CHICAGO, IL (July 15, 2008) \u2013 The Thorpe family says the grueling Race Across America gave them a deeper appreciation for the generosity of this country\u2019s people and its beauty.
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\n\u201cThere are a lot of really great people out there in America!\u201d exclaims Leslie Thorpe, the team crew chief.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the follow van had a flat tire, a good Samaritan took the old tire off, drove Bill (Anderson) to a tire shop, called the owner to convince him to open up and sell us a tire, then came back and mounted the new tire himself,\u201d Leslie says. \u201cWhen Don (Thorpe) tried to offer to buy him even just a cup of coffee he would not accept it.\u201d<\/p>\n
A mechanical breakdown in Flagstaff was even more serious, but employees of a repair shop proved to be a providential pit crew. \u201cFlag Tool in Flagstaff, Arizona, gave us priority and fixed the RV generator in record time so we could get back into the race,\u201d Leslie says.<\/p>\n
Others fed the hungry riders. The McDonald\u2019s in Pratt, Kansas, gave them food and supplies. In addition, Leslie says, \u201cTime station volunteers gave us food and water\u2014a nice benefit to being dead last and therefore the last one through the time stations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even though Roger Thorpe has traveled much of the world as a missionary with the Evangelical Covenant Church\u2019s Department of World Mission, he was in awe of this country\u2019s landscape. \u201cI expected that it would be fun for 24 hours and then boring as can be, but it was never boring,\u201d he says. \u201cWe got to see some great scenery going at a slow speed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll in all, it was, as everyone assured us it would be\u2014a once in a lifetime experience,\u201d Leslie says. \u201cThere was a major equipment or personal crisis every day of the trip, but the\u00a0\u00a0 creative problem solving and cheerfulness of the crew and racers got us through them. We heard many stories of crews and racers fighting among themselves, and even one racer quitting because of the internal strife. We all managed to stay cheerful and friends to the end and have great memories.\u201d<\/p>\n