Ed Richardson is an amazing guy. I could write a couple of posts about his story, his family, his teaching, and the intentional manner in which he built a legacy. Today I just want to tell you one thing he’s taught me during the past couple of years. Ed built (literally, with his own hands) […]
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Living In Fear (Or Courage)
Once you’ve finished a bike tour it’s easy to minimize the accomplishment. Easy to forget how hard it was, actually committing and doing the preparation and training, then sticking it out through 500 miles of early mornings and late nights and sweat. Easy to remember the celebrations and forget the flat tires. When we talk […]
Continue readingMore TagMight As Well Embrace The Detour
I’ve always said this thing never turns out the way we planned it. FRONT RANGE FREEDOM TOUR is supposed to begin at the Wyoming state capitol building in Cheyenne and conclude at the top of Raton Pass at the Colorado/New Mexico border. For the past two years a massive renovation has forced us to begin […]
Continue readingMore TagThe Weather Changed
The FREEDOM TOUR experienced its first cool weather day in five years on Friday. Thursday we rolled into Rocky Ford in sweltering heat well into triple digits. Friday morning temps were low 60’s…and then they dropped. Not too often you see a 45 degree temperature swing in 12 hours in the middle of June. Folks […]
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Rich Got To Ride!
I got to ride with the team yesterday. That might sound strange, but I choose my spots carefully to make sure I don’t slow the team down too much. On big-mileage days or days with hills, riding with me would cause the others to be on the road later when it’s hot and there’s increased […]
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Tour Life
Tour life quickly assumes its own rhythm; after just a couple of days it’s like we’ve been doing this together forever. Loading, unloading, sleeping on the floor, eating out of coolers in the back of a support vehicle, grabbing a snack at every opportunity to replace burned calories–those start to seem normal. You learn to […]
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It All Goes To The Kids
Every dollar you contribute, every dollar we raise, goes to the kids at the HOME OF HOPE. We say that, but how does it work? How do we buy jerseys, pay for gas, and feed the team? The answer, quite simply, is generosity. At the very beginning of the process a couple of amazing community […]
Continue readingMore TagSnapshots
Amazing stuff happens along the road on a bike tour. At lunch a guy says, “I wanted to ride a day with you for my seven-year-old daughter. I had to leave her with her grandfather while I get my life together.” His voice is shaking. “I’m scared for her, all this social media, I know […]
Continue readingMore TagMaybe The Time’s Not Wasted
Ever get frustrated when those train crossing guards come down and you have to wait and it seems like the train takes forever? Our team took off from Cheyenne on Saturday to begin our 500-mile FRONT RANGE Tour. Beautiful day, great ride, everything went about as well as possible–until the lead riders were about 3 […]
Continue readingMore TagIt’s Not A Sad Story
This isn’t a sad story though I confess I brushed away some tears as I wrote the words. If you’ve been here a while you know Monte’s my service dog. For 11 years he’s been 80 lb. people magnet, loving companion, and my bike riding buddy. Once he realized I was preparing for a ride, […]
Continue readingMore TagIt’s Time For The Theme Song
The theme song tells you the show’s about to start. We’ve got a beautiful theme song, about God and dreams and overcoming adversity. It’s performed by Kristen Orphan and the Finally Home Band. It’s nearly time for the FRONT RANGE FREEDOM TOUR. I hope you’ll enjoy the video and the sound track. Can’t see the […]
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The Prologue–We’re On The Road
Act II of FREEDOM TOUR 2017 is in the books. FREEDOM TOUR Prologue 2017 was a blast! An army of generous, smiling volunteers in bright yellow shirts sent 65 cyclists off into the foothills and trails around Fort Collins on another picture-postcard Colorado day. 60 miles around Horsetooth Reservoir, over Carter Lake, and back through […]
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