I am challenging myself to read more, a failed challenge for several years. I recently found the magic bullet to making it happen. I read in bed for an hour before I fall asleep. It’s…
The Spin-offs and finding my tribe
I pedaled west from Berea towards Sandusky from the starting line of the 2010 Bike MS 150 Pedal to the Point. I was surrounded by 2,400 cyclists, most of them much more experienced, fitter, and…
Tom’s bicycle touring hacks
I recently posted a photo on Facebook of my first bicycle tour. I looked at my fully loaded bike in that post. It looked like one of those third world cargo cyclist photos where the…
Knowing when to give a f*ck
Using the “f” word was a criminal offense punishable in the most severe way in my childhood home. One of my favorite scenes from A Christmas story was when Ralphie utters the f*ck word. It…
The day that changed my life
February 21, 1970 was not a typical Saturday morning. I would normally be glued to the TV watching cartoons. Instead, I was preparing to visit my father in Alliance City Hospital. He was being transferred…
Appearance, health, or weight
I nervously scanned the people in the conference room at Summa Akron City Hospital on that cold January night in 2008. I was taking my first step towards bariatric surgery by attending a weight loss…
Two years and twelve lessons later
Facebook reminded me this morning that two years ago I walked out of my office and into retired life. Two years later, I am still discovering life as a retired person. Last year, I reflected…
2018 bike tours in 10 words and images
Community I toured Florida’s Space Coast in early spring on Bike Florida’s supported weeklong tour. Like Ohio’s GOBA, this ride is a moving community of cyclists where people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities return…