DAY 6... the end

Peter headed for NYC late last night. Screaming down the road at 80mph in the dark cold on i95 didn't seem very appealing at the time, especially with the pace this trip has been going, trying to get in as much riding as possible, I feel the toll on my body. I'm sore all over. I woke up with a call at 6am, the concierge said I needed to move my motorcycle. I left it in the roundabout in an unmarked spot in front of the hotel where it would be safe and out of the way, as I have done with EVERY hotel I've stayed at. He told me "you parked in the boss' spot", not realizing that hotels had "boss parking", as this was just an unmarked driveway. 2 minutes later someone came knocking on the hotel door. "Are you the guy with the motorcycle?"..."Yeah I'm moving it....". The hotel clerk said that "Homeland Security" was pissed that I left my bike where I did. I thought he was making a joke about the management... sure enough there were about a dozen black Suburban SUV's with lights flashing, door panels marked with the "Homeland Security" logo. WTH??? There were 50 guys in ball caps milling about with their black duffel bags, video cameras, stage lights... I was still half asleep, in my flip flops and pajamas. Actually I could of been sleepwalking, maybe I dreamt all of this. I walked the bike over to the street and left it, 10ft from its original spot. I was so annoyed. I later found out that the building hosts a small branch of "Homeland Security".

It was so cold this morning, what an ugly day. Did my best to stay comfortable. I wore everything I packed (all at once) to keep warm. It took a while for the bike to warm up too. Once it did I headed for Bob's BMW in Jessup MD, about 30 minutes away.

They have a few really cool vintage bikes on display. I bought a new pair of super warm gloves and a few T-shirts. My old gloves didn't survive the trip. I put them in a microwave hoping to dry out the dampness, I ended up cooking them like bacon... they shrank and bubbled into a leathery mess.

I made it to the Lewes ferry in Delaware, it was so cold and gray. The ride was flat, passing farms, fields of tall grass. Long and boring ride. Made it in under 3hrs, felt like an eternity. My hands were toasty, other than that... freeeezing. It totally sucked.

The plan for the rest of the day was to get to NJ and ride up the parkway along the coast. I was so exhausted, I had a quick beer and found a bench to crawl up into and took a nap. I woke up an hour later, feeling like human origami, managing to fit my 6'+ frame into 3' bench. It must of looked ridiculous.

I mounted the bike, it took a while to get her started. I was the only person dumb enough to ride a motorcycle and the first to get off the ferry. I was holding everyone up trying to get her started... FINALLY! I role off the platform onto solid ground, the engine cuts off. I roll to the side to let everyone pass, pretending everything is OK, I set the GPS to home. I try it again and again, eventually the bike starts up but won't hold, I have to constantly engage the engine. I don't feel like troubleshooting, too cold. I decide to move on, it starts to rain, lightly. Just perfect.

I stopped for gas, took a bathroom break. The rain stopped, it's been dark for a while now. I was close, just an hour out of the city. I headed back on the road, traffic moving pretty well, before I knew it I was on Staten Island.... "well that wasn't so bad!". All I could think about was being home with Michelle, I knew she would be cooking dinner for me. The miles seemed to melt the closer I got to home. Crossing the Verrazano Bridge to the BQE...."BROOKLYN"!!!

Riding on the BQE I see the downtown Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, then signs for Flushing Ave... my exit. As I pull up to our apartment I park behind our car, look up and see Michelle's silhouette hard at work in the kitchen. I rev the engine, honk the horn and she appears, waving her arms in the air. Rolling up the window she yells "YOU MADE IT"!! I start to unpack the bike for the last time, when she appears running across the street and jumps into my arms.

I'm finally home!!