It has been exactly one week since Sara and I crossed
the corporation limit sign for the town of St. Augustine culminating a 42-day,
2760-mile bicycle tour across the United States, traveling through eight
states. It has been a hallmark of my life.
I wish to thank my daughter for
asking me to participate in the epic ride. And I wish to thank Susan for her
sacrifice in sagging for us. It is a lonely, thankless and boring job that she
handled with an elegant grace that she has shown all her life. Particularly
gratifying to me was sharing this time with both of them.
Sara began the
journey with minimal experience on the bike. In the beginning it showed
dramatically; in the end, she handled the bicycle like an experienced rider. Her
tenacity at times frustrating was at other times inspiring. If it were not for
her, I would have quit at half dozen stages. In the end, our elation upon
arriving in St. Augustine made it all worthwhile.
The ride could not have
happened without St. Susan. She kept us fed during the actual riding, she
scouted the roads ahead for danger, and she chose appropriate rest stops. Susan
made all the lodging arrangements and found us great dinner spots. From time to
time she purchased supplies and laundered our clothes. Most of all, even though
she was not on the bike, she kept us grounded in the realities of the tour
helping us make wise decisions. Without her we would have struggled much more
than we did.
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