Making Room for More

Better Together Adventures

‍ ‍By Troy Tuyls

When Cristina and I started riding together, we weren’t thinking about building something.

We wanted time together. Somewhere to go. A reason to put everyday responsibilities aside for a few hours and see where the trail would take us.

Then those rides began shaping our lives.

The Great Allegheny Passage became part of our love story. We married at the waterfall in Ohiopyle during our journey along the GAP and C&O. And now, as we prepare to leave our beautiful condo for a home near the GAP and Dead Man’s Hollow, we’re making room for the trail in our everyday lives.

But somewhere along the way, another thought started taking shape.

What if we could help someone else experience a little of what we found?

Someone who hasn’t ridden in years. A couple who could use an afternoon together. Someone who wants to explore but feels unsure about getting started.

I keep coming back to that first ride—the one before you know how far you can go or whether you’ll enjoy it. Sometimes the hardest part happens before the wheels ever turn. You need a little encouragement. Someone willing to say, “Come with us. We’ll figure it out together.”

That’s the kind of welcome I want Better Together Adventures to offer.

I love riding with Cristina. I love looking over and seeing her beside me, knowing we’ve chosen this time together. There’s something about sharing a trail that makes room for conversation, laughter, and the comfortable quiet of being with your person.

I want to keep those moments at the heart of what we’re building.

When we share a trail story, I hope someone can picture themselves there. When we talk about e-bikes, I hope someone who thought cycling was beyond their reach starts considering a ride. And when we eventually invite people to join us, I hope they feel comfortable showing up just as they are.

Those hopes are bigger than what we can do all at once.

We both work. We’re preparing for a move. I’m learning how to turn our footage into videos that people will want to watch. Some weeks, finding the energy to write one story feels like an accomplishment.

There are days when I look at everything I’d like BTA to become and wonder where to begin.

Then I think about how Cristina and I finished our long ride.

We didn’t ride all 334 miles in one day. We rode the miles in front of us. We stopped when we needed to. We encouraged each other and started again.

I can approach this the same way.

One story that helps someone feel connected. One useful trail review. One invitation when we’re ready. Small things we can do well and keep doing.

Our faith is part of that hope, too. I want it to show in how we treat people—in patience, generosity, and making someone feel welcome. As BTA grows, I hope we’ll find practical ways to help children and veterans experience the freedom and enjoyment of a bike ride.

For now, those ideas are still ahead of us. We have work to do before they become something we can offer.

But I like knowing what we’re working toward.

We left friends and family in Michigan to build a life together in Pennsylvania. That choice carried excitement, uncertainty, and the ache of leaving people we love. Now we’re taking another step toward a life that feels closer to the things we value.

Time together. The outdoors. Faith. A sense of belonging.

Better Together Adventures is growing out of that life, a little at a time.

The trail has already given Cristina and me so much: memories, a place to get married, and a reason to imagine a different future.

As we prepare for this next chapter, I keep thinking about who we might meet along the way.

Maybe someone reading this is waiting for a reason to take that first ride.

I hope, in time, we can be part of it.