3,000 miles!

Today's ride was from Brookville to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. We started a bit earlier than usual. As we cycled through Brookville, the sign on the bank read "7:48 AM; 80 degrees." The humidity was closer to 100%. I sweated through two pairs of biking gloves today. And, everything else was soaked in perspiration, as well. We had some decent hills in the first fifty miles. On one downhill I clocked out at 41.7 miles per hour! Also came across a group of Pro Life people who were WALKING across America! (They do it in shifts, like a relay.) Near Philipsburg, we turned onto a state road through the forest. It was scenic, but hilly, of course. At the 62-mile mark of today's ride, my bicycle odometer went over 3,000 miles. The last six miles on the forest road were downhill...it was beautiful and fun, BUT a little dangerous with some loose gravel on the turns. (More on that later) Our group of four riders (including Zach) really worked hard to get in the full 108 miles by 4:45 PM. By tnen, it was 91 degrees! It would be over an hour before we saw some of the others. Then, we heard the news. One of our riders crashed on those gravel downhills and was taken to the hospital. The last word we got was that she was bandaged up and will be fine...they are on their way back from the hospital as I write. So, the rest of us have been sitting in our stinky smelly cycling gear for hours because our clean clothes are in the van. Once again, we have had gracious hosts here in Lock Haven. A great meal and offers of showers and BEDS! This will be my fifth time to sleep in a bed since June 16th.

The 108 miles marks our second longest day of the tour. We now have just three more days of riding. Mixed emotions about the tour ending. It will be nice to sleep in and NOT spend 8 to 10 hours on a bicycle every day, but we will miss the team mates, and talking to people along the way; seeing their astonished reactions when we tell them where we started and where we are going. Also, formally presenting the issue of Human Trafficking will be missed. On the other hand, I miss my wife and daughter LIKE CRAZY. Can't wait to see them in New York this Sunday. Seven and a half weeks away from each other has been way too much! (At the same time, I am thankful for a wife who allowed me and Zach to go on such a crazy adventure!)

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings.