All I had to do was ride...

and ride, and ride. In theory it sounded quite simple. But anyone who has driven from Sisters to Boise knows it is a long journey through high desert. When I passed this way in April it was a little chilly. Today was predicted to be hot with a high of 97 threatening any thoughts of a late start. I was, however, not in a hurry. I figured to make numerous stops to break up the day.

I had hardly gotten started when I came into Bend, a stones throw from Sisters. Simultaneously, my Tripometer approached a milestone

I had originally mapped out my route at a distance of 16,200 miles. Some adaptation was done to include sights and locations as I learned of them. Unfortunately, while watching the meter go round and round, I somehow missed a turn onto highway 20 in Bend. After taking the picture I travelled several miles before realizing I was on the  wrong highway.

I wasn't going to make The Girls work today but they jumped in and got me back onto highway 20. It was a 130 mile grind to get to Burns and that wasn't the half of it, literally. There just aren't a lot of places to take a break. The long distances between stops were made even harder, twice, by long delays for construction work. Sitting in the sun in a helmet and leather jacket isn't the type of excitement that motivates you to keep going. By the time I reached Vale, Oregon I was thinking of getting a motel for the night. It was a 300+ mile day, why push it? So I stopped at the first motel I came to

I don't know if you can read the sign or not, but it was the Bates Motel, not a name to instill confidence in the quality of their Wi-Fi.

So I stopped for dinner, then pushed on. 

I had to stop and get the final "Welcome to" sign when I entered my 33rd different state (I hadn't counted Idaho before because I had not crossed into it as a new state).

I arrived in my driveway at

The final mileage was

17,320.1 miles 

Total of 94 days on the trip itself, 113 days all together with lay overs, a greeting on the door from a dear Scouting friend

So:

1) shoe ruined

Gear shift lever put a hole in the toe of my new shoe

1.50) cost of a shot of whiskey at the Ghost Hole

2) back tires worn out

Replaced the first one in New Jersey

3) oil changes (Dallas, New Jersey and Wisconsin)

4) time zones coast to coast

4.54069) Litres in an Imperial Gallon

5) times riding in major rain (defined as being soaked through my rain gear and requiring emptying my shoes)

6) something - I'm terrible at this – times I rentered a state from a different direction

6.95) cost of most expensive gallon of gas I purchased (near Big Sur, Ca.)

7.91) total Florida toll bill received, along with a nifty souvenir picture

8) times I crossed into a different time zone

9) Mbs average data rate of motel Wi-Fi (if I had a good connection)

12) Times I was rained on hard enough to be considered wet (defined asmore thanjust the vertical portion of my lower leg was wet)

13) residences of friends/relatives that supplied lodging for a wandering Frog (that includes Dave!)

23.83) miles across Lake Pontchartrain bridge

30) forms of transportation utilized

32) different states ridden in (plus one province, British Columbia) and the District of Columbia)

90) folders of pictures saved

94) days on the road

113) days total for trip

127) viewers who read this blog

201) posts

223) cost of most expensive night at a motel (again, at Big Sur, Ca.)

310) comments (thank you for your feedback, I loved reading them)

1000) feet, the approximate distance I was from the 5^th time zone (Atlantic Time Zone, half way across the bridge next to the Lubec, Me. Post Office)

1875) estimated number of pictures taken

2520) actual number of pictures saved from trip

6646) highest elevation attained by road (in feet)

7,980) page views from 4 countries! and no spam!

17,320) total miles covered on trip

priceless) Cost of traveling around the perimeter of the U.S. with your best friend

Now I need to get my life back together and figure out where to go from here. I look forward to spending hours labeling and sorting pictures, sharing them and the stories behind them with many of you.
This was not just an adventure but an emotional journey that I hope will help me move forward and find purpose and drive in my life. I thank everyone for their love and support in making this possible and hope all of you will make a point of letting me know if you have followed these posts.
The Beginning