My Journey With Ulcerative Colitis: Getting Back on the Bike

Over the last year, many of you have followed my cycling adventures through BestRidesDC, whether on local trails in Prince William County, long gravel rides through Virginia, or mountain bike destinations throughout the Mid-Atlantic.

What many of you may not have known is that behind those rides, I was navigating the most difficult health challenge of my life.

In May 2025, after more than twenty years of living with ulcerative colitis, I underwent a total proctocolectomy and ileostomy surgery. The procedure ended a long battle with a chronic disease that had gradually taken more and more from me—my energy, my confidence, my ability to travel freely, and eventually even my ability to ride the way I wanted to.

As the disease progressed, cycling became more than a hobby. It became a benchmark.

The question that kept returning to my mind wasn't whether the surgery would be successful. It was much simpler:

Would I be able to ride my bike again?

In the weeks leading up to surgery, and throughout recovery, I began documenting the experience. What started as personal notes evolved into a journal chronicling the realities of living with chronic illness, making the decision to undergo surgery, adapting to life with an ostomy, and ultimately finding my way back to the activities I love.

That journey became My Journey With Ulcerative Colitis: Getting Back on the Bike.

Part memoir, part photo journal, and part recovery story, the book combines personal reflections with photographs from many of the trails, roads, and places that motivated me throughout the process. The bike, and the places it has taken me, became both a goal and a reminder of what I was fighting to regain.

Today, more than a year after surgery, I'm back riding, building trails, exploring new places, and looking ahead to the next chapter. The journey wasn't always easy, and it certainly wasn't linear, but it reinforced something I've learned repeatedly through cycling:

Progress rarely comes all at once. It happens one pedal stroke at a time.

The journal is now available on Amazon.

Whether you've followed my cycling adventures for years, are facing your own health challenges, or know someone navigating chronic illness, I hope my experience offers encouragement and perspective.

Thank you to everyone who followed along, offered support, and helped keep me moving forward when the trail ahead wasn't always clear.

See you out on the trails.

My Journey With Ulcerative Colitis: Getting Back on the Bike