the mask we live in & the backpack we carry
When we're young, through parenting, Hollywood, sports, and society, we quickly learn what it means to be a 'real' man. They are providers and protectors, strong, take risks, do
One Thing I didn’t Think Of
Planning what to bring on a 350-mile gravel bike race is a dance of engineering and anxiety. Packaging your complete toolbox for every possible scenario is impossible, so loosening
There’s No Place Like Home/Cycling Unbound XL
Last December, when I entered the lottery to race 352 miles of tire-shredding "peach butt'r" gravel in the Flint Hills of Kansas called Unbound XL, people wondered if I had a bra
We Are 10 Years Old!
If you're not paying attention, change might seem to happen suddenly. It's a dramatic moment—a big aha! It grabs your attention. Those big moments are just awareness—they are
Graduation Day
My college graduation was unremarkable. I sat on a folding chair in my university's basketball arena, listening to dull, platitude-infused speeches. There I was, eager to get out o
How to Keep Your Balance
We never forget how to ride a bike, and it reminds us, as Einstein shared, that to comfortably maintain one's balance, one must keep pedaling. And, if I could add, it's essential t
A Mixed Tape For Life
There's nothing quite like a mixed tape. It's a hallmark of my fellow Gen Xers, and we made them for various reasons, much like we do today on Spotify, but it's not the same.
It’s Time to Unpack Your Backpack
We start with light backpacks. The essentials are there, and a sherpa or two guides our way. But as we continue to hike, we pick up rocks here and there. The weight grows so gradu
Neon Lights
About ten years later, Earle Anthony used neon to gain attention for his Packard dealerships in Los Angeles. Then the person down the street got one, and then another, and another.
