Day Eleven- Done (over 905 miles)

July 31st-

This was the day of grace. I woke up very early in the morning because of the workers I was trying to avoid.

I had received phone calls from about seven different people all wondering when and where I was going to be today. ~If you recall, the police officer dropped me off at the gas station before I met up with Jim to go the the Rotary Picnic. The gas station was not part of my plan, as the construction workers sent me in the wrong direction. Well, while I was packing up I met Patty and her husband. I told them my story and gave them some information on how to reach me.~ I headed out without thinking twice about it. But the seven different calls I received were from people contacted by Patty. Some didn't even know her, but got a call from some one who she called.

My day was planned out with a newspaper interview in Morris, a police escort near Princeton, and a cyclist picking me up to take me to his home for the night. So, I rode fast. I met a few people along the way to the first "meeting."

I met Jim (Yeah, Yeah... that's his name!), who was dropped off by his wife and daughter further up on the trail. He and I rode together for about an hour; talking. When we got to his stop, his wife and daughter came over and I was introduced. His daughter had a scrape on her knee and they didn't have a band-aid. Lucky me, I came well equipt. As a matter of fact, my mom gave me a "hello kitty" band-aid even though I had plenty of medical supplies. It happens that I had it just for that little girl. She loved it.

I said goodbye to them and soon after met Alicia and her spunky dog, Diego. Funny enough, she is taking a trip to San Diego, California right as I post this. I wish i was that close to home. I guess the grass is always greener...

So, I made it fifty miles to the interview with the LaSalle representitive named Allison. She came out to the gorgeous I & M Canal Trail that I was riding on. We chatted for about fifteen minutes. I gave her some personal tips on starting a Roteract club on campus in their town. She gave me some tips on the local areas cougars. It was a nice picnic setting right next to the operable canal boat.

I rode off from there to meet Randy in a nearby town. I stopped when I saw him and he gave me the game plan for the next twenty or so miles. He followed me through the streets with his "police light" flashing. Once in awhile he would drive beside me when traffic cleared to talk. He guided me through the area with ease. I had another short interview and we continued to meet up with Bruce. The two of them didn't know eachother at all. However, I can trace them back to Patty.

Bruce and I met for the first time between 5 and 6 pm. We had over fourty miles to go. We shook hands and rode off. We rode for almost four hours and talked a lot. I learned a lot about him, but if you know me well enough, he learned more about me. We rode and took pictures of the Hennepin Canal (see picture).

We rode through the sunset until it was almost too dark to see. When we arrived at the cap ground, we parked our bikes in the owner's garage, and he drove us back to his house. All said and done, I had riden 131 miles today. I was told that cyclists call that a double metric (62 miles x 2). I was pleased to meet his wife Becky who was in the process of making us pizza. The two of us ate as the three of us talked. Their beautiful home faced out toward the Mississippi River. I was left to sleep in their grand daughters bedroom which was decorated accordingly.

Daily Lesson: Every person you meet has the potential to help you in some way.

Please support the cause at http://www.rotary.org/en/endpolio/Pages/ridefault.aspx