I cyced into New York

Day 36
Distance travelled: 61.4 miles
Time in saddle: 5hrs 35 mins
Overall distance travelled: 3322.4 miles

I couldn't sleep last night. It was the same before Christmas Day when I was a child....I used to get so excited. Today was the same....and although I didn't get any presents it was a billion times better. The roads were relatively flat and I really ate up the miles pretty quickly. The traffic was very busy, I caught rush hour. There were a few times when I thought that I may get hit. As I neared the city the drivers seemed less courteous. I need to get in touch with the military because the Lycra I am wearing makes me invisible...because the amount of cars that actually drove in front of me or across me was incredible....they didn't even look at me. I got off the 22 because I was getting worried about the traffic. The firemen in Wayne County told me that they knew of some policemen who were killed after riding across the country....they died in New York not far from the finish line. I didn't want the same thing to happen to me so I decided to use the quieter roads. I stopped and asked a guy the way to get across the rivers into New York. A policeman pulled up and gave me some good directions, thanks Charlie, they worked a treat. I could see the Empire State Building. It was like when I was a child on our family holidays to Blackpool. The first one to spot the Blackpool Tower got a tanner (six old pennies)....I get the tanner. It was really frustrating. I could see where I wanted to go but I couldn't get there. It was suggested that I get a ferry or a train but I wanted to cycle into New york, which I eventually did, across the George Washington Bridge. I was talking to Daniel, my son on my phone when a policeman approached and started to look closely at my bike....I thought what have I done now. It turned out the policeman was Lt Mitch Chasmar. He had cycled from New York to San Francisco twenty years ago and was interested in what I had done. He was really nice and gave me his number and email address so that if I had any trouble I could get in touch with him...brilliant, thanks Mitch. New York is very busy but it's quite easy to ride your bike. I looked for an hotel. I found a hostel that was really cheap but it was full...there is a reocurring theme happening here....I eventually found one, quite expensive but I am only here for two days. I phoned Jo Warburton to get her to change my flight. It has cost me nearly $500 to change the date....more than the original cost of the ticket, the robbing gits....but I decide to go for it anyway...cheers Jo you are brilliant.
I phoned a couple of people to let them know that I was in New York. I spoke to Thomas, my son and it was great to tell him I'd finished my trip across America. He said he loved me and I can't tell you how happy I feel....I still can't believe I have cycled across America...It feels like yesterday that I started in San Francisco. All the hard work, all the problems are forgotten... for the moment anyway. I still have a way to go but no matter what happens no one can take away the fact that I have done this part of the journey. The experiences I have had, the people I have met and the completion of this part of the challenge has been life changing. I feel so elated that I could fly to Spain without a plane. I must say that I have had some fantastic messages of support, even from people I have met in the street....you are all brilliant...I am brilliant...at the moment everything is bloody brilliant.