Pictures serve lots of purposes. Right now it’s snowy and cold and we’re stuck inside. This FREEDOM TOUR photo reminds me it’s not long until warm sunny days and long bike rides. In just a few weeks we’ll get together in small groups to train. There’ll be lots of laughs and good conversation. And anticipation, […]
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Nobody Cares
“Nobody cares about the Uyghurs.” Billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya, co-owner of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, stated clearly that the genocide China is carrying out against Muslim Uyghurs simply isn’t a concern. He characterized them as “a segment of a class of people in another country.” Concern for global human rights, he says, is a “luxury […]
Continue readingSeek Justice?
At the FREEDOM TOUR we believe we’re following Jesus when we advocate for victims of injustice. I’ve watched three recent high-profile court cases because I wanted to see what happened in an actual courtroom. Spoiler – it’s not much like Law & Order. In all three cases, victims’ relatives said guilty verdicts didn’t really bring […]
Continue readingDecisions
As the new year begins, we’re making decisions about summer bike rides. 2022 marks our 10th FREEDOM TOUR. Ten years of friends and community. Ten years of supporting the kids at the Home of Hope. As our team makes choices with ten years of background, I notice how easy it is for me to fall […]
Continue readingCookies!
Confession – I find humor in odd places. As we end a tough year, I’ll share a silly memory, a laugh with absolutely no lesson attached. + + + As part of the support team, our friend Claire worked overtime to feed the COLORADO MOUNTAIN TOUR team. We ate like royalty each night. She also […]
Continue readingInspiration
Every project starts somewhere. For the FREEDOM TOUR, it was a sign at our church. Becky and I invited people on a 500-mile bike ride across Colorado. Woody was the first guy who signed up. It was a perfect fit. He grew up in the country where our Home of Hope is located. His heart […]
Continue reading“Holiday”
It’s not really an anniversary or a holiday, but December 5 is always sort of circled on my calendar. I call it Falling Day because on December 5, 1987, I fell 9 feet and my life changed. Falling Day used to be an occasion for sadness and regret. I’d kind of try to ignore it, […]
Continue readingAn Odd Waiting
Back from the road trip, and now it’s Advent. A season of waiting for Jesus – when He’s already here. It’s an odd sort of waiting. I’m working through Giving A Year Meaning by my friend Jon Swanson. He reminds us that Advent is more about preparing, slowing, remembering. For some, especially this year, it […]
Continue readingPop The Clutch
My high school friends and I often had cars that weren’t 100% reliable. We knew how to gather 2-3 guys, push a car, and “pop the clutch” to get it started. In a pinch you could even do it alone – push the car to get it rolling, jump in, pop the clutch, and with […]
Continue readingAn Amazing Team
The FREEDOM TOUR is surrounded by an amazing team – a beautiful collection of individuals from diverse backgrounds with widely different ability levels. As we wrap last year and prepare for 2022, I’m reviewing stuff. I noticed a couple of traits shared by this remarkable circle of volunteers and cyclists. They’re Committed Our team shows […]
Continue readingHow To Follow A Dream (4)
No matter what dream we’re following, there’s one absolutely essential ingredient. It’s good to follow with Grace and Faith and Humility. They’ll help us be calmer, have better connections, stay on track. But one ingredient makes the difference between success and failure. Hope Viktor Frankel was an Austrian psychiatrist who survived the horrors of Auschwitz […]
Continue readingHow To Follow A Dream (3)
Following the dream doesn’t happen by accident. We’ve already talked about Grace and Faith. Humility In a culture of selfies and Tik Tok and “Look at me!” – following the dream works better with, “there you are.” Please don’t turn this into some sort of legalistic “Never talk about yourself or your accomplishments” or “Never […]
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