Summary 7th August

By Caroline Broekman

Final summary of our amazing journey together.

We have just realised that tomorrow night is the last night just the four of us will be together. The night after that a couple from Canada join us as we cross the border into Canada and then on 10th August we go our separate ways – John and Alison eastward along the shores of Lake Erie and finishing in Massachusetts and Paul and I turn south to Virginia to meet up with Mark and Megan for the final leg of our journey.

What a journey it has been. We have seen and experienced so much together. Alison continues to be an inspiration to us and all who she has met along the way. Her determination and resilience are incredible. WE have found it immensely challenging too – I cannot imagine the challenge she has had to put herself through.

We have gained a respect for the diversity of this country and for the genuine kindness of everyone we have met. Everyone has urged us to “stay safe” and most of the time we have felt safe. Roads have generally been good, drivers have generally been good, there are many networks of wonderful trails that we have found and everyone we have met has been helpful and kind.

For the past three months we have been able to forget about our normal lives and pretty much the rest of the world and just focus on maintaining ourselves, our bikes and our kit and cycling from one destination to the other. The best advice we were given was to take a day off each week. We have done that and those days have been among the best days – a chance to relax, catch up with families, do mundane things like laundry but best of all take a breath.Thank you, Alison and John. This has been the trip of a lifetime.