We did it! Well you did it for us!
It really isn’t being awarded a top-10 spot for Colorado’s Ride in the USA Today Top Ten Road Bike Event contest that fills my heart. What mostly fills my heart is the support and love from my community of family, friends, and customers who voted for us, many voting every day, sometimes more than once a day.
Being even nominated for this award alongside so many well-established rides and tours like RAGBRAI, TD Five Boro Bike Tour, Tour De Tuscon was such an honor. To end up 5th overall blew my mind. I want to give a special shout-out to my friends at the Colorado-based Ride Collective for winning a top ten spot for their Tour of the Moon.
When I agreed to take on Ride the Rockies in 2022 I had no idea how much all the knowledge I would gain could help me four years later. Life is funny that way. It teaches me that the chance you take or don’t take, can reward you the moment you make that decision, or many years later.
All I know is that I am unbelievably grateful for those who voted and read this post. I picked this picture, because on this day in 2024, the forecast looked terrible for our ride. But the storm blew over and gave us this rainbow at 7am. I’ll take all the good Karma I can!
This is just too dang cute not to share. After Daniel’s one and only run off the magic carpet he wanted to hear his favorite song, Macho Macho Man and celebrate. We then took him up the lift for fun and played YMCA. @thenscd
The other night while walking out of a large grocery store, I saw a man disappear onto a cobbled footpath across the street. He seemed to be swallowed into a small, dark ravine that could be easily overlooked from the road. Only a few dim lights quietly revealed a hamlet clinging to a small creek trickling towards the Douro river, many miles downstream.
I crosses the road leading to Lamego’s city center and the spectacular Cathedral of Remedies with 681 inviting steps to its summit overlooking the city. Rising higher was the Lamego castle (part of one) built in the 1100’s giving the city, like many cities in the region a deeply layered feel.
I decided to follow the man. Instantly, I left the modern world and began a slow plunge towards the valley bottom. The footpath intersected a narrow cobbled street barely wide enough for a car. I crossed a brook on an old stone bridge and a dog barked directly above me. I about jumped out of my skin. It was an old dog lazily defending the house I hadn’t noticed because it blended in with the rocky hill. Way above me I could hear cars in town. The ambient city light blocked most of the stars and the road in front dimly glowed from a sparse street light and it kept getting darker. I felt like I was on a movie set. I also felt like an intruder, hearing families through windows only a few feet from the road. Nobody else walked the streets and as I plunged deeper, I felt more out of place. I retreated to my hotel, anxious to see this neighborhood in the morning light. #efadventures #caminodesantiago @efadventures
Fun day shooting at a winery in the Douro Valley tasting Sandeman wine and port. Such good food! Fun time, great conversation and the photo/video shoot while eating made appreciate how much goes into making quality marketing pieces—much better than mine! lol! @efadventures@sandemanporto
I’m in Portugal as a member of a cast. In a recent, posthumous interview, Dr. Jane Goodall emphasized, “to remember that we all play a role in life.” Here in Portugal I am reminded of that constantly. It’s hard for me to describe my role. I simply love to share what I see and how I feel about it. I try to tread softly in the world to be as open as possible to what is offered. I don’t wish to impose my history or my judgements or opinions. I deeply desire to learn others’ perspectives. To understand their history and curiosities and explore where they live as I continue to dive into my role and purpose.
Almost exactly one year ago I joined an EF Adventures tour with my long-time friend Jeff. His daughter works for Education First (parent of EF Adventures). Little did I know this was the inaugural tour for this new travel division of a 60 year old company with offices in 101 countries. I didn’t even realize this was the same company who took my daughter to Europe when she graduated high school. As it turns out EF does a lot of things. I just knew they sponsored a world tour cycling team. Rest of story in comments @efadventures
