#bike-touring

#bike-touring

A decade ago it was whitewater rafting, ropes courses, and ziplines. This time, to mark a milestone birthday, three longtime friends - Ben, Brice, and I - set our sights on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), 150 miles of crushed-limestone rail trail threading the Appalachians from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh. Ben (a college housemate), sidelined by bad discs, volunteered for logistics and to turn his 2020 Toyota Sienna into a makeshift SAG wagon.

My destination that night was Natchitoches, Louisiana. Just a few nights earlier, I'd been caught in one of the worst storms of my life while camping in a tent in Bowie, Texas. That night, the lightning was so close and the rain so sideways that I ended up calling the police to rescue me. You can read that full story here.

Decades later, I've pedaled across states, up canyons, through heat, wind, and rain. From the saddle, the world doesn't rush by-it unfolds. And here's the part people don't expect: I'm almost 70, and I've never felt stronger. Time in the saddle built rhythm, resilience, and gratitude. Every climb pays you back with a view; every mile with a bit of awe.