Northern Colorado is great place to ride bikes. Miles and miles of wonderful trails, great climbing nearby in the foothills, and lots of bike lanes. For the most part, drivers are aware of, and courteous toward, cyclists. For the most part. On Saturday, my route took me through a semi-busy roundabout. I waited my turn, […]
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Free!
Except…freedom isn’t really the goal. Freedom implies a lack of constraints or consequences. Sounds great, right? Do whatever you want with no repercussions. In the grown-up world, that’s not how it works, because actions have consequences. Those who declare absolute freedom are really claiming they should be free from the consequences of their choices. They’re […]
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Risky Or Hard?
When you talk to people about bike tours, there’s a lot of conversation about what’s hard. My friend Jim says riding a bike for a worthy cause really isn’t a big deal. What’s hard for Jim is taking time away from his family. Some folks look at the route and decide it’s impossible. Others think […]
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On Changing My Mind
When I first started riding my handcycle, I didn’t care much about the results. Good thing, because the results sucked. I was slow. I couldn’t ride very far. I couldn’t climb hills. I rode my bike because I enjoyed riding my bike. For a long time, none of that other stuff mattered. I simply loved […]
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Bike Trails And Judgment
On my ride yesterday I realized an urban bike trail is a good place to practice these words from Jesus. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” On a […]
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Hope And Where’s Waldo
Last time I shared a cool picture and talked about how hope can be hard to find among the boulders of a difficult life. My friend Mike sent this picture of a little trail side rock garden near his house. He said he contributed his Hope Rock and wondered if I could find it. I […]
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Looking For Hope
Last week a post included this picture taken by one of our mountain tour riders. I thought it was just a cool picture, but after looking more closely I realized it made kind of a profound statement. We don’t often find hope easily. Sometimes we have to search among the rocks and boulders of difficult […]
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About Traditions And Truth
I read a quote the other day about institutions, traditions, and truth. I didn’t copy the quote, but the idea was that institutions use traditions to prevent change and conceal the truth. The FREEDOM TOUR has developed a few traditions during eleven years of cycling. Handprints. Hope Rocks. Helmets Up before the start of each […]
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Sharing Hope
After four glorious days of cycling, Colorado Mountain Tour has concluded. The team cranked more than 240 miles and climbed 18,000+ feet, but those numbers don’t really capture what the tour was about. This year’s team put a special emphasis on the Hope Rocks, sharing them with people we met along the journey, using them […]
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Necessary Conversations
You might have noticed a renewed interest in the topic of human trafficking. We’re grateful for increased awareness and for the conversations that awareness will generate. As leaders of THE FREEDOM TOUR, we’ve partnered with Project Rescue since 2013 as they work against the horrible evil of human trafficking (AKA modern-day slavery). I thought it […]
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Something To Ponder
“Sometimes you have to do what you don’t have to do.” I love encountering this sort of quote. I’ve been ruminating about it for a few days, trying to figure out what I might say. I came down to this question: What’s something I have to do, that I don’t have to do? Before I […]
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Independence Day
I did my own alternative Independence Day celebration yesterday. No fireworks or hot dogs or flag waving. You probably won’t be surprised that it involved riding my bike or that it was about independence for the kids at the Home of Hope. This picture is a spot in the foothills called Horsetooth Mountain Park. It’s […]
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