CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Bradley County cancer survivor Tom Cawood, 81, has knocked another item off of his "bucket list" - a coast-to-coast bicycle journey across the United States.
The 3,070-mile ride, which lasted 43 days and ended Oct. 14, took Cawood from San Diego, Calif., to St. Augustine, Fla. The journey was made to raise awareness for three charitable organizations: Disabled American Veterans, North American Mission Board and Live Strong at the Y.
On Monday, Cawood and his wife, Pat, were joined by friends at the YMCA of Cleveland to celebrate his accomplishment. At the event, a large three-sided panel illustrated the cross-country trip with dozens of pictures taken during the Cawoods' adventure.
"The Hand of God" was with them all the way, said Pat Cawood, who split time between following her husband in an RV with their dog, Shaina, and cycling right along with him.
Tom and Pat Cawood, left, who recently cycled from San Diego, Calif., to St. Augustine, Fla., receive congratulations from Matt Ryerson, president and CEO of United Way of Bradley County, during an YMCA Cleveland event commemorating their 3,070-mile cross county journey. Ryerson, who said he met the couple while teaching a course on nonprofit operations and considers them as friends, presented them with a bicycle wheel, right, decorated in trip photos to hang in their home.She described a hit-and-run close call in which the passenger-side mirror of a passing truck struck Cawood on the shoulder, leaving him a little sore and bruised. They still have the broken pieces of the mirror.
Along the way, Cawood stopped and spoke about surviving cancer at a number of YMCA facilities and schools, said his wife, who documented the trip on "Pedaling for a Purpose," a community Facebook page.
Matt Ryerson, president and CEO of the United Way of Bradley County, who met the couple while teaching a course on nonprofit operations at Lee University, expressed his amazement.
At first, Ryerson said he thought Cawood was "a little bit crazy" when he told him about his intention to ride across the country to fulfill a dream that "had been brewing for 30 or 40 years."
However, the Cawoods' vision and passion to "incorporate this lifelong dream and make a difference in some wonderful [nonprofit] programs is an amazing story," Ryerson said.
"What a great, great trip," he said. "It's so powerful to see this accomplished. We've been inspired."
Janet Dunn, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga, also congratulated the couple, both clad in their cycling outfits.
"You have raised the bar for us," said Dunn, remarking on the ability, determination and age of Cawood. "This is a big deal. You climbed mountains on a bicycle."
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.