Pedal for Peace 2008 made it home on Friday! Following his college graduation, my son Ryan pedaled across the United States for a grand adventure, and to raise money for the micro-credit organization FINCA International in Nicaragua. He will return to that country next month to put his funds to work for the most impoverished. You can read all about the trip and donate to the cause on the Pedal for Peace 2008 blog. Here are a few picks from his homecoming!
Cliff Notes of a few details:
Total miles: 4,353
Today Pedaling Days: 49
Average Per Day: 88.8 miles
Bike: Dad's 20 yr old Lemond road bike. When you are 22, and budgeting this on your own, you ride what you can get! Consensus--touring bike would have been better.
Best States: This takes in account weather, road surfaces, miles between services (they were self-supported), and terrain.
#1 Colorado
#2 New York
#3 Ohio
Worst States: Using same criteria:
#1 California
#2 Arizona
#3 Utah
Free Money and Swag: People being kind to travelers kicked in about $50 cash, free food, bike shirts, water bottles, and camp sites.
About 20 flats (Pete had one, Ryan the rest), many new tires, one new wheel, many truings at LBSs across the US.
Budget per day: $10-20, except for the occasional hotel room every 1000 miles. The sense of accomplishment and friendship between these two--priceless.
Keith and I met Ryan at then end of our bike path on Friday, and rode the last few miles home together to our house. First the road was empty, then there they were coming down the hill. Made me tear up for sure. It was so good to see them.
Pete and Ryan just arriving at the bike path. A note about the beard thing...(Doesn't that look awful???!!!) Unbeknown to me, he vowed not to shave until they made it back. Pete did that last summer on a salmon boat, and decided not to try that again. You just have to love boys. My son does not "give a what" that it looks so bad. It was part of the quest, so there you have it.
His brothers were so happy to see him! Here's Ryan and next oldest bro upon arrival.
The four bros.
Even the bros are horrified at the beard!
We had party after party! It was the homecoming that never ends! Friday night dinner for 12 at our house. Then a gathering at our summer pool where Pete and Ryan worked together for many years as lifeguards, and cooked up this whole adventure. It was the first ceremonial dipping of the wheels to end the trip.
On Sunday, we headed into Boston for the final wheel dip in the Atlantic to call this thing a wrap. Here are Pete and Ryan all decked out out for the final shirtless ride to the Charlestown Navy Yard and the dock of the USS Constitution. (Off they head down our ripped up road where construction never ends!) It was a beautiful day...
...beautiful day until we got to Charlestown! It was torrential for 3 full hours with cracking thunder and lightening like Armegeddon! Between Pete and Ryan, we had about 50 friends and fam there. It was great fun, but we were all soaking wet!
The wheel dipping in the Atlantic finally happens, and here are two soaked but happy guys!
Trip is done, bike to be racked for a while, and onto life's next challenge! Add to the equation, happy sets of parents that the boys are home!
