The last word...

A few great weeks. Enjoyed every minute of it. Missing it already, but a bit of rest will do the body good. Thinking where i'll head for next, or even all the other states i did not visit...
Thanks to everyone along the way for your hospitality and kindness, it was much appreciated. Would not have finished it without all the help of many strangers along the way.
One mile at a time.
Sean.

The last few miles.

Westport, Ct - South Kingstown park, Rhode island = 189km
South Kingstown park, Rhode island - Fairhaven, Massachusetts = 124km
Fairhaven, Ma - Sandy pond park, Yarmouth, Cape Cod, Ma = 147km
Sandy pond park, Yarmouth, Cape Cod, Ma - Boston, Ma = 134km

Odometer Total: 8126.8km (5079miles)

Bike weight = 14.5kg (32lbs)
Bag weight = 23kg (50.5lbs)
Total bike weight = 37.5kg (82.5lbs)

Enough to be carrying. If i had checked this early on my ride i would probably have found a few other things to leave behind, but i was moving fine so i kept it all.

Finished, fini, termine, criochnaithe. That's it. Sin e.

I rolled into Boston on friday evening after my cycle in from Cape Cod. I enjoyed two days off in Connecticut, meeting people, eating well, and taking it easy before my last leg to Boston. It took three days to get out to the cape, staying the first night in south Kingstown, Fairhaven, Ct. The next day saw the first Nor'easter of the year come through. Unfortunately nothing to do with bunnies and chocolate eggs, these are a weather system that hits the east coast of the US. With it came a lot of wind and rain, and eventhough i made it through Providence, Rhode island and out to huttleston, Massachussetts, there was not a dry square inch of ground left in the north east by that evening i stayed in a motel. Headed out to cape cod on thursday all the way out to Orleans, and nauset beach, where i could almost see Slea head.
It was the Atlantic proper, with no more islands or peninsulas, and the furthest east i was travelling. The last 85 miles saw me riding back in from the cape, up through eastern Massachussetts with its many fine beaches, and into south Boston. It was tempting to head for one of the numerous irish pubs on my way into the city, but it was time to finish it off, get in, find my accomodation, and sit back and relax after one great cycle.

I'll put up the mileage and the last few photos shortly. Just going to enjoy a great weekend in Boston.

Highways and byways

Some of the cycling i had to do on the roads to cycle over the only bridge you are allowed cycle into New York on, was adventurous to say the least. I had been on a canal path that lead from parts of Pennsylvania up through New Jersey, taking in princeton and many other nice towns along the way. But this track like the rail trail has been badly affected by the copious amounts of rain they had on the east coast of the US in the last two months after hurricane irene.There were trees down, parts of the path washed away, so it made it tough going on the touring bike, and was a lot more suitable for mountain biking. But i eventually got off that, i won't even mention the part where i ended up going the wrong way, and eventually figured out my mistake. Thankfully it didn't set me back too far. But the roads coming into New York, no road is going to be quiet going into New York City, even on a saturday morning. And when you have to cross two lanes of traffic to get to your slip road you are certainly taking your life into your hands. So the high visability jacket was on, plenty hand signals, i'm sure a lot of cursing and swearing by drivers and i made it there. Then to avoid the real craziness on the cross bronx expressway i took a few back roads up through yonkers, spoke to a few locals who told me how to get across toward connecticut and the sea and tipped away along up by the long island sound. Two more days off here and i will be on my last leg toward boston which will take a few days as i will head out to Cape Cod on my way, just to finish it off before rolling into Boston next the weekend.

My first day off

I took a walk into Philadelphia after some house keeping duties in the morning. It's a great city, between the food, the history, the places to see and visit, just got to relax and enjoy the day and a half there. Of course i was suffering withdrawal symptoms from the bike. I'd sit looking out the window to keep an eye on it in restaurants and then realise i had left it at the hostel for the day, And my legs the morning after, eventhough i had spent a lot of the day walking around had already started to seize up on me. Of course i also enjoyed catching up with a few of my old college friends around before setting off for New Jersey.
Somehow i managed what seemed to be a very quick exit out of Philadelphia after giving a visit to Temple University, heading up toward Morrisville and crossing over into New Jersey. That may also be partly due to fact that i was heading out through some neighbourhoods that i would not go walking through, as they may not be the best. A lot of bridges from here on are car only and so unsuitable for bikes so i had to travel well up the Delaware river before crossing over. Spent an good night in the care of North Brunswick EMT. They allowed me sleep in their building and were very welcoming to some stranger that turned up at their door. Thankfully it was a quiet night on the job for them, and i got moving good and early to head up to where i used to work and coach and see many more friends in Westport, Connecticut.

A little flat

It was  a good cycle through Lancaster county where the Pennsylvania dutch, or Amish people have their farms. Everything is done the old fashioned way, including their cooking with natural ingredients that they grow themselves. Incredible food, i was a little slow to leave the place. But they make including furniture, they are almost as good at selling themselves to the rest of the country in tours, food, as the irish are to the rest of the world.
Unfortunately after leaving, i had more flats on my last 80 kilometers into Philadelphia than the rest of the trip combined. Three times the tire went flat. I'm not sure whether it is the bike does not like rain or it was the roads but i was looking forward to a quick half day into Philadelphia, but it turned out to be a seven hour trek. And i mean trek, well parts of it at least. I ended up walking for a few kilometers to find a bike shop to replace the last tube as i had thought two spares would be plenty.
I wouldn't mind for what people had been saying that it was going to be a deluge it only rained in the morning and then i had a clear run into Philadelphia. Eventually sorted, i finished the trip in Fairmount park, the largest city park in the US at the Chamounix hostel, just above the Schuylkill river where i spent so many freezing and fine mornings in college at 6am training.

Miles and miles

Cockeysville, MD - Parksburg, PA = 149km
Parksburg, PA - Philadelphia, PA = 90km
1st Day off
Philadelphia, PA - North Brunswick, NJ = 161km
North Brunswick, NJ - Westport, CT = 184km
2nd Day off