Homer, not Home

I am here. Homer. Is it priceless? Well, here is what I know. I know that when I rolled in yesterday at about 2am, I was the 81st person to show. I was as cold and tired as I remember ever being.

Way too tired, wet, and on the verge of a crash. I didn't care though....I remember thinking if I hit a moose on the way in, and I am going to ride him in. Either way, I get to Homer now. To be sure, I didn't know where I was going, just Homer, the spit, you'll see the finish. I did, and there was one lady there to take my picture. One to check my mileage, and a little building I could go in and have some coffee etc.

81st.

81st?

What? How can that be? Please explain.

"Well, you are the 81st person to arrive on a bike with your slip....but probably not the 9

81st finisher."

I said ok, but what does that mean?

A gentleman with the Hoka hey then told me I was probably the 10th legit rider to show. The rest of them had cut off the route. He then told me they had a list of people with the correct mileage and documentation. That was the list I was just added to.

So, I wanted to scream at them...Why are you counting the others at all? Why aren't you saying to them good for you, nice bike ride, now go away....you don't count?

I don't know folks....seems right, even now. At the time, I was really upset by it. You have to understand, I have pushed myself as many have, to the absolute brink here. Trying to make sure that what I did, counted. What I did was right, and the route I took was in its entirety correct.

To now be told that other than the first couple guys....which we all know did not win, I am just being counted as a finisher.....along with all the rest who just went on a ride. Very unhappy.

Now, I am trying to recover. I got in at 2am, and couldn't get the people on the horn that I had reservations with. So, I got a room at another place, but they could only let me stay for 6 hours....which was a total rip off, and I still had to pay the full fair.

I packed my tired butt up then around 11am yesterday, and went to my hotel.

I ate, dumped piles of shit off my bike, called my kids, went to bed.

It is now Saturday I think. I am going to go to the finish line area, see if I can find someone to bring the bike back to the lower 48. I am going to look for a ride....split gas, or find a plane ticket out of here. I know I am screwed until Monday or Tuesday, but Homer ain't home.

With that said, if the sun comes out, I will be curious to see the town. Right now it looks like the skies I have seen since Anchorage.

Alaska is a huge place. Stunning. And Chick....McKinley stuck its head out while I rode through! How lucky am I?

Anyway, going to go find a razor.....coffee....and a laundromat.

Post again soon.