I write this blog post from the window seat of the airplane as I fly to Denver to board another plane back to Philadelphia. I feel so grateful to have just shared such an a amazing experience with Deede and Allison. I am also so happy to have seen so many fantastic places and have those places really come to life as we met and interacted with the people who live there or were also passing through.
As this trip came to an end I have been asked many questions about our trip. A popular question is, "what was your favorite thing?" The first time I was asked this I was quick to respond, Zion National Park. While Zion was absolutely beautiful and unlike anything I had seen before, I take it back. After thinking about this question longer I have a new answer. My favorite "thing" is not a place at all but a feeling. It is a feeling that has been overwhelming throughout the trip--the feeling of strength and perseverance as well as feeling very small and in awe of all that this country has to offer.
Similarly, when asked, "what are you going to miss?" It is easy for me to make a mental list of all the things that I will not miss: the smell of road kill, being chased by dogs, and saddle sores to name a few. However, it is much harder to articulate what I will miss. The "miss list" would certainly include that feeling that I mentioned before. I think it also includes time to reflect. Spending approximately eight hours everyday on our bikes gave us a ton of time to think or not think. Taking time to wonder about experiences we have had in our past, what we will do in the future, how rural Oklahoma compares to the Main Line, or what we will eat for dinner. Sometimes on up hills these thoughts change to pump up songs or mantras. Other times I found myself focusing on the horizon ahead and taking in the environment without thinking about much at all. Having this time, regardless of if it is used to solve the world's problems or my own problems or nothing at all, is a gift.
Next, I think it would include a feeling of purpose. We had a mission everyday. We wanted to get from point A to point B and we wanted to inspire everyone we met along the way by sharing with them what we were doing and encouraging them to live positive, active lifestyles. We often found ourselves saying to each other, "our lives are awesome!" While it was not always easy to get to where we were going and our interactions were not always super pleasant it felt so worth while!
Finally I would like to include the feeling of support. While a large part of this trip for me was about independence, I am also extremely grateful for the many little voices that I could hear helping me when I went up hills or the wind was blowing in my face. These voices came in many ways. They were the thoughtful texts we received, the frequent facebook "likes" and comments, the people who hosted us, the people who donated, those who kept us in their thoughts or prayers, and of course the support the three of us had for each other. We became a small biking family often behaving like real sisters. All of these little voices joined together to form a very powerful sense of community that I don't think I could have finished the trip without.
I am sure that as I continue to look back on this experience I will continue to form more realizations about how this trip has changed me or what I liked or might have done differently and I think that is good. It is hard to know how to conclude this post just as it was difficult to say goodbye and leave LA this morning. It was and is both sad and exciting, as we end one adventure and begin three separately. Although, in typical Elise fashion, I think I will say something silly and end this post using a quote from a Taylor Swift song that got us motivated many mornings, "can't stop, won't stop moving. It's like I've got this music in my mind saying, it's gunna be alright." Thank you again to all our supporters! We will forever be grateful for you and this experience.