Author: Rich

In cycling, and in life, there’s a big difference between hills and climbs. Riding an incline is part of nearly every tour. In the long term, there’s no such thing as “flat.” As I’ve said before, a big part of life is just grinding up the hills. Climbs are different. In cycling, a climb is […]

Today’s post is sort of a non-post, because yesterday got sort of long. I’m sure there’s a more majestic place to ride than the south rim of the Grand Canyon, but I haven’t been there yet. We got a perfect fall day to enjoy this incredible treasure, though it was just like the rest of […]

This ride involves more hills than I expected. It’s been slow going, which is just part of the deal when you’re touring. The hills have me pondering a metaphor. I’m curious about your reactions. Friday we rode about 52 miles, starting at less than 5000 feet in the desert of Winslow and ending in mountain […]

I have a question. Since we left Taos about a week ago we’ve received at least 100 comments, messages, and texts telling us our efforts are inspiring. I really appreciate that encouragement, and I love the word “inspire.” Inspire means to breathe in life. It’s the opposite of “expire.” As a teacher I sought to […]

“Biking on the road doesn’t seem safe.” I heard it again yesterday. It wasn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last. If I’ve learned anything doing this crazy thing called RICH’S RIDE it’s that bike touring on roads with cars and trucks isn’t entirely safe. It would be great if there were dedicated […]

I’ll bet no other cyclist has had this sort of encounter. Like most riders, an occasional motorist objects to me biking on his road. Usually there’s honking, sometimes yelling, and once in a while I see a juvenile hand gesture. But today I got a one-of-a-kind reaction. A twenty-something kid in a pickup pulled up […]

This is a really nice family we met in Albuquerque. They claimed to be curious about the ride, but it’s pretty clear who attracted them. I’ll tell you about them in this video that shows a bit of what it’s like handcycling on historic Route 66. It’s really not a very good video, because I was […]

Sometimes I wonder why Becky lets me out without a leash. Yesterday I took off from our Albuquerque hotel for a late-morning ride. It was a beautiful day, and as I started I watched the last few stragglers from the Balloon Fiesta float gracefully over the city. I had to negotiate the center of town, […]

RICH’S RIDE involves a lot of unexpected appointments. We plan a lot. A big part of our purpose is to share our story and talk about hope, so we set up speaking gigs and media connections. But often the most important opportunities arise in completely unexpected circumstances. I suppose some would see these as coincidence. […]

If I’d known how hard it would be, I probably wouldn’t have done it. I’ll bet you’ve said—or thought—that. The marriage, raising kids, that career change, starting the new business—I’ll bet there’s something you did simply because you really didn’t know what you were getting into. I knew the pass I climbed yesterday would be […]