doing well for 8 weeks along

In March she’ll come out crying, “boo hoo”

but what the screams mean is “she can’t wait to meet you”!

HAHAHAHAHA  Our first child is due on March 27, 2008.  Think she’ll be a bicyclist???

Day 54

Miles – 20

Auburn, ME – Freeport, ME

LAST DAY!!!

Took our time this morning, timing it just right to meet Laureen’s parents and JoAnn and PopPop for our celebratory ride into Freeport, ME…only 20 miles!  Eh, we could do it in about 2 hours.  No big deal…there’s no more pain, just excitement and awe at what we were about to complete.  As we mounted for the last time we wished we had champagne, like Lance Armstrong on his way to the Champs de Lise to claim his victory in the Tour de France. 

The last day wasn’t without problems.  There were 2:   1) Not a quarter mile into the journey, a flat tire; and 2) a dark raincloud hovering over us, which stopped us for about 15 minutes until we were able to see in front of us again.  By the time we came upon Freeport, we were soaking wet from the rain and dirty from the mud kicked up by our tires. 

The end went by quickly and relatively quiet, the only sound being our parents clapping alongside total strangers and a few “WooHoo’s” as we entered the ramp to the water.  We all celebrated in our own ways–Matt and Jonathan by submerging their entire bodies in the water they worked so hard to reach, and Laureen talking her parents’ ears off about all of their adventures.  We spent some time there by the water, looking out into the horizon, trying to process what we’ve just accomplished.  For everything it was, we did it!

Miles = 17
Buckfield, ME -Auburn, ME

Oh this rain is such a downer! The weather we awoke to was rain, angry on the tin roof, and a high of 61 degrees. Cold and rainy. All day. Again. Started gearing up around 8am, but chickened out and ran back into the house, cold and wet from the 90 second walk to the car where we attempted to load up our bikes. Took out the maps and researched another route to the ocean instead of Rockport.  Decided on Freeport.  It’ll only take us 37 miles to be FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  However, we can’t do all 37 miles today, because we have some people (including Laureen’s parents) coming up to watch us finish tomorrow.  Plus, this rain stinks, if that wasn’t mentioned yet, and we don’t want to do any biking today.  But we decided to push for just about 17 miles in the 58 degree pouring, rainy weather.  Finished in Auburn, ME.  We are ECSTATIC to finish the last 20 miles of our 4,000+ trip tomorrow.

We stayed at Brian and Roda MacMasters house.  Julie and Jill, their daughters, were our hostesses, while their parents were out-of-town.  Thanks for the hospitality and warm beds!

Conway, NH – Buckfield, MAINE
Miles = 52

Weather = RAIN. AGAIN. ALL DAY. SOAKING WET.

MAINE!!! WE MADE IT!!! THE END IS IN SIGHT! Two more days and we’ll be dipping our wheels in the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean.

It is intensely hilly here, and Maine doesn’t grade their hills. One hill, which was only about a 700 ft climb, was so steep that we admitted later that we were afraid of flipping over. (When you go up a steep hill, it’s helpful to pull on the handlebars to give you more power. When we were pulling up, we all had the fear that we were going to flip right over.) Crazy!

South Royalton, VT – Conway, New Hampshire
Miles = 100.8
Steep Climbs = 6 ; Steep climbs above 1000 feet = 4

Matt is pointing out the climbs on the map. Between his two fingers were the climbs for the day:

An award-winning cycle if ever there was one on this trip! 100 miles, LOTS of hills, and POURING RAIN!!!!! Met up with Mom Sparacio and PopPop for lunch, which allowed us to change into some dry clothes. That 45 minute lunch stop was the only time it DIDN’T rain all day long. We were freezing and soaked again an hour later. Couldn’t get any pictures from the top of Mt. Kankamagas; didn’t want to risk the camera in the rain. At the end of the day we were tired, very sore…butt, elbows, legs, back, but we feel extremely proud of our accomplishments.

We are in New Hampshire, which is our second-to-last state!!! 10 more miles until we hit our last one–MAINE!!!!!!!!!

Ticonderoga, NY – South Royalton, VT
Miles – 65

Late start today. Our bike clothes hadn’t been laundered in a while, so we thought it would be nice of us to visit a laundromat–for the sake of Mom Sparacio and PopPop. I think we’ve gotten used to the smell of ourselves and one another. Deodorant? What’s the point? Doesn’t work on something that foul. Of course, for Laureen it never mattered—-Women don’t sweat; they glow. Women don’t smell; they FRAGRANCE. HA–we promise to start using it the shower after the finish line for all of you disgusted at home.

Had a nice, large breakfast in a Country Biscuit place while the laundry was washing and enjoyed a tight game of LCR afterwards, while the laundry was drying. When we got all geared up, we took the mini-ferry (the only way to get across the river–there is not bridge) a mile or 2 across the river into Vermont.

We had quite a climb planned for the day. Rain again, and this time there is no relief in sight–it will be raining throughout the rest of the 5 days of the trip. Yuck–wet, chafing booties all the way up the 2100 ft climb to Brandon Gap. But look at the view from up here! B-E-A-Utiful!

Blue Mountain Lake, NY – Ticonderoga, NY

Miles = 75

The Adirondaks are so beautiful!  Almost enough to make us enjoy the back- and leg-breaking labor of the hills.  Almost.  Almost. 

Last full day in NY.  Getting close to the end.  Today was Monday and we expect to dip our wheels in the salt of the Atlantic on Saturday. 

Spent a lot of time thinking about what we’re going to do when we get home, who we’re going to visit, what projects we’re going to take on, what we’ll play with our dogs!    5 more days!

Stopped at a campsite on Lake George in NY.

Booneville, NY – Blue Mt. Lake, NY

Begain the day with some more home-cooked heat-ups–spinach quiche and sausage patties.

Beautiful but chilly bike ride through the Adirondaks.  No wonder we were getting hills the past few days!  The hills got steeper as we began weaving our way through the mountains today.  2 more flats today because of all the bumpy potholes in the shoulders of the Adirondaks.

Stopped in a beautiful cabin on Blue Mountain Lake.

Pulaski, NY – Booneville, NY

Miles = 51

Said “Goodbye” and “Thanks” to  Susan, Mel, and Evan who would be heading for home and switching jobs with Matt’s mom (JoAnn) and grandfather, whom we call “PopPop”. 

Terrible day.  Hills + Rain.  Rain + Hills.  Not a good mix, especially when thunder and lightening are added ingredients to the batter. 

A coffeeshop popped up 20 mi into the ride where we could get a break from the rain.  Then, thunder and lightening chased us 20 more miles through uncivilized lands to a hotel est. in 1906.  Luckily, it had a bar and grill attached.  (Again, throughout this entire trip, we could always count on a bar to save us from the rain!)  Our bellies were telling us it was time to eat lunch and we optimistically hoping for something positive in the day, like a good meal.  When we were through eating, we geared up again only to walk outside to more thunder and lightening and heavy rain.  Turning around, we spotted a pool table in the back of the bar, and of course decided to hang out till the rain let up.

An hour later, we made arrangements to meet Mom and PopPop in the next town.  Pushed on the last 10 miles in the pouring rain to Booneville, NY.  They were so happy to see us!  Jonathan got leaner and more muscular, Laureen got bigger and stronger, and Matt lost weight, according to their eyes. 

You all, of course, will have to tell us when we get home! 

Sodus Point, NY – Pulaski, NY

They’re baaaaaaaaaaaaack!  Oh, how we’ve missed the hills…in some strange, self-destructive way.  They simultaneously bring more interest, frustration, and fun.  You never know the heighth of each hill until you reach the top.  You never realize how steep each hill is until you feel the burn in your legs–If it hits you about halfway up, it’s a pretty steep hill; if it hits you about a 1/4 of the way up, it’s a VERY steep hill.

Went through a town called Hannibal, where we had lunch.  HAHA  The meat was very tender!