In a comment to "Days 1-51: By the Numbers," Charlie suggested I put together a post with my favorite photos. Thanks Charlie, more work but good idea.
I had a lot of fun looking back through all the photos and videos I took on my ride. It also gave me some additional time to reflect (I am still working on that reflection post).
Here are some of my favorite photos in chronological order. More than a few of them have appeared in other blog posts, including my most recent post. Captions on the top.
My favorite photos & videos
This is from Day 4: Plymouth to Alpine Village. You may recall that this was an early ride that was quite challenging. As I rode down the other side of Carson Pass, I kept running into this guy who was driving and taking photos of his girlfriend. I asked if he would take a picture of me. He posed me and suggested giving the "thumbs up." He took a good photo.
It was pretty stark as we rode across Nevada on Day 6: Fallon to Cold Spring Station. Then we came to several miles where people wrote messages along the side of the highway using rocks. I liked this one, as a tribute to my mother.
Days 5-10: Fallon to Ely(+) were along Highway 50, which has been nicknamed "The Loneliest Road in America." The cars and trucks were few and far between, but did pass us at about 60-70 mph.
Making new friends in Austin, NV.
Another of the exceptional days -- of which there were many -- was Day 13: Cedar City to Tropic.
Bryce Canyon National Park is spectacular. These are some of the "hoodoos" among which Chris and I hiked.
Bruce and I, riding Hanksville to Blanding. I love these shadow photos, but this was the only one I got. I guess because mostly I rode west to east and my shadow was behind or ahead of me.
Our west the "wheeeeees!" could go on for 20 minutes or more. This one was on Day 23: Montrose to Gunnison.
This was the literal high point of the whole ride on Day 24: Gunnison to Salida.
Seeing Ally, Mallory and Chris for dinner in Colorado Springs was definitely another high point.
Kansas had many grain elevators. So many I started trying to get creative photos. This one I called Sunrise Over Grain Elevator (Day 29: Scott City to La Crosse)
Day 31: La Crosse to Hutchinson - The Flickinger Family leaves water out for cyclists. I ran into this on a long stretch between services; it was a welcome relief on a hot and windy day.
One of my favorite signs appeared at the beginning of a stretch of shoulder-less Kansas highway. The great thing was that Kansas drivers were courteous, especially along this stretch, and gave me those 3 feet if not more.
While I am showing favorite signs, I would be remiss to not share my most favorite sign. I saw this one pretty often (though not in Kansas).
Day 33: El Dorado to Chanute, the best breakfast of the whole ride was at Cake Batter Batter in Eureka. And the nicest people, too.
Day 33: El Dorado to Chanute. Stopped at Lizard Lips Grill and Deli. Earl, the owner, gave me Earl the lizard, my companion for the rest of the trip.
Here is Earl. I enjoyed talking to him when I got lonely. No, he did not talk back.
I did not take many photos of food and drink. But this picture was a pleasant reminder of earning my dinner and drinks.
Lots of Kentucky and Virginia were just like this...
There were a lot of roads like this in Kentucky. Quiet roads with no traffic, no lines, and trees on both sides. Out west our tertiary roads tend to be gravel roads, but out east they are more likely paved but without lines. I left the finger at the bottom to remind me of my photo mistakes.
I took a photo each time I entered a new state. But none felt as good as rolling into Virginia. By this point, I was ready for the ride to be over. Ready to sleep in my own bed. So it was special to make it here.
Early morning in Virginia. It was really nice to get out on the road early and see the sun rise.
The Vesuvius (14-18% grades) climb (in Virginia)! It sure looks pretty -- but it was a beast to climb.
The reward for climbing Vesuvius was maybe the most beautiful 25 miles of ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway! How lucky am I to have had this experience. Oh yeah, this was definite a "wheeeeee!"
Here is a view off the Blue Ridge Parkway into the valley below. All of these views are what made this day special.
Day 51: Ashland, VA to Yorktown, VA was the last day and had plenty of great riding. Including along roads like this.
Chris captured the last hundred yards or so of my adventure.
And of course the ceremonial wheel dip in the Atlantic Ocean.
There they are. My favorite photos and videos. It was fun to go back and re-live the ride by looking back through all of them. Thanks for the suggestion Charlie.