Pedaling for Patriots

We left Austin this morning, headed for Dallas  and our meeting with George W. Bush.  The trip was uneventful and we got there in time to stop for something to drink and to stretch our legs.  Our meeting lasted about an hour and we talked about a number of different topics.  He was surprised to learn that children of military members killed in the line of duty receive tuition and a stipend for schooling (based on Congressional legislation passed in 2009) , but the children of CIA officers killed in the line of duty do not receive the same benefit.  He spoke very highly of the officers in the CIA and fondly remembered his briefings by them each morning when he was President.  He mentioned many officers by name and said he was always impressed by their knowledge, saying that they were some of the most comprehensive briefings he ever received.  We took a few photos and hopefully we will have a copy of those very soon!  The President’s Chief of Staff has promised to post them on their Facebook wall as well.

We then drove by the Texas School Book Depository building, where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the rifle that killed President John F. Kennedy.  We continued on to Mineral Wells, Texas, where we will start our ride tomorrow morning!