3036 Miles

(I apologize for the profusion of destination points; God forbid one travel a route that follows mainly backroads yet does cover a few stretches of interstate and expressway as well. Just don't get the impression I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia.)

• TX-LA
• LA-KY
• KY1*
• KY2*
• KY-OH
• OH-MD
• MD-DE
• DE-NJ
• NJ-MA
• MA1
• MA-NH
• NH-ME
• ME1
• ME2
• ME-MA
• MA2

*Hitchhiked; not included in total mileage.

As fate would have it, the tri-millenium was clinched on the very last day, right about here. This wasn't at all part of my original plan, as I'd intended to bus home from Bangor, but at the last minute decided to ride back to Massachusetts and retrieve the cache of superfluous belongings I'd abandoned a week earlier. (I'd since bought a new, much sturdier rack.) Unfortunately on final approach I missed the spot completely, and by the time I realized it, only a few miles beyond, I was too tired to give a fuck. Instead I just continued on to Westfield, where at last I solemnly surrendered my bicycle to UPS. When it turned out there was no local Greyhound service, I called a friend who kindly picked me up and deposited me at the terminal in Springfield. She was clearly a bit confused as to why I'd bothered doubling back all that distance, but of course so was I. It was indeed a rather bizarre, unceremonious ending.

Now, however, I see the true purpose of that mission.