Dear Senator -

It's hard to imagine it's been 9 months and 18 days since we first started planning the 100 County Extra Effort BBQ Tour of North Carolina. Our team's been on the road since August 2, 2007 when we went to the First of 100 - Haywood County. Tonight we closed the BBQ journey in Pasquotank. Along the way we met thousands of wonderful people, many with hope that you will be our next state leader. You shared your life story and your leadership abilities and won support of your candidacy for Governor. We rearranged calendar dates, you met in a special session of the legislature, the team clocked 23,000 miles on the RV (our rolling office), we got lost a few times, chugged up mountains, passed through foggy valleys, dodged a couple of ice storms - ironically one in the east and one in the west. We admired the scenic views over eastern bridges, waited for low ceilings at mountain airports to rise, overcame some stressful over-the-road situations, learned lessons and enjoyed a few laughs at ourselves. You spoke in rooms of all dimensions and acoustics; you held up on 100 plus degree days without air-conditioning and survived the frigid winds of Appalachian State's football field in only a sports jacket. Clearly you have courage, tenacity, drive and an "extra effort spirit!" It has been my privilege to share this time in North Carolina political history with you.

You're right! We do have a beautiful state. It's hard to say that one place is more beautiful than the other because the majesty of the mountains to the rolling waves on the eastern shores - their beauty tells me God is in this place.

Faith Lessons - I probably watched you more closely than anyone on this journey and along the way there were lessons through observation or a simple word. People would bait you to engage in gossip about another person - you never did it. Once, when I was distressed over a criticism for a correctible mistake, you said "DJ, let it go - critics are everywhere," and I was reminded of your speech quote from Theodore Roosevelt (my favorite President) "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, but knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat." We listened to you preach from the Bible from a few church pulpits sharing the lessons God has taught you; inspiring and valuable. We watched you pray before meals in public and private places, a habit I need to take more seriously.

Ritual - I'll miss the ritual of our preparation for you to speak. The nod or high sign that it was time to start; the cues to the sound man and person introducing you; the application of your cordless microphone. The pensive moments as the DVD played in which I thought I watched you praying. And then Lee Greenwood's lyrics, "for the soldiers who have answered the call," in his campaign song Good to Great, and I'd turn on your mic. To tell you the sound was hot, I'd tap you on the back three times but those tap meant more to me. I'd raise my own quiet prayer, a word for each tap "Go with God."

Senator, call me sentimental but our team has shared a long journey and I've reached the bottom line (phew - I know you're glad we got here being the bottom line guy that you are). I promise you my vote on May 6th (make that early voting April 17) and November 4th. I would not have missed this 100 County Extra Effort BBQ Tour for the world (albeit I only got to 86 counties). I don't believe there's another crazy person you know who would have done it - the hours, the miles, the stress, the cold BBQ, the bumpy bus, lost internet connections. So now I'm headed home for a "hot meal," (sizzling steak sounds good) and many a long night's sleep. Peace, Governor, and Victory for North Carolina!