Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Day 10, Boise, ID to Mountain Home, ID, 50 miles

Hey Babe,

Happy 31st Anniversary! Your card was waiting for me at the hotel today. Glad you got the roses.

I had 3 flat tires today after buying expensive new “armadillo tires” yesterday to prevent flats! The bike shop guy in Boise saw me coming for sure.

The doctor confirmed I cracked two ribs in my crash and suggested going home and trying again next year. Hale Irwin and Dave Stockton would never let me forget it if I went home because I was “sore”!

This is probably a good time to thank Captain Dave and Hale for lecturing and encouraging me to take on this adventure for the kids. I actually miss watching Dave shoot 1 under without hitting a green and Hale shaking his head because a 50 footer had the audacity to stay out of the hole. Someone please remind Jay Haas he still owes me $5.00 on the Celtics/Lakers series and interest is compounding daily. Thank you also to my three angels, Margie Kuramoto, Peggy Gilder, and Angie Quigley for praying for me every day. Congratulations to Jeff Sluman for winning in Boston! And could it be true that Dana finished third in Boston and showed up at Friday Fellowship even when the Red Sox were playing at Fenway? Could it be the apocalypse? Go Quigley!

I have seen a dozen old classic cars for sale the past week and I leave Bruce Lietzke’s phone number with each one. Tell Gilmer Bryan Morgan II I visited the Boise State campus and they still have replays of the University of Oklahoma bowl game every Sunday in the student lounge. I have noticed that Bob Gilder and Peter Jacobsen are well known west of the Cascades but I suddenly got quizzical stares east of the Cascades when their name comes up.

I miss the guys and gals on the Champions Tour and continue to pray for everyone daily. But I have three words for the hotels in Oregon and Idaho. “The Golf Channel”.

Tomorrow we have a huge ride and climb 100 miles from Mountain Home, Idaho (once the shipping station for over one million pounds of sheep wool annually) to Twin Falls riding past the jump site of Evel Knievel’s attempt over the Snake River Canyon. (Pictures to follow).

Mike (our ride director) gave me permission to ride on a pain pill tomorrow if needed since we don’t have to pee in a cup and get tested. Seriously, I appreciate your prayers to avoid any more crashes.

Love you and still “mahirap patayin” (That means ‘Hard to Kill’ which is Tom’s Chinese name).

Psalm 34: 1-8, “I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of His glories and grace. I will boast of all His kindness to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. Let us praise the Lord together, and exalt His name.

For I cried to Him and He answered me! He freed me from all my fears. Others too were radiant at what He did for the. Theirs was no downcast look of rejection! This poor man cried to the Lord-and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles. For the Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence Him.

Oh, put God to the test and see how kind He is! See for yourself the way His mercies shower down on all who trust in Him.”

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Tom - I love reading of your adventures on the bike. AJ and I are praying for you every day! Joe and I had a great time in Boston with the players and their wives. You are LOVED! (we even got to share a stogie with Dana) Ben and Monica are sweating like crazy in the Philippines building homes and teaching kids etc. Toto and his family are taking making them feel right at home! Keep pedaling my friend and we'll keep praying!

Kris

Anonymous said...

Cracked ribs, ouch. I won't try to be funny to make you laugh, because I know that's when they hurt the most, (besides trying to breath and ride a bicycle up hills). I understand some guy just won some golf tournament with something cracked or broken or otherwise injured, the specifics of the situation are a fuzzy memory.
Jan and I pray for you daily and me expecially when I am riding (up hill & into the wind).
Michael

Anonymous said...

We pray for you Tom and know that the Lord will give you the strength to finish. You are still a young man with wonderful God given skills that still need to be shared with this world.
What is your next highest altitude to climb? Just continue to open up to HIm and he will cradle you in His hands and lift you up over the top! Just think how much fun it will be to see July 4th in another place this year! Because you spread the word through your actions, guess who is opening up more to the Lord. Someone God placed in your life last year on a bike ride.