Race Across America

In January 2003 Tom Hooker, the tall guy with black hair wearing red, white and blue (who looks a bit like Bruce Springsteen) in this photo walked through Upshur County during a walk across the continental United States. I interviewed him for The
Mirror and he pitched his tent and camped out one night in my back
yard before continuing his walk. The next day he toured our offices
and the Historic Upshur Museum before continuing east. He is a
small-town type himself, having grown up in Maryville, Missouri, in
the northwest corner of that state.

A few weeks ago Tom Hooker emailed me that he was about to do another
tandem bike "Race Across America." I just happened to click on the
link this morning at around the same time he and Rachel McGrady, his
partner, finished the 3,000-mile course. There was another tandem team
and they traded out making their way across the country. Tom is 46 and
Rachel is 32. Tom had just gone through a divorce in 2003. Rachel
describes him somewhere on this site as her "sweetheart" while, at
this point, he admits only to being "taken" with Rachel. They are both
in absolutely incredible physical condition, almost needless to say.

I like what Rachel says in the latest entry of the Guestbook:

"This experience was so much more than a race across the country, much
greater things happened within us all. Among many things I walk away
knowing with out a doubt that we can accomplish anything we set our
minds to – we are so much greater then we know!!
Love to you all!
Rachel"