Bike tours have unexpected side benefits. Spectacular scenery. Community. Solitude. And (at least on the FREEDOM TOUR) lots of great food. You think you’re showing up to ride bikes, but all these crazy, cool things happen and you almost have to look at the pictures to remember there was a bike ride in the middle […]
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Training Accumulates
My parents taught me the value of saving money. Old-school saving – don’t spend everything you earn, set aside a little each week or each month. Over time, those small amounts accumulate and carry over. It’s a great lesson that’s served me well. I learned, for example, to “save up” for a big expense. Work […]
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Is It The Right Train?
My dad was a railroad man. Lots of cool perks for the son of the roundhouse foreman. Ride with the engineer and drive the train. Operate the turntable. Special times for a little kid. The biggest benefit, though, was free tickets. Train travel was dependable, clean, safe (and fun!). We rode any time – no […]
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Building Something
LeBron James built a school. The I PROMISE school opens today in LeBron’s hometown of Akron Ohio. The school fulfills a long-standing commitment to give hope to kids in a tough community and provide the resources they need to find their passion and change the world. LeBron is the best professional basketball player in the […]
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Climb Every Mountain
Camera pans and zooms out…cue Julie Andrews. Climb every mountain Ford every stream Follow every rainbow Till you find your dream While you’re reading this, the Colorado Mountain Tour team is claiming their third mountain pass. This morning it’s Fremont pass, following Vail Pass and Independence Pass. Our team is following a big dream as […]
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2018 – The Final Verse
Today begins the final episode of FREEDOM TOUR ’18. Our cyclists will ride from Buena Vista to Aspen. During the next 4 days they’ll climb 3 passes (Independence, Vail, and Fremont) and stop in Aspen, Eagle, and Breckenridge. 20,000 ft of climbing (and descending) in some of Colorado’s most iconic and stunning surroundings. I’m anticipating an […]
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Teamwork Goes Both Ways
I’m grateful for wise friends. I’ve been thinking about Shared Sacrifice and teamwork. I got focused on each person’s individual responsibility to the team, a commitment to sacrifice personal comfort to accomplish a bigger mission. One of my wise friends suggested it’s a two-way road. He’s right, of course. Teams are relationships, and one-sided relationships don’t last. […]
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Safe, Easy, Comfortable And Afraid
In two days the COLORADO MOUNTAIN TOUR blasts off. Four days. Three passes. 280 miles. 20,000 ft. of climbing. It’s going to be a beautiful loop through four iconic mountain towns. It’s going to be a lot of fun. And it’s going to be hard. A dream is the God-inspired desire to share your unique gifts and […]
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Our Kids
Our kids. That’s how I think of the children at the HOME OF HOPE, how I often refer to them. I’ve never met them, don’t know their names, haven’t listened to their personal fears and dreams. They’re no different than millions of children in difficult circumstances. But, in my mind, they’re “our kids.” They’re on […]
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A Team Or All Stars?
I enjoyed the Major League Baseball All Star Game. Gifted athletes showing their skills on a fun, relaxed stage, players laughing and interacting with fans. What’s not to enjoy about watching two teams of great players? I enjoy all the fanfare, including the celebration when three players from the Colorado Rockies (one hit a home […]
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It’s Simple. And Really Hard
“Why do we do this?” Why do we ride the bikes, cut up the fruit, fill the water bottles? I keep looking at this question, wondering if I understand the core reason we sleep on floors, train and prepare for months, and do all the other stuff that makes the FREEDOM TOUR happen. We like cycling, […]
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Two Different Views
I recently encountered a horribly sad bit of advice. It was one of those Facebook memes – I know, not the best place to seek eternal wisdom. Still, I thought it somewhat distressing that anyone might offer this sort of guidance. Find others before you need them. What a narrow, transactional view of relationships. I […]
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