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A Purpose Ridden
In the summer of 1996, a father and his 13-year-old son embarked on a 3400 km bicycle tour across Canada. Affectionately known as “Manhood Training,” this unique bonding experience became the inspiration for Ryan Correy to break away from convention and turn a passion for cycling into his purpose in life.
The world’s most extreme cycling challenges serve as an evolving proving ground for the young rider – including self-doubt on a solo tour to Arizona after high school, falling asleep and crashing into a cemetery gate on the grueling Race Across America (“The toughest sporting event in the world”), murder and robbery along the Pan American Highway (“The longest road in the world”), a near mountaintop helicopter rescue while traversing the infamous Tour Divide (“The longest mountain bike race in the world”), cashing in after being hit by a car in California, hallucinations and foot-crippling pain on a six-day, 20-hour stationary cycling world record attempt, and plenty more .
A Purpose Ridden is an honest and often obsessive first-hand account of becoming one of Canada’s most respected adventure cyclists. Ryan shares in great detail the sponsorship woes, the evolution of his ego, an admiration for flawed role model Lance Armstrong, the many accolades earned, family tragedy and, of course, the evolving relationship with his father, their fights, and friendships lost along the way.
The path less travelled begins with a paternal “We’re close enough to home. If you want, we can call your mother to come and pick you up now.”
The world’s most extreme cycling challenges serve as an evolving proving ground for the young rider – including self-doubt on a solo tour to Arizona after high school, falling asleep and crashing into a cemetery gate on the grueling Race Across America (“The toughest sporting event in the world”), murder and robbery along the Pan American Highway (“The longest road in the world”), a near mountaintop helicopter rescue while traversing the infamous Tour Divide (“The longest mountain bike race in the world”), cashing in after being hit by a car in California, hallucinations and foot-crippling pain on a six-day, 20-hour stationary cycling world record attempt, and plenty more .
A Purpose Ridden is an honest and often obsessive first-hand account of becoming one of Canada’s most respected adventure cyclists. Ryan shares in great detail the sponsorship woes, the evolution of his ego, an admiration for flawed role model Lance Armstrong, the many accolades earned, family tragedy and, of course, the evolving relationship with his father, their fights, and friendships lost along the way.
The path less travelled begins with a paternal “We’re close enough to home. If you want, we can call your mother to come and pick you up now.”
498 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2015
72 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Correy
7 books6 followersRyan Correy is one of Canada’s most respected adventure cyclists. His passion on two wheels began at the age of 13, when he and his father embarked on a series of cross-country tours around North America. The Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership valedictorian has since taken on many of world’s toughest cycling challenges, including a 25,000 km tour from Alaska to Argentina, the grueling Race Across America, 4,418 km of remote mountain terrain on the Tour Divide (twice), and a crippling 6 day 20 hour stationary cycling record attempt. The list goes on. In between planning the next adventure, Ryan regularly speaks to groups on endurance and how to turn passion into purpose. He also serves as the Fueling Guru for Hammer Nutrition Canada – intrusting hard-earned sport nutrition advice to amateur and professional athletes alike.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 30, 2018
A few weeks ago I participated a memorial bike ride for Ryan Correy, as he had led some fun night rides in Burlington a few years ago. At that time, I had no idea how accomplished and driven he was and what he had achieved: a 25000 km trip from the top of Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, a 12 day ride across the US (with incredibly little sleep or rest), 4500 km mountain bike trip from Canada to Mexico on remote mountain trails, and a 6 day attempt to break a stationary bike record (among many others). It all started at the age of 13 when his father took him on a bike ride across Canada!
The Ryan that I knew just through a couple of bike trips came out in the book - humble and keen to share his love of cycling. The first, longest trip broke a World Record but he destroyed the proof and didn't apply for the record because he had ridden in support of Make-a-Wish and had promised a young boy dying of brain cancer that he would complete the trip for him, and that was what was important in the end.
For anyone who bikes or who works hard to enjoy their passion and adventures, I highly recommend this book. It's an amazing insight into how hard a person can push themselves physically and mentally in support of a higher goal outside of themselves. I was very sad to hear that Ryan had lost his own fight with cancer in April.
The Ryan that I knew just through a couple of bike trips came out in the book - humble and keen to share his love of cycling. The first, longest trip broke a World Record but he destroyed the proof and didn't apply for the record because he had ridden in support of Make-a-Wish and had promised a young boy dying of brain cancer that he would complete the trip for him, and that was what was important in the end.
For anyone who bikes or who works hard to enjoy their passion and adventures, I highly recommend this book. It's an amazing insight into how hard a person can push themselves physically and mentally in support of a higher goal outside of themselves. I was very sad to hear that Ryan had lost his own fight with cancer in April.
May 19, 2017
Starting with a cross country trip undertaken with his father at age 13, Ryan Correy details the following decade and a half of various endurance pursuits. Despite the number of miles pedaled, self-awareness seems to have largely passed Correy by. While he writes about wanting to ride with purpose, and does make attempts to raise money for various causes (with minimal success), his primary achievement seems to be in finding others to fund his adventures. Long suffering parents are acknowledged, albeit with resignation and a lack of appreciation. For me, Correy comes off as a spoiled rich kid, riding through life listening to Coldplay with a monumental sense of entitlement.
November 4, 2015
The feats accomplished and attempted by the author on the seat of a bicycle are truly impressive and inspiring. For anyone with an appetite for adventure, travel and of course cycling (especially of the extreme variety!), A Purpose Ridden is a must read.
This is not, however, a story of fluff and romanticized adventure. Beyond the incredible experiences detailed in A Purpose Ridden, this is a brave and brutally honest account of a life defined, and sometimes burdened, by ambition. It's also a rare glimpse into what is often not discussed with these headline making achievements. The personal and interpersonal struggles, and the things lost or sacrificed along the way.
One thing is for sure, this book will certainly have you thinking about an adventure of your own!
This is not, however, a story of fluff and romanticized adventure. Beyond the incredible experiences detailed in A Purpose Ridden, this is a brave and brutally honest account of a life defined, and sometimes burdened, by ambition. It's also a rare glimpse into what is often not discussed with these headline making achievements. The personal and interpersonal struggles, and the things lost or sacrificed along the way.
One thing is for sure, this book will certainly have you thinking about an adventure of your own!
June 19, 2015
Phenomenal story about a life of difficult pursuits on a bicycle. This man's drive and passion was inspiring. This is a book all cyclists and anyone who enjoys adventure and travel should read, then... Go ride your bike.
June 17, 2024
This book started strong and grabbed me immediately. Familiar with the area around Calgary it was like home. While the book remained interesting it waned at times as often these type of books do for me. It’s like an exhaustion with the never ended pursuit of bigger better longer. Overall a good book with an ending mired in some unresolved feelings between father and son which was maybe the most interesting story within.
June 11, 2018
I loved this book as I do many adventure books. This young man never gave up and I admired his courage to ride into the unknown on his bike. I started reading this after Ryan (author) was diagnosed with cancer. He didn’t survive long and after his death I had to pause reading the book. I recently finished it and enjoyed it so much. Rest In Peace Ryan.
August 27, 2015
An auto-biography by a young man who has accomplished (and attempted) some impressive endurance-oriented athletic events. Interesting reading about his background and somewhat clumsy attempts to explain his motivations. Yet it all comes across as a story about an athletically gifted fellow who is enormously self-centred and simply a spoiled rich kid on permanent holiday.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews