Day 72. Orland to Bar Harbor, 39 miles

Before I lose your attention I want to update and amend my post on guardrails in light of new research. NY has a previously-uncatalogued (here) class of guardrail that looks absolutely terrifying. It’s three parallel cables, anchored in the ground, running through loops in the metal stanchions. They are all rusted and look like they are made of tetanus, and you can’t lean or sit on them. I forgot to write about them, but I guess this is my last chance because I did it, y’all. I rode my bike across the country.

It was a beautiful day. Perfect weather, lovely tailwind, a couple of serious hills to climb, though nothing brutal.

I had coffee on the patio outside my guest suite (!) and watched the sky warm and brighten, then hung out with Nate and Laura until Nate left for work; Laura and I squeezed in some more hangs and then got me packed up—she put crushed ice in my water bottles!—and headed back to Orland, where she dropped me with hugs at the community center.

Yesterday I’d had a happy teary moment as I let myself realize that I was really going to do this thing, but then I missed a turn because of it, remembered that feelings are dumb (kidding!), and pushed that to the side. But today I found myself laugh-crying at random in wild joy and disbelief, and it was an incredible feeling.

I had just under 40 miles to ride, and Andrew was driving in from Boston simultaneously, and I took it slowly to relish the last few hours. I enjoyed all of it. I already missed it even as I was excited to see all my people and regain all the ease and luxury of inside life.

I was mostly on US 1/ME 3, and it was a Friday in August, so traffic was brisk, but I was unbothered. The signs for Acadia made me tear up, as did a nice descent.

I took my last sit stop on the road into a Park & Ride about 15 miles from Bar Harbor.

Andrew and I texted a bit to coordinate arrival, and then Josh texted to check in and we text-chatted for a bit ❤️ and then I sat on the ground and snacked and was feral and weird and free until it was time to go to Bar Harbor and meet my babe.

Some wonderful and poignant miles later and one big hill in Mt. Desert that I approached channeling my godson’s energy when told it was too windy to be outside (from the bench on the deck: “You think you can take me down wind? BRING IT ON!”), the sweet long descent following, and I was in Bar Harbor.

I made my way down to the bay through throngs of people and there it was.

I texted Andrew, and he found me, and it was all kinds of feelings, y’all.

We sat in the park overlooking the bay and drank Prosecco, and I could not have asked for a better end to the trip.

I suspect I may have one more post in me, some wrap-up thoughts. Just in case that’s not true, I want to say how much I appreciate every one of you that read along. And to all of you who sent me texts or commented or posted about the trip, it gave me life. To new friends I met along the way, and to those I was able to see, both old friends and ones who came out to visit with me: 💗

Thank you for being along on this adventure with me.