Traveling on Rich’s Ride brings wonderful side benefits. One of those is attending a variety of churches. Becky and I love the people at our home church, Timberline Church in Fort Collins. We couldn’t have done this project without their love and support, and we’re excited to be there in a few weeks. But it’s great […]
Continue readingDoes He Bite?
Hi. It’s Monte again, giving Rich a break. You can read my other articles here. * * * * * We’re in another new place called the South. I don’t know what that means—it’s just another place with unique smells to check out. But I have noticed something I don’t like very much. People keep […]
Continue readingCentral Mississippi
The generosity of total strangers continues to overwhelm us. We’re in Greenville, Mississippi—looking forward to a needed rest day Wednesday. The hotel owner offered us two free nights and a great local bar-b-que place fed us. Amazing. At the restaurant the server asked what we were doing. Becky told her the story, and she left […]
Continue readingJust Enough
Last week’s word-of-the-week was DAILY. I’m noticing something else about trusting God for the daily progress of Rich’s Ride. My initial idea was to ride 200 miles each week. That would mean I’d only need to do 100 miles during the final week to reach the 1500-mile goal. I also planned to do a little […]
Continue readingInspired Or Motivated
I spent a lot of time today thinking about motivation and inspiration. I wonder if I’m motivated or inspired to do this ride. It’s the sort of question you ask yourself while cranking along on a nondescript backroad that you thought was in Arkansas until you encounter this sign and realize you were still in Missouri. […]
Continue readingDuck
Happy Monday. We begin week #7 of Rich’s Ride with a silly word-of-the-week… DUCK! It’s not what you think. We spent the weekend at the historic Peabody Hotel in Memphis, thanks to the generosity of our new friends Dudley and Michelle Boyd. Among many other wonderful amenities, The Peabody is known for The Peabody Ducks. Who knew […]
Continue readingWandering
1133 miles I never realized how much the river begins to twist and turn as it approaches Memphis. Rivers always have bends and corners. Everyone knows there’s no such thing as a perfectly straight river. But I wasn’t prepared for this. I can’t follow the river here. No roads trace anything close to the meandering […]
Continue readingGrateful…Truly Grateful
We’re wrapping up week 6 of Rich’s Ride. As we speak to folks in Memphis and wonder at the generosity of strangers-turned-friends, this song popped up on Becky’s Ipod. I included the lyrics below. They’re wonderful, but one thought struck me: Giving thanks for what I’ve got Makes me happier than keeping score Please enjoy the […]
Continue readingPlease Don’t Make Me Start Over–repost
This article originally appeared February 8, 2011. * * * * * How do you escape the fate of Sisyphus? One of my first “real” jobs as a kid was a two-week gig at the Iowa State Fair. Each morning I showed up at 6 a.m. A supervisor handed me a sealed metal can with […]
Continue readingEverybody’s Got A Story
I’m constantly amazed by the individual stories we hear from people as we talk about hope. I think there’s a lesson for us in the depth and variety of experiences. It’s easy to divide the world into two groups—those who face some kind of challenge, and those who don’t. It’s pointless—there’s nobody in the second […]
Continue readingTeamwork
Hi. It’s Monte again, giving Rich a break. You can read my other articles here. * * * * * I’m trying to figure out my role in what’s happening. You all know we’re doing this thing called Rich’s Ride. For me it’s not that big a deal, because I just do what I always […]
Continue readingCostly Comfort
Yesterday’s post proved to be somewhat prophetic. After writing about riding in adverse conditions, we awoke Tuesday morning to rain, strong wind, and temps in the low 40s. At home, that’s a prescription for another cup of coffee and no riding. Becky advised waiting, but I was determined to get going. So I layered on the […]
Continue reading