The Grand Finale

After 17 days, close to 1,400 miles and 13 states, Diane and I were the first (and only) team to arrive on the mat to complete The Amazing Race (East Coast Version).
We didn't win $1 million but collected close to $7,000 for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation of which I will now proudly say I am a "family" member.
We rode with Mike all of the way from Nashua to the Nubble Light in Maine, some 75 miles with the usual ups and downs but nothing like we had the previous day. Mike' wife Jean has MM and presently is in good health.
At the finish, Jean was there and gave me a huge bear hug, saying thank you for all that I've done.
I did nothing except ride my bike for a couple of weeks. I told her she and Carmen (from Little Silver) are my inspirations because while my ride is over and I went through some trials and tribulations, including getting hit by a mirror on the first day (you should have heard the explosion of the mirror on my left elbow -- boom! It sounded like my tire blew up, when in fact it was  a kid who looked down at the wrong time and his rear view mirror hit my left arm just above the elbow. Nothing broken, but a nice a bruise which has already gone away.) Carmen and Jean are fighting the disease and will continue their struggle tomorrow and the next day and the next day and so on. I get to pack up the car and drive home to Miami. They inspire me to live every day as best as I can because you don't know if there will be another after today.
Today's ride brought the official bike computer total to 1,343 miles of actual riding. That, of course, doesn't count the five ferry rides in North Carolina, from Delaware to New Jersey and from Jersey to Manhattan.
There are so many people to thank, so many things to point out and many topics to cover but after celebrating with Bobbie, a bottle of wine and some fireworks over Portsmouth, NH, it's time to close down for the night.
Thank you everyone for following along on the ride. I have a lot of pictures on Facebook both on my site and Bobbie's page. I will have a couple of more blog additions on this trip before we head back to Florida.

 With the Nubble Light behind, I was still strong enough to lift my bike over my shoulder. I think I saw Lance Armstrong do this once and I wanted to replicate it.

 Diane and Jean talk about the same hometown they came from -- a small town in New England. Jean and Mike have 2 pairs of twins!!

Mike, Diane and Marty confer on the side of the road as to which direction they should take. Mike had the map, Marty had real time GPS and Diane had an opportunity to take a break.










It was an amazing journey and I thank everyone who participated with well wishes, encouragement and donations to the MMRF.