(Too long; didn’t read? Scroll to the line below and see the challenge.)

Here I am on blood thinners because of my PE and as a result I’ve stepped away from competition through the end of the season. The risk of crashing in the heat of a competition is an unpleasant part of bike racing, and that’s a risk that I’m not willing to take.

I am very comfortable just riding a bike. JRA baby! I can control my risk and pump the brakes when riding as opposed to diving into a blind, loose corner when racing.

So here we are in Whitefish, Montana where both Laura and I are registered for The Last Best Ride. I won the race last year, Laura was third, and we’re thrilled to be back. Laura will continue to race and I hatched this long-winded idea. Stick with me here. TLBR is the brainchild of our dear friend Jess Cerra and her tireless hard work. Jess is a professional road cyclist turned gravel racer, she owns a sports nutrition company, she’s a chef and entrepreneur, and of course an event director. (Hmm, no wonder I like her!) It’s often said about Jess, she was raised by this town of Whitefish.

As described on their scholarship website,

“With the help of her high school guidance counselor, Mrs. Barbara Mansfield, and the money provided by donors, she overcame the hardships she struggled with growing up as a financially disadvantaged youth, and was able to pursue her goal of attending college. In the same spirit of the generosity that afforded Jess the opportunity at a post-secondary education, we have established our Barbara Mansfield Champion Scholar Award program.”

Here in 2022, they’ve raised more than $20,000 and it continues to rise.

So here’s the idea. I’m going to start after the race starts and for every rider I pass, I’m going to donate $1 to TLBR/Barbara Mansfield Scholarship. A bit deeper dive into the specifics; the 92 mile long course starts at 7:30, the 48 mile short course starts at 7:45. I’m going to start at 8am and start creating a benevolent tally. I’ll race with a Moosepacks fanny pack and collect dollars from generous riders. And whether you’re on course or not, you can match my tally or simply DONATE. If you believe in the power of education, the freedom of bikes, and generosity, this is the place!

Stay tuned how it goes!