Well, the gestation period of this idea was almost 2 years. It was Spring of ‘04 that John asked me to train for the MS 150 with him. I looked at my belly, considered my multiple chins, and decided to dust off the big blue Ochsner and regain my boyish figure.

I was like uncle Rico. Any discussion of cycling typically focused on my glory days when my friends and I used to ride our yearly, 124 mile trek through the Sonoran desert in the middle of the summer (we rode through the night), up 5,000 feet of elevation gain from Phoenix to summer camp outside of Prescott.

When John asked me to ride, this still small voice in the back of my head said, “you can spend your time talking about 15 years ago, or you can start talking about today’s ride.” I chose today’s ride, and I choose that ride today. . .

Well, except, I didn’t actually ride today; the rainpants I ordered were too tight. I suppose I’m still working on that boyish figure part — but I digress.

Summer of ‘04 was the time when I began to rekindle my love for cycling. It’s a love not only for the deserted country road, not only for the unmistakable whirr of the freewheel, not only for careening down an 8% grade (okay, maybe it’s more like 6%), but it was a rekindling of my love for the camaraderie of cycling: the fellowship of the chainring.

That first ride on the BBO (Big Blue Ochsner) was one I’d rather forget. I was winded from a 2% grade going up 209th from TV highway to Farmington (it must have been at least 35 feet of elevation gain). Then, a dog chased me for 15 feet, and we barely made it to Tile Flat Road before John asked if I wanted to go back (we were only 5.5 miles into the ride). John gave me an out by saying something about having to go back, and that was all I needed to turn around.

Soon, however, John and I were building up our mileage. Pretty soon, I was riding 25 miles, then 35 miles, then 40 miles. It was our last major training ride when the inspiration for the name came. We were riding from Newberg to Lincoln City, a 72-mile ride through the Van Duzer Corridor over the coastal range and down to the beautiful Oregon coast, when we struck up a conversation about the book, Epic, by John Eldridge . . .

Tune in later for more of “Long Time Coming” Hey! it took me 2 years to get this site up and running. I think you can wait a day.