Here was a shot of the bicycle store I would take my Connie for packing and shipping home. Connie had once again performed marvelously and was inline for a LONGGGGGGG rest. By the time I arrived at the store with my bike the street was awash with rain.

Mark’s wife and daughter had driven out to meet him. Laurel and he would spend several days in the area and then drive back to WI. Their daughter Ellisa would fly out of Portland the next day. They graciously offered to give me a ride to the Portland airport too, and I accepted.

The car was packed, so I shipped home three of my panniers. With the rain and everything that was going on, as I stood in the Fed Ex store dripping wet in my biking gear, I didn’t realize until the staff had packed, taped up and put the shipping label on the box that all my street closes and gear were in the panniers, in the box . . . !!!!!

. . . not to worry. By the time we got back to Ellsworth, we had all dried out and we made a stop at the LL Bean outlet store for some deals on new clothes!!!

We spent the night in Brooksville. Mark and his family stayed at an AirBnB that was a bakery with an attached ukulele school!!!! I stayed at Kim’s Ivengar Yoga Center right down the street. Slept like a baby!!!!

A flight from Portland to Newark and then to Chicago went smooth. No hiccups due to Harvey or the upcoming Irma hurricanes.

Ends up Smoochie was in MI for a meeting and was on her way home so picked me up at the Chicago  airport. Great logistics!!!!

On the way home, we decided to spend the night in Milwaukee as a way for me to ‘ease back into normal life’.

Our room was quite a change from the 5X7 foot tent I had slept in for 3 months . . .

. . . and it was nice to have a ‘real bathroom’ attached to the room with ‘real towels’ and even plush ‘real’ terry clothe robes. How decadent . . .

. . . and the next morning it was nice to have a ‘regular breakfast’ rather than the usual camp bowl of cereal or peanut butter and nutella smeared bread . . . oh, after this bicycle trip, I don’t think it will take me long to re-appreciate ‘creature comforts’ . . .

. . . and continuing to share life with the woman of my dreams. No more long trips honey!!!!!

(of course I didn’t tell her of a trans Euro trip I’m thinking of for next year!!!!)