When you watch the Florida coastline go by at 10 miles/16 km per hour, it is hard to get a sense of moving along toward an ultimate goal without reference to a map.

The state is just that darn big.  The only state I will have spent more nights in was Maine, and that was back when I was averaging about 30 miles/50 km a day.

But this, I think, puts it all in perspective.

The entire ride nets out at about 3,500 miles, give or take some ferry crossings and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  At the steady 10 miles/16 km per hour pace I’ve maintained more or less since Day One, that’s around 350 hours spread over 12 weeks I will have spent pedaling a bike.  I find it interesting that I gained over that time not the ability to ride faster but the ability to ride longer with fewer rest stops.  With a favorable wind and Florida’s “parking lot” terrain, I could probably do a “Century” day now, but it wouldn’t be because I would push out 14 or 15 miles/~25 km per hour for eight hours or so.  I’d just ride in my groove of 10 miles/16 km per hour for 10 hours plus a couple hours for rest breaks, leaving at daybreak and arriving right after sunset.

Will I do that before I’m through?  Not likely, but it’s nice to know that I could now if I really wanted to.

Ocean City, Maryland.  Note the control city on the overhead sign.

I will note, so as not to seem completely oblivious to real life, that the Cubs won the World Series tonight. I’m a lifetime White Sox fan, but will give credit where credit is due. The Cubbies worked for it, and it’s just too bad Jack Brickhouse isn’t around to say “Hey, hey!”