Culture is everything. Big claim, but the longer I do this tour thing the more I’m convinced about culture. Mission, vision, values, goals are words. Culture, the way the team actually operates, is what matters. Last week was our 5th FRONT RANGE TOUR. We always begin with a clear set of morning expectations. We’re a […]
Continue readingIt’s Never About The Numbers
Are you one of the 2 billion Facebook users? If so, you’ve probably noticed their cute little personalized videos that show up in your timeline on birthdays, anniversaries, and other random important dates. The FB folks know we all like to see ourselves in videos and photos. They know lots of us will share. More […]
Continue readingMy Spot In The Maze
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) […]
Continue readingLiving 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 readingMight 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 readingThe 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 […]
Continue readingRich 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 […]
Continue readingTour 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 […]
Continue readingIt 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 readingSnapshots
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 readingMaybe 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 readingIt’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 reading