Phil's Amazing Ride

This past Monday, I met up with The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan as the New Zealand-born adventure-seeker cycled his way through our nation's capital.

Tomorrow, Phil arrives in New York, the final stop of his grueling, 40-day bike ride across the USA.  As he told me on Monday, he has persisted through punishing cold and rain and taken several nasty spills as he made his way, up to 100 miles each day, all the while raising money for multiple sclerosis research.  And Phil's fans came out at all of the numerous cities along the route, to offer encouragement and donations, and some, MS patients themselves, to give thanks.

In DC on Monday, Phil was greeted by five members of the US House of Representatives:  Russ Carnahan (D-Missouri), Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), Dr. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), Tom Petri (R-Wisconsin) and Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Ohio), who is herself living with MS.   The House had earlier flown a flag in Phil's honor, and now here it was, signed by all five and presented to Phil in appreciation of his incredible efforts.

Tomorrow, you too can come out and see Phil on his last stop; he's appearing from noon until 2 PM on Friday, May 8 at the downtown Manhattan location of one of the ride's sponsors, GNC.

I'll have just one question for the guy:  you race around the world twice each year, and now in between, you're riding a bike cross-country in the rain.

Don't you ever just want to sit home, order a pizza, and watch TV?