There's a website here called "You know you live in Franklin County if". This is one of those things!! Ed has had a friend from Virginia here riding bicycles with him getting ready for the Ride the Rockies ride in June. They have ridden every day and left to go on their ride on Tuesday. Not to long after they left the phone rang. Ed said, "we just met this guy at Fenn's riding a bicycle. I'm sending him to the house to take a shower and we're feeding him steaks for supper." You know the next words out of my mouth!! He convinced me it was ok and Ryan was here with me so we went to the barn and sure enough, there stood a nice looking young man with a bicycle. His first words were, "you husband didn't call you." I said that he did and we introduced ourselves. We brought him up to the house, he took a shower and came down to visit with Ryan and me. I asked him how he got here. He was riding from Chicago to Mobile. My response was, "obviously no wife and no job!" He said, "understanding girlfriend and between jobs." Lawyer by profession he was changing firms and had talked them into a couple of months break. He usually hikes but decided to ride his bike to see if he could do it. I can't remember his specific route but he had left Nashville and ridden the entire Natchez Trace to Natchez. What a beautiful ride that must have been!!! He rode by day and camped out by night. He's ridden 50-60 miles a day except for Easter Sunday and one day that it rained all day. I wonder what he thought when Ed and Jim turned around and asked him if he wanted to come here? He did say that it was an invitation too good to refuse. Matthew John McDonald, lawyer from Chicago and new friend of Cotton Branch!!
Linda got here before Matt left. She is never surprised at what goes on at the "Branch". She watched him pack his gear. He had a sleeping bag, books, a small cook stove and clothes. He bought food and drinks as he rode.
After gearing up Matt was ready to take off. I said my goodbyes and left for wound care. I couldn't watch him leave. He had been fed a great steak dinner, chocolate pie and homemade ice cream, a full Southern breakfast and given a Cotton Branch tshirt to remember us. His next stop was Bogalusa, LA and then on to Fairhope, AL to see his Godchild that he'd never seen. Our prayers go with you Matt McDonald!! Without a step of faith we'd never had you in our life. What a blessing we would have missed!! God speed and safe travel!! I hope we hear from you some day!!
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