The Zommunique logo June '23

,

DIRT Dad Fundo Across America—Day Twenty-Five

“Life is like riding a bicycle. In order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.” — Albert Einstein, genius

Riding a bike requires balance. Being a cyclist takes balancing. Cycling, especially bike racing, is often selfish and solitary. An undertaking like riding your bike across the country is no different, perhaps moreso.

 

Juggling your priorities is as essential to staying upright as pedaling itself. Training and racing take a lot of time and travel, often at the family’s expense. Placing my family first can sometimes be a tricky balancing act, but it is essential.

 

Sacrifices need to be made, and if that means spending 60 days in a 30-foot rolling tin can to share the experience with the ones I love, so be it. It hasn’t been easy, but the most challenging part of the trip for Kristin and me was the distance from our kids.

 

We would restore part of that balance today, and it was all I was thinking.  

I’ve learned that the shorter route plan didn’t mean more manageable. There was a lot of climbing, and it was tough! It was also exciting and beautiful.

While the Schwenk Tank was parked on the side of a lonely SD road waiting for me to make my way up another stiff climb, a local approached the crew in an antique pickup.  Bob Dudding was his name and he was entralled by the story of our plan and that it was rolling by his door.  

That kick was tough, and unwilling to relinquish my momentum, I rolled on through, unwittingly. Shortly thereafter, Bob arrived with his wife Trisha and their bikes. My haste denied me the pleasure of riding with them, but they did make a generous donation. Another couple added to the balance of the DIRT family. Thank you, Bob and Trisha!

A few bikes made their last stand in Custer, SD!

We visited the monument at Crazy Horse!

The crew wanted to learn more about the legend, and I didn’t want my legs to seize up from the wait. They stayed, and I continued on my way. The wind and terrain were a gift for the final 15 miles, and I arrived at our final destination sooner than anticipated. I found a place to cool off and think.

We grabbed a bite and a brew and set off to do the thing that was at the top of all our minds. Jared, his wife, and the staff at Sick-N-Twisted Brewery in Hill City were awesome! So were the food and beer.

Conor flew in later that afternoon and we did some exploring and catching up. There is a lot to share.

Balance restored, almost! Our daughter, Kayla, will be joining us later in our journey!

About the DIRT Dad Fundo Pledge for Day Twenty-Five—Uncle Tom McAdam

Here is what Uncle Tom had to say—Supporting a wonderful family member for a great cause!”

 

That’s what it’s all about, Uncle Tom! Family first if you want to stay balanced and keep moving.

 

Amount Raised to Date—$5,595

 

Thank you, Tom!

 

Now off to The Badlands of SD!

To support Chris in his effort to raise awareness of The DIRT Dad Fund, the non-profit he created to assist members of the worldwide cycling community, check out this link to learn more. 


Find out where you can pledge a donation and subscribe to The ZOMs newsletter to follow along on the journey. 

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

The Zommuniqué

Virtual Velo Podcast logo final
Check out Episode Thirty here!

The Zommunique’ Community gets 10% off at LEVELVelo.com with coupon code “TheZomm gives 10% off”   

The DIRT Dad Fund

Contribute to a great cause!

The DIRT Dad Fund

Share the power of The DIRT Effect

Jaclyn Long, MFT

Certified Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher

Marriage & Family Therapist in CA

Sports Anxiety Therapy

Drink Coffee and Do Good!  

What could be better than that?

Click the Image and Shop now!

Related Articles

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x