Sunday, My Last Day with the Group

Oh, it's finally come to this.  My final post (maybe!) about my week of riding in Virginia with Bike the US for MS TransAm 2014.  It's sad to think this was my final ride ever with the group, but for now, my journey has come to a close.  Sunday morning, I met up with other alumni riders, including Bret, to ride with the group out of town from Blackburg to Christiansburg along the Huckleberry Trail.  It was an early rise because the group and vans were departing at 8:00AM as they have a very long, 80-mile day ahead of them.  When I showed up in my cycling gear, nearly every single person lit up and asked if I had changed my mind and was staying to ride further on the trip.  That felt so good to know everyone wanted me to stay, but yet made me so sad that I had to say goodbye.  Don showed up at 6:30AM to make yummy egg, cheese, and soy-sauge breakfast sandwiches for everyone before they head out of town.  My, what an awesome host Don is!  Blacksburg is one of the most fun stops of the trip, just for the great hospitality that Don provided.  We took one last group photo together and then headed on down the road. 

It was a mere 7 mile journey to Christiansburg, but I wanted it to last forever. (well, maybe not forever, because my bum would hurt quite a bit after forever)  We arrived at a mall in Christiansburg where the Huckleberry Trail came to an end.  Everyone cycled over to me and I hopped off my bike to give hugs all around.  Even a few selfie photos were taken!  I took it all in one last time and knew I'd never be with this same group of people again in my life (unless I can sneak off to Colorado in a few weeks... hmm...), so it was a bittersweet moment.

After 25 or so goodbyes, I rode back to Blacksburg with the other alumni and we just took it slow as if we were out of a Sunday joyride.  I'll be honest: I hadn't ridden that slow all week and it was driving me crazy! Ha! It was fun to now be part of the alumni group, though.  Dave, another alumni rider, dropped back with me for a minute to say, "It's hard leaving everyone in Blacksburg, isn't it?"  He had ridden the same route as me in 2013 and found it equally as difficult to say goodbye to his group as they rode out of Blacksburg, as well.  Luckily, it was a pleasant day to enjoy an easy ride.

On the drive home, I pointed out to Bret every place I'd been along I-81 that week and reminisced about the hill climbs and how I felt on the trip.  Since he had already done the trip two times before, he kindly let me ramble on, even though he had been there-done that before.  Maybe it was nice for him to be able to reminisce about his own trips again, too.

Upon arriving home, I felt very melancholy and quite blue, which is why it took me so long to write this post.  I'm proud of my accomplishment and so happy I decided to do this trip.  But having to look back already and say goodbye is the part that makes me sad.  Most people thought I was crazy for calling it a vacation, but if you know how much I like to be social, outdoors, active, and exploring, then you know this was the perfect trip for me.