Monthly Archives: November 2011

Day 46: We dipped the front tires in the Pacific!

Sunday November 20, 2011

Our father/daughter adventure is complete after 40 riding days! On an overcast and drizzly day we rode down to Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach where we met our family. With mixed emotions we were complete. I am going to miss my time on the saddle but especially the wonderful time I have had with Jocelyn. We have shared a very special father/daughter time together of which there has been lots of growing, learning, laughing and some crying. Out of necessity I have learned to be more flexible and calm when dealing with adversity. Things didn’t always go our way so we just learned to live with the challenges of the ride.

I would like to thank my neighbor Chris Ihde (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/directory/?user=cihde) who was the inspiration for this trip. He also designed and updated our location on Google Maps. He is the brother I never had and Jocelyn’s special uncle in Florida. We didn’t listen to all the preparation advice he gave us and suffered at times because of that. I would also like to thank all those that wrote in the guestbook and emails offering tips and encouragement. I also want to thank my sister, Tish, and brother-in-law, Jim, for welcoming us into their Pacific Beach home a week ago. I want to thank my son, Cary, for taking care of the house and being there for my wife, Andee. I would like to thank Andee for understanding my passion of the trip and ‘letting me go’. I could not have done this trip without her being at home and taking care of things. And of course I would like to thank my daughter, Jocelyn, who put up with me for these past several weeks. She helped me immensely and there were several instances where I may have strayed too far towards traffic but she was always there to let me know. She let me know a lot of other things too of which I didn’t always take to kindly but that I knew were right! Maybe someday we can have another ‘grand adventure’ together. And last but certainly not least I would like to thank my dad and Jocelyn’s grandpa for helping us “keep the wheels going round and round”. He along with my mom and sister, Sue, were “with us all the way”. My love to my family.

September 24th, 2013 We have published a book about our cross country journey and our six week tour of New Zealand’s South Island. This book and our upcoming world tour is on our website: FatherDaughterCyclingAdventures.com See the cover on the last picture.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=211930419140650286382.0004acf89e1bbececc02f

Our last ride.
Our last ride.
Almost there!
Almost there!
My family together again.
My family together again.
We are permanently together with matching tattoos that we designed. My first (and probably only) one! How cool!
We are permanently together with matching tattoos that we designed. My first (and probably only) one! How cool!
Cool Adventure Cycling Association Southern Tier jerseys!
Cool Adventure Cycling Association Southern Tier jerseys!
My mother-in-law, Polly, along with brothers-in-law, Jeff and Greg.
My mother-in-law, Polly, along with brothers-in-law, Jeff and Greg.
Jocelyn and her brother Cary.
Jocelyn and her brother Cary.
"I tried to pull these guys over for the last several miles!". Congratulations from America's finest.
“I tried to pull these guys over for the last several miles!”. Congratulations from America’s finest.
A tough walk.
A tough walk.
After all that we accomplished a little rain won't bother us.
After all that we accomplished a little rain won’t bother us.
Crystal Pier.
Crystal Pier.
A nice end with mixed emotions.
A nice end with mixed emotions.
Every story has an ending. We certainly had a happy one!
Every story has an ending. We certainly had a happy one!
Dipped too much! We were almost baptized!
Dipped too much! We were almost baptized!
From the Atlantic to the Pacific on a bicycle! Yay!
From the Atlantic to the Pacific on a bicycle! Yay!
A bottle of bubbly to help celebrate.
A bottle of bubbly to help celebrate.
Hey Dad...this is fun!
Hey Dad…this is fun!

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My sister Tish - a true cheerleader for our trip! Thanks to Tish and Jim for our destination home. What a nice week we had with Jim being our tour guide!
My sister Tish – a true cheerleader for our trip! Thanks to Tish and Jim for our destination home. What a nice week we had with Jim being our tour guide!
I'll treasure this moment forever.
I’ll treasure this moment forever.
I'm sad to see it end...life goes on.
I’m sad to see it end…life goes on.
We biked from Florida and this was one of the toughest parts. My son is assisting me.
We biked from Florida and this was one of the toughest parts. My son is assisting me.
Bicycle Discovery in Pacific Beach will ship Jocelyn's bike to Matt's Bicycle Center in Cocoa Beach. It's over.
Bicycle Discovery in Pacific Beach will ship Jocelyn’s bike to Matt’s Bicycle Center in Cocoa Beach. It’s over.
Our new book can be purchased from FatherDaughterCyclingAdventures.com
Our new book can be purchased from FatherDaughterCyclingAdventures.com