On The Road To Rustenberg

After 10 days at the Protea Waterfront Hotel in Centurion, the players shared some warm moments with all of the staff who looked after the group. From chefs, housekeeping, front desk and waiters alike, they welcomed the U.S. team as family, and the sent them off with an enthusiastic burst of songs and smiles. It's always a little bit humbling to see how you can touch people's lives, even in a small way, and feel a genuine bond with your hosts in a strange land.

The team caravan is heading northwest on the way to Rustenberg, a three-hour drive that passes by Johannesburg before branching out through open country. The group is divided between two buses. Can't speak for what's happening on the other one, but in the lead vehicle players and staff are watching a DVD of the Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United.