8/12 ~ Last Camp

1995 USAIDS 5,000
(20th Anniversary Special)
Post #56: 
I should have thought about inserting excerpts from AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM STORY, long before this week, but in small, daily bits, combined with a few pics, the overall bike trip seems more congruent. Though details of the book differ ever-so-slightly, the bike trip portion of the book was drawn, directly from my journals. So, enjoy a couple more excerpts, altered to reveal correct names and places. (Each picture has an excerpt.)

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Picture #136

[August 12th was our last official campsite, located in a small town called Jenner. With over two weeks remaining in the project, this marked the beginning of the end. The final stretch would be the shortest in distance, yet logistically and emotionally most difficult, holding many preplanned stops and events. I was in the public eye daily. Funds dwindled to empty pockets, and the stress of day-to-day survival fell solely upon Carl’s shoulders. It was a responsibility that was never intended to be his alone.] (Pictures from August 12, 1995)
— with Lebman Carl

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Picture #137

[It was a time of modest celebration, when we first started feeling accomplished. There was something sad about rolling up the tent for the last time. While grateful for spectacular accommodations to come, we overgrown boys would indeed miss our little “dream home,” for it represented an unbelievable, if not impossible, era. It was time to pause, to rest and recuperate, to reassess our needs, and to capture on paper and in prayer all the wonders we had witnessed. Warmer weather, magnificent miles, resort hamlets, and quaint accommodations made it possible for us to rid ourselves of our colds while Carl Lebman could catch some well-deserved rest.] (Picture from August 12, 1995)