Hi All,

I wanted to share the picture of the nice homecoming that my family gave to me. They all met me at the Chicago/Madison bus stop with balloons and welcome home banners. Yes, I cried.

Also many of you have asked for a list of stuff that I took on my journey. See below.

• bike – My old Trek Madone 5.9 Carbon – not a touring bike, but Elanor Rosevelt once said, “do what you can with where you are at with what you have” I put a compacted gear set up front, and a Thule Pack n Pedal Touring Rack to hang my panniers. I also purchased Arkel panniers for the rear, and a Arkel rear bag that sat on top of the rack (for daily food and storage), and an Arkel handle bar bag. I did not have front paniers.

• warm cycling jacket with zip off sleeve
• 2- polyester shirts – to wear when off the bike
• 3 – pairs of cycling socks
• 2 – jersy bottoms (bibbs)
• Cell phone and charger
• MP3 Player
• light weight bike lock (borrowed from Brad)
• 3- jersy tops, high visibility yellow/green like road construction guys color.
• 1 – High visibility vest – to go over my rain gear or just keep me warm on cool morning.
• 1 – pair of pants – polyester light weight with zip off legs
• 1 – stocking cap (the same one I use to go under my snowboarding helmet.
• 1 – sweat band – did a good job of keeping the sweat and sun screen out of my eyes
• 1 – set of arm and leg warmers (made by Gore) I used the arm warmers almost every morning in the cool mountain air.
• thin gloves to go under my cycling gloves
• Neoprene Booties to go over my cycling shoes. Life saver when I was wet and cold.
• Adventure Cycling Maps – don’t leave home without them.
• Toiletries (camp soap, deoderant, tooth past, bug repellent, razor, nail clippers)
• Sunscreen ( I doped up two to three times per day in the hot sunny west)
• Lip balm ( sunscreen for you lips)
• Shoes – ultra light weight running shoes

All my Camping equipment all fit into one Pannier – list below

• Foil blanket (foil type from Walmart)
• Rain Poncho
• Ground Tarp (to go under tent)
• Camp towel
• Cloth line
• Chamois Butt’r
• Sleeping Bag (Marmot 30°F down bag via REI)
• Sleeping Bag Liner – silk. A must for comfort (REI)
• One Man Tent (Hubba via REI)
• Air Matress (Exped – very nice and comfy and packs small via REI)
• Air Pillow (Exped – like living a the Hilton via REI)
• Rain Jacket & Pants, and shower cap to go over my helmet.
• First Aid Kit
• H2O pills – to purify water – I never had to use them

In my rear bag, the one on top of the rear rack I carried:

• 1 foldable spare tire (never used – only one flat on the trip)
• 2 spare tubes
• 1 air pump – (Road Morph) an awesome light weight pump. mounted on my bike frame.
• 1 patch kit (never used)
• 1 multi tool (folding type pliers, screw driver, knife ect) used every day.
• 1 Allen wrench set
• Tire changing tools
• wire ties
• chain oil and rag

Inside my rear center bag is where I kept most of my road food, which was a jar of Jiff peanut butter, honey, flat bread (sooner or later it will be flat any way), often a ham sandwich purchased at a deli or convinience store, and sometime yogurt and nuts. I ate most of the time while riding out of my front handle bar bag. This was mostly fresh fruit like blue berries, nuts, grapes or apples. I also carried Cliff bars and ate about a couple dozen on the trip. Eating healthy and large quanities is very important because I burned about 4-5000 calories per day. Most meals were purchased in resturants along the way. I did not have any cooking stove or prepped meal. If the map indicated a long distance between stops, I would load up my food bag accordingly. Once I got to Fargo, civilization began again and towns were closer together, but I still had the habbit of hoarding food. Also attached to my rear bag were blinkies, my life savers. They were high powered lights visible for 2 miles in good weather. My most important gear was my safety gear which included the blinky lights, my helmet mounted mirror, and my high visibility jersey tops. I had a few close calls, but I enough time to react. I kepted track of every car in my mirror to see if they were moving respectfully and giving me room. 99% of them were good to me. I had serveral car people tell me that they could see me from a long ways away. One even commented that all bikes should be more visible like mine – I took it as a compliment.

Take care,
Freebird

Lincoln new hampshire to bridgton maine 65 beautiful miles. 3656 miles from the Pacific Ocean.
I awoke to a beautiful sunny morning in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Tents and sleeping bags are hung all over the hotel room set out to dry from yesterday’s rain. After a big breakfast we set out to start climbing the infamous Kancamagus Pass. The early morning mountain air was cool and the sun was doing it’s best to burn of yesterday’s misty clouds. It would be my last big climb on this journey. I shifted Willy into low gear and pretended my legs are pistons going up and down. For fourteen miles we wind our way up the mountainside. Beautiful white water streams on both sides of the road and steep mountain canyons just ahead. The road has a decent shoulder and the grade was reasonable. Some cars pass honking their horns and giving us a thumbs up sign. I stop often to take pictures of the beautiful scenery. Alex and Paul were just ahead of me when we reach the summit. Paul let out howl and Alex and I followed it up with more hoots and hollers in celebration of our last big climb. It was very emotional and we gave each other hugs and highfives. The air was cool and the wind pick up speed at the summit. We put on our jackets and started the downhill run which lasted for the next 24 miles. Lots of smiles and no peddling for 24 miles was a pretty good feeling. The weather was unbelievably beautiful today. A perfect day to be on the bike in the mountains. Alex peeled off our route to visit his girlfriend who is working at a camp in Maine. He hopes to connect back with us when we reach Portland. Paul and I are within striking distance of Portland Maine. Tomorrow’s weather looks perfect for a bike ride to the Atlantic coast. I can’t believe I am close to the finish and have a lot of mixed emotions about this wonderful journey that’s about to end. Part of me wants no ending, and another part will be thankful that its complete. I am feeling grateful for all the love and support from my family and friends. I feel like I’m in the best shape of my adult life. My resting heart rate is less than 70 and I am about 13 pounds lighter then 9 weeks ago. But best of all, I have gotten a chance to live one of my dreams to the fullest. I am one lucky free bird.
Take care

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Rochester Vermont to East Thetford Vermont. 47 mountainous miles. 3543 miles from the Pacific Ocean. I awoke this morning from a deep sleep in a comfy bed at the pumpkin inn bed and breakfast. The air smells of bacon, sausage and blueberry pancakes. My first thoughts were that I had died and went to heaven, then my mind cleared enough to remember where I was. After the delicious breakfast we packed up our bikes (see photo) and said goodbye to Debbie and Rich the Inn keepers. We passed through the towns of Stockbridge, Gaysville, Bethel, Royalton, Sharon, and South Stratford as we make our way through the Green Mountains of Vermont. The climbs are incredibly steep and difficult. Sweat pours from every inch of my body. I stop to cool off in a clear mountain stream about halfway up one of passes. It’s refreshing and does a good job of dropping my body temperature. The rivers and streams beside the road are filled with rapids and waterfalls. Families on inner tubes shoot down the river yelling and laughing. I want to stop and join them, but Willie and I keep climbing. The weather has been incredibly good to us and I am feeling healthy. tonight my legs feel like rubber but I guess that is to be expected. Pictures of the pumpkin bed and breakfast, Camp happy plus, and the beautiful rivers of Vermont.
Thanks again for all the good karma and nice comments. they mean the world to me.
Take care, Freebird

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Blue Mountain Lake New York to Ticonderoga New York. 74 miles, 3468 miles from the Pacific Ocean.
I unzipped my tent this morning to a spectacular view of Blue Mountain in the misty morning sunrise. I took the short walk to the lake and took in the beauty of the mist rising off the lake ( photo). When I returned to the campsite I could smell Alexandria’s bacon cooking from the kitchen in the Blue Mountains Inn. She served us bacon, eggs, muffins, and fresh watermelon. We all agreed that she gets the inn keeper of the Year Award. Alex decided to stay behind and spend part of the day hiking up Blue Mountain summit. Paul and I hit the road and started climbing and climbing. We pass through the towns of Long Lake, Newcomb, Blue Ridge, North Hudson, Paradox and then the final fast downhill run into Ticonderoga. Willie started acting up just as we enter town at the end of the day. Looks like another rear axle problem. that will have to wait until tomorrow. Photos of the big downhill just before Ticonderoga with the Vermont mountains in the background, the Adirondack range, and Blue Mountain Lake in the morning mist. I am exhausted from today’s ride through the beautiful mountains of New York. Tomorrow will be nine weeks on the road for me. If all goes well I should finish in the next week or so. Final destination has been changed to Portland, Maine
Take care, Freebird

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