a reason to do what you love and love what you do

A man I never met, Dave Blumenthal, and only know through another bicycling blogger's blog (Kent Peterson) died on June 24th after sustaining injuries from a collision with a vehicle while riding in the 2010 Tour Divide.

Borrowing from Kent's words about Dave, I hope when I am gone, people will say I lived my life fully and passionately and that my thoughts, actions and words revealed a man who knew many things and most importantly, knew how to live and knew what things are most important. Dave's last blog post should bring you to tears.

As I soon (a few weeks) begin the longest ride in my life (the 2010 Seattle to Portland ride, a scant 200-something miles in two days) I pray for the health and safety of fellow riders and myself and hope to return with smiles and photos and stories to share.

Despite the risks we face in life everyday, we cannot let that stop us from enjoying the ride. Be safe. Be smart. Be kind.