Category: Reflections

Even in the sprawling park, the SAINTS weren’t hard to locate. We didn’t have much trouble spotting a hundred kids in yellow t-shirts. As we pulled beside the picnic shelter, a big guy with a broad grin walked toward us with a half dozen munchkins in tow. He stopped to remind them about being safe […]

One common joke among guys of every age is “we’re trying to figure out what we want to be when we grow up.” The real joke, as any woman will happily tell you, is most of us never actually get to the growing up part. Once in a while I manage to chip away at […]

A guy takes a bike tour. At the end of the tour he’s learned an important lesson. His story can make a difference. It seems like a bold statement, but he’s pretty sure he has something important to share. That might seem sort of silly for someone who’s been writing and speaking for several years. […]

Some will see only coincidence. We’re home. The tour’s over, except for some residual effects from the Skunk-Ape attack (click the link if you missed the story). It’s time to reflect. I think I learned from FLORIDA HOPE TOUR 2013. Over the next few days I’ll share what I observed, hoping you’ll find some application […]

There’s something anticlimactic about the beginning of a long-awaited event. It’s never quite as big as all the work you put into it. We’ve had January 28, 2013 circled on the calendar for a long time. Finally all the planning and imagining’s over, and the sun will rise on another ordinary day. We’ll eat breakfast […]

Rich’s Ride has taken us to some special places. One of those is Grace Place, the homeless ministry of Galloway United Methodist Church in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. The people at Grace Place do amazing work, and it’s difficult to explain how warmly they’ve welcomed us into their family. When I’m asked why I do this, […]

Yesterday I told you about my Friday meeting with an interesting breakfast group. After the discussion, one guy approached with a simple, penetrating question. “What’s the obstacle?” I asked him to clarify. “I agree with you…God made us to dream and follow big dreams. So why don’t we do it? Why don’t I do it? […]

Ever notice that growth tends to be uncomfortable? Yeah…me, too. A while back I wrote a post titled Just Okay about my struggles with training for my recent tour. At the end I said God’s about second (and third and fourth and…) chances. But what do I do with those additional chances? I’ve noticed that […]

As I write this, Hurricane Isaac batters the gulf coast. Storms in the south aren’t new. I’ve heard of them all my life, but there’s something different about this one. Less than ten months ago we were riding beside those levees, talking to some of the people whose lives and livlihoods are seperated from the […]

Last time I talked about flat tires because it’s thorn season in Colorado. I’ve had six flats in the last five days! I have to admit something. Even though I’ve logged nearly twenty-five thousand miles in thirteen years of handcycling, I’ve never changed my own tires. My buddy Tom has changed dozens of them. Other […]

Note: I’m posting this both here and on the Bouncing Back blog. I think it’s a big deal, and I apologize for the duplication to those who subscribe to both blogs. One of the true highlights of the 500-mile IJM Freedom Tour was our visit to International Justice Mission (IJM) headquarters) and the opportunity to […]