I have been on a few multi-week bicycle rides. On the whole, they are rewarding in many ways. You end up going through and to places you would otherwise be unlikely to visit. If there is a nice tailwind or a good road or both, the riding is delightful. Sometimes, most of the day is great with a few difficult parts. Infrequently, the ride is a grind from end to end and you just wait for it to end and hope for better the next day. I admit it can be a struggle, but even then there is the satisfaction of completing the miles.

I recently read a few memoirs of cycle tourists. They try to explain the feeling whatever it is of cycling. Is it a sense of well-being, rhythm of the road, simple joy?

I suspected I would be capable of cycling the route as planned, barring severe weather. Thus, my goals had to do with individual days.

1- Visit Virginia and Delaware, the only two states I had not been to.

2- Bicycle in 5 new states, which were VA and DE and Nebraska, West Virginia and Maryland. This takes me to 32 States I have bicycled in.

3- Ride 100 miles or more in one day.

I accomplished all of these. Plus, there were many days of lovely scenery and fabulous cycling. In addition, I want to say that the other cyclists on the trip are amazing.   I also saw and heard many species of birds, quite a few of which are not common in my area.