My second day riding a fully-loaded touring bike was the first day of my first tour. Seattle to Bar Harbor, ME via ACA's Northern Tier route (including the Waterton, AB, option) from the Mt. Vernon, WA area and then down the eastern seaboard to Philadelphia then on to Ocean City, NJ. Rode back home to Philly from Ocean City without my gear. Didn't have to adjust to "normal" life after that since I decided during the trip that I wasn't going to look for a job and would instead take another tour. Ended up in Andalucía for 7 weeks the following winter/spring. Came home and rested for three days then went back to Seattle and rode to Cortez, CO to stay with some friends and others who were interning at Mesa Verde N.P.