Pedaling for Patriots

CNN aired a story about Pedaling for Patriots this morning at about 11:30 AM. Unfortunately the video of the story has not been posted on their website — so for now we will have to rely on this transcript.

CNN Newsroom:

Tony HARRIS: Got to tell you, pay close attention on the roads from Florida to California over the next few weeks. You might be sharing them with a former top spy.

Robert Richer used to lead the CIA’s clandestine division before his retirement several years ago, but this September 11th, he and his wife Kim launched a Bike Across America tour to raise awareness and money for the families of fallen CIA officers. The couple is now 400 miles or so into their tour. They’re calling it the Khost to Coast Tour, because Khost, Afghanistan, was the site of a suicide bombing last December that claimed seven CIA lives, as well as the life of a Jordanian intelligence officer.

The couple has been training for months now for this trip that will take them from, let’s see, Jacksonville, Florida, to San Diego, California.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT RICHER, KHOST TO COAST TOUR: And traffic is our biggest concern.

KIM RICHER, KHOST TO COAST TOUR: Right.

R. RICHER: And particularly, you would not believe how many people who are texting while they drive.

K. RICHER: Oh yes.

R. RICHER: And they start curving over to us, and we don’t have much to warn them off with. So, we are worried about driving, but, honestly, in 4,000 miles of training, I think we have had three discourteous drivers. Three. That’s amazing in northern Virginia. So I think that’s my greatest concern.

K. RICHER: And I think the mental part of this is going to be difficult, being away from friends and family, but I think what we’ll remember is that we’re doing it for people who have lost their lives and they never will see friends and family again. And so I think that’s what’s going to continue to push us forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Hey, we really want to support this couple. We want you to as well. They have logged 400 miles in five days, and are documenting their progress on their Web site. We’re going to check in with them from time to time.

Here is the Web site, pedalingforpatriots.com.