WOW. All done. 2859 miles I believe was the official distance this year, and I completed it in just over 25 days. That was the goal I set going in and it was an incredible feeling pulling it off.
Really wasn't sure if I could pull it off, even in day 19 when I was sure I had enough. Some days it felt like a job, waking up to my alarm at 4 am and forcing myself out the sleeping bag. Other days, especially in the north before I reached Butte, I couldn't wait to start another day. So many struggles so many small successes, so many friends and so many Sour Patch Kids.
Strange what this race does to you. I remember in the last week telling my wife that when I finish I never want to go back there, that I had had enough and I had so many problems that I would never want to re-live. Then when I got to the finish I was filled with minor disappointment for not finishing faster and planning my next trip by thinking back to all the days I wasted time and thinking of where I could have added miles to my days, and how I could improve my gear as to not waste days in the bike shops. I thought I could have hit 22 days if, if, if... Having been in the race for a month it was hard to step back and look at the event on a macro scale.
I took a week or so to realize just what I had done. How far I had gone and how far I pushed myself. I had so many people cheering me on and they weren't dissapointed. Looking through my pics and videos and reading my notes and blogs its all starting to soak in. Incredible.
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