DAY FIVE  Wells, ME to Portland, ME (47 miles)

The last day began with a visit past Bush Sr.'s retreat in Kennebunkport. I shouted to him, "Thanks for the Eighties", but I'm sure he wasn't around, helping out li'l G-Dub with insight on how to divert funds for military endeavors (think about what happened a few days later…). Lotsa nice people walking around the streets cheered us on. It was a nice lazy Sunday.

Today's route was relatively simple in terms of hills and distance. Flat terrain and under 50 miles. The heat was the main enemy. Signs kept indicating that the temperature was going to shoot through the roof as we were getting close to Portland.

I knew we were close to the promised land when I saw the 'Bikers Welcome' sign. Right after that was Friendly's, a restaurant that does not exist in California. At 11am, I successfully rallied my friends to stop at Friendly's to enjoy one of the many icons of my childhood in Ohio - the Strawberry Fribble.

After the Fribble, the 420th mile was finished in Portland's Deering Oaks Park along the bay. We waited here for every biker to cross the finish line. As we got back on our bikes to ride into the Closing Ceremonies, the energy of finishing this endeavor was finally hitting home. My story is nothing to tell. I am one of the fortunate people in this world to have no direct connections to death and AIDS. But I do have friends that have lost someone. And then the friends of friends are told to me. By doing this Ride, I hope to say that I and those that contributed are doing our part to get closer to a vaccine for AIDS.