Bicyclist finishes coast-to-coast ride in Maine … 50 years after he started

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 5, 2026

Riding his bicycle toward East End Beach on Wednesday, Cecil Elbert looked a bit different from when he started his coast-to-coast trip. It’s been 50 years, after all. His original plan was to ride from Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine, then travel to Montreal for the Summer Olympics. Everything was going well until Thief River Falls, Minnesota, where a crash stopped Elbert’s journey short. When he dipped his front wheel into the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, it was four days behind his original schedule, but 50 years to the day after his accident. Walking his bike down the boat launch at East End Beach in Portland, he smiled. He had finally reached the end of the line. He could rest now.