Chris Kostman's 508/RAAM Quilt, made by Shelby Kostman

1982: The first Race Across America was actualled called the Great American Bike Race. Lon Haldemn, the winner of the race in 1982 and 1983 (and the current Race Director) gave me this shirt when I met him that Summer just before the race. He and his crew were staying in my home town of Glendora, CA, with mutual friends named Wayne and Josie Hysen. The Hysens worked with my parents in the Azusa Unified School District and were, "coincidentally." friends of Lon's parents from when they had lived previously in Illinois. When the Haldemans asked to basecamp at their home prior to the race, they said "yes" and immediately called me, as I had become an avid cyclist that January. I still vividly remember when Wayne Hysen called me and asked me if I'd ever heard of Lon Haldeman and if I'd like to meet him. I remember equally vividly going to their house and meeting Lon and his crew. I was just 15 years old. I got his autograph and told him that I wanted to do the race some day, maybe when I was about 25. I believe Lon was then 23 or 24, but to me he was a god. I didn't get to see the start of that race, as I was headed the next day to spend a few weeks in Zacatecas, Mexico, as part of a sister-city exchange program. But I was captivated by the Wide World of Sports coverage and knew that some day I would do this race. Thanks, Lon, for the t-shirt and for the inspiration!