Rediscovering Myself on Two Wheels: A Journey from Chaos to Cycling

Hello, and welcome to my story about finding joy, freedom, and a little bit of magic on two wheels.

The Rocky Start to a Lifelong Love

Cycling didn't sweep me off my feet as a child. At around 10 years old, I was mountain biking with my dad and brothers in Keystone, Colorado when I grabbed the front brake too hard. The result was road rash, tears, and a fear of the bike that ended my mountain biking days before they really began.

I stayed active with skiing, snowboarding, and hiking. I always had a bike, but it was purely a commuter — a way to get from A to B. The mountains stayed off-limits on two wheels, but I never lost my love of escaping Denver for the wilderness on weekends.

Life in Paris — and Losing Myself

In 2011, life took me to Paris. Newly married, I crossed the ocean with big dreams and a camera in hand, launching Pictours Paris — a photography business built on my love for the city and my creative spirit. I worked sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, pouring everything I had into building something from passion.

I loved what I did. I was living the dream.

But in the whirlwind of it all, I stopped caring for myself. Then came motherhood, two restaurants built alongside my then-husband, and the relentless weight of it all. I was a mother, a business owner, a full-time provider — and slowly, I lost sight of the woman who had always found her freedom in movement and the outdoors.

Life in Paris became loud, full, and relentless.

The Breaking Point — and a New Beginning

Then COVID hit, and everything stopped.

Forced to pause, I found my way back to the bike. Locked down but determined, I rode hours each week on a stationary bike — the Peloton app and its incredible coaches became my therapy, my escape, my way back to myself.

When Paris reopened, I kept riding — but this time through the city streets, not just on a screen. I began craving the fresh air, the rhythm of pedaling, the views. A happiness I hadn't felt in years started creeping back in.

The Most Unexpected, Most Beautiful Love

Around that time, I was starting my life over. I asked for a divorce. It felt terrifying and freeing in equal measure — standing up for myself after years in a marriage that had slowly drained me.

I was alone. But I was proud.

I focused on being the best mother I could be to my daughter, riding regularly, and feeling strong — in body, mind, and heart.

And then, unexpectedly, I met the most wonderful man. An avid cyclist, a mountain lover, and the kind of steady, quiet presence who encourages you to go just a little farther than you think you can. We shared a love of photography, the outdoors, and movement. Cycling became our love language.

One day, with his encouragement, I rode solo from Paris to Versailles for the first time. I was nervous — worried about getting lost, unsure if I was strong enough. But I did it.

Sitting behind the château, looking out over the Grand Canal, I felt something shift. I wasn't just riding a bike. I was reclaiming myself.

That route became one of the most important things in my life. And now, I want to share it with you. Revel Rides was born from my love of those vast, quiet forests between Paris and Versailles — and I cannot wait for you to feel that magic too.

How Cycling Changed Everything

Cycling gave me freedom — to explore at my own pace, on my own terms.It gave me balance between work, motherhood, and myself.It brought me back to nature, to stillness, and to a strength I didn't know I had left.

The bike became a symbol of rediscovery. Of happiness. Of coming home to myself.

Life on Two Wheels

Cycling didn't just give me fitness. It gave me resilience. It gave me love — for myself, and for the man who now rides beside me.

Together, we share one simple belief: life is better when you move through it.

And that's the heart of Revel Rides.

Not just cycling. But connection, freedom, and the courage to keep going.

Thanks for reading — now let's ride.

xx Lindsey