around the world

i woke up at 4:30, hyper as all get out. my body and mind were keyed up, ready to ride a very momentous ride - the ride that would put me over the top on my first circumnavigation of the world. i'd done the math late last night. i needed 13.09 miles to complete my journey. so with butterflies in my gut, i slipped out of bed and got dressed for the ride.

i took a couple of special things with me on this ride - a camera to record the occasion (you'll see the movie soon), my mountain bike tire bracelet to honor floyd who started this trip with me 2317 days ago but doesn't have lights to make an early morning ride safe and a can of spray paint to mark the spot on the highway where i hit 20,901.55 miles. it's pretty convenient that they make bottle holders the right size for spray paint cans.

so off i went. it was incredibly windy again this morning. i got tossed here and there. i rode out seven miles to the conway springs road and then turned around.

as i headed back toward argonia, i started getting giddy. i was so excited about the milestone i was about to pass. i rode easily, but with tons of energy. when i neared the 13.09-mile mark, i slowed so that i could stop and mark the spot. my cateye rolled over to 13.09 and i braked. while the camera rolled, i marked the road with a line and the letters ATW for around the world.

then i did what you knew i'd do. i got back on cato and started my second circumnavigation. (14.25 miles @ 14.7mph)