The Last Bivouac

 Well, barring an unforeseen disaster, I will close on my new domicile tomorrow afternoon. That makes tonight the final night camping and the official end of my retirement trip.

11 months, 33,000 miles and a bunch of states. It has been, literally, a trip of a lifetime. I met a lot of wonderful people, gained a whole new perspective on the country's geography, experienced nature in a way that I am sure I will never forget, and learned that the one thing necessary to overcome adversity is perseverance. I know now that the Stoics were right: "The obstacle is the way". The trick is correctly identifying the obstacle...

And I have a bundle of people to thank for all of the assistance with medical problems, help with my bike, meals, a place to sleep, issues with my mail and taxes, an address to keep the government happy, and much more. So, "Thank you" to everyone for your help and encouragement.

I still plan to ride to Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, but I think of that as part of the new adventure I am starting.  And, now I am going to doze off to sleep listening to a very familiar sound.... yep, it's raining...