Day 215: Ocean, Sand, Hot Dogs & Friends!

At 4:15 PM, I took the final step of the most fantastic journey I’ve ever been on. I walked off the boardwalk at Coney Island and stood looking at the Atlantic Ocean across about 200′ of sand. My destination was in my grasp. Nothing all that dramatic, just another 200′ of sand that lay between where I was and where I wanted to be. I’m not too sure what exactly was going through my mind but I continued on across that sand and very soon I was walking in the surf, feeling the cold Atlantic soaking my Etonic Jepara #1 shoes, the same shoes I wore when I walked out of the Pacific. After seven months and one day, the walk was over.

My brother Don told me that at one time he counted 44 people who were part of the final group that joined me on the beach. I’m sure he was correct for there were people everywhere. Many thanks once more to all of them for being a part of my adventure.

There are a number of people I need to thank on this last official walk day, and I’m sure there will be more before this is all over. Please bear with me as I get this all compiled together. I do know I want to thank the following people: Marty Markowitz, the President of the Republic of Brooklyn, NY, Carolyn Greer, who works for Mr. Markowitz and husband Stephen, Nick Kaloudis, owner of Celeste Diner, Cafe & Grill, John Gavakis, our server at Celeste, and Paul Bogosian of CBS News.com. Many thanks to all these fine people for their hospitality, generosity, and intense interest in my endeavor. Your kindness will always be remembered by Valda & me. Thank you so much.

Thanks also to Kirk T. of Brooklyn for your contribution to Gateway. It is much appreciated. Chris had various friends walk with me today and I promise in the next few days I will get it all sorted out and thank you properly. Meantime, know that I certainly appreciate all of you being a part of my last mile.

I’m pretty bushed as you might expect and think I’ll end now and try to get some shut eye. I’ll give you a couple of pictures to ponder over and more later in the week. Tomorrow we start another journey – I hope it goes as smoothly as this one went. Thank you all for your faithfulness.

Final stats: