The Ride

[ChristopherSea]

It must have been an amazing experience and congratulations on the accomplishment! I like your narrative and the language used. It could be more poetic with some structure, either with line breaks and enjambment or perhaps some stanzas. Something like:

Through a biting cold rain
we climbed a seemingly endless
myriad of rolling hills. And when the clouds
broke and the sun shone over the valley –
there were still miles to go.

Miles of unknown land, miles
of indefinite adventure. At times,
it was daunting, challenging, and lonesome.
But the true measure of a man’s spirit
is how he responds to those trialing times –
does he look back, or does he move forward?

It’s only by choosing to carry on
that we discover the true kindness and beauty
that still remains in this world.
From the middle aged couple who lent
a hand in the dead of night to the young cyclists,
to the majesty of the deep purple Olympic Mountains.

It was an extraordinary voyage chronicling
one hundred-sixty miles of what
only a bike ride can truly do.

Another suggestion is to expand this into a series. Then you can share more details and incorporate some metaphor. Focus on significant highlights, e.g., what happened with the elder and young cyclists? You can illustrate the experience rather than narrate it!