As a 12-year-old growing up in Cypress, California, Ken Francis began wondering what the world held for him outside of his hometown. Now, 48 years later, the Long Beach resident can speak with an expert’s knowledge on the subject.
Francis, 60, has pedaled his bicycle well north of 100,000 miles across the United States, Europe and Australia. His adventures are chronicled in his new book Great Rides Across America: The Open Road Adventures of Mr. Tour.
Francis tells of his many escapades which include time spent with a polygamist cult in Utah and being adopted by the Pennsylvania Dutch community. He was also asked to speak at many churches along his routes.
A 1987 graduate of Cypress College, Francis is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Carson, California. His specialty is working with individuals, families and children affected by substance abuse.
For Francis, who has a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling from California State University, Dominguez Hills, his travels are not just about the experiences and exercise. He firmly believes getting to meet people of diverse backgrounds makes him a more effective therapist. “I truly feel getting out of my comfort zone of the office and visiting with folks in many parts of the United States and world makes me more compassionate in relating to my patients.”
After all the miles and years, Francis says he doesn’t have plans to slow down any time soon; saying, “It’s my determination that gets me down the road, not my bicycle.”
For his 60th birthday on August 11, however, Francis plans to celebrate the milestone by hopping off his bike to hike the backside of Yosemite’s Half Dome.
His new book marks the third he has published. The first two, The Intimacy Gram: Create a Map to Find Yourself (2018) and The Gratitude Snorkel: and Other Bedtime Stories (2019) were self-help books.
