DAY 39 - DESTINATION - HOLBROOK, AZ

Miles: 89.9 - Total Miles: 2,557 - Total Ascent: 73,865 ft.

Good news/Bad news. The good news is that I didn't have to ride alone today because Ken, my father-in-law, decided to drive through the night and arrived in Gallup early this morning - wow, what a guy! The bad news is that a got another flat tire today...twice! Before I left my hotel room this morning I noticed my front tire was flat and after lunch, sure enough, it was flat again!

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But the really good news is...I'M IN ARIZONA!!! Wow, only one more state line crossing to go.

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Arizona dedicated a portion of I-40 to our Purple Heart Recipients. I was pretty impressed with this sign. It made me ponder a variety of thoughts. One of which was about a Marine whose home state was Arizona, his name was Ira Hayes. Ira was most notably remembered for his place in this photograph:

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In recent years I've become very intrigued with this photo. There is an excellent book titled Flags of Our Fathers that gives an in depth look at the symbolism of this photo (the most reproduced photograph in the history of photography), as well as the six men captured in it. That is what moved me to include this image in my O.M.E.H. logo.

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Ira Hayes is on the far left. In front of him is Franklin Sousley and then John Bradley. On the far right is Harlon Block. In the background is Mike Strank and Rene Gagnon. One week after this photo was taken, three of these men (Mike Strank, Frankiln Sousley, and Harlon Block) were killed in the line of duty. They were Ordinary Men who have become Extraordinary Heroes. Ira Hayes, who did not die in battle, was also a casualty of war. Trying to escape the horrors of his experiences on Iwo Jima, Ira Hayes drank himself to death at the age of 32.

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It's amazing what thoughts transpire just by pondering the idea of riding through Arizona. For those of you not familiar with the reasoning of my journey from Sea to Shining Sea, it's because of the men pictured in the Iwo Jima photograph, the 1.2 million men and women who have laid their lives upon the altar of freedom, the countless military service members currently making sacrifices for the betterment of a greater cause - freedom, and for the children who've been left behind.

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If you have not yet made a contribution to the O.M.E.H. Bike Tour, please do so now. Remember, All Gave Some, but Some Gave All. Thank you for your support.

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"I CAN!"