Our pastor told a funny story this weekend. A while back our church had a staff/team mountain retreat. As a fun activity they shuttled bikes (and themselves) to the top of Vail Pass (10,600 ft) and cruised down the bike trail 16-17 miles to Vail (8,000 ft). It’s a popular tourist thing to do, an […]
Continue readingMore TagCategory: Freedom Tour
Oh That Magic Shortcut!
Last Friday our team took a shortcut. Triple digit heat, just finished a long climb at the end of a 55 mile day, and they could see the destination right over there. Why ride an extra couple of blocks around neighborhood road construction when there’s a shortcut through the park? So they cruised along the sidewalk, celebrating the […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Reckless Generosity
We cycle on the shoulders of reckless generosity. About 250 individuals and organizations donated (so far) to FREEDOM TOUR ’18. “Thank-you” doesn’t begin to express our gratitude for every contribution to support the kids at the HOME OF HOPE. Sponsors are the foundation of any fundraising effort. We’re blessed with the support of numerous generous […]
Continue readingMore Tag
When You Look Past The Hurdles
Daryl’s determined. We met him at Elephant Rock through a series of contacts. He’s a ride-a-lot-of-miles kind of cyclist who resonated with the notion of connecting those miles to a bigger story. Daryl really wanted to join the FREEDOM TOUR ’18, but short notice and prior commitments created logistical hurdles. 2018 just wasn’t a possibility. A few […]
Continue readingMore TagGetting Ready
A lot happens behind the scenes. Before we climb on the bikes, all sorts of details must be addressed. One of the most important, and most easily overlooked, is loading and unloading the trailer that hauls our stuff down the road. And there’s quite a bit of stuff. Here’s a look at a 6:30 am […]
Continue readingMore Tag
What’s With All The Smiles?
What’s the deal with all the smiles? After two days and more than 110 miles in nearly 100° heat, you might expect something else. You might expect some grumbling. You might expect Why did I let you talk me into this? These folks are doing a hard thing, and you couldn’t blame them if they […]
Continue readingMore Tag
A Little Travelin’ Music
It’s time! The FRONT RANGE TOUR team takes off today from Fort Collins to Boulder. We’ll explore some beautiful country with stops in Denver and Castle Rock before concluding in Colorado Springs. When the show begins, they play the theme music. Here’s ours, along with a video looking back at five years of doing this […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Four Words, Two Principles, And A Culture
It’s more than a bike ride. I’ve said it lots of times. The FRONT RANGE TOUR starts tomorrow, and we’ll say it to ourselves. We ride bikes, but the FREEDOM TOUR is more than a bike ride. What makes it different? I thought of four key words: Service. Leadership. Share. Sacrifice. However, almost any bike tour […]
Continue readingMore Tag
About Being Real
Geppetto wished Pinocchio could be a “real boy.” We know Pinocchio for his long nose, but a cool part of the story happened when The Blue Fairy granted Master Geppetto’s wish and transformed his lifeless wooden puppet into a real boy. Sometimes I wish I could be a real cyclist. By “real” I mean riding a […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Butterflies Are(n’t Always) Free
We’ve been asked a few times recently about the significance of the butterfly-and-barbed-wire symbol. It’s actually part of the Project Rescue logo. We use it to symbolize our link with that wonderful organization. The butterfly represents the hope of a restored life for women and children rescued from slavery. The barbed wire, of course, recalls […]
Continue readingMore Tag
What If The Result Isn’t The Goal?
In 2013 Becky and I did a 1000-mile tour around the perimeter of Florida. Well, 1000 miles was the goal. Before we finished there was a slight Bump In The Road in the form of a nasty infection that landed me in the hospital for a few days and ended the tour. I tried to claim I […]
Continue readingMore Tag
Are You Riding The Tour de France?
If you race, you’re going to lose – get used to it. In next month’s Tour de France, 198 elite cyclists will leave the starting line. After 21 days and more than 2,000 miles of racing, one man will wear the winner’s yellow jersey. The other 197, the best riders in the world, will lose. And this […]
Continue readingMore Tag