Rugby is the geographical center of North America.
In the afternoon, we met Kirk and Di from Iowa. Kirk's parents, Jerry (age 91) and Hazel, are providing SAG support and consider this to be their trip of a lifetime. Kirk is a retired junior high school math teacher, Di used to manage a steel fabrication plant.
In the motel lobby, I met Jay Jay Lee Fulton, a disabled veteran from Jacksonville FL. Jay Jay is participating in a cross-country wheelchair race with 6 other disabled vets. They do this every five years. In 2005 he lost the race because he was unable to shoot a bear, he's endured five years of teasing. This year they had to cross the Canadian border at Northgate, get their paperwork stamped, and then head back to FL. Jay Jay has completed this step and is headed for home. The rules state they can not ask for help, but may accept help if offered. Jay Jay thinks he's ahead at this point, after 35 days on the road, because someone gave him a ride to Chicago, then bought him a train ticket to Rugby. He's especially excited to be ahead because he was an enlisted man (Master Sergeant), the other vets were officers.
I asked Jay Jay if I could take his picture. The first picture he wanted taken was of the patriotic star shaved onto his head.
When I told Kirk this story, he went to talk to his dad. Tomorrow, Jerry and Hazel will take Jay Jay another 60 miles down the road to Devils Lake.
In the afternoon, we met Kirk and Di from Iowa. Kirk's parents, Jerry (age 91) and Hazel, are providing SAG support and consider this to be their trip of a lifetime. Kirk is a retired junior high school math teacher, Di used to manage a steel fabrication plant.
In the motel lobby, I met Jay Jay Lee Fulton, a disabled veteran from Jacksonville FL. Jay Jay is participating in a cross-country wheelchair race with 6 other disabled vets. They do this every five years. In 2005 he lost the race because he was unable to shoot a bear, he's endured five years of teasing. This year they had to cross the Canadian border at Northgate, get their paperwork stamped, and then head back to FL. Jay Jay has completed this step and is headed for home. The rules state they can not ask for help, but may accept help if offered. Jay Jay thinks he's ahead at this point, after 35 days on the road, because someone gave him a ride to Chicago, then bought him a train ticket to Rugby. He's especially excited to be ahead because he was an enlisted man (Master Sergeant), the other vets were officers.
I asked Jay Jay if I could take his picture. The first picture he wanted taken was of the patriotic star shaved onto his head.
When I told Kirk this story, he went to talk to his dad. Tomorrow, Jerry and Hazel will take Jay Jay another 60 miles down the road to Devils Lake.
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