Epilog

It's been some time since I returned from the bike trip across the US and in some ways I long for the open road and in some ways the trip does not seem that it really happened and I have to browse the many photos I took to relive the experience.

Some thoughts. In retrospect the ride is not a monumental task. I think anyone of decent health and ability can do the ride. Our ages ranged from 49 to 67 and there's no reason that the people in their sixties can not repeat this ride or take a similar ride somewhere else in this wonderful world 10 years from now. I don't feel like I rode 60 days with 6 rest days interspersed. Instead, I rode one day at a time. Each day had a destination to reach and a goal to enjoy the ride, the sights and the people I met along the way.

The destination was always achievable, there was no doubt about that, even on the hardest day from Wall, SD to Murdo, SD, 101 miles in 40 mile gusts and head winds that took 9 plus hours in the saddle. That day was an anomaly; five to six hours in the saddle was more normal which is not difficult considering that I had all day to ride, no pressing reason to rush to the next stop and no other concerns to be stressed about.

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What was clearly obvious from the ride was that water is life. Where there is water there are people. The more water the more people, for agriculture, consumption, recreation and aesthetics. Of course, we all know that. But it is much more noticeable when crossing the country slowly on a bicycle.

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Another notable is the library system in this country; it is incredible. Every town, no matter what size, has a library. There may be insufficient funds for librarians to open all day or every day, but there is always a library with books, newspapers, music, movies and internet access. A place that values and promotes thought.

As Yakov Smirnoff would say "What a country!"