Please help me support a great environmental org., Tin Mountain Conservation Center (TMCC), which has provided environmental education to more than 75,000 students, campers, and individuals during the past 33 years. This short video is a great intro to the organization. To see a recent short video showcasing the hands-on approach TMCC takes with students, check out this winter kids' program or this recent lesson on water pollution.
I personally believe it is essential to educate kids about nature, to, frankly, AWE them with its wonders - early, so that they develop an empathy, a compassion for the environment. It's the best way to develop stewards in the next generation. A March 2026 podcast by Outside TV called awe “The Anti-A**hole Effect” when discussing the groundbreaking work of Dr Paul Piff documenting measurable changes in behavior when people experience awe in nature.
The Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, a 7.6 mile all-uphill race climbing more than 4500 feet to the summit of the highest peak in the northeastern US, is the largest annual fundraiser for TMCC. This will be my 17th year racing in the event – and what a privilege it has been! Just as in the old "Wide World of Sports" intro, over so many years one can both grasp 'the thrill of victory' and 'the agony of defeat.' In 2019, my 12th Mt W race, I had race number 12 (good luck charm!) and set a PR of 1:14!
But as often as not, the mountain keeps you humble, and your race doesn’t go perfectly, no matter your level of preparation. In 2022, I was struggling with back pain and cramps (4 months prior to back surgery, it turned out) and was forced to stand the final 10 minutes of the main part of the climb, then had to walk the finishing "wall". It was my slowest finishing time to that point; it's also the one I'm proudest of. In 2024 my chain fell over the top of my cassette and into the hub area of the back wheel just at the start of the wall – I had changed the cassette late in my prep and apparently hadn’t tested the shifting sufficiently.
The event teaches you. Perseverence. Accountability. Respect. Gratitude. Lessons for life and the same values and approach the TMCC programs hope to elicit in kids.
Thanks to all of you for your support! Together, we’ve raised more than $25,000 for TMCC. Let's keep the momentum going.