The final day of M2M would take us 73 miles from Fredericksburg to the Air Force Memorial, with another 4,355 feet of climbing along the way.
It ended up being my favorite day of the entire ride, even though I spent most of it watching the clock.
I volunteered to ride sweep, which meant staying near the back and making sure nobody was left alone or stranded. My new friend John offered to help. John is from Florida and does not have many roads near him where he feels safe riding outdoors, so he completed almost all his training inside his garage. After spending so much time pedaling in place, four days of actually traveling somewhere on his bike was a real treat for him.
We made a good team, but we were working against a firm deadline. Everyone needed to reach the regroup point in Pentagon City before 2 p.m. so we could ride the final stretch to the Air Force Memorial together.
That sounds simple until you are responsible for the last riders on the fourth day of a 350-mile trip.
There were a few stragglers, but we kept moving and got everyone through. During the second half of the day, I came up behind a rider named Clint as he was struggling up a hill on a busy street. He was riding in a recumbent trike which meant he was lower to the ground and not as visible. Cars were flying past us, and I did not think drivers could see him very well, so I stayed behind him and made myself visible especially with my bright tail light and radar that warned me as cars were approaching.
At some point, I learned that Clint has cerebral palsy.
He had not joined us for a few ceremonial miles or a shortened version of the route. He had ridden every day and completed every mile. Here we were, deep into the final day, and he was still climbing.
I had so much respect for him.
We missed the final lunch stop because of the time, but with approximately ten miles remaining, we collected a few more riders. Our little group slowly worked its way through Washington while John and I kept checking the time. There was no room for anyone to have a mechanical issue, miss a turn or completely run out of energy.
We reached the meeting point with only a few minutes to spare.
It was close, but everyone made it.
After spending the day scattered across the route, we came back together for the final ceremonial ride to the Air Force Memorial. Hundreds of cyclists rolled in as one group, finishing at the monument that had been our destination since leaving the Wright Brothers Memorial four days earlier.
The closing ceremony was great, but honestly, much of it is a blur. I was tired, relieved and still processing the fact that we had actually finished. There were speeches, presentations, photos and a lot of exhausted people standing around in cycling shoes.
Then came the less ceremonial part: all our luggage and bike boxes were unloaded into the parking lot.
I had not expected to be packing my bike beside the Air Force Memorial, but that was exactly what happened. Once everything was finally crammed back into the box, I ordered an Uber and headed to my hotel, which felt far fancier than anything I needed in that condition.
After a shower, I could have gone directly to sleep. Instead, I decided that finishing M2M deserved a proper night out, even if I was celebrating alone.
I went to the Wharf for a good dinner with vegan options and a few good drinks, then headed to the Sara Bareilles concert. I was exhausted, but the show was worth it. I also left with a new vinyl record for my collection, because apparently packing one bicycle was not enough luggage for the trip home.
But it was done, so tune in tomorrow for my wrap up!