Day 31, Mankato, MN to Rochester, MN, 100 miles

Karen was waiting for me to finish with a big smile and it was sure good to see her after being apart for a month!

We rode 100 miles yesterday in 4 hours 36 minutes and 100 miles today in 5 hours and we were ecstatic! The best part of the day is when you finish and just sit around and smile at each other because you finished another days’ long ride.

My last day with the America by Bicycle tour meant saying a sad good bye to my riding mates for the past month over five states. Tomorrow Karen will be our support vehicle and Joe Coffey and I will ride to the finish line of 2500 miles at the PGA Champions Tour tournament north of Minneapolis. Joe has been a tremendous encouragement by joining me for the final four days causing me to ride even faster and easier because of his incredible pulls. He had one staggering pace line pull of eight miles yesterday, and watches over me like a mother hen day and night. Our friendship is a good picture of what the Lord can do in two lives. Joe told two riders the story of when we ran from kidnappers in the Philippines four years ago and the look on their faces was priceless. Joe has sacrificed five days as pastor of a huge church in Hudson, Ohio to make sure I finish my 2500 mile adventure.

I am so blessed to have friends like Joe, a wife like Karen, and a Savior like Jesus! Tomorrow is the last ride of a wonderful adventure of 2500 miles across five states and some really beautiful country! I made it Tracy!

With Joy,
Tom

“A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”
Proverbs 17:17
“Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is really faithful?” Proverbs 20:6
“There are ‘friends’ who destroy each other but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24