I learned a lot from teaching. I learned, for example, that questions matter more than answers. I learned that good questions don’t always have one right answer and that answering great questions might lead to some discomfort. I learned that searching can be scary. There’s a story about a boy who seems to be looking […]
Continue readingAuthor: Rich
What Are You Doing With The Next Eight Weeks?
A lot can happen in eight weeks. In eight weeks a team of cyclists will gather at the golden dome of the Wyoming state capitol. We’ll raise our helmets, climb on our bikes, and crank south out of Cheyenne on highway 85. A casual observer might think FRONT RANGE FREEDOM TOUR ’17 begins with the […]
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Wrong Turns And Fresh Starts
I get lost a lot. It’s a gift. Whenever I take off on a new bike route, I’m nearly certain that at some point I’ll stare at a turn and think, “This isn’t where I’m supposed to be.” Doesn’t seem to matter how carefully I pre-plan my ride. I always manage a wrong turn somewhere […]
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Great Teachers, Stories, And Final Exams
I relish the teaching/guiding process. I’ve always been a teacher at heart, though my understanding of what that means has certainly changed. At one time I thought good teaching meant passing along information. My job was making sure my students learned lots of the right stuff. Teach the material and give a test to make […]
Continue readingDon’t Tell Me What To Do! (Every kid’s idea of freedom)
When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to grow up and be free to do whatever I wanted. Freedom meant no one could tell me what to do. Cool notion, I suppose, as long as it’s just me in the wide open spaces. Just me and the open road, I can ride wherever I […]
Continue readingAre You Looking For Your Purpose?
“What’s my purpose?” One benefit of talking to people about bike tours is deep conversations. It’s not uncommon for someone to tackle a big challenge because she’s trying to uncover God’s purpose for her life. I understand. I’ve gained great insight into “What’s my purpose?” while gazing over the front wheel of my handcycle. My […]
Continue readingWhen We Listen To Imaginary Friends
I see trailers for a new TV show called IMAGINARY MARY. Apparently a thirty-something woman’s “imaginary friend” reappears as this cute little animated stuffed animal which only she can see and hear and, well…you and I likely won’t be watching, right? Who’s silly enough to believe in, much less listen to, an imaginary friend? Until […]
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Wishing Away Fear (And Other Silly Notions)
My friend Paul and I talked a while back about the benefits of a bike adventure combined with a social justice mission. We shared stories of riders who exceeded everyone’s expectations because they were riding for something bigger than themselves. We both wish everyone could have that sort of experience. Sometimes I struggle to understand […]
Continue readingWho’s In Charge?
Someone asked me that a while back…”Who’s in charge of the FREEDOM TOUR?” I asked what he meant. “Well, who does it belong to? You know…who’s actually responsible for it?” We chatted a bit and I realized that he was trying to understand if the tour was a program or ministry of some church or […]
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I Don’t Know (And That’s A Good Thing)
As a new teacher, the scariest thing in the world was a question I couldn’t answer. I figured the students were looking for any cracks in the armor, and not-knowing seemed like the ultimate weakness. So I manipulated and managed my classroom to make sure I looked like the expert. Controlling every detail required an […]
Continue readingThe Next Big Event (Will Change Everything!)
How much time do you and I spend anticipating The Next Big Event? You know, that tipping point when everything will change, all the effort will pay off, we’ll finally be happy. The new job, degree, relationship, or vacation. Graduation. Retirement. The Next Big Event will make it all better, if we can just hold […]
Continue readingWhen It Might Be Time To Stop Praying
According to the author of Ecclesiastes (and Pete Seeger), “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Everything? I ask because an email from my friend Kari suggested it might be time to stop praying. She got my attention. Kari hasn’t lost her faith or her desire […]
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