I have been wandering toward various journeys for many years of my life now. I have been to many countries (20 at last count), all of the lower 48 states and all 10 Canadian provinces. I am on the verge of my most ambitious travel project to date; cycling from my house in Stratford Ontario to Leadville Colorado. Me, my mountain bike and a trailer with my life for six weeks. What I have discovered the last few years is the beauty of the expedition, not necessarily the arrival at the destination.

So why am I doing this now? I have had this as a dream for years. I started saying to Joy many years ago; ‘when the company finally parts paths with me I am just going to get on my bike and ride.’ The thought of a ‘bike-about’ has always intrigued me. To just go out and wander and live with little plan and maybe a distant destination. Now, I get to be there and do that.

Here is the barren truth; I love life, bicycles, a good wine, a cold beer after a long ride, the joy of discovery (people, places and things), my incredible wife, and my awesome beautiful children and grandchild. Life is a wondrous, surprise filled journey that can only be lived in the present; not the future or the past. The last three years have been ones of challenge for Joy and I and now I need some time on the open road to allow God to work it through my soul. Loss and pain and love and mourning are all part of a journey forward. Allowing those things to temper my soul and teach me what it is to love better has been a hard journey.

I raise a toast to the ride; to writing in my journal, and sharing that with the few who care to listen and read.

Join me for an expedition of discovery, and life, and many sunrises and sunsets…