Rich's Ride

Magic

What’s your first reaction to this statement? The most unfair thing we can do is treat everyone the same. My principal said it frequently. As you might imagine, he got a fair amount of pushback. As a leader, Mike didn’t see kids as widgets. To him they were individuals, with unique gifts and needs. He […]

Changing Seasons

I used to look forward to fall. School starting. New students, new beginnings. A clean slate, a chance to try those new lessons. For a teacher, fall was the time for a fresh start. Now, it’s different. Fall means the end of warm weather and outdoor cycling. It means trying to maintain some fitness on […]

A Ride In The Mountains

Ever wondered what it’s like to ride your bike over some of Colorado’s iconic mountain passes? It’s a blast, especially when you’re riding with a great group of people and supporting a great cause. Check out the video and see some of the highlights from COLORADO MOUNTAIN TOUR 2021. Can’t see the video? Click here.

Ten Years Later

Ten years later (9/11/2011) Becky and I stood at the dawn of a dream. The next morning, we met some friends at Lake Itasca. The 1500-mile Mississippi River journey began. When you tell a story like this, after it’s happened, it takes on sort of an “inevitable” quality. In fact, we were woefully under-prepared for […]

Where Were You?

Like nearly everyone else, I remember where I was. No compelling story. No personal connection to the towers or planes. Just a Tuesday with kids in Room 5. More than where, though, I recall the feeling of helplessness as I learned the horrific details. An old wheelchair guy couldn’t rush out and enlist, couldn’t go […]

We’ve Come A Long way

I met a new friend last week. He stopped to help after I took a bit of a tumble while avoiding a careless driver. The details aren’t important. What matters is the conversation that happened while we waited for reinforcements. + + + First, a small chuckle. Jerry’s a volunteer firefighter. When he helped me […]

Climbing

I’ve done a bit of climbing recently on my bike. Horsetooth. Maniac Hill. South Marina. Bingham Hill. It’s a new thing for me. Nothing spectacular, not like the real climbs Becky and my other cycling friends do all the time for fun. But like any other sort of training, you start small and build up. […]

When Is Enough?

“Will ten years of the FREEDOM TOUR be enough?” A friend asked the question last week. I didn’t have an immediate, clear response. I’ve thought about it – obviously, doing this forever isn’t an option. But…when? I’ve been pondering for a few days. When I retired, I knew I wanted to retire “to” rather than […]

Wary

I saw a young lady on the bike trail recently, smiled and said, “Hello,” and was a bit offended when she looked away. Then I remembered – on a secluded stretch of the path, young women need to be wary of strangers. How sad that they must be aware of their surroundings, careful not to […]

We’re Back

Ten days in a spot with no internet. Can’t recall the last time my computer – and my brain – rested that long. Still had a cell connection, but it was a wonderful stretch with time for input without much demand for output. I think that’s the most important thing I learned from our trip…I […]

A Break

It been a busy summer. We’re taking a few days off. No writing. Limited internet. Some time to decompress and catch our breath. I hope you are doing likewise as you’re able. We’ll be back in a couple of weeks.

I Hope I Don’t Forget

I’ve shared a couple of lessons from COLORADO MOUNTAIN TOUR 2021. There’s one more. I hope I keep re-learning this one. Even on a team, every person travels their own journey. As part of a team, we ask people to sacrifice and serve. Some of that is obvious and public; some is private and unseen […]

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