1,500-MILE BIKE RIDE NEARS HALF-WAY POINT
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 -- 2:04 PM
A 56-year-old Loyal man continues his amazing 1,500-mile bike ride around Wisconsin.Tom Kingsbury left The Highground Veterans Memorial park in Neillsville on Friday morning, by that night he was in Ashland. By the next night, he was in St. Croix Co. Sunday, he pedaled to Holmen and he slept in Platteville Monday night.
647 miles down, a little under a thousand to go.
"It is far better than what I expected it to be," exclaims Tom?s sister, Carol Anason, who's been with him every pedal of the way. "When Tom asked me if I would do this with him, I really thought, 'that's some kind of crazy that I have to witness firsthand.'"
"1,500 miles in 10 days? I couldn't even fathom it!"
Anason is in the follow vehicle making sure motorists don?t reek havoc with the ride, and making sure Tom stays up on his nutrition and hydration.
Tuesday, Tom is biking from Platteville to Waterford, south of Milwaukee. "The weather is beautiful: 75-degrees, hardly any wind or humidity," she says.
Monday was a tough day, though. Southwestern Wisconsin is beautiful to drive through, but, not so nice to pedal through.
"If you're on a bicycle and you're going up a hill and you're looking straight up at the sky, it's a bit scary. But, even with that terrain, he still averaged 16 miles per hour," she says.
Tom?s holding up well. He?s doing great mentally. His legs are getting tight, so the crew is seeking a massage expert for Tuesday night.
The Hero's Tribute Ride is raising funds for a tribute to the veterans of the Persian Gulf Wars. He?s scheduled 30 stops around every corner of the state.
"The reception we're getting is (amazing). We've had people tell us stories that are heart-wrenching," Carol says.
Tom still has stops in Ripon, Rhinelander, Marinette, Marshfield and Tomah before his journey ends back at The Highground on Sunday.
You can learn more, and donate to the cause, at www.thehighground.org; or at [url=http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Tom-Kingsbury/127603587951]the trip's Facebook page[/url].
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.