“Mr.
Giraldo, why cycle across America? For what reason, for what
purpose?”
My
motivations are numerous, simple and complex. As a sportsman, it is for
the joy of the ride. As an adventurer, it is for the many gifts of
discovery. As an author, it is for the experience that enables me to
share the story with others. As a student of
anthropology, it is to quench my never-ending thirst for knowledge. As a
history teacher, this crossing will grant me a better understanding
of our American Journey. It will allow me to witness first-hand, the
lives of ordinary and extraordinary Americans, as I travel across our
majestic country. The most important reason of all belongs to the
educator within me. To my former, present, and future students, I seek to
deliver a lesson in commitment. I wish to teach about the value of
establishing meaningful goals in life, preparing thoroughly, and working
consistently towards achieving these goals. My intention is to prove to my
students the astonishing power of ideas coupled with the raw force
of human action. Ideas, by our hand, become realities. What we attain in
life is in great measure a product of our own will and dedication. “We
are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not a single act, it is a
habit.” – Aristotle
