Texas forgot to finish their roads.

Instead of putting down gravel, then a layer of tar, and then a layer of gravel, and then a layer of smooth tar, like they do in Minnesota and most normal states, they stopped at the layer of gravel and called it good enough.

False! It is NOT "good enough".

Imagine your bottom is Mike Tyson's speed bag and you get an idea of what it feels like to ride on a "chip seal" highway, as the TDOT calls these unfinished roads. If you go slow (10 mph), it's just bump… Continue

I talked with the team a bit about purpose this week. I said we are each here for a purpose and that our purpose may end up being totally different than we anticipated coming into the tour. I talked about how we each have something unique that only we can offer to one another/ the churches/ random people we meet/ Africa. Sometimes it’s hard to listen to your own advice…

A week or so into the tour my right knee started hurting. Then on our ride out of Anza Borrego it reached the point where I co… Continue

I'm sure by now you have all discovered what true exhaustion is. You have expererienced challenges that most of us never encounter in our lifetimes. What is more incredible than that is you are doing this to yourselves on purpose. Ever think of what "on purpose" means? You all are riding through heat, wind, hills, dirt, maybe rain and hail and high humidity to come. Emotional hills and valleys too, I'm sure. But...you are all ON PURPOSE. My wife Diane and I are praying for all of you for protect… Continue

July 2, 2009

Loving(ton), New Mexico

This morning my teammates (namely Erin White) bestowed upon me the award of “awesomeness” for my efforts on our bike ride yesterday. It consisted of water bottles and Gatorade bottles duct-taped together in a sculptural-cactus-looking-form. (photo of piece will follow soon). :)
Yesterday we rode approx. 110 miles. The first 20-or-so miles consisted of an 8,650 ft mountain. I made it and it was amazing.

Lovington is a little town in New Mexico. There’s not… Continue

Despite the rigors of life on the road, at no point during the San Diego trip did I feel like I wasn't on vacation. Riding Hwy 1 from Long Beach to Dana Point is one of the top ten rides of my life. Caveat: I like to take vacations that require vacations, if you know what I mean.

But, according to this wonderful blog-- and it really is-- what happened after I left is worth retelling to your kids and grandkids. Nasty crashes. New levels of exhaustion. Hills. Hills. Hills. Mountains. Sports cars.… Continue