Buffalo Gap Tour de Gap: One Ride at a Time After My Tour Fell Apart

- July 26, 2025

🚴 One Ride at a Time: After my solo bike tour ended on Day One, I committed to something new — one organized event a month. This is the start of that story, beginning with the Buffalo Gap Tour de Gap.

I Trained 6,000 Miles for a Tour That Ended on Day One — So I Started Something Better

I trained over 6,000 miles for a solo bicycle tour from San Diego to Las Cruces. Six thousand. That’s a number most people don’t throw around lightly. I rode in wind, in heat, in the middle of nowhere. I pushed through the doubts and the soreness. I dialed in my gear. My legs were ready. My heart was in it.

And then — Day One.

Crash. Broken bike. Bloodied pride. Tour over before it even began.

I stood there in the desert, stunned. After all that work, after all that discipline, it was just… gone.

I could’ve shut it all down. Put the bike in the garage, closed the door, and let the disappointment settle in like dust. But instead — I chose something else.

One Event a Month. That’s What I Gave Myself.

If I couldn’t finish my tour, I was going to finish something else.

So I made a new plan: I’d keep training. I’d keep riding. But I’d show up for one organized event each month. Not as a racer. Not to prove anything. Just to be among others. To remind myself that I’m not the only one out here still turning the pedals.

It started with this weekend: the Buffalo Gap Tour de Gap. A timed event, sure — but I didn’t come to race anyone but myself. I’ve got nothing to prove to the guys with shaved legs and sunglasses you could land a plane with.

I’m not chasing KOMs.

I’m chasing peace. Fitness. Grit. Redemption.

I Thought That Tour Would Be Everything…

I’ve ridden thousands of miles on solo tours over the years. I know what it feels like to be out there alone — just me, the road, and the sound of my tires. And for the most part, I’ve always liked it. The solitude never bothered me.

But this time, after the crash — stranded, banged up, tour over before it even started — the isolation hit different. Suddenly it wasn’t peaceful. It was heavy. Empty. Like all that work I’d done had just disappeared into the dust with no one around to even see it.

That’s when I knew: I didn’t need to be alone out there. Not this time. Not after what I’d been through.

So I made a new plan — one event at a time.

This Is the First Ride in a Series I Didn’t Plan — But One I’m Proud to Be On

So here we are: Buffalo Gap, July. Next month, I’ll line up at Hotter’N Hell in Wichita Falls. Then Eighter in Decatur in September. And finally — in October — I’ll face the hardest climb of them all at Day of the Tread in Albuquerque. The terrain that broke me last time.

This is my ride back. Not to a tour. Not to a finish line. But to something that feels more honest than anything I’ve done on two wheels.

The road didn’t end at Day One. It just turned.

And I kept riding.

🚴 Gear I Personally Use and Recommend

I personally use all of these and swear by them. They’ve helped me stay healthy, ride longer, and recover smarter.

Renpho Smart Scale — I use this one and it gives me a tremendous amount of information that has been integral to my weight loss and healthy lifestyle.
👉 Check it out on Amazon
Giro Fixture MIPS II Helmet — I wear mine every ride. It is comfortable and it protects me.
👉 Check it out on Amazon
Outdoor Essentials Cooling Arm Sleeves — I wear these to protect my arms from the damaging sun as I have skin cancer issues.
👉 Check it out on Amazon
Przewalski Bib Shorts — I have multiple pairs of these. They cost a lot less than the others and last me longer.
👉 Check it out on Amazon
Premier Protein Shakes — I drink one after every ride. They are low sugar and packed with protein to give me what I need.
👉 Check it out on Amazon

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